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Full-Text Articles in Engineering

The Electrodeposition Of Cerium/Copper Prox Catalysts On Metal Foam, James Matthew Faubion Jan 2007

The Electrodeposition Of Cerium/Copper Prox Catalysts On Metal Foam, James Matthew Faubion

LSU Master's Theses

A cerium/copper (Ce/Cu) preferred carbon monoxide (CO) oxidation (PROX) catalyst has been synthesized via electrodeposition onto a metal foam monolith. The catalyst was characterized using ICP, TPRS, TPR and SEM/EDS. Preliminary PROX TPRS evidence in a reaction mixture of 1% CO, 0.5% O2, 40% H2 (bal. Ar.) indicated that the highest activity was seen in a sequential deposition, in which Cu was deposited first. The highest CO oxidation activity was obtained when the Ce concentration in the second step was 0.1 M (resulting in a bulk wt% loading of 0.24 Ce:Cu). SEM/EDS analysis indicated that an increase in ceria loading …


Turbulence Modeling For Film Cooling Flows, Asif Hoda Jan 2007

Turbulence Modeling For Film Cooling Flows, Asif Hoda

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

An improved two equation turbulence model has been developed in this dissertation to better predict the complex film cooling flow field that is formed from the interaction of a coolant jet and a crossflow over a modeled turbine blade surface. Film cooling of turbine blades is commonly employed to effectively protect turbine blades from thermal failure and thereby to allow higher inlet temperatures in order to increase the efficiency of gas turbine engines. Film cooling involves the injection of rows of coolant jets from slots on the surface of a turbine blade which is then bent over by the crossflow …


Transcendental Eigenvalue Problems Associated With Vibration, Buckling And Control, Jayaram Subramanian Jan 2007

Transcendental Eigenvalue Problems Associated With Vibration, Buckling And Control, Jayaram Subramanian

LSU Master's Theses

The static and dynamic analysis of structures requires us to obtain solutions of their espective governing differential equations subject to appropriate boundary conditions. The dynamic analysis of non-uniform continuous structures is of primary interest, as most traditional methods take the help of discrete models to analyze them. Well established discrete model methods lead to an algebraic eigenvalue problem, the characteristic equation associated with which is a polynomial. The spectral characteristics of a continuous system nevertheless are represented by transcendental functions and cannot be approximated by polynomials efficiently. Hence finite dimensional discrete models are not capable of predicting the response of …


Semantic Image Retrieval Using Relevance Feedback And Transaction Logs, Amin Shah-Hosseini Jan 2007

Semantic Image Retrieval Using Relevance Feedback And Transaction Logs, Amin Shah-Hosseini

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Due to the recent improvements in digital photography and storage capacity, storing large amounts of images has been made possible, and efficient means to retrieve images matching a user’s query are needed. Content-based Image Retrieval (CBIR) systems automatically extract image contents based on image features, i.e. color, texture, and shape. Relevance feedback methods are applied to CBIR to integrate users’ perceptions and reduce the gap between high-level image semantics and low-level image features. The precision of a CBIR system in retrieving semantically rich (complex) images is improved in this dissertation work by making advancements in three areas of a CBIR …


Development Of A Biomass Transducer For Automated Microalgal Bioreactors, Amar Shivaram Hegde Jan 2007

Development Of A Biomass Transducer For Automated Microalgal Bioreactors, Amar Shivaram Hegde

LSU Master's Theses

A highly sensitive miniaturized biomass transducer is necessary for continuous and reliable monitoring of the microalgal biomass in a computer controlled, automated microalgal bioreactor. Previous known methods to determine microalgal biomass applicable in these bioreactors are based on single wavelength turbidimetric or fluorescence. The objectives of this research were to (1) determine the light absorption characteristics of some commercially applicable microalgae in the electromagnetic wavelength range of 200-800 nm (2) design and construct a new miniaturized biomass transducer (3) process the transducer output to correlate with the biomass. Wavelength sensitivity analysis was conducted on the commercially important microalgal species - …


