Chemical Engineering Commons^™

Measurement Of Molecular Diffusivities Of Liquid Alkane Systems, James W. Moore

Doctoral Dissertations

"An unsteady-state porous frit method of diffusion coefficient measurement, recently developed in this laboratory, was improved and expanded upon. The experimental technique has been refined and documented. The unsteady-state diffusion of an initially 0.5 N NaCl solution into pure water (effective diffusivity -1.480 x 10^-5 cm²/sec) was employed as the calibration standard. An overall calibration precision of ±4% was obtained. Diffusion times of two hours or less were used for the non-aqueous diffusivity measurements. The validity of this measurement technique was confirmed by the agreement of the measured self-diffusion coefficient of n-heptane (25⁰C) with literature values.

A …

Film Boiling Of Benzene, Freon 113, Freon 11, And Normal Pentane From Horizontal Surfaces At Atmospheric Pressure, Richard Stanley Kistler

Doctoral Dissertations

"A film boiling study was conducted with five different area flat plates at atmospheric pressure for benzene, Freon 113, Freon 11, and n-pentane. The heat transfer surface was horizontal for all tests.

The data were compared to the correlations commonly used for heat transfer. The common correlations were found to be in error for small surface sizes, but adequate for all fluids except benzene for the largest surface, a semi-empirical equation which correlates the available data as a function of surface diameter was derived and discussed"--Abstract, page iii.

Synthesis And Characterization Of Poly-(P-Phenylene Pyromellitamic Acid), Constantine William Tsimpris

Doctoral Dissertations

"Poly-(p-phenylenepyromellitamic acid)s have been synthesized over the weight average molecular weight range from 8,000 to 22,000 by reaction of pyromellitic dianhydride and p-phenylenediamine in dimethylformamide. The polymers were recovered as amorphous yellow powders having planar dimensions of 3-4 x 1-2 µm with thicknesses of 0.1-0.2 µm and contained 20-30% associated dimethylformamide. Consumption of reactants and attainment of the ultimate molecular weight of the polymer was found to occur within one minute. Thermogravimetry of the solid poly(amic acid)s was used in a method developed to determine the amount of associated dimethylformamide, to study the cyclization of poly(amic acid) to polyimide, and …

The Electrochemical Reduction Of Fumaric Acid On Hg-Bi Cathodes, Chen Hwei Chi

Doctoral Dissertations

"The electrochemical reduction of fumaric acid was studied on Hg, Hg/1%Bi amalgam, and Bi at 60ºC in acidic solutions of various pH ranging from 0.3 to 3.7. The fumaric acid was reduced to succinic acid with high efficiency on each electrode. The steady state kinetic parameters included Tafel slopes of ca. 2.3 RT/F and first order concentration dependences for both undissociated fumaric acid and H⁺. Transient measurements indicated low coverages of adsorbed fumaric acid and no adsorbed hydrogen species in the potential region of the reaction. A reaction mechanism is proposed which involves a chemical rate determining step between an …

Mass Transfer With Second-Order Chemical Reaction Inside Circulating Fluid Droplets, Roy James Brunson

Doctoral Dissertations

"The solution of a mathematical model is presented which describes mass transfer accompanied by a second-order chemical reaction inside a circulating, fluid sphere for the laminar flow region. The values for eight different mass transfer indices are presented as a function of the Peclet number, reaction number, diffusivity ratio, concentration ratio, and the dimensionless contact time. The results of this work are compared with the film and penetration theories for mass transfer with reaction as modified to apply inside a fluid sphere. This work corrects the three factors which limit the accuracy of applying previous theories to fluid spheres: geometrical …

A Measurement Of Complex Viscosity With Large Amplitudes, Kuo-Shein Shen

Doctoral Dissertations

"In order to study the viscoelastic properties of polymer solutions and greases, a dynamic apparatus was built for making measurements of complex viscosity. Characteristic impedance was measured by a force transducer, an accelerometer and a phase meter. Large amplitudes to 0.5 inch can be obtained with this apparatus. The largest amplitude used was 1.27 x10⁻¹ cm. The frequency range was 30 Hz - 1500Hz. The lowest dynamic viscosity to be measured was 0.5 poise. In order to determine the capabilities of the instrument, complex viscosities of polymer solutions and greases were measured. The polymer solutions studied were polyisobutylene (PIB) L-80, …

