Digital Commons Network^™

Investigation On Di Cng Technologies And Related Development For The Mixture Formation, Biagio Logaldo

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The increasingly stringent requirement to reduce fuel consumption and emissions is pushing carmakers to investigate new and more challenging alternatives. In this rushing scenario, the Direct Injection of Compressed Natural Gas has emerged as a high potential strategy to improve SI engine performance. Since the direct injection of natural gas is an emerging technology, the research of the optimal setup, looking at the injection parameters and at the design of the combustion chamber, is still a relevant issue. This thesis has the goal of realizing and validating a model of a DI CNG injector. After this first step, the mentioned …

Function And Evolution Of Plumage Traits In Trogons (Aves Trogoniformes), And The Importance Of Parameterization In Visual Models, Pierre-Paul Bitton

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In this dissertation, I investigated the function and evolution of plumage-based visual signals in trogons (Trogoniformes), and assessed the influence of individual parameters in the receptor-noise model of colour discriminability. In Chapter 2, I investigated the function of tail raising in the elegant trogon. For this purpose, I used observational and experimental data collected in Costa Rica. Results demonstrated that tail raising in the elegant trogon is a multifunctional signal that targets both conspecifics and heterospecifics. Specifically, trogons used this behaviour during intra and intersexual interactions, and the experiment confirmed that tail raising is a pursuit-deterrent signal. In Chapter 3, …

Maternal Effects On Egg Quality In Hatchery, Wild, And Farmed Chinook Salmon (Oncorhynchus Tshawytscha), Michaela Whitney Haring

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Maternal effects have received considerable attention within the literature, however our knowledge on environmental and genetic maternal effects on egg quality in fish still remains limited. I examined both environmental and genetic maternal effects on egg quality traits in hatchery, wild and farmed Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha). I found that environmental differences during early life altered certain aspects of the reproductive biology in hatchery- and wild- salmon, namely gonad and egg development, while other important components of egg quality, fatty acid profile, were not affected. By using quantitative genetic models and breeding designs, I determined that egg size was strongly …

Navigating Curricular Change In The Visual Arts In Ontario, Peter Jonathon Bates

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Every 7 years or so, the Ontario Ministry of Education publishes revised curriculum documents for a number of grades and disciplines. The purpose of this study was to explore the process of implementing The Ontario Curriculum, The Arts, Revised, 2010 in Ontario secondary schools. This work explored 20 teachers' perceptions and assessed the impact of a change in policy on their practice. Teacher agency provided the theoretical perspective that guided the construction, execution, and evaluation of the project. This study looked for a central phenomenon using grounded theory and involved 3 phases of data collection: survey, autoethnography, and interviews. Findings …

An Historical Geography Of Ontario School-Board-Operated Outdoor Education Centres, James Borland

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

School facilities are not passive containers, but designed spaces that project particular systems of values. Prior to the development of the idea that separate school facilities should be built to provide students with outdoor learning spaces, classroom teachers commonly used outdoor spaces within their local communities as pedagogical resources. Across Ontario, Canada's most populated province, it is commonly perceived by several scholars, news media, and many classroom teachers that school-board-operated outdoor education centres are one of the few spaces where students can learn about nature. In 2012, the Ontario Ministry of Education announced $20 million in funding "to support outdoor …

The Effect Of An Isometric Strength Training Protocol On Valgus Angle During A Drop-Jump Landing In Elite Female Volleyball Players, Kaitlin Jackson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purposes of this study were to a) strengthen the gluteal and hamstring muscles of 14 elite female volleyball players via a six week isometric strength training program to b) determine changes in peak knee valgus angle, c) determine any changes in tibial acceleration, and d) determine changes in vertical ground reaction forces at peak valgus angle during a drop-jump landing task. Significant strength increases were seen in hip extension (20.5%), abduction (27.5%), and knee flexion (23.5%) in the training group. No significant group changes were observed for knee valgus angle, tibial acceleration, or ground reaction forces. Notable significant individual …

Vibration Damping Via Acoustic Treatment Attached To Vehicle Body Panels, Carlo Gambino

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Currently, in the automotive industry, the control of noise and vibration is the subject of much research, oriented towards the creation of innovative solutions to improve the comfort of the vehicle and to reduce its cost and weight. This thesis fits into this particular framework, as it aims to investigate the possibility of integrating the functions of sound absorptioninsulation and vibration damping in a unique component. At present the bituminous viscoelastic treatments, which are bonded to the car body panels, take charge of the vibration damping, while the sound absorption and insulation is obtained by means of the poroacoustic treatments. …

Simulation And Analysis Of Air Recirculation Control Strategies To Control Carbon Dioxide Build-Up Inside A Vehicle Cabin, Teron James Patrick Matton

