Chemical Engineering Commons^™

Hygroscopic Tandem Differential Mobility Analyzer (Htdma) Design And Testing For Aerosol Hygroscopic Behavior Studies, Ziheng Zeng

Honors Theses

Most particles in the atmosphere take up water when exposed to increasing relative humidity (RH), and this behavior is described and quantized by a hygroscopicity parameter, kappa. Hygroscopic Tandem Differential Mobility Analysis (HTDMA) can be used to measure the physicochemical properties of aerosol particles and study phenomena that lead to size changes in submicron aerosol particles. Specifically, HTDMA measures how aerosol particles of different initial dry sizes grow or shrink when exposed to changing RH. HTDMA uses two differential mobility analyzers (DMAs) and a humidification system to make these measurements. One DMA selects a narrow size range of dry aerosol …

Development Of A Solution Synthesis Of Poly(Sebacic Anhydride) With The Activating Agent 4-Toluenesulfonyl Chloride: Understanding The Effect Of Different Bases On The Reaction Products, Patricia Poley

Honors Theses

The overall goal of this honors thesis was to develop a solution synthesis of Poly(Sebacic Anhydride) with the activating agent 4-toluenesulfonyl chloride and understand the effects of varying temperature, bases, and the addition order of reagents on the reaction.

Polyanhydrides are a class of hydrophobic, degradable polymers used in controlled drug delivery for 30 years. They are synthesized through three general methods: melt polycondensation, solution polycondensation, and ring-opening polymerization. Of these three methods, solution polycondensation typically results in products with lower molecular weight. Previous work in the Vogel lab identified two new ways to synthesize anhydrides using solution polycondensation reactions …

Nuclear Energy As A Reliable And Safe Source Of Power Generation, Sarup Dhungana

Honors Theses

There is a high demand of energy for generating civil applicable power in the world and in the USA, correspondingly. The world has been consuming various sources to extract the power to meet its demands. Most of the power sources include renewable and non-renewable sources like fossil fuels, natural gas, coal, water, solar, wind, and nuclear power. Although most of these sources have many advantages in terms of their capacity and cost of production, nuclear power can be categorized as the emerging driving force in the United States and in the world for power generation, because of its reliability and …

Optimization Of An Ethylbenzene To Styrene Production Facility, John Michels

Honors Theses

The purpose of this case study is to optimize the design and production of an ethylbenzene-to-styrene manufacturing facility, Unit 500. Compared to the original base-case design, the optimizations presented in this document will save approximately $337 million dollars without compromising the production requirements or quality. Optimization of this process used net present value as an objective function, with changes centered around the reactors, but also the separation equipment and exchangers prior to separation, as those devices most directly controlled process stream contents and conditions. The second set of reactors was removed in favor of using one optimized set of reactors, …

Optimization And Analysis Of A Styrene Production Process, Alexis Kimpel

Honors Theses

The production of styrene from ethylbenzene in Unit 500 is designed to start up in 2024 and operate for 12 years after startup. The engineering team was tasked with designing the process, creating an economic model, and optimizing the net present value (NPV). The process was simulated in AVEVA PRO/II Simulation for the design process and to estimate the size of equipment. Parametric and topological optimization was performed subsequently on the unit operations in the process. The NPV was improved by $423M from a base case of -$919M to an optimized case of -$496M. The project is recommended to continue …

Optimization Of Styrene From Ethylbenzene Case Study, Jabria Daria Thompson

Honors Theses

The following pages detail the optimization process of styrene from ethylbenzene in the Styrene Production Plant, Unit 500. There were two parts of the assignment, each with slightly different end goals. The goal of the first part of the assignment, was to create a process that would effectively and efficiently increase the negative Net Present Value (NPV) of the production plant. Procedures taken in this process included developing a working kinetic process simulation model and optimizing this model through unit operations and heat integration, as well as developing an accurate economic model that will be used to evaluate the proposed …

The Design And Economic Optimization Of A Warehouse Refrigeration System, Hannah Talbot

