Chemical Engineering Commons^™

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 …

ฝาแฝดดิจิทัลของหม้อไอน้ำแบบเผาร่วมชีวมวลและถ่านหินโดยการจำลองพลศาสตร์ของไหลเชิงคำนวณ, ธนากรณ์ วาระเพียง

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

งานวิจัยนี้ศึกษาการใช้เชื้อเพลิงชีวมวลผสมกับถ่านหินในหม้อไอน้ำฟลูอิไดซ์เบดแบบหมุนเวียนซึ่งเป็นเรื่องที่น่าสนใจท่ามกลางการเพิ่มขึ้นของความต้องการพลังงาน ลักษณะการเผาไหม้ร่วมของชีวมวลและถ่านหินในหม้อไอน้ำจะได้รับการตรวจสอบโดยใช้พลศาสตร์ของไหลเชิงคำนวณ (CFD) เชื้อเพลิงที่ศึกษาในงานวิจัยนี้ ได้แก่ ถ่านหิน ไม้สับ และเปลือกไม้ กำหนดสัดส่วนของเชื้อเพลิงเพื่อศึกษาผลกระทบต่อการเผาไหม้ด้วยการออกแบบการทดลองแบบผสมซิมเพล็กซ์เซนทรอยด์ การจำลอง CFD ประกอบด้วยแบบจำลองการไหลของความหนืด k-epsilon แบบจำลองการไหลของของไหลหลายเฟสของออยเลอร์ และแบบจำลองการเผาไหม้เชื้อเพลิงแข็ง ผลการตรวจสอบความถูกต้องของแบบจำลองแสดงให้เห็นว่าข้อมูลแบบจำลองมีความสอดคล้องกับข้อมูลจริงของโรงไฟฟ้าซึ่งอาจเป็นฝาแฝดดิจิทัลของหม้อไอน้ำที่ศึกษา โดยแบบจำลองจะทำนายผลที่เกิดขึ้นในห้องเผาไหม้ ได้แก่ อุณหภูมิ ฟลักซ์ความร้อน เถ้า และแก๊สมลพิษ ได้แก่ คาร์บอนมอนอกไซด์ (CO) คาร์บอนไดออกไซด์ (CO2) ไนตริกออกไซด์ (NO) ซัลเฟอร์ไดออกไซด์ (SO2) และก๊าซคลอรีน (Cl2) ผลการจำลองพบว่าการใช้ถ่านหินเป็นเชื้อเพลิงจะให้อุณหภูมิและฟลักซ์ความร้อนสูงสุด รองลงมาคือ ไม้สับและเปลือกไม้ ในทางตรงข้ามการใช้ชีวมวลจะปล่อยแก๊สมลพิษออกมาน้อยกว่าถ่านหิน ในการทดลองนี้ได้ศึกษาอิทธิพลของอัตราการป้อนเชื้อเพลิง พบว่าอัตราการป้อนเชื้อเพลิงสูงจะทำให้ตัวแปรตามสูงกว่าอัตราการป้อนเชื้อเพลิงต่ำ จากการวิเคราะห์ข้อมูลแบบจำลองพบว่าชีวมวลเป็นมิตรต่อสิ่งแวดล้อมและประหยัดต้นทุนการผลิตมากกว่าถ่านหิน แบบจำลอง CFD สามารถสร้างแบบทำนายเพื่อกำหนดชนิดและสัดส่วนของเชื้อเพลิงได้อย่างง่ายดายโดยใช้สองวิธี คือ สมการและกราฟคอนทัวร์ ซึ่งสามารถเปรียบเสมือนฝาแฝดดิจิทัลของหม้อไอน้ำ

การแยกปรอทออกจากน้ำทิ้งสังเคราะห์ด้วยน้ำมันพืชผ่านวิธีการสกัดและนำกลับด้วยระบบเยื่อแผ่นเหลวที่พยุงด้วยเส้นใยกลวง, กัญญาณัฐ ดวงจันทร์