Electrodeposition Of Multilayered Nanostructures For Giant Magnetoresistance And Thermoelectric Applications, Despina Davis Jan 2007

Electrodeposition Of Multilayered Nanostructures For Giant Magnetoresistance And Thermoelectric Applications, Despina Davis

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The electrodeposition of novel materials such as multilayer nanotubes for giant magneto resistance (GMR) applications and bismuth telluride nanotubes for thermoelectric applications are presented in this dissertation. The motivation for the multilayer electrodeposition is the investigation of giant magnetoresistance (GMR), a change in the material resistance in an applied magnetic field as a consequence of antiferromagnetic coupling. The nanowire high aspect ratio geometry allows the measurement of GMR with the current applied perpendicular to the plane (CPP) of the multilayers, which has been theoretically identified as being larger than the GMR in the (CIP) configuration (current in plane of multilayers). …


Production Well Operations Optimization In Water Distribution System Using Genetic Algorithm, Vineet Katiyar Jan 2007

Production Well Operations Optimization In Water Distribution System Using Genetic Algorithm, Vineet Katiyar

LSU Master's Theses

The City of Chandler, Arizona lies in semi-arid area and the water resources management has been a major concern by the State citizen. There is always a need of optimizing the available water resources when the rate of demand constantly beats the rate of replenishment. In this study we have developed a management model to link the Chandler water distribution model (EPANET) with the Chandler groundwater flow model (MODFLOW) under an optimization framework (Genetic algorithm). The EPANET model supplied by the Chandler city municipal authority has several improper setting (pumping schedules, valves settings, pressure zones etc.). The original model has …


Pre-Treatment Of Dynamically Varying Waste Gas Concentrations Using Activated Carbon Prior To Biofiltration: Effect Of Cycle Length On Degree Of Load Equalization, Kodi L. Collins Jan 2007

Pre-Treatment Of Dynamically Varying Waste Gas Concentrations Using Activated Carbon Prior To Biofiltration: Effect Of Cycle Length On Degree Of Load Equalization, Kodi L. Collins

LSU Master's Theses

Dynamically varying waste gas concentrations pose challenges to the operation and design of air pollution control techniques such as biofilters. Although design approaches are becoming well established for biofilters treating gases containing VOC concentrations that are constant as a function of time, many industrial processes emit gas streams contaminated with volatile organic compounds at concentrations that fluctuate with time. Application of an effective load equalization technique could eliminate some challenges associated with fluctuating pollutant concentrations. Recent research has demonstrated that granular activated carbon (GAC) can serve as a passively controlled system to provide load-equalization as a pre-treatment prior to biofiltration. …


Experimental And Modeling Studies Of Contaminant Transport In Capped Sediments During Gas Bubble Ebullition, Qingzhong Yuan Jan 2007

Experimental And Modeling Studies Of Contaminant Transport In Capped Sediments During Gas Bubble Ebullition, Qingzhong Yuan

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Fluxes of the three organics and eighteen metals from sediments were measured with diffusion chambers, and the effectiveness of a sand cap ascertained. The influence of sediment consolidation on contaminant flux and the mass transfer coefficient at the sediment-water interface was studied. A two-layer diffusion-advection model and consolidation model were coupled to elucidate the effect of sediment consolidation on chemical transport in the sediment-cap system. The model was tested and verified by the experimental data from microcosms, and then was used to predict phenanthrene flux under field conditions. The simulation results showed that consolidation could accelerate phenanthrene breakthrough and enhance …


Characterization Of Polyethylene Glycol Hydrogels For Biomedical Applications, Anushree Datta Jan 2007

Characterization Of Polyethylene Glycol Hydrogels For Biomedical Applications, Anushree Datta

