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Full-Text Articles in Engineering
Filtration Apparatus Design For Oil-Water Separation Using Membranes And Sponges, Alec Jerger
Filtration Apparatus Design For Oil-Water Separation Using Membranes And Sponges, Alec Jerger
Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects
It can be difficult to separate water and oil emulsions through traditional filtration. Therefore, investigations of filtering using thermo-responsive (TR) polymers, in this case poly(vinyl methyl ether) (PVME), was conducted. It’s hypothesized that below its lower critical solution temperature (LCST), PVME has an affinity for water while oil substances do not. Above the LCST the opposite will be true. To verify this hypothesis, iterations of filtration designs were created to provide optimum control over the parameters to measure flow. The final optimized experimental apparatus was a Chromaflex glass column which was air tight and controlled all parameters besides fluid flow. …
Separation Of Water From Ulsd Using Superhydrophobic Ps Nanofiber Mats, Alisa G. Webel
Separation Of Water From Ulsd Using Superhydrophobic Ps Nanofiber Mats, Alisa G. Webel
Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects
Superhydrophobic polystyrene nanofiber membranes have potential to separate micron scale water droplets from organic due to their hydrophobicity and small pore openings. Polystyrene nanofibers were electrospun into flat sheets and cylindrical filter membranes. The fibers were crosslinked to increase strength and reduce solubility in diesel fuel. The filters were tested and the filtration efficiency was compared to their non-crosslinked counterparts. The optimal electrospinning conditions to create superhydrophobic nanofibers were found to be 20 wt. % PS fibers at 1 mL/hr. under a current of 20kV and at a distance of 20 cm away from the ground. It was found that …