Chemical Engineering Commons^™

Techno-Economic Assessment And Life Cycle Analysis Of Electrocatalytic Reduction Of Co2 To Ethanol., Omotolani Elizabeth Oduyebo

LSU Master's Theses

This study presents a techno-economic analysis (TEA) and life cycle assessment (LCA) of the electrocatalytic reduction of CO₂ to ethanol, a multi-carbon (C₂) product with significant market value. Prior TEA studies have relied on simplified lump-sum separation cost estimates, and prior LCA studies have rarely examined the combined effect of CO₂ source and electricity supply on carbon intensity gaps that this work addresses through process-simulation-grounded analysis. An Aspen Plus process simulation was developed for an anion-exchange membrane (AEM) electrolyzer system coupled with an extractive distillation separation train using ethylene glycol as the entrainer, achieving 99.9 wt.% ethanol purity …

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 …

Anion Exchange Membrane Durability For Electrochemical Co2 Reduction In Membrane Electrode Assembly Cells, Soundarzo Tasnim

LSU Master's Theses

The electrochemical reduction of CO₂ using membrane electrode assembly (MEA) cells has emerged as a promising approach for carbon capture and conversion into valuable products. This study investigates the degradation mechanisms of anion exchange membranes (AEMs) in CO₂ reduction applications, focusing on Sustainion X37-50, PiperION, and FAA-3-50. The research analyzes the impact of chemical and mechanical degradation on membrane performance, highlighting key stability challenges in long-term operation. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) were employed to monitor functional group stability and ionic conductivity loss over extended operation. The results indicate that hydroxide-induced degradation leads to nucleophilic …

Statistical Investigation Of Gypsum Crystallization Kinetics, Azmain A. Akash

LSU Master's Theses

Gypsum, a naturally occurring mineral salt, is frequently encountered in industrial processes such as seawater desalination and power plant cooling. Over the years, significant effort has been devoted to controlling the crystallization of gypsum through various chemical approaches, including acidification, chelating agents, and antiscalant polymers. Nevertheless, the cost associated with chemical treatments may be reduced by incorporating physical operational strategies to complement chemical methods in regulating gypsum crystallization.

This study systematically examines the comparative roles of chemical and physical entropy in the gypsum crystallization process to elucidate their respective influences on gypsum growth kinetics. Chemical entropy is manipulated by adjusting …

Physics-Informed Heterogeneous Spatiotemporal Graph Neural Network For Reservoir Simulation, Ahmed A.M.A. Abdullah

LSU Master's Theses

Reservoir simulation is the state-of-the-art method for predicting the flow of petroleum reservoir fluids in porous media. It provides an accurate and unbiased prediction of the performance of petroleum reservoirs under different operating conditions. Despite its advantages, reservoir simulation is computationally expensive; with typical full-field simulation models running for several hours. This limitation is worsened when simulating reservoirs with several equations for each cell, such as multiphysics or compositional reservoir simulation. The goal of this research is to provide a fast and accurate spatiotemporal machine-learning model that incorporates discretized governing mass balance equations for training. To achieve this, we propose …

Copper-Based Electrocatalysts For Electrochemical Reduction Of Co2 To C2 Products, Monsuru Olatunji Dauda

LSU Master's Theses

The electrochemical reduction of CO₂ using copper-based electrocatalysts has emerged as a promising approach for sustainable chemical production, offering a pathway to mitigate the rising atmospheric CO₂ levels while generating valuable fuels and chemicals. However, the selectivity and efficiency of copper-based catalysts towards specific C₂ products remain a major challenge, hindering their commercial viability. This thesis focuses on the development, characterization, and mechanistic understanding of three promising electrocatalyst systems for multi-carbon product generation from CO₂ reduction: copper-phosphide (Cu-P), copper-tin (Cu-Sn), and copper selenide (Cu₂Se). A comprehensive investigation of the electrocatalysts was conducted using advanced …

Investigating The Role Of Fluid Shear Stress During Metastasis On Enhanced Breast Cancer Extravasation, Alejandra M. Ham

