Semester of Graduation

Spring

Degree

Master of Science in Civil Engineering (MSCE)

Department

Civil and Environmental Engineering

Document Type

Thesis

Abstract

Gypsum, a naturally occurring mineral salt, is frequently encountered in industrial processes such as seawater desalination and power plant cooling. Over the years, significant effort has been devoted to controlling the crystallization of gypsum through various chemical approaches, including acidification, chelating agents, and antiscalant polymers. Nevertheless, the cost associated with chemical treatments may be reduced by incorporating physical operational strategies to complement chemical methods in regulating gypsum crystallization.

This study systematically examines the comparative roles of chemical and physical entropy in the gypsum crystallization process to elucidate their respective influences on gypsum growth kinetics. Chemical entropy is manipulated by adjusting the saturation index of gypsum within the reactor, while physical entropy is controlled by varying the mixing intensity. First, we evaluate the accuracy of gypsum growth quantification using optical and electrical measurement techniques. Then, the variability among triplicate crystallization reactions is assessed across different saturation indices and mixing intensities. Finally, statistical analyses are performed to investigate the effects of these parameters on the reproducibility of gypsum crystallization under diverse conditions.

The findings reveal that although the gypsum crystallization process exhibits elements of stochastic behavior, chemical entropy exerts a substantially greater influence than physical entropy on overall reaction kinetics. These results provide valuable insights into the controllability of gypsum crystallization, identifying both promising opportunities and limitations for developing more efficient industrial processes involving the concentration of natural waters.

Date

1-1-2025

Committee Chair

Christie, Kofi

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