Chemical Engineering Commons^™

Analyses Of The Mec1 Dna Damage Pathway In Saccharomyces Cerevisiae, William Barrett Ainsworth

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Eukaryotic organisms implement conserved surveillance machinery to sense and respond to DNA damage. Fundamental to the repair process is coordinated regulation of repair genes and initiation of cell cycle arrest protocols. Failure to preserve these checkpoints results in accumulation of mutated DNA and aberrant cell phenotypes that are characteristic of human disease. The yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, utilizes the MEC1 checkpoint pathway to regulate the DNA damage response. This study addressed two overarching themes of transcriptional and post-translational regulation within the MEC1 pathway. We first applied our understanding of the MEC1 DNA damage transcriptional response to develop advanced luciferase whole cell …

Catalysts For The Positional Isomerization Of Internal, Long-Chain Olefins, James Edward Bruno

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Double-bond isomerization of internal C16-C18 olefins is a necessary step in the production of paper sizing agents. In this work, the properties that enable long-lasting solid acid catalysts (both commercial and lab-synthesized) were identified, the efficacy of regenerated solid acid catalysts was tested, and the feasibility of organometallic chain-walking catalysts (both homogeneous and polymer-supported) for olefin isomerization was evaluated. Hexadecene isomerization was investigated using perfluorinated ion exchange resins (Nafion®) supported on SiO2 or Al2O3, sulfonated poly(styrene-co-divinylbenzene) resins (PS-DVBs), tungstated zirconias, and acidic zeolites. Selected catalysts underwent lifetime studies. Oversulfonated PS-DVBs (e.g., Amberlyst 35) were reasonably selective with long lifetimes, only …

Molecular Dynamics Simulation Of The Structure, Dynamics And Crystallization Of Ionic Liquids Under Confinement And Low Temperature, Xiaoxia He

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Ionic liquids (ILs) have sparked widespread interest due to their peculiar properties and the resulting possibility of manifold applications. In this dissertation, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations have been used to elucidate the dynamics, structure and crystallization of ionic liquids in the bulk and confinement. First we studied the properties of the ILs [dmim+][Cl-] and [emim+][NTf2-] when they are confined inside nanomaterials such as CMK-3, CMK-5 and an isolated amorphous carbon nanopipe (ACNP). The results indicate that the ions of the ILs form different layers inside these nanomaterials and their dynamics are slower due to the confinement. We also found significant …

Electrochemical Study Of Ammonium Interaction With Au,Sn And Cu Electrodes In Nonaqueous Electrolytes, Guoying Qu

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Nonaqueous electrolytes play an important role in electrochemical devices such as flip chip and lithium-air batteries. In this work, we examine ammonium-Cu, Sn and Li interactions in nonaqueous electrolytes to optimize the future flip chip flux and electrolyte additive of lithium-air battery. The activity of halogen-free carboxylic acid flux is considered one of the most important aspects in controlling flip chip joint quality recently. CuOx removal effectiveness of carboxylic acid solutions at Cu substrates using electrochemical methods at elevated temperatures from 100ºC to 180ºC is studied thoroughly by chronopotentiometry and gravimetric analysis. Carboxylic acid-based solutions with ethanolamine show oxide removal …

A Comprehensive Optimization Framework For Designing Sustainable Renewable Energy Production Systems, Aryan Geraili Nejadfomeshi

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

As the world has recognized the importance of diversifying its energy resource portfolio away from fossil resources and more towards renewable resources such as biomass, there arises a need for developing strategies which can design renewable sustainable value chains that can be scaled up efficiently and provide tangible net environmental benefits from energy utilization. The objective of this research is to develop and implement a novel decision-making framework for the optimal design of renewable energy systems. The proposed optimization framework is based on a distributed, systematic approach which is composed of different layers including systems-based strategic optimization, detailed mechanistic modeling …

A Fast Approach For Preparation Of Adsorbent From Reed Black Liquor And Its Performance In Equilibrium And Kinetic Gas Separation, G. Yang, Yong Sun, C. Wen, J. Zhang

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

A new approach using reed pulping black liquor by hydrothermal reaction followed by fast carbonization at 350 °C in fluidized bed reactor for 5 minutes was proposed in this paper. The BET specific surface area generated at optimum conditions reached 390 m2 g–1. The CO2 selectivity over CH4 and N2 comparable to commercial activated carbons was obtained. The isosteric enthalpies of adsorption for CO2, CH4 and N2 on the resultant carbon sample prepared at optimum conditions show surface heterogeneity. The kinetic results indicate its potential for separation of carbon dioxide from carbon dioxide/methane mixture.

