Chemical engineering seniors are required to complete a laboratory intensive course for their capstone design project. Over the progression of one semester, student teams identify, design and build a solution to real-world problems that integrate principles from the chemical engineering curriculum. These industry and academically sponsored projects provide students valuable experience in project management, teamwork and individual accountability, as well as in research and development. Example projects include: minimizing wastewater, optimizing or troubleshooting manufacturing processes, purification of reagents, fabrication of a kidney tissue model, and process characterization such as distillation, fluid mixing, or fermentation. External sponsors are continually impressed by the high level of professionalism and rigor demonstrated by our CHE students as well as the depth of research and experimentation completed in relatively short time.
Contact Information:
Melodie Lawton, melodie.lawton@rochester.edu
Clair Cunningham, clair.cunningham@rochester.edu
Course Instructors: Melodie Lawton, Course PI; Mark Juba, Adjunct; F. Doug Kelley, Adjunct; Wayne Griffin, Adjunct; Clair Cunningham; Mason Garlatti
CHE Design Projects
- Adsorption of PFAS in Landfill Leachate Using Biochar
Investigating the use of biochar made from woody yard waste stored in the Waste Management landfill in Fairport, NY as a PFAS removal treatment for the landfill leachate - Characterization of Vapor Phase Concentrations for iCVD
This project aims to build and design a continuous concentration measurement system for a low-volatile monomer in the vapor phase. - Continuous Reactor Resign to Prepare Arylamines from Nitro Arenes
The purpose of this project was to identify and optimize factors for a continuous reactor that can be used to prepare aryl amines from nitro arenes using an acid/proton donor system and a heterogeneous palladium catalyst. - Developing a Method to Inhibit Refermentation in Sweetened Beer
Team Stonefish researched novel treatments for inhibiting post-canning refermentation in sweetened beer, which can cause profit loss and recalls. - Ethanol Reuse for Cannabinoid Extraction
In order to decrease costs of NoWave’s cannabis extraction process, methods were investigated to increase yield and allow for more reuse of the ethanol - Gold Etchant Characterization
This project explores the effects of an iodine based etchant on the etch rates of both electroplated and sputtered gold coated silicon wafers. - Tickler impellers to mitigate solids heeled in drained slurry tanks
Ticklers prevent heel formation from occurring and allow for most, if not all, material to drain through the tank. The goal of this project is to design a system to test different tickler impeller configurations to optimize slurry draining performance. - Treatment of PFAS via Foam Fractination in Landfill Leachate
This project explores the most effective foam fractionation system for PFAS removal from landfill leachate.
Archive
- Accelerated Gasket Performance Characterization for India Mark II Hand-Pump
This project was to design an accelerated testing system for Harbec, Inc to evaluate gaskets in the India Mark II hand pump for installation by the Ugandan Water Project. Dan Allara, Oion Akif, Paul Irving, Tessa Ludwick - Acorn Biochar: By-product Removal from Pyrolysis Gas
Enable self-sustaining biochar production by reclamation of process by-products. - Acorn Throughput: Providing Automation and Input Feed Control for CHIP
Automation of feedstock delivery for creation of biochar, a product of biomass pyrolysis, thermal decomposition in the absence of oxygen. - Biochar Bricks for Building Materials
Create building materials for developing countries from waste plastic and biochar, and compare to concrete standard. - Characterization and Optimization of Spirits and Beverages Waste Streams
This project aims to characterize a wastewater stream in addition to addressing biochemical oxygen demand in cooperation with LiDestri. Katerina Connor, Junseok Jeon, Connor Pope, Brian Yegela - Characterization of Oxygen Mass Transfer in Viscous Fluids
Proposed by SPX Flow, the goal of this project is to characterize the oxygen transfer rate (OTR) within inert fluids of various viscosities. Paul Eisold, Kamal Raji, Rony Waheibi, Collins Yawe - Characterization of the Oxygen Transfer Rates in Viscous Fluids
One or two sentence description of the project. - Complete Separation of PDMS & Heptane from a Waste Stream
This Xerox-sponsored project aims to completely separate high viscosity PDMS and heptane via a solvent evaporation process followed by supercritical carbon dioxide extraction. Alissa DeRubertis, Colin Ikei, Bryan Schellberg, Mark Volkin - Designing a Packed Bed Reactor for Academic Experimentation
Students can study heterogeneous catalysis reactions with a continuous reactor - Development & Optimization of Biochar Composite Building MaterialsOne or two sentence description of the project.
