Chemical Engineering Commons^™

Evaluating The Homogeneity Of Solidification/Stabilization Treated Waste Soils By Chemical Analysis Method, Mei Liu

Theses

Solidification/Stabilization technology has been widely used for waste treatment, especially for heavy metals, non-volatile wastes, radioactive wastes and soils. Homogeneity is a very important criterion for this kind of technology.

This study focuses on the development of a method to evaluate the homogeneity of S/S treated soil. A chemical analysis method, atomic absorbance, is employed to evaluate the distribution of S/S reagent in a soil-cement mixture and thus the uniformity of the soil-cement mixture. Also, a fluorescent tracer method is discussed in this study, which can be used to estimate the homogeneity of the soil-cement surface. The fluorescent tracer method …

Inability Of Phanerochaete Chrysosporium To Degrade Polychlorinated Biphenyls In Sand, Pankaj Pankaj

Theses

The white rot fungus Phanerochaete chrysosporium has been previously found to successfully degrade a wide spectrum of chlorinated aromatic hydrocarbons (some of them in soil or sand matrices). In this research, it was tested if the fungus could also degrade a very recalcitrant class of pollutant, i.e. Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) in sand at a concentration of 100 ppm (w/w PCB to sand). For this purpose, a number of experiments were performed, in which several operating parameters, such as nutrient concentrations (nitrogen and glucose), amount of initial biomass, aeration, and degree of chlorination of the PCBs were varied. The results obtained …

Biodegradation Of Phenol And Benzoic Acid In Batch And Sequencing Batch Reactors, Stephane Reynaud

Theses

A pure culture of Pseudomonas aeruginosa ( ATCC 10145 ) was used for the biodegradation of phenol and benzoic acid. Two sets of small scale (shaker flask) experiments were originally performed: in the first set, phenol was the only carbon source present while in the second, benzoic acid was the sole carbon source. These experiments revealed the kinetics of benzoic acid degradation (they were found to be described by a Monod, non-inhibitory model), as well as of phenol biodegradation (they were found to be described by Andrews'inhibitory model) by Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

The kinetic expressions from the small scale experiments …

Liquid-Liquid Dispersion In Agitated Vessels Provided With Multiple Impellers, Yu-Tsang Huang

Theses

Baffled vessels with multiple impellers are widely used in industry to generate liquid-liquid dispersions. In this work, a new method to determine the minimum agitation speed for complete dispersion in two immiscible liquids was developed. This method was conceived to replace the traditional visual observation method that has been extensively used in the past for this purpose. The minimum agitation speeds for liquid-liquid dispersion with single and multiple impellers in baffled vessel were also measured. The effect of a number of variables such as size and type of impellers, size of tank, impeller location, spacing between impellers, and dispersed phase …

Integrated Anaerobic-Aerobic System For The Biodegradation Of Highly Chlorinated Aromatic Compounds, Cheng-Ming Kung

Dissertations

A two-step process was developed for the complete mineralization of hazardous chlorinated aromatic compounds. The system consisted of an anaerobic reactor, in which reductive dehalogenation took place, coupled with an aerobic reactor in which the complete mineralization of the products of the anaerobic dehalogenation occurred.

A mixed anaerobic culture from a municipal sewage treatment plant was enriched and then immobilized on silica-based porous beads to treat 2,4,6-trichlorophenol (TCP), which is the model target compound in this work. In the anaerobic reactor, TCP was degraded to 2,4-dichlorophenol which was, in turn, reduced to 4-chlorophenol (4-CP). Stoichiometric amounts of 4-CP were recovered …

Biodegradation Of Phenol And 4-Chlorophenol Using A Single Species In A Sequencing Batch Reactor, Kung-Wei Wang

Theses

Biodegradation of phenol and 4-chlorophenol (4CP) using Pseudomonas putida (ATCC 17514) was studied in batch and sequencing batch reactors. Batch experiments were first performed in order to reveal the kinetics of biodegradation for each substrate. 4-Chlorophenol was degradable only in the presence of phenol, or immediately after exposure of the organism to phenol. It was postulated that an enzyme induced by the presence of phenol was necessary to initiate degradation of 4-chlorophenol.

