Engineering Commons^™

Development Of A Hybrid Vehicle Powertrain Test Laboratory, Bennet Samuel Soundarraj

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

During the last two years, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University has installed and tested a fully functional eddy-current chassis dynamometer testing facility on campus. An automotive test facility requires a systems engineering approach to install, calibrate and commission a chassis dynamometer. This thesis shows that, the dynamometer test facility was successfully installed, commissioned and documented to safely support the power train development and testing. We can currently test the EcoCAR vehicle and a number of other front-wheel-drive vehicles at our university campus using the eddy current chassis dynamometer.

Performance Analysis Of Non-Linear Adaptive Control Laws Using Hardware In The Loop Of An Unmanned Aerial System, Brendon Lyons

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

In practical applications, an Unmanned Aerial System's (UAS) baseline performance is dictated by how well it can follow a given trajectory with limited stress on the actuators. However, these can be insufficient performance metrics when the UAS is allowed to adapt to an unpredicted external influence such as turbulence or actuation failure, while maintaining a satisfactory baseline performance.

In this thesis, different control laws based on the formation flight geometry problem, nonlinear dynamic inversion and an artificial immune system adaptive mechanism , are implemented in hardware-in-the-loop as a precursor for in-flight testing. These controllers are compared based on three performance …

Mapping Automotive Like Controls To A General Aviation Aircraft, Christopher G. Carvalho

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

The purpose of this thesis was to develop fly-by-wire control laws enabling a general aviation aircraft to be flown with automotive controls, i.e. a steering wheel and gas/brake pedals. There was a six speed shifter used to change the flight mode of the aircraft. This essentially allows the pilot to have control over different aspects of the flight profile such as climb/descend or cruise. A highway in the sky was used to aid in the navigation since it is not intuitive to people without flight experience how to navigate from the sky or when to climb and descend.

Many believe …

Geometric And Pattern Recognition Combined Algorithms Applied To Digital Image Processing In Aerial Search And Rescue Applications, Jamil Efren Anaguano Correa

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

The difficult task of generating an automated target detection system from aerial imagery can be achieved through different approaches. However, the robustness of any machine vision system lays on the implementation of vision algorithms. By combining geometric and pattern recognition algorithms, a more effective machine vision scheme is developed. Three modules-Color Identification (CIM), Color Matching (CMM), and Pattern Recognition (PRM)- work as main filters to process images and predict the location of targets based on a set templates. Multiple target detection is also accomplished by implementing a hide and seek method where all matching objects are scanned individually and isolated …

Hydrodynamic Impact Analysis And Testing Of An Unmanned Aerial Vehicle, Isabel Bird

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

Analysis and testing have been conducted to assess the feasibility of a small UAV that can be landed in the water and recovered for continued use. Water landings may be desirable in a number of situations, for example when testing UAVs outside of the territorial waters of the US to avoid violating FAA regulations. Water landings may also be desirable when conducting surveillance missions in marine environments. Although the goal in landing is to have the UAV lightly set down on the water, rough seas or gusty winds may result in a nose-in landing where the UAV essentially impacts the …

An Investigation To Advance The Technology Readiness Level Of The Centaur Derived On-Orbit Propellant Storage And Transfer System, Nathan L. Silvernail

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

This research was carried out in collaboration with the United Launch Alliance (ULA), to advance an innovative Centaur-based on-orbit propellant storage and transfer system that takes advantage of rotational settling to simplify Fluid Management (FM), specifically enabling settled fluid transfer between two tanks and settled pressure control. This research consists of two specific objectives: (1) technique and process validation and (2) computational model development. In order to raise the Technology Readiness Level (TRL) of this technology, the corresponding FM techniques and processes must be validated in a series of experimental tests, including: laboratory/ground testing, microgravity flight testing, suborbital flight testing, …

Creating Standards Compliant Biodiesel Production Capability Using Waste Peanut Oil At Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Jintana Nina Phanthanousy

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

During the past year, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University has been in the process of making a viable biodiesel using waste peanut oil from a Chick-Fil-A fast food restaurant on campus. Past research and biodiesel production from the previous two years on campus was taken into consideration and a catalyst change was proposed. Sample test batches were conducted to create a viable biodiesel and a consistent recipe. The biodiesel was tested for quality and also sent in for ASTM Standards testing. Biodiesel that passed quality testing would be permitted to be used as a B100 in campus facilities and university projects. It …

