Engineering Commons^™

The Use Of Pure Cultures As A Means Of Understanding The Performance Of A Mixed Culture In The Biodegradation Of Phenol, Chirasakdi Varuntanya

Dissertations

In an effort to gain a more fundamental understanding of the performance of mixed microbial cultures in the biodegradation of toxic organic chemicals, studies have been conducted using three phenol degrading species isolated from a municipal treatment plant. The rate of phenol degradation was investigated for each of the three pure phenol degrading species, and various combinations of the three species. A simple competitive model was used to predict the behavior of the mixed cultures by using the pure culture Monod rate constants. The model fit the growth data for total biomass very well, although (as with the pure culture …

A New Density-Dependent Mixing Rule For Equations Of State, Theodore John Shatynski

Theses

A general procedure for the development of density-dependent mixing rules is demonstrated. This method is used to obtain a density-dependent local-composition mixing rule based on an extention of the work of Knox et al (1984). The resulting expression is tested with the Soave-Redlich-Kwong equation of state. Results for normal and cryogenic vapor-liquid systems for both one-parameter and three-parameter versions of the mixing rule are compared with results using the classical mixing rules.

Thermal Decomposition Of Chlorobenzene In An Atmosphere Of Hydrogen, Edward Robert Ritter

Theses

The thermal decomposition of chlozobenzene was investigated in a tubular flow reactor at 1 atmosphere total pressure and average residence times of 0.02 - 2.5 seconds. The temperature range from 800 - 1010°C was studied in both a reductive atmosphere of hydrogen and an inert atmosphere of heIium. Complete destruction of chlorobenzene occurs at about 1000°C for an average residence time of 1 second in hydrogen gas. In the inert gas, the complete destruction of the reagent was not observed in the range of conditions which were studied. The major products observed for pyrolysis in hydrogen were benzene, HCl, and …

Gas-Phase Reaction Of 1,2-Dichloroethane With Hydrogen In A Tubular Flow Reactor, Wei-Lian Lee

Theses

We have studied the reaction of 1,2-dichloroethane with H₂ in three tubular flow reactors of different diameters at atmospheric pressure in the temperature range of 550° C to 1000°C. The kinetic parameters and product distribution were experimentally determined for each size reactor. The wall and bulk reaction rate constants were decoupled via analysis of three different surface to volume reaction data.

The experimental reactor was an isothermal tubular flow reactor that operated within the domain of plug flow region. The reaction was found to follow first-order kinetics with respect to 1,2-dichloroethane when in the presence of excess hydrogen. The …

The Biochemical Fuel Cell : Conversion Of Waste To Energy, Charles August Mielke

Theses

A batch biochemical-fuel cell was constructed and studies on the production of bioelectric energy using an alga Scenesdesmus quadricauda, and a bacterium Desulfovibrio desulfuricans, were conducted. Results were compared for a steady state cell using various concentrations of media components and showed that a 1000-fold increase in the concentration of media components produced a net potential output of 0.03mv/ml compared to an initial output of 0.02mv/ml. Further studies showed the biochemical net potential output using activated sludge from a waste treatment facility was 0.01mv/ml compared to 0.02mv/ml for the cell using the initial media concentration.

The system exhibited steady state …

A Theoretical Study Of Pure And Simple Competition Between Two Microbial Species In Configurations Of Two Interconnected Chemostat, Cheng-Ming Kung

Theses

It is known that two microbial populations competing purely and simply for a common substrate cannot coexist in a steady state in an environment which is spatially homogeneous. Hence they cannot coexist in a chemostat something which implies that a mixed culture of two pure and simple competitors cannot be maintained in a single ideal reactor in a steady state. The present study investigates theoretically pure and simple competition between two populations in two interconnected chemostats. Three reactor configurations are considered and analyzed. It is proved that two pure and simple competitors can coexist in a steady state in both …

Fluid Flow And Gas Absorption In An Ejector Venturi Scrubber, Iclal Atay

Dissertations

Empirical models were developed to describe the fluid flow characteristics and gas absorption efficiency of an ejector venturi scrubber. The empirical constants were determined experimentally using stop action photographs of the spray, static pressure measurements, and sulfur dioxide absorption efficiencies.