A mathematical model was then developed to describe the dynamic behavior of both substrates in a sequencing batch reactor (SBR). The model utilized rate parameters obtained from batch …

Crystallization Kinetics And Polyblends Of Poly(Ethylene Terephthalate) Recycled From Post-Consumer Beverage Bottles, Peming Peter Hsu

Dissertations

In order to reduce waste generation, and comply with state and federal laws, plastic beverage bottles are usually undergoing recycling. Poly(ethylene terephthalate) [PET], which is the main component the bottles are made of, cannot be used for manufacturing new food containers, and has to be used for manufacturing other end consumer products. The recycled PET is a cheap material, but its use is problematic due to the low crystallization rates of PET. The present study investigates ways of accelerating PET crystallization by using inorganic carbonate salts as nucleating agents. This study also explores the possibility of forming polymer blends based …

A Comparative Analysis Of The Efficacy Of Zero-Order, First-Order And Monod Kinetic Models In Representing Raw Aerobic Biodegradation Data, Andrew I. Bakun

Theses

A total of 148 raw aerobic biodegradation data sets from batch and continuous stirred-tank reactors were extracted from the open literature and previous NJIT MS theses. Kinetic analysis of each of these data sets was performed with respect to the following commonly used empirical models: (1) zero-order, (2) first-order, and (3) Monod. Two constant-biomass versions of each model were evaluated; one in which So (i.e., the boundary condition for substrate concentration at time equal to zero) was assumed to be equal to the measured value of the initial substrate concentration and the other in which So was treated as a …

Mathematical Modeling Of Mass Transfer In Microvascular Wall And Interstitial Space, Daekyung Kim

Dissertations

The dynamics of macromolecular transport across the microvascular wall and into the adjoining interstitial space was studied in the hamster cheek pouch using intravital fluorescence microscopy in combination with digital image processing. Fluorescein isothiocyanate-labe led dextrans (FITC-Dx) of 70,000 and 150,000 daltons were used as tracers. In each experiment, the time-dependent extravasation of FITC-Dx from a leakage site in a blood vessel was videotaped for about 2 hours. The macromolecular transport from individual microvessels was quantified by digital video-image processing. Histograms of the light intensity distributions for selected fields at various times were obtained and then converted to the interstitial …

Mathematical Modeling Of Chemical Vapor Deposition Processes And Its Application To Thin Film Technology, Norman W. Loney

Dissertations

A number of workers in the field of Chemical vapor deposition (CVD) have presented mathematical models in the literature. Some workers were able to produce analytical expressions for the interwafer concentration profile. These analytical expressions were based entirely on zero or first order chemical reaction rates. Until now, it appears that a chemical reaction rate expression that is not zero or first order directly, must be handled by a numerical scheme.

Presented herein is a mathematical model with an analytical interwafer concentration profile. This concentration profile is neither zero nor first order but shifts from zero to first order as …

Kinetic Studies On Pyrolytic And Oxidative Decomposition Of Chlorocarbons In A Tubular Flow Reactor, Yang Soo Won

Dissertations

Chloroform decay and product distributions were distinctly different in the absence and presence of added O₂ and/or CH₄. Increases in O₂ concentration were observed to speed reagent loss, with a slower decay of chloroform observed for the CHCl₃/CH4/Ar pyrolysis system. In CHCl₃/CH₄/O₂, the major products were C₂Cl4, CH2CCl₂, C₂HCl₃, CO and CO₂ over a wide temperature range. Minor products included CH₂Cl₂, CH₃Cl, and C2H₃Cl. When CH₄ reactant was not present, …

Charcoal Catalyzed Ozone Decomposition Of Organic Pollutants In Water, Kin Ho

Theses

A laboratory study has been performed on the wastewater treatment (destruction of organic species in water) using a novel process called Integrated Adsorption-Oxidation (IAO) where activated carbon is being utilized as a catalyst-adsorbent, and ozone as oxidant. The results of ozonation alone on the pollutants in water are also reported to provide a comparison with the adsorption-oxidation scheme in semi-batch reactions. All experiments were conducted at room temperature in a semi-batch reactor using five (water soluble) representative chemicals as pollutants: Aniline, Acetamide, Pyridine, N,N-dimethyl formamide and O-cresol. We also studied two volatile compounds: Trichloroethylene and Chloroform. Phenol was studied in …

Adiabatic Kinetic Studies Of The Cytidine/Acetic Anhydride Reaction By Utilizing Temperature Versus Time Data, Joseph John Shatynski

Theses

It is possible to predict the kinetics of a reaction by using temperature versus time data under adiabatic conditions. This method was used for the cytidine/acetic anhydride reaction using a RC1 Mettler Reaction Calorimeter.