Honors Theses

The purpose of this project was to design a cool warehouse refrigeration system for Acme Frozen Foods, Inc located in Newark, New Jersey. The refrigeration system was used to cool eighteen 300,000 ft³ refrigerated units (200 ft x 100 ft x 15 ft), each requiring 200 cooling tons of refrigeration at a level of 0 F. The scope of this project included determining the appropriate refrigeration cycle, selecting the most desirable refrigerant, and temperature ranges to optimize the performance of the system. This project also considered the economic cost of the power needed to run the refrigerated units and …

Optimization Of A Styrene Prodcution And Separation Process, Bryce Little

Honors Theses

A step wise optimization of Unit 500 was completed. Unit 500 is a planned ethylbenzene to styrene production plant that has a annual production goal of 100,000 metric tons of styrene. The cost of styrene on the market is $1,598. The base case of Unit 500 produced styrene at a cost of $2,650. Optimization was completed with an emphasis on parametric changes though material of construction and heat integration were also considered. The optimized Unit 500 design reduced the cost of styrene production to $2,035 per metric ton. While this represents a significant improvement on the base case cost, it …

Optimization Of A Fluidized Bed Reactor For The Production Of Styrene From Ethylbenzene, Gregory Espenan

Honors Theses

In order to optimize Unit 500, a styrene production plant, the Net Present Value (NPV) was used as the objective function to ensure every optimization strategy had a positive economic effect. To optimize a chemical plant, it is important to note efficiency, economics, product specifications, and production requirements. The goal of this project was to make changes to the base case of Unit 500 to minimize the cost to produce styrene for an upstream unit. PRO/II was used to simulate various points in different unit operations throughout the process. The NPV was measured after each unit operation was simulated to …

Development Of Upconverting Films Containing Singlet Sink, Blake Mckay

Honors Theses

Upconversion is the conversion of light from a longer wavelength to a shorter wavelength. This technique has a wide range of applications in solar technology, bioimaging, drug delivery, and many other fields.¹ In this study, a three-part upconverting system was developed including a component termed singlet sink in order to increase upconversion efficiency. The components of this system included Palladium (II) Octaethylporphrin (PdOEP), pyrenebutanol, and 9-phenyl-10-(p-tolylethynyl)-anthracene (PTEA). A procedure was developed in order to create and process films containing these three materials dispersed in a poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) matrix. Upconversion was analyzed in both solution and the …

Investigating The Effect Of Polymer Hydrogels On The Antimicrobial Properties Of Activated Carbon Through The Utilization Of Bacterial, Viral, And Parasitic Microorganisms, Zoe Gunter

Honors Theses

Activated carbon (AC) has long been utilized in biomedical applications due to its innate antimicrobial characteristics. However, little is understood about the mechanism of action that allows AC to prohibit the propagation of different pathogen species. To further ascertain these characteristics and how they affect the propagation of pathogens, procedures were designed with bacterial, viral, and parasitic agents which were utilized in conjunction with varying concentrations of polymer hydrogels to examine the antimicrobial efficacy of AC. The studies performed for this thesis were conducted employing coconut-based AC and Noveon^® AA-1 Polycarbophil USP or Carbopol^® 974P NF hydrogels which, …

Layered Epoxide-Amine/Boron Nitride/Graphene Nanocomposites For Enhanced Multifunctional Shielding, Alyssa J. Necaise

Honors Theses

The development of high-power electromagnetic wave sources in the modern era has the ability to interfere with aircraft electronics and cause localized heating – necessitating advanced materials for electromagnetic interference (EMI) and thermal shielding. Multifunctional nanoparticles dispersed within polymer matrices can combat these issues; however, the best way to combine thermally and electrically conductive species to maximize electromagnetic interference shielding and thermal shielding is undetermined. Multifunctional layered epoxide/amine nanocomposites were prepared from tetra and octafunctional epoxide monomers (TGDDM and SU-8), 4,4-DDS tetrafunctional amine curative, and 1 wt.% hexagonal boron nitride nanoplatelets and/or 1 wt.% graphene nanoplatelets to form monolayer and …

