Engineering Commons^™

Development Of A Low-Dose Radiation Therapy Device For Acute Respritory Distress Syndrome, Thomas Heath Davis

Masters Theses

This research focuses on the development of a low dose radiotherapy (LD-RT) device for treatment of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), a respiratory illness that affects millions of people a year. The use of orthovoltage (200 – 500 keV) X-ray energy provides many advantages over traditional radiotherapy delivery with linear accelerators, such as low cost and greater accessibility. In addition, X-ray tubes have been shown throughout history to provide good treatment outcomes for pneumonia, and research has shown LD-RT to be just as effective with ARDS. This proposal summarizes my efforts in determining the dosimetric properties of a LD-RT system …

Performance Evaluation Of Sediment Basin Designs For Highway Construction Sites In Tennessee, Jeffery Cole Emmett Jr

Masters Theses

Performance of three sediment basin designs were tested; they were: 1) the TDEC standard design with a forebay, 2) the TDOT design with an inlet check dam, and 3) the TDOT standard design that does not include an inlet check dam. An 1/17 of an acre scaled physical model sediment basin, was constructed next to an elevated outdoor open flume used to mix known water volumes and sediment mass routed by gravity-flow into the basin. The measurement for performance was simply the percent sediment mass retained in the basin from the total input per experimental run (percent sediment removal). Three …

Joint Failure Probability Of Dams Based On Probabilistic Flood Hazard Analysis, Matthew G. Montgomery

Masters Theses

Probabilistic risk methods are becoming increasingly accepted as a means of carrying out risk-informed decision making regarding the design and operation of structures such as dams. Probabilistic risk calculations require the quantification of epistemic and aleatory uncertainties not investigated through deterministic methodologies. In this hydrological study, a stochastic sampling methodology is employed to investigate the joint failure probability of three dams in adjacent, similarly sized watersheds within the same Hydrologic Unit Code (HUC) 6 basin. A Probabilistic Flood Hazard Analysis (PFHA) framework is used to simulate the hydrologic loading of a wide range of extreme precipitation events across the combined …

Benchmarking Of Embedded Object Detection In Optical And Radar Scenes, Vijaysrinivas Rajagopal

Masters Theses

A portable, real-time vital sign estimation protoype is developed using neural network- based localization, multi-object tracking, and embedded processing optimizations. The system estimates heart and respiration rates of multiple subjects using directional of arrival techniques on RADAR data. This system is useful in many civilian and military applications including search and rescue.

The primary contribution from this work is the implementation and benchmarking of neural networks for real time detection and localization on various systems including the testing of eight neural networks on a discrete GPU and Jetson Xavier devices. Mean average precision (mAP) and inference speed benchmarks were performed. …

Application Of Load Shifting For Commercial Hvac-R Systems Via Static And Dynamic Event Automated Demand Response, Justin Anthony Martinez

Masters Theses

Life in the modern era is inextricably tied to energy and the unending, ever-growing need for more. The technologies that drive society, in fields such as communication, infrastructure, and heavy industry, are dependent on that electrical energy being reliable and readily available. This places an extreme importance on the power generation sector as a function of meeting the demand required for stability. However, as seen with increased climate volatility due to misused or otherwise mismanaged resources in the heavy industry, and the uncertain and variable renewable energy generation; there must also be ecological as well as economic consideration when discussing …

Electric Vehicle Aggregation Considering Fast-Charging For Power System Applications, Trey I. Mingee

Masters Theses

The electric grid has become one of the most important pieces of technology for modern society, providing power to homes and businesses at all hours of the day. Future increases of worldwide electricity demand along with growing threats of contingency scenarios such as cyberattacks cause great concerns regarding the reliability of the grid. Further, the gradual shift from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources creates a significant need for grid support services to aid in its operation. Electric vehicles will become more prevalent in coming decades; these modules present unique loads to the system that are prime candidates for use …

Repeatability And Reproducibility Analyses For Structured Light Scanning, Leah Jacobs

Masters Theses

Structured light scanning is used to create a digital twin of a manufactured part. Features can be extracted from this digital twin to determine if the part meets the designer’s intent and required tolerances. This paper describes a repeatability and reproducibility study for a selected structured light scanning system and measurement artifact.

