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Full-Text Articles in Engineering

A Comparative Verification Of Forecasts From Two Operational Solar Wind Models, Donald C. Norquist, Warner C. Meeks Dec 2010

A Comparative Verification Of Forecasts From Two Operational Solar Wind Models, Donald C. Norquist, Warner C. Meeks

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The solar wind (SW) and interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) have a significant influence on the near‐Earth space environment. In this study we evaluate and compare forecasts from two models that predict SW and IMF conditions: the Hakamada‐Akasofu‐Fry (HAF) version 2, operational at the Air Force Weather Agency, and Wang‐Sheeley‐Arge (WSA) version 1.6, executed routinely at the Space Weather Prediction Center. SW speed (Vsw) and IMF polarity (Bpol) forecasts at L1 were compared with Wind and Advanced Composition Explorer satellite observations. Verification statistics were computed by study year and forecast day. Results revealed that both models’ mean Vsw are …


Uncertainty Quantification Integrated To Cfd Modeling Of Synthetic Jet Actuators, Srikanth Adya, Daoru Frank Han, Serhat Hosder Sep 2010

Uncertainty Quantification Integrated To Cfd Modeling Of Synthetic Jet Actuators, Srikanth Adya, Daoru Frank Han, Serhat Hosder

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The Point-Collocation Non-intrusive Polynomial Chaos (NIPC) method has been applied to a stochastic synthetic jet actuator problem used as one of the test cases in the CFDVAL2004 workshop to demonstrate the integration of computationally efficient uncertainty quantification to the high-fidelity CFD modeling of synthetic jet actuators. The test case included the simulation of an actuator generating a synthetic jet issued into quiescent air. The Point-Collocation NIPC method is used to quantify the uncertainty in the long-time averaged u and v-velocities at several locations in the flow field due to the uniformly distributed uncertainty introduced in the amplitude and frequency of …


Optimization Of Selective Laser Sintering Process For Fabrication Of Zirconium Diboride Parts, Ming-Chuan Leu, Shashwatashish Pattnaik, Greg Hilmas Aug 2010

Optimization Of Selective Laser Sintering Process For Fabrication Of Zirconium Diboride Parts, Ming-Chuan Leu, Shashwatashish Pattnaik, Greg Hilmas

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) was investigated to fabricate Zirconium Diboride (ZrB2) parts for ultra-high temperature applications. Experiments were conducted to determine values of SLS process parameters (laser power, scan speed, line spacing, and layer thickness) that can be used to build ZrB2 parts with high integrity and sharp geometrical features. A sacrificial plate with a proper number of layers (determined from experimentation) separated from the main part was built in order to reduce thermal gradients when building the main part. The sacrificial plate was found to assist in eliminating cracks in the bottom of the main part. …


Effect Of Different Graphite Materials On Electrical Conductivity And Flexural Strength Of Bipolar Plates Fabricated By Selective Laser Sintering, Nannan Guo, Ming-Chuan Leu Aug 2010

Effect Of Different Graphite Materials On Electrical Conductivity And Flexural Strength Of Bipolar Plates Fabricated By Selective Laser Sintering, Nannan Guo, Ming-Chuan Leu

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Graphite is an excellent material for bipolar plates used in Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) fuel cell due to its great chemical resistance, but the brittle nature makes it difficult to manufacture. Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) based on layer-by-layer manufacturing technology can fabricate graphite bipolar plates with complex gas flow channels. To improve the performance of bipolar plates including electrical conductivity and flexural strength, different graphite materials (natural graphite, synthetic graphite, carbon black, and carbon fiber) were investigated to fabricate test samples. These samples then went through post processing including carbonization and infiltration. The results show that bipolar plates with electrical …


Laser Based Rapid Manufacturing Of Metallic Gas Diffusion Layers For Pem Fuel Cells, Gargi Tandra, Todd E. Sparks, Shyam Barua, Nikhil P. Kulkarni, Frank W. Liou Aug 2010

Laser Based Rapid Manufacturing Of Metallic Gas Diffusion Layers For Pem Fuel Cells, Gargi Tandra, Todd E. Sparks, Shyam Barua, Nikhil P. Kulkarni, Frank W. Liou

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Gas Diffusion layers (GDL’s) are an essential component of Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel cells (PEMFC’s) which aid in thermal & electrical conductivities, water management and act as backup layers for the membrane electrode assemblies. This paper summarizes the effort to prototype metallic GDL designs using a miniature laser deposition system developed at Missouri University of Science & Technology. The pore sizes are controlled by masking the diverging laser beam using stainless steel masks of varying sizes and shapes. The through pore feature and further treatment of the GDL’s for hydrophobicity reduces the water management issue and thereby increases the performance …