Energy Intensity And Environmental Impact Metrics Of The Back-End Separation Of Ethylene Plant By Thermodynamic Analysis, Mahdi H. Alhajji, Yaşar Demirel

Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering: Faculty Publications

This study presents metrics of energy intensity and environmental impact of the back-end separation of ethylene plant consisting three interacting distillation columns by thermodynamic analysis. The objective is to explore the scope of reducing the energy for utilities and CO₂ emissions. Thermodynamic analysis is carried out using the column targeting tool (CTT) to address the sustainability metrics of ‘Energy Intensity.’ CTT is based on the ‘Practical Near-Minimum Thermodynamic Condition’ representing a close to practical reversible column operation. Environmental impact metrics are estimated from the carbon tracking options. The carbon tracking are estimated by the CO₂ emission data source …

Chemical Storage Of Wind Energy By Renewable Methanol Production: Feasibility Analysis Using A Multi-Criteria Decision Matrix, Michael J. Matzen, Mahdi H. Alhajji, Yaşar Demirel

Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering: Faculty Publications

This study is for the technoeconomic analysis of an integral facility consisting of wind energy-based electrolytic hydrogen production, bioethanol-based carbon dioxide capture and compression, and direct methanol synthesis. ASPEN Plus was used to simulate the facility producing 97.01 mt (metric tons) methanol/day using 138.37 mt CO₂/day and 18.56 mt H₂/day. A discounted cash flow diagram for the integral facility is used for the economic analysis at various hydrogen production costs and methanol selling prices. The feasibility analysis is based on a multi-criteria decision matrix consisting of economic and sustainability indicators comparing renewable and non-renewable methanol productions. …

Process Design, Dynamics, And Techno-Economic Analysis Of A Sustainable Coal, Wind, And Small Modular Nuclear Reactor Hybrid Energy System, Kyle Lee Buchheit

Doctoral Dissertations

"The availability of cheap electricity is one of the biggest factors for improving quality of life. With the debate on the effects of carbon dioxide emissions continuing, several countries have either implemented or are considering the reduction of emissions through various economic means. The inclusion of a monetary penalty on carbon emissions would increase the prices of electricity produced by carbon-based sources. The push for large-scale renewable sources of energy has met problems with regards to energy storage and availability. The proposed coal, wind, and nuclear hybrid energy system would combine a renewable energy source, wind, with traditional and stable …

Cell Infiltration Into A 3d Electrospun Fiber And Hydrogel Hybrid Scaffold Implanted In The Brain, Christopher J. Rivet, Kun Zhou, Ryan J. Gilbert, David I. Finkelstein, John S. Forsythe

Chemical and Biochemical Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Tissue engineering scaffolds are often designed without appropriate consideration for the translational potential of the material. Solid scaffolds implanted into central nervous system (CNS) tissue to promote regeneration may require tissue resection to accommodate implantation. Or alternatively, the solid scaffold may be cut or shaped to better fit an irregular injury geometry, but some features of the augmented scaffold may fail to integrate with surrounding tissue reducing regeneration potential. To create a biomaterial able to completely fill the irregular geometry of CNS injury and yet still provide sufficient cell migratory cues, an injectable, hybrid scaffold was created to present the …

Particle Gel Propagation And Blocking Behavior Through High Permeability Streaks And Fractures, Abdulmohsin Imqam

Doctoral Dissertations

Water channeling, one of the primary reservoir conformance problems, is caused by reservoir heterogeneities that lead to the development of high-permeability streaks and fractures. These streaks and fractures prevent large amounts of oil from being recovered. The ultimate objective of this research was to provide comprehensive insight into designing better particle gel treatments intended for use in large openings, including open fractures, high permeability streaks, and conduits to increase oil recovery and reduce water production.

An intensive laboratory study was conducted to better understand the injection and placement mechanisms of millimeter and micron size preformed particle gels (PPGs) through thief …

Investigation Of Lost Circulation Materials Impact On Fracture Gradient, Mortadha Turki Alsaba

Doctoral Dissertations

"Lost circulation is a challenging problem to be prevented or mitigated during drilling. Lost circulation treatments are widely applied to mitigate losses using a corrective approach or to prevent losses using preventive approaches, also known as "wellbore strengthening". The disagreement among the different wellbore strengthening theories and the lack of understanding the strengthening mechanism resulted in the absence of a standardized method to evaluate the effectiveness of lost circulation materials (LCM) for wellbore strengthening application.

