Master thesis, written in Latex, on 'Kinetics of Olivine Dissolution in Column Experiments'. Also contains Tableau workbooks for charts drawn on the data-visualization software Tableau.
Can serve as a useful template to writing thesis involving chemical equations and laboratory experiments.
- Open the file
thesis.texin a TEX editor. - Compile using XeLaTeX
In January 2017, I submitted my master thesis, as part of the Master program - Integrated Climate System Sciences at the University of Hamburg. My thesis consisted of laboratory experiments conducted for over a year to find the reaction rate of a rock called olivine. I plotted the time-series data using Tableau (they provide a free one year student license), made SVG figures using another tool (don't remember the name as of now).
The application of powdered silicate rock on land to absorb CO2 requires knowledge of the rate of the reaction and factors affecting it. Rate measured using mixed-flow reactors and batch reactors maybe be inaccurate for this purpose because of the low rock to volume ratio, pre-treatment of grains, and short run time. This work fulfills the gap by conducting batch-type column experiments with olivine over a long time 1 y. The results indicate the system has yet to achieve steady-state. The coarse grain-type have higher rate than fine-type and rates differ depending on the reaction product; these are several orders of magnitude smaller than past experiments. Surface-limited rate control or experimental errors cannot explain these results. A theoretical rate model for a packed bed of forsterite is used taking variables from the experiment. The similarity of model and experimental results indicate that the system is predominantly transport-controlled. The results might be relevant in understanding results from column experiments in general and the discrepancy between field and laboratory weathering rates.