This thesis describes novel strategies for the rational design of several cutting-edge high-efficiency photocatalysts, for applications such as water photooxidation, reduction, and overall splitting using a Z-Scheme system. As such, it focuses on efficient strategies for reducing energy loss by controlling charge transfer and separation, including novel faceted forms of silver phosphate for water photooxidation at record high rates, surface-basic highly polymerised graphitic carbon nitride for extremely efficient hydrogen production, and the first example of overall water splitting using a graphitic carbon nitride-based Z-Scheme system. Photocatalytic water splitting using solar irradiation can potentially offer a zero-carbon renewable energy source, yielding hydrogen and oxygen as clean products. These two ‘solar’ products can be used directly in fuel cells or combustion to provide clean electricity or other energy. Alternatively they can be utilised as separate entities for feedstock-based reactions, and are considered to be the two cornerstones of hydrogenation and oxidation reactions, including the production of methanol as a safe/portable fuel, or conventional catalytic reactions such as Fischer-Tropsch synthesis and ethylene oxide production. The main driving force behind the investigation is the fact that no photocatalyst system has yet reported combined high efficiency, high stability, and cost effectiveness; though cheap and stable, most suffer from low efficiency.

This thesis addresses the development of a new force spectroscopy tool, correlation force spectroscopy (CFS) for the measurement of the properties of very small volumes of material (molecular to µm3) at kHz-MHz frequency range. CFS measures the simultaneous thermal fluctuations of two closely-spaced atomic force microscopy (AFM) cantilevers.  CFS then calculates the cross-correlation in the thermal fluctuations that gives the mechanical properties of the matter that spans the gap of the two cantilevers. The book also discusses development of CFS, its advantages over AFM, and its application in single molecule force spectroscopy and micro-rheology.

This textbook provides a thorough presentation of the phenomena related to the transport of mass, momentum and energy. It lays all the basic physical principles, then for the more advanced readers, it offers an in-depth treatment with advanced mathematical derivations and ends with some useful applications of the models and equations in specific settings. The important idea behind the book is to unify all types of transport phenomena, describing them within a common framework in terms of cause and effect, respectively represented by the driving force and the flux of the transported quantity. The approach and presentation are original in that the book starts with a general description of transport processes, providing the macroscopic balance relations of fluid dynamics and heat and mass transfer, before diving into the mathematical realm of continuum mechanics to derive the microscopic governing equations at the microscopic level. The book is a modular teaching tool and can be used either for an introductory or for an advanced graduate course. The last 6 chapters will be of interest to more advanced researchers who might be interested in particular applications in physics, mechanical engineering or biomedical engineering. All chapters are complemented with exercises that are essential to complete the learning process.

This book deals with colloidal systems in technical processes and the influence of colloidal systems by technical processes. It explores how new measurement capabilities can offer the potential for a dynamic development of scientific and engineering, and examines the origin of colloidal systems and its use for new products. The future challenges to colloidal process engineering are the development of appropriate equipment and processes for the production and obtainment of multi-phase structures and energetic interactions in market-relevant quantities. The book explores the relevant processes and for controlled production and how they can be used across all scales.

Each review within the volume critically surveys one aspect of that topic and places it within the context of the volume as a whole. The most significant developments of the last 5 to 10 years are presented using selected examples to illustrate the principles discussed. The coverage is not intended to be an exhaustive summary of the field or include large quantities of data, but should rather be conceptual, concentrating on the methodological thinking that will allow the non-specialist reader to understand the information presented. Contributions also offer an outlook on potential future developments in the field.

The series Topics in Heterocyclic Chemistry presents critical reviews on present and future trends in the research of heterocyclic compounds. Overall the scope is to cover topics dealing with all areas within heterocyclic chemistry, both experimental and theoretical, of interest to the general heterocyclic chemistry community. The series consists of topic related volumes edited by renowned editors with contributions of experts in the field.

