Engineering Commons^™

Microalgae Immobilization With Filamentous Fungi: Process Development For Sustainable Food Systems, Suvro Talukdar

Theses and Dissertations--Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering

Demand for sustainable food sources has increased because of the rapid growth of the world's population.  In this study, microalgae cells of Haematococcus pluvialis were immobilized using the edible fungal strain Aspergillus awamori for potential food applications. The study investigated the impact of fungal loading, pellet geometry, and initial microalgae cell concentration on the immobilization performance and product characteristics. It was found that higher fungal loading and larger fungal pellets contributed to increased immobilization performance while increased initial microalgae concentration inhibited the process. Larger fungal pellets had decreased biomass density, which led to decreased surface concentration of immobilized microalgae but …

Investigation Of Mechanical Regulation On Stat3 Activity And Mmp Production, Jaxson R. Libby

Honors Theses and Capstones

Transcription factor, STAT3, is inappropriately expressed in cancer cells, and has contrasting activation in 2D versus 3D microenvironments. 2D plates are often used for drug screening and do not always recapitulate in vivo responses. To combat inaccurate 2D drug studies, a 3D hydrogel was created to support the growth of cancer cells into a tumor-like environment. The hydrogel consists of a biocompatible dextran homopolysaccharide, cell adhesion RGD sequences, and crosslinker MMP labile peptides. A pH dependent reaction couples the RGD sequences to dextran then the polymers are crosslinked into a gel. Crosslinking is accomplished using terminal cysteine peptide sequences, allowing …

Treating Contaminated Water: Predicting Reactivities Of Aqueous Organic Contaminants With Hydrated Electrons, And Development Of A Biogarden To Manage Greywater Discharge In Monteverde, Costa Rica, Rose C. Daily

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Advanced reduction processes (ARPs) that generate highly reactive solvated electrons (e^-_aq) are a promising method for the destruction of conventional and emerging aqueous organic contaminants. While there is a large database of contaminant reactivity with e^-_aq in the literature, there is little information on the detailed elementary mechanisms for reduction of multifunctional group compounds and the impact of those functional groups on reactivity. As it is difficult to determine specific mechanisms through experiments and time consuming to measure reactivity, the development of computational approaches to elucidate mechanisms and predict reactivity is becoming increasingly important. In …

Hydro Cyclonic Separation Of Polyester Microfibers From Washing Machine Wastewater, Joe Kulkarni

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Clothing made from synthetic materials shed fibers in washing machines, and these fibers find their way into the effluent water. These fibers can absorb toxic materials in wastewater treatment plants and can then carry these toxins into other aquatic environments.

It’s believed that a hydro cyclone could be scaled down enough to fit into a washing machine and could be used to filter out up to 80% of the microparticles from the effluent water. It’s proposed to investigate if a hydro cyclone can be used for this application. The overall goal was for the hydro cyclone to concentrate the micro …

Microscopic And Laboratory Scale Characterization Methods To Evaluate Biomass Deconstruction, Meenaa Chandrasekar

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Renewable fuels from lignocellulosic biomass are an appealing option because they can seamlessly integrate into the existing fuel distribution infrastructure. Lignocellulosic biomass constitutes nonedible plant material obtained from plant cell walls. The natural recalcitrance of lignocellulosic biomass poses a challenge in accessing the cell wall carbohydrates during biochemical conversion. Despite various approaches, enzymatic hydrolysis of lignocellulosic biomass remains economically impractical due to incomplete knowledge about biomass recalcitrance and the influence of environmental factors on biomass quality.

The first goal of this dissertation was to construct a microfluidic imaging reactor to better understand the tissue-specific deconstruction of plant materials. Confocal laser …

Enhancing Control Room Operator Decision Making: An Application Of Dynamic Influence Diagrams In Formaldehyde Manufacturing, Joseph Mietkiewicz, Anders L. Madsen

Articles

Intoday’s rapidly evolving industrial landscape, control room operators must grapple with an ever-growing array of tasks and respon sibilities. One major challenge facing these operators is the potential for task overload, which can lead to decision fatigue and increased reliance on cognitive biases. To address this issue, we propose the use of dynamic influence diagrams (DID) as the core of our decision support system. By monitoring the process over time and identifying anomalies, DIDs can recommend the most effective course of action based on a probabilistic assessment of future outcomes. Instead of letting the operator choose or search for the …

Direct Recycling Of Lithium-Ion Battery Materials Using Physical Separation Methods., Tinuade Ololade Folayan

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

The increased demand for Lithium-ion batteries for Electric vehicles has influenced worldwide interest in the research and development of methods for recycling end-of-life Lithium-ion batteries. Direct recycling method has gained more attention in recent times as a method that is low-cost with the ability to recover all Lithium-ion battery materials without changing the chemical and structural properties of the recycled materials.

