Engineering Commons^™

Advanced Research And Development Of Face Masks And Respirators Pre And Post The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (Covid-19) Pandemic: A Critical Review, Ebuka A. Ogbuoji, Amr M. Zaky, Isabel C. Escobar

Chemical and Materials Engineering Faculty Publications

The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, in 2020, has accelerated the need for personal protective equipment (PPE) masks as one of the methods to reduce and/or eliminate transmission of the coronavirus across communities. Despite the availability of different coronavirus vaccines, it is still recommended by the Center of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), World Health Organization (WHO), and local authorities to apply public safety measures including maintaining social distancing and wearing face masks. This includes individuals who have been fully vaccinated. Remarkable increase in scientific studies, along with manufacturing-related research and development investigations, have been performed in an attempt to …

Study Of The Rheological Properties Of The Suspension Formed During The Production Of Caustic Soda By The Lime Method, Aktam Ulashovich Erkaev, Dildora Tursunova

Chemical Technology, Control and Management

The process of obtaining sodium hydroxide - caustic soda by conversion of soda ash with lime milk in the presence of natural mirabilite - has been investigated. The influence of temperature, Na₂CO₃: Na₂SO₄ ratio, concentration of lime milk and duration of the conversion process on this process was studied by identifying their optimal values. The study of the rheological properties of the reaction pulp showed that it is mobile and well filtered, which makes it possible to obtain rapidly settling large crystals of Na₂CO₃·2Na₂SO₄, Na …

Experimental And Modeling Study Of The Effects Of Sealing Structures In Lost Circulation Prevention And Remediation, Mingzheng Yang

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Drilling fluid lost circulation leads to non-productive time and increases the overall well cost. In general, wellbore strengthening and lost circulation control are achieved by creating effective sealing structures to inhibit fluid flow through loss conduits such as formation fractures. This research aims at better understanding the effects of sealing structures in fluid loss prevention and remediation, and providing useful references to effectively establishing filtercakes on the wellbore and plugs in the fracture.

Recent research on wellbore strengthening disclosed the critical role of filtercake in sealing microfractures during the initial stages of fracture initiation and propagation. The performance of a …

Mathematical Modeling Of The 3(Н)-Quinazolin-4-Onе Synthesis Process, Ziyadullayev Mirjalol, Karimov Rikhsibay, Abdurazakov Asqar, Parmonov Asqar

CHEMISTRY AND CHEMICAL ENGINEERING

The aim is to optimize the conditions for the synthesis of 3(H)-quinazolin-4-one by the method of mathematical modeling to develop a technology for producing the substance of a new domestic drug used in the treatment of farm animals from helminths. In mathematical modeling, the method of a small number of squares was used. Analytical dependences of the product yield on temperature, reaction time, and molar ratios of the starting materials were determined. A system of linear equations has been compiled. The system of linear equations was performed by the matrix method (A, B, C).The average reaction rate was determined. Based …

Investigation Of Surface Charge Using Faraday Bucket Measurements: Analysis On Electrospun Polyvinylidene Fluoride Fiber Mats, Ryan Kantenwein

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Piezoelectric polymer materials such as polyvinylidene fluoride exhibit beneficial properties for use in personal protective equipment (PPE) against viral contaminants and other foreign microparticles. The electrospinning process of this material allows for surface charge to develop over a controlled surface area. Kynar 761 at 10 wt% demonstrates increased surface charge after withstanding a flow of aerated NaCl particles from a TSI 8130 instrument. Utilizing voltage measurements from a Faraday bucket, 18 wt% Kynar 761 and MG-15 exhibit surface charge when undergoing an electrospinning process; however, Kynar MG-15 displays lower charge values than that of Kynar 761. Several critical factors such …

Study Of Rheological Properties Of Solutions And Pulp During Dicalcium Phosphate Formation Process, Navruzbek Ibraimovich Khurramov, Tulkin Isamurodovich Nurmurodov, Nilufar Negboevna Bozorova, Zarifa Umarovna Karimova

Chemical Technology, Control and Management

This article presents the rheological properties of suspensions obtained on the basis of nitric acid decomposition of unfired phosphorites of the Central Kyzylkum, as well as the chemical compositions of dicalcium phosphate and solid residues after the filtration process. The mass-spectral analysis of the pure dicalcium phosphate salt obtained by ammonization of the liquid part separated from the solid residue and subjected to filtration was studied.