Path Planning For Additive Manufacturing Of Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing And Blue Light Fringe Projection Scanning, Tiffany Patricia Quigley

Masters Theses

Current methods of manufacturing large scale parts can take up to six months to generate the objective product. The objective of the wire arc additive manufacturing (WAAM) hybrid cell is to significantly reduce lead time associated with large scale parts. The WAAM process utilizes a 6 degree-of-freedom (DOF) robot manipulator in addition to a 2 DOF part positioner. 5 degrees of freedom are necessary for an effective WAAM process, leaving 3 DOF as redundant in this cell. This thesis serves to prove successful implementation of redundant kinematics on a WAAM robotic system. This is accomplished by maintaining a gravity aligned …

Optimized 3d-Printing Of Carbon Fiber-Reinforced Polyether-Ether-Ketone (Cfr-Peek) For Use In Overmolded Lattice Composite, Ryan C. Ogle

Masters Theses

Current orthopedic implants are overwhelmingly composed from metallic materials. These implants show superior mechanical properties, but this can additionally result in stress shielding due to a modulus mismatch between the bone tissue and implanted device. Polymeric implants reduce this stress shielding effect but have much lower mechanical properties, limiting their use. Polylactic acid (PLA) is a widely used biodegradable thermoplastic polymer, however, its use has been limited by the polymer’s mechanical properties and rapid loss of strength during degradation in vivo. Polyether-ether-ketone (PEEK) is another common biocompatible polymer , with chemical and mechanical properties which make it a popular alternative …

Image Based Processing For Weld Defect Detection, Shems-Eddine Belhout

Masters Theses

There is a growing need for automation in the welding industry due to a growing shortage in skilled welders. TIG [Tungsten Inert Gas] welding, a method of welding that uses an electrode shielded by gas and is fed externally by a wire, is incredibly advantageous for its precise heat control. TIG welding is considered the standard for nuclear application which requires highly precise welds to be performed. Robotic welding can address this issue, and one major problem that occurs during welding is welding defects. Typical weld defect detection requires a highly knowledgeable welder or destructive and nondestructive evaluation. Destructive evaluation …

Iron Nanoparticles For Magnetic Imaging Applications, Aleia Williams

Masters Theses

Extensive research on iron oxide nanoparticles for various applications including nanomedicine, energy applications, environmental remediation, and magnetic imaging have previously been performed. Many are currently FDA approved as magnetic resonance imaging contrast agents and tracers for magnetic particle imaging applications. Magnetic properties of such materials are crucial to obtain good contrast and resolution. However, studies have shown the magnetic properties of iron oxide nanoparticles are less in comparison to those found in pure iron nanoparticle.

This research involves the synthesis and characterization of iron nanoparticles for applications in magnetic resonance imaging contrast agents, magnetic particle imaging tracers, and therapeutic agents …

Encapsulation Of Antimicrobial Peptides In Bicontinuous Microemulsions For Topical Delivery To Surgical Site Infections And Chronic Wounds, Madison A. Oehler

Masters Theses

Surgical site infections and chronic wounds, especially those caused by antibiotic-resistant microorganisms, result in hospitalization and fatalities each year. Methods to prevent these infections, such as cleaning and preparing medical tools, have had minimal success in preventing infections. Further, antibiotic treatments have become less successful in treating infections and wounds because of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Antimicrobial peptides (AMP) are a possible treatment solution for wound infections. AMPs are oligopeptides that occur in nature or can be synthesized in vitro which possess a broad spectrum of antimicrobial activity against bacteria and other harmful microorganisms. AMPs operate by disrupting the packing arrangements of …

A Study Of The Link Between Poor Quality And Poor Performance Of Various Health Care Indicators, Lamara L. Glass

Masters Theses

Abstract

Purpose of the Research

The purpose of present research investigation is to explore the correlation between poor performance indicators and poor quality in the Health care industry and to present an idea on improving the quality of the outcome in health care services by altering the KPIs.