LSU Master's Theses

Polyethylene glycol is one of the most widely used synthetic materials for biomedical applications. Its biocompatibility, flexibility, and 'stealth' properties make it ideal for use in drug delivery applications. The main objective of this paper is to characterize the structural and mass transfer properties of polyethylene glycol hydrogels for applications in drug delivery and biological immobilization. Swelling behavior of the gels was studied to determine the mesh size, and other significant structural parameters of the gel. For accurate design of drug delivery device, along with network design, mathematical modeling of release profiles was performed. The study of PEG hydrogels was …


Measurement Of Metal Migration In Sediment Caps With X-Ray Fluorescene, Ming Yin Jan 2007

Measurement Of Metal Migration In Sediment Caps With X-Ray Fluorescene, Ming Yin

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

ABSTRACT Sand is often used as a passive barrier to slow release of metals from the sediment and to separate benthic organisms from the sediment. Materials that effectively adsorb metals have the potential to provide significantly greater effectiveness by further retarding metal release. In this thesis, the effectiveness of apatite and Phosphil®, which contain phosphate in a form that can absorb many metals, is evaluated with a series of sorption and migration column experiments using Cr, Cu, Zn and Pb. Langmuir shape isotherms were observed suggesting that the effectiveness of these materials decreases at high concentration. The sorption isotherm experiments …


Characterization Of Unsaturated Soils Using Elastic And Electromagnetic Waves, Bashar Alramahi Jan 2007

Characterization Of Unsaturated Soils Using Elastic And Electromagnetic Waves, Bashar Alramahi

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Recent advances in laboratory instruments and techniques enabled researchers to explore new aspects of the behavior of geomaterials and perform measurements that would be otherwise impossible to acquire using traditional geotechnical laboratory techniques. This dissertation is focused on utilizing elastic and electromagnetic wave measurements and SMCT imaging to non-destructively characterize different aspects of the behavior of unsaturated soils. A model that relates P-wave velocity in soils to the volumetric water content was used to develop a new methodology to determine the in situ density and moisture content of soils. It was numerically and experimentally verified to assess it validity and …


The Catalytic Partial Oxidation Of N-Tetradecane On Rh And Sr Substituted Pyrochlores, Daniel Haynes Jan 2007

The Catalytic Partial Oxidation Of N-Tetradecane On Rh And Sr Substituted Pyrochlores, Daniel Haynes

LSU Master's Theses

Catalyst deactivation by high levels of sulfur and aromatics limits the catalytic partial oxidation (CPOX) of diesel fuel into a H2-rich stream for fuel cells. These species poison traditional supported metal catalysts because they adsorb strongly to electron dense metal clusters and promote the formation of carbon on the surface. Therefore, it is logical to spatially distribute an active metal into the lattice of a chemically and thermally stable material to create an active catalyst surface that is less likely to accumulate carbon or be deactivated by sulfur. In this work, Rh metal only and Rh + Sr …


Urban Stream Stabilization Using Regional Hydraulic Geometry Curves For Bankfull Floodplain Design, Jonathan Edward Fourrier Jan 2007

Urban Stream Stabilization Using Regional Hydraulic Geometry Curves For Bankfull Floodplain Design, Jonathan Edward Fourrier

LSU Master's Theses

The objective of this thesis was to determine the effectiveness of hydraulic geometry curves for designing bankfull floodplains to stabilize urban streams. In stable streams bankfull discharge is contained within the stream's banks. Higher flows spread out onto the floodplain where the water's velocity drops due to the increase in area and vegetation. This dissipation of energy promotes sediment deposition, decreases flow velocity, and reduces channel erosion. In cases like Galbraith Drain where historical gage data are not available and bankfull indicators are not present, a degraded stream's bankfull depth may be estimated with hydraulic geometry curves. Over forty cross …


Optimal Control Of Production And Distribution In A Supply Chain System Operating Under A Jit Delivery Policy, Pablo Biswas Jan 2007

Optimal Control Of Production And Distribution In A Supply Chain System Operating Under A Jit Delivery Policy, Pablo Biswas