The authenticity of the experimental adiabatic system was verified by determining the kinetic parameters of a known reaction (hydrolysis of acetic anhydride) and comparing them to literature values.

For example, the average experimental activation energy, heat of reaction, and ln k₀ values for the hydrolysis of acetic anhydride were 11.2 ±.5 kcal/gmole, -14.4 ± .2 kcal/gmole, and 12.74 ± .94 sec^-1, respectfully, while …

Catalytic Oxidation Of Chlorinated Compounds Over Pdo/Al2o3 On A Monolith, Tai-Chiang Yu

Theses

The catalytic oxidation of trichloroethylene(TCE) and dichloromethane (DCM) was investigated over a catalyst containing 4% PdO on Al₂O₃ washcoat and on a cordierite monolith with 400 channels per in². Reactivity and selectivity of the catalyst for the destruction of 200 ppm C₂HCl₃ and 500 ppm CH₂Cl₂ in air was evaluated over the temperature range 250 to 550 °C. This research was conducted in a tubular reactor system at space velocities of 4,000 to 24,000 v/v/hr. It was found that complete oxidation occurs at 500°C for DCM and 550°C for …

A Combined Gel Entrapped And Membrane Attached Microbial Process For Biodegrading Organic Compounds, Fayaz Saifuddin Lakhwala

Dissertations

A comparative study has been performed between two bioreactors treating phenol, one using calcium alginate entrapped microorganisms, and the other using microorganisms attached on the surface of a polymeric membrane. Laboratory experiments conducted in batch recirculation mode, as well as a continuous feed mode, showed that the calcium alginate bio-bead reactor is more efficient in treating high feed concentrations of phenol, while the membrane bioreactor is more effective in the lower concentration regime (less than 150 ppm). In batch recirculation mode, the reaction rates (expressed as mg phenol/hr*gm dry cells) in the membrane reactor are an order of magnitude higher …

Thermodynamics Of Strong Electrolyte Solutions : Prediction Of Osmotic Coefficients By Pair Correlation Function Method, One Kwon Rim

Dissertations

Thermodynamic properties (osmotic coefficients) of strong electrolyte solutions have been studied by the method of statistical mechanics. First the charged soft sphere potential is developed based on the Pauling type model. Next the charged soft sphere potential is converted to the thermodynamically corresponding charged hard sphere potential by way of the perturbation method developed by Verlet and Weis. Simultaneously, the radial distribution function is developed by modification of the Exponential theory through introduction of the Stillinger-Lovett moment condition. The effective hard sphere diameter values calculated by the perturbation method are combined with the modified Exponential theory, and these quantities are …

Solid-Liquid Suspension In Agitated Vessels Provided With Multiple Impellers, Tong Li

Theses

A large number of references can be found in the literature on the effect of mixing parameters on the achievement of the minimum agitation speed to just suspend solid particles. In the vast majority of these studies the agitation system consisted of just one centrally mounted impeller. However, the determination of the minimum agitation speed to achieve the just suspended state when the additional impellers are used have received very little attention. It is the intent of this work to investigate the role of multiple impeller agitation system on the achievement of the complete particle suspension state. The effect of …

A Study Of Biological Dentrification Of Munition Wastes, Sonia R. Venugopal

Theses

Kinetics of denitrification were studied using a consortium from the Lawrence, Kansas municipal treatment plant. Experiments were conducted in the batch mode, under controlled oxygen and pH conditions. It was found that the Monod model can successfully perdict the experimental results of nitrate depletion. It was also found that when the pH is maintained at values between 7.0 and 8.5, nitrate can be treated in a batch mode without having any significant nitrite presence in the reactor. The experimentally determined kinetic parameters were used in preliminary calculations for sizing a sequencing batch reactor (SBR). An existing mathematical model for the …