Methods For Film Coating Electrospun Fibers, Kristopher Dejean

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Electrospinning uses high voltages to form polymer nanofiber membranes. These membranes have potential for use in filtration, tissue engineering, drug delivery, and catalysis. The nonwoven fiber mat is malleable but has a low tensile strength compared to a solid film of the same polymer. Joining the fibers with a thin film is desired to balance the strength and flexibility. Three methods of producing a film on fiber membrane were tested. The techniques are spraying then melting, spin coating, and dip coating. Electrospinning setup conditions, solvent ratios, damage to fibers, and spin coating speeds were determined. Research was abruptly stopped and …

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. …

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 …

Understanding The Interplay Between Fluid Mechanics And Particle Size Distributions For Filtration Of Flocculated Mixtures, Brooke Remler

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The breakdown of nutrients in biological processes in wastewater treatment require a sub- stantial amount of energy, contributing to greater greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Floc- culation can be used to reduce the loading on a biological process by increasing removals during primary treatment in devices such as a rotating belt filter (RBF). The relationship between shear conditions, defined by velocity gradients (G-values) and floc size is crucial. Understanding G-value magnitudes and distributions within an RBF, corresponding trans- port network, and the effects on floc size degradation are needed to maximize removals. G-values were calculated using a newly developed approach, improving …

Prevention Of Harmful Algal Blooms By The Mitigation Of Phosphorus Nutrient Loading Via Filtration By Steel Wool And Activated Carbon, Ronald Simpson, Sara Kidd, Samantha Zidd

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs) are a devastating ecological and economic consequence of the abundance of nutrient-rich agricultural runoff entering aquatic ecosystems (Baker et al. 2014). Bio-available phosphorus from synthetic fertilizers is one of the major nutrients contributing to this global issue. Previous studies indicated that dissolved phosphorus can be removed from an aqueous environment when passed through a composite mixture of granular steel wool particles and activated carbon (Erickson, Gulliver, and Weiss, 2007). In this project, we conducted experiments using higher quality concentration measurements to determine what grades of steel wool (SW-0000, SW-000, SW-00) and types of activated carbon (granulated …

Compressible Media For Water Treatment, Christine Forkins, Steven Kammermeier, Antonio Musso

Capstone Design Expo Posters

Tertiary water treatment is used to remove total suspended solids (TSS) from wastewater. Suez uses compressible media for their tertiary water treatment. There have been supplier issues in the past such as unreliability, long lead-times, unknown manufacturing process, and chances of resale. The chance of resale is an important issue because the specifications may change from one supplier to another.

The group was tasked to characterize different types of compressible media for water treatment, design a lab scale filtration unit, and design and manufacture a new media to be tested. In order to gain an operational expenditure advantage, Suez accomplishes …

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 …

Hybrid Green Nonwoven Substrate For Wipe Applications, Mohammad A. Hassan

Mohammad Abouelreesh Hassan

Spun-blown_ fiber Technology is a process bridging the gap between the conventional meltblowing and spunbond processes. Spun-blown process is flexible and accommodates meltblown and spunbond grade resins in addition to it have higher production capacity than traditional spunmelt processes. Having the capabilities of spinning highly viscous and higher molecular weight resins opens the door for new class of fibrous materials. Comingling such fibers with airlaid streams would result in hybrid category of nonwoven materials that can be used as wipe substrates. In this presentation we will discuss some of these possibilities and shed the light on some of the unique …

Advances In Spun-Blown Fiber Technology And Its Applications, Mohammad A. Hassan

Mohammad Abouelreesh Hassan

Spun-blown® fiber Technology is a hybrid process bridging the gap between the conventional meltblowing and spunbond processes. Spun-blown® process has a multi-row spinnerette like the spunbond process but filaments are cooled and attenuated at the nozzles tip in a similar fashion to the meltblowing process. Biax-Fiberfilm Spun-blown® Fiber Technology is flexible and highly productive. It accommodates meltblown and spunbond grade resins and its production capacity can reach up to 500 Kg/m/hr, depending upon the intended application. In addition to that, spun-blown® fibers have a unique fiber size distribution with a noticeable portion of submicron fibers (10%-40%). Because of that, they …

Advanced Filter Media Structures Using Biax Spun-Blown Fiber Technology, Mohammad A. Hassan

Mohammad Abouelreesh Hassan

Spunblown Technology is a unique practice of meltblowing technology developed by Biax Fiberfilm. You could say it is a hybrid process bridging the gap between the conventional meltblowing and spunbonding processes. Spunblowing process has a multi-row spinnerette similar to the spunbonding technology but the filaments are attenuated at the nozzles tip using high speed hot/cold air. In this revealing presentation, there will be a comparison between spunmelt technologies demonstrating the capabilities of each one. You will also see how the fiber sizes and their distribution can affect filtration properties. Hybrid structures of meltblown fibers using in-situ commingling process will be …

Advances In Spun-Blown Fiber Technology And Its Technical Applications, Mohammad A. Hassan

Mohammad Abouelreesh Hassan

No abstract provided.