The application of ionic liquids to biomass for producing biofuels and chemicals will be one of the hot research areas during the next decade due to the fascinating properties of these versatile group of solvents that allow them to dissolve lignocellulosic materials. The present text provides up-to-date fundamentals, state-of-the-art reviews, current assessments and prospects in this area, including aspects of pretreatment, fermentation, biomass dissolution, cellulose transformation, reaction kinetics and physical properties, as well as the subsequent production of biofuels and platform chemicals such as sugars, aldehydes and acids. Auxiliary methods such as catalysis, microwave and enzymatic techniques used in the transformations are covered. Both researchers and practitioners are certain to find a wealth of information in the individual chapters, which were written by experts in the field to provide an essential basis for assessing possible pretreatment and transformation routes of biomass using ionic liquids, and for developing new methods and chemical processes. Dr. Zhen Fang is Professor of Bioenergy, head of the Chinese Academy of Sciences’ Biomass Group, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden and is also an Adjunct Professor of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China. Dr. Richard L Smith, Jr. is Professor of Chemical Engineering at the Graduate School of Environmental Studies, Research Center of Supercritical Fluid Technology, Tohoku University, Japan. Dr. Xinhua Qi is Professor of Environmental Science at Nankai University, China.

In Biotechnology for Fuels and Chemicals: The Thirty-First Symposium, leading researchers from academia, industry, and government offer surveys and reviews of their cutting-edge research and latest applications in the production of fuels and chemicals through biotechnology. The book's focus is on how best to improve and optimize these technologies and their economics to produce the fuels and chemicals so vital to many industrial sectors.

The third edition of Engineering Flow and Heat Exchange is the most practical textbook available on the design of heat transfer and equipment. This book is an excellent introduction to real-world applications for advanced undergraduates and an indispensable reference for professionals. The book includes comprehensive chapters on the different types and classifications of fluids, how to analyze fluids, and where a particular fluid fits into a broader picture. This book includes various a wide variety of problems and solutions - some whimsical and others directly from industrial applications. Numerous practical examples of heat transfer Different from other introductory books on fluids Clearly written, simple to understand, written for students to absorb material quickly Discusses non-Newtonian as well as Newtonian fluids Covers the entire field concisely Solutions manual with worked examples and solutions provided

Antoine Simonneau's thesis highlights the development of new cycloisomerization reactions through the activation of alkynes with gold complexes. First Simonneau describes 1,6-enynes and their direct conversion into allenes through 1,5-hydride or ester migration processes. The author and his team used appropriate propargylic functional groups to achieve this conversion. This study shows that O-tethered 1,6-enynes carrying a strained cycloalkane at the propargylic position could undergo a cyclopropanation/ring expansion cascade reaction. The author employed this rearrangement as the starting point in the design of a new macro cycle synthesis. The next part of the thesis focuses on the cycloisomerization of diynes involving as the first step of the process the rearrangement of one alkyne partner into an allene thanks to a gold-catalyzed 1,3-shift of a propargylic ester. The thesis discloses a new cycloisomerization pattern featuring a 1,5-carbonyl transfer, giving rise to unprecedented cross-conjugated diketones. In the final part of the research, Simmoneau investigates the gold-catalyzed cycloisomerization mechanism of 1,6-enynes and questions the intermediacy of gold acetylides. By the means of NMR and mass spectrometry analysis, theoretical treatment and solution experiments, it was possible to rule out the involvement of these species in the catalytic cycle. This thesis has led to a number of publications in high-impact journals.

This book presents current research into the catalytic combustion of methane using perovskite-type oxides (ABO3). Catalytic combustion has been developed as a method of promoting efficient combustion with minimum pollutant formation as compared to conventional catalytic combustion. Recent theoretical and experimental studies have recommended that noble metals supported on (ABO3) with well-ordered porous networks show promising redox properties. Three-dimensionally ordered macroporous (3DOM) materials with interpenetrated and regular mesoporous systems have recently triggered enormous research activity due to their high surface areas, large pore volumes, uniform pore sizes, low cost, environmental benignity, and good chemical stability. These are all highly relevant in terms of the utilization of natural gas in light of recent catalytic innovations and technological advances. The book is of interest to all researchers active in utilization of natural gas with novel catalysts. The research covered comes from the most important industries and research centers in the field. The book serves not only as a text for researcher into catalytic combustion of methane, 3DOM perovskite mixed oxide, but also explores the field of green technologies by experts in academia and industry. This book will appeal to those interested in research on the environmental impact of combustion, materials and catalysis.