Coexistence Of Three Pure And Simple Competitors In Four Interconnected Bioreactors, Ming Wu

Theses

It is known that a homogeneous environment having invariant inputs cannot allow for steady state coexistence of any number of pure and simple competitors. However, it has been proven that two pure and simple competitors can coexist at a steady state in two interconnected chemostats, if the conditions are such that they allow a different species to grow faster in each one of the two vessels. It has been also shown that three pure and simple competitors cannot coexist in three interconnected chemostats, even if the conditions are such that a different population could grow faster (have the competitive advantage) …

Biodegradation Of Hexachlorocyclohexane In Sand And Wastewater Using Immobilized Phanerochaete Chrysosporum, Ajaykumar C. Gami

Theses

The present study was carried out in order to assess the ability of Phanerochaete chysosporium to degrade lindane (hexachlorocyclohexane) in sand as well as in water. It was found that the fungus is immobilized on saw dust, it is able to degrade lindane in a packed-bed reactor configuration, with a first-order rate constant of 0.00066min^-1. The fungus is also able to degrade lindane in sand. As with the packed-bed reactor, a supplemental carbon source (glucose) is required. In this study it was found that a glucose concentration of 20 gm/kg of sand, and 40% w/w moisture content, give …

Preparation And Testing Of Novel Blocked Isocyanate Dental Adhesives Based Upon Hydroxyhexylmethacrylate, Yunwen Ye

Theses

A new kind of dental adhesive, O-Chlorophenol-TDI-HEMA-Pentaerythritol (TDI), was studied under long term conditions. The test was done in human third molar teeth which had been extracted 7 days to 6 months. Both citric acid and non citric acid pre-treatments were used on dentin surfaces. Based on Causton's[9] mineralizing solution pre-treatment method, we have used 3 kinds of mineralizing solutions, ITS, 0.5% CaCl2, NaF, as pre-treatment solutions. There were no significant differences between the citric acid and non citric acid pre-treatment. The ITS mineralizing solution pre-treatment caused a large increase in bond strength. The average bond strength of 1791 psi …

Evaluation Of Rates Constants In An Isothermal Turbular Reactor, Yu-Hsin Lin

Theses

To view upon an incompressible laminar-flow fluid in fully developed in a plug reactor, in which a layer of catalyst coated on the inside surface of this reactor. Two kinds of reaction will occur : one is bulk ( homogeneous ) reaction, i.e., the reaction of reactants themselves; another is a first-order irreversible catalyst ( heterogeneous ) reaction, i.e., the reaction of reactants and catalysis.It is apparent that two reactipn rate constants, Κ_b for the homogeneous reaction and Κ_ω for the heterogeneous reaction, will be caused because of these two reactions

One partial differential equation after working of …

Modeling A Fuel Rich Premixed Laminar Methane Flame Oh, Ch, Nh, Cn Profiles, Including Prompt No, Md. Hasan Ul Karim

Theses

A detailed reaction mechanism based upon fundamental thermochemical kinetic principles has been developed to describe the concentration profiles of OH, CH, NH, CN, and NO including prompt NO radicals in laminar flow, fuel rich methane flames as well as flames doped with 700 ppm ammonia. A one dimensional laminar flat flame code which incorporated diffusion, and the detailed reaction mechanism was used to predict the radical concentration profiles from the model. These calculated values are compared to experimental data of Dean (1984).

The model consist of two reaction subsets, hydrocarbon oxidation set and an ammonia oxidation set. The reactions most …

Recycling: Separation Of Major Thermoplastics From Postconsumer Plastics Stream, Rafael A. Rodriguez

Theses

The complete process for separating Low Density Polyethylene (LDPE), High Density Polyethylene (HDPE), Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC), Polypropylene (PP), Polystyrene (PS), Polyurethane (PU), and Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) from a mixture of postconsumer plastics materials was presented. The driving forces considered to achieve separation were different densities and selective solubility of plastics in specific solvents.

The proposed process separates Polyurethane and Polystyrene by using aqueous solutions of different densities. On the other hand, the other five plastics are separated using solvents.

