Chemical Engineering Commons^™

An Experimental Study Of Adsorption And Variable Temperature Desorption Of Ethanol-Water, Propane-Propylene And Hydrogen Sulfide-Carbon Dioxide-Propane, Suvit Kulvaranon

Masters Theses

"An ideal adsorption only removes the desired components. Many times one or more other components are also adsorbed. If two or more components are adsorbed, an adsorption separation may not be satisfactory or may require additional separation procedures, even though one is highly preferentially adsorbed. In such cases it may be possible to get additional separation during the desorption stage by using variable temperature desorption.

To study such problems, two experimental apparatus were set up, one for adsorption for ethanol and water mixtures on activated carbon and silicalite, the other for propane-propylene mixtures, and hydrogen sulfide-carbon dioxide-propane mixtures both on …

Performance Predictions For Oil Reservoirs Under Water Influx, Briareus Mitchell Wilkinson

Masters Theses

"The intent of this thesis is to develop a program that will give reasonable recovery predictions for oil reservoirs under water influx. The main advantage is to avoid the massive storage and computational requirements of numerical simulators while achieving roughly comparable results. There are many methods already in existence that have not received their full benefit, mainly because they were developed prior to the recent advances of the computer age. This thesis therefore brings some already proven methods together with new techniques in a program which, with the aid of the computer, stimulates new life in these methods. The main …

Statistical Analysis Of A Compound Power-Law Model For Repairable Systems, Max Engelhardt, Lee J. Bain

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Conclusions - A compound (mixed) Poisson distribution is sometimes used as an alternative to the Poisson distribution for count data. Such a compound distribution, which has a negative binomial form, occurs when the population consists of Poisson distributed individuals, but with intensities which have a gamma distribution. A similar situation can occur with a repairable system when failure intensities of each system are different. A more general situation is considered where the system failures are distributed according to nonhomogeneous Poisson processes having Power Law intensity functions with gamma distributed intensity parameter. If the failures of each system in a population …

Letters To The Editor, Partho Neogi

Chemical and Biochemical Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

No abstract provided.

Modeling And Analysis Of Biospecific Adsorption In A Finite Bath, B. H. Arve, Athanasios I. Liapis

Chemical and Biochemical Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

A general model is presented and used to predict the dynamic behavior of the adsorption and wash stages of bio specific adsorption (affinity chromatography) in a finite bath. The model accounts for film and diffusional mass transfer resistances as well as for the rates of interaction between adsorbates and ligands. The model is applicable to single and multicomponent bio specific as well as nonspecific adsorption, and the adsorbates may be monovalent or multivalent. The predictions of the model are compared with the experimental data of the adsorption of β‐galactosidase onto immobilized anti‐β‐galactosidase. The results of bio specific adsorption of bivalent …

Experimental Vapor-Liquid Equilibria Of Propyne With Propane, Propene And Propadiene, Edward Allen Kyser

Doctoral Dissertations

"Vapor pressures for pure propane, pure propene, impure propadiene and pure propyne and 19 binary mixtures of propane, propene, and propadiene with propyne are reported at -20, 5, 30, 55 and 80° C. An equation of state utilizing pure component saturated vapor and liquid densities is used to correlate all the data and the effect of the propadiene impurities was theoretically removed. The data of Burcham (1981) are recorrelated using new information about the impurities, and different results are obtained. Calculated relative volatilities and saturated densities are reported for the systems propane-propyne, propene-propyne, propadiene-propyne and propane-propadiene"-- Abstract, p. ii

Phase Equilibria From Pvt Measurements For Carbon Dioxide, Water And N-Decane, Michael Nduka Okafor

Doctoral Dissertations

"Phase equilibrium properties for the carbon dioxide - water - n-decane system were determined from pressure-temperature-volume (PVT) measurements. PVT properties were also obtained for pure carbon dioxide and water, and the binary mixtures of carbon dioxide - water and carbon dioxide - n-decane. The experiments were conducted at temperatures of 313.17, 353.15 and 393.15 Kelvin, and at pressures from 37 to 416 bar. Measurements for the mixtures were terminated when complete miscibility was observed.

The Perturbed-Hard-Chain (PHC) equation of state developed by Gmehling et al. (1979) was chosen to correlate the measured data because of its ability to handle the …

A Two-Dimensional, Three-Phase Reservoir Simulator Using The Impes Formulation, Ralph Ross Roesler

Masters Theses

"A numerical model for two dimensional, three-phase fluid flow has been developed using the IMPES formulation. Reservoir heterogeneities have been included, such as areal variations in porosity, permeability, thickness, and depth from a reference point. The model can also solve the problem of variable bubble points.

