Chemical Engineering Commons^™

Sorption And Thermal Conductivity Of Concrete Containing Aggregates Of E-Waste, Rakesh Kumar Saini, Praveen Kumar

Journal of Sustainable Construction Materials and Technologies

In many parts of the world, substantial energy is used to maintain comfortable temperatures in inner parts of the buildings for living and working. Construction materials with low thermal conductivity, if used in the exterior walls and façade etc. in such structures can be useful in lowering the energy demand. On the other hand, moisture ingress through sorption is a common factor contributing in degradation of concrete structures with time. Constituents of concrete may be engineered to some extent to get both the desired attributes, lower thermal conductivity and sorption than normal concrete. The rapid increase in electronic waste, or …

The Design And Manufacturing Process Of The Concealed Shelf, Mexrojiddinbek Sattorov

Honors Theses

This document contains information regarding the design and build process of the Concealed Shelf, which is a furniture product with hidden storage capability. First, the team members decided on the design of the product, followed by market analysis and manufacturing feasibility. Lean manufacturing principles were applied to improve the process efficiency and reduce waste.

Multiple prototypes were built with varying raw materials and locking mechanisms. Jigs and fixtures were handcrafted to ensure more consistent product quality. Two production runs were conducted to evaluate performance and identify areas for improvement.

The final design includes economic considerations, manufacturing layout, and continuous improvement …

Response Surface Modelling And Multi-Objective Optimisation Of Asphalt Binder And Mixture Properties Modified With Reclaimed Automotive Lubricants And Waste Glass Bottle Powder, Nura Shehu Aliyu Yaro, Jacob Adedayo Adedeji, Luvuno Nkosinathi Jele, Nasir Khan, Aliyu Usman, Jacob Olumuyiwa Ikotun

Journal of Sustainable Construction Materials and Technologies

Large volumes of reclaimed automotive lubricant (RAL) and waste glass bottle powder (WGBP) are disposed of inappropriately, causing serious environmental concerns. Furthermore, the paradigm shift towards sustainability in the pavement industry has prompted academics to investigate alternatives to conventional materials. As a result, one possible approach is to use these waste products as alternative materials in the asphalt pavement sector. This study investigated the combined use of RAL and WGBP as complementary modifiers, extending beyond the conventional single-modifier approaches reported in previous studies. Thus, in this study, response surface methodology (RSM) was utilised to optimise and predict the synergistic effects …

Design Of Air-Entrained Concrete For Airport Pavements Through Local Aggregate Utilization: Performance Optimization And Economic Analysis, Li Wentao, Rizwan Qadir, Arslan Mushtaq, Hilal Khan, Kamran Jillani

Journal of Sustainable Construction Materials and Technologies

Airport pavement construction in developing countries faces critical challenges balancing international performance standards with economic constraints, while limited research exists on optimizing air-entrained concrete mixes using locally sourced materials for cost-effective solutions. This study investigated the development of economical air-entrained concrete mix designs for airport pavements utilizing Pakistani aggregates and systematic cement content optimization. Comprehensive experimental evaluation included material characterization through petrographic analysis, alkali-aggregate reactivity assessment via accelerated mortar bar testing, and mechanical property development across cement contents from 360-450 kg/m3. Air entrainment was achieved through controlled admixture dosing while maintaining target slump of 50mm. Results demonstrated that locally sourced …

Electrochemical Reduction Of Carbon Dioxide By In-Situ Generated Hydrogen At Porous Cu-Fe Foam-Like Catalysts: Efficiency Towards Formic Acid Formation, Aya Saada, Attia Attia

Biochemical Engineering

No abstract provided.

Evaluation Of Quantification Methods Applied To Overlapping Ftir Features, Benjamin P. Diehl

Reviews, Analyses, and Instructional Studies in Electrochemistry (RAISE)

Quantifying overlapping FTIR spectral features is critical for electrochemical analysis but often requires complex deconvolution. This work systematically evaluates several area ratio and proxy-based quantification methods using a controlled synthetic spectral model with varying signal-to-noise ratio, peak spacing, width, background, and data resolution. Constrained peak fitting and fixed-window integration consistently exhibit near-perfect monotonicity (Spearman ≈ 1.000) and linearity (Pearson ≈ 0.999–1.000) across all conditions. In contrast, derivative and moment-based metrics show sensitivity to peak overlap, width, and background. These results demonstrate that physically grounded area-based methods provide the most robust and reliable quantification of overlapping FTIR features.

