The technique of Inverse Gas Chromatography (IGC) was employed for the study of the interactions between various organic solvents with various types of the major inorganic materials (clay minerals and sand) found in Albertas oil sands. Heat of adsorption (-H) was measured for each solvent with respect to each of the four studied inorganic materials. The calculation we used was based on the Infinite Dilution Thermodynamics approach used by Katsanos et. al. [Journal of Chromatography A. 795, 133-184 (1998)]. Retention time data is converted into Retention Volume; H is then obtained by a plot vs. 1/T. The solvents studied were straight chain, branched and cyclic alkanes, alkenes, aromatics, and ketones. The inorganic materials studied were kaolinite, illite, illite-smectite mixed layer, and sand. Our results show that solvents had significantly less affinity for sand when compared to the three types of clay studied. Additionally, solvent affinity to illite had appreciable difference when compared to kaolinite and the mixed layer of illite-smectite. Furthermore, increase in carbon number leads to increased adsorption to the clay. Branched or cyclic alkanes have slightly lower adsorption to clay when compared to straight chain alkane of the same carbon number. Double bonds significantly increase solvent affinity to clay, but have no effect on sand. Lastly, alcohols and ketones have very high affinity to clay that no elution occurred when either solvent was injected into the GC and only ketone eluted when sand was the stationary phase in the GC column. / Chemical Engineering

Sick building syndrome (SBS) is a particular concern in places with inadequate ventilation and frequently attributed to chemical contaminants such as volatile organic compounds (VOCs)released from indoor sources that are frequently encountered in everyday life such as adhesives, carpeting, upholstery, manufactured wood products, copy machines, pesticides, cleaning agents inside buildings, plumbing vents, and painting. Furthermore, it is a major issue for modern human beings who spend most of their time indoors or must stay indoors for self-isolation due to special circumstances such as the coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) pandemic that occurred in 2019 and 2020. Main indoor VOCs are trichloroethylene (TCE), benzene, toluene, and para-xylene (p-xylene). In general, these compounds are not present in indoor spaces at acute concentrations, but prolonged exposure to these compounds can have chronic health effects such as allergic sensitization, increased cancer risks, and respiratory diseases. In this study, the adsorption process with various advantages has been applied to remove VOC’s using commercially available hydrophobic adsorbents. The hydrophobic adsorbents can contribute to reducing the possibility of chemical adsorption (chemisorption) of moisture from the air, which can decrease the capacity of adsorbent by clogging the pores. The adsorption of these major VOCs was investigated in this work for three major types of industrial hydrophobic adsorbents: activated carbons, zeolites, and polymer. This study will show the investigation into finding the most promising hydrophobic adsorbent for removal of TCE, benzene, toluene, and p-xylene, which are the main VOCs found indoors. The promising hydrophobic adsorbent has been determined by comparing Henry’s law constants and heat of adsorption values for the different adsorbents, which were estimated by using a concentration pulse chromatographic technique by utilizing a gas chromatograph equipped with a flame ionization detector. For all adsorbents, Henry’s law constants at room temperature of p-xylene were always the highest followed by toluene, benzene, and TCE. For all adsorbates, Henry’s law constants at room temperature of AC BPL and HiSiv 3000 were higher than the other hydrophobic adsorbents. For a developing modern society dealing with a pandemic, this study can contribute to producing the optimized gas masks and indoor filters for the removal of indoor air pollutants, which can help people who suffer from SBS. It can also help society for taking preventative actions towards dealing with SBS.