Spun-Blown Fiber Technology, Mohammad A. Hassan

Mohammad Abouelreesh Hassan

This is a coverage article about a conference paper at tthe filtration Symposium of 2015. In his paper on "Advanced Filter Media Structures Using Biax Spunblown Fiber Technology",I talked about his company's development to of a new evolution of meltblowing technology "developed by Biax-Fiberfilm Corporation to bridge the gap between the conventional meltblown and spunbond processes." I noted that "the spun-blown process has a multi-row spinnerette similar to spunbond technology but the filaments are attenuated at the nozzle's tip using high speed air similar to meltblown process." As a result, the process allows for the production of materials with strength …

Practical Performance Analysis Of An Industrial-Scale Ultrafiltration Membrane Water Treatment Plant

Faculty of Engineering University of Malaya

Common design and operational issues to evaluate the performance of an ultrafiltration (UF) membrane water treatment plant are highlighted with a case study on an industrial-scale drinking water treatment plant located in Malaysia. This treatment plant has been in operation since February 2013 using dead-end polyethersulfone UF membrane filtration system to produce up to 14 million litres a day of drinking water to a small township. Literature solutions are compared with the practised solutions and elucidated with the case study. Gaps between literature solutions which are mainly based on lab-scale research and industry practices are identified. Reducing this gap will …

Filtration Of Aerosolized Oils With Layered Filter Media And Drainage Channels, Corey A. Boldon

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The purpose of this experiment is to compare the efficiency of four different filter media with two different drainage channel materials when filtering out aerosolized oil. The filter media include 2 micron stainless steel fibers, 6.5 micron stainless steel fibers, 2 micron woven glass fibers, and 6 micron woven glass fibers. The drainage channel materials are 500 micron Teflon (PTFE) and nylon mesh.

One major application that this research is targeted towards is air compressors. Air compressors use lubricating oil to minimize wear and corrosion. During operation some of this lubricating oil is aerosolized into the outgoing air stream. Inhalation …

Electrospinning Of S-B-S Triblock And S-I-S Triblock Copolymers For Use In Fuel Filtration, Kevin Houser

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The following research project looked into the potential of using nanofibers of syrene-isoprene-styrene triblock copolymer produced through the electrospinning process for the filtration of water out of fuel as well as a comparison of styrene-isoprene-styrene triblock to the styrene-butadiene-styrene triblock nanofibers produced at equivalent operating parameters. Based on the work completed, it is concluded that the styrene-isoprene-styrene triblock is not suitable for use in filtration with the current electrospinning conditions. On average, the styrene-isoprene-styrene triblock produced nanofibers of lower average diameter and lower standard deviation in diameter when compared to styene-butadiene-styrene triblock.

Liquid Drop Growth On A Fiber, A. Yarin, George Chase, W. Liu, S. Doiphode, Darrell Reneker

Darrell Hyson Reneker

A quantitative model is described and verified to predict the growth of oil droplets by coalescence on a single nanofiber. The model considers a stream of fluid carrying many tiny droplets of a different fluid. The mechanisms by which the tiny droplets are captured by a drop growing on a fiber are considered. Different capture mechanisms are examined, including interception, Brownian motion of droplets, and vapor deposition by diffusion. It is shown that droplet interception and Brownian diffusion contribute to drop growth on nanofibers for airborne oil droplets in the size range from 100 to 1000 nm. Merging of growing …

Recycled Expanded Polystyrene Nanofibers Applied In Filter Media, C. Shin, George Chase, Darrell Reneker

Darrell Hyson Reneker

In this work polystyrene (PS) nanofibers are electrospun from recycled expanded polystyrene (EPS). These fibers are mixed with micro glass fibers to modify the glass fiber filter media. The filter media are tested in the separation of water droplets from an emulsion of water droplets in oil. Water-in-oil emulsion separations are important to the petrochemical industries for product quality, safety, ecologic and economic reasons. The experimental results in this work show that polystyrene nanofibers with diameters of around 600 nm were produced by the electrospinning method. The addition of the nanofibers to conventional micron sized fibrous filter media improves the …