The book provides a systematic view on flammability and a collection of solved engineering problems in the fields of dilution and purge, mine gas safety, clean burning safety and gas suppression modeling. For the first time, fundamental principles of energy conservation are used to develop theoretical flammability diagrams and are then explored to understand various safety-related mixing problems. This provides the basis for a fully-analytical solution to any flammability problem. Instead of the traditional view that flammability is a fundamental material property, here flammability is discovered to be a result of the explosibility of air and the ignitability of fuel, or a process property. By exploring the more fundamental concepts of explosibility and ignitability, the safety targets of dilution and purge can be better defined and utilized for guiding safe operations in process safety. This book provides various engineering approaches to mixture flammability, benefiting not only the safety students, but also field operators, as a useful resource for the safe handling of flammable gases and liquids. It will be useful to anyone who worries about the ignition potential of a flammable mixture.

This book introduces two of the most exciting heat pumping technologies, the coabsorbent and the thermal recovery (mechanical vapor) compression, characterized by a high potential in primary energy savings and environmental protection. New cycles with potential applications of nontruncated, truncated, hybrid truncated, and multi-effect coabsorbent types are introduced in this work. Thermal-to-work recovery compression (TWRC) is the first of two particular methods explored here, including how superheat is converted into work, which diminishes the compressor work input. In the second method, thermal-to-thermal recovery compression (TTRC), the superheat is converted into useful cooling and/or heating, and added to the cycle output effect via the coabsorbent technology. These and other methods of discharge gas superheat recovery are analyzed for single-, two-, three-, and multi-stage compression cooling and heating, ammonia and ammonia-water cycles, and the effectiveness results are given. The author presents absorption-related topics, including the divided-device method for mass and heat transfer analysis, and truncation as a unique method for a better source-task match. Along with advanced gax recovery, the first and second principles of COP and exergy calculation, the ideal point approaching (i.p.a.) effect and the two-point theory of mass and heat transfer, the book also addresses the new wording of the Laplace equation, the Marangoni effect true explanation, and the new mass and heat exchangers based on this effect. The work goes on to explore coabsorbent separate and combined cooling, heating, and power (CHP) production and advanced water-lithium bromide cycle air-conditioning, as well as analyzing high-efficiency ammonia-water heat-driven heating and industrial low-temperature cooling, in detail. Readers will learn how coabsorbent technology is based on classic absorption, but is more general. It is capable of offering effective solutions for all cooling and heating applications (industry, agriculture, district, household, etc.), provided that two supplying heat-sink sources with temperatures outdistanced by a minimum of 12-15C are available. This book has clear and concise presentation and illustrates the theory and applications with diagrams, tables, and flowcharts.

This book addresses the analysis, in the continuum regime, of biological systems at various scales, from the cellular level to the industrial one. It presents both fundamental conservation principles (mass, charge, momentum and energy) and relevant fluxes resulting from appropriate driving forces, which are important for the analysis, design and operation of biological systems. It includes the concept of charge conservation, an important principle for biological systems that is not explicitly covered in any other book of this kind. The book is organized in five parts: mass conservation; charge conservation; momentum conservation; energy conservation and multiple conservations simultaneously applied. All mathematical aspects are presented step by step, allowing any reader with a basic mathematical background (calculus, differential equations, linear algebra, etc.) to follow the text with ease. The book promotes an intuitive understanding of all the relevant principles and in so doing facilitates their application to practical issues related to design and operation of biological systems. Intended as a self-contained textbook for students in biotechnology and in industrial, chemical and biomedical engineering, this book will also represent a useful reference guide for professionals working in the above-mentioned fields.

This book reviews the recent advances in hydrothermal conversion of biomass into chemicals and fuels, and consists of 15 chapters. It introduces the properties of high-temperature water, the merits of hydrothermal conversion of biomass, and some novel hydrothermal conversion processes, mainly including hydrothermal production of value-added products, hydrothermal gasification, hydrothermal liquefaction and hydrothermal carbonization. This book introduces a new concept for counteracting the imbalance in the carbon cycle, which is caused by the rapid consumption of fossil fuels in anthropogenic activities in combination with the slow formation of fossil fuels. Accordingly, the book is useful in conveying a fundamental understanding of hydrothermal conversion of biomass in the carbon cycle so that a contribution can be made to achieving sustainable energy and environment. It is also interesting to a wide readership in various fields including chemical, geologic and environmental science and engineering. Fangming Jin is a Distinguished Professor at the School of Environmental Science & Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, China

The series Topics in Organometallic Chemistry presents critical overviews of research results in organometallic chemistry. As our understanding of organometallic structure, properties and mechanisms increases, new ways are opened for the design of organometallic compounds and reactions tailored to the needs of such diverse areas as organic synthesis, medical research, biology and materials science. Thus the scope of coverage includes a broad range of topics of pure and applied organometallic chemistry, where new breakthroughs are being achieved that are of significance to a larger scientific audience. The individual volumes of Topics in Organometallic Chemistry are thematic. Review articles are generally invited by the volume editors.