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Die effiziente Nutzung der begrenzten Ressourcen auf der Erde ist ein entscheidender Faktor für ein nachhaltiges Leben. Die Entwicklung besserer Katalysatoren kann dabei einen wesentlichen Beitrag leisten. Ein umfassendes Verständnis der katalytischen Reaktivität würde es ermöglichen, spezifische katalytische Eigenschaften zu konzipieren und zu kontrollieren. In diese Arbeit wurde die Korrelation der Katalysatoroberfläche mit den Adsorptionswärmen von Molekülen aus der Gasphase untersucht. Insbesondere wurde die Adsorptionwärme von CO auf Pd-Partikeln als Funktion der Partikelgröße mittels gut charakterisierte Modelkatalysatorsysteme, eisenoxidgeträgerte Pd-Partikel, und UHV-Einkristalladsorptionskalorimetrie bestimmt. Es konnte die langjährige Kontroverse, wie sich die Adsorptionswärme von CO auf Pd mit der Partikelgröße ändert, aufgelöst werden. Die Adsorptionswärmen wurden für CO auf geträgerten Pd-Partikeln mit mittleren Größen zwischen 1.8 und 8 nm, sowie Pd(111) untersucht. Es zeigte sich dabei, dass die Anfangsadsorptionsenergie mit abnehmender Partikelgröße kleiner wird. Das Mikrokalorimeterexperiment besteht aus einer Präparationskammer und einer Kalorimetriekammer, die sowohl die Präparation und Charakterisierung von geträgerten metallischen Nanopartikeln, als auch Adsorptionsenergiemessungen ermöglichen. Das Kalorimeter basiert auf dem Design von Campbell et al. und nutzt eine pyroelektrische Folie als Detektor. Es wurden Verbesserungen in Bezug auf Ausrichtung, Temperaturstabilität und Vibrationsisolation implementiert. Ein gepulster Molekularstrahl wird eingesetzt, um die Oberfläche einem stabilen und homogenen Fluss von Gasphasenmolekülen auszusetzten. Desweiteren erlaubt ein In situ Reflektivitätsmessaufbau die Bestimmung der optischer Eigenschaften von Modelkatalysatoroberflächen, was entscheidend für eine akkurate Energiekalibration des Kalorimeters ist. / The efficient use of the limited resources on earth is a critical factor to sustainable life. The development of better catalysts can make a significant contribution. Complete understanding of the catalytic activity would facilitate the design and control of specific catalytic processes. In this work, the correlation of the catalyst structure and the heats of adsorption of gas-phase particles were investigated. In particular, the heat of adsorption for CO on Pd particles was determined as a function of particle size, using a well-characterized model catalyst system, Pd particles supported on an iron oxide film, and UHV single crystal adsorption microcalorimetry. It was possible to resolve the longstanding controversy, how the heat of adsorption of CO on Pd particles changes with particle size. The heat of adsorption for CO on Pd particles was studied on supported Pd particles with a mean diameter of 1.8 to 8 nm and Pd(111). The initial heat of adsorption was found to decrease with decreasing particle size. The completed microcalorimeter experiment comprises a preparation chamber and a calorimetry chamber, providing all means to prepare and characterize oxide supported metal nanoparticles and to perform adsorption energy measurements. The calorimeter is based on the design of Campbell et al., using a pyroelectric ribbon as a detector. Improvements with respect to alignment, temperature stability, and vibration isolation were implemented. A pulsed molecular beam is used to expose the surface to a stable and homogeneous flux of gas-phase molecules. Further, a dedicated in situ reflectivity measurement setup allows optical characterization of the model catalyst surfaces, which is crucial for an accurate energy calibration of the calorimeter.

Metal-organic Frameworks (MOFs) sind eine neue Klasse poröser und kristalliner Feststoffe, die durch ihren modularen Aufbau aus organischen und anorganischen Einheiten einzigartige Eigenschaften unter den porösen Materialien besitzen. Im Mittelpunkt dieser Arbeit steht ihre Anwendung im Bereich der Gaschromatographie, die bislang nur wenig erforscht ist. Dazu werden drei verschiedene MOFs aus der Reihe der „Pillared Paddle-Wheel Frameworks“ (PPFs) in GC Kapillarsäulen abgeschieden und untersucht. Durch systematische Messungen kann gezeigt werden, dass PPFs nicht nur zur Analyse flüchtiger organischer Verbindungen, sondern auch für spezielle Anwendungen wie Größenausschlusschromatographie und Enantiomerentrennungen anwendbar sind. Weiterhin wurden Adsorptionsenthalpien und -entropien sowie Diffusionskonstanten und Massenübergangskoeffizienten für ein breites Analytenspektrum bestimmt.

