Chemical Engineering Commons^™

Chemical Decomposition Of Flexible Polyurethane Foam To Generate A Media For Microbial Upcycling, Kaushik Baruah

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Polyurethane waste is becoming a global concern as a large amount is being disposed of in landfills every year, and only a fraction is being recycled. Several polyurethane recycling techniques exist, of which ammonolysis and base-catalyzed hydrolysis is the least explored. Flexible polyurethane foam (FPUF) decomposition can generate amines that can act as a carbon source for the growth of microbial consortia. This study aims to generate a novel media capable of microbial upcycling via ammonolysis and base-catalyzed hydrolysis of flexible polyurethane foams (FPUFs) using ammonium hydroxide and subsequently determine the reaction conditions for maximum solubilization of polyurethane foam in …

Virus Inactivation By Novel Virucidal Materials, Sneha Singh

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

The development of virucidal coatings to inactivate a broad spectrum of viruses has gained popularity. Antiviral coating of personal protective equipment such as facial coverings can reduce the accumulation of viral load and mitigate transmission of airborne illnesses, which occur primarily through direct contact with respiratory aerosols or droplets carrying infectious viruses. Moreover, modification of PPE to inactivate viruses upon contact improves their reusability and reduces waste. Coating high frequency touch surfaces with similar virucidal coatings can reduce the risk of disease transmission associated with contaminated surfaces. This study explores the development of three novel virucidal materials to control the …

Running Shoe Pedometer, Benjamin Kasper

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Running shoe pedometer aims to solve the issue of worn out running shoes. It can be difficult to know just how many miles you have run in your shoes and when a new pair is needed. Running in old shoes and worn out shoes is heavily linked to injury. My proposed project is a device that is powered by the compressive forces on the shoes soles that counts the number of steps the wearer takes using a microcontroller. Then, when the shoe reaches milestone that indicate it has been used 75% 90% and 100% of its expected life, it will …

Phosphorus Release And Recovery From Simulated Ferric Wastewater Sludge, Aseel Alnimer

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Phosphorus (P) is a fundamental element necessary for all life forms and a key component in the fertilizer industry. Meanwhile, the excessive load of P to water bodies due to human activities has the potential to promote eutrophication. Wastewater treatment plants remove P either biologically or chemically and produce P rich sludge which could be a potential renewable source for P. At present, commercial technologies exist for P recovery from biological wastewater sludge. However, P recovery from chemical sludge particularly iron(III)-phosphate (Fe-P) sludge generated in chemical P removal plants that use iron(III) salts remains a challenge.

This study explored, in …

Metal-Organic Framework-Based Biosensing Platforms For The Sensitive Determination Of Trace Elements And Heavy Metals: A Comprehensive Review, Hessamaddin Sohrabi, Shahin Ghasemzadeh, Sama Shakib, Mir Reza Majidi, Amir Razmjou, Yeojoon Yoon, Alireza Khataee

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Heavy metals in food and water sources are potentially harmful to humans. Determination of these pollutants is critical for improving safety. Effective recognition systems are a contemporary challenge; several novel technologies for the quick, easy, selective, and sensitive determination of these compounds are in demand. Metal-organic framework (MOF)-based sensors and biosensors have crucial applications in identifying these potentially harmful substances. Here, we review electrochemical and optical biosensors for in situ sensing that are sensitive and cost effective, with a simple protocol and wide linear range. Despite the abundance of articles in this field, we assessed and checked out various basic …

Confined Tri-Functional Feox@Mno2@Sio2 Flask Micromotors For Long-Lasting Motion And Catalytic Reactions, Yangyang Yang, Lei Shi, Jingkai Lin, Panpan Zhang, Kunsheng Hu, Shuang Meng, Peng Zhou, Xiaoguang Duan, Hongqi Sun, Shaobin Wang

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

H2O₂-fueled micromotors are state-of-the-art mobile microreactors in environmental remediation. In this work, a magnetic FeO_x@MnO₂@SiO₂ micromotor with multi-functions is designed and demonstrated its catalytic performance in H₂O₂/peroxymonosulfate (PMS) activation for simultaneously sustained motion and organic degradation. Moreover, this work reveals the correlations between catalytic efficiency and motion behavior/mechanism. The inner magnetic FeO_x nanoellipsoids primarily trigger radical species (OH and O₂−) to attack organics via Fenton-like reactions. The coated MnO₂ layers on FeO_x surface are responsible for decomposing H₂O₂ into O_{2 …}

Application Of A Novel Green Nano Polymer For Chemical Eor Purposes In Sandstone Reservoirs: Synergetic Effects Of Different Fluid/Fluid And Rock/Fluid Interacting Mechanisms, Abbas K. Manshad, Alireza Kabipour, Erfan Mohammadian, Lei Yan, Jagar A. A., Stefan Iglauer, Alireza Keshavarz, Milad Norouzpour, Amin Azdarpour, S. Mohammad Sajadi, Siyamak Moradi