Mea Manufacturing Using An Additive Manufacturing Process To Deposit A Catalyst Pattern In An Mea And Its Impact On Cost Reduction, Nikhil P. Kulkarni, Todd E. Sparks, Gargi Tandra, Frank W. Liou Aug 2010

Mea Manufacturing Using An Additive Manufacturing Process To Deposit A Catalyst Pattern In An Mea And Its Impact On Cost Reduction, Nikhil P. Kulkarni, Todd E. Sparks, Gargi Tandra, Frank W. Liou

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The manufacturing of a fuel cell Membrane Electrode Assembly (MEA) is a significant cost driver in polymer-electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cell technologies, primarily due to the inclusion of expensive materials in the catalyst layer. The selective deposition of a catalyst on the MEA of a fuel cell can drastically reduce the costs depending upon the catalyst, method used for deposition, and production volume. In this paper, testing and analysis of a novel catalyst iridium oxide is discussed. The performance of the catalyst will be compared with the conventional catalysts which will give us an estimate of its effectiveness however, in …


Selective Laser Sintering And Freeze Extrusion Fabrication Of Scaffolds For Bone Repair Using 13-93 Bioactive Glass: A Comparison, Krishna C. R. Kolan, Nikhil P. Doiphode, Ming-Chuan Leu Aug 2010

Selective Laser Sintering And Freeze Extrusion Fabrication Of Scaffolds For Bone Repair Using 13-93 Bioactive Glass: A Comparison, Krishna C. R. Kolan, Nikhil P. Doiphode, Ming-Chuan Leu

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

13-93 glass is a third-generation bioactive material which accelerates the bone’s natural ability to heal by itself through bonding with surrounding tissues. It is an important requirement for synthetic scaffolds to maintain their bioactivity and mechanical strength with a porous internal architecture comparable to that of a human bone. Additive manufacturing technologies provide a better control over design and fabrication of porous structures than conventional methods. In this paper, we discuss and compare some of the common aspects in the scaffold fabrication using two such processes, viz. selective laser sintering (SLS) and freeze extrusion fabrication (FEF). Scaffolds fabricated using each …


Multi-Axis Planning System (Maps) For Hybrid Laser Metal Deposition Processes, Frank W. Liou, Jianzhong Ruan, Todd E. Sparks Aug 2010

Multi-Axis Planning System (Maps) For Hybrid Laser Metal Deposition Processes, Frank W. Liou, Jianzhong Ruan, Todd E. Sparks

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

This paper summarizes the research and development of a Multi-Axis Planning System (MAPS) for hybrid laser metal deposition processes. The project goal is to enable the current direct metal deposition systems to fully control and utilize multi-axis capability to make complex parts. MAPS allows fully automated process planning for multi-axis layered manufacturing to control direct metal deposition machines for automated fabrication. Such a capability will lead to dramatic reductions in lead time and manufacturing costs for high-value, low-volume components with high performance material. The overall approach, slicing algorithm, machine simulation for planning validation, and the planning results will be presented.


Uncertainty Analysis In Laser Deposition Finish Machining Operations, Jomy Francis, Todd E. Sparks, Frank W. Liou Aug 2010

Uncertainty Analysis In Laser Deposition Finish Machining Operations, Jomy Francis, Todd E. Sparks, Frank W. Liou

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The Laser Aided Manufacturing Process (LAMP) from Missouri S&T is a laser based metals rapid manufacturing process that uses machining to improve the final part's surface finish. When free-form machining, the absence of enough deposited material results in inconsistent scallop heights which result in poor surface finish or incorrect geometry in the final part. This paper investigates a probabilistic approach to various uncertainties involved in the deposition and subsequent machining of an arbitrary part. Furthermore, this paper analyses the machine errors which makes the response of Scallop Height to exceed the predefined maximum scallop height when traveling along the tool …


Computer Aided Contour Profiling Of High Strength Deposits, Sriram Praneeth Isanaka, Amar Bala Sridhar, Frank W. Liou, Joseph William Newkirk Aug 2010

Computer Aided Contour Profiling Of High Strength Deposits, Sriram Praneeth Isanaka, Amar Bala Sridhar, Frank W. Liou, Joseph William Newkirk

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Additive manufacturing processes suffer from the effect of ripples, edge rounding and surface variations. To reduce their effect, ideal process parameters for the laser deposition process were investigated. Also, a new method was identified to analyze deposits by accurately plotting their contours. This was achieved through point cloud data of the deposits generated using coordinate measurement and 3D scanning. Curve fitting was performed on the data in Matlab to generate the contours of the deposit. The intercept values, heights, and contact angle of the curves give an indication of the uniformity of deposits and aid in reducing defects.


