Engineering Commons^™

Mathematical Modeling Of Distillation Operation From Non-Equilibrium Approach, Wen-Dow Pan

Dissertations

A new method for mathematical modeling of a distillation operation from non-equilibrium approach has been studied. The primary purpose of the study was to develop a model to simulate the mechanism of mass transfer between a continuous phase and the bubbles of a dispersed phase in a distillation column. The second major purpose of this work was to utilize and test the model of estimating the tray efficiency.

Distillation was considered to be purely a mass transfer process, where the less volatile component is transferred from vapor to liquid phase, and the more volatile component from liquid to vapor phase. …

Use Of An Optical Probe To Measure Bubble Characteristics In Gas Fluidized Beds, Thomas Tai-Pai Chu

Dissertations

A novel optical probe has been developed and used for on-line monitoring of the bubble characteristics in a three-dimensional gas fluidized bed. The probe sensor has a major dimension of 1.8 cm, and contains an LED and a photo-cell separated by a gap of 2.5 mm. Coupled with a non-inverting comparator circuit with hysteresis as a noise filter, the probe has been very effective in characterizing the size distribution, shape and velocity of gas bubbles.

A 96 liter rectangular fluidized bed was used, containing glass beads with a size fraction of 355μ to 250μ. Air was the fluidizing medium, with …

The Dry Removal Process Of Sulphur Dioxide From Flue Gases Using Aluminum Oxide, Ching-Hwang Lu

Theses

Oxidation of sulfur dioxide to sulfur trioxide and absorption on aluminum oxide pellet as a mean of removing sulfur dioxide from flue gas was studied in a packed bed reactor at various temperatures, residence times, SO₂ inlet concentrations (ppm level), and particle sizes. Three different experiments were conducted: (i) sulfation with oxygen/ozone, (ii) sulfation with oxygen only in the presence of UV radiation ( 254 nm or 366 nm ), (iii) sulfation with oxygen only. In all the experiments substantial absorption of sulfur dioxide by alumina pellet was observed. Sulfation with oxygen/ozone give the highest absorption of SO_{2 …}

Prediction Of Enthalpies Of Mixing With A Unifac Model, Dinh Dang

Theses

A modified UNIFAC model is used in the correlation and prediction of enthalpies of mixing. The model requires two interaction parameters per group pair and values for 172 such pairs are presented here. Excellent prediction results are obtained with typical errors, in the temperature range of 273°K to 400°K, below 15%. For systems containing cyclic compounds, somewhat poorer results may be encountered.

Approximate Tolerance Limits And Confidence Limits On Reliability For The Gamma Distribution, Lee J. Bain, Max Engelhardt, Wei Kei Shiue

Mathematics and Statistics Faculty Research & Creative Works

No abstract provided.

Structural Analysis And Solution Of Systems Of Algebraic Design Equations, N. (Neil) L. Book, W. F. Ramirez

Chemical and Biochemical Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

A new method for expressing the structure of a system of equations is developed using a type of occurrence matrix entitled the functionality matrix. The functionality matrix indicates not only the occurrence of variables in equations but also the functional form in which they occur. Since the difficulty of solving an equation for a variable is related to its functional form, analysis of the functionality matrix provides explicit information on the difficulty of solution of the solution of the equation. A methodology for the solution of design problems by digital computers is described. This methodology operates on the functionality matrix …

Extension Of Darby's Model Of A Hydrophylic Gas Fed Porous Electrode, Ralph E. White, M. A. Nicholson, L. G. Kleine, J. Van Zee, R. Darby

Faculty Publications

A model presented previously by one of the authors (1,2) is reviewed and extended. Aspects of this model which were not previously available in the open literature are considered, and the model is extended to include previously neglected terms in the governing differential equations, fractional reaction orders in the current density-overpotential expression, and mass-transfer coefficients to account for mass-transfer resistance of the reactants to the faces of the porous electrode. The model is used to predict quantities of interest for oxygen reduction in an acidic aqueous solution in a porous carbon electrode.

Evaporite Diapirs In The La Popa Basin, Nuevo Leon, Mexico., Robert C. Laudon

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Reconnaissance mapping and stratigraphic work in the La Popa basin of Neuvo Leon, northern Mexico, have revealed two large structural features with cores of gypsum and anhydrite at the surface. These features are interpreted to be the surface expression of evaporite diapirs. Geostatic loading is considered to be the most important mechanism for emplacement of the domes. -from Author

The Modeling And Control Of Freeze Dryers, Martin James Millman

Doctoral Dissertations

"Two models of the freeze drying process were constructed and used to study various operational policies in order to determine the policy that would provide the shortest drying times.