LSU Master's Theses

In 2022, ~288,000 American women were diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer which was the leading cause of patient mortality with ~43,000 American women succumbing to the disease. Women can be diagnosed with four different molecular subtypes of breast cancer: luminal A, luminal B, human epithelial growth receptor type 2 enriched (HER2+), and triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). TNBC accounts for ~12% of all breast cancers, yet it has the worst outcomes. TNBC is highly invasive, with ~46% of TNBC patients developing metastatic disease. A further understanding of metastatic TNBC is needed to provide a greater understanding of how to treat this …

Investigation Of Gas Dynamics In Water And Oil-Based Muds Using Das, Dts, And Dss Measurements, Temitayo S. Adeyemi

LSU Master's Theses

Reliable prediction of gas migration velocity, void fraction, and length of gas-affected region in water and oil-based muds is essential for effective planning, control, and optimization of drilling operations. However, there is a gap in our understanding of gas behavior and dynamics in water and oil-based muds. This is a consequence of the use of experimental systems that are not representative of field-scale conditions. This study seeks to bridge the gap via the well-scale deployment of distributed fiber-optic sensors for real-time monitoring of gas behavior and dynamics in water and oil-based mud. The aforementioned parameters were estimated in real-time using …

Carbonate Precipitation Behavior In Co2 Mea Electrolyzers With Cu Electrocatalyst, John C. Hendershot

LSU Master's Theses

Annually, over 35 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide (CO₂) are emitted into Earth’s atmosphere. The accumulated CO₂ emissions in the atmosphere over the last century drive climate change. CO₂ electroreduction (CO₂ER) is an emerging technology that aims to recycle carbon emissions from the industrial sector by using CO₂, H₂O, and electricity as a feedstock to produce ethylene (C₂H₄) at current densities as high as 1 A cm^-2 and Faradaic efficiencies (FE) of 60%. However, CO₂ electrolyzers currently demonstrate poor durability at industrially relevant …

Improved Selectivity And Stability In Methane Dry Reforming By Atomic Layer Deposition Onto Ni-Ceo2-Zro2/Al2o3 Catalysts, Jonathan Lucas

LSU Master's Theses

The use of Ni in the dry reforming of methane (DRM) has been widely studied as a replacement for noble metal catalysts (Pt, Pd, Rh) due to Ni’s low cost compared to noble metals, its abundance, and the fact that its DRM activity is near that of noble metal catalysts. However, Ni has been shown to deactivate quickly under DRM conditions. Rare earth oxides such as CeO₂, or as CeO₂-ZrO₂ (CZO) are supports that improve both the activity and stability of Ni DRM systems due to their redox activity. However, this same activity is thought …

A Data-Driven Multivariate Process Monitoring Platform For Knowledge Discovery And Model Building In Industrial Applications, Estelle E. Seghers

LSU Master's Theses

In industrial chemical manufacturing processes, the amount of raw data generated can add complexity in the analysis and understanding of the process dynamics. Being able to properly interpret this data can help improve plant operation, especially regarding safety and profitability. This research has culminated in FastMan-JMP, a platform proposed for monitoring of industrial processes and optimization of the offline data-driven model-building process as part of the process monitoring workflow. FastMan-JMP is a tool developed in Python to apply various data mining and machine learning techniques quickly and easily to better understand valuable patterns and hidden trends in process data. One …

Programming The Properties Of Branched Polymers Through Precision Architectures, Michael R. Dearman

LSU Master's Theses

The glass transition of branched polymers is determined by multiple structural parameters that dictate their inter- and intramolecular interactions, and ultimately, their molecular packing in the amorphous phase. Here we examined the impact of side chain length, backbone length, molecular weight composition, and topology on the glass transition behavior of bottlebrush polymers. Through examining precision bottlebrush polymer libraries (PBP, ĐSC = 1.0), we find the infinite molecular weight Tg is reached at a specific brush length after which the effect of the side-chain length dominates. Being a factor more dominant than the backbone, side-chain length affects the Tg of bottlebrush …

Phase Transitions And Photoluminescent Properties Of Anion-Engineered Y2o3, Maharram Jabrayilov

LSU Master's Theses

Rare earth doped metal oxides are widely employed as phosphor materials for white light LEDs (w-LEDs). The aim of this work is to engineer anionic sites of metal oxides, specifically, Y₂O₃, to investigate structural and luminescent properties relationships and energy transfer mechanisms between rare earth sensitizer and activator ions in different hosts.

