Engineering Commons^™

Nuclear Insurance Subsidies Cost From Post-Fukushima Accounting Based On Media Sources, John Laureto, Joshua M. Pearce

Department of Materials Science and Engineering Publications

Quantification of nuclear liability insurance is difficult without arbitrary liability caps; however, post-mortem calculations can be used to calculate insurance costs. This study analyzes the Fukushima (Daiichi) nuclear power plant disaster to quantify the cost per unit electricity ($/kWh) of nuclear energy from the lifetime of the plant after accounting for the true cost of the liability needed to cover the damages from the nuclear disaster determined from news reports. These costs are then compared to the cost of electricity currently paid by Japanese consumers, and then are aggregated to determine the indirect subsidy for nuclear power providers in both …

Gaskinetic Modeling On Dilute Gaseous Plume Impingement Flows, Chunpei Cai

Michigan Tech Publications

This paper briefly reviews recent work on gaseous plume impingement flows. As the major part of this paper, also included are new comprehensive studies on high-speed, collisionless, gaseous, circular jet impinging on a three-dimensional, inclined, diffuse or specular flat plate. Gaskinetic theories are adopted to study the problems, and several crucial geometry-location and velocity-direction relations are used. The final complete results include impingement surface properties such as pressure, shear stress, and heat flux. From these surface properties, averaged coefficients of pressure, friction, heat flux, moment over the entire flat plate, and the distance from the moment center to the flat …

Energy Optimization And Fuel Economy Investigation Of A Series Hybrid Electric Vehicle Integrated With Diesel/Rcci Engines, Ali Solouk, Mahdi Shahbakhti

Michigan Tech Publications

Among different types of low temperature combustion (LTC) regimes, eactively controlled compression ignition (RCCI) has received a lot of attention as a promising advanced combustion engine technology with high indicated thermal efficiency and low nitrogen oxides ( NOx" role="presentation" style="box-sizing: border-box; max-height: none; display: inline; line-height: normal; word-spacing: normal; overflow-wrap: normal; white-space: nowrap; float: none; direction: ltr; max-width: none; min-width: 0px; min-height: 0px; border: 0px; padding: 0px; margin: 0px; position: relative;">NOx ) and particulate matter (PM) emissions. In this study, an RCCI engine for the purpose of fuel economy investigation is incorporated in series hybrid electric vehicle (SHEV) architecture, …

Mitigation Of The Impact Of High Plug-In Electric Vehicle Penetration On Residential Distribution Grid Using Smart Charging Strategies, Chong Cao, Luting Wang, Bo Chen

Michigan Tech Publications

Vehicle electrification presents a great opportunity to reduce transportation greenhouse gas emissions. The greater use of plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs), however, puts stress on local distribution networks. This paper presents an optimal PEV charging control method integrated with utility demand response (DR) signals to mitigate the impact of PEV charging to several aspects of a grid, including load surge, distribution accumulative voltage deviation, and transformer aging. To build a realistic PEV charging load model, the results of National Household Travel Survey (NHTS) have been analyzed and a stochastic PEV charging model has been defined based on survey results. The residential …

Me-Em Enewsbrief, December 2016, Department Of Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics, Michigan Technological University

Department of Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics eNewsBrief

No abstract provided.

Improving Global Detection Of Volcanic Eruptions Using The Ozone Monitoring Instrument (Omi), Verity Flower, Thomas Oommen, Simon Carn

Michigan Tech Publications

Volcanic eruptions pose an ever-present threat to human populations around the globe, but many active volcanoes remain poorly monitored. In regions where ground-based monitoring is present the effects of volcanic eruptions can be moderated through observational alerts to both local populations and service providers, such as air traffic control. However, in regions where volcano monitoring is limited satellite-based remote sensing provides a global data source that can be utilised to provide near-real-time identification of volcanic activity. This paper details a volcanic plume detection method capable of identifying smaller eruptions than is currently feasible, which could potentially be incorporated into automated …

Utilizing Vegetation Indices As A Proxy To Characterize The Stability Of A Railway Embankment In A Permafrost Region, Priscilla Addison, Pasi T. Lautala, Thomas Oommen

Michigan Tech Publications

Degrading permafrost conditions around the world are posing stability issues for infrastructure constructed on them. Railway lines have exceptionally low tolerances for differential settlements associated with permafrost degradation due to the potential for train derailments. Railway owners with tracks in permafrost regions therefore make it a priority to identify potential settlement locations so that proper maintenance or embankment stabilization measures can be applied to ensure smooth and safe operations. The extensive discontinuous permafrost zone along the Hudson Bay Railway (HBR) in Northern Manitoba, Canada, has been experiencing accelerated deterioration, resulting in differential settlements that necessitate continuous annual maintenance to avoid …