The sublimation model which accounts only for the removal of frozen water, is found to predict shorter times for the free water removal phase than the sorption-sublimation model which properly accounts for the removal of frozen and bound water.

This study shows that the policy which produces the shortest free water removal phase, also produces the shortest overall drying time. This policy, predicted by both models, holds the chamber pressure at …

Unsteady-State Cylindrical, Spherical And Linear Flow In Porous Media, Allan Jeffrey Anthony Joseph

Doctoral Dissertations

"The general problem of unsteady flow phenomena in porous media as considered in this investigation. Emphasis was placed upon the short-term flow characteristics within cylindrical, spherical and linear reservoir geometries, and practical analysis methods were developed for each problem. Additionally, nonlinear unsteady flow behavior in infinite reservoirs was considered. Each solution obtained could optionally be implemented by hand or computer, and several FORTRAN subprograms were also presented.

At present, the only way to analyze pressure transient data prior to the development of the "semi log straight line" is by type curve matching techniques. However, this study indicated that a reliable …

Fixed Bed Sorption With Recycle, John Thomas Casey

Doctoral Dissertations

"A mathematical model that describes single and multicomponent recycle-sorption systems is constructed. The model accounts for the generation of species by chemical reactions occurring in a single perfectly mixed tank, in the bulk fluid of the sorbent bed, and in the pores of the adsorbent particles.

Results are shown for single zeroth, first and second order reversible reactions as well as a network consisting of two first or second order reactions which may occur in series or parallel. For systems in which a single reaction occurs, both linear and non-linear equilibrium adsorption isotherms are considered. If multiple reactions occur, then …

Mathematical Models Of Unsteady Operation Of A Packed Column, Jen-Fu Chao

Dissertations

Analytical solutions of differential equations applicable to extraction, ion exchange, or adsorption processes in packed beds are presented. Results are given for three different cases. The first case accounts for adsorption phenomena only. The second one includes surface adsorption on particles and the effects of longitudinal dispersion in the bed. The third one deals with diffusion in particles and longitudinal dispersion in the bed. In the mathematical modelling of these three cases, a linear equilibrium relationship between the solute in the liquid phase and solute in the solid phase is used. The first case is solved using the single boundary …

The Settling Of An Arbitrary Number Of Spherical Particles Arranged On The Corners Of A Regular Polygon In A Viscous Fluid, Eric Robert Bixon

Dissertations

The creeping motion equation has been solved for the case of planar arrays of spheres settling under the influence of gravity in a viscous fluid. The solution is a general solution which applies to an arbitrary number of spheres. All particles will lie at the corners of a regular polygon. Thus, two particles side by side, three particles in an equilateral triangular array, or four spheres in a square array will be special cases of the general solution.

The solution has been obtained by a unique application of the method of reflections. Only a first correction to the drag has …

Design Of A Photoreactor For The Oxidation Of Toxic Pollutants In Water By Ozone And Ultraviolet Radiation, Shahab Rashid Khan

Theses

A photoreactor has been designed to oxidize refractory chemicals found in water using ozone and ultraviolet radiation. The feasibility of the ozone/UV process has been examined by conducting experiments with three model compounds, namely, (1) o-chlorophenol (2) m-chlorophenol and (3) p-chloro phenol. For o-chlorophenol and p-chloro-phenol, reactions were very fast with ozone/UV oxidation and somewhat slower with m-chlorophenol. It is concluded that UV irradiation increases the decomposition of ozone and the resulting unstable intermediates are much more reactive than ozone. Ultraviolet light also helps in decomposing the substrate molecules. The effect of UV upon decomposition of ozone is more pronounced …

Mathematical Model Of Temperature Profiles And Coking In A Crude Oil Heater Tube, Joseph C. Polimeni

Theses

A mathematical model to predict temperature profiles and coking of crude oil in furnace tubes is presented. The model assumes that the coking mechanism is due to a reaction in the laminar sublayer, whose rate depends upon the temperature profile. That profile is obtained by a numerical solution of the appropriate transport equations, with velocity profiles that may be laminar or turbulent, and including the temperature dependence of the crude oil properties. In addition, velocity and temperature profiles were adjusted when necessary to ensure closure of the heat and material balances. As a by-product of this study, a correction was …

The Lewis-Matheson Method On Computer, William Raymond Castner

Theses

Lewis and Matheson, in the early 1930's, developed a manual calculation technique for the solution of multicomponent distillation problems. The object of this study was to see if there would be any advantage to using the Lewis-Matheson method, once incorporated onto a computer, over current multicomponent distillation solution techniques. The immediate advantage of using the L-M technique is that it requires fewer preliminary calculations than other computer methods. It was found that the L-M technique uses about half the execution time of a typical Newton-Raphson program, while using only one tenth the computer core (memory). This was not intended to …