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

งานวิจัยนี้ศึกษาการสกัดและนำกลับปรอทออกจากน้ำทิ้งสังเคราะห์ด้วยน้ำมันพืชซึ่งเป็นสารที่เป็นมิตรต่อสิ่งแวดล้อมด้วยเยื่อแผ่นเหลวที่พยุงด้วยเส้นใยกลวง เป็นไปตามหลักการและพื้นฐานของวิธีการสกัดด้วยตัวทำละลาย ผลการศึกษาพบว่าน้ำมันข้าวโพดมีประสิทธิภาพในการสกัดปรอทสูงที่สุด และยังสามารถเลือกสกัดปรอทออกจากไอออนโลหะอื่นที่ปนในน้ำทิ้งสังเคราะห์ได้ดี จากการศึกษาอิทธิพลของปัจจัยที่ส่งผลต่อร้อยละการสกัดและนำกลับปรอทด้วยการออกแบบการทดลองแบบบ็อกซ์-เบห์นเคน พบว่า อุณหภูมิ ค่าความเป็นกรด-เบสของน้ำทิ้งสังเคราะห์ และความเข้มข้นของสารนำกลับ ส่งผลต่อร้อยละการสกัดและการนำกลับปรอทอย่างมีนัยสำคัญ สภาวะที่เหมาะสมในการสกัดและนำกลับปรอท ได้แก่ อุณหภูมิ 323.15 เคลวิน ค่าความเป็นกรด-เบสของน้ำทิ้งสังเคราะห์เป็น 3 ความเข้มข้นของกรดไฮโดรคลอริกเป็น 1.2 โมลต่อลิตร และอัตราการไหลของสารละลายป้อนและสารนำกลับที่ 100 มิลลิลิตรต่อนาที ได้ค่าร้อยละการสกัดและนำกลับปรอท 96.14 และ 40.13 ตามลำดับ กลไกการสกัดปรอทเกิดจากการจับกันด้วยพันธะฮาโลเจนของปรอทและกรดไขมันที่ตำแหน่งหมู่คาร์บอกซิลิก สนับสนุนด้วยการวิเคราะห์ทางสเปกโตรสโคปีร่วมกับทฤษฎีฟังก์ชันนอลความหนาแน่น คำนวณค่าพลังงานเอนทาลปีและพลังงานของกิบส์ได้ -23.71 และ 24.38 กิโลจูลต่อโมล ตามลำดับ นอกจากนี้การคำนวณหาค่าอันดับปฏิกิริยาและค่าคงที่ของปฏิกิริยาการสกัดและนำกลับปรอทด้วยวิธีอินทิเกรต ซึ่งได้ค่าอันดับปฏิกิริยาเท่ากับ 1 และ 0 ได้ค่าคงที่ปฏิกิริยาเท่ากับ 0.0262 นาที-1 และ 0.0011 มิลลิกรัมต่อลิตรต่อนาที ตามลำดับ อีกทั้งวิธีการสกัดปรอทด้วยน้ำมันข้าวโพดโดยใช้เยื่อแผ่นเหลวที่พยุงด้วยเส้นใยกลวงประสบความสำเร็จในการลดค่าความเข้มข้นของปรอทให้อยู่ภายใต้ค่ามาตรฐานน้ำทิ้งของประเทศไทย

Effect Of Silica Size In Ticl4/Mgcl2-Sio2 Catalysts On Ethylene Polymerization Behaviors, Nattawat Manomaiwajee

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

At present, the production of polyethylene has a high production volume. The commonly used catalyst for the synthesis of polyethylene is Ziegler-Natta. The development of polymer morphology and efficiency of ethylene polymerization in the petrochemical industry was developed by the addition of silica supports. However, the specific properties of silica have not been widely researched with the Ziegler-Natta catalyst. Therefore, the effect of silica size on the Ziegler-Natta catalyst was studied in this thesis. The study focused on the polymerization of ethylene and the copolymerization of ethylene/1-hexene in slurry process. The silica sizes used as bisupport were varied including 8 …

Hydrocarbon Pay Zone Prediction Using Ai Neural Network Modeling., Darren D. Guedon

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This paper captures the ability of AI neural network technology to analyze petrophysical datasets for pattern recognition and accurate prediction of the pay zone of a vertical well from the Santa Fe field in Kansas.