This book provides insights into the development and usage of coal in chemical engineering. The reactivity of coal in processes such as pyrolysis, gasification, liquefaction, combustion and swelling is related to its structural properties. Using experimental findings and theoretical analysis, the book comprehensively answers three crucial issues that are fundamental to the optimization of coal chemical conversions: What is the structure of coal? How does the underlying structure determine the reactivity of different types of coal? How does the structure of coal alter during coal conversion? This book will be of interest to both individual readers and institutions involved in teaching and research into chemical engineering and energy conversion technologies. It is aimed at advanced- level undergraduate students. The text is suitable for readers with a basic knowledge of chemistry, such as first-year undergraduate general science students. Higher-level students with an in-depth understanding of the chemistry of coal will also benefit from the book. It will provide a useful reference resource for students and university-level teachers, as well as practicing engineers.

This book presents nine chapters based on fundamental and applied research of alternative energies. At the present time, the challenge is that technology has to come up with solutions that can provide environmentally friendly energy supply options that are able to cover the current world energy demand. Experts around the world are working on these issues for providing new solutions that will break the existing technological barriers. This book aims to address key pillars in the alternative energy field, such as: biomass energy, hydrogen energy, solar energy, wind energy, hydroelectric power, geothermal energy and their environmental implications, with the most updated progress for each pillar. It also includes the life cycle assessment (LCA) and thermoeconomic analysis (TA) as tools for evaluating and optimising environmental and cost subjects. Chapters are organized into fundamental research, applied research and future trends; and written for engineers, academic researches and scientists.

Elucidating Organic Reaction Mechanisms using photo-CIDNP Spectroscopy, by Martin Goez. Parahydrogen Induced Polarization by Homogeneous Catalysis: Theory and Applications, by Kerstin Münnemann et al. Improving NMR and MRI Sensitivity with Parahydrogen, by R. Mewis & Simon Duckett. The Solid-state Photo-CIDNP Effect, by Jörg Matysik et al. Parahydrogen-induced Polarization in Heterogeneous Catalytic Processes, by Igor Koptyug et al. Dynamic Nuclear Polarization Enhanced NMR Spectroscopy, by U. Akbey & H. Oschkinat. Photo-CIDNP NMR Spectroscopy of Amino Acids and Proteins, by Lars T. Kuhn.

This Brief focuses on the dispersion of high-porosity particles, their entrainment into the vapor-laden stream, and the condensation of vapor onto the particles. The authors begin with a simple/static problem, focusing on transport within the particle. They go on to consider the high-resolution simulation of particles in a turbulent flow and the time-dependent evolution of the fluid-particle fields. Finally, they examine the more computationally-affordable large-eddy simulation of gas-to-particle mass-transfer. The book ends with a summary and challenges as well as directions for the area.

This book will help the reader expand further into chemical engineering and become a licensed professional engineer (PE), which can offer a tremendous boost to one's career, as there are certain career opportunities available only to licensed engineers. Licensure demonstrates high standards of professionalism, knowledge, and ability. Because of the work experience requirement, PE examinees have generally been out of school for some time. This book summarizes the theoretical background of topics covered in the exam, which will help potential examinees refresh their memories on subjects they may not have been exposed to since their undergraduate classes. Another advantage of using this book to prepare for the PE exam is that two or three "logical distractors" (answers that result from common mistakes) are included among the answer choices for each problem. The solutions to the problems also explain why the logical distractors are incorrect. Research has shown that this is an efficient teaching tool. Thus, the inclusion of these logical distractors and their explanations will give individuals a better foundation in the subject matter in a shorter period of time. Although this book is intended primarily to help engineers prepare for the PE environmental engineering examination, it will also be useful in undergraduate engineering courses that cover environmental engineering topics.

