Engineering Commons^™

Developing A Lean Based Model For A Hospital Pharmacy Environment, Jason North

Masters Theses

Lean strategies have become necessary in healthcare due primarily to two factors: a demand for efficiency and a need to reduce medical error. The case for the necessity of a lean program is based on trends of increasing costs and decreasing revenues resulting from government intervention. Profit margin per patient has been reduced, and therefore more patients per time period must be seen in order to meet profitability goals. Preventable medical error is shown to be a leading cause of death.

Current research in the area of hospital and healthcare efficiency proves that a parallel exists between healthcare efficiency today …

Hardware Acceleration Of The Embedded Zerotree Wavelet Algorithm, Suresh S. Polisetty

Masters Theses

The goal of this project was to gain experience in designing and implementing a microelectronic system to acclerate the execution of a time-consuming software algorithm, the Embedded Zerotree Wavelet (EZW), which is used in multimedia applications. The algorithm was implemented using MATLAB to be certain it was fully understood and to serve as a validation reference. Then, the algorithm was mapped into a hardware description language, VHDL, and its resulting implementation verified with the golden reference. The hardware description was then targeted to a field-programmable gate array (FPGA). Significant acceleration was achieved since the hardware implementation in a FPGA (Xilinx …

Retrieval Of Nano-Size Particles From A Solid Substrate, Krishna Prasad Podila

Masters Theses

The retrieval of nano-size particles from suspects and crime scenes can significantly enhance surveillance and crime investigation. The Thesis deals with extensive study of free surface energy coupled with Hertzian contact energy under different conditions between a nano-sized particle and a substrate and the various methods of dislodging the particle. Using the Johnson-Kendall-Roberts (JKR) theory, a physical spring-mass-damper model is defined. Mathematical equations are formulated and solved with non-linear equations simulating the real world situation. Using Newmark’s β method, the system is solved for response of free and forced vibrations taking moisture to be responsible for damping. Key assumptions such …

Computational Aerodynamic Analysis Of Converging Free Jets, George Wayman Hatcher

Masters Theses

The aerodynamics of converging free jets was studied to determine the characteristics of the flow field involved in the manufacture of meltblown fibers. The two-dimensional computational fluid dynamic analysis was validated through comparison to boundary layer theory. The converging jet geometry consisted of two symmetric rectangular channels 30º from the axis of symmetry, 0.013 inches wide, converging toward a free expansion region at standard atmospheric conditions. The two channels were 0.015 inches apart at the exit, and the perpendicular wall region between them was flush with the upper and lower plate faces of the meltblowing die. Upstream boundary conditions of …

Cure Behavior Study And Elastic Modulus Characterization Of Resin System Of A Quasi Poloidal Stellarator Modular Coil, Hariharanath Kavuri

Masters Theses

Composites materials are increasingly becoming choice materials because of their tremendous strength-to-weight properties and impressive design flexibility. A more recent application of composites is in nuclear fusion reactors. One such reactor is the Quasi-Poloidal Stellarator (QPS) being developed by Oak Ridge National laboratory. QPS, with a non-axisymmetric, near-poloidally symmetric magnetic configuration, has stranded copper/epoxy composite coils, used for magnetic confinement of plasma. CTD- 404 and CTD-101K are the resins under consideration for the modular coils with copper fiber as reinforcement. Structural integrity of the modular coils over wide range of temperatures, including liquid nitrogen temperature, is of vital importance and …

Cross-Layer Design Of A Dynamic Resource Allocation Control For The Next Multimedia Wireless Generation 1xev-Dv Systems, Mohamed Bourouha

Masters Theses

1xEV-DV has been proposed as one of the standards of the next MultimediaWire- less Generation (MWG) systems, which adopts new techniques to enhance wireless data Quality of Service (QoS). Despite the recent research efforts in mapping QoS pa- rameters cross the different layers, there is still no cross layer QoS design that focuses in providing QoS assurances in the 1xEV-DV. Moreover, many possible combinations of resource parameters have been specified in the current standard. However, there are no specifications about the dynamic resource allocation. In this thesis, a suite of Cross Layer Multiuser Diversity Modules are proposed. These modules include …