During this project, data from 10 completed wells in the Santa Fe field were gathered, resulting in a dataset with 25,580 records, ten predictors (logs data), and a single binary output (Yes or No) to identify the availability of Hydrocarbon over a half feet depth segment in the well. Several models composed of different predictors combinations were also tested to determine how impactful some logs …

A Workflow For Unconventional Reservoirs Optimization Using Supervised Machine Learning In Conjunction With Orthorhombic Elasticity Modeling, Aymen Ab Ali Alhemdi

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Due to the anisotropy and heterogeneous nature of unconventional reservoirs like shale, a comprehensive parametric study to optimize hydraulic fracture treatment for such reservoirs is a tough challenge, especially when natural fractures are present. Most of the current frac simulators do not consider the anisotropy of rock elasticity in the shales. Besides, using the fracture simulation linked with reservoir simulation for the parametric study to understand the impact of multiple different design parameters on fracture propagation and production is time expensive and low efficient. The study proposes a workflow including a new orthorhombic (OB) rock algorithm to interpret geomechanical properties …

Prototype Development For Fabric Sodium Sensor, Mary Nicodemus, Dunia Jaffal, Shelby Daniels

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

This project is designed to refine a process for developing sodium-selective nylon fabric sensors to be used for reading sodium concentrations in sweat from the human body through a series of quality control and on-body testing experiments. The intention is to have a refined process to make reproducible sensors that are turned into consistently working prototypes for future mass production. There are three essential steps in developing a working prototype: sensor synthesis, sensor testing, and sensor validation. Once all three steps are completed, consistent methods will be defined for turning nylon into sensors and then into prototypes, calibrating the prototypes, …

Austenitic, Duplex, And Lean Duplex Stainless Steel Critical Pitting Temperature In Simulated Concrete Environment, Bobby Giebel

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

In this work, the critical pitting temperature (CPT) will be observed for a selection of austenitic (316LN and 24100) and duplex (2205), and lean duplex (2304, 2001) stainless steels in simulated concrete pore solution. To study the influence of temperature on the pitting stability of the stainless steels, three temperatures were tested: 25oC, 45oC, and 65oC for cyclic potentiodynamic polarization (CPP) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). Electrochemical properties of the interfaces we studied via EIS analysis. Kinetics were studied via CPP testing. To reveal the critical pitting temperature of the stainless steels, cyclic thermammetry was used. Characterization of the pits …

Comparing Galvanic Corrosion Rates Predicted From Polarization Curves With Empirical Data From A Carbon Steel And Monel Couple For A Various Geometries, Michael Hinnebusch

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The objective of this investigation was to compare the galvanic corrosion rate of carbon steel C1018 and Monel K-500 alloy in a bolt and plate geometry to that derived using Tafel plots. This was achieved using carbon steels sheets of steel with a pair of with varying the number of Monel bolts and varying spacing. It was found that the carbon steel plates do not corrode uniformly. This can create issues when using Polarization curves to assume galvanic corrosion rate of a carbon steel and Monel system. The geometry of the bolts can further affect this corrosion rate and make …

Scale-Up Of Flow-Electrode Capacitive Deionization Method For Hard Water Softening, Noah Henry

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

This study’s purpose is to further document a capacitive deionization design that could be capable of purifying H₂O at a household scale where clean water is otherwise unobtainable in applicable regions of the world. The hypothesis behind this study was continuously larger scaled electrochemical cell-units would increase their water softening capabilities in sustainable fashion. The trend at which performance will scale is currently unknown. The units studied were constructed using graphite plates, anion exchange membranes, cation exchange membranes, and Teflon channels. Three streams, two being CaCl₂ solutions in DI H₂O (one being concentrated with CaCl …

Wetting Transition On 3d-Printed Surfaces, Isabelle Moryan

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Taking the previous research conducted, this project aims to further the study and research of the wettability of surfaces. Surface features and types are important factors to their wettability. The geometric properties of a surface can make it more hydrophobic and hydrophilic. Extreme cases of hydrophobic and hydrophilic surfaces lead to water repulsion or water absorption, even under extreme conditions. The goal of this project is to gain further insight on how fabricated 3D-printed featured surfaces and examine the wetting transition on these surfaces. In particular, cylindrical pillars will be studied with varied pillar spacing, height and diameter. In addition, …