Open Source Database And Website To Provide Free And Open Access To Inactive U.S. Patents In The Public Domain, Yuenyong Nilsiam, Joshua M. Pearce

Department of Materials Science and Engineering Publications

Although theoretically the patent system is meant to bolster innovation, the current United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) is cumbersome and involves a significant time investment to locate inactive patents less than 20 years old. This article reports on the development of an open source database to find these public domain ideas. First, a search strategy is explained. Then the operation and use of free and open source software are detailed to meet the needs of open hardware innovators. Finally, a case study is presented to demonstrate the utility of the approach with 3-D printing. The results showed how …

Inhibition Of Microbial Biofuel Production In Drought-Stressed Switchgrass Hydrolysate, Rebecca Garlock Ong, Alan Higbee, Scott Bottoms, Quinn Dickinson, Dan Xie, Scott A. Smith, Jose Serate, Edward Pohlman, Arthur Daniel Jones, Joshua J. Coon, Trey S. Kato, Gregg R. Sanford, Dustin Eilert, Dustin G. Oates, Jeff S. Piotrowski, Donn M. Bates, David Cavalier, Yaoping Zhang

Department of Chemical Engineering Publications

Background:

Interannual variability in precipitation, particularly drought, can affect lignocellulosic crop biomass yields and composition, and is expected to increase biofuel yield variability. However, the effect of precipitation on downstream fermentation processes has never been directly characterized. In order to investigate the impact of inter-annual climate variability on biofuel production, corn stover and switchgrass were collected during 3 years with significantly different precipitation profiles, representing a major drought year (2012) and 2 years with average precipitation for the entire season (2010 and 2013). All feedstocks were AFEX (ammonia fiber expansion)-pretreated, enzymatically hydrolyzed, and the hydrolysates separately fermented using xylose-utilizing strains …

Mos2 As A Co-Catalyst For Photocatalytic Hydrogen Production From Water, Bing Han, Yun Hang Hu

Michigan Tech Publications

Solar-to-hydrogen conversion based on photocatalytic water splitting is a promising pathway for sustainable hydrogen production. The photocatalytic process requires highly active, inexpensive, and earth-abundant materials as photocatalysts. As a presentative layer-structured transition metal dichalcogenides, molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) is attracting intensive attention due to its unique electro and photo properties. In this article, we comprehensively review the recent research efforts of exploring MoS2 as a co-catalyst for photocatalytic hydrogen production from water, with emphasis on its combination with CdS, CdSe, graphene, carbon nitride, TiO2, and others. It is shown that MoS2–semiconductor composites are promising photocatalysts for hydrogen evolution from water under …

Global Ocean Particulate Organic Carbon Flux Merged With Satellite Parameters, Colleen B. Mouw, Audrey Barnett, Galen A. Mckinley, Lucas Gloege, Darren Pilcher

Michigan Tech Publications

Particulate organic carbon (POC) flux estimated from POC concentration observations from sediment traps and 234 Th are compiled across the global ocean. The compilation includes six time series locations: CARIACO, K2, OSP, BATS, OFP, and HOT. Efficiency of the biological pump of carbon to the deep ocean depends largely on biologically mediated export of carbon from the surface ocean and its remineralization with depth; thus biologically related parameters able to be estimated from satellite observations were merged at the POC observation sites. Satellite parameters include net primary production, percent microplankton, sea surface temperature, photosynthetically active radiation, diffuse attenuation coefficient at …

Recent Approaches In Designing Bioadhesive Materials Inspired By Mussel Adhesive Protein, Pegah Kord Forooshani, Bruce P. Lee

Department of Biomedical Engineering Publications

Marine mussels secret protein-based adhesives, which enable them to anchor to various surfaces in a saline, intertidal zone. Mussel foot proteins (Mfps) contain a large abundance of a unique, catecholic amino acid, Dopa, in their protein sequences. Catechol offers robust and durable adhe-sion to various substrate surfaces and contributes to the curing of the adhesive plaques. In this article, we review the unique features and the key functionalities of Mfps, catechol chemistry, and strategies for preparing catechol-functionalized poly- mers. Specifically, we reviewed recent findings on the contributions of various features of Mfps on interfacial binding, which include coacervate formation, surface …

A Global Catalogue Of Large So < Inf> 2 Sources And Emissions Derived From The Ozone Monitoring Instrument, Vitali E. Fioletov, Chris A. Mclinden, Nickolay Krotkov, Can Li, Joanna Joiner, Nicolas Theys, S. Carn, Mike D. Moran