An extensive experimental investigation was performed by constructing a high pressure LCM test apparatus to investigate the effects of different parameters on the sealing efficiency …

Advances In Direct Formic Acid Fuel Cells: Fabrication Of Efficient Ir/Pd Nanocatalysts For Formic Acid Electro-Oxidation, Islam M. Al-Akraa, Ahmad M. Mohammad, Mohamed S. El-Deab Prof, Bahgat E. El-Anadouli Prof

Chemical Engineering

No abstract provided.

Thermo-Catalytic Methane Decomposition: A Review Of State Of The Art Of Catalysts, Ahmed A. Ibrahim, Ahmed S. Al-Fatesh, Wasim Ullah Khan, Moustafa A. Soliman, Raja L. Al-Otaibi, Anis H. Fakeeha

Chemical Engineering

The catalytic methane decomposition to produce carbon oxides–free hydrogen and carbon nanomaterial is a promising method feasible for larger production at a moderate cheap price. The produced hydrogen is refined and can be employed straight in fuel cell and in petrochemical industries to produce ammonia and methanol. Auto-thermal reforming of natural gas, partial oxidation, steam reforming are the conventional techniques for hydrogen production in industry, though these processes incur excessive costs for the purification of hydrogen from producing carbon oxides. Current research work on thermo-catalytic methane decomposition has concentrated on promoting the catalytic activity and stability for simultaneous production of …

On The Catalytic Activity Of Palladium Nanoparticles-Based Anodes Towards Formic Acid Electro-Oxidation: Effect Of Electrodeposition Potential, Islam M. Al-Akraa Dr., Ahmad M. Mohammad Prof, Mohamed S. El-Deab Prof, Bahgat E. El-Anadouli Prof

Chemical Engineering

In this investigation, the catalytic activity of palladium nanoparticles (PdNPs)-modified glassy carbon (GC) (simply noted as PdNPs/GC) electrodes towards the formic acid electro-oxidation (FAO) was investigated. The deposition of PdNPs on the GC substrate was carried out by a potentiostatic technique at different potentials and the corresponding influence on the particles size and crystal structure of PdNPs as well as the catalytic activity towards FAO was studied. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) demonstrated the deposition of PdNPs in spherical shapes and the average particle size of PdNPs deposited at a potential of 0 V vs. Ag/AgCl/KCl(sat.) was the smallest (ca. 8 …

Influence Of Support Type And Metal Loading In Methane Decomposition Over Iron Catalyst For Hydrogen Production, Ahmed A. Ibrahim, Ahmed S. Al-Fatesh, Wasim Ullah Khan, Moustafa A. Soliman, Raja L. Al-Otaibi, Anis H. Fakeeha

Chemical Engineering

Natural gas resources, stimulate the method of catalytic methane decomposition. Hydrogen is a superb energy carrier and integral component of the present energy systems, while carbon nanotubes exhibit remarkable chemical and physical properties. The reaction was run at 700 °C in a fixed bed reactor. Catalyst calcination and reduction were done at 500 °C. MgO, TiO2 and Al2O3 supported catalysts were prepared using a co-precipitation method. Catalysts of different iron loadings were characterized with BET, TGA, XRD, H2-TPR and TEM. The catalyst characterization revealed the formation of multi-walled nanotubes. Alternatively, time on stream tests of supported catalyst at 700 °C …

Modeling Of Nitrogen Separation From Natural Gas Through Nanoporous Carbon Membranes, Moustafa A. Soliman, A A. Al-Rabiah, Abdelhamid M. Ajbar, F A. Almalki, Omar Y. Abdelaziz

Chemical Engineering

This work presents a theoretical investigation of the use of nanoporous carbon membranes for the separation of nitrogen from natural gas. A mathematical model to predict the performance of the membrane is developed. The model is a combination of the well known dusty gas model, which describes the transfer of multi-components mixture in porous media, together with a surface diffusion model. The model is first validated using the literature results for the separation of hydrogen from hydrocarbons mixture. The model is then applied to the nitrogen-hydrocarbons system. The membrane performance is evaluated in terms of nitrogen recovery, methane loss, nitrogen …

Approximate Analytical Solution For The Isothermal Lane-Emden Equation In A Spherical Geometry, Moustafa A. Soliman, Yousef S. Al-Zeghayer

Chemical Engineering

This paper obtains an approximate analytical solution for the isothermal Lane-Emden equation that models a self-gravitating isothermal sphere. The approximate solution is obtained by perturbation methods in terms of small and large distance parameters. The approximate solution is compared with the numerical solution. The approximate solution obtained is valid for all values of the distance parameter.