Kinetics Of Biodegradation Of Phenol And 2,6-Dichlorophenol, Samir Shrikant Desai

Theses

Biological removal of phenol up to 600 ppm and 2,6-dichlorophenol up to 20 ppm was studied in a well aerated fill-and-draw reactor of 41 capacity at 26 C using an activated sludge obtained from the municipal treatment plant in Livingston, N.J. Experimental evaluation of kinetic parameters showed that biodegradation of both phenol and 2,6-DCP followed zero-order kinetics. As expected, the lag time for both compounds was considerably reduced when acclimated sludge was used. However, the metabolism of 2,6-DCP was very slow even for preacclimated sludge, requiring about 36 hours to degrade only 15 ppm.. This was markedly improved by the …

The Effect Of Ultrasound On The Hydrolysis Of Carbohydrates, Adel A. Khamis

Dissertations

Acid hydrolysis of dextran and cellulose were studied with and without irradiation with ultrasonic waves of different frequencies (17 - 150 KHz), and powers (0.4 - 200 w/cm²). In the case of both materials, the hydrolysis reaction was found to be first order with respect to the activity of hydrogen ions in the reaction medium. Weight average molecular weight was evaluated at different durations of the reaction course. The reaction rate of dextran was found to be proportional to the weight average molecular weight raised to the power 4/3, and raised to the power 4 for cellulose.

The …

Mathematical Modeling Of Mass Transfer In A Hollow Fiber Dialyzer, Tzyy-Kai Yu

Theses

A mathematical model describing the flow characteristics and mass transfer has been developed for the hollow fiber dialyzer in countercurrent dialysis.

The theoretical expressions are developed from a typical Graetz problem for the stream side, and a first order differential equation for the dialyzate side. The solution of the dimensionless concentration profile is obtained as a summation of orthogonal eigenfunctions in closed form, which are given as product of an exponential function and a confluent hypergeometric function.

The analytical solution of the model has been examined by adjusting system parameters, like Sherwood number, Peclet number and the geometry of the …

Prediction Of Enthalpies Of Mixing With A Generalized Unifac Model, Steven Otto Hetzel

Theses

The UNIFAC model of Skjold-Jorgensen et al (1980), which incorporates a general temperature dependence for the coordination number is used in the correlation and prediction of heats of mixing for binary liquid mixtures. Correlation and prediction of n-alkanes and cyclic-alkanes with alkenes, ketones, aldehydes, esters, ethers, acids, nitriles, nitroalkanes, and aikynes have been performed in a temperature range of 0 to 100°C. Typical prediction and correlation errors of 5 to 20% are obtained using this model.

Kinetics And Reactivity Of The 2,4-Tolyene Diiscoyanate With 2-Hydroxyethyl Methacrylate Reaction, Menq-Fong Shieh

Theses

The kinetics of the addition of 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate(HEMA) to 2,4-Tolyene diisocyanate(2,4-TDI) were studied at the temperature of 25°C, 30°C and 38°C. Reactant and product concentrations were monitored by liquid chromatography.

The rate equations for the series-parallel second order reaction have been developed and integrated by the Runge Kutta-Gill method. The results show that the para

group is about 12 times more reactive than that of the corresponding ortho group with the HEMA hydroxyl group at 25°C, and small amount of HEMA diadduct invariably produced.

Mathematical Modeling Of The Unsteady State Glucose And Insulin Concentrations In Blood For Normal Subjects And Diabetics, Tung Shih

Theses

A mathematical model of the blood-glucose regulatory system has been developed. This model describes an oral glucose tolerance test adequately and simulates the behavior of the real physiological system using computer techniques.

Regression of the rate constants involved have been effected by conforming the theoretical functions to the data from glucose tolerance test in nonobese normal subjects, obese normal subjects, nonobese mild diabetics, obese mild diabetics, nonobese moderate diabetics and obese moderate diabetics measured by continuous sampling after oral ingestion. Most of the data were conformed within the limits of experimental error. The result of optimal parameters lead to a …

An Improvement In The Chemical Engineering Simulation System, Roman Andreyuk

Theses

The accurate design of chemical processing plants is important to the chemical engineer. The original version of CHESS (Chemical Engineering Simulation System) greatly reduced the amount of time which previously had to be spent on the design of such plants by providing the engineer with a package which simulated some of the more common pieces of chemical processing equipment found in a typical chemical plant.