Michigan Tech Publications

Sulfur dioxide (SO2) measurements from the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) satellite sensor processed with the new principal component analysis (PCA) algorithm were used to detect large point emission sources or clusters of sources. The total of 491 continuously emitting point sources releasing from about 30 kt yr-1 to more than 4000 kt yr-1 of SO2 per year have been identified and grouped by country and by primary source origin: volcanoes (76 sources); power plants (297); smelters (53); and sources related to the oil and gas industry (65). The sources were identified using different methods, including through OMI measurements themselves applied …

Atomistic‐Scale Investigation Of Effective Stress Principle Of Saturated Porous Materials By Molecular Dynamics, Chao Zhang, Zhen Liu, Peng Deng

Department of Civil, Environmental, and Geospatial Engineering Publications

The effective stress principle is one of the most fundamental concepts in the mechanics of porous materials. Several mathematical expressions have been proposed for this fundamental principle, leading to unsettled debates on the validity and applicability of the principle and its mathematical descriptions. Recent developments in atomistic modeling techniques make it possible to understand multiphase systems at the atomistic scale. In this paper, molecular dynamics simulation is explored as a tool to investigate the stress formulation in porous materials. A molecular dynamics framework, including molecular models of phases, interatomic potentials, initial configuration, and simulation procedure, is presented. Numerical simulations based …

Lengthscale Effects On Exchange Coupling In Co-Pt L10 + L12 Nanochessboards, Eric P. Vetter, Liwei D. Geng, Priya Ghatwai, Dustin A. Gilbert, Yongmei M. Jin, William A. Soffa, Jerrold A. Floro

Michigan Tech Publications

The Co-Pt nanochessboard is a quasi-periodic, nanocomposite tiling of L10 and L12 magnetic phases that offers a novel structure for the investigation of exchange coupling, relevant to permanent magnet applications. Periodicity of the tiling is controlled by the rate of cooling through the eutectoid isotherm, resulting in control over the L10-L12 exchange coupling. First order reversal curve analysis reveals a transition from partial coupling to nearly complete exchange-coupling in a Co40.2Pt59.8 nanochessboard structured alloy as the periodicity is reduced below the critical correlation length. Micromagnetic simulations give insights into how exchange coupling manifests in the tiling, and its impact on …

Two-Temperature Dual-Phase-Lags Theory In A Thermoelastic Solid Half-Space Due To An Inclined Load, Ashraf M. Zenkour, Ahmed E. Abouelregal, Khaled A. Alnefaie, Nidal H. Abu-Hamdeh, Abdulmalik A. Aljinaidi, Elias C. Aifantis

Michigan Tech Publications

This article addresses the thermoelastic interaction due to inclined load on a homogeneous isotropic half-space in context of two-temperature generalized theory of thermoelasticity with dual-phase-lags. It is assumed that the inclined load is a linear combination of both normal and tangential loads. The governing equations are solved by using the normal mode analysis. The variations of the displacement, stress, conductive temperature, and thermodynamic temperature distributions with the horizontal distance have been shown graphically. Results of some earlier workers have also been deduced from the present investigation as special cases. Some comparisons are graphically presented to estimate the effects of the …

Adjusting Particle-Size Distributions To Account For Aggregation In Tephra-Deposit Model Forecasts, Larry G. Mastin, Alexa R. Van Eaton, Adam J. Durant

Michigan Tech Publications

Volcanic ash transport and dispersion (VATD) models are used to forecast tephra deposition during volcanic eruptions. Model accuracy is limited by the fact that fine-ash aggregates (clumps into clusters), thus altering patterns of deposition. In most models this is accounted for by ad hoc changes to model input, representing fine ash as aggregates with density ρagg, and a log-normal size distribution with median μagg and standard deviation σagg. Optimal values may vary between eruptions. To test the variance, we used the Ash3d tephra model to simulate four deposits: 18 May 1980 Mount St. Helens; 16-17 September 1992 Crater Peak (Mount …

Improving Automated Global Detection Of Volcanic So2 Plumes Using The Ozone Monitoring Instrument (Omi), Verity Flower, Thomas Oommen, Simon Carn

Michigan Tech Publications

Volcanic eruptions pose an ever-present threat to human populations around the globe, but many active volcanoes remain poorly monitored. In regions where ground-based monitoring is present the effects of volcanic eruptions can be moderated through observational alerts to both local populations and service providers such as air traffic control. However, in regions where volcano monitoring is limited satellite-based remote sensing provides a global data source that can be utilized to provide near real time identification of volcanic activity. This paper details the development of an automated volcanic plume detection method utilizing daily, global observations of sulphur dioxide (SO2) by the …