The Nature of the Problem

The quality of healthcare may be evaluated using a variety of parameters, including safety, efficacy, and person-centeredness. For example, the former relates to the degree of precision with which procedures may produce desired results. External comparisons between different health care facilities, as well as KPIs specified for …

Component Monitoring Strategies For Ipwr Plant Systems During Operational Transients, Matthew S. Scott

Masters Theses

Small modular reactors (SMRs) are currently at the forefront of the nuclear industry as potential next stage in nuclear energy production. Implementing a new reactor technology in a commercial setting contains many challenges in terms of maintaining safety and regulatory standards since all of the regulatory framework is based on the traditional PWR design. One benefit of the SMR design is the increased ability to load-follow to meet the constant changes in grid demand. This type of operational strategy introduces changes into the system that impacts the operational lifespan of system components due to increased degradation. Since there are no …

A Two-Phase Multicommodity Flow Approach For Classroom Assignment, Hannah Smith

Masters Theses

A common problem faced by universities is the assignment of courses to campus-hosted spaces. An optimal solution is difficult to reach, given the number of constraints present. Increasing student enrollment across campus leads to a need for a model that optimally assigns courses to spaces that maximizes the total number of courses taught in person. This paper poses a solution to this problem by generating a two-phase model to allocate courses to campus-hosted spaces. The two-phase approach to classroom assignment consists of a minimum-weighted bipartite matching for priority assignment and a multicommodity flow model to assign remaining courses. The optimal …

Uranium Holdup Mass Quantification By Hybrid Gamma Imaging, Blake R. Montz

Masters Theses

Accurate quantification of uranium holdup is crucial in the efficient operation of many processing facilities involved with special nuclear material (SNM). The varying shapes and sizes of holdup deposits can make accurate quantification a challenge. The most common approach is the Generalized Geometry Holdup (GGH) method which simplifies the shape of the deposit to a point, line, or area source. Although the GGH method is quick and easy to implement, the oversimplifying assumptions can lead to systematic uncertainties as high as 50%. The research presented here is exploring gamma-ray imaging as a more accurate method of quantifying deposits. A PHDs …

Numerical And Experimental Investigation Of Machinery Isolation Featuring Gap-Type Nonlinear Rotational Inertial Mechanisms For Marine Applications, Alexandra C. Shafer

Masters Theses

Transmitted noise and vibration from equipment and machinery is an ongoing and serious priority onboard marine vessels as noise and vibrations interfere with system operations and can compromise the functionality of the vessel. Vibration isolation systems have been widely studied for civil and mechanical applications because of the damage that can occur from extreme vibrations and excessive motion. Conventional vibration isolation systems often include components such as springs and dampers in the isolation layer, but researchers have begun to incorporate other devices including, linear rotational inertial mechanisms (RIMs), often known as inerters, to enhance traditional vibration isolation systems. The inerter …

Analysis Of Turbulent Flow Behavior In Helicopter Rotor Hub Wakes, Forrest Mobley

Masters Theses

The rotor hub is one of the most important features of all helicopters, as it provides the pilot a means for controlling the vehicle by changing the characteristics of the main and tail rotors. The hub also provides a structural foundation for the rotors and allows for the rotor blades to respond to aerodynamic forces while maintaining controllability and stability. Due to the inherent geometry and high rate of rotation, the rotor hub in its current form acts a large bluff body and is the primary source of parasite drag on the helicopter, despite its relatively small size. The rotor …

A Bulk Driven Transimpedance Cmos Amplifier For Sipm Based Detection, Shahram Hatefi Hesari