Estimation Of Real-Time Runway Surface Contamination Using Flight Data Recorder Parameters, Donovan C. Curry

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

Within this research effort, the development of an analytic process for friction coefficient estimation is presented. Under static equilibrium, the sum of forces and moments acting on the aircraft, in the aircraft body coordinate system, while on the ground at any instant is equal to zero. Under this premise the longitudinal, lateral and normal forces due to landing are calculated along with the individual deceleration components existent when an aircraft comes to a rest during ground roll. In order to validate this hypothesis a six degree of freedom aircraft model had to be created and landing tests had to be …

New Peril + Old Promises = Bad Results, Paul Eschenfelder

Paul F. Eschenfelder

No abstract provided.

A Novel Method For Prediction Of Mobile Robot Maneuvering Spaces, Patrick N. Currier, Alfred L. Wicks

Mechanical Engineering - Daytona Beach

As the operational uses of mobile robots continue to expand, it becomes useful to be able to predict the admissible maneuvering space to prevent the robot from executing unsafe maneuvers. A novel method is proposed to address this need by using force-moment diagrams to characterize the robot’s maneuvering space in terms of path curvature and curvature rate. Using the proposed superposition techniques, these diagrams can then be transformed in real-time to provide a representation of the permissible maneuvering space while allowing for changes in the robot’s loading and terrain conditions. Simulation results indicate that the technique can be applied to …

Mechanics Of Hip Dysplasia Reduction In Infants Using The Pavlik Harness: A Physics Based Computational Model, Orlando Ardila, Eduardo Divo, Faissal Moslehy, George Rab, Alain Kassab, Charles Price

Mechanical Engineering - Daytona Beach

Biomechanical factors influencing the reduction of dislocated hips with the Pavlik harness in patients of Developmental Dysplasia of the Hip (DDH) were studied using a three-dimensional computer model simulating hip reduction dynamics in (1) subluxated and (2) fully dislocated hip joints. Five hip adductor muscles were identified as key mediators of DDH prognosis, and the non-dimensional force contribution of each in the direction necessary to achieve concentric hip reductions was determined. Results point to the adductor muscles as mediators of subluxated hip reductions, as their mechanical action is a function of the degree of hip dislocation. For subluxated hips in …

A Novel Resistance Exercise Machine For Use In A Lower Body Negative Pressure Box To Counteract The Effects Of Weightlessness, Christine M. Dailey

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

Physiological deconditioning is a critical problem in space, especially during long-term missions. Resistance exercise coupled with lower body negative pressure (LBNP) has been shown to be effective in counteracting some of the deconditioning related problems. This thesis describes the development of a compact and effective resistance exercise machine that works within an existing environmentally controlled LBNP Box and is designed to simulate both exercise and sitting, to prevent microgravity-induced deconditioning by simulating physiological and biomechanical features of upright exercise and daily activities. Theoretical calculations are carried out to determine whether kinematics, musculoskeletal loadings, and metabolic rate during supine exercise within …

Project Haiti 2012: Providing An Experiential Learning Experience Through The Design And Delivery Of A Water Purifier In Haiti, Yung Wong, Johnathon Camp, Shavin Pinto, Kyle Fennesy, Marc Compere, Yan Tang

Publications

In this paper, we share our experiences and lessons learned from Project Haiti 2012, a project to design and install a water purification system serving 20,000 people per day in the largest tent city in Haiti. Project Haiti 2012 was the third and largest system we have built for Haitians and represents a huge success for all participants and stakeholders. This paper discusses the unique experiential learning opportunity involved in the design and delivery of the water purifier in a foreign developing country. Multiple positive educational, social, and economic outcomes were achieved including students applying knowledge gained from coursework towards …

Walking, Running, And Resting Under Time, Distance And Average Speed Constraints: Optimality Of Walk-Run-Rest Mixtures, Leroy L. Long Iii, Manoj Srinivasan

Publications

On a treadmill, humans switch from walking to running beyond a characteristic transition speed. Here, we study human choice between walking and running in a more ecological (non-treadmill) setting. We asked subjects to travel a given distance overground in a given allowed time duration. During this task, the subjects carried, and could look at, a stop-watch that counted down to zero. As expected, if the total time available were large, humans walk the whole distance. If the time available were small, humans mostly run. For an intermediate total time, humans often use a mixture of walking at a slow speed …