The Effect Of Nanofibers On Liquid-Liquid Coalescence Filter Performance, C. Shin, George Chase, Darrell Reneker

Darrell Hyson Reneker

A number of factors influence the efficiency and the economics of the separation of dispersed liquid drops in an immiscible liquid–liquid mixture. One important factor that controls the performance of a filter medium in the separation is the fiber size. Electrospun polymer nanofibers have diameters in the nanometer range and are arbitrarily long. The experimental results in this work show that adding nanofibers to conventional micron-sized fibrous filter media improves the separation efficiency of the filter media but also increases the pressure drop. An optimum in the performance occurs (significant increase in efficiency with minimal increase in pressure drop) with …

Enhancement Of Fluidization And Filtration Using Nanoparticle Agglomerates And Aerogels, Jose A. Quevedo

Dissertations

Previous works have classified the fluidization behavior of nanoparticles as Agglomerate Particulate Fluidization (APF) and Agglomerate Bubbling Fluidization (ABE). These fluidization behaviors are quite different in regard to the fluidized bed expansion, the presence of bubbles and the smoothness of the bed surface, with APF nanopowders showing a much more homogeneous fluidization and a much better dispersion than ABE nanopowders which are generally very difficult to fluidize and show vigorous bubbling. In the present work, the fluidization of APF as well as ABF nanopowders is studied in depth, both conventionally, and in the presence of extemal assistance; several related topics …

Single-Collector Experiments And Modeling Of Acoustically Aided Mesh Filtration, Michael T. Grossner, Donald L. Feke, Joanne M. Belovich

Chemical & Biomedical Engineering Faculty Publications

A model for the motion of particles driven by acoustic and hydrodynamic effects in the vicinity of a cylindrical collector has been previously reported. This trajectory model was developed to describe the essential physics that underlies an ultrasonically aided particle-filtration process in which a porous mesh is used to capture particles two orders of magnitude smaller than the pore size. To validate this trajectory model, experiments were performed to elucidate the detailed motion of particles in the neighborhood of a single cylindrical collector. Images of 54-μm-diameter polystyrene particles in aqueous suspension responding to acoustic and hydrodynamic forces were …

Transport Analysis And Model For The Performance Of An Ultrasonically Enhanced Filtration Process, Michael T. Grossner, Joanne M. Belovich, Donald L. Feke

Chemical & Biomedical Engineering Faculty Publications

This paper presents an analysis of a filtration technique that uses ultrasound to aid the collection of small particles (tens of microns in diameter) from suspension. In this method, particles are retained within a porous mesh that is subjected to a resonant ultrasonic field, even though the pore size of the mesh is two orders of magnitude greater than the particle diameter. The role of acoustic forces in driving the retention phenomena has previously been studied on a micro-scale, which included modeling and experimental verification of particle motion and trapping near a single element of the mesh. Here, we build …

Single Fiber Model Of Particle Retention In An Acoustically Driven Porous Mesh, Michael T. Grossner, Alan E. Penrod, Joanne M. Belovich, Donald L. Feke

Chemical & Biomedical Engineering Faculty Publications

A method for the capture of small particles (tens of microns in diameter) from a continuously flowing suspension has recently been reported. This technique relies on a standing acoustic wave resonating in a rectangular chamber filled with a high-porosity mesh. Particles are retained in this chamber via a complex interaction between the acoustic field and the porous mesh. Although the mesh has a pore size two orders of magnitude larger than the particle diameter, collection efficiencies of 90% have been measured. A mathematical model has been developed to understand the experimentally observed phenomena and to be able to predict filtration …

Fluidization And Soot Filtration In A Rotating Fluidized Bed, Gui-Hua Qian

Dissertations

A horizontal rotating fluidized bed (RFB) has been investigated for the removal of soot from diesel engine exhaust. This requires necessitating an understanding of the nature of fluidization, particle mixing and filtration in the RFB.

In an RFB, particles are subject to a centrifugal force which can be much larger than the force of gravity. Therefore the Geldart classification for conventional fluidized beds must be modified for rotating fluidized beds. A theoretical analysis shows that group A particles (minimum bubbling velocity U_mb > minimum fluidization velocity U_mf can shift to group B U_mb = U_mf and group …