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Using air recirculation inside a vehicle is an effective way to minimize particle pollution and to maximize air conditioning cooling performance, however, prolonged use of air recirculation can cause high levels of carbon dioxide due to occupant exhalation and the lack of fresh air. Using air recirculation strategies can be an effective way of mitigating high carbon dioxide concentrations and poor air quality. Using AMEsim software, this study created a lumped parameter model to predict carbon dioxide concentrations, and analyzed the effects that various recirculation strategies had on the compressor load savings, carbon dioxide concentrations, and thermal environment inside the …

An Experimental Approach To Assess The Impact Of Post Processing Variables On The Mechanical Characteristics Of 3d Printed (Powder Binding Process) Parts, David Impens

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The study is designed to provide a robust understanding of the mechanical characteristic of a 3D printed part for selected post processing conditions. The `green' printed parts are generally very brittle and porous, therefore, infiltrates are introduced to alter the mechanical characteristics, which will introduce new opportunities for this technology. Exploratory testing is performed to shape the choices for post processing with the infiltrates. Specimen geometry, specific for tensile, compression and flexural testing were rendered in CAD software and printed on the Z-printer 450 (Zp150 powder / Zb59 binder) with three different build orientations (horizontal/ angled /vertical). Results show that …

Shock Interaction With Substrate In A Shock Induced Spray Process, Kevin Mrozinski

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

To further the knowledge of the Shock Induced Spray Process (SISP), an experimental apparatus which simulates Centerline's Waverider thermal spray gun was created which uses an unsteady flow to propel solid particles onto a substrate by the use of a shock wave to produce a coating. Experiments were conducted at a variety of operating supply pressures, firing frequencies, and stand off distances. A qualitative analysis was done using a custom Schlieren system along with a high speed camera. Insight into the flow behaviour in the SISP was established with the definition of six distinct phases. The formation of a bow …

New Materials And Methods For The Fabrication Of Large-Area Stretchable Electronics, Heather Lynn Filiatrault,

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation addresses three main challenges towards the fabrication of large-area stretchable electronic devices. First, we replaced expensive photolithography techniques with low-cost methods to achieve highly stretchable gold films on elastomers. Second, we enabled the fabrication of large-area stretchable pixels through the incorporation of stretchable elastomers in the emissive layer of light-emitting devices. Third, we made progress towards theinception of air-stable large-area stretchable electronics by developing methods to deposit conductive metal films on new highly impermeable stretchablesubstrates.

Chapter 2 describes the deposition of a low-cost, microstructured glue interlayer on an elastomeric substrate to enable the fabrication of gold films with …

Simulation Of A Regenerative Electromagnetic Vehicle Suspension, Fabio Tarantini

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In the last two decades, legislation that regulates carbon dioxide emissions are getting more and more stringent. In order to meet these regulations, fuel efficiency must be increased. This can be possible using devices that recover otherwise wasted energy. In this study, an electromagnetic regenerative shock absorber is analyzed. The device is capable of converting the vibrational energy, usually wasted as heat in conventional dampers, into electrical energy. The objective of this work is to develop a Matlab® model of the system in order to evaluate the gain in terms of harvested energy. The dynamic performance of the selected regenerative …

Paper Caskets, Emilia Danielewska

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

"Paper Caskets" is a collection of prose poetry that reveals and exposes the dead. The manuscript, made up for four parts, proposes a poetics of the box - as coffin, as prose parameters of the page, as photograph, as state of mind and body in the face of death. The poetry partially draws inspiration from postmortem photographs of children, recounting how the bodies come to have their pictures taken and how those who work and mourn affect the process. The poetry also locates death in the everyday: in the garden, on the beach, at a dance recital. Between artistry and …

Adhesion Mechanisms Of Ti-6al-4v To Pvd Coatings, Liang Jin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The adhesion mechanisms of titanium alloy Ti-6Al-4V to AISI 52100 steel and AlTiN, TiN and CrN nitride coating were studied. It was found that the transferred Ti-6Al-4V had a layered amorphous structure in which nanocrystalline and polycrystalline oxides were embedded. High resolution TEM (HRTEM), electron diffraction, and fast Fourier transform (FFT) investigations revealed the presence of nanocrystalline TiO (C2/m) at the steel/transfer layer and AlTiN/transfer layer interface. However only α-titanium (P63/mmc) was detected at the TiN/transfer layer interface and CrN/transfer layer. This observation explains that the coefficient of friction between TiN and Ti-6Al-4V as well as CrN and Ti-6Al-4V reached …

Evaporation Of Spray From A Rotary Bell Atomizer, Rajan Ray

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Evaporation of paint solvents is a significant part of a automobile's environmental footprint. Relationships between evaporation of droplets and application parameters were developed to optimize the spray process and reduce the environmental footprint by reducing paint waste in the booth. A Phase Doppler Anemometer (PDA) was used to calculate the evaporation of spray from a rotary bell atomizer (RBA). The change in volume flux between consecutive planes was found to be significant. The total evaporation when spraying water was 0.93 cm3/s and 0.46 cm3/s between 22.5-30.0 cm and 30.0-37.5 cm axial distances, respectively. Tests were performed to determine the effects …