Selective Laser Sintering Of 13-93 Bioactive Glass, Krishna C. R. Kolan, Ming-Chuan Leu, Greg Hilmas, Mariano Garcia Velez Aug 2010

Selective Laser Sintering Of 13-93 Bioactive Glass, Krishna C. R. Kolan, Ming-Chuan Leu, Greg Hilmas, Mariano Garcia Velez

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Bioactive glasses are more promising than biopolymers in fabricating scaffolds for bone tissue repair because they convert to hydroxyapatite, when implanted in vivo. Both direct and indirect selective laser sintering (SLS) methods of 13-93 bioactive glass were considered in this research to study the feasibility of fabricating scaffolds for bone repair applications. Stearic acid was used as the binder in the indirect method to fabricate the scaffolds. The green scaffolds underwent binder burnout and sintering at various soaking conditions between 675⁰C and 700⁰C, achieving a maximum compressive strength of 23.6 MPa, which is higher than that of the human cancellous …


Development Of A Low Cost Imaging System For A Laser Metal Deposition Process, Shyam Barua, Todd E. Sparks, Frank W. Liou Aug 2010

Development Of A Low Cost Imaging System For A Laser Metal Deposition Process, Shyam Barua, Todd E. Sparks, Frank W. Liou

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The size of the melt pool created by the laser is one of the most important quality characteristic in a laser metal deposition process. This paper discusses the development of a low-cost vision system to automatically determine the size of the melt pool for in-process control. To cope with the intense infrared signal from the laser and melt pool, external ultraviolet illumination is paired with narrow bandpass filters on a usb microscope to achieve a clear image of the melt pool. The sensitivity of the melt pool to changes in system parameters and various substrate materials are also evaluated.


Prediction Of The Transport Properties Of A Polyatomic Gas, Zhi Liang, Hai-Lung Tsai Jun 2010

Prediction Of The Transport Properties Of A Polyatomic Gas, Zhi Liang, Hai-Lung Tsai

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

An Ab Initio Molecular Potential Model is Employed in This Paper to Show its Excellent Predictability for the Transport Properties of a Polyatomic Gas from Molecular Dynamics Simulations. a Quantum Mechanical Treatment of Molecular Vibrational Energies is Included in the Green and Kubo Integral Formulas for the Calculation of the Thermal Conductivity by the Metropolis Monte Carlo Method. using CO2 Gas as an Example, the Fluid Transport Properties in the Temperature Range of 300-1000 K Are Calculated Without using Any Experimental Data. the Accuracy of the Calculated Transport Properties is Significantly Improved by the Present Model, Especially for the Thermal …


Measurement Of Refractive Index Change Of Optical Fiber Core Induced By Femtosecond Laser Scanning, Y. Han, T. Wei, Hai-Lung Tsai, Hai Xiao Jun 2010

Measurement Of Refractive Index Change Of Optical Fiber Core Induced By Femtosecond Laser Scanning, Y. Han, T. Wei, Hai-Lung Tsai, Hai Xiao

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

We report a new method to measure the refractive index change in optical fiber core induced by femtosecond (fs) laser exposure. An in-line Fabry-Perot interferometer, serving as the measurement platform, is constructed on a commercial single-mode optical fiber by onestep femtosecond (fs) laser fabrication. A positive refractive index change is observed and measured accurately as the laser pulse energy surpasses the ablation threshold.


Observations Of Temporal Group Delays In Slow-Light Multiple Coupled Photonic Crystal Cavities, S. Kocaman, Xiaodong Yang, J. F. Mcmillan, M. B. Yu, D. L. Kwong, C. W. Wong Jun 2010

Observations Of Temporal Group Delays In Slow-Light Multiple Coupled Photonic Crystal Cavities, S. Kocaman, Xiaodong Yang, J. F. Mcmillan, M. B. Yu, D. L. Kwong, C. W. Wong

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

We demonstrate temporal group delays in coherently coupled high- Q multicavity photonic crystals, in an all-optical analog to electromagnetically induced transparency. We report deterministic control of the group delay up to 4x the single cavity lifetime in our room-temperature chip. Supported by three-dimensional numerical simulations and theoretical analyses, our multipump beam approach enables control of the multicavity resonances and intercavity phase, in both single and double transparency peaks. The standing-wave wavelength-scale photon localization allows direct scalability for chip-scale optical pulse trapping and coupled-cavity quantum electrodynamics.