A low temperature two-step hydrothermal/combustion method was employed to incorporate sulfate ions into Y₂O₃. Furthermore, annealing at 600 °C under H₂/N₂ was employed to convert Y₂O₂SO₄ to Y₂O₂S. …

Electric Field Driven Co-Assembly And Transport Of Colloids Using Active-Passive Interaction, Brishty Deb Choudhury

LSU Master's Theses

Over the past few decades, the out-of-equilibrium transport and assembly of colloidal particles have been drawing significant interest due to their myriad applications in biology, engineering, and physics. In the absence of any external force, micro and nanoparticles perform Brownian motion in dispersion and are termed as passive colloids. In contrast, active colloids are a class of particles where a net imbalance of fluid flow around their surface drives their net migration in space when subjected to an external electric field. While several studies have shown the ability to program the dynamics of active colloids using an external electric field, …

Scale Up Of A Novel Method To Maximize Malonyl-Coa In Escherichia Coli, Clifford Harris Leblanc Iv

LSU Master's Theses

The instability of oil’s price along with its limited availability and impact on the environment motivate the search for an alternative feedstock that can sustain the profitability of chemical companies. Industrial biotechnology can promote renewable sources of energy and products by using microorganisms to produce a wide range of chemical compounds. The three-carbon metabolite, malonyl-CoA, can serve as a precursor to a variety of industrial chemicals. The major hurdle with using malonyl-CoA in industry is that its intracellular concentration in Escherichia Coli is very low. Previous attempts to increase the intracellular level of malonyl-CoA have ranged from genetic engineering of …

Model-Guided Design Of Rna-Based Synthetic Circuits For The Dynamic Regulation Of Gene Expression, Jordan R. Ryan

LSU Master's Theses

A longstanding goal in synthetic biology has been to build synthetic gene circuits with the ability to harness nature’s capability of precise gene expression regulation. Advancements in RNA technology have established RNA-based regulators with distinct advantages over traditional protein-based regulators such as faster signal propagation, versatile programmability, and low cellular burden, which has created an interest in the field to construct innovative synthetic gene circuits using de novo RNA- based regulators. However, our understanding of the behavior and kinetics of RNA-RNA interactions for the construction of gene circuits is incomplete. This thesis proposes a model-guided design framework that integrates mechanistic …

Heteroaggregation Of Lignin-Zein Nanoparticles: Effects Of Relative Size And Concentration, Yada Chulakham

LSU Master's Theses

Nanotechnology has become an advanced tool for manufacturing materials of the future. As the size of a material is reduced to a nanoscale, its surface area to volume ratio increases drastically, and its surface property becomes size dependent. This allows scientists to make use of unique properties that nanomaterials have to offer to create novel materials that otherwise could not have been achieved in meter-scale materials. As more industrial companies have planned to incorporate different types of nanomaterials into their products, it is undeniable that some of these nanomaterials will be released to the environment. Such possibility has led to …

Application Of Gravity Data For Hydrocarbon Exploration Using Machine Learning Assisted Workflow, Oluwafemi Temidayo Alaofin

LSU Master's Theses

Gravity survey has played an essential role in many geoscience fields ever since it was conducted, especially as an early screening tool for subsurface hydrocarbon exploration. With continued improvement in data processing techniques and gravity survey accuracy, in-depth gravity anomaly studies, such as characterization of Bouguer and isostatic residual anomalies, have the potential to delineate prolific regional structures and hydrocarbon basins. In this study, we focus on developing a cost-effective, quick, and computationally efficient screening tool for hydrocarbon exploration using gravity data employing machine learning techniques. Since land-based gravity surveys are often expensive and difficult to obtain in remote places, …

Cfd Simulations Of Macroscopic And Microscopic Multiphase Fluid Flow And Droplet Interaction, Aaron Harrington