A lithium-ion battery contains a complex mixture of materials with significantly different physical properties. This work develops physical separation techniques as Direct recycling methods to recycle individual battery components without damaging the functional integrity of the recycled materials. In …

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 …

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 …

Batch And Fixed-Bed Adsorption Of Ciprofloxacin Using Magnetic Biochar From Macadamia Nutshell, Sakonsupa Damdib

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

In this research, the utilization of macadamia nutshell as a potential adsorbent for ciprofloxacin (CIP) removal was investigated. The distinctive features of macadamia nutshell, characterized by its lignocellulosic composition and hardness, make it suitable as a precursor for synthesizing magnetic biochar, aimed at CIP adsorption in both batch and fixed-bed column processes. The influence of temperature activation and carbonization temperature on the properties of the resulting biochar was examined. Macadamia nutshell impregnated with a 0.10 M iron nitrate solution and carbonized under a nitrogen atmosphere at 800°C (MB-BI-800) exhibited the highest micropore and mesopore volumes, with values of 0.14 and …

Verification Of Oil Recovery Mechanism Through Alteration Of Relative Permeability Curve And Analytical Measurements, Tina Tharn

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

In the petroleum production industry, there are several methods that can be utilized to increase oil recovery. These methods are so-called Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR). Nowadays, Low Salinity Water Flooding (LSWF) is one of the considerable of those techniques due to its cost and simplicity. However, understanding its main oil recovery mechanism is still limited. Therefore, the investigation of oil mechanism provided by LSWF would help refine its application to oilfields. In this study, the Johnson–Bossler–Naumann (JBN) approach is employed to examine relative permeability curves during LSWF in different rock formations including clean sandstone (SS), shaly-sandstone (SHS), and dolostone (DL). …

ผลของแกรฟีนควอนตัมดอทต่อการเจริญเติบโตและฤทธิ์ต้านอนุมูลอิสระของต้นถั่วเขียวและต้นอ่อนทานตะวัน, วราวุธ คงแสงชัย

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

แกรฟีนควอนตัมดอท (Graphene Quantum Dots) จัดเป็นวัสดุนาโนที่มีคุณสมบัติเชิงแสงที่เป็นเอกลักษณ์จากผลของการกักกันเชิงควอนตัม อีกทั้งยังมีความเข้ากันได้กับเซลล์ของสิ่งมีชีวิตค่อนข้างสูง รวมทั้งความเป็นพิษต่อเซลล์ของสิ่งมีชีวิตที่ต่ำ สำหรับงานวิจัยนี้เป็นการศึกษาผลของการเติม GQDs ที่มีต่อการเจริญเติบโตและฤทธิ์ต้านอนุมูลอิสระ ซึ่งเมล็ดต้นกล้าที่ใช้ในการศึกษา คือ เมล็ดถั่วเขียวและเมล็ดต้นอ่อนทานตะวัน โดยจะติดตามการเจริญเติบโตในลักษณะเทคนิคต่างๆของการเติม GQDs 3 เทคนิควิธีการ ได้แก่ 1.) การแช่เมล็ดด้วย GQDs ที่ความเข้มข้นต่างๆ 2.) การเติม GQDs ให้กับต้นกล้าในลักษณะการใส่ปุ๋ยที่ความเข้มข้นต่างๆ และ 3.) การกระทำทั้งเทคนิควิธีการที่ 1 และ 2 ร่วมกันในช่วงความเข้มข้น 0 - 0.3 mg/mL ของ GQDs พบว่าต้นกล้าถั่วเขียวที่ความเข้มข้น 0.3 mg/mL ด้วยเทคนิควิธีการเติม GQDs ให้กับต้นกล้าในลักษณะการใส่ปุ๋ยมีฤทธิ์ต้านอนุมูลอิสระมากที่สุดถึง 33.67% เมื่อเทียบกับต้นกล้า control แต่สำหรับต้นกล้าต้นอ่อนทานตะวันนั้นจะพบว่าที่ความเข้มข้น 0.3 mg/mL เทคนิควิธีร่วมกันทั้ง 2 วิธีการจะให้ฤทธิ์ต้านอนุมูลอิสระมากที่สุด 38.24% เมื่อเทียบกับต้นกล้า control

Solid-State Shear Pulverization: A Comprehensive Study On Polymer Processing Technology From A Systematic Innovation Perspective, Tyler A. Will

Master’s Theses

Solid-state shear pulverization (SSSP) is a continuous and scalable processing technique that imposes mechanochemical changes in polymer-based materials. It has been shown to impart beneficial properties onto homopolymers or create copolymers and composites through continuous fragmentation and fusion. The unique technology employs cold temperature to keep the polymer in the solid state. This thesis investigates industrial polymer processing in the context of real-world applications. This thesis analyzes SSSP using an organized methodology called systematic innovation (SI). SI facilitates problem solving by assisting engineers in conducting root cause analysis around a material and studying the physical setup of the equipment.

This …