Engineering Commons^™

Coagulation-Ceramic Membrane Filtrati On For U.S. Surface Water Treatment Summary, Tanju Karanfil, Amir Y. Alansari, James E. Amburgey, Meric Selbes, Jaehong Kim, Seungjin Lee, Yonggyun Park

Publications

The objective of this project was to conduct a systematic pilot-scale investigation of a hybrid coagulation-ceramic membrane treatment system to gain fundamental insights about necessary pretreatment conditions, fouling mechanisms, and contaminant removal capabilities, using two U.S. surface water sources. A two-phase plan was implemented for each of the three coagulants considered in this study: aluminum sulfate, aluminum chlorohydrate, and ferric chloride. The first phase involved the optimization of the coagulation pretreatment conditions that provided the best performance in terms of particle removal, organics removal, and membrane fouling. The second phase involved a comprehensive performance evaluation of the optimized system. The …

The Structure-Function Relationship Of Pamam Dendrimers As Robust Oil Dispersants, Nicholas K. Geitner, Bo Wang, Rachel E. Andorfer, David A. Ladner, Pu Chen Ke, Feng Ding

Publications

PAMAM dendrimers have recently been investigated as efficient and biocompatible oil dispersants utilizing their encapsulation capacity; however, their high cationic charge density has been shown to be cytotoxic. It is therefore imperative to mitigate cationic charge-induced toxicity and understand the effects of such changes. Presented here is a synergistic experimental and computational approach to examine the effects of varying terminal surface charge on the capacity of dendrimers to disperse model liner, polycyclic aromatic, and hybrid hydrocarbons. Uncharged dendrimers collapse by forming intramolecular hydrogen bonds, which reduce the hosting capability. On the other hand, changing the surface charges from positive to …

Improving Tennis Player Performance Using System Development Interpretations Methodology, Dotan Shvorin, Kevin Taaffe

Publications

This research demonstrates a unique analytical approach to improving a player's performance in the game of tennis. We introduce a system development interpretations (SDI) methodology for associating player characteristics and factors in a hierarchical structure. We then show how this tool is applied in a human performance environment such as tennis. This approach was developed as a multi-disciplinary quality tool for process improvement that identifies factor dependencies and depicts their impact on the resulting player performance. From the implementation of the SDI methodology, the research was able to define the tennis player's difficulties and it has allowed the researchers to …

Emerging Role Of Photovoltaics For Sustainably Powering Underdeveloped, Emerging, And Developed Economies, Rajendra Singh, Amir A. Asif, Ganesh K. Venayagamoorthy, Akhlesh Lakhtakia, Mahmoud Abdelhamid, Githin F. Alapatt, David A. Ladner

Publications

With the advent of low-cost solar photovoltaic (PV) panels and our ability to generate, store, and use electrical energy locally without the need for long-range transmission, the world is about to witness transformational changes in electricity infrastructures. The use of DC electricity enhances systemwide efficiency. DC microgrids and nanogrids powered by solar PV systems and gigawatt batteries for electricity storage can sustainably power the needs of all human beings equitably and empower every individual. Ultralarge-scale manufacturing of PV systems and batteries, a vertically integrated business model, and a targeted monetary policy of quantitative easing can rapidly power all human activities.

Energy Consumption Reduction Strategies For Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicles With Connected Vehicle Technology In An Urban Environment, Parth Bhavsar, Yiming He, Mashrur Chowdhury, Ryan Fries, Andrew Shealy

Publications

Automobile manufacturers have introduced plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) to reduce fossil fuel consumption. This paper details three optimization strategies that can be utilized to further minimize energy consumption of PHEVs through an information exchange between PHEVs and infrastructure agents supported by the connected vehicle technology (CVT). While an earlier research by the authors focused on a freeway scenario, this study developed strategies for an urban scenario in which frequent ‘stop-and-go’ conditions exist. Three strategies were considered in this study based on different types of information availability using CVT; only signal timing information was available in Strategy One, only headway …