La présente étude a pour objectif l'obtention d'une équation donnant la vitesse globale de la réaction (activité catalytique) de la réaction NH3-SCR sur des catalyseurs du type V2O5/WO3/TiO2 (a) utilisable pour des conditions expérimentales (pressions partielles des réactifs et des constituants du mélange gazeux et températures) réalistes des conditions des rejets gazeux des centrales à charbon et (b) capable de rendre compte des effets d'empoisonnements chimiques du catalyseur. Cette équation sera implantée dans un logiciel de modélisation de l'évolution des performances des catalyseurs industriels développé par EDF. Pour remplir ces objectifs, les outils et les procédures pour l'approche microcinétique expérimentale ont été appliqués. La caractérisation de la première étape clé qui consiste à adsorbé le réactif NH3 à la surface du catalyseur (type d'adsorption, chaleurs d'adsorption de chaque espèce) a nécessité le développement de la méthode AEIR (initialement adaptée à la caractérisation de CO adsorbé sur des particules métalliques). La réactivité des espèces NH3 adsorbées vis-à-vis des différents réactifs (H2O, NOx, O2) a ensuite été étudiée, conduisant à l'élaboration d'un mécanisme cinétique plausible. A partir de ce mécanisme, un modèle cinétique de la réaction NH3-SCR a été développé et comparé aux données expérimentales obtenues sur catalyseurs modèles et commerciaux. Dans la suite de l'étude, les impacts de plusieurs poisons sur les paramètres contrôlant la cinétique de la réaction ont été déterminés expérimentalement. Dans une dernière partie, un modèle permettant de modéliser les performances catalytique de monolithes a été développé (en intégrant le modèle cinétique mis en place au cours de cette étude) et comparé à des données expérimentales / The aim of the study is to obtain an equation for the overall reaction rate of the NH3-SCR reaction over V2O5/WO3/TiO2 catalysts (a) used for the experimental conditions (partial pressure of components of the gas mixture and temperature) realistic conditions of discharges from coal power plant and (b) able to take into account the chemical poisoning effects of the catalyst. This equation will be implemented in software developed by EDF for modeling the evolution of the performance of industrial catalysts. To fulfill these objectives, tools and procedures for the experimental microkinetic approach were applied. The characterization of the first key step of the reagent adsorbed NH3 on the surface of catalyst (type adsorption, heats of adsorption of each species) has necessitated the development of the AEIR method (initially adapted to the characterization of CO adsorbed on metal particles). The reactivity of the NH3 adsorbed species to the various reagents (H2O, NOx, and O2) was then studied, leading to the development of plausible kinetic mechanism. From this mechanism, a kinetic model of the NH3-SCR reaction has been developed and compared to experimental data obtained on model and commercial catalysts. In the remainder of the study, the impacts of several poisons to parameters that control the kinetics of the reaction were determined experimentally. In the last part, a model of catalytic monoliths performances was developed (by integrating the kinetic model developed in this study) and compared to experimental data

La capture de CO2 par adsorption sur des solides poreux (adsorbants) est une alternative prometteuse en raison de sa sélectivité et de sa faible consommation d’énergie. Nous avons étudié l'adsorption in-situ de CO2 sur des adsorbants solides en combinant la spectroscopie infrarouge par réflexion diffuse (DRIFT) avec la thermographie infrarouge afin de mieux comprendre les mécanismes d'interaction CO2-adsorbant et ainsi optimiser sa captation dans des procédés de capture en post-combustion. La thermographie IR est utilisée pour détecter la source de chaleur transitoire provenant de la surface de l’adsorbant au cours de l'adsorption de CO2. Un modèle de transfert de chaleur a été développé afin d’estimer les chaleurs d’adsorption. Un mini réacteur conçu pour la DRIFT nous a permis d’identifier les espèces adsorbées et d'étudier leur évolution sur la surface de l’adsorbant selon la température et l'atmosphère environnante. Enfin, le couplage d’informations provenant des deux approches nous a permis l’investigation haut-débit des paramètres clefs pour le choix des adsorbants les plus performants. / CO2 capture via adsorption process on porous materials (adsorbents) is a promising alternative due to its high selectivity and low energy penalties. We have investigated in-situ CO2 adsorption on solid adsorbents by combining Diffuse Reflectance Infrared Fourier Transform spectroscopy (DRIFT) with infrared thermography to better understand the mechanisms controlling CO2-adsorbent interactions and thus optimize its capture in post-combustion capture processes. Infrared thermography is used to detect the transient heat source coming from the adsorbent surface during CO2 adsorption. A heat transfer model has been developed in order to estimate the adsorption heats. A model chemical reactor designed for DRIFT allowed us to clearly evidence the adsorbed species and to study the surface species evolution according to the temperature and the surrounding atmosphere. Finally, the coupling of information coming from the two approaches allowed us a high-throughput investigation of key parameters for the selection of the most efficient adsorbents.