Techno-Enviro-Economic Analysis Of Precipitated Calcium Carbonate Production From Carbon Dioxide In Cement Industry Flue Gas And Calcium Hydroxide, Natalia Debora Panggabean, Widodo Wahyu Purwanto

Journal of Materials Exploration and Findings

CCUS is a technological solution to reduce emissions from the cement industry, which is the second largest CO2-intensive industry. This study aims to analyze technical, economic, and environmental performance of Precipitated Calcium Carbonate (PCC) synthesis in cement industry flue gas. The process simulation includes the CO2 capture system from cement plant, CO2 captured used as feedstock for PCC synthesis process through its reaction with calcium hydroxide. The simulation was carried out using ASPEN Plus software. Technical analysis was performed to determine the CO2 capture efficiency and PCC synthesis efficiency. Economic analysis was conducted to calculate CO2 capture cost and production …

Feasibility Analysis Of Thermal Oxidizer To Determine Remaining Life Using Fitness- For-Service Level 3 Method, Yudhi Yudistirawan, Donanta Dhaneswara, Wahyuaji Narottama Putra, Gama Widyaputra, Dewi Kurnia Suci, Agung Putra Mahardhika

Journal of Materials Exploration and Findings

An aged thermal oxidizer (TOX) in the oil and gas industry necessitates a comprehensive evaluation to ensure its continued safe operation. This study presents a Remaining Life Assessment (RLA) and a Fitness for Service (FFS) evaluation for the four main components of the TOX, in accordance with API 510, API 579/ASME FFS-1, and ASME BPVC Section VIII Div-1 standards. The investigation includes the determination of maximum stress and maximum temperature required to assess the operational viability of the reactor. The four components are radiant, convection, transition, and stack sections—were modeled using the finite element method (FEM). Following the geometric modeling, …

Assessing Passenger Electric Vehicle Growth Strategies And Their Impacts On Electricity Demand Load And Co2 Emissions In Aceh Province To Achieve Net Zero Emission Target By 2060, Taufik Hidayat, Widodo Wahyu Purwanto

Journal of Materials Exploration and Findings

The electrification of the transport sector is a crucial pathway for achieving Indonesia’s Net Zero Emissions (NZE) target by 2060. This study assesses the potential impact of passenger electric vehicle (EV) penetration on electricity demand and CO2 emissions in Aceh Province through a scenario-based modelling approach. Two policy-aligned scenarios are assessed: a low-penetration (LP) scenario and a high-penetration (HP) scenario. Using the Gompertz model and the ASIF framework, total CO2 emissions were projected from 2020 to 2060. Results show that although higher EV penetration reduces direct emissions from internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles, total CO2 emissions increase more significantly under …

Mathematical Modelling And Optimisation Of The Reactor For The Esterification Process Of Safflower Oil With N-Butyl Alcohol, Sadritdin Makhamatdinovich Turabdjanov Academician, Hasan Sadriddin Ugli Fozilov, Ozoda Bakhronovna Axmedova, Sadriddin Fayzullayevich Fozilov

Technical science and innovation

This study addresses the mathematical modelling and optimisation of a reactor for the esterification of safflower oil with n-butyl alcohol. To improve process controllability and reduce the need for numerous pilot-scale trials, an ideal-mixing continuous stirred-tank reactor (CSTR) model was adopted. Incorporating reaction kinetics, the effect of contact time on the relative viscosity of the product mixture was analysed. The modelling results indicate that achieving an acceptable degree of feedstock conversion is difficult when a single ideal-mixing reactor is used. Therefore, a CSTR cascade was proposed, and the configuration with N = 2 reactors was selected as the most appropriate …

Biomass Demineralization: A Critical Need For Future Biorefineries, Leoncio Santiago-Martínez, Styliani Avraamidou, Alejandro Ayala-Cortés, Ruth Azike, Santanu Bakshi, Chumki Banik, Ezra Bar Ziv, Fei Long, Rebecca Ong, Et Al.

