Other Chemical Engineering Commons^™

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 …

Advanced Process Modeling And Optimization Of Amine-Based Carbon Capture Process, Paul Jide Terhemba Akula

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

With the rise of carbondioxide (CO2) concentration in the atmosphere to more than 400 parts per million (ppm), research efforts have been focused on achieving net-zero carbon emission technologies. Post-combustion CO2 capture (PCC) is a key strategy in reducing CO2 emissions. Amine-based CO2 capture is the baseline technology for retrofitting existing power stations. However, the integration of amine-based PCC technology with power plants to reduce greenhouse gas emissions incurs a high energy penalty, decreasing a powerplant’s efficiency by about 23 percentage points. Understanding the capture plant dynamics plays an important role in its technical and economic performance. Rigorous models are …

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, 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 …

Process Modeling And Techno-Economic Analysis Of Micro- Encapsulated Carbon Sorbents (Mecs) For Co2 Capture In A Fixed Bed And Moving Bed Reactors, Goutham Kotamreddy

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

Carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) is seen as a suite of technologies to curb the carbon dioxide emissions from the atmosphere and plays a crucial role to meet the net zero emissions target for many countries by 2050. One of the major sources for CO₂ emissions is combustion of fossil fuels. Various innovative capture technologies are being explored because the state-of-the-art monoethanolamine (MEA) based carbon capture technology has drawbacks such as corrosion, energy penalty. There are several potential solvents that have lower energy penalty, but they are highly viscous or may turn into solid phase in the absorber …

Optimization Of Nitrate Removal From Aqueous Solution By Acid-Activated Rice Straw Supported Nano Zero-Valent Iron Using Response Surface Methodology, Dalia A. Ali Eng, Nagwa Mahmoud Al-Mansi Prof, Mohamed Amin Sadek Prof., Ahmad Wafiq Abolnasr Dr.

Chemical Engineering

Rice straw is one of the most common agricultural wastes due to its large production amounts. Energy valorization of rice straw is a technology used for nitrate removal as the produced ashes used to generate the adsorbent by means of an alkali dissolution followed by acid precipitation. The novelty of the proposed process is that the production of the nano zero-valent iron supported acid-activated rice straw (AARS-nZVI) adsorbent is carried out without the energy valorization process but, through an acid activation for rice straw followed by precipitation of nZVI particles on its surface. The new adsorbent synthesis, characterization and application …

Improved Fermentation Design And Screening Devices For Biobutanol Production, Garret Christopher Munch

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

A worldwide increase in demand for renewable fuels has revived interest in fermentatively produced butanol. However, butanol fermentation suffers from low product yields and productivity. The work presented in this thesis addresses part of these research and development needs at three levels: innovative fermentation process design; genetic manipulation for strain enhancement; and the development of a new tool for anaerobic process characterization and optimization.

Product yield could be increased through traditional fermentation engineering. Co-fermentation of butyric acid with glycerol increased the butanol yield from 0.45 mol/mol (mols C in butanol / mol C in substrates) to 0.51 mol/mol. In building …

Comparative Analysis Of Simulation Models Of The Production Of Ethylbenzene, Osariemen Imafidon

Honors Theses

Process Engineering is all about making sure a raw material can become the desired product with as little variation as possible, while achieving the customer's specifications. Many equipment used for chemical processes cannot be physically inspected during operation at steady state, hence, the need for simulation software. The objective of this study was to compare the results of three different simulation packages to evaluate their efficacy within process design.

This study focused on the economic analysis of the production of Ethylbenzene using various models. The base case variables were inputted into each model to simulate the calculations for a fully …

Process Modeling And Techno-Economic Analysis Of Thermo-Catalytic Dimethyl Ether Synthesis And Microwave-Based Aromatics Production Technologies From Shale Gas, Chirag Mevawala

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

Production of dimethyl ether (DME) and direct non-oxidative methane dehydroaromatization (DHA) to aromatics via conventional and microwave (MW)-assisted processes are investigated in this research. Plant-wide models of the shale gas to DME process with integrated CO₂ capture via direct and indirect synthesis routes have been developed. Optimal parameter estimation, and model validation are undertaken for various sections of the process including the pre-reforming reactor, auto-thermal reforming reactor, DME synthesis reactors, CO₂ capture units and separation sections. A novel DME separation process has been developed for efficient separation of DME, syngas, and CO₂. Plant-wide techno-economic optimization is …

Economic Report On Vanadium Redox Flow Battery With Optimization Of Flow Rate, Kevin Spellman, Kendrick Stiles, Ian Little

Chancellor’s Honors Program Projects

No abstract provided.