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This research deals with a supply chain system where the production or manufacturing facility operates under a just-in-time (JIT) environment, and the facility consists of raw material suppliers, manufacturers, and retailers where inventory of raw materials, work-in-process, and finished goods are involved, respectively. This work considers that the production of finished goods in one cycle starts just after the production or uptime in preceding cycle to minimize the idle time of the facility. Considering this scenario, inventory models are developed for different delivery situations: (a) perfect matching condition where no finished good remains after the shipments and (b) imperfect matching …


An Experimental Study On Characteristics And Behavior Of Reinforced Soil Foundation, Qiming Chen Jan 2007

An Experimental Study On Characteristics And Behavior Of Reinforced Soil Foundation, Qiming Chen

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This research study aims at investigating the potential benefits of using the reinforcement to improve the bearing capacity and reduce the settlement of shallow foundations. To implement this objective, a total of one hundred seventeen tests were performed to study the behavior of reinforced soil foundation. The test results showed that the inclusion of reinforcement can significantly improve the soil's bearing capacity and reduce the footing settlement. The geogrids with higher tensile modulus performed better than geogrids with lower tensile modulus. The strain developed along the reinforcement is directly related to the settlement. The test results also showed that the …


Characterization And Analysis Of Hybrid Electronic Materials For Molecular Based Devices, Sathish Thiruvengadam Jan 2007

Characterization And Analysis Of Hybrid Electronic Materials For Molecular Based Devices, Sathish Thiruvengadam

LSU Master's Theses

The goal of this work is to characterize and to analyze hybrid electronic materials (HEMs) using fluorescence (FL) spectroscopy and conductive probe-atomic force microscopy (CP-AFM) in order to investigate the electrical and optical properties of these materials. Currently, research efforts to characterize novel organic materials for the determination of molecular level transport properties are of great interest.[6] One of the most interesting organic materials is the porphyrin molecule, which exhibits behavior useful for memory applications.[4] Colloidal CdS quantum dots (Q-CdS) capped with dioctyl sulfosuccinate (AOT) and thiol functionalized porphyrin molecules are explored for their potential application to next-generation hybrid electronic …


Saltwater Intrusion Simulation In Heterogeneous Aquifer Using Lattice Boltzmann Method, Borja Servan Camas Jan 2007

Saltwater Intrusion Simulation In Heterogeneous Aquifer Using Lattice Boltzmann Method, Borja Servan Camas

LSU Master's Theses

This study develops a saltwater intrusion simulation model using a lattice Boltzmann method (LBM) in a two-dimensional coastal confined aquifer. The saltwater intrusion is described by density-dependent groundwater flow and mass transport equations, where a freshwater-saltwater mixing zone is considered. The problem is formulated in terms of hydraulic head instead of pressure, which is recommended in those cases where static pressures dominate to reduce computational cost. The aquifer heterogeneity is explicitly a function of the speed of sound, relaxation parameter and time steps in the LBM. This study explores the equivalent squared sound speed to deal with the spatial-temporal heterogeneity …


Effect Of Hole Configurations On Film Cooling From Cylindrical Inclined Holes For The Application To Gas Turbine Blades, Yiping Lu Jan 2007

Effect Of Hole Configurations On Film Cooling From Cylindrical Inclined Holes For The Application To Gas Turbine Blades, Yiping Lu

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Film cooling is one of the cooling systems investigated for the application to gas turbine blades. Gas turbines use film cooling in addition to turbulated internal cooling to protect the blades outer surface from hot gases. The present study concentrates on the experimental and numerical investigation of film cooling performance for a row of cylindrical holes in a modern turbine blade. The adiabatic film effectiveness and the heat transfer coefficient are determined experimentally on a flat plate downstream of a row of inclined different geometries hole exit by using a single test transient IR thermography technique. The focus of this …


Computer-Aided Weld Inspection By Fuzzy Modeling With Selected Features, Sean Najm Ghazavi Jan 2007

Computer-Aided Weld Inspection By Fuzzy Modeling With Selected Features, Sean Najm Ghazavi

