Extraction Of Butanol By Continuous Pervaporation Of A Two-Stage Fermentation, Kelly Meek

Chemical Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

Within this research a fermentation broth is used that has been developed first from the continuous fermentation of algal sugars to organic acids with Clostridium tyrobutyricum, followed by the continuous fermentation of the organic acids to butanol using Clostridium saccharoperbutylacetonium. The two-stage fermentation has the potential to increase the butanol selectivity from 60% by weight with the traditional ABE process to as high as 100% with the 2-stage process.

Conversion Of Algal Sugars To Butanol In A Novel Automated Process, Jill Ivey

Chemical Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

Phase I investigated a method for producing butanol from algae using a novel automated hydrolysis, fermentation, and separation process. The Phase I research team sought to experimentally optimize individual steps and parameters of the process, design and build an automated unit to produce fuel-grade butanol from algae in a batch process, evaluate the sustainability and large scale economics of the process, and design an outreach program encouraging energy and environmental awareness centered around K-12 students. The team used macroalgae samples obtained through the generosity of the City of New York from Jamaica Bay to test the equipment and viability of …

Clean Energy Water Disinfection International Environmental Education Design Contest, Howard Heffington

Chemical Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

Many technologies are used for water disinfection. Chlorine, iodine, and ozone are some chemical methods of water disinfection. Filtration, including microfiltration, ultrafiltration, and reverse osmosis, is used to remove bacteria. In addition to chemical and filtration technologies, one can disinfect water using UV irradiation, ultrasonic treatment, electrolysis, solar disinfection, and slow sand filtration.
Currently, there are few solutions being employed in third world settings for communities. The current solutions are either for one household or are part of an existing infrastructure and therefore are not portable. Slow sand filtration is used successfully to provide potable water for individual households. Tablet …

Water Purification For Rural Communities Using Ultraviolet Light And Bleach Systems, Ryan Lee

Chemical Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

Many technologies are used for water disinfection. Chlorine, iodine, and ozone are some chemical methods of water disinfection. Filtration, including microfiltration, ultrafiltration, and reverse osmosis, is used to remove bacteria. In addition to chemical and filtration technologies, one can disinfect water using UV irradiation, ultrasonic treatment, electrolysis, solar disinfection, and slow sand filtration.
Currently, there are few solutions being employed in third world settings for communities. The current solutions are either for one household or are part of an existing infrastructure and therefore are not portable. Slow sand filtration is used successfully to provide potable water for individual households. Tablet …

L'Oreal Waste Minimization, Caitlin Burns, Joe Baugh, Allen Busick, Ryan Black, Emily Evans, Matthew Margis

Chemical Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

The purpose of this design project is to reduce the amount of waste being generated at L’Oreal’s North Little Rock manufacturing facility. To accomplish this, the design team visited the North Little Rock manufacturing facility to examine the areas producing the most waste. After gaining a detailed understanding of these areas, the UP1 production line was identified as one of the largest opportunities for waste reduction in the L’Oreal manufacturing facility. In the UP1 processing area, mascara is mixed in large mixing tanks and then pumped in to barrels to be packaged. The 2,000 liter and 1,000 liter Olsa tanks …

Algae To Butanol: Our Contribution To People, Prosperity, And Planet, Ethan Carter

Chemical Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

Phase I investigated a method for producing butanol from algae using a novel automated hydrolysis, fermentation, and separation process. The Phase I research team sought to experimentally optimize individual steps and parameters of the process, design and build an automated unit to produce fuel-grade butanol from algae in a batch process, evaluate the sustainability and large scale economics of the process, and design an outreach program encouraging energy and environmental awareness centered around K-12 students. The team used macroalgae samples obtained through the generosity of the City of New York from Jamaica Bay to test the equipment and viability of …

Design And Construction Of A Novel Automated Unit For Conversion Of Algae To Butanol, Hiroko Nakao

Chemical Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

Phase I investigated a method for producing butanol from algae using a novel automated hydrolysis, fermentation, and separation process. The Phase I research team sought to experimentally optimize individual steps and parameters of the process, design and build an automated unit to produce fuel-grade butanol from algae in a batch process, evaluate the sustainability and large scale economics of the process, and design an outreach program encouraging energy and environmental awareness centered around K-12 students. The team used macroalgae samples obtained through the generosity of the City of New York from Jamaica Bay to test the equipment and viability of …

Synthesis And Analysis Of The Antimicrobial Peptoid N-Lfb6, Allen Busick

Chemical Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

The increasing presence of drug resistant bacteria has led to research of new methods to combat bacteria. A part of the natural peptide Lactoferricin, LfB6 (RRWQWR-NH2), has been shown to be effective against a variety of gram positive and gram negative bacteria. However, there are several problems associated with peptides. Peptides can quickly degrade in the body which causes larger doses to be effective. Large doses of some peptides are cytotoxic to the host. Peptoids are a class of compounds that can potentially mimic the function of peptides and circumvent the problems associated with them. The backbone of peptoids is …