Open Source Laser Polymer Welding System: Design And Characterization Of Linear Low-Density Polyethylene Multilayer Welds, John Laureto, Serguei V. Dessiatoun, Michael M. Ohadi, Joshua M. Pearce

Department of Materials Science and Engineering Publications

The use of lasers to weld polymer sheets provides a means of highly-adaptive and custom additive manufacturing for a wide array of industrial, medical, and end user/consumer applications. This paper provides an open source design for a laser polymer welding system, which can be fabricated with low-cost fused filament fabrication and off-the-shelf mechanical and electrical parts. The system is controlled with free and open source software and firmware. The operation of the machine is validated and the performance of the system is quantified for the mechanical properties (peak load) and weld width of linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE) lap welds …

Extending Wid To Train Mechanical Engineering Gtas To Evaluate Student Writing, Nancy Barr

Department of Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics Publications

Beyond first-year composition, the typical undergraduate mechanical engineering curriculum provides few opportunities to develop writing skills without a concerted effort by faculty to incorporate writing into their courses. One underutilized path for BSME students to strengthen those skills is the required sequence of laboratory courses, where students write several lab reports, evaluated by graduate teaching assistants (GTAs), many of whom speak English as a second language. Historically, engineering GTAs have not been trained in evaluating student writing in a way that helps students improve their technical communication skills, a method known as formative assessment. Formative assessment can be a key …

Exergy Study On The Effect Of Material Parameters And Operating Conditions On The Anode Diffusion Polarization Of The Sofc, Khalid Zouhri, Seong Young Lee

Michigan Tech Publications

In the presented work, a model is created in order to investigate the effect of different material parameters and operating conditions on the anode diffusion overpotential, which influence the exergy and energy efficiency of the solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC). In this research, it was demonstrated that the anode material parameters and operating conditions of the device components such as porosity, tortuosity, pore diameter, temperature, pressure and current density of the anode have various effects on the anode diffusion overpotential, which consequently affect the exergy and energy efficiency of the SOFC. The model has provided a strong direction on how …

Developing The Greatest Blue Economy: Water Productivity, Fresh Water Depletion, And Virtual Water Trade In The Great Lakes Basin, A. L. Mayer, Stanley Mubako, Benjamin L. Ruddell

Michigan Tech Publications

The Great Lakes basin hosts the world's most abundant surface fresh water reserve. Historically an industrial and natural resource powerhouse, the region has suffered economic stagnation in recent decades. Meanwhile, growing water resource scarcity around the world is creating pressure on water-intensive human activities. This situation creates the potential for the Great Lakes region to sustainably utilize its relative water wealth for economic benefit. We combine economic production and trade datasets with water consumption data and models of surface water depletion in the region. We find that, on average, the current economy does not create significant impacts on surface waters, …

Determination Of Specific Heat Capacity On Composite Shape-Stabilized Phase Change Materials And Asphalt Mixtures By Heat Exchange System, Biao Ma, Xue-Yan Zhou, Jiang Liu, Zhanping You, Kun Wei, Xiao-Feng Huang

Michigan Tech Publications

Previous research has shown that composite shape-stabilized phase change material (CPCM) has a remarkable capacity for thermal storage and stabilization, and it can be directly applied to highway construction without leakage. However, recent studies on temperature changing behaviors of CPCM and asphalt mixture cannot intuitively reflect the thermoregulation mechanism and efficiency of CPCM on asphalt mixture. The objective of this paper is to determine the specific heat capacity of CPCM and asphalt mixtures mixed with CPCM using the heat exchange system and the data acquisition system. Studies have shown that the temperature-rise curve of 5 °C CPCM has an obvious …

Optimal Scheduling Of Pev Charging/Discharging In Microgrids With Combined Objectives, Chong Cao, Ming Cheng, Bo Chen

Michigan Tech Publications

While renewable power generation and vehicle electrification are promising solutions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, it faces great challenges to effectively integrate them in a power grid. The weather-dependent power generation of renewable energy sources, such as Photovoltaic (PV) arrays, could introduce significant intermittency to a power grid. Meanwhile, uncontrolled PEV charging may cause load surge in a power grid. This paper studies the optimization of PEV charging/discharging scheduling to reduce customer cost and improve grid performance. Optimization algorithms are developed for three cases: 1) minimize cost, 2) minimize power deviation from a pre-defined power profile, and 3) combine objective …

Field Tests Of Cement Fly-Ash Steel-Slag Pile Composite Foundation, Bing Zhang, Shuai Cui

