Engineering Commons^™

Synthesis And Evaluation Of A Novel Polyacrylamide Functionalized Nano-Silica As A Calcium Carbonate Inhibitor In Upstream Applications, Nadhem Ismail, Ali Alshami, Ibnelwaleed A. Hussein

Chemical Engineering Faculty Publications

Calcium carbonate scale forms in production and injection wells, precipitating upon pressure and temperature changes, incompatible water mixing, and dehydration. Production shutdown is one of the most dramatic consequences caused by calcium carbonate scale formation. We synthesized, characterized, and tested a polyacrylamide functionalized nano-silica (PAM-SiO₂NPs) inhibitor that prevents calcium carbonate formation at high temperatures and high brine. Positive compatibility results were confirmed before the inhibition efficiency test, whereby the efficiency was calculated by quantifying the calcium ions left in solution using ICP-OES. The inhibitor was effective at temperatures of 40, 60, and 80 °C, with pH values of …

Synthesis And Use Of Bio-Based Dielectric Substrate For Implanted Radio Frequency Antennas, Austin Tesser, Ala Alemaryeen, Jeremy Lewis, Ali Alshami, Meysam Haghshenas, Sima Noghanian

Chemical Engineering Faculty Publications

Equipped with precision sensors/antenna modules combined with integrated processing and telemetry circuitry, wireless implants that are both biocompatible and biodegradable are important devices for monitoring patient's conditions and patient's safety. In this article we report on the development, design, and testing of a bio-based monopole radio frequency (RF) sensor/antenna module for potential use in human health applications. The module is built on a dielectric substrate biocomposite made of 0.5:1.0 ratio of polylactic acid (PLA) to sunflower carbon substrate (SCS) produced via pyrolysis of seeds shells. Findings for the SCS include optimized reactor yields around 7.9 wt.% at 500°C, a 0.27:1.0 …

Exploring Large Pore Size Alumina And Silica-Alumina Based Catalysts For Decomposition Of Lignin, Sara Pourjafar, Jasmine Kreft, Honza Bilek, Evguenii Kozliak, Wayne Seames

Chemical Engineering Faculty Publications

Evaluation of copper doped silica-alumina and γ-alumina catalysts for lignin decomposition was conducted using a suite of chemical analysis protocols that enabled a comprehensive characterization of the reaction product. X-ray diffraction analysis was used to verify the concentration of doped copper on catalyst supports. Then, batch experiments were performed to study the significance of catalyst support type, catalyst dopant concentration, lignin concentration, catalyst-to-lignin ratio, reactor stirring rate and reaction time. Aqueous products were extracted with dichloromethane and analyzed using a detailed gas chromatography-mass spectrophotometry analytical protocol, allowing for quantification of over 20 compounds. Solid residues were analyzed by thermogravimetric analysis …

Foam Materials With Controllable Pore Structure Prepared From Nanofibrillated Cellulose With Addition Of Alcohols, Jinbao Li, Te Song, Huijuan Xiu, Meiyun Zhang, Rui Cheng, Qiang Liu, Xuefei Zhang, Evguenii Kozliak, Yun Ji

Chemical Engineering Faculty Publications

Low-density foams based on nanofibrillated cellulose (NFC) made from Pinus massonianesoftwood pulp were prepared from NFC aqueous suspensions containing one of four C2–C4alcohols followed by freeze-drying, with the goal of controlling their pore structure and reducing the shrink rate. The foams prepared from NFC suspensions containing ethanol, isopropanol and n-butanol exhibited highly porous structures with a honeycomb-like cellular texture featuring well-defined “cell walls” between the layers. By contrast, the tert-butanol/NFC foam featured a higher number of smaller size pores with irregular shape. The foams prepared by freezing at −196 °C with ethanol also revealed small size pores, with no layered …

An Initial Study Of The Catalytic Reforming Of Crop Oil‐Derived 1‐Alkenes With Hzsm‐5 To Aromatic Hydrocarbons, Shelby Amsley‐Benzie, Swapnil Fegade, Brian Tande, Alena Kubotava, Evguenii Kozliak, Wayne Seames

Chemical Engineering Faculty Publications

This study explored the production of aromatic hydrocarbons from the longer‐chain alkenes produced by the pyrolysis/cracking of crop oils. 1‐Tetradecene, serving as a model compound for these alkenes, was reformed in a batch reactor with a HZSM‐5 catalyst to produce a liquid hydrocarbon mixture with a high‐aromatic content. These reactions resulted in a >99% conversion of the 1‐tetradecene feedstock with a yield of up to 22 wt% of aromatic hydrocarbons. Surprisingly, isomers of C3‐substituted benzenes along with xylenes and diaromatics (lower homologs of alkyl‐substituted indanes and naphthalenes) were the main aromatic products rather than their lower‐molecular‐weight (MW) homologs, benzene, toluene, …