To take photographs of the spray, a 2 foot high, clear plastic ejector venturi scrubber was used, with a 4 inch diameter gas entrance port. Photographic equipment included a Hasselblad camera, Xenon flash lamp, and Polaroid 667 ASA 3000 film. Exposure duration was about 1 microsecond, resulting in complete stop-action of the spray droplets at liquid rates up to 6 …

The Kinetics And Mechanism Studies Of A Polymer Powder Coating On Metal Surface By Cathodic Electrodeposition Process, Wen-Lin Wu

Theses

A polymer dispersion of fluorocarbon with solid constent in the range of 10-25% were prepared from white powder polytetrafluorethylene (PTFE), emulsifier combination of dodecylbenzyldimetlyl sulfonium chloride and Trition N-150, and other components or additives. Such a fluorocarbon dispersion is very stable against coagulation and has a pH in the range of 8-10, which is especially suitable for powder coating purpose.

A new electrocoating technique, which is called cathodic electrodeposition powder coating method, was conducted in this study. This new coating method includes four steps: pretreatment, electrocoating, drying and baking. Two kinds of degreased metal substrates, aluminum and steel plates, were …

Prediction Of Vapor And Liquid Equilibrium Properties For 25 Organic Priority Pollutants In Aqueous Solution, Pinchieh Pai

Theses

Activity coefficients and Henry's law constants for 25 organic priority pollutants were estimated using UNIFAC thermodynamic calculations. For 6 of these compounds, the results were compared with measured values reported in the literature. This indicated errors in the UNIFAC predictions varying from 24.0% to 95.0%. Best results with UNIFAC were obtained using liquid-liquid equilibria, rather than vapor-liquid equilibria.

Octanol/water partition coefficients were also estimated for the same 25 organic priority pollutants using the fragment constant method. Results differed from values reported in the literature by 5% to 170%.

Estimated activity coefficients were also used to predict stripping rates of organic …

Biodegradation Of Phenol And 2-Chlorophenol Using A Fill-And-Draw-Reactor, Chi-Chun Tsai

Theses

The biological degradation of phenol and 2-chlorophenol was studied at room temperature in a microprocesser controlled fill-and-draw reactor using activated sludge from the Passaic Valley Sewerage Commissioners wastewater treatment plant (Newark, New Jersey). The reactor was cycled through four unit processes: fill, react, settle, and draw. Different cycle times were tested, and the system response was characterized by dissolved oxygen measurements and substrate analysis (by gas chromatography).

With inhibitory substrates, such as those tested, this reactor had much more flexibility, and was therefore much easier to operate, than a standard continuous flow reactor.

Osmotic And Mean Activity Coefficients Of Cacl2, Nai, Libr And Licl In Ethanol At 50 Degrees C, Gregory J. Czerwienski

Theses

Vapor pressure depression data for CaCl₂, NaI, LiBr, and LiCl were measured at a molality ranging between 0.2-7.5 depending on the solubility of the salt in ethanol. Data were also measured at 35° C for the LiCl. The apparatus used was a recirculation still of the Othmer type.

Osmotic coefficients were calculated from the total pressure of the system. The one parameter Bromley equation and the three parameter Pitzer equation were used to correlate the data. For all the systems, the Pitzer equation correlated the data better as one would expect. Mean activity coefficients were calculated graphically and …

The Conversion Of The Process Flowsheet Simulator, Flowtran, For Fortran 66 Based Mainframe Computers, Timothy Edward Roche

Theses

The process flowsheet simulator FLOWTRAN was converted from FORTRAN 77 code to FORTRAN 66 code. The conversion was accomplished by developing a number of subprograms to handle FORTRAN 77 intrinsic functions that are missing in the FORTRAN 66 standard and by altering the code to take advantage of the developed subprograms. Also developed were a set of procedure files for executing the FORTRAN 66 FLOWTRAN on a Sperry-Univac 90/80-4. The new FLOWTRAN was tested and performs identically to the FORTRAN 77 version. The FORTRAN 66 FLOWTRAN can be installed on any mainframe computer with a FORTRAN 66 compiler.

Dispersion In The Laminar Flow Of Ellis Model Fluids Through Straight Tubes, Yeong-Hua Huang

Theses

Taylor-Aris dispersion theory is extended to the laminar tube flow of Carreau model fluids and Ellis model fluids and the results are compared with those of power law fluids. It is found that Carreau and Ellis models are more appropriate than power-law model, especially at low pressure gradient.