Enzymatic Treatment, Gluten Reduction, And Production Of Celiac Safe Gluten Removed Beer, Alyssa Baumann, Calvin Baumann, Noah Alfman

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Celiac Disease affects many people across the world with the only solution being a life-long abstinence from gluten intake. Although beers may be considered “gluten-free”, some still contain remains of gluten which can be harmful to those with Celiac Disease. There exists a large market for high-quality, celiac-safe beer. The primary approach for producing gluten-free beer is enzymatic treatment. The first objective of the project is to measure the natural gluten reduction in the beer brewing process versus the gluten reduction within enzymatic treated beer. The second objective of the project is to create celiac-safe beer through experimentation of the …

Amine-Functionalized Interpenetrating Polymer Networks For Co2 Capture, James Wills

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The research performed looked to advance the studies of vacuum swing absorption of Carbon Dioxide to help combat global climate change issues. The focus of the project was to create an anime-polymer sorbent that will weakly absorb and desorb CO2. The sorbent must be durable and be able to withstand multiple uses. The creation of a porous polymer matrix aided in the amines' ability to absorb CO2. Created samples underwent several qualitative and quantitative tests to determine their usefulness as an industrial sorbent. Infrared spectroscopy was used to study the effectiveness of the amine sorbents. Studying the changes in the …

Retention And Stability Of Polystyrene Sulfonic Acid And Polyethylene Glycol Anti- Fouling Films With 3-Aminopropyltriethoxysilane Coupling Agent, Brian Cameron

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Fouling is a process where particles, proteins, or microorganisms will accumulate onto a material [2]. This can lead to biofilms in medical implants, which can trap and create drug resistant bacteria [5]. Due to this, the study and creation of anti-fouling polymeric films that is stable in aqueous environments is essential. The goal of this study is to utilize APTES to retain the already studied PSS-PEG anti-fouling films. The films that are created is a thermally crosslinked network of the polystyrene sulfonic acid (PSS) and polyethylene glycol (PEG) with differing mass fractions (75- 25 and 55-45 PSS-PEG). To retain the …

A Solid-State Fermentation Scale-Up Of Scopulariopsis Brevicaulis, Timothy Hudak

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Publication to be delayed until October 2023

Recycled Printer Filament, Charlotte Hyland, Troy D. Molinar

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The purpose of this research is to examine the effects of recycling PLA filament for 3D printing on its material properties. After examining these effects, PLA and carbon fiber additives were mixed with recycled PLA pellets in different ratios to attempt to regain material properties lost in the recycling process. To complete these findings, an experiment was design and executed.

The research found that tensile strength during multiple iterations of recycling remained mostly unaffected, however, the strain degraded exponentially. In the PLA additive study, high ratios of PLA additive were able to increase the strength and strain properties of the …

Extraction Of Melanin From Black Knot Fungus: Optimization And Applications, Amara Davis

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The goal of this research project was to optimize the extraction of melanin from black knot fungus and to analyze possible applications of the extracted melanin. An extraction method that was previously created was examined for possible improvements. Improvements that were studied include the elimination of steps in the extraction process while obtaining the same quality of product, examining options for machinery that could be used to increase production rate when moved to a production plant setting, and optimize the concentrations of the raw materials that are used in the extraction for possible reduction of cost without compromising yield or …

Retaining Thermoresponsive Poly(Vinyl Methyl Ether) To Cellulose Via (3-Aminopropyl)Triethoxylsilane Network, Grace Tolhurst

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Stimuli-responsive supports and devices that are fabricated from inexpensive materials are attractive candidates for a variety of applications, such as environmental protection, and regenerative medicine. Poly(vinyl methyl ether) (PVME), a thermoresponsive polymer (TRP), has recently been used as thermoresponsive cell culture supports for cell growth/proliferation followed with cell/cell sheet harvesting by simply switching temperature. Cellulose is an attractive candidate to replace glass/silicone supports as it is inexpensive and environmentally friendly. This project focuses on retaining PVME to the cellulose membrane via 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES) network to generate TR membranes and flexible liners that can be incorporated into bioreactors for producing cells …