Masters Theses

The contribution of this work lies in the development of a bulk driven operational
transconducctance amplifier which can be integrated with other analog circuits and
photodetectors in the same chip for compactness, miniaturization and reducing the
power. Silicon photomultipliers, also known as SiPMs, when coupled with scintillator materials are used in many imaging applications including nuclear detection. This thesis discuss the design of a bulk-driven transimpedance amplifier suitable for detectors where the front end is a SiPM. The amplifier was design and fabricated in a standard standard CMOS process and is suitable for integration with CMOS based SiPMs and commercially …

Structural Steel Connection Design For Tensile Rupture By Advanced Inelastic Analysis, Kaylalyn H. Truman-Jarrell

Masters Theses

Connections are critical in structural steel buildings for transferring forces from member to member. Connections must be designed for safety and to ensure they serve their intended function. Many resources are available to engineers designing connections with common configurations and loads. But connection designers often encounter configurations and loading conditions for which there is little guidance. In these cases, design by advanced inelastic analysis can be advantageous. IDEA StatiCa is a steel connection design software for design by advanced inelastic analysis. In this software, some limit states are captured in the same manner as standard strength equations, while others are …

Impacts Of Summer Drought And Climate Change Conditions On Hydropower Resources And Power System Reliability In The Pjm Region, William J. Tingen Ii

Masters Theses

The United States power grid is a large, complex, and interconnected system that involves the coordination of numerous entities (e.g., power plant owners/operators, regulators, stakeholders, etc.). As such, any type of extreme event can potentially threaten the economic, safe, and reliable operation of the grid. One such example is summer drought (i.e., events predominantly characterized by elevated temperatures and reduced precipitation), which have impacts spanning all aspects of the power system, especially generation resources through changes in water availability and temperature. Additionally, although heavily dependent on region, climate change can potentially increase the likelihood and severity of drought conditions, illustrating …

Fire Simulation And Analysis Of A Switchgear Cabinet Fire And Its Effects On Cable Trays, Yalcin Meraki

Masters Theses

Switchgear rooms are crucial in containing essential equipment such as cabinets and cable trays in case of a possible fire. There are three fire model classes which are algebraic models, zone model, and computation fluid dynamics model (CFD). PyroSim software, a visual user interface for the Fire Dynamics Simulator (FDS) developed at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), was used for simulation by using the CFD. Two different 464 kW and 1002 kW heat release rate (HRR) values were used under the same conditions for the fire scenario. By considering a fire scenario, the fire ignited due to …

Load Modeling And Evaluation Of Leds For Hardware Test Bed Application, Jillian M. Ruff

Masters Theses

The lighting industry was revolutionized with the emergence of LED lighting. Over the last 15 years, LED lighting device sales and utilization have grown immensely. The growth and popularity of LEDs is due to improved operation of the device when compared to previous lighting technologies. Efficient performance of the device is critical due to the growth of global energy consumption.

As nonrenewable generation fuel is finite, utilities have begun the transition to renewable energy generation. Generation and distribution systems become inherently complex to comprehend and maintain with incorporation of emerging supply and load technologies. With the unprecedented growth of LED …

Analysis Of Multiple Adversarial Attacks On Convolutional Neural Networks, Burcum Eken

Masters Theses

The thesis studies different kind of adversarial attacks on Convolutional Neural Network by using electric load data set in order to fool deep neural network. With the improvement of Deep Learning methods, their securities and vulnerabilities have become an important research subject. An adversary who gains access to the model and data sets may add some perturbations to the datasets, which may cause significant damage to the system. By using adversarial attacks, it shows how much these attacks affect the system and shows the attacks' success in this research.