LSU Master's Theses

Multiphase flow is a complex phenomenon which can be modeled on numerous different length scales, both macroscopically and microscopically. The use of a Euler-Euler model for Computation Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations of subcooled boiling phenomena is discussed in detail. The CFD conditions have been set up to mimic previous experimental conditions. A cylindrical vessel with subcooled liquid flow is heated along part of the axial wall of the vessel. A constant heat flux is applied to produce subcooled boiling. We discuss the development of the phase change within the vessel as well as the temperature profile, and validate the results …

Degumming Of Hemp Fibers Using Combined Microwave Energy And Deep Eutectic Solvent, Bulbul Ahmed

LSU Master's Theses

Hemp is considered as one of the sustainable agricultural fiber materials. Degumming or surface modification of hemp bast is needed to produce single fibers for ensuing textile and industrial applications. The traditional degumming process necessitates a high amount of alkali, which causes detrimental environmental pollution. This study offers a new method to degum hemp fibers with reduced use of harmful alkali and precious water resources. In this work, hemp bast fibers were degummed by using combined microwave energy and deep eutectic solvent (DES). The properties of hemp fibers manufactured by this method were investigated and compared with the traditional alkali …

Gas Evolution Phenomenon Of Methane In Base Fluids Of Non-Aqueous Drilling Muds Under Controlled Depressurization, Damilola Ojedeji

LSU Master's Theses

As wells become more complex and drilling conditions to reach targets prove even more challenging, being able to detect influx event early and safely handle these influxes has become one of the most important focus areas for improvement in well control safety. The high solubility of formation gas in non-aqueous drilling fluids however makes kick detection and safe handling of kicks more complicated. Recent studies are beginning to incorporate desorption kinetics in well control models to simulate the transient multiphase flow phenomenon associated with gas kicks in non-aqueous drilling fluids to foster safe handling of kicks. However, there is currently …

Enhanced Oil Recovery In Tight Rocks Using The “Slot-Drill” Completion, Hassan Amer

LSU Master's Theses

Enhanced oil recovery (EOR) is essential in shale/tight formations because primary recovery typically produces less than 10% of the original hydrocarbon in-place (OHIP). This work presents a novel “slot-drill” EOR technology, which involves injecting gas through a horizontal fracture that is cut into the formation near the top of the reservoir (using a tensioned abrasive cutting cable mounted to the drillstring) and producing oil from a second slot-drilled horizontal fracture near the bottom of the reservoir.

The dusty-gas diffusion model was implemented in a compositional simulator to account for the diffusion mechanism expected during the injection of gases in this …

Blowout - Capping - Fracturing - Relief Well, A Full Cycle Workflow, Youssuf A. Elnoamany

LSU Master's Theses

Broaching is defined as the uncontrolled release of hydrocarbons to ocean seafloor after a loss of subsurface well control event. Failed attempts to cap the offshore wells undergoing worst case discharge may lead to hydraulic fracture initiation and subsequent propagation, leading to renewed release of hydrocarbon to the seafloor. During the capping stack shut-in process, pressure build-up will occur along the wellbore, exposing locations of possible fracture initiation to overpressurized fluid, such as directly below the casing shoe, and critical points along the well casing. Shall there be enough build-up pressure to exceed the minimum horizontal stress in an exposed …

Emulsion Templating Application For Synthesis Of A Porous Zein Biocompatible Oil Adsorbent, Nathan Holley

LSU Master's Theses

The recovery of spilled oil from water sources using hydrophobic porous absorbent has gained significant interest due to the ease of implementation, large-scale adaptability, and robust nature of the technique. However, the lack of biodegradability of these synthetic adsorbents has caused concern of further contaminating the environment from the generation of microplastic waste that is known to persist and accumulate in the marine food chain and other ecosystems. To mitigate this potential hazard, a new biocompatible alternative is needed to replace the non-degradable synthetic materials currently used. This thesis presents ZEin-based Low Density porous Absorbent (ZELDA), synthesized using a particle …

Modulating Mechanical Properties Of Polymer Composites Via Colloidal Particle Reinforcement, Yusheng Guo