Comparison Of Bio-Mass To Bio-Oil Reactor Systems: Direct Conversion Vs. Companion Coal Gasification, Luci Evans

Honors Theses

The purpose of this project was to define, design, and optimize the economic feasibility of the production of bio-oil from a direct conversion of biomass to bio-oil using fast pyrolysis and a secondary side reaction of the production of a syngas from coal gasification. In the end, a combined process of these two was created to show the new strengths and more efficient options to produce a desired product within a budget. The main objectives of this project were to research the economic feasibility of the biomass and bio-oil industry, obtain a market survey, design two process flow diagrams showing …

Investigation On The Effect Of Binders On The Performance Of Si-Based Anodes Of Lithium-Ion Batteries, Christopher Rohen

Honors Theses

For the production of lithium-ion batteries with the different binders, a few things must be considered. The process of production has several steps. First is the preparation of the slurry with the composition of 70/10/20, 70% active material, 10% carbon black and 20% selected binder. Then, the bar coating of the slurry into a copper sheet is required. After drying in the oven, the sample in the cooper sheet, a few holes on the sample are made and the half-cell assembly. Lastly, the cell is assembled and its subject of rigorous testing to determine performance and stability; A few of …

Sustainable Polylactic Acid Foam Development Through Solid-State Processing, Philip Onffroy

Honors Theses

Plastics play a vital role in global materials industries, but they contribute to environmental and ecological toxicity effects that accelerate climate change. One important category of plastic material is polymer foams, which have widespread applications in insulation, packaging, and storage. Current bio-based plastic foams that originate from natural, non-petroleum feedstocks are potential solutions but do not yet have adequate properties to supplant petrochemical-based plastic foams. This project aims to generate, test, and analyze bio-based polylactic acid (PLA) polymer foams developed through methods involving solid-state processing such as solid-state shear pulverization (SSSP) and cryogenic milling. SSSP has previously been shown to …

Economic Feasibility Of A Methanol To Dimethyl Ether Production Process To Avoid Contract Failure Shortfalls From The Covid-19 Pandemic, Jacob Noll, Robert Wasson, Harrison Mckinnis

Honors Theses

Our team entered the 2021 AVEVA Academic Competition, where teams of undergraduate senior chemical engineering students competed across the country. The competition was composed of two parts: the base case design and the optimization of a chemical process. As part of the competition, our team is acting as the Engineering team for a fictional company that has given us this project. Due to COVID-19, our methanol producing company has lost a contract with a customer, leaving 23,000 tonnes/yr of unclaimed methanol. We have two choices with this methanol: either sell the methanol on the market at the spot price for …

Ethylbenzene Production Case Study And Optimization, Brandon Borek

Honors Theses

The objective of this project was to investigate the process of producing ethylbenzene from the liquid-phase reaction of ethylene and benzene and perform parametric and topological optimizations to increase the net present value of the production facility. To do so, the base case conditions of the process were modeled and quantified economically followed by an investigation into the existing process to determine conditions that could be altered to improve the economic viability of the project. After optimizing the parametric conditions and topology of the process, the net present value of the project was increased by 305 million dollars to 191 …

Design And Analysis Of A Process To Convert Methanol Into Dimethyl Ether, Elisa M. White

Honors Theses

A recent economic downturn led to the loss of a contract for a company that sells methanol. The company has two options to recover some of the profit lost from the contract termination. One option is to sell the excess methanol at the spot market price, and the second option is to implement a process to convert the excess methanol into dimethyl ether. This project investigated the implementation of a process to convert the methanol from the lost contract into dimethyl ether. The process was simulated in AVEVA Process Simulation to estimate the size of equipment needed. A toller provided …

Aveva Competition 2021: Dimethyl Ether Production Process, Nicholas Gaouette

Honors Theses

The following study was conducted to assess the economic and process feasibility of a dimethyl ether (DME) production process. A portion of the methanol produced by an existing facility would be used to produce DME through a dehydration reaction. DME production is being considered as a means to compensate for lost methanol revenue, as methanol prices have recently decreased and an excess supply is present on the open market.