Computational Modeling Of Pathophysiologic Responses To Exercise In Fontan Patients, Ethan Kung, James C. Perry, Christopher Davis, Francesco Migliavacca, Giancarlo Pennati, Alessandro Giardini, Tain-Yen Hsia, Alison Marsden

Publications

Reduced exercise capacity is nearly universal among Fontan patients. Although many factors have emerged as possible contributors, the degree to which each impacts the overall hemodynamics is largely unknown. Computational modeling provides a means to test hypotheses of causes of exercise intolerance via precisely controlled virtual experiments and measurements. We quantified the physiological impacts of commonly encountered, clinically relevant dysfunctions introduced to the exercising Fontan system via a previously developed lumped-parameter model of Fontan exercise. Elevated pulmonary arterial pressure was observed in all cases of dysfunction, correlated with lowered cardiac output (CO), and often mediated by elevated atrial pressure. Pulmonary …

Should Expectations About The Rate Of New Antiretroviral Drug Development Impact The Timing Of Hiv Treatment Initiation And Expectations About Treatment Benefits?, Amin Khademi, R. Scott Braithwaite, Denis Saure, Andrew J. Schaefer, Kimberly Nucifora, Mark S. Roberts

Publications

Background: Many analyses of HIV treatment decisions assume a fixed formulary of HIV drugs. However, new drugs are approved nearly twice a year, and the rate of availability of new drugs may affect treatment decisions, particularly when to initiate antiretroviral therapy (ART).

Objectives: To determine the impact of considering the availability of new drugs on the optimal initiation criteria for ART and outcomes in patients with HIV/AIDS.

Methods: We enhanced a previously described simulation model of the optimal time to initiate ART to incorporate the rate of availability of new antiviral drugs. We assumed that the future rate of availability …

A Simulation Protocol For Exercise Physiology In Fontan Patients Using A Closed Loop Lumped-Parameter Model, Ethan Kung, Giancarlo Pennati, Francesco Migliavacca, Tian-Yen Hsia, Richard Figliola, Alison Marsden, Alessandro Giardini

Publications

Background: Reduced exercise capacity is nearly universal among Fontan patients, though its etiology is not yet fully understood. While previous computational studies have attempted to model Fontan exercise, they did not fully account for global physiologic mechanisms nor directly compare results against clinical and physiologic data. Methods: In this study, we developed a protocol to simulate Fontan lower-body exercise using a closed-loop lumped-parameter model describing the entire circulation. We analyzed clinical exercise data from a cohort of Fontan patients, incorporated previous clinical findings from literature, quantified a comprehensive list of physiological changes during exercise, translated them into a computational model …

In Vitro Validation Of Patient-Specific Hemodynamic Simulations In Coronary Aneurysms Caused By Kawasaki Disease, Ethan Kung, Andrew M. Kahn, Jane C. Burns, Alison Marsden

Publications

To perform experimental validation of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) applied to patient specific coronary aneurysm anatomy of Kawasaki disease. We quantified hemodynamics in a patient-specific coronary artery aneurysm physical phantom under physiologic rest and exercise flow conditions. Using phase contrast MRI (PCMRI), we acquired 3-component flow velocity at two slice locations in the aneurysms. We then performed numerical simulations with the same geometry and inflow conditions, and performed qualitative and quantitative comparisons of velocities between experimental measurements and simulation results. We observed excellent qualitative agreement in flow pattern features. The quantitative spatially and temporally varying differences in velocity between PCMRI …

Integrating Algaculture Into Small Wastewater Treatment Plants: Process Flow Options And Life Cycle Impacts, Muriel M. Steele, Annick Anctil, David A. Ladner

Publications

Algaculture has the potential to be a sustainable option for nutrient removal at wastewater treatment plants. The purpose of this study was to compare the environmental impacts of three likely algaculture integration strategies to a conventional nutrient removal strategy. Process modeling was used to determine life cycle inventory data and a comparative life cycle assessment was used to determine environmental impacts. Treatment scenarios included a base case treatment plant without nutrient removal, a plant with conventional nutrient removal, and three other cases with algal unit processes placed at the head of the plant, in a side stream, and at the …