On-Line Economic Optimization Of A Chemical Reactor, Jesse Daniel Bennett

Doctoral Dissertations

"An economic optimizing control system for a continuous flow stirred tank chemical reactor is designed, simulated, and installed on a pilot scale reactor. The control scheme utilizes a reaction and reactor model to predict on-line the economic optimum of a reactant concentration. In this manner the control system manipulates the reactant flow rate to maintain the optimum concentration during changes in reaction-reactor parameters with time. Typical parameter changes include the decay of reaction catalyst activity. The optimizing controller will function in conjunction with various operating policies including control to maintain a specified production rate"--Abstract, page ii.

Response Surface Study Of A Characteristic Chemical Plant, John Thomas Mason Iii

Doctoral Dissertations

"Study of the return on investment response surface of a characteristic chemical plant indicates unimodality in the valid region, but the optimum design condition with this response surface is strongly affected by the correlation used for the investment. The method used for the design of this type of chemical plant incorporates the use of a simulation routine for preliminary estimates"--Abstract, page ii.

An Investigation Of The Radiation Polymerization Of Methyl Methacrylate-Kaolin Clay Composites, James Jackson Beeson

Doctoral Dissertations

"A kinetic and characterization study has been made on the effects of gamma-rays (Co⁶⁰) on the polymerization of a 50-50 weight mixture methyl methacrylate (MMA) kaolin clay system. The effect of dose rate (7.35 - 24.9 rads per second), temperature (25 to 75ºC) and total dose on the percentage conversion of monomer to polymer was studied. The rate of formation of polymer at 25ºC in the composite system was found to be faster when compared to a bulk MMA system at the same experimental conditions. This acceleration showed that the clay had a catalytic effect on the formation of polymer. …

The Effect Of A Knurled Heat Transfer Surface Upon Pool Nucleate Boiling Of Normal Pentane, Jerry James Carr

Doctoral Dissertations

"The effect of knurling a nucleate boiling heat transfer surface was studied. The knurling utilized produced regular, four-sided, adjacent pyramids with an apex angle of 90 degrees. Four knurling densities were used ranging from 416 to 2591 pyramids per square inch. The transfer surface was gold-plated copper and the heaters used were electrically heated, ten-inch long, horizontal cylinders of one-inch diameter. The liquid boiled was normal pentane at its saturation temperature and a pressure of 760 millimeters mercury.

For some of the knurled surfaces the temperature difference required to produce a given heat flux was found to be less than …

Effect Of Axial Dispersion On Interphase Mass Transfer In Packed Absorption Columns, Virendra Kumar Mathur

Doctoral Dissertations

"A steady state approach was followed in this investigation to determine the effects of liquid and gas flow rates, packing size and packing height on the interphase mass transfer coefficient and gas phase axial mixing Peclet numbers. Experiments were performed on the absorption of carbon dioxide from a mixture of carbon dioxide and nitrogen in a packed column. Absorption was performed using 1/4, 3/8 and l/2 inch Raschig rings, with a packing height of 3 feet and also using 3/8 inch Raschig rings with a packing height of 5 feet. The liquid and gas flow ranges used were 2865 to …

An Sem Surface Study Of Nucleate Pool Boiling Heat Transfer To Saturated Liquid Nitrogen Reduced Pressures From 0.1 To 0.9, David Virgil Porchey

Doctoral Dissertations

"This study constituted an examination of both nucleate boiling and maximum heat flux characteristics of liquid nitrogen boiling from characterized surfaces. Several textures of gold plated copper surfaces were studied in addition to silver and silver oxide surfaces. Data were taken over a wide range of reduced pressures. All surfaces were examined using a Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). Data and micrograph comparison revealed that both surface chemistry and surface roughness affect the nucleate boiling characteristics of liquid nitrogen. These effects are separated from each other showing that nucleate boiling is a function of both surface chemistry and topography. Surface roughness …

A Study Of The Anodic Oxidation Of 1, 3-Butadiene On Platinum And Gold Electrodes, Arun Kumar Agrawal

