Engineering Commons^™

Synthesis And Consolidation Of The Aluminosilicate Mineral Anorthite, Lauren E. Eccles

Pursuit - The Journal of Undergraduate Research at The University of Tennessee

Solid-state ceramic synthesis is a fabrication process involving high temperature reactions of solid component powders and is used to prepare materials with novel and advanced properties. Regarding synthetic mineral ceramics, the solid-state process makes it possible to design synthetic minerals with specific compositions and properties not commonly found in their natural, comparatively impure, counterparts. This study focuses on the synthesis of the feldspar anorthite, CaAl₂Si₂O₈, via solid-state procedures and the densification of the synthesized powders using the technique of uniaxial hot-pressing. Constituent powders of aluminum sesquioxide (Al₂O₃), silicon dioxide (SiO …

Numerical Modeling Of Magnetic Fields For Mirror Neutron Search Experiment, Adam Johnston

Pursuit - The Journal of Undergraduate Research at The University of Tennessee

This paper will outline the configuration of 3D magnetic field model simulated from electric current sources using MATLAB. The model is using 3D arrays allowing for quick and accurate numerical approximations of Bio-Savart integrals, of error < , modeling the behavior of a magnetic field due to current carrying wires. We will discuss the development of a 3D magnetic field configuration produced by the current carrying wires around a large 2.5 m diameter vacuum beam tube in the proposed mirror neutron search experiment at High Flux Isotope Reactor (HFIR) at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). The simulations demonstrate that the magnetic field with uniformity better than ± 2.5 mG that will allow for optimal results in experiment within the controlled range of net magnetic field magnitudes |B| 500 mG and in the large vacuum tube along 20-m neutron flight path can be achieved for an approximately 6 cm radius section at the center of the tube.

Loss Model For Gallium Nitride Dc-Dc Buck Converter, Rushi P. Patel

Pursuit - The Journal of Undergraduate Research at The University of Tennessee

In recent years, more research has been done on Enhancement Mode Gallium Nitride (eGaN) converters, as the world is moving towards more power efficient converters. Power converters play a major role in efficiently controlling and converting electric energy used by machines, systems, and everyday products. The process to make converters more efficient was complicated and slow in the twentieth century. One of the important aspects in power electronics is to evaluate different losses and minimize losses to achieve high efficiency of the converter. With help of simulation tools such as MATLAB and LTspice, this process has become much faster and …

Evaluation Of Foldable Tractor Roll-Over Protective Structures (Rops) Clearance, Luke Martin

Pursuit - The Journal of Undergraduate Research at The University of Tennessee

Tractor rollovers are a leading cause of death in the agricultural industry. While rollovers continue to happen, Roll-Over Protective Structures (ROPS) have shown great ability to prevent or reduce the casualties and injuries associated with rollover events. One authority on the subject even goes so far as to claim that “that fatality rates due to tractor overturns could be reduced by a minimum of 71% if all tractors in the U.S. were equipped with ROPS,” (NIOSH, 2009). The potential of this promising statistic has been devalued slightly due to the misapplication of foldable ROPS by leaving the ROPS in the …

Streambank Erosion Mapping On The Nottoway River Using Gps-Based Above-Water Video, Emine Fidan

Pursuit - The Journal of Undergraduate Research at The University of Tennessee

This project concerns the development of streambank erosion maps on military installations utilizing GPS-based above-water video mapping and image georeferencing techniques. The river mapped was the Nottoway River at the Fort Pickett military installation on October 10-11, 2015. Kayak-mounted above-water cameras were utilized to capture georeferenced images of streambank erosion. These GIS-based erosion classifications were utilized to develop erosion maps for determining streambank erosion conditions along the river. Areas of high erosion were identified as about two percent of the river (2167 ft. of streambank length). These maps allow for the opportunity to revisit the sites to determine changes in …

Identification Of Key Drivers For Municipal Utility Performance, Jasmin Alsaied

Pursuit - The Journal of Undergraduate Research at The University of Tennessee

This report explores the various performance indicators for municipal electric utilities and the greatest impact financial investments can make for improving these indicators. A literature search provided key detail about performing an analysis that would prove useful to utilities. The analysis identifies key performance indicators that allowed for the most prudent of investments. Data mining techniques and statistical analyses were performed on data sets concerning the 51 North Carolina municipal electric utilities to identify several key ratios and performance indicators that have the greatest impact on cost of service, system reliability, and customer satisfaction. Statistical analyses were used to determine …

Calculated Vs. Experimental Values For Volume And Surface Resistivity In Various Polymer Compounds, Megan Webster