Michigan Tech Publications

Biomass contains up to 14 essential elements that serve as nutrients for plant growth and development, including photosynthesis and enzyme functionalities. These elements in different chemical forms (e.g., minerals) constitute the inorganic fraction of biomass and can cause operational issues in thermal and biochemical biomass conversion technologies. In biomass gasification and pyrolysis processes, for instance, inorganics can cause fouling, tar formation, and corrosion. In catalytic and biochemical processes, inorganics can poison catalysts, alter biochemical pathways, and modify product yields and selectivity. This review provides an overview of the inorganic content in biomass feedstocks, the critical role inorganics play in plant …

Gas Lift Valve Operation Under Elevated Pressure And Temperature Conditions, Pedro O. De Melo Flores

LSU Master's Theses

Gas lift valves are critical components in artificial lift systems, and their performance directly influences well unloading efficiency and long-term production. Current industry models used to correct valve opening and closing pressure for temperature rely on assumptions that have not been extensively validated against experimental data. This study experimentally investigates the opening and closing behavior of injection pressure-operated (IPO) gas lift valves under controlled elevated-temperature conditions. A load rate test bench was modified to include a heating system capable of maintaining valve temperatures up to 220°F. Five gas lift valve designs from multiple manufacturers were tested over a range of …

Numerical Study Of Nutrient Mixing In Trabecular Bone In Microgravity, Disuse And Normogravity, Sagar Gharti

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

Mechanical loading is known to regulate bone remodeling by driving interstitial fluid flow which stimulates cells and drives nutrient transport within the trabecular network. In microgravity, the absence of mechanical stimulation or loading suppresses convective flow processes, causing diffusion-driven nutrient mixing and renewal, and accelerated bone loss. This thesis investigates how oscillation frequency and trabecular bone density jointly control nutrient mixing and wall shear stress within trabecular cavities.

A computational fluid dynamics (CFD) framework is developed in STAR-CCM+ using a soft-cap oscillation model that mimics cyclic compression. Three idealized trabecular morphologies are simulated across different frequencies to represent microgravity or …

Deep Learning Based Control System For Multi-Zone Hvac Residential Buildings, Mohammad H. Z. Alghalayeeni

Mechanical Engineering Theses

Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems are major contributors to residential energy consumption. However, most homes continue to rely on single zone thermostat control, which regulates temperature based on a single sensor and cannot account for thermal variations across multiple rooms. This often leads to uneven thermal conditions and inefficient energy use in multi-zone residential buildings. This thesis presents a deep reinforcement learning based approach for improving HVAC zoning control through dynamic airflow distribution. A physics based multi zone thermal model of a residential house was developed to simulate heat transfer processes including conduction, convection, solar and internal heat …

Mechanical, Thermal And Fire Behaviour Of Hemp-Based Composites With Different Binders For Sustainable Building Applications, Anilcan Aygun, Fahri Birinci, Selim Aytac, Ali Kemal Ayan, Hasan Alp Sahin, Ibrahim Isildak

Journal of Sustainable Construction Materials and Technologies

This study investigates the physical, mechanical and thermal properties of hemp-based composites produced with traditional binders such as lime, cement, gypsum, clay, and water-based glue. Hemp fractions of different sizes (splinter, shiv, fiber and powder) were combined with these binders to manufacture cube and plate specimens, which were tested for physical, mechanical, thermal, and temperature resistance properties. The study aims to compare the mechanical, physical, thermal, and fire behaviour of these composites to assess their suitability for sustainable construction applications. The hemp-based composites were tested for unit weight, water absorption, compressive strength and thermal conductivity. Most specimens are lightweight (<1000 kg/m3), and exhibit good thermal insulation performance and high compressive deformability, making them suitable for seismic-prone regions. The glue-based composite had the lowest unit weight, measured as 330 kg/m3. Thermal conductivity ranged from 0.051 to 0.243 W/m· K, with several mixtures performing better than natural pumice. While cement-based composites showed the highest compressive strength, ranging from 5.5 to 24.8 kg/cm2, natural hydraulic lime is the lowest. Water absorption was high, and moisture release occurred slowly across all hemp fractions. Combustion tests indicated that hemp-based materials have moderate temperature resistance, with charring temperatures ranging from 238–265°C for raw hemp and 300–385°C when mixed with binders. Overall, hemp-based composites are lightweight, eco-friendly, and suitable for non-load-bearing construction and insulation applications. However, improvements in moisture resistance and long-term durability are necessary to enhance their practical applicability.