Doctoral Dissertations

"The anodic oxidation of 1,3-butadiene on Pt and Au electrodes was studied at 70°C in solutions of H₂SO₄, K₂SO₄, K₂CO₃, and KOH with pH's ranging from 0.35 to 12.5. Reaction rates (current) were measured as a function of potential, pH, temperature, and butadiene partial pressure. A transition region (apparently a shift in the rate determining step) in case of Pt was observed in the Tafel plots. The coulombic efficiencies of oxidation to CO₂ were 85 percent in 1 N H₂SO₄ on Pt, 93 percent in 1 N KOH on Pt, and 72 percent in 1 N KOH on Au"--Abstract, Page …

Investigation Of Liquid Carryover In The Girdler-Sulfide Process For Production Of Heavy Water At The Aec Savannah River Plant, Samuel Clark Allen

Doctoral Dissertations

"An investigation of the causes of liquid carryover in the Girdler-Sulfide process for the production of heavy water was carried out using 12 samples of carbon collected over a one-year time period. Organic impurities from the feedwater were concentrated by adsorption on carbon. Studies of methods for the drying of carbon showed that freeze drying resulted in the minimum reproducible moisture retention without gross loss of the adsorbed organic materials. Rotary vacuum evaporation and air drying of beds of carbon were proven to be less efficient. A study was made of the variables which affect extraction efficiency by the Soxhlet …

Mass Transfer From Spherical Gas Bubbles And Liquid Droplets Moving Through Power-Law Fluids In The Laminar Flow Regime, Cheng-Chun Huang

Doctoral Dissertations

"Continuous phase mass transfer coefficients are presented for internally circulating spheres of a Newtonian fluid traveling through a power-law type continuous phase in to so-called creeping-flow region. The Nakano and Tien stream functions allow the Sherwood number to be determined as a function of the Peclet number, power-law index, and a viscosity ratio parameter. The Hirose and Moo-Young relation is shown to be a limiting case of this solution. Mass transfer rates increase as the fluids become more pseudoplastic and/or the continuous phase consistency index increases, all other factors held constant"--Abstract, page ii.

Numerical Simulation Of Forward Combustion In A Radial System, Tommie C. Wilson

Doctoral Dissertations

"A generalized mathematical model is described for the thermal recovery of oil in a radial system in which there are conductive heat losses to the surrounding formations, three phase fluid flow, conductive-convective heat transfer within the producing formation, combustion, and aqueous-phase changes considered. The mathematical form of the temperature equation requires that numerical solutions be obtained with a digital computer for which the numerical approximations of the partial differential equations are presented and the results discussed. The analysis is applied to field size simulations of a forward combustion project to permit direct field analyses of significant importance for accurate reproductions …

The Cathodic Reduction Of Maleic Acid, Show Yih Hsieh

Doctoral Dissertations

"The electrochemical reduction of maleic acid (0.0003 to 0.3 M) was studied on Hg, 0.5% Bi(Hg) amalgam, 5.0% Bi(Hg) amalgam, and Bi cathodes in 1 n H₂SO₄-K₂SO₄-KOH electrolytes (pH 0.3 to 4.0) at 60°C. The maleic acid was converted to succinic acid with high efficiencies (86 to 100%) on all cathodes. Polarization curves with linear Tafel sections were found. All the cathodes had similar kinetic parameters...A reaction mechanism consistent with the experimental observations is proposed..."--Abstract, pages ii-iii.

Binary Molecular Diffusivities In Liquids: Prediction And Comparison With Experimental Data, Ronald Dean Mitchell

Doctoral Dissertations

"The Eyring rate theory equation has been modified successfully to enable predictions of binary molecular diffusivities for a wide variety of liquid-liquid systems. The activation free energy for binary diffusion has been evaluated in terms of the activation free energies for self diffusion of the solvent and solute. This was accomplished through the use of regular solution theory by relating the bond breaking energy of the jump step to the bond breaking energy in evaporation. Diffusivities estimated by this equation and the equations developed by Olander, by Gainer and Metzner, and by Wilke and Chang were compared with experimental data. …