- Development of a Continuous Flow Reactor to Produce Acid ChloridesOne or two sentence description of the project.
- Development of an Adsorption Column for the Direct Air Capture of CO2
This project involved designing, building, and testing the functionality of an adsorption system. The system will be used by the Porosoff Lab to study different sorbents for use in the direct air capture of CO2. - Development of PCL/PVP Nanofibers Patches for Pediatric Ibuprofen Oral Mucosa DeliveryOne or two sentence description of the project.
- Feasibility Analysis of a Semi-Continuous Supercritical CO2 Extraction of Heptane from PDMS Waste Stream
A process developed by Xerox results in a waste stream of heptane and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). The team built and tested a semi-continuous extraction system to separate heptane and PDMS. - Hemp Composite Research & Design
Optimize creation of composites combining under-utilized hemp fabrics with epoxy. - Hemp Composites
Hemp composites are a sustainable alternative to carbon fiber and fiberglass composites. Our team has developed a manufacturing process and testing procedure to characterize hemp composites. - Inkjet Printability Charact. of Polymeric and Glassy Small-Molecule OLED Hosts
Analysis of organic light-emitting diode (OLED) chemical solutions’ inkjet printability through range of solution concentrations. - Investigating Materials for Simulating Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy Surgery
Identify Near Infrared transparent polymers to simulate human tissue for surgical training applications at UR Medical Center. - Kidney Model Polymer: Developing a stable model for surgical simulation
Development of polymers to simulate kidney tissues for surgical training of medical students at UR Medical Center. - Landfill Leachate Treatment Targeting Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl substancesOne or two sentence description of the project.
- Minimizing Nickel Contamination of Cleaning Tanks at Orafol.
Minimize nickel contamination of cleaning tanks in Orafol Precision Technology’s electroforming process. - NMP Replacement InvestigationOne or two sentence description of the project.
- Packed Bed Reactors for Academic Experimentation
This project aims to design and build a multi-channel reverse water gas shift reactor system that allows for exploration of heterogeneous catalysis. Ahmad El Gazzar, Thien Hung Nguyen, Clive Onyango, Emilio Vega-Ramos - Photochemical Test Chamber
Creation of atmospherically-controlled chamber for UV degradation testing of novel OLED materials for Molecular Glasses, Inc. - Process Development for Continuous Fabrication of Micro-Structured, Dual-Material 3D Printing FilamentOne or two sentence description of the project.
- Pure LUV
Identify inexpensive process for in-house purification of motion picture film dye for Kodak. - Purification of LUV Dye Using Column Chromatography
In this project, a lab-scale chromatography process was developed to purify crude LUV dye. Upon scale up at Eastman Kodak Company, the chromatography process would be able to purify 2 kg/day. Quinton Dang, Waad Magram, Zhiwei Wang - Rapid & Precise Temperature Control for Polymer Chemical Vapor Deposition
Controlled, rapid-cooling chamber for initiated chemical vapor deposition of thin film polymers. - Sauce Delivery Optimization
Characterize LiDestri Food and Drink portfolio of spaghetti sauces to optimize manufacturing process. - Separating PFAS from Landfill Wastewater
This project, sponsored by Waste Management, is interested in comparing two methods for the removal of PFAS from landfill leachate, foam separation and activated carbon adsorption. Justin King, Ashley Sibanda, Claire Wilson - Ugandan Water Project – Save the Gaskets
Test and identify novel gasket polymers to extend operation of Ugandan Water Project-installed India Mark II handpumps serving millions of people fresh, clean water. - Ugandan Water Project India Mark II Tailpiece Design
Limit entry of abrasive sediment into India Mark II handpump for Ugandan Water Project. - URMC Kidney Model Optimization
The URMC Kidney Model Optimization Project aims to create a polymer material that can simulate the human kidney for practice by surgical residents. Bimpe Isafiade, Harshita Mahaseth, Natalie Ramesh, Baris Eser Ugur