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

In this research, a novel natural-based polymer, the Aloe Vera biopolymer, is used to improve the mobility of the injected water. Unlike most synthetic chemical polymers used for chemical-enhanced oil recovery, the Aloe Vera biopolymer is environmentally friendly, thermally stable in reservoir conditions, and compatible with reservoir rock and fluids. In addition, the efficiency of the Aloe Vera biopolymer was investigated in the presence of a new synthetic nanocomposite composed of KCl-SiO2-xanthan. This chemically enhanced oil recovery method was applied on a sandstone reservoir in Southwest Iran with crude oil with an API gravity of 22°. The Aloe Vera biopolymer’s …

Techno-Economic Analysis And Optimization Of Hydrogen And Mechanical Energy Storage Systems, Pavitra Senthamilselvan Sengalani

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The increasing significance of renewable energy sources is thrusting the load cycling of fossil-fueled power plants (FFPP), designed to operate under nominal-load conditions. Integration of energy storage systems (ESS) with the FFPPs such as hydrogen energy storage (HES) and mechanical energy storage facility such as compressed air energy storage (CAES) shows the potential to minimize the levelized cost of electricity during high demand scenarios and also minimize the negative impacts of off-design FFPP operation. The deployment of energy storage facilities at the FFPP level have considerable potential advantages as they can be exploited within the existing equipment items and facilities …

An Artificial Neural Network Approach To Predicting Formation Stress In Multi-Stage Fractured Marcellus Shale Horizontal Wells Based On Drilling Operations Data, Moudhi Alawadh

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The distribution of the anisotropic minimum horizontal stress, both in horizontal and vertical directions, is necessary for effective hydraulic fracture treatment design in Marcellus Shale horizontal wells. Typically, the minimum horizontal stress can be estimated sonic logs. However, sonic log data is not commonly available for the horizontal Marcellus shale wells due to the complexity and cost. The objective of this research is to predict the anisotropic minimum horizontal stress by utilizing drilling parameters including depth, weight-on-bit (WOB), revolution per minute (RPM), standpipe pressure, torque, pump flow rate, and the rate of penetration (ROP). More specifically, artificial neural network (ANN) …

State Estimation, Covariance Estimation, And Economic Optimization Of Semi-Batch Bioprocesses, Ronald Hunter Alexander

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

One of the most critical aspects of any chemical process engineer is the ability to gather, analyze, and trust incoming process data as it is often required in control and process monitoring applications. In real processes, online data can be unreliable due to factors such as poor tuning, calibration drift, or mechanical drift. Outside of these sources of noise, it may not be economically viable to directly measure all process states of interest (e.g., component concentrations). While process models can help validate incoming process data, models are often subject to plant-model mismatches, unmodeled disturbances, or lack enough detail to track …

Applying Thermal And Microwave Heating For Natural Gas Conversion To Value-Added Chemicals Over Zeolite-Supported Catalysts, Ashley Marie Caiola

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The world’s demand for natural gas has been consistently growing over the past few decades. Natural gas is considered a potential alternative to oil and coal because of its ability to burn cleaner. Although not completely emission-free, it has dominated the energy industry by providing a continuous supply of cheap fuel. Currently, natural gas makes up 41% of North American energy production. The conversion of natural gas to value-added chemicals typically involves the indirect production of synthesis gas (syngas) as an intermediate before the production of the desired product. Steam reforming and partial oxidation are two of the most common …

Comparative Study On Development Of Novel Catalytic Oxidation For Removing Emerging Contaminants, Abdul H. Asif

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

‘Wastewater treatment’ is not itself a new concept, where global water bodies have been polluted since the evolution of mankind. As a result of human activities including domestic, industrial and commercial practices, levels of water pollution through aqueous contaminants are increasing every day. Moreover, rapid industrialisation and recent human progress has given rise to a new classification of pollution, that of emerging contaminants (ECs). Further, these chemicals are highly resistant to biodegradation and are capable of travelling, where they can penetrate from one part of the world to another. Whilst traditional wastewater treatment techniques, such as adsorption, might be effective …

Comparative Static And Dynamic Analyses Of Solvents For Removal Of Asphaltene And Wax Deposits Above- And Below-Surface At An Iranian Carbonate Oil Field, Milad Norouzpour, Amin Azdarpour, Rafael M. Santos, Ali Esfandiarian, Moein Nabipour, Erfan Mohammadian, Abbas K. Manshad, Alireza Keshavarz

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

During production from oil wells, the deposition of asphaltene and wax at surface facilities and porous media is one of the major operational challenges. The crude oil production rate is significantly reduced due to asphaltene deposition inside the reservoir. In addition, the deposition of these solids inside the surface facilities is costly to oil companies. In this study, the efficiency of different solvents in dissolving asphaltene and wax was investigated through static and dynamic tests. The analysis of solid deposits from the surface choke of one of the Iranian carbonate oil fields showed that they consisted of 41.3 wt % …

Carbon Dioxide And Steam Gasification Of Biochar: A Study On Mitigating Greenhouse Gas Emissions And Producing Syngas For Downline Synthesis Of Renewable Hydrocarbon Fuel, Parth Patel