To check the accuracy of the model, a comparison was made with the Buckley-Leverett technique of predicting waterflood performance. The reservoir in the comparison is a 40 acre five spot with an initial gas saturation of 15 percent. The study shows that the two models are in good agreement, except for differences due to …

A Purchase Estimator For Oil And Gas Reserves, Ronald Ernest Robbins

Masters Theses

"A computerized means for analyzing the profitability and purchase potential of producing oil and gas properties was developed. LOTUS 1- 2-3, a computerized spreadsheet package, was utilized in this development. The basic input data required for the implementation of the purchase estimator (BUYOUT) are the forecasts of production, price, and expense. BUYOUT itself is composed of three separate, but interactive, parts: and the system macro. the profitability model, the acquisition table,

A before federal income tax cash-flow model and several economic indicators constitute the profitability model. The profitability model is then fully interactive with an acquisition table which contains six …

Water Desalination Using Nocturnal Radiation Cooling, Ali Mufarreh Saleh Al-Amri

Masters Theses

"In this investigation nocturnal radiation condensation cooling is considered to determine the possibility of using this method as a desalination process in remote areas, villages and resorts, etc. An experimental study was made and programs were developed to calculate water collection under ideal conditions. Both experimental and theoretical work indicated that this process is useful for small scale water production where there is no available energy sources. It can be used also in conjunction with solar desalination processes. Cost analysis and a preliminary design are included"--Abstract, page ii.

Measurement Of The Dusty Gas Model Parameters For Activated Carbon, Philip James Gloor

Masters Theses

"Included in the dusty gas equation are three constants, C₀, C₁ and C₂, which depend only upon the porous medium. Values for C₀ and C₁ can be obtained for a particular porous material by performing pure gas flow experiments and a value for C₂ can be obtained for the same material by performing Wicke-Kallenbach experiments. In this work, values for the dusty gas model parameters, for activated carbon, were obtained by performing the necessary experiments. The design and operation of the experimental equipment is presented along with the results obtained. The activated …

Determining The Modified Derivative In Pressure Analysis, Scott Michael Frailey

Masters Theses

"The derivative type of curve technique of Bourdet for analyzing pressure tests requires calculating the derivative of the storage plot. Four numerical methods are used to evaluate the derivative: a five-point formula, Richardson's Extrapolation, a parabolic fit, and a central difference procedure. The parabolic fit and the central difference technique are good methods of determining the derivative. The effects of logarithmic s pacing of the data, using a central difference method, are studied. An investigation of the second derivative and the integral is conducted"-- Abstract, p. ii

A New Automated Pulse Testing Analysis Method Applying Inflection Point Theory, Jose Maria Donoso

Masters Theses

"This paper describes a new technique for pulse test analysis that combines the simplicity of the tangent method with the result repeatability of the iterative methods. Inflection points are used instead of time lag with the added advantage that they are calculated by a simple algorithm and are not subject to graphical misinterpretation. Charts are made for the calculation of transmissibility and storage for unequal pulse and shut-in periods from 0.1 to 0.9 relating inflection time to pulse response amplitude and dimensionless inflection time.

The graphs presented for this technique have the same dimensionless cycle period ranges (from 0.44 to …

Growth Of Ultrafine Particles By Brownian Coagulation, S. H. Suck Salk, R. E. Thurman, Chang-Soo Kim

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Current atmospheric observations tend to support the view that continental tropospheric aerosols (particularly urban aerosols) show multimodal mass distributions in the size range of 0.01-100 μm. The origin of these aerosols is both natural and anthropogenic. Recently, trimodal sub-μm size distributions from combustion measurements at 0.008, 0.035 and 0.15 μm were also observed. Our interest in the present study is the secondary process of growth of sub-μm size aerosols by the coagulation process alone. Using the 'J-space' (integer-space) distribution method of Salk (Suck) and Brock (1979, J. Aerosol Sci. 10, 58-590), we report an accurate numerical simulation study of the …

Swelling Pressure Studies Of Shales, S. L. Huang, N. B. Aughenbaugh, John D. Rockaway

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

A swelling model was developed to predict the swelling pressure which occurs within shale or shale material when it is immersed in water. This model is also capable of estimating the magnitude of shale swelling when subject to humidity changes. The model was developed on a basis of the moisture susceptibility of the shale and the initial humidity of the ventilated mine air. The Moisture Activity Index (IRH) was selected to describe the susceptibility of shale to moisture because of its close association with the other physical properties, its strong correlation with the swelling of the shale, and because it …

On The Mean Time Between Failures For Repairable Systems, Max Engelhardt, Lee J. Bain

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Much of the recent work on modeling repairable systems involves Poisson processes with nonconstant intensity functions, viz, nonhomogeneous Poisson processes. Since times between failures are not identically distributed when the process is nonhomogeneous, it is not clear what concept should take the place of the mean time between failures in assessing the reliability of a repairable system. A number of alternate concepts can be found in the literature. We investigate the relationship between two of the most frequently considered alternatives: the reciprocal of the intensity function, and the mean waiting time from t until the next failure. Theorem 1 states …

Linear Process Calculations As Convergence Accelerators In Flowsheet‐Sequenced Programs, S. M. Milani, Marshall E. Findley

Chemical and Biochemical Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Linear process calculations were developed for use in conjunction with flow‐sheet‐sequenced calculations, as methods of convergence acceleration. Two such methods were compared with the successive substitution and Wegstein methods on relatively simple processes. "Linear Process Simulation," which requires user‐derived equations, produced the best results. Copyright © 1986 American Institute of Chemical Engineers