The first milestone in the study was the construction of a working process model within AVEVA Process Simulation. This steady-state process model would provide information essential to further design and optimization …

Design Of An Undergraduate Laboratory Experiment Utilizing A Stirred-Tank, Jacketed Bioreactor, Brennen Middleton

Honors Theses

Bioreactors are utilized in many industries, such as the food, alternative fuel, and pharmaceutical industries, to design and manufacture products. Unlike the similar chemical batch reactors utilized in many chemical processing facilities, bioreactor utilization requires engineers to consider a wider range of operating conditions and parameters. This results in a more complex reaction system and controls network. Due to this, it is imperative for chemical and biomedical engineering students to not only understand the theory surrounding these reactor systems, but also understand how to properly design and perform operating procedures with these systems. Thus, it was determined to create an …

Process Design And Optimization Of A Once-Through Dimethyl Ether Process Using Aveva Process Simulation, Jerrod Scott

Honors Theses

The primary purpose of the project on which I wrote this thesis was to design an optimize a once-through dimethyl ether process utilizing a software called AVEVA Process Simulation. The process was initially modeled and optimized to minimize the EAOC of the distillation column. The result of that effort was an optimized column with six stages with the feed entering the column at stage six. It had a height of 3 m, diameter of 0.44 m, and an EAOC of $65,100. This optimized solution was submitted to a Toller. The Toller provided available equipment to model the plant. From here, …

Design, Analysis, And Optimization Of A Process To Produce Dimethyl Ether From Methanol, Thomas Mathwig

Honors Theses

The company that the engineering team works for is facing a contract loss with one of its customers of methanol. To avoid economic losses, a process has been proposed for converting the unused methanol to dimethyl ether (DME) through a dehydration reaction. After a preliminary simulation of the base case and optimization of the distillation column, an Equivalent Annual Operating Cost (EAOC) of $140,000 was calculated for the column. The EAOC was the sum of the annualized capital investment and the annual operating cost. Determining the process to be worth pursuing, a Toller was brought in to provide rental equipment …

Design Of A Full-Scale Plant For Plastic Pyrolysis, Hannah Sargent

Honors Theses

With over thirty million tons of plastic accumulating in the United States every year, the need for an environmentally safe means of disposal is increasing. Only ten percent of this plastic is recycled while the majority is disposed of via landfill. With recent advances in pyrolysis research, a permanent solution is presented. By creating a pyrolysis plant, not only could billions of pounds of plastic be prevented from contributing to landfills, but also be converted to oil resulting in an environmentally beneficial and lucrative solution to plastic waste.

An Investigation Of The Airborne Particulate Matter Related Health Hazards Present In Makerspaces, Justin Keller

Honors Theses

Airborne particulate matter poses several health hazards ranging from pulmonary inflammation to cardiovascular disease. Particulate matter is produced through many fabrication processes common to makerspaces, such as 3D printing and laser cutting. The danger of these particles is worsened when makerspaces are retrofitted into spaces not designed with good ventilation or safety controls, such as libraries and public schools. This thesis evaluates the relationship between makerspaces and hazardous particle generation with both continuous and motion sensor controlled ventilation, showing that the latter creates unsafe working conditions. Both observational and controlled studies were conducted in Bucknell’s Mooney Lab makerspace monitoring particle …

Understanding The Behavior Of Ionic Liquids In Poly (Methyl Methacrylate) Through Molecular Dynamics, Alejandro Gallegos Tovar

