Engineering Commons^™

Investigation Of Aluminum Equation Of State Generation, Aaron Ward

Master's Theses (2009 -)

There are many forms and methods to construct equations of state, EOSs. These methods are usually tailored for the particular problem of interest. Here, the EOSs of interest are those used in modeling shock responses. These EOSs cover a wide range of physical characteristics such as detonation and explosions, armor and anti-armor materials, and space structures protection. Aluminum will be the primary focus of this work. Aluminum was chosen because it has been studied in great length in the shock regime and is a common component in shock experiments and space type vehicles.

Droplet Behavior In Dense, Low Velocity Aerosols, Alexander Polley

Master's Theses (2009 -)

Rapid compression machines (RCM) are laboratory devices used to measure gas-phase fuel reactivity at conditions relevant to combustion engines. Test mixtures are generally prepared by rapidly compressing a gas phase fuel+oxidizer+diluent mixture to high pressure and temperature (e.g., 10-50 bar, 650-1000 K). It is extremely challenging to utilize diesel-relevant liquid fuels in these devices due to their involatility. One proposed method involves the delivery of an aerosol of suspended fuel droplets (∼ 0.1 mL_fuel/L_gas at stoichiometric fuel loading) to the machine. The compression stroke of the RCM subsequently heats the gas phase of the aerosol thereby achieving …

Surface Preparation Of Naval Ship Construction Steel (Abs-A And Ah-36) Via Bristle Blasting Process, Jorge Andres Martinez

Master's Theses (2009 -)

Bristle blasting is a new and unique corrosion-removal process that is rapidly gaining widespread acceptance among engineers and practitioners in the corrosion/ surface preparation community. Engineers from the ship construction and repair industries face a constant corrosive threat to ships' steel infrastructure and welded joints. To this end, great care is exercised in protecting the vessels' structural integrity and longevity, while maintenance engineers in the ship-building industry seek new methods to improve surface preparation that will not compromise the surface cleanliness and anchor profile required for proper adhesion of paints and coatings.

In this study, the cleanliness and texture of …

Heat And Mass Transfer Correlations For Steam Methane Reforming In Non-Adiabatic, Process-Intensified Catalytic Reactors, Adam Stephen Kimmel

Master's Theses (2009 -)

Because of its high energy density, hydrogen is a desirable energy source for the achievement of a renewable energy landscape. Though production methods like thermolysis, electrolysis and biomass conversion, among others, are thought to be long term renewable solutions, catalytic steam methane reforming (SMR) is currently the predominant mechanism to produce hydrogen on an industrial scale. The highly endothermic, transport-limited reforming process has also been scaled down through process intensification to create efficient small-scale hydrogen-generating systems. One proposed geometry utilizes a catalytic finned cylinder that provides a manufacturable solution to enable high-efficiency heat exchange and SMR reaction. An accurate representation …

Optimal Mobile It Location Based On Ergonomics, Kyle Saginus

Master's Theses (2009 -)

U.S. and Canadian electric utility companies are in the process of integrating mobile computers into their fleet vehicle cabs. The placement of the mobile computer in the vehicle cab could have a significant effect on biomechanical loading, performance, and subjective assessment. The objective of this research is to determine the best location to place a mobile computer in a truck cab.

In this experiment, four locations of mobile computers in a truck cab were selected and tested in a laboratory study to determine how location affected muscle activity of the lower back and shoulders; joint angles of the shoulders, elbows, …

Method Of Tolerance Allocation To Maintain Rotary Balance Of Multi-Component Bodies, Lindsay Louise Rogers

Master's Theses (2009 -)

Vibration of rotating machinery caused by mass imbalance is the most frequent source of unwanted disturbing forces and also the most preventable. In the case of a CT scanner, unwanted vibration in the equipment causes artifacts to the X-ray image, and therefore all measures are taken to eliminate imbalance. The CT scanner is a multi-component rotating body, therefore making it a challenge to account for many discrete components, each with unique variation. This research developed the equations for static and dynamic balance including considerations for inertia. The variation of the components was studied using two models: a sensitivity analysis and …

One-Dimensional Strain Initiated By Rapid Compaction Of A Heterogenous Granular Mixture Consisting Of Cu, Fe, Sio2, C, Mos2, And Sn, Cullen Braun

Master's Theses (2009 -)

The dynamic compaction of metal powders is of great interest to the metallurgical and military communities. The compaction of a heterogeneous granular mixture consisting of copper, iron, silica, graphite, molybdenum-disulde, and tin predominately used in aviation break-pad creation is presented. The initial density of the material was on average 2.756 g/cm3 . The research also required developing a working projectile velocity measurement system and a proper target assembly for pressure measurements. Manganin gages were used to record the shock wave transit time and the pressure of the transmitted waveform into the powder mixture. An impedance matching technique was utilized to …

A Novel Approach To The Part Orientation Problem For Robotic Assembly Applications, Brian James Slaboch

Master's Theses (2009 -)

SCARA (Selective Compliant Assembly Robot Arm) type robots are the most common type of assembly robots. These robots have four degrees of freedom (three rotational and one translational). Typically these robots are used for assembly tasks that take place along a vertical axis. Many times, however, assembly tasks take place along a non-vertical axis. To account for non- vertical axis assembly, parts must be fed in a proper orientation to allow for correct assembly. Parts feeders and specialized end-effectors are typically used to feed parts in their proper orientation. This thesis investigates a novel end-effector that can be used to …