Innovation And Development Of Biofuel Technologies, Nicole Lorenz

Chemical Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

The need for viable alternatives to gasoline has lead researchers to explore various options for renewable energy resources. This research study focuses on two major options for renewable energy. The first is biodiesel, which is a fuel that can be made from vegetable oils or animal fats. In this study, biodiesel was made from tall oil, a paper byproduct. A novel reaction method was used, employing high temperature methanol rather than acid or base catalysis. The second option that was investigated is butanol, which is an alcohol with advantages over ethanol. First, a two-step fermentation was examined to improve the …

Non-Natural Protein Mimetics For The Treatment Of Alzheimer's Disease, Jennifer Herrera, Amanada Compean, Jasmine Brown, Melissa Moss, Shannon Servoss

Chemical Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a slow degenerative disease that causes memory loss and eventually leads to death. AD is caused by the aggregation of the amyloid-beta protein, found on the outside of brain cells; once the amyloid-beta protein begins to aggregate it forms plaques on the extracellular part of the neural cells. To date there is no AD medication commercially available that breaks up the amyloid-beta aggregates. Current research has found that certain molecules bind to the amyloid-beta protein and prevent aggregation. The purpose of this research project is to engineer a peptoid-based molecule to stop the aggregation of the …

Biokinetic Mechanisms Linked With Musculoskeletal Health Disparities: Stochastic Models Applying Tikhonov's Theorem To Biomolecule Homeostasis., Asit K. Saha, Yu Liang, Sean S. Kohles

Mechanical and Materials Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Multiscale technology and advanced mathematical models have been developed to control and characterize physicochemical interactions, respectively, enhancing cellular and molecular engineering progress. Ongoing tissue engineering development studies have provided experimental input for biokinetic models examining the influence of static or dynamic mechanical stimuli (Saha, A. K., and Kohles, S. S., 2010, “A Distinct Catabolic to Anabolic Threshold Due to Single-Cell Nanomechanical Stimulation in a Cartilage Biokinetics Model,” J. Nanotechnol. Eng. Med., 1(3) p. 031005; 2010, “Periodic Nanomechanical Stimulation in a Biokinetics Model Identifying Anabolic and Catabolic Pathways Associated With Cartilage Matrix Homeostasis,” J. Nanotechnol. Eng. Med., 1(4), p. 041001). In …

Statistical Analysis When The Data Is An Image: Eliciting Student Thinking About Sampling And Variability., Margaret A. Hjalmarson, Tamara J. Moore, Robert Delmas

School of Engineering Education Faculty Publications

Results of analysis of responses to a first-year undergraduate engineering activity are presented. Teams of students were asked to develop a procedure for quantifying the roughness of a surface at the nanoscale, which is typical of problems in Materials Engineering where qualities of a material need to be quantified. Thirty-five teams were selected from a large engineering course for analysis of their responses. The results indicate that engagement in the task naturally led teams to design a sampling plan, use or design measures of center and variability, and integrate those measures into a model to solve the stated problem. Team …

Two Dimensional Modeling Of Wind Effects On A Bridge Section Using Finite Difference Method, Jessica Carreiro

Civil Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

Wind effects on long span bridges are a major concern for bridge design. Wind acts as a dynamic load on the bridge deck causing the bridge to react in ways not accounted for in static load design. Attention to these effects increased tremendously after famous bridge collapses, such as the Tacoma Narrows Bridge in 1940. Due to this collapse and others, engineers were made painfully aware that wind phenomena, such as flutter and vortex shedding, can cause major structural damage if not considered in the design process. The solution for many years since has been to conduct wind tunnel tests …

Effects Of Piston Uplift, Piston Friction, And Machine Deflection In Reduced Triaxial Extension Testing, Morgan Race

Civil Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

A series of Reduced Triaxial Extension (RTE) tests were conducted on dummy (brass) and null (water) samples to determine the effects of (corrections required for) piston uplift, piston friction and system compliance associated with RTE tests. During the consolidation stage of RTE tests, the sample may be consolidated in isotropic or anisotropic stress conditions. During the shearing stage of an RTE test, the sample is unloaded in the axial direction by decreasing the deviator stress while the radial stress remains constant. Ten (10) tests were conducted on a brass "dummy" sample. The device was assembled in the same manner as …

Quantum Phase Estimation Using Multivalued Logic, Marek Perkowski, Vamsi Parasa

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

We generalize the Quantum Phase Estimation algorithm to MVL logic. We show the quantum circuits for QPE using qudits. We derive the performance requirements of the QPE to achieve high probability of success. We show how this leads to logarithmic decrease in the number of qudits and exponential decrease in error probability of the QPE algorithm as the value of the radix d increases.