Computer Program And Method For Detecting And Predicting Valve Failure In A Reciprocating Compressor, Ming-Chuan Leu, Jagannathan Sarangapani, Raghuram Puthall Ramesh Apr 2010

Computer Program And Method For Detecting And Predicting Valve Failure In A Reciprocating Compressor, Ming-Chuan Leu, Jagannathan Sarangapani, Raghuram Puthall Ramesh

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Embodiments of the present invention provide a method implemented by a computer program for detecting and identifying valve failure in a reciprocating compressor and further for predicting valve failure in the compressor. Embodiments of the present invention detect and predict the valve failure using wavelet analysis, logistic regression, and neural networks. A pressure signal from the valve of the reciprocating compressor presents a non-stationary waveform from which features can be extracted using wavelet packet decomposition. The extracted features, along with temperature data for the valve, are used to train a logistic regression model to classify defective and normal operation of …


Combined H∞-Feedback Control And Iterative Learning Control Design With Application To Nanopositioning Systems, Brian E. Helfrich, Chibum Lee, Douglas A. Bristow, Jingyan Dong, Srinivasa M. Salapaka, Placid M. Ferreira, X. H. Xiao, Andrew G. Alleyne Mar 2010

Combined H∞-Feedback Control And Iterative Learning Control Design With Application To Nanopositioning Systems, Brian E. Helfrich, Chibum Lee, Douglas A. Bristow, Jingyan Dong, Srinivasa M. Salapaka, Placid M. Ferreira, X. H. Xiao, Andrew G. Alleyne

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

This paper examines a coordinated feedback and feedforward control design strategy for precision motion control (PMC) systems. It is assumed that the primary exogenous signals are repeated; including disturbances and references. Therefore, an iterative learning control (ILC) feedforward strategy can be used. The introduction of additional non-repeating exogenous signals, including disturbances, noise, and reset errors, necessitates the proper coordination between feedback and feedforward controllers to achieve high performance. A novel ratio of repeated versus non-repeated signal power in the frequency domain is introduced and defined as the repetitive-to-non-repetitive (RNR) ratio. This frequency specific ratio allows for a new approach to …


Three-Dimensional Modeling Of Transport Phenomena And Their Effect On The Formation Of Ripples In Gas Metal Arc Welding, Z. H. Rao, J. Zhou, S. M. Liao, Hai-Lung Tsai Mar 2010

Three-Dimensional Modeling Of Transport Phenomena And Their Effect On The Formation Of Ripples In Gas Metal Arc Welding, Z. H. Rao, J. Zhou, S. M. Liao, Hai-Lung Tsai

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Distinct, periodic arc-shaped ripples are observed on the surface of the weld bead in almost any welded components which have a significant effect on weld quality. This article presents the complex transport phenomena and their effect on the formation of ripples in three-dimensional moving gas metal arc welding. The transient distributions of the melt flow velocity and temperature in the weld pool, weld pool shape and dynamics, and solidified weld bead are calculated. It is found that the surface ripples are formed by the interplay between the up-and-down weld pool dynamics, caused mainly by the periodic droplet impingements, and the …


Effects Of Shielding Gas Compositions On Arc Plasma And Metal Transfer In Gas Metal Arc Welding, Z. H. Rao, S. M. Liao, Hai-Lung Tsai Feb 2010

Effects Of Shielding Gas Compositions On Arc Plasma And Metal Transfer In Gas Metal Arc Welding, Z. H. Rao, S. M. Liao, Hai-Lung Tsai

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

This article presents the effects of shielding gas compositions on the transient transport phenomena, including the distributions of temperature, flow velocity, current density, and electromagnetic force in the arc and the metal, and arc pressure in gas metal arc welding of mild steel at a constant current input. The shielding gas considered includes pure argon, 75% Ar, 50% Ar, and 25% Ar with the balance of helium. It is found that the shielding gas composition has significant influences on the arc characteristics; droplet formation, detachment, transfer, and impingement onto the workpiece; and weld pool dynamics and weld bead profile. As …


Influence Of Interactions Between Turbulence And Radiation On Transmissivities In Hypersonic Turbulent Boundary Layers, A. M. Feldick, L. (Lian) Duan, M. F. Modest, M. P. Martín, D. A. Levin Jan 2010

