Chemical Engineering Commons^™

Biological Pretreatment Of Oil Palm Frond Fiber Using White-Rot Fungi For Enzymatic Saccharification, Euis Hermiati, Sita Heris Anita, Lucky Risanto, Dyah Styarini, Yanni Sudiyani, Achmad Hanafi, Haznan Abimanyu

Makara Journal of Technology

Oil palm frond is one type of lignocellulosic biomass abundantly and daily available in Indonesia. It contains cellulose which can be converted to glucose, and further processed to produce different kinds of value –added products. The aim of this research is to study the effects of biological pretreatment of oil palm frond (OPF) fiber using Phanerochaete chrysosporium and Trametes versicolor on the enzymatic saccharification of the biomass. The OPF fiber (40-60 mesh sizes) was inoculated with cultures of the two fungi and incubated at 27 °C for 4 weeks. The samples were taken after 1, 2, 3, and 4 weeks …

Agricultural Drought Pattern In West Java Using Thermal Vegetation Index From Modis-Terra Satellite, Dini Daruati, Rahmatulloh Rahmatulloh, Sri Hardiyanti Purwadhi

Makara Journal of Technology

This study examines agricultural drought paddy fields in West Java. The aims of this research are to know the pattern and distribution of paddy field drought in West Java and the correlation between drought and the physical characteristics. The agricultural drought is obtained from TVI (Thermal Vegetation Index) model. TVI is derived from MODIS Terra satellite image, which is the ratio between the LST (Land Surface Temperature) and EVI (Enhanced Vegetation Index). Physical factors studied are rainfall, l slope, geomorphology, soil drainage, and irrigation areas. The most severe drought occurred in September 2006 because of El Nino, covering 806,564 ha, …

Measuring Acoustic Attenuation Of Polymer Materials Using Drop Ball Test, Yi Zhang

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

Polymers are often used for vibration damping and energy absorption. The effect of a material in reducing the strength of sound waves traveling through it is called acoustic attenuation. In the past, attenuation has mostly been evaluated in the MHz frequency range, using a pulse generator and transmitting transducer as the wave source. However, most real acoustic activities occur at frequencies up to a few hundred kHz. Here, a simple drop ball mechanism is used to generate acoustic source waves in the kHz range, and the attenuation capacities of several solid materials are measured. The recorded waveforms substantially differ between …

Comparison Of Biomass To Bio-Oils Reactor Systems: Direct Conversion Vs. Companion Coal Gasification, Alexandra Eicher

Honors Theses and Capstones

It is well known that the United States’ dependence on crude-oil negatively affects its economy, safety, and environment. To alleviate these negative consequences, a more economical and environmentally-friendly source of fuel, such as biomass, should be explored. The conversion of biomass to bio-oils involves the pyrolysis of biomass at about 500°C, thus requiring a great deal of heat. This heat source could be the excess waste heat from a coal gasifier.

As such, this report specifies the design of an industrial plant that produces bio-oils from biomass by using the waste heat from a coal gasifier. It is designed to …

Married Coal Gasification And Biomass Pyrolysis, Michael Balch

Honors Theses and Capstones

This project is a proposal to marry a coal gasification process to a biomass pyrolysis. Coal is pyrolized to produce syngas and a large amount of heat. The syngas is treated and fed to a Fischer-Tropsch process. The excess heat produces steam that is used to pyrolize biomass. The biomass produces char, gas, and vapor. The char and gas are recovered, and the vapor is condensed to produce bio-oil.

The proposed plant has a capacity of 1100 tons of biomass (550 dry tons) per day. I assumed an operating factor of 0.9 The plant could be operational within five years, …

Octanol/Water Partitioning Coefficients Of Pcb Mixtures For Environmental Fate And Transport, Phylicia Cicilio

Honors Theses and Capstones

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are a human and environmental toxin introduced to the environment from the 1920’s to the 1970’s from manufacturing items such as transformers and capacitors. PCBs remain in the environment today due to their low water solubility and resistance to chemical reaction. Due to their properties PCBs bioaccumulate in the environment and pose health risks to animals and humans, as they are deemed a probable carcinogen by the EPA. Octanol-water partitioning coefficients are a means of measuring how PCBs will travel in the environment, either partitioning to water or into organic carbon. Octanol-water partitioning coefficients will be determined …

Kinetics Of Lipid Extraction From Microalgae, Brian Mcconnell

Honors Theses and Capstones

No abstract provided.