LSU Master's Theses

This thesis develops a computer-aided weld inspection methodology based on fuzzy modeling with selected features. The proposed methodology employs several filter feature selection methods for selecting input variables and then builds fuzzy models with the selected features. Our fuzzy modeling method is based on a fuzzy c-means (FCM) variant for the generation of fuzzy terms sets. The implemented FCM variant differs from the original FCM method in two aspects: (1) the two end terms take the maximum and minimum domain values as their centers, and (2) all fuzzy terms are forced to be convex. The optimal number of terms and …


Electrodeposition Of Rare Earth-Transition Metal Alloy Thin Films And Nanostructures, Rohit Mishra Jan 2007

Electrodeposition Of Rare Earth-Transition Metal Alloy Thin Films And Nanostructures, Rohit Mishra

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Rare earth-transition metal alloys are of interest in MEMS and magnetic storage industries because of their unique magnetic properties. However, the applications of these alloys have been limited to bulk and thin film architectures because of the limitations of the contemporary vapor deposition technique to fabricate high aspect ratio nanostructures. The objective of this study is to develop an electrochemical process to deposit rare earth-transition metal alloys thus making it possible to deposit high aspect ratio nanostructures such as nanowires and nanotubes, which helps to tune their properties for specific applications. Electrodeposition of rare earth-transition metal alloys was achieved from …


Locally Derived Nonpoint Loading Estimates For The Boeuf River/Bayou Lafourche Watershed, Emerald Purser Roider Jan 2007

Locally Derived Nonpoint Loading Estimates For The Boeuf River/Bayou Lafourche Watershed, Emerald Purser Roider

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

There is currently a great demand for data and models that can be used to quantify nonpoint source pollutant loads from different land-use types. The Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality (LDEQ) is in the process of implementing management programs for impacted water bodies based on the Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) of a pollutant. Pollutants of concern include total suspended solids (TSS), nitrogen, and phosphorus. One of the key parameters in determining the TMDL of a water body is the nonpoint source pollutant load from different land-use types. To date, such load estimates in Louisiana are lacking. The primary objective …


Factors That Influence Visual Attention And Their Effects On Safety In Driving: An Eye Movement Tracking Approach, Larry Bargola Nabatilan Jan 2007

Factors That Influence Visual Attention And Their Effects On Safety In Driving: An Eye Movement Tracking Approach, Larry Bargola Nabatilan

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Statistics show that a high percentage of road related accidents are due to factors that cause impaired driving. Since information extraction in driving is predominantly a visual task, visual distraction and its implications are therefore important safety issues. The main objective of this research is to study some of the implications of demands to human’s attention and perception and how it affects performance of tasks such as driving. Specifically, the study aims to determine the changes that occur in the visual behavior of drivers with different levels of driving experience by tracking the movement of the eye; examine the effects …


An Optimal Operational Policy For An Integrated Production-Delivery System Under Continuous Price Decrease, Deniz Mungan Jan 2007

An Optimal Operational Policy For An Integrated Production-Delivery System Under Continuous Price Decrease, Deniz Mungan

LSU Master's Theses

In today’s competitive world, the unit cost of a high-tech product declines significantly over its life cycle. An integrated inventory model for products experiencing continuous decrease in unit cost is studied in this research. In this integrated model a manufacturing facility purchases raw material from outside supplier at a fixed size and supplies a fixed quantity of finished products to a buyer periodically after using its production processes. Moreover, buyers demand frequent deliveries of small lots of finished products since the price is continuously decreasing, and this emphasizes the significance of just-in-time (JIT) inventory management for successful companies in technology-related …


Aconitic Acid From Sugarcane: Production And Industrial Application, Nicolas Javier Gil Zapata Jan 2007

Aconitic Acid From Sugarcane: Production And Industrial Application, Nicolas Javier Gil Zapata