Influence Of Interactions Between Turbulence And Radiation On Transmissivities In Hypersonic Turbulent Boundary Layers, A. M. Feldick, L. (Lian) Duan, M. F. Modest, M. P. Martín, D. A. Levin

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

In the current paper, a high-fidelity large eddy simulation solver is coupled to our modified line-by-line radiative transport equation solver to study the effects of absorption turbulence-radiation interations in a hypersonic turbulent boundary layer, representative of the Orion CEV entering Earth's atmosphere, at peak heating condition. The turbulent and radiation fields represent extreme conditions typical of Orion, as the simulated boundary layer represents the region of high turbulence coupled to region of highest incident radiation. A simplification in the calculation of molecular spectra with a single temperature property database in allows for tractable calculation of spectral properties. A comparison of …


Depth And Breakthrough Detection For Laser Machining, J. P. Quitter, C. E. Yaworsky, Hai-Lung Tsai Jan 2010

Depth And Breakthrough Detection For Laser Machining, J. P. Quitter, C. E. Yaworsky, Hai-Lung Tsai

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

A system comprises a working laser beam, a sensing laser beam, first and second optical elements, an optical sensor, an aperture and a controller. The first optical element generates a coaxial beam from the working laser beam and the sensing laser beam. The second optical element focuses the coaxial beam onto a workpiece, such that the working laser beam machines the workpiece and the sensing laser beam reflects from the workpiece. The optical sensor senses an intensity of the reflected sensing beam. The aperture determines a focus position by translating along the reflected sensing beam, such that the reflected intensity …


Direct Numerical Simulation Of Hypersonic Turbulent Boundary Layers With Varying Freestream Mach Number, L. (Lian) Duan, I. Beekman, M. P. Mart́In Jan 2010

Direct Numerical Simulation Of Hypersonic Turbulent Boundary Layers With Varying Freestream Mach Number, L. (Lian) Duan, I. Beekman, M. P. Mart́In

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

In this paper, the effects of freestream Mach number on the statistics and large-scale structures in compressible turbulent boundary layers are investigated using direct numerical simulations (DNS). DNS of turbulent boundary layers with nominal freestream Mach number ranging from 3 to 8 are performed. The validity of Morkovin's scaling, strong Reynolds analogy, and Walz's equation are assessed. We find that many of the scaling relations used to express compressible boundary layer statistics in terms of incompressible boundary layers still hold for the range of freestream Mach number considered. Compressibility effects are enhanced with increasing freestream Mach number but remain insignificant, …


Direct Numerical Simulation Of Hypersonic Turbulent Boundary Layers. Part 2. Effect Of Wall Temperature, L. (Lian) Duan, I. Beekman, M. P. Martín Jan 2010

Direct Numerical Simulation Of Hypersonic Turbulent Boundary Layers. Part 2. Effect Of Wall Temperature, L. (Lian) Duan, I. Beekman, M. P. Martín

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

In this paper, we perform direct numerical simulation (DNS) of turbulent boundary layers at Mach 5 with the ratio of wall-to-edge temperature T w/T ℘ from 1.0 to 5.4 (Cases M5T1 to M5T5). The influence of wall cooling on Morkovin's scaling, Walz's equation, the standard and modified strong Reynolds analogies, turbulent kinetic energy budgets, compressibility effects and near-wall coherent structures is assessed. We find that many of the scaling relations used to express adiabatic compressible boundary-layer statistics in terms of incompressible boundary layers also hold for non-adiabatic cases. Compressibility effects are enhanced by wall cooling but remain insignificant, and the …


Direct Detection Of No Produced By High-Temperature Surface-Catalyzed Atom Recombination, Dušan A. Pejaković, Jochen Marschall, Lian Duan, Maria P. Martin Jan 2010

Direct Detection Of No Produced By High-Temperature Surface-Catalyzed Atom Recombination, Dušan A. Pejaković, Jochen Marschall, Lian Duan, Maria P. Martin

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The surface-catalytic recombination of oxygen and nitrogen atoms to form nitric oxide was confirmed by the direct detection of product NO molecules, using single-photon laser-induced fluorescence spectroscopy. Experiments were performed from room temperature to 1200 K in a quartz diffusion-tube sidearm reactor enclosed in a high temperature tube furnace. Atomic nitrogen was generated using a microwave discharge, and atomic oxygen was produced via the rapid gas-phase titration reaction N + NO → O + N2. The use of isotopically labeled titration gases 15N16O and 15N18O allowed for the unambiguous identification of nitric oxide produced by the O + N surface …