The present version of the Chemical Engineering Simulation System (CHESS2) presents a significant improvement over the original version. The improvement was achieved by expanding the thermodynamic package, offering the user a choice of methods by …

An Analysis For The Blade Coating Of Ctbn Modified Epoxy Adhesive, Jeng-Li Liang

Theses

A resin metering criterion has been developed for processing the prepregs of CTBN-EPOXY resin in which the resin content can be controlled within close tolerances. This criterion was obtained by numerically simulating the flow of CTBN-EPDXY resin in the blade-type metering device at room temperature. The Newtonion case of CTBN-EPOXY resin was selected for the study to avoid dealing with more complicated flow equations. A methodology of using the penalty function/finite element formulation was developed to solve the steady state Navior-Stokes equation.

The rheological data show that the CTBN-EPOXY resin is a non-Newtonion fluid at low shear rate. On the …

The Hydroxide-, Chymotrypsin-, And Blood-Catalyzed Hydrolysis Of A Series Of Sodium 4-Acyloxy-3-Nitrobenzene Sulfonates, Louis E. Rinaldi

Theses

The kinetics of the hydrolysis of a series of water-soluble aromatic esters (sodium 4-acyloxy-3-nitrobenzene sulfonates) were analyzed in order to determine the effect of a variety of substitutions (on the α-carbon of the acid group) upon the rate of reaction.

The following was observed. That (a), the hydroxide catalyzed and water dependent hydrolyses of these esters are slower for larger substituents and faster for smaller ones. That (b), the chymotrypsin catalytic hydrolysis of these esters shows an acylation reaction step which occurs at a rate greater than deacylation for larger substituents, and at approximately equal rates for smaller ones. Furthermore, …

Shear Characteristics Of Motor Oils Conforming To The American Petroleum Institute's 1981 Engine Service Classification, D. Joseph Clausen

Graduate Research Papers

The problem was to determine if shear (slipperiness) characteristics differ between various SF motor oils. Oils tested met SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers) lOw-40 viscosity requirements, and API (American Petroleum Institute) engine service classification requirements for 1981 SF quality motor oils.

Four basic types of oil were tested: (a) mineral; (b) synthetic; (c) friction modified; and (d) extended drain. A gravity powered device was designed and used as a testing apparatus to measure force needed to pull a weight across a lubricated surface.

Findings indicated that friction modified oils (Pennzoil P-Z-L and Arcographite) were the most slippery. Other oils tested, …

Treatment During Transport Of Solid Waste, Wayne M. Fassell

Michigan Tech Patents

The method of treatment during transport of solid waste by depositing the solid waste on the surface of a molten stream of lead traveling in one direction whereby organic material in the waste is subjected to thermal degradation, metals and other materials in the waste which are insoluble in the molten lead and of lesser specific gravity remain on the surface of the molten lead for removal and recovery while metals and other materials which are soluble in the molten lead dissolve in the molten lead for separation from the remainder while metal and materials which are insoluble in the …

Steady State Heat Transfer From Two Concentric Rings Of Spheres, Kevin J. Fitzpatrick

Theses

The method of reflections was used to solve the steady state heat transfer problem for two concentric rings of spheres, all at equal surface temperature. The method results in a mathematical model for the three dimensional temperature profiles around the array of spheres. This model is used to develop an expression for heat transfer rate from the array. This work has resulted in a solution for dilute systems since no ring to ring interaction term was found.

Energy Storage Capacity Of Reversible Liquid‐Phase Diels Alder Reaction Between Maleic Anhydride And 2‐Methyl Furan, B. G. Sparks, Bruce E. Poling

Chemical and Biochemical Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Calorimetry was used to determine the heat of reaction and equilibrium constant at 318 K for the reaction between maleic anhydride (A) and 2‐methyl furan (B). The values were −60 kJ/gmol and 614 cm3/gmol, respectively. The motivation for this work was to find a single phase‐reacting system that could be used to store solar energy. Thus, the energy storage capacity was calculated for a mixture of A and B, both initially at 7 kmol/m3, in dioxane. The maximum apparent heat capacity of 7.37 J/cm3·K occurred at 334 K. This maximum value is 76% higher than the heat capacity of pure …

A Model Of The Bromine/Bromide Electrode Reaction At A Rotating Disk Electrode, Ralph E. White, S. E. Lorimer

Faculty Publications

A mathematical model is presented for the Br₂/Br^– electrode reaction at a rotating disk electrode. The model includes current density-overpotential expressions for the electrode reaction according to either the Volmer-Heyrovsky (V-H) or the Volmer-Tafel (V-T) mechanism and the transport equations including the effect of ionic migration. The model is used to predict current-overpotential curves for various cases of interest. Qualitative comparison of the model predictions to literature data shows that either the V-H or the V-T mechanism, with V controlling, may be acceptable for the Br₂/Br^– reaction.