Sustainable Cow Dung Bricks: An Innovative Approach To Eco-Friendly Masonry With Enhanced Thermal And Mechanical Performance, Nagesh Sugandhi, Sachin Patil, Satish Reddy, Ashwini G, Santosh Kumar

Journal of Sustainable Construction Materials and Technologies

This study explores the development, characterization, and performance of sustainable cow dung bricks using locally sourced organic (cow dung) and mineral (clay, quartz sand, feldspar, lime) constituents for non-load-bearing masonry in India. Three blends with varying cow dung content (70%, 75%, 80%) were mixed, molded, air dried, and cured without kiln firing to reduce environmental impact. The bricks' mechanical properties—compressive strength, water absorption, bulk density, flexural strength, shore hardness, and modulus of elasticity—were systematically evaluated with complete statistical documentation (n = 6 replicates per formulation per test age). Microstructural features were investigated using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) and X-Ray …

Sustainable Cement-Blast Furnace Slag Mortar, Richa Jain, Harshit Jain, Ashish Nim

Journal of Sustainable Construction Materials and Technologies

New building materials that required and produced less energy are need of today's infrastructure development. The ability of such building materials to promote sustainable development always puts its demand in active mode. With huge consumption of naturally occurring materials in building construction, the problem related to environment degradation is now common for world. Along with this, world is also facing the problem of reuse, recover and scientifically approved disposal of non-biodegradable wastes. Blast furnace slag (BFS) is one of those steel industry wastes that are abundantly available and their disposal arises as prime challenge for industries. This research work makes …

Impact Of Glass Powder As A Sustainable Material On The Workability, Strength, And Durability Properties In High-Performance Basalt Fiber Reinforced Concrete: A Statistical Analysis, Ahmed Fathi Mohamed Salih

Journal of Sustainable Construction Materials and Technologies

The global construction sector is increasingly challenged to balance environmental sustainability with the growing demand for durable, high-performance materials. As cement production continues to be a major source of anthropogenic CO2 emissions, the incorporation of alternative, low-impact binders has become a key strategy for reducing the environmental footprint of concrete. In this context, glass powder (GP)—a finely ground industrial by-product rich in amorphous silica—has emerged as a promising partial replacement for Portland cement. Its pozzolanic reactivity contributes to improved hydration and matrix densification, while its use also supports circular economy principles by diverting waste glass from landfills. At the same …

Balancing Carbon Emissions In Façade Of Residential Buildings Through Bim-Lca: A Comparative Analysis Of Insulation Materials, Mehran Alipour

Journal of Sustainable Construction Materials and Technologies

Thermal insulation materials play a significant role in balancing buildings' total carbon emissions. Balancing involves applying the optimized amount of insulation materials to avoid excessive emissions in either the operational or embodied phases. Due to the wide range of insulation materials and variations of their specifications, it is vital to analyse them individually. The focus of this study is to optimize the amount of insulation materials in the facades of Residential Buildings (RB) to balance the amount of Operational Carbon Emissions (OCE) and Embodied Carbon Emissions (ECE) by applying the Building Information Modelling-Life Cycle Assessment (BIM-LCA) integration method. The Life …

Integrating Sustainable Material Procurement In Construction Waste Management: A Systematic Review With Narrative Synthesis For The Libyan Construction Sector, Ramzi Fouzi Hamad Abdullah, Safaa N Saud Al-Humairi, Zunirah Binti Mohd Talib

Journal of Sustainable Construction Materials and Technologies

Integrating sustainable material procurement with construction waste management is essential to reduce construction and demolition waste in Libya, where current practices remain largely reactive and disposal-oriented. This narrative review aims to develop a conceptual framework linking procurement decisions to waste-generation pathways in Libyan construction projects, clarifying how proactive, sustainability-driven purchasing can serve as a primary driver of waste prevention. Using a PRISMA-guided systematic search of Web of Science, Scopus, and IEEE Xplore for 2001–2026, and a bibliometric analysis via VOSviewer, 956 high-quality studies were synthesized to map global knowledge and to expose the paucity of integrated SMP–CWM studies in developing …

