Senior Design Program


Tolmar
Small Scale Blue Hydrogen
Open Insulin
Large Scale Blue Hydrogen
Ethylene Via Photosynthesis
Direct Air Capture
COVID 19 Virus Like Particle Vaccine
COVID 19 Virus Extraction
Bioreactor for Upscale of Stem Cell Growth
Algal For Fuels Open Pond
Algal for Fuels Closed Photobioreactor
Algal Drone
Algae In Space
BECCS

Senior Design Program

Join us at the Lory Student Center on April 22!

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Students



Engineering Days (E-Days) is a long-standing CSU tradition that allows senior undergraduate students the opportunity to showcase their senior design projects and senior practicum research. E-Days visitors include faculty, family, industry representatives, peers, and prospective students interested in exploring engineering.

This year, visitors can participate in person or virtually. The in person event will be held at the CSU Lory Student Center Plaza on April 22. To participate virtually, scroll down to view posters and learn more about the teams. Projects will be added as they are ready.

For additional information, visit the Walter Scott, Jr. College of Engineering E-Days page.


Industry sponsors

We would like to thank our industry supporters for their monetary and/or time donation to our class this year.  We would like to thank Lexmark International, Roeslein, Western Mid-Stream, Johns Manville, Green Blue H2, Air Products, Exxon, Joyn, Tolmar, RMH Group, Aspen Mechanical Integrity, Skyrock Consulting.


Faculty and staff

We would also like to thank our faculty and staff for your support over this year.  Your support has been tremendous and extremely valuable.  Special thanks to John Sheehan for his work on E-days and Senior Projects.



Special News coverage on Engineering Source






Photo of Vince Murphy, Emeritus Professor in the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering

We would also like to add a note of remembrance and gratitude for Dr. Vince Murphy, whom we sadly lost this year.  His support of our senior design program, his spirit, and his teachings will continue to ripple through our department and community.

Read more about his impact on students, faculty and staff, and the department here.

Projects

Team photo

Algae in Space

Project ID: 1

Students:

Shehab Elhaddad, Wyatt Hughes, Jacob Julius, Brandon Martenson, Randy Mondragon, Richard Nash
The Algae in Space project investigates the feasibility of using algae as the primary life support system for a Martian base. The primary goal of the system is to grow algae in a photosynthetic bioreactor, which will convert the excess carbon dioxide, within the living space, to oxygen through photosynthesis. This will create a constant oxygen supply for the astronauts to breathe. The secondary goal is to send the algae through downstream processing so that the algae can be captured, dried, and eaten by the astronauts as a nutritional supplement.
Department:
Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering
Video presentation:
Link to project video
Advisors:
Dr. Brian Munsky
Team photo

Algal Oil for Fuels: Closed Photobioreactor

Project ID: 2

Students:

Alex Baten, Jayden Bishop, Amber Koch, Jonathan Meyer, Lauren Robertson
The objective of the Algal Oil for Fuels: Closed Photobioreactor project include developing an economically and feasibly implementable closed algal photobioreactor and improving pre-existing models in addition to adding steps for cell lysis for lipid recovery.
Department:
Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering
Video presentation:
Link to project video
Advisors:
Dr. John Sheehan
Team photo

Algal Oil for Fuels: Open Pond

Project ID: 3

Students:

Daniel Hidalgo Argote, Zoe Holderied, Colin Jones, Monica Marquez, Logan Ream, Luis Roman, Mason Vess
The Algal Oil for Fuels: Open Pond project objectives are to create and improve a sustainable and efficient open pond system to produce algal biofuels. This team will accomplish this goal by designing a process with an environment that drives the production of lipids and decreases the production of carbohydrates and proteins. The intent of this project is to ultimately be used to create affordable and renewable fuel.
Department:
Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering
Video presentation:
Link to project video
Advisors:
Dr. John Sheehan
Team photo

An Autonomous Drone for the Detection of Harmful Algal Blooms

Project ID: 4

Students:

Kate Boyd, Rachel Harvey, Fritz Ogden, Hannah Park, Adrien Schissler
Harmful Algal Blooms occur when algae overproduce and start to secrete toxins that can be harmful to human and animal health. The purpose of this project is to create an autonomous method of detecting these HABs via a surface-water drone equipped with continuous sensing and in-situ toxin detection equipment.
Department:
Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering
Video presentation:
Link to project video
Advisors:
Dr. Brad Reisfeld and Dr. Steve Simske
Team photo

Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Sequestration (BECCS) at Sugarcane Ethanol Facility

Project ID: 5

Students:

Andrew Doctor, Kenneth Fagan, Owen Haley, Phuong Huynh, Marinela Kirk, Cuc Nguyen
The purpose of this project is to design a post-combustion carbon capture technology with the intent to capture the carbon dioxide release during the production of ethanol through fermentation of the sugarcane. The project will focus on the design of the boiler used for burning the bagasse (sugar cane waste).
Department:
Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering
Video presentation:
Link to project video
Advisors:
Dr. John Sheehan
Team photo