An exact solution to the unsteady convective diffusion equation in fully developed laminar flow in tube is obtained by applying the generalized dispersion theory of Gill and Sankarasubramanian for Ellis model. The results are compared with those obtained by Booras and Krantz for power-law model. The most interesting result of this work …

Preparation And Kinetic Study Of Immobilized Enzyme Catalyst, Sanjiv S. Kuray

Theses

Degradation of commercially available immobilized Glucose Isomerase enzyme was studied in a batch reactor. Effect of shearing on the degradation was studied by comparing the performance of a basket type reactor ( with enzyme kept inside the stirrer) and ordinary batch reactor ( with enzyme kept outside the stirrer).

Invertase enzyme is available commercially in a free soluble form. It was coupled with a new kind of starch derivative. The coupling efficiency achieved was 8.7 % and the concentration of the immobilized enzyme was 718 U invertase per gram of starch. The deactivation of enzyme-starch gel was studied in a …

The Separation Of Proteins Via Charged Electromembrane Process, Chi-Wen Lin

Theses

A new method for separation and concentration of protein and other biocolloids such as hemoglobin and albumin was developed by a process called the charged electromembrane (CEM) process. The process is characterized by using a metallic membrane as a filter which can carry either positive or negative electric current.

The effect of various factors on the separation coefficient and filtration efficiency were investigated experimentally. These factors include strength of electric field, pH of colloidal solution, electric current through membrane filter and flow rate.

It was found out that the thickness of the gel layer formed on the membrane could be …

Reactions Of Chlorocarbon Species With Hydrogen Over Palladium On Alumina Catalyst And Zeolite Catalyst-Development Of Deactivation Models, Yuh-Der Yang

Dissertations

Four catalytic dechlorination reactions were studied experimentally using a fixed-bed reactor at atmosphere pressure. Reaction mechanisms were proposed, and the kinetics modelled.

The first reaction is 1,2-dichloroethane with hydrogen over zeolite catalyst. Catalyst deactivation models were examined.

The second reaction was between 1,2-dichloroethane and hydrogen over palladium catalyst on alumina support. Formation of two intermediates on the catalyst surface is proposed, which then produced ethane, ethylene, and ethyl chloride. Higher conversion to ethane and ethylene was observed at temperatures above 218°C while conversion to chloroethane is higher at temperatures below 218°C. The activation energy was found to be 15 Kcal/gm-mole. …

The Modeling And Analysis Of Multi-Component, Multivalent Biospecific Adsorption, Bo Henrik Arve

Doctoral Dissertations

"A general model is presented and used to predict the dynamic behavior of the adsorption, wash, and elution stages of biospecific adsorption (affinity chromatography) in finite bath and column operations. The model accounts for film and pore diffusional mass transfer resistances and the rates of interaction between adsorbates and ligands. For column operations the effect of axial dispersion in the flowing fluid stream is included. The model is applicable to single and multi-component biospecific as well as non-specific adsorption, and the adsorbates may be monovalent or multivalent. In the elution stage both non-selective and selective elution of monovalent adsorbates is …

Measurement Of The Dusty Gas Model Parameters For Activated Carbon, Philip James Gloor

Masters Theses

"Included in the dusty gas equation are three constants, C₀, C₁ and C₂, which depend only upon the porous medium. Values for C₀ and C₁ can be obtained for a particular porous material by performing pure gas flow experiments and a value for C₂ can be obtained for the same material by performing Wicke-Kallenbach experiments. In this work, values for the dusty gas model parameters, for activated carbon, were obtained by performing the necessary experiments. The design and operation of the experimental equipment is presented along with the results obtained. The activated …

Water Desalination Using Nocturnal Radiation Cooling, Ali Mufarreh Saleh Al-Amri

Masters Theses

"In this investigation nocturnal radiation condensation cooling is considered to determine the possibility of using this method as a desalination process in remote areas, villages and resorts, etc. An experimental study was made and programs were developed to calculate water collection under ideal conditions. Both experimental and theoretical work indicated that this process is useful for small scale water production where there is no available energy sources. It can be used also in conjunction with solar desalination processes. Cost analysis and a preliminary design are included"--Abstract, page ii.