Standard models have many limitations when it comes to carbonates due to the presence of complex pore structures at several length scales. A proposed solution is to image the whole core plug sample at a coarse scale then acquire smaller subsets at a finer scale. 3D-printing said enlarged subsets to a diameter of 1.5 inch allows for porosity & permeability experiments which may validate the analytical and simulated petrophysical properties. With a vertical resolution of 25?m, the stereolithography 3D-printer is able to capture fine pore networks using a resin that has good mechanical properties when cured, sufficient for flush-cleaning and poroperm experiments. The input for the 3D-printer is a mesh file known as a STL (STereoLithography) file, generated from processed raw data of micro-CT scans. Once the samples are printed, they are flush-cleaned under high pressure and temperature to remove any excess resin blocking the pore networks then experimented on.
The aim of this research is to study the effect of softening the injected water on the efficiency of a potential synthetic polymer through conducting rheological studies. An ATBS based polymer was selected as a potential synthetic polymer for this study due to its stability under HTHS conditions. The rheological tests were conducted to investigate the effect of different factors on polymer viscosity including polymer concentration, shear rate, calcium and magnesium removal, and temperature. In addition, the obtained rheological data were used as an input to develop a correlation to predict the polymer viscosity at the different conditions
In this work, we demonstrate our approach for the preparation of sulfur-based emulsion at high temperature in an aqueous medium. Emulsion polymerization technique help to control the reaction kinetics and yield better. The vinylic monomeric compounds are polymerized in the presence of emulsifiers Three percent of elemental sulfur copolymerized with monomers for the initial level understanding. Prepared emulsion polymers can be easily processed into thin film at room temperature.
Biotrickling filters (BTFs) are an odour control technology that utilises the action of sulfur oxidising bacteria to treat foul air contaminated with H2S. BTFs are complex systems where an immobilised biofilm is allowed to grow on a supportive solid media, while the foul air flows counter-currently with a stream of trickling liquid. In this work, a mechanistic model is developed, based on first principles where applicable, that describes the interphase mass transfer and biological oxidation kinetics. The model also focuses on spatial discretisation of a BTF bed and describes the competition between sulfur oxidising bacteria (SOB) and aerobic heterotrophs growing within different niches of the bed. The model successfully produced concentration profiles over time and space of all relevant chemical and biological species within the bed. The model was then used to theoretically investigate the effect of design and operating parameters on the bed performance.
In this thesis, zinc/copper metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) were synthesized on a Cu foam substrate to be used as positive pseudocapacitive electrodes for high-performance asymmetric supercapacitors. Comparing the performance of the prepared Zn-Cu MOF precursor Layered Double Hydroxide (LDH) electrode and the oxidized and sulfurized electrodes, the Zn-Cu sulfide manifested the best performance with an areal capacity of 0.313 mA h cm-1 at a scan rate of 20 mV/s and a voltage window of 0.6 V, which is higher than that of the oxide and LDH electrodes (0.147 and 0.131 mA h cm-1, respectively). The Galvanostatic Charge/Discharge (GCD) curves obtained at an areal current density of 1 mA/cm2 showed that the charge/discharge time of the sulfide, oxide, and LDH electrodes were 22.83, 12.03, and 6.57 min, respectively. Stability test conducted for 3000 charge/discharge cycles at 20 mA/cm2 revealed that the Zn-Cu sulfide electrode renders a capacity retention of 85.7%.
In this study, the solar light photocatalytic degradation of ibuprofen (IBU), one of the most detected pharmaceuticals in aquatic environments, was investigated over 5% bismuth doped ceria-titania photocatalyst. The effects of IBU concentration (5-55 mg/L), pH (3-11), and salinity of the reaction medium (0-10,000mg/L) on the removal percentage of IBU were studied. The degradation of Ibuprofen (IBU) was monitored using a UV/Vis Spectrophotometer, and Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (LCMS) was used to assess the removal percentage of IBU. The results indicate a slight decrease in degradation by the photocatalyst in saline water compared to deionized water, while the pH had the greatest effect on the degradation of IBU. Removals of 99.7-100 % were achieved at low pH condition. While the studied ranges of the other parameters showed no impact on the removal%, the UV/Vis results have indicated a slower conversion in saline conditions and low initial concentration of IBU.
Enzyme-based degradation of recalcitrant organic pollutants is a promising and environmentally friendly remediation approach. Oxidoreductases, particularly, peroxidases are the most popular class of enzymes for bioremediation of contaminated water. Importantly, enzyme immobilization is becoming a powerful tool for the improvement of enzyme activity in different environments, stability, and reusability. Moreover, the proper selection of the host material is crucial for the enhancement of the enzyme properties. Here, we have explored covalent organic frameworks (COFs) as a porous support material for the immobilization of horseradish peroxidase (HRP) and tested its efficiency against the degradation of toxic dyes in water. Our findings suggest increased stability of the immobilized enzyme while maintaining the catalytic efficiency, in turns, pave the way for effective reusability. The preliminary results of the degradation studies provide the plausible use of COF-immobilized enzymes in remediation applications.
In the current study, cobalt ferrite supported on reduced graphene oxide is synthesized via a hydrothermal method and characterized using the FT-IR, XRD, SEM, TEM, and BET. Then investigated its catalytic performance for phenol degradation in water under various experimental conditions and reactors. Cobalt ferrite nanoparticles are of interest due to their magnetic nature, anti-microbial activity, controllable small size, and monitored by external magnetic field.
Petroleum refining has been one of the key technologies driving global economic development and technological advancement for well over a century. Although much of the technology used in refineries is considered mature, the industry is always seeking ways to make process improvements, reduce environmental impact, enhance safety, and achieve cost reductions. In particular, much focus has been placed on improving the existing technology for desulfurization in terms of efficiency and energy demand. The aim of this work is to investigate the techno-economic feasibility of implementing ionic liquid-based desulfurization on an industrial scale in oil refineries to complement or replace existing HDS. Several process configurations will be conceptualized and compared using thermodynamic and process simulation models. In particular, the challenge of ionic liquid regeneration, which has largely been ignored in literature, will be addressed and several potential regeneration methods will be compared using simulation tools.
The development of effective and low-cost catalysts for the hydrogenation and stabilization of bio-oils is still a challenge to overcome. Several nanostructured tungsten trioxide (WO3) catalysts were synthesized and characterized in this study to investigate their catalytic activity and selectivity towards hydrogenation of furfural to useful products such as furfuryl alcohol. The morphology of the catalysts was tuned via surfactant-assisted hydrothermal and precipitation processes. Three samples were synthesized from each method with the variation of the surfactant type, cationic dodecyl dimethyl ammonium bromide, and anionic poly (ethylene-alt-maleic anhydride), to direct the structure formation. D-WO3 catalyst prepared by both methods was the most effective catalyst in terms of conversion and selectivity.