Fe Supported Alumina Catalyst For Methane Decomposition: Effect Of Co Coupling, Anis H. Fakeeha, Ahmed A. Ibrahim, Ahmed S. Al-Fatesh, Wasim Ullah Khan, Yahya A. Mohammed, Ahmed E. Abasaeed, Moustafa A. Soliman, Raja L. Al-Otaibi

Chemical Engineering

In recent years hydrogen production received enormous attention, since it is an environmentally friendly, energy source. The aim of this research was to examine the hydrogen production with the help of methane’s catalytic decomposition. 30% Fe coupled with different % of Co over alumina support, were examined by catalytic decomposition of methane for the production of hydrogen. The catalysts were prepared by impregnation method. The catalytic activity results revealed that the catalysts, coupled 15%Co gave the highest conversion of 72.5% as depicted by the three hour time on stream profile. The fresh and spent catalysts were characterized using different techniques …

Evaluation Of Millimeter-Sized Preformed Particle Gel For Conformance Control Treatments Using Simple Models, Ali Abdulmohsen Al Brahim

Masters Theses

Millimeter-sized preformed particle gels (PPGs) have been successfully used to tackle the high-permeable zones, fractures and channels in mature oilfields for conformance control improvement. PPGs can significantly reduce the permeability of abnormal fractures and divert injected water to the low permeable zones where hydrocarbon was not swept by previous water flooding. Due to the irregularity of PPGs in shapes after swollen, their strength cannot be easily measured using the conventional methods. Therefore, the open hole screen plate models with various hole diameters and density were designed to establish a simple technique that can be used to measure the strength of …

Effect Of Polymer On Disproportionate Permeability Reduction To Gas And Water For Fractured Shales, Lingbo Liu

Masters Theses

"Large volumes of fracturing fluid are required in shale slickwater fracs, and a considerable amount of polymer friction reducer would remain in microfractures if the polymer has not been broken before gas production. It is of major interest to evaluate the effect of polymer on water/gas flow behavior in the microfractures of shale reservoirs. We fabricated six shale fracture models with different fracture widths and set up a core flooding apparatus to conduct brine/gas-injection experiments before and after polymer treatment. A method by which to calculate the residual resistance factor for gas (F_rr,gas) was defined. The experimental results …

Mechanistic Models On Enzymatic Hydrolysis And Anaerobic Digestion, Yang Zhang

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

For enzymatic hydrolysis, a mechanistic model on enzymatic hydrolysis of pure cellulosic substrates was improved to consider oligomer reactions with beta-glucanases, inhibition of oligomers to cellulases and enzyme decay. Then a novel and general modeling framework was developed for enzymatic hydrolysis of hemicellulose-cellulosic substrates. This mechanistic model, for the first time, took into consideration explicitly the time evolution of morphologies of intertwining cellulose and hemicelluloses. This novel mechanistic model was applied to optimize the composition of enzyme mixtures for substrate conversion and monosaccharides yield during simultaneous enzymatic hydrolysis of different lignocellulosic substrates. For anaerobic digestion, the original "Anaerobic Digestion Model …

Flow Mechanisms And Numerical Simulation Of Gas Production From Shale Reservoirs, Chaohua Guo

Doctoral Dissertations

"Shale gas is one kind of the unconventional resources which is becoming an ever increasing component to secure the natural gas supply in U.S. Different from conventional hydrocarbon formations, shale gas reservoirs (SGRs) present numerous challenges to modeling and understanding due to complex pore structure, ultra-low permeability, and multiple transport mechanisms.

In this study, the deviation against conventional gas flow have been detected in the lab experiments for gas flow through nano membranes. Based on the experimental results, a new apparent permeability expression is proposed with considering viscous flow, Knudsen diffusion, and slip flow. The gas flow mechanisms of gas …

Investigating New Accident Causation, Risk Assessment, And Mitigation Strategy Selection Tools In The Petroleum Industry, Mohammad A. Alkazimi

Doctoral Dissertations

"The inherent complexity of the processes and the volatile nature of petroleum products compel the petroleum industry to continually seek and develop tools and techniques to identify, evaluate, and mitigate potential risks that can negatively impact their process operations. Additionally, government agencies and nonprofit professional societies guide the petroleum industry with regulatory guidelines, standards, and recommended best practices. The industry and these agencies and societies work to improve operational management, to ensure safe working conditions, and to minimize risk of all kinds, so that if failures occur, damage is contained within tolerable limits (Health and Safety Executives, 2013).