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Trans aconitic acid (TAA) is the predominant organic acid in cane leaf matter (CLM) juice. Its concentration is three to six times higher than the level found in sugarcane stalks. The variation of composition in terms of total fermentable sugars (TFS), anions, and cations of the LCP85-384 sugarcane variety during 2003-2006 seasons, as well as the ripener (Polado-L®) effect were analyzed. TAA content ranged between 2.1-3.1 kg / t CLM. The TFS in CLM juice yielded a fermentation efficiency of 92%, four points lower than with sugar molasses. Liquid-liquid extraction (LLE), solid-liquid extraction and ion exchange were evaluated for the …


Film Cooling From A Row Of Holes Supplemented With Anti Vortex Holes, Alok Dhungel Jan 2007

Film Cooling From A Row Of Holes Supplemented With Anti Vortex Holes, Alok Dhungel

LSU Master's Theses

Film cooling is a technique employed to protect the external surface of gas turbine blades from the hot mainstream gas by ejecting the internal coolant air through discrete holes or slots at several locations on the blade exterior surface. Passing the coolant through conventional cylindrical holes causes a pair of vortices to form which lifts off the coolant jet instead of letting it adhere to the surface. The present study aims at investigating the enhanced cooling performance caused by addition of anti-vortex holes to the main cylindrical film cooling holes. Both heat transfer coefficient and film cooling effectiveness are determined …


Optimization For Software Release And Crash, Tanvir Khan Jan 2007

Optimization For Software Release And Crash, Tanvir Khan

LSU Master's Theses

Software testing is a process to detect faults in the completeness and quality of developed computer software. Testing is a key process in assuring quality by identifying defects in software, and possibly fixing them, before it is delivered to end-users. A major decision to make during this software testing is, to determine whether to continue testing and eventually releasing the software, or when to stop the test and ‘crash’ it. Such a decision needs to be made to optimally balance the tradeoff between the cost of development and the reliability of the software. In this paper, a new optimal strategy …


Effects Of Capping On Biodegradation Of Organic Contaminants In Sediments, Eun Ju Lee Jan 2007

Effects Of Capping On Biodegradation Of Organic Contaminants In Sediments, Eun Ju Lee

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Sediment capping remains an effective remediation technique for contaminated sediments due to its capability to contain contaminants and provide a sound habitat for indigenous biota. This research investigated the effect of capping on biodegradation of organic contaminants in Anacostia River sediments using both experimental and modeling techniques. 14C–Phenanthrene mineralization was monitored under various redox conditions in Anacostia River sediments. Mineralization of 14C–phenanthrene was strongly linked to sulfate reduction, which was the more energetic process than any other anaerobic condition in Anacostia sediments. Sulfate is a more promising terminal electron acceptor for intrinsic degradation in Anacostia River and other PAH contaminated …


Wind Loads For Petrochemical Structures, Samuel Amoroso Jan 2007

Wind Loads For Petrochemical Structures, Samuel Amoroso

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Techniques currently available to practicing engineers for estimating wind loads for petrochemical structures have little theoretical or experimental basis. This dissertation research is an effort to expand the understanding of wind effects on petrochemical and other, similar structures. Petrochemical structures introduce geometric scales into wind tunnel model simulations below what are common for enclosed structures. Wind tunnel experiments were performed to help determine whether this will introduce problems in achieving dynamic similarity between models and prototypes. The experiments did not reveal any clear indication that petrochemical structures cannot be modeled in wind tunnels at scales similar to those used for …


Production Data Analysis Of Shale Gas Reservoirs, Adam Michael Lewis Jan 2007

Production Data Analysis Of Shale Gas Reservoirs, Adam Michael Lewis

LSU Master's Theses

Hydrocarbon resources from unconventional shale gas reservoirs are becoming very important in the United States in recent years. Understanding the effects of adsorption on production data analysis will increase the effectiveness of reservoir management in these challenging environments. The use of an adjusted system compressibility proposed by Bumb and McKee (1988) is critical in this process. It allows for dimensional and dimensionless type curves to be corrected at a reasonably fundamental level, and it breaks the effects of adsorption into something that is relatively simple to understand. This coupled with a new form of material balance time that was originally …