Chemical Engineering Commons^™

Microgel Placement And Plugging Performance In Sand Filled Fracture For Conformance Control, Baihua Lin

Masters Theses

“Preformed particle gels (PPG) has been widely applied for conformance control in heterogeneous reservoirs with fractures and super-K channels. As a plugging agent, PPG could plug the fractures or high permeability streaks and divert the displacing fluid into low permeability matrix. Many studies have been conducted to investigate the potential of PPGs as a water cut reduction and improved oil recovery agent using homogeneous sandpacks or heterogeneous core samples with man-made open fractures. However, no research has been carried out to understand how PPG injection and plugging performance will be changed if the fractures are filled with sands. Herein, the …

Development Of Amine-Functionalized Mesoporous Alumina For Radioiodine Removal From Water, Mansour Mohammed Alsalbokh

Masters Theses

“Radioactive materials have spread due to careless disposal and nuclear disasters. Some radionuclides can exist in an aqueous media, like radioactive iodine. As a result, in this work amine-functionalized mesoporous alumina was developed to adsorb radioactive iodine from the liquid phase. Bismuth was incorporated, using a wet impregnation method, to test it as a possible silver replacement. Amine grafting was used to functionalize the surface of the mesoporous alumina. All materials prepared in this work were characterized by N₂ physisorption, FTIR and TGA to determine the textural properties, surface functionality, and amine loading. The synthesized materials were tested for …

Fabrication, Characterization And Applications Of Highly Conductive Wet-Spun Pedot:Pss Fibers, Ruben Sarabia Riquelme

Theses and Dissertations--Chemical and Materials Engineering

Smart electronic textiles cross conventional uses to include functionalities such as light emission, health monitoring, climate control, sensing, storage and conversion of energy, etc. New fibers and yarns that are electrically conductive and mechanically robust are needed as fundamental building blocks for these next generation textiles.

Conjugated polymers are promising candidates in the field of electronic textiles because they are made of earth-abundant, inexpensive elements, have good mechanical properties and flexibility, and can be processed using low-cost large-scale solution processing methods. Currently, the main method to fabricate electrically conductive fibers or yarns from conjugated polymers is the deposition of the …

Coarse-Grained Dynamically Accurate Simulations Of Ionic Liquids At Vacuum-Interface, Tyler D. Stoffel

Theses and Dissertations--Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

Ionic liquids, possessing improved properties in many areas of technical application, are excellent candidates as components in development of next-generation technology, including ultra-high energy batteries. If they are thus applied, however, extensive interfacial analysis of any selected ionic configuration will likely be required. Molecular dynamics (MD) provides an advantageous route by which this may be accomplished, but can fall short in observing some phenomena only present at larger time/length scales than it can simulate. Often times this is approached by coarse-graining (CG), with which scope of simulation can be significantly increased. However, coarse-grained MD systems are generally known to produce …

Radio Frequency Studies Of Soot Loading And Ammonia Storage On A Diesel Particulate Filter With A Scr Catalyst Coating, Shreyans Sethia

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

The radio frequency (RF) measurement technique has been shown to be a viable method for measurement of the amount of soot loaded onto DPF’s ^[1] and the amount of NH₃ stored on SCR catalysts ^[2]. In one of the configurations, a microwave resonant cavity is formed by the metal can encasing the enclosed catalyst. Two metal probes acting as antennas are placed on either side of the catalyst. Power transmitted between the antennas is monitored as the frequency of the signal is swept. At certain frequencies, resonance is achieved. Measurements of the resonance frequencies, amplitude at resonance, and …

Systems Analysis For Sustainability Assessment Of Biogas And Bio-Ch4 Production From Food Waste And Dairy Manure Mixtures In The Us, Sharath Kumar Ankathi

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

The purpose of the dissertation is to relate systems analysis for bioenergy to identify optimum configurations for improved scenarios and to make better decisions in a systems perspective.

Chapter 1 is a review of the literature to identify the state of the knowledge in terms of systems analysis for anaerobic digestion (AD) bioenergy systems. The key outcomes from this review showed that anaerobic digestion of mixtures of food waste and animal manure has great potential to achieve economic and environmental benefits compared to other treatments of organic waste materials, such as landfilling or conventional manure management.