Upscaling And Development Of Linear Array Focused Laser Differential Interferometry For Simultaneous 1d Velocimetry And Spectral Profiling In High-Speed Flows, Kirk Davenport

Masters Theses

In this research a new configuration of linear array-focused laser differential interferometry (LA-FLDI) is described. This measurement expands on previous implementations of LA-FLDI through the use of an additional Wollaston prism. This additional prism expands the typical single LA-FLDI column into two columns of FLDI point pairs. The additional column of probed locations allows for increased spatial sampling of frequency spectra as well as the addition of simultaneous wall normal velocimetry measurements. The new configuration is used to measure the velocity profile and frequency content across a Mach 2 turbulent boundary layer at six wall normal locations simultaneously. Features of …

Sensor Comparison For Low-Cost Dynamic Force Measurement In Milling, Zachary Mason

Masters Theses

Machine cutting forces are commonly measured using piezoelectric dynamometers. Such dynamometers can be prohibitively expensive and may still require extensive post processing. Previous work used a low-cost single degree of freedom constrained motion dynamometer (CMD) in conjunction with a knife edge sensor to determine the cutting forces through inverse force filtering. In that approach, the measured displacement of the CMD was transformed into the frequency domain by the fast Fourier transform (FFT) and convolved with the inverted receptance frequency response function (FRF) to yield force in the frequency domain. The force was then converted to the time domain using the …

Quasi-One-Dimensional Flow Method For Nuclear Thermal Propulsion Simulator Design, Ethan M. Long

Masters Theses

Quasi-One-Dimensional flow methods are commonly used to solve flow situations that have multiple driving influences, i.e. heat transfer, area change, and friction. They hold advantages over other computational fluid dynamics methods due to their much lower computational costs and overall simplicity. Typically, these methods are limited in their ability to solve flows due to the simplifying assumptions used. In this model, a simple heat transfer calculation is combined with NASA’s Chemical Equilibrium with Applications to constantly update chemical properties within the simulation. In this thesis, a quasi-one-dimensional model including these additions is developed and applied to a NTP simulator design …

Co2 Adsorption Using Mg-Mof-74/Activated Biochar Composites Produced From The Pyrolysis Of Lignocellulosic Biomass, Conner Brosdan Pope

Masters Theses

Adsorption is a promising carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology with porous solids like activated biochar (AB), graphene oxides (GO), and metal-organic frameworks (MOF) exhibiting different advantages related to separating carbon dioxide (CO₂) from gas mixtures. Accordingly, the synthesis of MOF/GO composites demonstrates synergism between CO₂ adsorption-driving physicochemical characteristics of MOFs and GOs. However, the synthesis of MOF/AB composites has not been explored in the literature to date even though AB shares many physical and chemical similarities with GO. This research project aimed to synthesize MOF/AB composites with appropriate physicochemical characteristics and CO₂ adsorption capacities for …

Meta-Heuristic Optimization Techniques For The Production Of Medical Isotopes Through Special Target Design, Cameron Ian Salyer

Masters Theses

Medical isotopes are used for a variety of different diagnostic and therapeutic purposes Ruth (2008). Due to recent newly discovered applications, their production has become rapidly more scarce than ever before Charlton (2019). Therefore, more efficient and less time consuming methods are of interest for not only the industry’s demand, but for the individuals who require radio-isotope procedures. Currently, the primary source of most medical isotopes used today are provided by reactor and cyclotron irradiation techniques, followed by supplemental radio-chemical separations Ruth (2008). Up until this point, target designs have been optimized by experience, back of the envelope calculations, and …

Design And Evaluation Of A Unique Weighted-Sum-Based Anger Camera, Matthew W. Seals

Masters Theses

Anger camera imaging technology has become widely popular for neutron diffraction imaging due to recent shortages in Helium-3 (He-3). Research into neutron diffraction optimized Anger camera by the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) detectors group has provided an alternative to He-3 Tube-based detectors with a high-resolution Anger camera. However, the cost of these high-resolution Anger camera technology can make it less attractive than He-3 tubes when a large Field of View (FOV) is desired. Currently, there is a need for a lower-cost alternative to this high-resolution anger camera. Further applications for Anger camera have become of interest with the advent …