Mimicking The Namib Desert Beetle With Hydrophilic And Hydrophobic Surfaces, Tyler Bracewell

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The Namib Desert beetle, Stenocara gracilipes, condenses fog that rolls in off the west coast of Namibia to provide itself with the water it needs for the day. By lifting its abdomen into the air to collect the water vapor, it condenses on hydrophilic bumps that are about 500μm in diameter and are spaced apart about 500-1500μm. Once the water reaches a critical size, the droplet rolls off the hydrophilic bump and onto the flat hydrophobic surface of the elytra. Since the beetle is angled with its abdomen in the air, the water rolls down to its mouth. A …

Repurposing Human Α-Defensin 6, An Antimicrobial Peptide, As A Beta Amyloid Inhibitor, Eleanor Plaster

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Amyloid aggregation and microbial infection have been identified as the two main pathological risk factors that can result in amyloid diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD), type II diabetes, and Parkinson’s disease. These two risk factors have been well studied separately, however only targeting one of these risk factors has shown to not be successful in preclinical trials since amyloid diseases are multifactorial. In this study, a new approach has been proposed to determine the effects of an antimicrobial and anti-amyloid aggregation approach by looking at the inhibition abilities of a heterocomplex of human α-defensin 6 (HD-6), whose secondary structure …

Study Guide Generation In Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics: A Comparison Between Individual And Group Preparation, William Brown

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Thermodynamics is an essential course in the chemical engineering curriculum. Thermodynamics requires the use of many equations and rules that use subtle concepts from math, physics, and chemistry. To assist students with using these equations and recalling rules on exams, students are often permitted a “study guide” to use on the exams to help avoid rote memorization. Study guide construction is an environment in which students learn, and learning has been shown to improve when collaboration is involved. In this research, students will construct study guides individually for one exam, and in teams for one exam. Students will answer questions …

Matlab Model To Predict Liquid Hydrogen Spill Characteristics And Safety, Amy Gravenstein

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The potential of using liquid hydrogen for propulsion is often undermined due to its perilous nature. Hydrogen has a wide flammability range when mixed with air (4.0 - 75.0% hydrogen) and a low ignition energy (0.019 mJ). Liquid hydrogen adds to this high risk as a cryogenic fluid that is to be maintained below -22 K. A liquid hydrogen model has been created in MATLAB that can model various spill scenarios from cryogenic liquid hydrogen vessels. This model takes into consideration the spill rate, spill temperature, air temperature, duration of spill, and air flow conditions to calculate the mass accumulation, …

Development Of Co2 Capture Method Via Polyurethane-Amine Sorbent In Vsa, Samantha Starkey, David S. Rinehart

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

With increases in extreme weather and global temperatures, research is delving into CO₂ capture to help reverse climate change. This project explored utilizing vacuum swing adsorption (VSA) for CO₂ capture and release. VSA uses a sorbent, in this case amine sorbents, to capture CO­­₂ from air and subsequently removes it via vacuum. Polyurethane (PU) foam was investigated as a potential matrix for amine sorbents to increase exposure of CO₂ capturing amines to air by utilizing its porous structure. PU mixing studies were conducted to determine the feasibility of mixing PU foam with amines and coating foams …

A Novel Pulsed-Plasma Catalytic Reactor For Dry Reforming Of Methane, Benjamin F. Caithamer

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Concerns over greenhouse gases have led to an increased interest in the Dry Reforming of Methane (DRM) which produces hydrogen and carbon monoxide from the reaction of two greenhouse gases (CO₂ and CH₄) over a catalyst. Currently, DRM is primarily a catalytic process which operates at temperatures between 700°C - 900°C, and 10 to 20 bar using a 1–1.5 ratio of CH₄/CO₂. Unfortunately, these conditions also promote the water-gas shift reaction, which produces additional CO₂. Catalyst coking and sintering can also be significant problems at these harsh conditions. We have developed …

Highway Stormwater Runoff On-Site Treatment Using Bioslope With New Media Of Biochar Amended Topsoils, Ahmed I. Yunus