The Modeling And Analysis Of Multi-Component, Multivalent Biospecific Adsorption, Bo Henrik Arve

Doctoral Dissertations

"A general model is presented and used to predict the dynamic behavior of the adsorption, wash, and elution stages of biospecific adsorption (affinity chromatography) in finite bath and column operations. The model accounts for film and pore diffusional mass transfer resistances and the rates of interaction between adsorbates and ligands. For column operations the effect of axial dispersion in the flowing fluid stream is included. The model is applicable to single and multi-component biospecific as well as non-specific adsorption, and the adsorbates may be monovalent or multivalent. In the elution stage both non-selective and selective elution of monovalent adsorbates is …

Automated Evaluation Of Reservoir Parameters Applying Pressure Transient Theory, Steven Robert Homoky

Masters Theses

"This study presents an investigation to automatically evaluate reservoir parameters using pressure transient theory. Methods will be introduced to numerically fit the well test data in the real (time) domain (specifically the pressure change as a function of test time). The numerical fit and known fluid, rock and well properties will be used to evaluate the dimensionless storage coefficient. The theoretical dimensionless pressure (being a function of skin factor, permeability, and dimensionless storage coefficient) is obtained by Laplace Inversion. The ability to evaluate the dimensionless storage coefficient thus reduces the parameters of the pressure equation by one. Varying the skin …

Complex Reactions In Porous Media, Dar-Sen Horng

Masters Theses

"The dusty-gas model is used to describe the molar fluxes of complex irreversible reactions with moles changes in isothermal porous catalysts.

The model presented in this work can be used for any number of independent reactions occurring in porous media as long as the number of independent reactions is equal to or less than the total number of species.

Systems of two parallel reactions involving a ternary mixture is used in this work. Five sets of reaction parameters are used for each reaction system and the overall selectivity and effectiveness factors are calculated for different geometric constants.

Results show that …

Unsteady-State Spherical Flow With Storage And Skin., Jeffrey A. Joseph, Leonard Koederitz

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

This paper presents short-time interpretation methods for radial-spherical (or radial-hemispherical) flow in homogeneous and isotropic reservoirs inclusive of wellbore storage, wellbore phase redistribution, and damage skin effects. New dimensionless groups are introduced to facilitate the classic transformation from radial flow in the sphere to linear flow in the rod. Analytical expressions, type curves (in log-log and semi log format), and tabulated solutions are presented, both in terms of pressure and rate, for all flow problems considered. A new empirical equation to estimate the duration of wellbore and near-wellbore effects under spherical flow is also proposed.

Solution To The Piecewise Linear Continuous Random Initial Value Problem For Burgers' Equation, Yin Chin Shih, X. B. Reed, Jr.

Chemical and Biochemical Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

A closed form solution to Burgers' equation on an infinite domain has been obtained for "random sawtooth" continuous initial conditions defined on a finite domain. The "turbulent" solution is then used to compute statistical measures such as skewness and flatness factors, energy decay rates, and the temporal evolution of velocity autocorrelations and energy spectra. © 1985 American Institute of Physics.

An Analysis Of The Lyophilization Process Using A Sorption‐Sublimation Model And Various Operational Policies, M. J. Millman, Athanasios I. Liapis, J. M. Marchello

Chemical and Biochemical Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The freeze‐drying process is studied under various operational policies through the use of a sorption‐sublimation model. The operational policy that provides the shortest drying times keeps the pressure at its lowest value. The upper and lower heating plates are independently controlled so that the material constraints are encountered and held throughout the free water removal phase. Under certain conditions, and for the case of samples of small thickness, the sorbed water profiles may have segments whose bound water concentrations are higher than those at the start of the free water removal phase. It is shown that the criterion used in …

Kinetics And Reactor Design In The Pyrolysis Of Tar Sands, Charles Arthur Lechner

Doctoral Dissertations

"Data from the thermal decomposition of bitumen from Utah tar sands was obtained and analysed with both isothermal and non-isothermal chemical reaction models. The use of a power rate law to describe the complex kinetics of pyrolysis gave agreement with the experimental data that was approximate, but adequate for design purposes. The results indicated a reaction rate that was second order in bitumen content, with an activation energy of about 17 to 20 kcal/gmol.

Data for the boiling point distribution of the products was consistent with a change of mechanism from vaporization to pyrolysis as the samples are heated. Higher …

Oxygen Absorption And Diffusion In Tissue, Bo Henrik Arve

Masters Theses

"A mathematical model which describes the diffusion of oxygen in absorbing tissue is presented. The model accounts for the presence of a moving boundary which marks the deepest penetration of oxygen into the absorbing medium and predicts the steady state and unsteady state distribution of oxygen through the absorbing tissue.

Results are shown for zeroth, half, first, one and a half, and second order rates of absorption as well as when the rate of absorption is described by the Michaelis - Menten equation.

The model predictions show that the total time for the moving boundary to recede to the surface …

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.

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 …

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

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 …

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 …