Improved Complexity Of Quantum Oracles For Ternary Grover Algorithm For Graph Coloring, Marek Perkowski, Yushi Wang

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

The Graph Coloring Grover Algorithm has several applications in logic synthesis, scheduling, allocation, planning, robot motion, robot communication, resource allocation, conflict resolution, floor-planning, and many others.

It can serve as a “generic CSP solver” similar to a general SAT solver.

Investigation Of A Simulated Annealing Cooling Schedule Used To Optimize The Estimation Of The Fiber Diameter Distribution In A Peripheral Nerve Trunk, Arya Vigeh

Master's Theses

In previous studies it was determined that the fiber diameter distribution in a peripheral nerve could be estimated by a simulation technique known as group delay. These results could be further improved using a combinatorial optimization algorithm called simulated annealing. This paper explores the structure and behavior of simulated annealing for the application of optimizing the group delay estimated fiber diameter distribution. Specifically, a set of parameters known as the cooling schedule is investigated to determine its effectiveness in the optimization process.

Simulated annealing is a technique for finding the global minimum (or maximum) of a cost function which may …

Semiconductor Laser Device-Level Characteristics, Clement K. Law

Master's Theses

High-speed modulations of the semiconductor lasers are highly desirable in cost-effective optical communication systems.  Developing the experimental setups to extract the characteristics of the semiconductor lasers is vital to the future of the optical research projects.  In this thesis, integrated experimental setup designs have been developed to measure the characteristics of the Vertical Cavity Surface Emitting Laser (VCSEL), Distributed Feedback (DFB), and Fabry-Pérot (FP) lasers.  The measurements of the DC characteristics are optical power versus drive current (L-I) curves (DFB, VCSEL) and optical spectra (FP, DFB, VCSEL).  In addition, the high-speed optical detection measurement of the optoelectronic frequency responses for …

A Computational Study Of Engine Deflection Using A Circulation Control Wing, Bryan Holly Blessing

Master's Theses

In the past, research into Short Takeoff and Landing aircraft has led to the investigation of the coupling of a Circulation Control Wing and Upper Surface Blowing engine. The Circulation Control Wing entrains the flow of the engine to be deflected downward such that a component of the thrust is now in the vertical direction. The unfortunate consequence of the Upper Surface Blowing engine is the poor cruise performance due to scrub drag. Cal Poly's research into a Cruise Efficient Short Takeoff and Landing Aircraft offers a solution by pylon mounting over the wing engines. Analysis shows that the engine …

High-Frame-Rate Oil Film Interferometry, Jonathan Charles White

Master's Theses

High-Frame-Rate Oil Film Interferometry

Jonathan Charles White

This thesis presents the design and implementation of a high-frame-rate oil film interferometry technique (HOFI) used to directly measure skin friction in time dependent flows. Experiments were performed to determine the ability of a high-speed camera to capture oil film interferometry images. HOFI was found to be able to capture these interferometry images at frequencies up to 10⁵ Hz. Steady laminar and turbulent flows were tested. Transient flows tested consisted of a wind tunnel ramping up in velocity and a laminar boundary layer which was intermittently tripped to turbulence by puffing air …

Modelling And Hazard Analysis For Contaminated Sediments Using Stamp Model, Karim Hardy, Franck Guarnieri

Publications

Processes for remediation (removal of pollution or contaminants) of contaminated sediments have become very efficient. These technologies, which are particularly complex, call for a comprehensive approach to risk analysis which characterises all threats (to humans, equipment, local residents, the environment etc.). The STAMP accident model (Systems-Theoretic Accident Model and Processes) is an example of such a comprehensive approach, and it has been chosen to characterise the risks associated with Novosol®, an innovative remediation process. Risk analysis is carried out through the application of STPA (STamP-based Analysis). This article is organised into three sections. The first describes the Novosol® process for …

Synthesis And Characterization Of Poly(Butylene Oxide) Grafted Carbon Nanofibers, Carlos Ramos, Ram Thapa, Karen Lozano, Mircea Chipara, Domingo Ferrer, Jose J. Gutierrez

Mechanical Engineering Faculty Publications

The grafting of polybutylene oxide onto purified and functionalized carbon nanofibers is reported. Grafting was possible after the insertion of 2-(formyloxy)ethyl 2-bromo-2-methylpropanoate onto the carbon nanofibers. The polymerization of tetrahydrofuran was mediated by copper(I) bromide and 1,1,4,7-pentamethyl diethylenetriamine. The polymer-grafted carbon nanofibers were characterized by Raman spectrsocopy, Transmission Electron Microscopy, and Thermogravimetric Analysis. TEM images of CNF-COOH (A), CNF-PBO (B), completely open tip of CNF-COOH, and coated tip of CNF-PBO (D) are shown in the left panel. The right panel depicts the distribution of bromine (blue), and carbon (red) atoms inside and in the vicinity of CNF-Br (as obtained by …

Synthesis Of Reversible Synchronous Counters, Marek Perkowski, Mozammel H.A. Khan

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

In this paper, we concentrate on design of synchronous counters directly from reversible gates.