Transforming Synthetic Biology With Cell-Free Systems, Arnaz Ranji, Jeffrey C. Wu, Bradley Charles Bundy, Michael C. Jewett

Faculty Publications

Cell-free synthetic biology offers an unprecedented level of control and freedom of design for understanding, harnessing, and expanding the capabilities of natural biological systems. Inspired by advances in synthetic biology projects in vivo, recent years have witnessed the emergence of cell-free systems not only as a testing ground for our ability to engineer and analyze biology, but also as technologies capable of efficient and scalable synthesis of complex biological products. Dominant efforts in the field include: programmable nucleic acid circuits; nanomachines; cell-free protein synthesis; cell-free metabolic engineering; and minimal cells. The goals are understanding why nature’s designs work the way …

Foundational Work In Bioelectrochemical Anaerobic Reactor Design With Electron Mediators, Christopher D. Hoeger

Theses and Dissertations

Bioelectrical reactors (BER) have potential to be utilized in a wide variety of industrial applications. This work explores the kinetics involved with reduction of electron mediators (anthraquinone disulfonate and methyl viologen) in bioelectrical reactors. It also discusses on possible application of BER technology to produce ethanol from CO2 and electricity. It is established that Clostridium ragdahlei is capable of sustaining life and product formation with CO2 as the only carbon source. This means it is theoretically possible to utilize CO2 as he source of carbon and electricity as the source of reducing equivalents for bacterial growth and product formation. A …

Immobilized Viologen Polymer For Use In Direct Carbohydrate Fuel Cells, Yining Pan

Theses and Dissertations

Glucose and other carbohydrates are some of the most abundant renewable energy sources in the world. The oxidation of carbohydrates in a fuel cell allows their chemical energy to be converted directly into electrical energy. Viologen has been indentified and shows promising ability as an electron-transfer catalyst or mediator for carbohydrate oxidation in an alkaline carbohydrate fuel cell. Building on the previous results, the objective of this work was to develop an immobilization chemistry of viologen onto an electrode and to investigate the catalytic activity for carbohydrate oxidation in direct carbohydrate fuel cells.The immobilization was achieved by electropolymerizing a novel …

Application Of Fuel Element Combustion Properties To A Semi-Empirical Flame Propagation Model For Live Wildland Utah Shrubs, Chen Shen

Theses and Dissertations

Current field models for wildfire prediction are mostly based on dry or low-moisture fuel combustion research. To better study live fuel combustion behavior and develop the current semi-empirical bush combustion model, a laminar flow flat-flame burner was used to provide a convection heating source to ignite individual live fuel samples. In this research project, four Utah species were studied: Gambel oak (Quercus gambelii), canyon maple (Acer grandidentatum), big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata) and Utah juniper (Juniperus osteosperma). Leaf geometrical parameters and time-dependent combustion behavior were recorded. Qualitative results included various combustion phenomena like bursting, brand formation and bending. Quantitative results included …

Protein-Surface Interactions With Coarse-Grain Simulation Methods, Shuai Wei

Theses and Dissertations

The interaction of proteins with surfaces is a major process involved in protein microarrays. Understanding protein-surface interactions is key to improving the performance of protein microarrays, but current understanding of the behavior of proteins on surfaces is lacking. Prevailing theories on the subject, which suggest that proteins should be stabilized when tethered to surfaces, do not explain the experimentally observed fact that proteins are often denatured on surfaces. This document outlines several studies done to develop a model which is capable of predicting the stabilization and destabilization of proteins tethered to surfaces. As the start point of the research, part …

Effect Of Cd44 Binding Peptide Conjugated To An Engineered Inert Matrix On Maintenance Of Breast Cancer Stem Cells And Tumorsphere Formation, Xiaoming Yang, Samaneh Kamali Sarvestani, Seyedsina Moeinzadeh, Xuezhong He, Esmaiel Jabbari

Faculty Publications

Introduction: As cancer cells are affected by many factors in their microenvironment, a major challenge is to isolate the effect of a specific factor on cancer stem cells (CSCs) while keeping other factors unchanged. We have developed a synthetic inert 3D polyethylene glycol diacrylate (PEGDA) gel culture system as a unique tool to study the effect of microenvironmental factors on CSCs response. We have reported that CSCs formed in the inert PEGDA gel by encapsulation of breast cancer cells maintain their stemness within a certain range of gel stiffness. The objective was to investigate the effect of CD44 binding peptide …

Method Of Purifying Crude Noscapine, Benjamin M. Marshall, Keith Tomazi

Chemical and Biochemical Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The invention provides a method for separating noscapine from an opium source without substantially changing the color of the noscapine.