Sound Insulation Performance Of Sustainable Lc3 Mortars With Barite And Waste Rubber Aggregates, Begüm Söyek Abay, Leyla Tanaçan

Journal of Sustainable Construction Materials and Technologies

This study investigates the potential of limestone calcined clay cement (LC3) as a sustainable binder for developing a single-layer composite material incorporating barite and rubber aggregates, hypothesized to achieve enhanced sound insulation performance compared to conventional multi-layered wall systems. Mortars were prepared using LC3 with 55% clinker, 30% metakaolin, 15% limestone, substituting 45% of cement clinker. Hybrid mixtures of barite and rubber aggregates (barite-to-rubber volume ratios of 2:1 and 1:2) were tested at aggregate-to-binder ratios of 2.0, 2.75, and 3.5 to evaluate their combined mass and damping effects on acoustic performance. Experiments were conducted to determine physical, mechanical, and acoustic …

From Lime To Geopolymers: Emerging Trends And Advances In Sustainable Soil Stabilization, Favour Chukwuebuka Egwu, Amin Eisazadeh

Journal of Sustainable Construction Materials and Technologies

Soil stabilization remains a critical challenge in geotechnical engineering, particularly for weak and expansive soils that compromise the safety and serviceability of infrastructure. Traditional stabilizers such as lime and cement have been widely applied; however, their limitations in terms of long-term durability, carbon footprint, and performance under aggressive environmental conditions necessitate alternative approaches. In recent years, geopolymer-based stabilizers derived from industrial by-products such as fly ash (FA), slag, and bottom ash (BA) have emerged as promising substitutes. This review critically examines the comparative performance of lime and geopolymer stabilization with respect to strength development, durability, compressibility, environmental impact, and economic …

Investigating The Behavior Of Self-Compacting Concrete Containing Scms And Recycled Fine Aggregates, Sachin Tiwari, Mahakavi P

Journal of Sustainable Construction Materials and Technologies

This study addresses the unresolved gap in quantifying how recycled fine aggregates (RFA) and metakaolin (MK) interact synergistically in self-compacting concrete (SCC), a relationship that previous works have studied only in isolation or without mechanistic justification. Twenty-five SCC mixtures containing MK (0–25%) and RFA (0–100%) were evaluated to generate a unified understanding of fresh behaviour, strength development, pore refinement, interfacial transition zone (ITZ) characteristics, and sustainability indicators. Results show that RFA alone increases water demand and reduces strength, while MK compensates for these losses by densifying the matrix and improving ITZ bonding, as confirmed through SEM analysis. An optimum synergy …

Assessing The Geomechanical Modelling Of Underground Reservoir For Co₂ Storage Trapping Mechanisms, Bonavian Hasiholan, Mohammed Ali Farea, Elhassan Mostafa Abdallah, Sami Abdelrahman M. Yagoub, Yasir Mukhtar

Mathematical Modelling and Numerical Simulation with Applications

Effective carbon dioxide (CO₂) storage is essential for mitigating climate change amid increasing global greenhouse gas emissions. This study investigates the influence of geomechanics on CO₂ storage performance within carbon capture and storage (CCS), focusing on structural, residual, and solubility trapping mechanisms using a fully coupled modeling framework. Two numerical models, with and without geomechanical effects, are developed to evaluate impacts on reservoir behavior, CO₂ migration, and trapping efficiency. Each mechanism is analyzed separately and within an integrated framework to assess their combined contributions. Results indicate that geomechanical coupling increases reservoir pressure, reduces CO₂ flow velocity, enhances migration control, and …

Computational Study Of Rotating Detonation Combustors, Aditya Balasubramaniam

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Theses

Rotating detonation combustors (RDCs) are pressure-gain combustion devices that sustain one or more continuously rotating detonation waves, offering potential thermodynamic and performance advantages over conventional deflagration-based systems. Their behavior depends strongly on combustor geometry and operating conditions. Understanding these effects is therefore essential for the design and optimization of practical RDCs. Accordingly, this thesis numerically investigates annular RDCs with two primary objectives: (1) to evaluate the effects of propellant mass flux and (2) to assess the influence of annular width on detonation-wave dynamics and combustor performance.