Ontology For Psychophysiological Dysregulation Of Anger/Aggression, Swathi Vasanthapuram

School of Computing: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The advancement of Information Technology in the last four decades led to the use of computers in medicine. A new area called Medical Informatics has emerged. This area comprises the application of IT to healthcare with the aim of creating tools that help healthcare personnel diagnose and treat patients more accurately and efficiently. IT not only provides tools for storing, integrating, and updating patient information base but also for processing information efficiently. One of such tools is a Clinical Decision Support System. Ontologies are an integral part of clinical decision support systems because they help formalize and integrate domain knowledge. …

Impact Of Design Cost On Project Performance Of Design Bid Build Projects, Nirajan Mani

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The majority of public projects in the United States are procured and constructed by state or local governments using the design-bid-build (DBB) project delivery method. In the DBB method, the detailed design is completed by a design firm, then, a contractor builds the project according to the plans and specifications prepared by the design firm. Some studies show that a project's performance depends upon the quality of the design. If the errors in a design are minimized, the construction cost and schedule growth of the project also will be minimized.

This study analyzed data from Clark County, Nevada public works …

Economic Input–Output Life Cycle Assessment Of Water Reuse Strategies In Residential Buildings And Communities, Derek J. Gardels

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The objective of this study was to determine the environmental sustainability and economic feasibility of five water reuse designs using economic input-output life cycle assessments and benefit/cost analyses. These five water reuse designs were evaluated for four regions of the United States including the Northwest (Seattle), Southwest (Scottsdale), Midwest (Omaha), and Southeast (Tampa). The water reuse designs include a greywater reuse system with no treatment for sub-surface landscape irrigation for a single-family residential house (Model 1), an indoor greywater reuse system with treatment for toilet flushing and laundry washing for a single-family residential house (Model 2), a hybrid untreated greywater …

A Framework For Evaluating Sorbent Usage Rate Of Various Sorption Column Cconfigurations With And Without Bypass Blending, Benjamin A. Stewart

Department of Environmental Engineering: Theses and Other Student Research

Sorption systems are a prevalent technology in the field of environmental engineering for treating waters contaminated with organic and/or inorganic compounds.  Examples of such contaminants include taste and odor, hardness, disinfection byproduct precursors, and arsenic.

The primary operating costs for these sorption systems lie in sorbent replacement.  Different column arrangements and the use of bypass blending have the potential to reduce sorbent usage.  Thus, this research aimed to develop a decision framework to assist engineers and practitioners in considering when to apply single columns, parallel columns, and lead-lag series configurations, with and without bypass, based on sorbent usage rate.  This …

Pilot Weather Decision Making And The Influence Of Passenger Pressure, Jaclyn Baron

All Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to determine the effect of social pressure on general aviation (GA) pilots' weather decision making. Data have shown that GA accidents associated with visual flight rules (VFR) flight into instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) are more likely to result in fatalities than other types of GA accidents. This problem is compounded by the addition of passengers, who have been found to be present onboard during VFR into IMC accidents more frequently than in other types of GA accidents. The question is whether passengers influence a pilot's decision to continue flight into adverse weather. The extent …

Modeling And Optimization Of Stochastic Process Parameters In Complex Engineering Systems, Paul Goethals

All Dissertations

For quality engineering researchers and practitioners, a wide number of statistical tools and techniques are available for use in the manufacturing industry. The objective or goal in applying these tools has always been to improve or optimize a product or process in terms of efficiency, production cost, or product quality. While tremendous progress has been made in the design of quality optimization models, there remains a significant gap between existing research and the needs of the industrial community. Contemporary manufacturing processes are inherently more complex - they may involve multiple stages of production or require the assessment of multiple quality …

Methods Development And Force Field Evaluation For Molecular Simulations Of Interactions Between Structured Peptides And Functionalized Material Surfaces, Galen Collier

All Dissertations

The process of protein adsorption to material surfaces is highly complex and it is one of the most fundamental concepts upon which progress in the field of bioengineering is based. The strategic design of material surfaces for optimal utility in specific biological environments is absolutely dependent upon a thorough understanding of the mechanisms underlying protein adsorption, yet there is still a very limited understanding of these mechanisms. The primary reason for this lack of understanding is that protein adsorption is a dynamic process which occurs at the atomic and macromolecular scale, where experimental analyses provide a view that is static …