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Investigation On The Potential Of A Co2 Capture System, Downstream Of The Aftertreatment System For A Heavy-Duty Engine Application, Murchana Pathak Jan 2018

Investigation On The Potential Of A Co2 Capture System, Downstream Of The Aftertreatment System For A Heavy-Duty Engine Application, Murchana Pathak

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

The transportation sector accounts for the second largest source of CO2 emissions after power generation. New Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) regulations are focusing on improving energy through reduced fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. This work investigates the potential of a CO2 capture system downstream of an aftertreatment system for a heavy-duty engine application. Amine absorption has been described as one of the most effective ways to capture CO2 from the exhaust for point sources. Therefore, using thermal-swing absorption process with potassium carbonate (K2CO3) as the absorbent liquid, a process was analyzed …


Effects Of Co-Product Uses On Environmental And Economic Sustainability Of Hydrocarbon Biofuel From One- And Two-Step Pyrolysis Of Poplar, Daniel G. Kulas Jan 2018

Effects Of Co-Product Uses On Environmental And Economic Sustainability Of Hydrocarbon Biofuel From One- And Two-Step Pyrolysis Of Poplar, Daniel G. Kulas

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

This study investigated the environmental and economic sustainability of liquid hydrocarbon biofuel production via fast pyrolysis of poplar biomass through two pathways: a one-step pathway that converted poplar via fast pyrolysis only, and a twostep pathway that includes a torrefaction step prior to fast pyrolysis. Optimization of these fast pyrolysis-based biofuel processes were investigated through heat integration and alternative uses of the co-product biochar, which can be sold as an energy source to displace coal, soil amendment or processed into activated carbon. The impacts of optimization on the cost of hydrocarbon biofuel production as well as the environmental impacts were …


Reverse Insulator Dielectrophoresis: Utilizing Droplet Microenvironments For Discerning Molecular Expressions On Cell Surfaces, Jeana Collins Jan 2018

Reverse Insulator Dielectrophoresis: Utilizing Droplet Microenvironments For Discerning Molecular Expressions On Cell Surfaces, Jeana Collins

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Lab-on-a-chip (LOC) technologies enable the development of portable analysis devices that use small sample and reagent volumes, allow for multiple unit operations, and couple with detectors to achieve high resolution and sensitivity, while having small footprints, low cost, short analysis times, and portability. Droplet microfluidics is a subset of LOCs with the unique benefit of enabling parallel analysis since each droplet can be utilized as an isolated microenvironment. This work explored adaptation of droplet microfluidics into a unique, previously unexplored application where the water/oil interface was harnessed to bend electric field lines within individual droplets for insulator dielectrophoretic (iDEP) characterizations. …


Investigation Of Mechanical, Electrical, And Thermal Properties Of Particulate/Fiber/Polymer Composites, Julie Tomasi Jan 2018

Investigation Of Mechanical, Electrical, And Thermal Properties Of Particulate/Fiber/Polymer Composites, Julie Tomasi

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Composites have many applications due to their high strength to weight ratio, chemical resistance, and the ability to tune properties like electrical resistivity (ER). In this work, polyetheretherketone (PEEK) and cycloaliphatic epoxy (CE) composites with different fillers were studied. PEEK composites contained up to 10 wt% Akzo Nobel Ketjenblack carbon black (CB), up to 15 wt% Asbury Carbons TC307 graphene nanoplatelets (GNP), up to 30 wt% Solvay carbon fiber (CF), and combinations of the three carbons. Formulations were developed for electrostatic dissipative and electrically conductive applications. The most conductive formulation was 7.5 wt% CB/30 wt% CF/PEEK, which had an electrical …


Molecular Biogeochemistry Of A Poor Fen, Zhimin Song Jan 2018

Molecular Biogeochemistry Of A Poor Fen, Zhimin Song

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Variations in climate may rapidly change the carbon balance of peatlands and increase greenhouse gas emissions through accelerated decomposition of peat and dissolved organic matter (DOM). In this study, porewater samples were collected monthly from May to October in 2017 to study the effects of plant functional groups (PFGs) on DOM, dissolved inorganic and organic nitrogen through the season in a poor fen with replicate plots dominated by different PFGs in Nestoria, Michigan, USA (46.34˚N 88.16˚W). The composition of the peat porewater showed strong statistical significance with plot type and season.The observed PFG and season impact on the composition of …