Department of Civil, Environmental, and Geospatial Engineering Publications

Steel slag is one of the main waste materials in the steelmaking process. As a result, a tremendous amount of steel slag is produced and deposited into storing yards every year. Recycling of the abandoned steel slag is of great environmental and economic value. This study investigates the usage of steel-slag concrete with fly ash as a kind of composite foundation pile material, which can be applied to multi-pile composition foundations for ground improvement involving different pile types. The micromorphology of the concrete, which uses steel slag as aggregate, is analyzed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The bearing characteristics of …

Ethanol Based Foamed Asphalt As Potential Alternative For Low Emission Asphalt Technology, Mohd Rosli Mohd Hasan, Zhanping You

Michigan Tech Publications

Foamed asphalt typically relies on water as a foaming agent because water becomes gaseous at elevated temperatures, generating numerous tiny bubbles in the asphalt and causing spontaneous foaming. In this study, ethanol was used as a potential alternative to water as a foaming agent. Ethanol is expected to be a physical blowing agent in the same manner as water, except it requires less energy to foam due to its 78 °C boiling point. This study compares the performance of water and ethanol as foaming agents through the measurements of rotational viscosity, the reduction in temperature during foaming, and volatile loss. …

Free And Open-Source Control Software For 3-D Motion And Processing, Bas Wijnen, G. C. Anzalone, Amberlee S. Haselhuhn, Paul G. Sanders, Joshua M. Pearce

Department of Materials Science and Engineering Publications

RepRap 3-D printers and their derivatives using conventional firmware are limited by: 1) requiring technical knowledge, 2) poor resilience with unreliable hardware, and 3) poor integration in complicated systems. In this paper, a new control system called Franklin, for CNC machines in general and 3-D printers specifically, is presented that enables web-based three dimensional control of additive, subtractive and analytical tools from any Internet connected device. Franklin can be set up and controlled entirely from a web interface; it uses a custom protocol which allows it to continue printing when the connection is temporarily lost, and allows communication with scripts.

Influence Of Oxygen Concentration On The Performance Of Ultra-Thin Rf Magnetron Sputter Deposited Indium Tin Oxide Films As A Top Electrode For Photovoltaic Devices, Jephias Gwamuri, Murugesan Marikkannan, J. Mayandi, Patrick Bowen, Joshua M. Pearce

Department of Materials Science and Engineering Publications

The opportunity for substantial efficiency enhancements of thin film hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) solar photovoltaic (PV) cells using plasmonic absorbers requires ultra-thin transparent conducting oxide top electrodes with low resistivity and high transmittances in the visible range of the electromagnetic spectrum. Fabricating ultra-thin indium tin oxide (ITO) films (sub-50 nm) using conventional methods has presented a number of challenges; however, a novel method involving chemical shaving of thicker (greater than 80 nm) RF sputter deposited high-quality ITO films has been demonstrated. This study investigates the effect of oxygen concentration on the etch rates of RF sputter deposited ITO films to …

Post-Eruption Deformation Processes Measured Using Alos-1 And Uavsar Insar At Pacaya Volcano, Guatemala, Lauren Schaefer, Zhong Lu, Thomas Oommen

Michigan Tech Publications

Pacaya volcano is a persistently active basaltic cone complex located in the Central American Volcanic Arc in Guatemala. In May of 2010, violent Volcanic Explosivity Index-3 (VEI-3) eruptions caused significant topographic changes to the edifice, including a linear collapse feature 600 m long originating from the summit, the dispersion of ~20 cm of tephra and ash on the cone, the emplacement of a 5.4 km long lava flow, and ~3 m of co-eruptive movement of the southwest flank. For this study, Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) images (interferograms) processed from both spaceborne Advanced Land Observing Satellite-1 (ALOS-1) and aerial Uninhabited …

High-Efficiency Solar-Powered 3-D Printers For Sustainable Development, Jephias Gwamuri, Dhiogo Franco, Khalid Khan, Lucia Gauchia, Joshua M. Pearce

Michigan Tech Publications

The release of the open source 3-D printer known as the RepRap (a self-Replicating Rapid prototyper) resulted in the potential for distributed manufacturing of products for significantly lower costs than conventional manufacturing. This development, coupled with open source-appropriate technology (OSAT), has enabled the opportunity for 3-D printers to be used for sustainable development. In this context, OSAT provides the opportunity to modify and improve the physical designs of their printers and desired digitally-shared objects. However, these 3-D printers require electricity while more than a billion people still lack electricity. To enable the utilization of RepRaps in off-grid communities, solar photovoltaic …