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Engineering

A guide for EGR Students

Introduction

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► This general research guide serves as a starting point for students enrolled in Engineering or EGR classes. It is not intended to be comprehensive, but contains information on selected resources in the Centre College Library, as well as links to materials that are available elsewhere. The guide provides information on both print and electronic resources.

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Engineering

Engineering Defined:

The study of the design, construction, and operation of mechanical, electrical, and chemical systems, processes, and devices. Derived from the Latin ingenium meaning ‘invention’, the engineering disciplines that we know today originated from military engineering that involved machines of war. Civil engineering was therefore the first engineering discipline to be identified for the design of structures such as bridges, buildings, and roads for civilian and non-military purposes. The establishment of mechanical engineering was also to follow in the early nineteenth century. The discipline of chemical engineering was developed during the Industrial Revolution through the development of industrial-scale chemical plants outside of the realms of applied chemistry. A person who practises engineering is known as an engineer. An engineer applies the laws of physics and mathematics to solve problems, leading to improvement in the wellbeing of society, while using available resources responsibly, safely, and ethically, and without harm or damage to the environment.

-From Oxford Reference Online

Currently Trending in Engineering

ACS Nano

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Frontiers in Chemical Engineering

  • Erratum: Effect of nitrogen sources on the yield and quality attributes of capsular polysaccharides in Streptococcus pneumoniaeThis link opens in a new window
  • Exploring fine compounds and biomass potential in Cabralea canjerana and Cordia americana woodThis link opens in a new window Cabralea canjerana and Cordia americana, two Brazilian tree species found across various states, serve a range of applications from sawmill products to folk medicine. The extractives, non-structural wood components, are utilized for diverse purposes, including natural dyes, preservatives, and medicinal products. After a comprehensive search of the literature, no publications were found characterizing the chemical composition of C. canjerana and C. americana wood. This increases the need to research these species and learn more about their potential. The vast diversity of Brazil’s tree species sometimes complicates the selection process for extraction purposes, highlighting the importance of anatomical wood identification. This study evaluates the presence of fine molecules with important biological activity or industrial value in the wood extractives of C. canjerana and C. americana, proposing potential uses for the extracted lignocellulosic biomass and providing anatomical identification support for these species. Characterization methods of the wood included analysis of ash, hemicellulose, cellulose, and lignin content. Extraction techniques employed ethanol, ethanol-toluene, hot water, and 1% soda, followed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) for chemical analysis. Anatomical characteristics were determined using histological slides. The results show that Cordia americana displayed a 53.61% holocellulose content in relation to the dry mass, suitable for paper production, while Cabralea canjerana, with a 55.92% content, was deemed even more appropriate. GC-MS analysis identified several significant molecules in the extractives, including Phenol, 2,4-bis(1-phenylethyl), which is potentially effective in breast cancer drug development, and Gestrinone, a possible treatment for endometriosis. The anatomical examination of the C. canjerana and C. americana samples confirmed their species identity, aligning with the study’s objectives.
  • Integrated process for catalytic upgrading of hydrothermal liquefaction aqueous phase in the supercritical stateThis link opens in a new window Hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) is a waste agnostic process that leverages near-critical water to break down macromolecules, forming an energy-dense biocrude. Some carbon contained in the waste feed is lost in the aqueous phase, where its high organic content and unusual speciation are burdensome for municipal wastewater resource recovery facilities (WRRF). Treating the aqueous phase adds undesirable cost to the HTL process, reducing its attractiveness. Here, we report aqueous phase supercritical upgrading (AP-SCU) as a new catalytic aqueous phase upgrading technology that reduces the organic content of the aqueous phase with co-production of supplemental biocrude. The supercritical phase provides sufficient catalyst activity for organic conversion, reduces energy inefficiency by eliminating the need for evaporation, and extends the catalyst lifetime relative to the liquid state. AP-SCU was evaluated at 380–440°C at 24 MPa for a representative HTL aqueous phase produced from the treatment of food