A Three-Dimensional Mathematical Simulator Of Multiphase Systems In A Petroleum Reservoir, Leonard Koederitz

Doctoral Dissertations

"A generalized digital analysis for calculating three phase, three dimensional flow in reservoirs is developed. The computerized mathematical model is applicable to depletion drive, gas injection, water injection, and/or aquifer drive systems with modifications specific to the simulation criterion of that type of drive and includes fluid compressibility effects, gravity drainage and capillary pressure. The simulation allows arbitrary consideration of reservoir heterogeneity, geometry, well locations and rates of production. An innovation to the alternating direction technique for linear differential equations discussed by Brian is developed and employed in order to render the method of solution applicable to non-linear differential equations. …

Anodic Dissolution Of Zinc In Potassium Iodide-Potassium Iodate Solutions, Chi-Chiu Yao

Doctoral Dissertations

"The anodic dissolution of Zn was studied in KI-KIO₃ solutions at 25ºC. In I⁻ solutions, it was found that the apparent valence of Zn ions going into solution is approximately two. Smaller values are obtained in IO₃⁻ solutions, with the most pronounced changes occurring in the higher concentrations. An empirical equation is derived relating the apparent valence (or anode efficiency) to the current density and concentrations of IO₃⁻ and I⁻. An anodic dissolution mechanism is proposed"--Abstract, page 1.

Simulation Of A Gas Storage Reservoir With Leakage By A Two-Dimensional Layered Mathematical Model, Steven William Ohnimus

Doctoral Dissertations

"A generalized mathematical model was developed for two-dimensional compressible fluid flow accounting for the effects of relative permeability capillary pressure, and gravity drainage in addition to the reservoir properties of rock heterogenity and reservoir geometry. The generalized model developed was applied to an aquifer gas storage reservoir in which vertical leakage occurred from the main reservoir to two adjacent overlaying zones. The experimental results of Thomas, et al. were utilized in applying the model to gas storage injection/withdrawal periods yielding reasonable results for the three layers"--Abstract, page ii.

Mass And Heat Transfer Through Nonwettable Porous Membranes, Chung-Liang Yeh

Doctoral Dissertations

"Evaporation of water through nonwettable porous membranes has been studied under various pressures with various membrane thicknesses. The results of previous investigations at 1 atmosphere have been correlated into one equation for mass transfer resistance which has also been found to fit approximately new data obtained of 1.5, 2, and 3 atmospheres in this investigation. In the new data fluxes varied from 0.064 to 0.691 lb./ft.²/hr. through glass fiber-Teflon membrane from 0.02 to 0.08 inch in thickness. Temperatures ranged for 80 to 260°F. A more theoretical equation has been developed to explain variations from the equations based on 1 atmosphere …

Turbulence Measurements In Drag Reducing Flow, Jorge Mario Rodriguez

Doctoral Dissertations

"Studies of the frequency response of hot-film wedge probes in viscoelastic fluids established their reliability as measuring devices and demonstrated that the objections raised by Metzner and Astarita (77) are not valid for wedge probes. The structure of turbulence in drag reducing soap and polymer solutions was studied using a hot-film wedge probe. Intensity of turbulence measurements in drag reducing fluids indicate that the structure of trubulence is strongly dependent on the condition of the solution. Rates of energy dissipation calculated at the center of the tube indicate that there is an increase in the rate of energy dissipated in …

A Study Of The Anodic Oxidation Of Acetylene On Platinum-Gold Alloys, Christopher Kuo-Chieh Wu

Doctoral Dissertations

"The anodic oxidation of acetylene on Pt-Au alloys of four compositions (80-20, 60-40, 40-60, and 20-80 Pt-Au) was studied at 80°C in solutions of constant pH and unit normality. Currents were measured as a function of potential and partial pressure of acetylene. The effects of temperature on current in 1 N H₂SO₄ and 1 N NaOH and the coulombic efficiencies for CO₂ production were determined. The experimental results indicated that the alloys can be classified into three groups, Pt-rich, Au-rich, and intermediate compositions. A transition region (change of the mechanism) was found for the Au-rich alloys. The oxidation can be …

An Optimization Approach To Well Spacing For Gas Storage Reservoirs, Jagannath Rao Ghole