Bioreactor for Upscale of Stem Cell Growth

Project ID: 6

Students:

Nico Erazo, Katey Fix, Josie Reinhardt, Deanna Sadecki, Lev Vilnets, Nathan Wigle
The purpose of the Bioreactor for Upscale of Stem Cell Growth project is to create a process by which stem cells can be proliferated and differentiated on mass on a larger scale. The benefits of this project include generating healthy cells to replace diseased cells and to test drugs for safety and effectiveness.
Department:
Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering
Video presentation:
Link to project video
Advisors:
Dr. Liszt Coutinho Madruga
Team photo

Covid-19 Virus Extraction

Project ID: 8

Students:

Lauren Beatty, Julia Friederich, Ananya Vajapayajula
The Covid-19 Virus Extraction project seeks to create a novel material for packing in wastewater filtration devices for the collection of SARS CoV-2 viral particles. Whereas previous products in this industry have used polymers to collect viral genomic material, this report explores the use of porous protein crystals with spike protein binding domains. These binding domains are concentrated inside porous protein crystals, which are able to store viral material.
Department:
Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering
Video presentation:
Link to project video
Advisors:
Dr. Chris Snow
Team photo

Covid-19 Virus-Like Particle Vaccine

Project ID: 9

Students:

Pippa Bailey, Derek Kendrick, Cam Lee, Chloe Stoffel, Katie Szumski
The goal for the Covid-19 Virus-Like Particle Vaccine project is to be able to create a vaccine based on a virus-like particle able to be mass-produced for use by the public. We want to theorize a vaccine production system and create a process model for the synthesis and production of the vaccine.
Department:
Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering
Video presentation:
Link to project video
Advisors:
Dr. Margarita Herrera-Alonso
Team photo

Direct Air Capture

Project ID: 10

Students:

Jordan Kriznovic, Scott Morgan, Maxwell Towlen
The purpose of the Direct Air Capture project is to develop an improved process for carbon capture utilizing past years' project resources, to optimize the process design, to analyze the outlined process for the economic feasibility of large-scale carbon removal, and to optimize the carbon removal process by comparing design constraints between different models.
Department:
Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering
Video presentation:
Link to project video
Advisors:
Dr. Travis Bailey
Team photo

Ethylene Via Photosynthesis

Project ID: 11

Students:

Nouf Almutairi, Ethan Green, Shubh Koradiya, Matthew Raiche
The goal of this project is to provide a novel techno-economic analysis of the photosynthetic production of ethylene. This analysis would provide details about the feasibility of this project in today’s market as well as provide information for future development of this technology. This would allow future groups to efficiently direct laboratory research into relevant areas. Assuming feasibility, this analysis would also lay the ground for the first steps of realizing this project.  
Department:
Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering
Video presentation:
Link to project video
Advisors:
Dr. Ken Reardon
Team photo

Large-Scale Blue Hydrogen Via Partial Oxidation

Project ID: 12

Students:

Taz Al-Mamari, Luke Champness, Hayley Ma, Ian Park
The purpose of the Large-Scale Blue Hydrogen project is to research and develop an in-depth model of the blue hydrogen production process accomplished via natural gas partial oxidation and coupled with carbon dioxide capture.
Department:
Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering
Video presentation:
Link to project video
Advisors:
Dr. David Dandy
Team photo

Open-Source Insulin

Project ID: 13

Students:

David Choi, Alaa Eldeiry, Scott Maclean
The purpose of the Open-Source Insulin project is to understand the mechanisms by which lispro is produced in genetically engineering E. coli, how to maximize this production, and how to best purify the desired protein. Also, this study will conduct a preliminary economic analysis that reveals costs associated with the production plant, and potential profits after the insulin are sold.
Department:
Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering
Video presentation:
Link to project video
Advisors:
Dr. Ashok Prasad
Team photo

Small-Scale Blue Hydrogen Flared Gas

Project ID: 14

Students:

Sulaiman Alhedaithi, Fahad Alsubaie, Chris Guinn, Josue Ortiz Garcia
The purpose of the Small-Scale Blue Hydrogen Flared Gas project is to design a system that produces blue hydrogen from flared natural gas. Blue hydrogen is produced by splitting natural gas into hydrogen and CO2 using either Steam Methane Reforming (SMR) or Auto Thermal Reforming (ATR), and the resulting CO2 produced is captured and stored.
Department:
Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering
Video presentation:
Link to project video
Sponsors:
Dr. Tracy Perkins
Advisors:
Team photo

Tolmar Slow Release Polymer

Project ID: 15

Students:

Colin Hill, Bailey Kraljic, Caitlyn Williams, Connor Witt
The main goal of this project is to design a purification system to remove organic impurities produced in polymer synthesis.
Department:
Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering
Video presentation:
Link to project video
Sponsors:
Tolmar
Advisors:
Dr. Matt Kipper