Honors Theses

Ionogels are polymer networks swollen by ionic liquids (ILs). They are used for electrochemical devices (lithium-ion batteries, thin-film transistors, and fuel cells) and as permeation membranes for gas separation. The interactions and phase behaviors of an ionic liquid (IL) in a polymer are the most important factor when building ionogels. The molecular behavior between poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) and 1-butyl-3- methylimidazolium with four different anionic structures has been studied. The behavior between ILs and polymers is governed by a complex mix of factors such as polymer concentration, polymer and IL hydrophobicity, inter and intramolecular forces, and temperature. Molecular simulations of different …

Thermal And Thermophysical Properties Of Anionic Amines And Their Aqueous Solutions For Co2 Capture In Confined Environments, Randi Swanson

Honors Theses

Air revitalization for the International Space Station (ISS) has been identified by NASA as a mission critical need which requires improvement. The current method uses13X zeolite, a solid adsorbent, to adsorb carbon dioxide. While this is effective, the zeolite adsorbent produces dust that is unwelcome on the space station. Furthermore, the adsorbentis too sensitive to humidity in moderate temperature gas streams [1]. Aqueous solutions of ionic amines show promise as a safe and efficient solution, as they do not volatilize and are not water sensitive [2]. Specifically, anionic amines have the most potential because of the amine functional group’s ability …

Gq-Mediated Ca** Signals In Human Airway Smooth Muscle Cells, Hanna Viktoria Bobinger

Honors Theses

Current asthma therapies include corticosteroids, long acting β2-adrenergic receptor (β2-AR) agonists paired with corticosteroids, or short-acting β2-AR agonists used in rescue inhalers. Chronic use of β-agonists results in diminished effectiveness, and use of long-acting β-agonists can even exacerbate asthma symptoms; this is partly because anti-inflammatory therapy does not directly address the exaggerated airway narrowing due to excessive shortening of airway smooth muscle (ASM), which is the hallmark of asthma. These observations led our collaborators to investigate other potential asthma therapies – bitter taste agonists. 2 Bitter taste agonists, such as chloroquine, activate a subset of Gq-coupled receptors known as bitter …

Heavy Metals Found In Juul's Electronic Cigarettes, Joshua F. Gesselberty

Honors Theses

Electronic cigarettes better known as e-cigarettes have been consistently rising in popularity with new products entering the market daily. E-cigarettes function by vaporizing a liquid composed of propylene glycol, glycerin, benzoic acid, nicotine, and flavor additives with the use of a metallic heating element. This vapor produced is then inhaled by the user. The composition of this liquid is critical to discovering the possible health effects.

This study investigates the presence and concentrations of heavy metals in the e-liquid before and after vaping. An ICP-MS was used because of its ability to scan several metals rapidly and its high sensitivity. …

Assessing Solvent Viscosity Impact On The Physical Characteristics Of Polymeric Organogels, Cameron Hong

Honors Theses

Traditionally, studies of polymeric organogels focus on the impact of polymer factors (e.g., molecular weight and polymer concentration) on the gels’ mechanical and transport properties. Alternatively, this study seeks to assess the impact of altering solvent viscosity, while holding polymer factors constant. The gels in this study were composed of different viscosity mineral oils, styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene (SEBS) triblock copolymer as a gelator, and oleic acid (OA) as a model drug. Samples were formulated to have 6.5, 11.2, and 15.7 wt% SEBS copolymer for each mineral oil, varying in viscosity from ≈30 mPa*s to ≈500 mPa*s. Uniaxial mechanical testing was performed to …

Assessing The Impact Of Block-Selective Homopolymers On The Diffusion Of Payload Through Polymeric Organogels, Ian Coates

Honors Theses

Styrenic polymer gels have received recent attention for their application in transdermal patches due to their unique properties. Previous research in the pharmaceutical industry has identified that polymeric gels, specifically styrenic gels, have the potential to encompass multiple functions of the transdermal delivery patch including controlling mechanical and delivery properties. To tailor styrenic gels either the gel nanostructure or the drug complex can be controlled. Specifically, this thesis investigated the effect of gel nanostructure in an attempt to control the gel diffusivity and mechanical properties. To control gel nanostructure a phase selective styrene homopolymer was used at varying concentrations. It …