Doctoral Dissertations

"A finite approximation to the conventional diffusivity equation describing compressible fluid flow through porous media has been developed with a view to apply it to the problems of optimum well spacing. An equilateral grid system has been employed to enable uniform well spacing for any number of wells. A numerical model has been developed on an IBM 360 - Model 50 computer, which simulates the pressure and saturation transience in the reservoir due to production impulses. This model has been used to maximize with respect to number of wells, the minimum well bore pressure reached throughout the specified withdrawal schedule. …

Liquid Extraction With Single Droplets-Effect Of Chemical Reaction, William Victor Andoe

Doctoral Dissertations

"The circulating drop mass transport model based on Hadamard's dispersed phase stream function was solved numerically to account for a solute diffusing into a droplet and undergoing a first order irreversible reaction with the drop medium for the case where the continuous phase resistance to solute transport is negligible ... Experimental data were obtained for a system which consisted of 2-chloro-2-methylpropane (t-butyl chloride) diffusing from a benzene continuous phase into falling water droplets and undergoing a first order irreversible reaction with the water droplets ... The experimental solute transport rates were a factor of 7 to 10 greater than those …

The Effect Of Polymer Structure On Drag Reduction In Nonpolar Solvents, Gin Chain Liaw

Doctoral Dissertations

"The effects of polymer chain flexibility, molecular weight and entanglement capacity, and of polymer solution concentration on drag reduction in nonpolar solvents were studied in this investigation. Three samples of polydimethyl siloxane in toluene, five samples of polyethylene oxide in benzene, two samples of cis-polyisoprene in toluene, trans-polyisoprene in toluene, cis-polybutadiene in toluene, ethyl cellulose in toluene and a copolymer of epichlorohydrin and polyethylene oxide in toluene were studied. Molecular weights of all polymers were estimated from intrinsic viscosity, except for the molecular weight of the copolymer which was given by the manufacturer. Turbulent and laminar flow pressure drop data …

A Study Of The Anodic Oxidation Of Ethylene On Gold And Gold-Platinum Alloys, San-Cheng Lai

Doctoral Dissertations

"The distinctive features of electrochemical energy conversion is the direct conversion of the chemical energy of a reaction into electrical energy without going through the intermediary of heat, thereby avoiding the Carnot limitation. Since it is theoretically possible to obtain electrical energy to the extent of the free energy change of the chemical reaction, the overall thermal efficiencies expected are nearly 100 percent. However, the observed efficiencies of most electrochemical energy converters are considerably lower than this due to a slowness of one or more of the intermediate steps of the overall reaction. There has been a recent surge of …

A Numerical Simulation Of Pressure Distribution And Radius Of Drainage In Infinite Radial Aquifers - Constant Rate Case, Alton John Nute

Doctoral Dissertations

"The diffusivity equation for the transient flow of slightly-compressible liquids has been solved for infinite radial aquifers, subject to constant terminal rates, by employing a Romberg integration of the Van Everdingen - Hurst explicitly solution over the transformed integral limits for .01̲TD>500, the classical solutions presented by Carslaw and Jaeger, Mortada, Theis, and others are incorporated in the digital analysis to yield dimensionless pressures for 40 selected dimensionless radius (RD) ratios between 1 and 64 for dimensionless time values of .0005 to 1000.0. A new expression for dimensionless pressure-distribution, PD'(RD, TD), as a fraction of well bore pressure drop …

Numerical Approximation To Performance Predictions Of Gas-Drive Reservoir With Or Without Gas-Cap And Gas Injection, Jagannath Rao Ghole

Doctoral Dissertations

"The pressure-saturation transient history for a hydrocarbon reservoir is solved for solution-gas, gas-cap and injected-gas drives assuming the saturation-pressure variations depicted by Muskat, under specific restrictive assumptions. A prototype reservoir system and its transient pressure saturation distribution under production is systemized on an IBM 360-Model 40 Computer which allows the definition of the transient behavior of saturation with pressure declination and fluid withdrawal for preassigned initial saturations of the oil, water and gas phases. This analysis is then modified for the existence of a gas-cap and for the re-injection of produced gas volumes for pressure maintenance considerations and the ensuing …