LSU Master's Theses

Additive manufacturing allows the rapid process of complex objects with excellent design flexibility. However, the products often exhibit poor mechanical properties when pure polymer is applied as printable material. In this work, we demonstrate that printability of polymer can be dramatically improved when particle filler is added to form reinforced polymer composites. Furthermore, the interaction between filler and polymer matrix leads to the enhancement in mechanical properties of the printed product. The material reinforcement induced by addition of fillers enables the wide application of polymer composites to print structures with unique features. In the printing of silica-reinforced pNIPAM composite, we …

Engineering Dopant Position In Structure-Controlled Ceo2-Zro2 Catalysts, Behnam Safavinia

LSU Master's Theses

CeO₂-ZrO₂ (CZO) nanoparticles (NPs) have application in many catalytic reactions, such as methane reformation, due to their oxygen cycling ability. Ni doping has been shown to improve the catalytic activity and acts as an active site for the decomposition of methane. In this work, Ni:CZO NPs were synthesized via a two-step co-precipitation/molten salt synthesis to compare Ni distribution, oxygen vacancy concentration, and catalytic activity relative to a reference state-of-the-art catalyst. To better understand the effects of Ni position and dispersion, and oxygen vacancy formation in these materials, the Ni concentration, reaction time, and deposition methods were varied. …

Investigation Of Tracer-Surfactant-Foam Processes In Shallow Subsurface Environmental Remediation: History-Matching And Performance Prediction, Hazem Fleifel

LSU Master's Theses

In-situ subsurface remediation has been widely used as an efficient means of cleaning up non-aqueous phase liquid (NAPL) from contaminated soils and aquifer. The use of tracer, surfactant, and foam are often considered to keep track of the propagation of injected fluids in the medium, dissolve and mobilize contaminants trapped by capillary forces, and overcome the level of heterogeneity and improve displacement and sweep efficiencies.

This study shows an actual remediation process to reduce NAPL within a military base in South Korea, by injecting tracer and surfactant solutions together for a duration of 10 days. The site consists of 5 …

The Desorption Kinetics Of Methane From Nonaqueous Fluids For Enhanced Well Control, James Lee Nielsen Jr.

LSU Master's Theses

The mass transfer of a dissolved gas evolving to return to the gaseous phase from a liquid is governed by many parameters. This process affects the development of an oil and gas well due to the possibility of gas contamination occurring from either an influx entering the wellbore, or drilling through gas-bearing formations. Once this dissolved hydrocarbon gas circulates up the wellbore, it will begin to evolve from solution and poses a potential risk to drilling equipment, the environment, and personnel at a drilling rig. Being able to predict the behavior of gas desorption based on a known set of …

Breaking Coastal Hypoxia: Destratification Of Gulf Of Mexico Deadzone To Encourage Oxygen Transport Downwards To Maintain Marine Fauna, Veda Thipparthi

LSU Master's Theses

As a consequence of seasonal eutrophication and human input, a vast hypoxic area termed The Dead Zone develops every year in the Gulf of Mexico (GOM) during summer along the Louisiana coastline characterized by vertical seawater density-stratification with oxygen concentrations less than 2 mg.l^-1 at the seafloor. It poses a threat to bottom-dwelling faunae and their environment which has negative ecological and economic consequences. This project aims to mitigate hypoxia by employing mechanical impellers placed at strategic water depths and locations in the Gulf. Enhanced transport of oxygen results by mixing oxygen-enriched seawater at the surface, downward into the …

Field Drilling Data Cleaning And Preparation For Data Analytics Applications, Daniel Cardoso Braga

LSU Master's Theses

Throughout the history of oil well drilling, service providers have been continuously striving to improve performance and reduce total drilling costs to operating companies. Despite constant improvement in tools, products, and processes, data science has not played a large part in oil well drilling. With the implementation of data science in the energy sector, companies have come to see significant value in efficiently processing the massive amounts of data produced by the multitude of internet of thing (IOT) sensors at the rig. The scope of this project is to combine academia and industry experience to analyze data from 13 different …