Pursuit - The Journal of Undergraduate Research at The University of Tennessee

Versatile due to their resistance to high stress environments including but not limited to extreme temperature, pressure, and stress, polymers additionally have many uses in electrical applications wherein antistatic or conductive properties are preferential, i.e. conductive seals, oil pipeline spheres, and gaskets, to name a few. Being a complex material, many factors may affect the electrical resistivity of a given polymer compound including type and amount of carbon black, type of rubber, cure time and temperature, and dispersion, amongst other factors. External conditions such as relative humidity and temperature also play key roles. This paper will analyze five different rubber …

Mathematically Modeling Fetal Electrocardiograms, Samuel Estes, Kiersten Utsey, Erick Kalobwe

Pursuit - The Journal of Undergraduate Research at The University of Tennessee

Abstract

Some of the most common and fatal birth defects are those related to the heart. In adults, possible heart conditions are often identified through the use of an electrocardiogram (ECG). However, due to the presence of other signals and noise in the recording, fetal eletrocardiography has not yet proven effective in diagnosing these defects. This paper develops a mathematical model of three-dimensional heart vector trajectories, which was used to generate synthetic maternal and fetal ECG signals. The dipole model is a useful simplification in which the electrical activity of the heart is viewed as a single time-varying vector originating …

Simulation Of A Smart Home Energy Management System With Dynamic Price Response, Jason Y. Chan, Qinran Hu

Pursuit - The Journal of Undergraduate Research at The University of Tennessee

With the continuing development of the smart grid combined with the fluctuating nature of the electricity market, the development of demand-side management with controllable loads have been greatly driven. With the amount of household loads in the residential sector, managing their energy usage has received lots of interest. This paper presents a simulation of a previously proposed hardware design of a smart home energy management system (SHEMS), focusing on the data collection and processing functions of the proposed design while implementing them onto standard household loads like an electric water heater and an electric vehicle charging station. It was found …

Vehicle Multi-Pass Rut Volume And Mobility Power Study, William W. Barbour

Pursuit - The Journal of Undergraduate Research at The University of Tennessee

This paper presents the relationship between applied power by a wheeled vehicle to soil and the rutting effects. Specifically, a strong positive relationship was found between cumulative applied power and total rut volume across multiple passes by the vehicle over the same tracks. Field-testing was conducted using a high-mobility multi-purpose wheeled vehicle (HMMWV) and two distinct soil types. Sensors on the vehicle measured torque and angular velocity of each of the four wheels, from which applied power was calculated. A rut profile meter was used to document the shape of the rut after set numbers of passes and this profile …

Bringing To Life The World’S Tallest Structure, Jonathan Weigand

Pursuit - The Journal of Undergraduate Research at The University of Tennessee

Intended as the centerpiece of constructional developments in Dubai, the Burj Khalifa now stands as the tallest building ever constructed. The uniquely designed foundation consists of a concrete raft supported by a cast-in-place pile system protected by waterproofing membrane to inhibit corrosion. The structural design integrates high-performance reinforced concrete and steel and incorporates an engineered “Y” shape that limits the lateral wind pressure on the building. Engineers applied the latest advancements in high-rise technology to develop an optimized construction plan that consisted of segmented tasks that promoted the staff to work at a quick yet manageable pace. This article details …

In-Situ Condition Monitoring Of Components In Small Modular Reactors Using Process And Electrical Signature Analysis, Victor Lollar

Pursuit - The Journal of Undergraduate Research at The University of Tennessee

Components in small modular reactors (SMRs) are located in a hazardous environment and must be monitored remotely. Electrical signature analysis (ESA) is a viable option for component monitoring as it can be implemented on-line away from the actual equipment. This research attempts to use both electrical signatures from a pump motor and process variables such as flow and pressure to effectively monitor reactor components. An experimental flow loop with pump health monitoring equipment and a data acquisition system was used for experiments. Process variables analyzed include pressure, flow rate, water level, and motor vibrations. The electrical signatures monitored were the …

Multilevel Dc-Ac Converter Interface With Solar Panels, Yue Cao

Pursuit - The Journal of Undergraduate Research at The University of Tennessee

This paper presents a single-phase 11-level (5 H-bridge) cascaded multilevel DC-AC converter that has implemented a Phase Locked Loop (PLL) and Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) with 5 separate solar panel DC sources. This topology upgrades the conventional 3-level Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) controlled converter with advantages such as smoother output waveforms, more flexibility in voltage range, smaller filter size, and switching angle control. Simulation results of voltage synchronization using PLL and experimental setup and results implementing the entire converter interface are also presented.