Diagrams showing streams and plastics separation in each unit were discussed. Individual material balances for each step were performed for a …

Mass Transfer Of Hazardous Organic Compounds In Soil Matrices Relevant To Thermal Desorption/Incineration, Jong-In Dong

Dissertations

Soils contaminated with hazardous organic compounds have been known to threaten human health both directly through various contact mechanisms and indirectly through leaching or transfer to the food chain. Thermal desorption of contaminated soil matrices with secondary treatment of the effluent gases (collection, incineration, etc) is one of most feasible and developing technologies for cleaning of contaminated soils. There is, however, little known about the mass transfer principles of organic contaminants through the heated soil matrices. The objectives of this study is, therefore, to learn and understand details of the mass transfer processes of organic compounds in these soil matrices. …

Biodegradation Of Phenol By Two Competing Microbial Species In A Sequencing Batch Reactor, Yoo-Suk Ko

Theses

Biodegradation of a single pollutant by two competing microbial species has been mathematically described for the case where a sequencing batch reactor is used. The model has been solved numerically to predict the behavior of the reactor under different operating conditions and for different kinetic expressions for biodegradation.

Experiments were performed to verify the predictions of the model. Serratia marcescens (ATCC 17991) and Pseudomonas putida (ATCC 31800) were the species used. Experiments were first performed in order to reveal the kinetics of biodegradation for each individual species. The biodegradable substance used was phenol, which was the sole carbon source in …

Mathematical Modeling And Computer Simulations Of Biodenitrification In Batch And Sequencing Batch Reactors, Sugata Sanyal

Theses

Mathematical models have been derived for describing biodegradation of ni¬trate and nitrite in an anaerobic environment. Monod model for nitrate and Andrews model for nitrite were used as kinetic models. Experimental data from literature suggest that nitrate is not an inhibitory substance, while nitrite is not only inhibitory but it may also have a toxic effect on the biomass. The models were brought in dimensionless form in order to reduce the number of parame¬ters. Biodegradation was mathematically described for a batch, and a sequencing batch mode of operation. Computer programs were developed for numerically simulating the process. Some of the …

Multiphase Solid-Liquid-Liquid Mixing In Stirred Tanks, George R. Deritter

Theses

A large number of investigations can be found in the literature which examine the effect of mixing parameters in both solid-liquid and liquid-liquid systems. However, very little is currently available for solid-liquid-liquid systems. It is the intent of this study to look at the various parameters affecting the point of complete dispersion for a liquid and the point of complete suspension for a solid phase, in a three phase liquid-liquid-solid system.

Kinetic Mechanism Of The Reactions Of Dichloromethane And Chloroform With Atomic Hydrogen At Low Pressure And Room Temperature, Jia-Ling Linda Young

Theses

The reaction mechanism of dichloromethane reaction (DCM) with atomic hydrogen in a flow reactor at room temper¬ature (300 K) and low pressure (2.1 - 2.7 torr), argon bath gas, has been developed in this research to analyze the above reaction system. The important addition reactions of radicals (or atoms) to olefins and the radical/radical (atom/radical) combination reactions have been analyzed using the bimolecular version of the Quantum-Rice-Ramsperger-Kassel (QRRK) theory.

The detailed reaction mechanism satisfactorily fits the experimental data for the reagent (DCM) conversion from previous experimental over a initial ratio (atomic hydrogen to dichloromethane) range of 6.8 to 40. The …

Dioxin Formation : Thermodynamics And Reaction Pathways During The Oxidation/Incineration Of Chloroaromatics, Sanjiv Narendra Patel

Theses

Enthalpy, entropy and heat capacity property estimation for cyclic molecules using Benson's group additivity method require the use of ring correction terms. Ring correction terms are estimated from the thermodynamic properties of the cyclic molecule being considered. In the absence of litera¬ture values a procedure is proposed to predict these thermodynamic values.

Benson's Group additivity method does not fully account for the interactions between bulky group or atom substituents on the aromatic ring. In order to have accurate thermodynamic properties for these compounds, a data base is generated with ortho, meta and Para interactions for (Cl-Cl), (Cl-OH), (OH-OH), (CH_{3 …}