The need for clean and renewable fuel such as hydrogen is driven by a growing worldwide population and increasing air pollution from fossil fuels. One of the major barriers for the use of hydrogen in automotive industry is the storage of hydrogen. Physisorption is the most promising storage technique due to its high storage density, reversibility and rapid sorption kinetics besides being safe and volume-efficient. A major challenge for physisorption is the need to manage the heat of adsorption at cryogenic temperatures. In this thesis, a 6061 aluminum microchannel cooling plate is designed to remove the equivalent heat flux required by the adsorption of hydrogen within an adsorption bed. Therefore, the objective of this thesis is to determine whether laser welding and heat treating strategies can be developed for a 6061 aluminum microchannel cooling plate as part of a larger hydrogen storage thermal management system. Key manufacturing process requirements include controlling the hermeticity, strength and dimensional stability of the heat-treated weld joint. A hermetic microchannel cooling plate was successfully laser welded and heat treated using free convection in air to quench the solution heat treatment. The weld strength and warpage obtained were within acceptable limits. Experimental testing of the fabricated microchannel cooling plate showed acceptable percent error with an experimental heat removal rate within 13.4% of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analyses and an average pressure drop error of 25%. Calculations show that the cooling plate developed could support a hydrogen storage thermal management system taking up 5.0% and 10.3% of the system displacement volume and mass, respectively. / Graduation date: 2013

Metal-organic Frameworks (MOFs) sind eine neue Klasse poröser und kristalliner Feststoffe, die durch ihren modularen Aufbau aus organischen und anorganischen Einheiten einzigartige Eigenschaften unter den porösen Materialien besitzen. Im Mittelpunkt dieser Arbeit steht ihre Anwendung im Bereich der Gaschromatographie, die bislang nur wenig erforscht ist. Dazu werden drei verschiedene MOFs aus der Reihe der „Pillared Paddle-Wheel Frameworks“ (PPFs) in GC Kapillarsäulen abgeschieden und untersucht. Durch systematische Messungen kann gezeigt werden, dass PPFs nicht nur zur Analyse flüchtiger organischer Verbindungen, sondern auch für spezielle Anwendungen wie Größenausschlusschromatographie und Enantiomerentrennungen anwendbar sind. Weiterhin wurden Adsorptionsenthalpien und -entropien sowie Diffusionskonstanten und Massenübergangskoeffizienten für ein breites Analytenspektrum bestimmt.

Adsorption refrigeration systems and heat pumps still possess a relatively reduced market share as compared to the traditional compression systems. Despite having the great advantage of being powered by cheap heat (instead of expensive electric work), the implementation of systems based on adsorption principles remains limited to few specific applications. The main drawback that needs to be solved is their reduced specific power due to the low thermal conductivity and low stability of the adsorbents. The current state of the art of commercial adsorption cooling systems rely on adsorbers based on coated finned heat exchangers to optimize the cooling power. It is a well known result, that the reduction of the thickness of the coating derives in a reduction of the mass transport impedance, and that the increment of the ratio surface to volume of conductive structures increases the power without reducing the efficiency. The metallic fibres used in this work can offer a ratio of specific surface in the range of 2500–50,000 m²/ m³.Three methods of preparing very thin but stable salt-hydrate coatings on metallic surfaces, including metallic fibres, for the production of coated heat exchangers with high specific power, are presented for the first time. A surface treatment based on aluminium anodizing was chosen to create a stronger bond between coat and substrate. The microscopic structure of the resulting surface was analysed by Scan Electron Microscopy. To verify the presence of the desired species Attenuated Total Reflectance-Fourier Transformed Infrared and Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy were employed in the analysis. Their capacity to form hydrates was verified via simultaneous Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA)/Differential Thermogravimetry (DTG). Over a mass difference of 0.07 g(water)/g(composite) was detected in the coating of MgSO₄, which showed signs of dehydration at temperatures around 60 °C, and repeatability after rehydration. Also positive results were obtained with SrCl₂ and ZnSO₄ with mass differences around 0.02 g/g below 100 °C. Hydroxyethyl Cellulose was chosen as additive to increase the stability and adherence of the coatings. The adsorption properties of the product were evaluated with simultaneous TGA-DTG, while their adherence was characterized by means of a procedure based on the test described in ISO2409. Coatings of CaCl₂ displayed a much improved consistency and adherence, while retaining its adsorption capacity, showing mass differences of around 0.1 g/g at temperatures below 100 °C. Also MgSO₄ retains the capacity of forming hydrates, showing a mass difference of more than 0.04 g/g below 100 °C. Finally, coated metallic fibres were investigated. Results show that the effective heat conductivity of a fibre structure coated with Al₂(SO₄)₃ can be up to 4.7 times higher as compared to a block of pure Al₂(SO₄)₃ . The coverage of the pursued coatings was visually investigated and the internal structure was evaluated by microscopic imaging of cross-sections. Coatings of around 50 μm of Al₂(SO₄)₃ were generated, but in general the process requires optimization to achieve a more uniform distribution.