Kinetic Modelling And Experimental Studies For The Effects Of Fe2+ Ions On Xylan Hydrolysis With Dilute-Acid Pretreatment And Subsequent Enzymatic Hydrolysis, Hui Wei, Xiaowen Chen, Joseph Shekiro, Erik Kuhn, Wei Wang, Yun Ji, Evguenii Kozliak, Michael E. Himmel, Melvin P. Tucker

Chemical Engineering Faculty Publications

High-temperature (150–170 °C) pretreatment of lignocellulosic biomass with mineral acids is well established for xylan breakdown. Fe²⁺ is known to be a cocatalyst of this process although kinetics of its action remains unknown. The present work addresses the effect of ferrous ion concentration on sugar yield and degradation product formation from corn stover for the entire two-step treatment, including the subsequent enzymatic cellulose hydrolysis. The feedstock was impregnated with 0.5% acid and 0.75 mM iron cocatalyst, which was found to be optimal in preliminary experiments. The detailed kinetic data of acid pretreatment, with and without iron, was satisfactorily modelled …

Fiber Evolution During Alkaline Treatment And Its Impact On Handsheet Properties, Yun Ji, Yangyang Peng, Anders Strand, Shiyu Fu, Anna Sundberg, Elias Antero Retulainen

Chemical Engineering Faculty Publications

To understand the swelling effects of alkaline treatment on the morphological properties of fibers and physical properties of handsheets, bleached softwood kraft pulp was treated with NaOH at different concentrations. The results showed that the fiber swelling increased, but the shrinkage and elongation of the paper at a NaOH concentration of 6% or higher did not improve. Dissolution of amorphous material occurred during the treatment together with peeling reactions. The fiber length and shape factor decreased and the fines content increased with an increasing alkali concentration. The cellulose crystallinity decreased with an increasing NaOH concentration. This was confirmed by X-ray …

High Octane Gasoline Using Renewable Aromatic Hydrocarbons, Wayne Seames, Malhar Khambete, Nahid Khatibi, Shelby Amsley-Benzie, Evguenii Kozliak, Darrin Muggli, Brian Tande

Chemical Engineering Faculty Publications

Background:

The replacement of leaded high octane aviation gasoline with an unleaded renewable alternative would decrease the emissions of lead and fossil-derived carbon into the atmosphere. Replacement has been limited by the requirement of a very high octane number in many existing general aviation aircraft engines.

Method:

Two separate process pathways were developed that generate an unleaded octane fuel with a motor octane number >96 from triglyceride oils (TGs), such as crop oils and algae oil. A series of experiments coupled with process simulations was used to verify the feasibility of both pathways and to provide preliminary laboratory scale data …

Development And Validation Of A Kinetic Model For Enzymatic Hydrolysis Using Candida Rugosa Lipase, Ammar Jamie, Ali Alshami, Zuhair O. Maliabari, Muataz A. Ateih

Chemical Engineering Faculty Publications

Biochemical processing involving enzymatic catalysis of hydrolysis reactions of oils and fats must overcome significant technological barriers before the full benefits of the technology can be realized. Owing to their selectivity and mild reaction conditions, lipases are becoming increasingly important as biocatalysts provided that their kinetics and optimum reaction conditions are well-understood. In this study we report on the development and validation of a kinetic model for the degradation of oils using Candida rugosa lipase, from which a better understanding of the influence of different reaction conditions on hydrolysis kinetics is elucidated. Variations of reaction temperature, mixing speed, enzyme loading …

Synthesis And Tribological Behavior Of Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene (Uhmwpe)-Lignin Composites, Surojit Gupta, Mohammad F. Riyad, Yun Ji

Chemical Engineering Faculty Publications

In this paper, we report the synthesis and characterization of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE)-lignin composites. During this study four different compositions, namely UHMWPE, UHMWPE-13 wt. % lignin, UHMWPE-25 wt. % lignin and UHMWPE-42.5 wt. % lignin were fabricated by hot pressing. Detailed microstructural studies by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed that UHMWPE and UHMWPE-13 wt. % lignin had a uniform microstructure, whereas UHMWPE-25 wt. % lignin and UHMWPE-42.5 wt. % lignin samples were riddled with pores. UHMWPE and UHMWPE-13% lignin showed comparable flexural strengths of ~32.2 MPa and ~32.4 MPa, respectively. However, the flexural strength dropped drastically in UHMWPE-25 …

Maximizing Orc Performance With Optimal Match Of Working Fluid With System Design, Kirtipal Barse, Michael Mann

Chemical Engineering Faculty Publications

This article compares constrained system design to non-constrained system design for the basic Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC). The 12 working fluids studied include eight dry-type, three isentropic, and one wet-type fluids. The ORC model was developed using Aspen HYSYS® and validated with data obtained from the literature. The constrained design compared the performance of working fluids for a fixed heat exchanger and turbine configuration. A non-constrained design was studied by altering the design specifications for the heat exchangers and turbine to match the working fluid. An energy and exergy analysis was performed using first and second law efficiency. The exergy …