Chapter 2 focuses on …

Gravity-Drawing Flexible Silicone Filaments As Fiber Optics And Model Foldamers, Katherine Snell

CMC Senior Theses

Here, we present a method of gravity-drawing polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) silicone fibers with application as fiber optics and as model foldamers. Beginning as a viscous liquid, PDMS is cured using heat until its measured viscosity reaches 4000 mPa•s. The semi-cured elastomer is then extruded through a tube furnace to produce thin (diameters on the order of hundred micrometers) filaments with scalable lengths. PDMS is biocompatible, gas-permeable, flexible, and hydrophobic. Additionally, the PDMS surface hydrophobicity can be modified via UV exposure, O2 plasma, and corona discharge. We demonstrate the patternibility (i.e patterns of hydrophobicity) of PDMS fibers, adding complexity to potential foldamer …

In Situ Image Processing And Data Binning Strategy For Particle Engineering Applications, Toufic El Arnaout, Patrick J. Cullen

Articles

Crystallization control can be improved through real-time monitoring technologies. Here, a workflow is demonstrated on rapid batch cooling crystallization of L-glutamic acid. First, in situ images were generated using video microscopy sensors and analyzed, by employing a single, rapid macro code to extract particle data descriptors. A binning procedure (over time) was performed, where every data point represented the counts of particles within a specific size or shape range per 100 images. This binning method was found more informative in tracking of the populations compared to whole image averages or individual particle datapoints. This study provides a step-by-step guide towards …

Enhanced Water Electrolysis: Effect Of Temperature On The Oxygen Evolution Reaction At Cobalt Oxide Nanoparticles Modified Glassy Carbon Electrodes, Aya Akl, Hany A. Elazab, Mohamed A. Sadek, Mohamed S. El-Deab

Chemical and Biochemical Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Water splitting producing hydrogen and oxygen gases appears promising in view of the increasing need of renewable energy sources and storage strategies. Investigation of stable and highly efficient electrocatalysts for oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is targeted in this study at cobalt oxide nanoparticle modified glassy carbon (nano-CoOx/GC) electrodes. The effect of the preparation (Tp) and measuring temperature (Tm) on the electrocatalytic activity of nano-CoOx/GC towards the OER is investigated under various operating conditions. Linear sweep voltammetry (LSV), cyclic voltammetry (CV) as well as SEM and XRD techniques were used to probe the electrocatalytic and morphological characteristics of nano-CoOx prepared under …

Why Do I Have To Know This? Engineering In A Globalized Society, Caleb Cunningham

Honors Theses

Through a pilot comparative study, this thesis examines the problem-solving of chemical engineering students and chemical engineering faculty. Specifically, the thesis examines the extent to which individuals include global factors (cultural, social, environmental, and economic) into their engineering solutions as specified by ABET. Several hypotheses were investigated in this pilot study: (i) having a study abroad experience would increase the likelihood that participants included the global factors of interest, (ii) the type (PUI, Research Intensive, Unique) of institution students attended would impact how individuals approached the problem, (iii) students with similar career aspirations would approach the problems similarly, (iv) having …

Application Of Decline Curve Analysis To Unconventional Reservoir, Ahmed Wasel Alqattan

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The oil and gas industry has been dealing with the unconventional reservoirs for about only two decades. Consequently, many challenges remain in evaluating the unconventional reservoirs. A few of these obstacles are the absence of the adequate production history, understanding the fluid flow regime after hydraulic fracturing, and estimating the drainage volume of the reservoir. One of the essential elements for evaluation of the oil and reservoir is to estimate the production rates over time in order to investigate the economic potential of the project.

Decline Curve Analysis (DCA) is most common the methodology for predicting the production rates over …

Dynamic Study Of Mo/Zsm-5 Catalyst For Ch4 Dehydroadomation, Hadi Yahya Almusawa

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Methane dehydroaromatization (CH₄-MDA) is a highly promising venture for natural gas utilization/exploitation, i.e., direct conversion of methane (CH₄) to liquid aromatics (benzene) and hydrogen. This process is a catalytic reaction and therefore, is subject to all the advantages and constraints of catalysis. This study discussed the structure and reactivity of Mo/ZSM-5 zeolite catalysts and their effect on the active conversion of methane to valuable aromatic products such as benzene: 1) The preparation and characterization of Mo/ZSM-5, which are crucial steps in any catalytic reaction process since a better performing catalyst consequently leads to better outcomes; 2) …

Elucidating The Properties And Mechanism For Cellulose Dissolution In Tetrabutylphosphonium-Based Ionic Liquids Using High Concentrations Of Water, Brad Crawford