The currently …

Analysis Of Production And Pressure Data To Characterize The Performance Of Oil And Gas Reservoirs, Abuagila Ramadan Elgmati

Doctoral Dissertations

"Production data analysis is an important tool for estimating important reservoir parameters. In particular, determining the average reservoir pressure (p_av) and tracking its change with time is critical to analyzing and optimizing reservoir performance. The traditional method for determining p_av involves pressure buildup tests. A direct method for estimating (p_av) from flowing pressures and rate data is available. However, the method is for an idealized case that assumes constant production rate during pseudo steady-state (PSS) flow, which is not generally true for real wells. This research extends that approach so that it can …

The Application And Accuracy Of Structure From Motion Computer Vision Models With Full-Scale Geotechnical Field Tests, L. Palmer, Kevin W. Franke, R. Abraham Martin, B. E. Sines, Kyle M. Rollins, John Hedengren

Faculty Publications

Structure from motion (SfM) computer vision is a relatively new technology that allows engineers to reconstruct a three-dimensional (3D) model of a given scene using twodimensional digital photographs captured from a single, moving camera. SfM computer vision provides an economic and user-friendly alternative to other 3D scene-capture and modeling tools such as light distance and ranging (LiDAR). Although the resolution and accuracy of laser-based modeling methods are generally superior to vision-based modeling methods, the economic advantages associated with the latter may make it a useful and practical alternative for many geotechnical engineering applications. Although other engineering disciplines have investigated the …

Modeling Light Gas And Tar Yields From Pyrolysis Of Green River Oil Shale Demineralized Kerogen Using The Chemical Percolation Devolatilization Model, Daniel Barfuss, Ronald J. Pugmire, Thomas H. Fletcher

Faculty Publications

Recent detailed chemical structure analyses of three demineralized kerogens from Green River oil shale samples were used to generate input parameters for the chemical percolation devolatilization (CPD) model. This model uses a lattice network to describe pyrolysis of solid hydrocarbons, such as coal and biomass. It was necessary to modify the formulation of the CPD model to account for the long aliphatic carbon chains found in oil shale, because gases formed from these long chains condense at room temperature and are counted as tar. It was initially assumed that 20% of the aliphatic material was released as light gas during …

Model For The Evolution Of Pore Structure In A Lignite Particle During Pyrolysis, Sufen Li, He Yang, Thomas H. Fletcher, Ming Dong

Faculty Publications

In this paper, on the basis of the chemical percolation devolatilization (CPD) model and using the coal polymer network parameters to calculate the surface area and porosity of the particle, a model for the evolution of pore structure in a lignite particle during pyrolysis is established. The model connects the polymer network structure and the pore structure, and it may extend the application range of network statistical devolatilization models. Model predictions agree with experimentally observed trends reported in the literature for porosity and internal surface area with increasing mass release. Particle porosity increases during pyrolysis because of mass release and …

Simulation Of The Swelling Of High-Volatile Bituminous Coal During Pyrolysis. Part 2: Influence Of The Maximum Particle Temperature, He Yang, Thomas H. Fletcher, Ming Dong

Faculty Publications

A model was established previously to predict the swelling ratio of high-volatile bituminous coal during pyrolysis based on the assumption that the structure of bubble distribution in the particle at the beginning of the plastic stage is a central bubble surrounded by many surrounding bubbles. The initial number and size of the bubbles when the particles become plastic are calculated by the pressure in the particle, and the chemical percolation devolatilization (CPD) model is used to describe pyrolysis. In this paper, to obtain accurate results at low pyrolysis temperatures, the previous model is improved and the following parts in the …

Working-Life Enhancement Of The Underfill Adhesive, Cholthicha Varokorn

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

In flip-chip assembly process, the underfill is often dispensed into a package via a needle. Therefore, the viscosity of underfill adhesive has to be strongly controlled. The aim of this research is to study the methods for prolonging the working-life of an epoxy-based underfill. The underfill formulation process was modified and the effects of components in the underfill that cause the increase in viscosity of underfill at room temperature were studied. A rheometer was used to determine the viscosity-time relationship of underfill formulations. The results showed that the working-life of adhesive was extended from 2 hours to 6 hours with …