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) has constructed various treatment facilities on its right-of-way (ROW) to collect and treat highway stormwater runoff, emphasizing total suspended solids (TSS) removal. The permit performance goal set by the Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD) is 80% TSS removal. Current stormwater best management practice (BMP) treatment facilities include complex and permanent infrastructures such as bioslope, bioretention basins, sand filters, infiltration trenches, and grass channels. Among these BMPs, bioslope has been becoming more popular due to its applicability for roadway embankments and areas with limited ROW constraints. It removes pollutants effectively by physical filtration and chemical adsorption …

Understanding Structure/Process-Property Relationships To Optimize Development Lifecycle In Yttria-Stabilized Zirconia Aerogels For Thermal Management, Rebecca C. Walker

Theses and Dissertations

Aerogels are mesoporous materials with unique properties, including high specific surface area, high porosity, low thermal conductivity, and low density, increasing these materials’ effectiveness in applications such as catalyst supports, sorption media, and electrodes in solid oxide fuel cells. Zirconia (ZrO₂) aerogels have special interest for high-temperature applications due to the high melting point of ZrO₂ (2715°C) and stability between 600°C and 1000°C, where other aerogel systems often begin to sinter and densify. These properties and unique pore structure make zirconia aerogels advantageous as thermal management systems, especially in aeronautics and aerospace applications. However, to be effective …

Effect Of Reduction Methods On The Properties Of Composite Films Of Bacterial Cellulose-Silver Nanoparticles, Ratchanon Jenkhongkarn

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

Composite films of bacterial cellulose-silver nanoparticles (BC-Ag) were prepared by different methods of in-situ reduction of silver, using sodium hydroxide, ascorbic acid, chitosan, and UV irradiation. The effects of the reduction methods on their properties were investigated. The chitosan-reduced composite exhibited dispersed silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) within the nanocellulose matrix with the smallest size, while the ascorbic-reduced composite displayed the largest size. The incorporation of AgNPs tended to reduce the crystallinity of the composites, except for the ascorbic-reduced composite which exhibited an increase in crystallinity. Mechanical testing revealed that the ascorbic-reduced composite had the highest Young's modulus of 8960 MPa, whereas …

Understanding And Controlling Failure Mechanisms Of The Zinc Anode For Rechargeable Alkaline Batteries, Michael J. D'Ambrose

Dissertations and Theses

In the coming years, the transformation of the electric grid will be in part enabled by safe, low-cost, and reliable large-scale rechargeable battery energy storage systems. Zinc (Zn) alkaline electrodes hold great importance and promise in the battery technology community as they satisfy the safety and cost requirements, yet their behavior in real world application is still poorly understood.

Two experimental studies were carried out, the first of which investigates failure mechanisms and material evolution during cycling of 27 zinc-manganese dioxide (Zn-MnO₂) cells in 37 wt% potassium hydroxide (KOH) electrolyte wherein the percent utilization of the theoretical capacity …

Investigation Of Reactions Occurring In Municipal Solid Waste Residues, Tasnuva T. Moutushi

Dissertations and Theses

Each year more than 290 million tons of municipal solid waste (MSW) is generated in the U.S. Understanding the reactions occurring in waste during disposal, transport, and storage is important to move towards an integrated waste management strategy. Recently some landfills in the U.S. have been reported to exceed the regulatory temperature range, causing numerous regulatory challenges. The reason for this phenomenon is still unidentified. In addition, the co-disposal of the MSW ash in landfills lead to various reactions which can impact the landfill environment. Understanding the reactions occurring in the MSW and in ash is essential to minimize and …

Investigations Of The Therman Treatment Of Sodium Thiosulfate In Gas Streams For The Removal Of I2, Anjeza Arapi

Dissertations and Theses

The aim of this work was to study the performance of sodium thiosulfate in several systems. Sodium thiosulfate decomposition and SO2 conversion were analyzed using thermogravimetric analysis combined with chromatographic techniques. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) measurements determined the decomposition of the acidification reaction of 30% sodium thiosulfate solution in a 14% carbon dioxide (CO2) atmosphere and 1% hydrochloric acid (HCl) solution in the temperature regime of 300 - 750 K. Sodium thiosulfate and sulfur dioxide (SO2) are considered effective methods for removing iodine (I2) from air and flue-gas streams respectively. In acid containing gas-streams where the SO2 content is determined by …