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

This research explores the potential of mitigating CO₂ emissions from fossil fuel consumption and providing an alternative renewable source of energy by gasifying biochar with carbon dioxide (CO₂) and steam (H₂O). The utilization of captured carbon dioxide and wastewater in industrial sectors is considered to further contribute to the advancements in energy-efficient and low-emission technological solutions. This research evaluated the performance and kinetic parameters of biochar gasification through CO₂ and H₂O gasification using a stainless-steel fixed bed reactor. The operating parameters including biochar mass, reactor temperature, and inlet flow rate were varied. …

Hygroscopic Tandem Differential Mobility Analyzer (Htdma) Design And Testing For Aerosol Hygroscopic Behavior Studies, Ziheng Zeng

Honors Theses

Most particles in the atmosphere take up water when exposed to increasing relative humidity (RH), and this behavior is described and quantized by a hygroscopicity parameter, kappa. Hygroscopic Tandem Differential Mobility Analysis (HTDMA) can be used to measure the physicochemical properties of aerosol particles and study phenomena that lead to size changes in submicron aerosol particles. Specifically, HTDMA measures how aerosol particles of different initial dry sizes grow or shrink when exposed to changing RH. HTDMA uses two differential mobility analyzers (DMAs) and a humidification system to make these measurements. One DMA selects a narrow size range of dry aerosol …

Development Of A Solution Synthesis Of Poly(Sebacic Anhydride) With The Activating Agent 4-Toluenesulfonyl Chloride: Understanding The Effect Of Different Bases On The Reaction Products, Patricia Poley

Honors Theses

The overall goal of this honors thesis was to develop a solution synthesis of Poly(Sebacic Anhydride) with the activating agent 4-toluenesulfonyl chloride and understand the effects of varying temperature, bases, and the addition order of reagents on the reaction.

Polyanhydrides are a class of hydrophobic, degradable polymers used in controlled drug delivery for 30 years. They are synthesized through three general methods: melt polycondensation, solution polycondensation, and ring-opening polymerization. Of these three methods, solution polycondensation typically results in products with lower molecular weight. Previous work in the Vogel lab identified two new ways to synthesize anhydrides using solution polycondensation reactions …

Comparative Study Of Proppant Transport In The Vertical Fracture For High Viscosity Friction Reducers And Slickwater Fracturing With High-Tds Marcellus Shale Formation Water, Xiaojing Ge, Abdulmohsin Imqam, Baojun Bai

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

High viscosity friction reducers (HVFRs) have been gaining more attention and increasing in use as proppant carriers. Reusing of produced water has also been driven by both environmental and economic benefits. However, high total dissolved solids (TDS) of produced water and high reservoir temperature significantly decrease the viscoelastic properties of HVFRs even for the cationic ones, which further reduce their proppant transport capabilities. Increasing loadings of HVFRs also has very limited effects on improving their proppant transport performances under high-TDS and high-Temperature conditions. The ultimate objective of this experimental study is to investigate the injection rate effects on the proppant …

Interdependence Of Salt Concentration And Filler Particles On Crystallinity And Mechanical Behavior Of Peo-Litfsi Electrolytes For Lithium-Ion Batteries, Valeria Perez

Master's Theses

Developing composite polymer electrolytes is crucial for enhancing the safety, energy density, and performance of lithium-ion batteries. While it is widely accepted that introducing filler particles in PEO-based electrolytes can reduce crystallinity and enhance ionic conductivity, this conventional understanding applies primarily to electrolytes with high lithium salt concentrations. The hypothesis of this investigation is that the crystallinity change induced by LLZTO ceramic particles in PEO-LiTFSI electrolytes is contingent on the EO:Li molar ratio. This hypothesis is interrogated by measuring changes in crystallinity, spherulite morphology, and stiffness of composite polymer electrolytes with two different EO:Li molar ratios using differential scanning calorimetry, …

Evaluating Electrification Of Fossil Fuel-Fired Boilers For Decarbonization Using Discrete Event Simulation, Nahian Ismail Chowdhury

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Decarbonizing fossil fuel usage is crucial in mitigating the impacts of climate change. CO2, which comprises the major portion of greenhouse gas, is emitted from burning fossil fuels. One of the significant sources of fossil fuel user is industrial process heating, and most of the heating in industrial processes is achieved through boilers. Electrification is a promising solution for decarbonizing these boilers, as it enables renewable energy sources to generate electricity, which can then be used to power the electric boilers. The electrification of boilers can reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve air quality, and increase energy efficiency. However, it requires …

Exploring Ph Gradient Phenomena In Non-Linear Electrokinetic Microfluidic Devices, Azade Tahmasebi

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Electrokinetic microfluidics is a versatile technology utilized within lab on a chip (LOC) devices for diagnostic and analytical applications; advantages include reduced resource demands, flexibility, and simplicity of use. Dielectrophoresis (DEP) is a precision nonlinear electrokinetic tool utilized within microfluidic microdevices to induce polarization and control bioparticle motions for applications that range from hemoglobin separations to cancer cell isolation and detection. Despite promising results, undesired side phenomena can occur in electrokinetic systems which impede reproducibility and accuracy. These unfavorable phenomena have not been comprehensively explored in the literature. Prior preliminary research suggests the fundamental phenomena originate from microelectrodes utilized in …