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The structural, transport, and thermodynamic properties related to cellulose dissolution by tetrabutylphosphonium chloride (TBPCl) and tetrabutylphosphonium hydroxide (TBPH)-water mixtures have been calculated via molecular dynamics simulations. For both ionic liquid (IL)-water solutions, water veins begin to form between the TBPs interlocking arms at 80 mol % water, opening a pathway for the diffusion of the anions, cations, and water. The water veins allow for a diffusion regime shift in the concentration region from 80 to 92.5 mol % water, providing a higher probability of solvent interaction with the dissolving cellulose strand. The hydrogen bonding was compared between small and large …

A Comparison Of Fiber Mat Thickness Measurement Techniques Using Laser Interferometry And Water Displacement, Ryan Seabeck

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Polymer fiber mats may often be very thin which leads to complications in measuring thickness. The thickness of fiber mats, however, is crucial in understanding their behavior. Thickness affects how well the mat works as a filter as well as the pressure drop across the mat, and herein lies the need for accurate measurement techniques. Currently two of the available techniques for measuring mat thickness are by laser interferometry[1] and by buoyancy force when submerged in water[2]. Instead of measuring the buoyancy force in this experiment, an enclosure intended to measure the thickness via water displacement was …

Utilizing Virtual High-Throughput Screens To Identify Promising Inhibitors Of Complement Factor C1s, Lyndsey Schmucker

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

A large study was conducted to identify possible drug candidates to treat various diseases using computer algorithms, virtual high-throughput screens, and experimental validation of activity. Since the algorithm has the capability to screen millions of compounds, it is beneficial to pharmaceutical development as it allows a larger pool of compounds to be considered that would have otherwise been overlooked. As part of this larger study, this project attempts to identify drug candidates to treat human complement factor C1, a protein which causes tissue damage when underregulated¹. A series of designed experiments validate candidates and confirm the performance of …

Design Of Pigments For Use In “Cool” Coatings, Tyler Laughorn

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

This project was focused on the development and testing of several novel pigments that exhibit high NIR-reflectance and therefore show potential for use in “cool” coatings. A “cool” coating will reflect more solar radiation than other standard coatings, and so a coated structure would require less energy to keep cool. Four sets of pigments were synthesized: Co_1-xMg_xCr₂O₄ (teal), Co_0.25Mg_0.75Cr_2-yAl_yO₄ (blue), Ti_1-x-yNi_xSb_yO₂ (yellow), and Cr_2-xFe_xO₃ (black). NIR and TSR values were then measured …

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. …

Zips Precious Plastics: Plastic Extruder, Patrick Cole

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

This project's goal was to design and build an affordable desktop filament extruder that can precisely and consistently extrude filament to a certain tolerance acceptable for 3D printers using wasted printing material. The group is partnering with an on campus organization focusing on engineering applications for sustainable futures. Zips Precious Plastics is a student run design group that intends to bring an innovation space on campus to help educate students about the importance of a closed looped system within plastic manufacturing.

Advanced Electrodes And Electrolytes For Long-Lived And High-Performance Lithium-Sulfur Batteries, Deepesh Gopalakrishnan

Wayne State University Dissertations

ABSTRACT

ADVANCED ELECTRODES AND ELECTROLYTES FOR LONG-LIVED AND HIGH-PERFORMANCE LITHIUM-SULFUR BATTERIES

by

DEEPESH GOPALAKRISHNAN

August 2020

Advisor: Dr. Leela Mohana Reddy Arava

Major: Mechanical Engineering

Degree: Doctor of Philosophy

Lithium – Sulfur (Li-S) batteries have received much attention and considered as a promising candidate for next generation energy storage devices because of their high theoretical energy density (≈2600 Wh kg‒1) and environmental friendliness. However, the uncontrollable growth of lithium dendrites in the lithium metal anode and the fatal effect of polysulfide shuttle hinder their practical applications. The formation of dendrites during repeated Li plating/stripping processes results in: reduced Li availability …

Enabling 3d Printing Technologies For Artificial Compound Eye System And Penetrating Neural Probes, Boshen Zhang

Wayne State University Dissertations

3D printing has become a useful and transformative method and has applications in many different fields, including organ printing, aerospace applications, and medical devices. With higher resolution, faster production speed, and more design flexibility, 3D printing technologies can lead to more novel devices and systems. In this research, two new techniques have been developed to enable 3D printing technologies for artificial compound eye system and penetrating glassy carbon neural electrode array.

This work focuses on developing new applications based on the SLA 3D printing process, which uses the liquid resin to create a solid 3D structure. The limitation of SLA …