Self-Assembling Biomimetic Hydrogels With Bioadhesive Properties For Tissue Engineering Applications, Craig Wiltsey

Theses and Dissertations

Tissue engineering is a multidisciplinary field that aims to repair or regenerate lost or damaged tissues and organs in the body. For the repair of certain load-bearing parts of the body, success of a tissue regeneration strategy can be dependent on scaffold adhesion or integration with the surrounding host tissue to prevent dislocation. One such area is the regeneration of the intervertebral disc (IVD). The objective of this work is to generate a bioadhesive polymer that, in addition to bonding with tissue, can support encapsulated cell survival post-adhesion. Thermosensitive poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAAm) was grafted with chondroitin sulfate (CS) (PNIPAAm-g-CS) and blended …

A Framework For Oil Price Benchmark Determination: Lessons For Nigeria, Taiwo H. Sanni, Bassey D. Akpan

Bullion

The main thrust of this paper is to draw lessons of experience from other selected oil producing countries. the outcome of the study is expected to help in strengthening Nigeria's oil price framework in line with international best practice. Section 2 dwells on the theoretical and literature review on oil based fiscal rule, while section 3 presents the framework for oil price benchmark determination and section 4 examines those factors capable of stimulating determination of oil price benchmark, lastly section 5 discusses some lessons of experience from Nigeria and then the conclusion.

Fuel Subsidy And Other Unproductive Public Expenditures Removal: A Pragmatic Approach To Restructure And Transform The Nigerian Economy, Lawrence O. Akinboyo

Bullion

While the short term measures to reduce recurrent expenditure are necessary conditions for fiscal sustainability, the long term imperative is to increase revenue. Thus, efforts should be made by the fiscal authorities in Nigeria to pursue the policy of balancing of expenditure with revenue improvements. The issues of the underperformance of the capital budget should be reversed before savings from cuts in recurrent expenditure can be diverted to the financing of capital expenditure. From the analysis, we say that removal of fuel subsidy would no doubt have some social and economic hardship on the people in the short run, However, …

Study Of An Alternative Process For Oxidizing Vapor Grown Carbon Nanofibers Using Electron Beam Accelerators, Maria Cecília Evora, Donald A. Klosterman, Khalid Lafdi, Lingchuan Li, L.G.A. Silva

Chemical and Materials Engineering Faculty Publications

The use of a high-energy electron beam was explored in this study as an alternative technique for oxidizing vapor grown carbon nanofiber surfaces. The radiation exposures were carried out at three different electron beam facilities with beam energies of 1.5, 3.0 and 4.5 MeV and radiation doses ranging from 1000 to 3500 kGy. XPS analysis showed that oxygen was readily incorporated on the surface: the ratio O1s/C1s increased approximately by a factor of 4 when the carbon nanofibers were irradiated at 3500 kGy. The oxidized nanofibers exhibited better dispersion in a water/methanol solution (50% v/v) than as-received nanofibers. Raman spectroscopy …

Single-Cell Measurements Of Ige-Mediated Fcεri Signaling Using An Integrated Microfluidic Platform, Yanli Liu, Dipak Barua, Peng Liu, Bridget S. Wilson, Janet M. Oliver, William S. Hlavacek, Anup K. Singh

Chemical and Biochemical Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Heterogeneity in responses of cells to a stimulus, such as a pathogen or allergen, can potentially play an important role in deciding the fate of the responding cell population and the overall systemic response. Measuring heterogeneous responses requires tools capable of interrogating individual cells. Cell signaling studies commonly do not have single-cell resolution because of the limitations of techniques used such as Westerns, ELISAs, mass spectrometry, and DNA microarrays. Microfluidics devices are increasingly being used to overcome these limitations. Here, we report on a microfluidic platform for cell signaling analysis that combines two orthogonal single-cell measurement technologies: on-chip flow cytometry …

Note: A Simple Thermal Gradient Annealing Unit For The Treatment Of Thin Films, C. J. Metting, Johnathan K. Bunn, Ellen A. Underwood, Yihao Zhu, G. Koley, T. Crawford, Jason R. Hattrick-Simpers

Faculty Publications

A gradient annealing cell has been developed for the high-throughput study of thermalannealing effects on thin-film libraries in different environments. The inexpensive gradientannealing unit permits temperature gradients as large as 28 °C/mm and can accommodate samples ranging in length from 13 mm to 51 mm. The system was validated by investigating the effects of annealing temperature on the crystallinity, resistivity, and transparency of tin-doped indium oxide deposited on a glass substrate by magnetron sputtering. The unit developed in this work will permit the rapid optimization of materials properties such as crystallinity, homogeneity, and conductivity across a variety of applications.