Cfd Simulation Of Impinging Jet Flows And Boiling Heat Transfer, Mehrdad Shademan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Circular jets impinging vertically on flat surfaces have many practical applications in industry. Nozzle height-to-diameter ratio plays an important role in the performance of this type of jet. In this thesis a step by step approach has been followed to cover different aspects of impinging jets. In the first step, a steady Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes simulation has been carried out on impinging jets with different nozzle stand-off distances. A strong dependency of the jet characteristics on the nozzle height-to-diameter ratio was observed. The simulations show that an increase in this ratio results in larger shear stress and more distributed pressure on …

Investigating Potential Combinations Of Visual Features Towards Improvement Of Full-Reference And No-Reference Image Quality Assessment, Ashirbani Saha

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Objective assessment of image quality is the process of automatic assignment of a scalar score to an image such that the rating or score corresponds to the score provided by the Human Visual System (HVS). Despite extensive studies since the last two decades, it remains a challenging problem in image processing due to the presence of different types of distortions and limited knowledge of the HVS. Existing approaches for assessing the perceptual quality of images have relied on a number of methodologies that directly apply known properties of the HVS, construct hypotheses considering the HVS as a blackbox and use …

Experimental Evaluation Of An Noc Synthesis Tool, Jenita Priya Rajamanickam Manokara

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Rapid growth in the number of IP cores in SoCs resulted in the need for effective and scalable interconnect scheme for system components - Network-on-Chip (NoC). Design and implementation of an NoC from scratch is very time consuming and limits the NoC design space that can be explored. In this thesis we evaluate and compare NoC synthesis tool CONNECT with manually generated NoC design using Altera Quartus II. Three sizes of ring, mesh and torus NoC topologies are used for evaluation based on two metrics: logic resource utilization and maximum clock frequency. For larger NoC sizes manual design provides up …

Daisy Chain Ligands For The Control Of Layering In Pillared Metal-Organic Frameworks, Joseph Nicolas Sbrocca

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Mechanically interlocked molecules (MIMs) have been studied extensively due to their ability to function as molecular motors, machines, and molecular muscles in solution. Unfortunately, these systems lack organization in solution and the motions exhibited are incoherent. This has stimulated interest towards installing MIMs as ligands into metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) to improve the molecular organization and coherency of these systems. The material presented in this thesis describes the synthesis of two benzimidazole-crown ether (24C6) based cyclic daisy chain dimers for the first time. Upon further functionalization, one of the cyclic daisy chain dimers has the potential to be used as a …

Detect Spammers In Online Social Networks, Yi Zhang

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Fake followers in online social networks (OSNs) are the accounts that are created to boost the rank of some targets. These spammers can be generated by programs or human beings, making them hard to identify. In this thesis, we propose a novel spammer detection method by detecting near-duplicate accounts who share most of the followers. It is hard to discover such near-duplicates on large social networks that provide limited remote access. We identify the near-duplicates and the corresponding spammers by estimating the Jaccard similarity using star sampling, a combination of uniform random sampling and breadth-first crawling. Then we applied our …

Accommodating Complex Chained Prepositional Phrases In Natural Language Query Interface To An Event-Based Triplestore, Elham Emami

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Building Natural language query interfaces (NLI) to databases is one the most interesting and challenging fields of study for computer scientists and researchers. There have been many advancements and achievements in this area that enables NLIs to operate more efficiently and have wide NL coverage. However, there exists some shortcomings in query interface to semantic web triplestores. Some researchers have attempted to extend the range of queries that can be answered. However, only a few techniques can handle queries containing complex chained prepositional phrases. This thesis involves extending an existing method that can accommodate prepositional phrases to also be able …

Two Instances Of "Crow": A Cultural Study Of Irish Mythology And Intertextuality In "The Dead", Joseph Labine

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Irish archetypes change the function of intertextuality in the "The Dead," by mythologizing and de-anglicizing British intertextual allusions in the story, and suggest a new understanding of Joyce's perception of cultural tensions in Ireland. Knowledge of these archetypes is a prerequisite to fully understanding this tension. Many critics fail to notice Joyce's allusions because they are not reading the story within its defining context--which is the Irish Literary Revival. Celtic folklore helps convey his political outlook and his parody of literary activities in Ireland at the time of his writing. The story is essentially a parody with multiple levels of …

Alternative Restraint Methods In Child Restraint Systems, Kazimierz Andrzej Czubernat

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This research focuses on methods to reduce the frequency of negative health events experienced by premature and low birth weight infants in child safety seats as well as methods to mitigate some of the risk of injury to an infant during both crash events and aggressive driving conditions. Simulations were carried out using a computer model of an anthropomorphic testing device within a child safety seat subjected to various aggressive driving conditions, a frontal impact, and a side impact. The performance of the system was based on neck angle, observed head acceleration and various loads in the neck of the …