This book provides an analysis of the reaction mechanisms relevant to a number of processes in which CO2 is converted into valuable products. Several different processes are considered that convert CO2 either in specialty chemicals or in bulk products or fuels. For each reaction, the mechanism is discussed and the assessed steps besides the dark sites of the reaction pathway are highlighted. From the insertion of CO2 into E-X bonds to the reduction of CO2 to CO or other C1 molecules or else to C2 or Cn molecules, the reactions are analysed in order to highlight the known and obscure reaction steps. Besides well known reaction mechanisms and energy profiles, several lesser known situations are discussed. Advancing knowledge of the latter would help to develop efficient routes for the conversion of CO2 into valuable products useful either in the chemical or in the energy industry. The content of this book is quite different from other books reporting the use of CO2. On account of its clear presentation, "Reaction Mechanisms in Carbon Dioxide Conversion" targets in particular researchers, teachers and PhD students.

Methanol - The Chemical and Energy Feedstock of the Future offers a visionary yet unbiased view of methanol technology. Based on the groundbreaking 1986 publication "Methanol" by Friedrich Asinger, this book includes contributions by more than 40 experts from industry and academia. The authors and editors provide a comprehensive exposition of methanol chemistry and technology which is useful for a wide variety of scientists working in chemistry and energy related industries as well as academic researchers and even decision-makers and organisations concerned with the future of chemical and energy feedstocks.

The increasing concern with indoor air quality has led to air-quality standards with increased ventilation rates. Although increasing the volume flow rate of outside air is advisable from the perspective of air-quality, it is detrimental to energy consumption, since the outside air has to be brought to the comfort condition before it is insufflated to the conditioned ambient. Moreover, the humidity load carried within outside air has challenging HVAC engineers to design cooling units which are able to satisfactorily handle both sensible and latent contributions to the thermal load. This constitutes a favorable scenario for the use of solid desiccants to assist the cooling units. In fact, desiccant wheels have been increasingly applied by HVAC designers, allowing distinct processes for the air cooling and dehumidification. In fact, the ability of solid desiccants in moisture removal is effective enough to allow the use of evaporative coolers, in opposition to the traditional vapor-compression cycle, resulting in an ecologically sound system which uses only water as the refrigerant. Desiccant Assisted Cooling: Fundamentals and Applications presents different approaches to the mathematical modeling and simulation of desiccant wheels, as well as applications in thermal comfort and humidity controlled environments. Experts in the field discuss topics from enthalpy, lumped models for heat and mass transfer, and desiccant assisted radiant cooling systems, among others. Aimed at air-conditioning engineers and thermal engineering researchers, this book can also be used by graduate level students and lecturers in the field.

This book is a simple and didactic account of the developments and practical applications of predictive, adaptive predictive, and optimized adaptive control from a perspective of stability, including the latest methodology of adaptive predictive expert (ADEX) control. ADEX Optimized Adaptive Control Systems is divided into six parts, with exercises and real-time simulations provided for the reader as appropriate. The text begins with the conceptual and intuitive knowledge of the technology and derives the stability conditions to be verified by the driver block and the adaptive mechanism of the optimized adaptive controller to guaranty the desired control performance. The second and third parts present strategic considerations of predictive control and related adaptive systems necessary for the proper design of driver block and adaptive mechanism and thence their technical realization. The authors then proceed to detail the stability theory that supports predictive, adaptive predictive and optimized adaptive control methodologies. Benchmark applications of these methodologies (distillation column and pulp-factory bleaching plant) are treated next with a focus on practical implementation issues. The final part of the book describes ADEX platforms and illustrates their use in the design and implementation of optimized adaptive control systems to three different challenging-to-control industrial processes: waste-water treatment; sulfur recovery; and temperature control of superheated steam in coal-fired power generation. The presentation is completed by a number of appendices containing technical background associated with the main text including a manual for the ADEX COP platform developed by the first author to exploit the capabilities of adaptive predictive control in real plants. ADEX Optimized Adaptive Control Systems provides practicing process control engineers with a multivariable optimal control solution which is adaptive and resistant to perturbation and the effects of noise. Its pedagogical features also facilitate its use as a teaching tool for formal university and Internet-based open-education-type graduate courses in practical optimal adaptive control and for self-study.