A finite-volume framework is used to solve the compressible reactive Euler equations with hydrogen–air …

Effect Of Inter Electrode Distance On Electrochemical Mineralization Of Calcium Carbonate In Mildly Acidic Environments, Irene Walker, Ivy Wu, Steven Decaluwe, Robert Bell, Kerry Rippy

Reviews, Analyses, and Instructional Studies in Electrochemistry (RAISE)

The effect of inter electrode distance (IED) on electrochemical mineralization in a parallel plate cell with a stainless-steel working electrode is presented. Three IEDs were tested, 6.5 mm, 15.5 mm, and 22.0 mm, for their water reduction effectiveness to create a region of local alkalinity that stimulates calcium carbonate precipitation in mildly acidic conditions. Chronoamperometry at -1.6 V for 30 minutes with ex-situ optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were used. At the smallest IEDs, crystal clusters formed in growth-favored regimes as compared to the largest IED, where nucleation dominated, leading to encasement of the SS mesh. Rapid precipitation …

Cfd-Coupled Multi-Objective Optimization Of A Solid Oxide Electrolysis Cell Stack, Erin Webb

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Solid oxide electrolysis cells (SOECs) can convert steam into hydrogen with lower electrical demand than lower-temperature electrolysis technologies. Their performance depends on coupled fluid flow, heat transfer, species transport, and electrochemical behavior, which makes optimization difficult because improving one response can negatively affect another. Detailed computational fluid dynamics (CFD) can capture these interactions, but the computational cost makes trial-and-error design impractical. This thesis develops a three-dimensional model of a two-cell planar SOEC stack in ANSYS Fluent and couples it directly to a customized NSGA-II in MATLAB. Each candidate design is evaluated using the CFD model rather than a surrogate. Eight …

Temperature And Speciation Measurements Of Aluminum-Laden Detonation Flows Via A Three-Color Wavelength Modulation Spectroscopic Sensor, Marc B. Etienne

Graduate Studies Theses and Dissertations 2026

Tunable diode lasers are widely used and are known to be great options for continuous wave lasing applications. Because of their stability and spectral selectivity, they have become an important diagnostic tool for modern combustion research. Previous combustion research, particularly those focused on solid and hybrid rocket systems, have shown that the interaction of aluminum with a reacting flow can greatly affect the dynamics and the thermochemical properties of the surrounding gas, therefore understanding the effects of aluminum-laden flows is critical for the advancement of these propulsion systems. However, due to the high degree of optical interference, high temperatures, and …

The Development Of An Experimental Chemical Reactor Network Facility For Power Generation And Aviation Gas Turbines, Kesly Lubin

Graduate Studies Theses and Dissertations 2026

Gas turbines are the backbone of power generation globally; however, they are also one of the largest contributors to greenhouse gases and harmful emissions. Advanced combustion strategies, when applied to energy generation, can offer increased optimization of the combustion process with more complete and efficient combustion. With global efforts to reduce NOx formation in energy generation, combustion staging strategies like Rich Quench Lean (RQL), Lean-Premixed (LPM), and Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) have gained more attention in research. The major challenge that exists in the research sector is the ability to evaluate and further develop these techniques at a fundamental level. …

Machine Learning For Predictive Energy And Emissions Modeling Of Vehicles And Power Grids In The United States, S M Tanvir Faysal Alam Chowdhoury

Dissertations

The environmental benefits of electric vehicle (EV) adoption depend on more than replacing internal combustion engine vehicles with electric powertrains. EV adoption reshapes electricity demand, interacts with regional generation mixes, and influences travel behavior and congestion, creating a coupled transportation-energy system in which vehicle and power-plant emissions must be evaluated together. This dissertation develops machine-learning frameworks for predicting energy consumption and emissions from vehicles and power grids under rising EV adoption. The first component forecasts grid emissions from EV charging. Using simulation data from NREL's Cambium database, a Prophet-based time-series framework predicts carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, and methane emission rates …