waste. Using a ZSM-5 catalyst bound with silica sol, the aqueous carbon content was reduced by 64%–73% with a corresponding production of aromatic hydrocarbons including phenol and 2-pentanone. The total nitrogen was reduced by approximately 10%. Additionally, the ZSM-5 facilitated reduction and denitrogenation reactions of aqueous phase compounds to produce aromatic and pyridine compounds which more closely resemble HTL biocrude. After 3 h on stream, the catalyst experienced coke formation, and surface degradation which led to a reduction in acid sites and surface area. The carbon balance for the system was closed through the analysis of the aqueous, solid, and gas phases to estimate that biocrude yield varies from 43%–57% on a carbon basis. An energy balance for HTL process with integrated AP-SCU system showed that operating the AP-SCU unit at 380°C yielded the minimum energy demand for carbon removal at 63 MJ/kg-TOC. This value is greater than the energy demand for conventional WRRFs (37.9 MJ/kg-TOC) but is more than 10-times less than emerging technologies which are designed to handle complex feeds. AP-SCU has potential as an energy efficient and effective new technology for reducing the TOC of the aqueous phase with simultaneous production of supplemental biocrude to offset energy demand.
  • Effect of nitrogen sources on the yield and quality attributes of capsular polysaccharides in Streptococcus pneumoniaeThis link opens in a new window Streptococcus pneumoniae, a pathogenic bacterium, is responsible for a range of infections. With the rise in antibiotic resistance, vaccination against pneumococcal disease has become increasingly critical. Pneumococcal capsular polysaccharides (CPSs) serve as potent vaccine antigens, triggering the host’s production of protective antibodies. The immunogenicity of CPS antigens in pneumococcal vaccines is significantly influenced by the chain length, the content of functional chemical groups and additional chemical modifications. S. pneumoniae has stringent nutritional requirements for culture medium. One crucial aspect of fermentation medium development is the selection of nitrogen sources. These sources supply the essential nutrients for the synthesis of vital biomolecules and secondary metabolites, including the CPSs. Therefore, comprehending the impact of organic nitrogen sources on the yield and quality of CPSs is crucial for optimizing manufacturing processes for pneumococcal vaccines. In our study, we evaluated the effects of peptones from various sources on the growth profiles and CPS yields, as well as quality attributes related to CPS immunogenicity. We found that while CPS productivity was slightly impacted by peptone selection, the chain length and functional group content of CPSs were markedly influenced by the peptone source. Notably, using the non-animal HY-SOY 4D soy peptone as a nitrogen source in the fermentation medium led to CPSs with long chains and a high content of functional chemical groups. The structural identity and correctness of pure CPSs were verified by 1H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. The findings offer insights into how the composition of the fermentation medium affects both the yield and quality of pneumococcal CPSs, aiming at improving vaccine production against pneumococcal infections.
  • Inhibition of nitrifying bacteria from heterocyclic N-containing organic compounds from municipal sludge hydrothermal liquefactionThis link opens in a new window Hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) is a thermochemical technology that converts wet biomass into biochar and biocrude at high temperatures and pressures. HTL can be utilized within municipal wastewater treatment to convert waste activated sludge (WAS) into valuable resources, but HTL by-products include an aqueous coproduct (ACP) that has been characterized for its biological toxicity, high ammonia, and presence of heterocyclic N-containing organic compounds (HNOCs). This study evaluated the inhibitory effects of the most prevalent HNOCs on autotrophic nitrifiers present in WAS, by determining the concentration that reduces ammonia uptake by 50 percent (IC50). 2-pyrrolidinone, pyrazine, and 2- piperidinone and their derivatives were the most prevalent HNOCs in ACP from WAS at concentrations of 8.98, 6.05, and 0.40 mM respectively. The IC50 of 2-pyrrolidinone and pyrazine were 5.2 × 10−5 and 2.0 × 10−3 mM, respectively. The IC50 of the ACP was 0.08% (%v/v). This corresponded to concentrations of 2- pyrrolidinone, pyrazine, and 2-piperidinone of 7.52 × 10−3, 5.07 × 10−3, and 3.36 × 10−4 mM, respectively. The impact of ACP storage was also tested. ACP stored for 15 weeks exhibited less inhibitory effects on the nitrifying community compared to ACP stored for 1 week. The % maximum ammonia uptake rate was reduced by 23% for the 15-week stored ACP, in contrast to 51% reduction for ACP stored for 1 week. Results of this study provide guidance for how ACP recycle can be incorporated at a wastewater treatment plant without inhibiting nitrification, enhancing the feasibility of using HTL as a solids processing technology.
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Ceramics International
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