Carbon Nanotube Based Chemical And Biological Sensors, Srikanth Singamaneni

Masters Theses

Carbon nanotubes are among those wonderful molecules man has discovered by chance. Carbon nanotubes are sheets of graphite rolled up to form seamless cylinders. Their outstanding electrical, mechanical and thermal properties form the inspiration behind this work. This work investigates the possible application of carbon nanotubes as biological sensors for the detection of various biomolecules like Streptavidin and Mouse monoclonal Immunoglobulin-G. Electrical conductance changes of Carbon nanotubes for exposure to alcohol vapors were studied. This thesis demonstrates that these quantum wires can form highly sensitive biological and chemical sensors at molecular level. Although the main focus of the-research was chemical …

Oxidation Of Titanium In Alpha-Calf Serum Solution, Ali Stait Ismailoglu

Masters Theses

Titanium and its alloys have been used extensively in orthopedic implants mainly because of its excellent biocompatibility. This biocompatibility is attributed to its surface oxide film (3-7 nm thickness) that forms immediately upon exposure of titanium to air. In the research, the oxidation of Ti-6Al-4V in alpha-calf serum solution was studied. Four different immersion times were tested. Characterization of surface topography and its chemical composition was examined using Atomic force microscopy (AFM), Fourier transform-infrared radiation (FT-IR), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The AFM results clearly show the gradual change that occurred in the samples topography which is associated with more-rounded …

Prediction Of Crack Growth Rate And Load Interaction Effects Using Damage Accumulation Model, Virender Goswami

Masters Theses

In damage tolerant designs, it is important to know the crack growth behavior of a material, so that sudden failure of a component can be avoided by determining a safe life. There are numerous models available to predict the crack growth rate. Among them the "crack closure model" is most often used for predicting the crack growth rate for different R-ratios and load interaction effects. However recently, the crack closure model has come under criticism by many authors to be flawed and overrated owing to its inherent drawbacks.

Therefore, a mathematical model for the fatigue crack propagation based on damage …

Feature Detection Using Linear Structure Modeling And Pca, Kawshif Muhammed Riaz Ahmed

Masters Theses

An algorithm to extract features from digital images such as cracks in concrete bridges for automated inspection is developed. The algorithm is based on the use of Principal Component Analysis (PCA). In general, PCA is used to reduce the dimensionality of a data set that consists of a large number of interrelated variables while retaining the variation present in the original data set. This ability of PCA will be used in this project to identify clusters using two training sets of images. Linear structure modeling is used to emphasize the image features (cracks) prior to applying PCA. Whole images processing …

Microwave Pretreatment Of Corn Stover For Anaerobic Digestion, Abhishek D. Saxena

Masters Theses

Anaerobic digestion is one of the several technologies used for biomass conversion to electricity or heat. This thesis focused on microwave irradiation of corn stover as a pretreatment for anaerobic digestion, and studies its impact on methane production.

The first run comprised three sets of stover soaked overnight in water, dilute sulfuric acid and dilute acetic acid, and each treated to three different levels of microwave irradiation. The results indicated a high variability in the data of the water set, which showed that there was no clear impact of microwave pretreatment on methane production. The dilute sulfuric acid and dilute …

Combinatorial Design Of Nickel-Chromium Alloys By Physical Vapor Deposition And Electron Beam Welding, Jaret James Frafjord

Masters Theses

Combinatorial methods, which include high efficiency and high throughput methods to create a large compositional range of materials, have proven to be highly effective and efficient in research and development in the chemical and pharmaceutical industries. In this thesis, similar methods for the development and optimization of metals and alloy systems are explored. Combinatorial Ni-Cr alloy samples were developed by physical vapor deposition (PVD) of a wedged film on a bulk material, and then locally melting the two by electron beam welding (EBW). A combinatorial alloy gradient was thus created along the length of the weld. The samples were rapidly …

Development Of Internet Based Lean Assessment Methodology And Tool: Utopex, Prashant M. Hulloli

Masters Theses

Lean implementation is a complex process and requires a comprehensive lean assessment methodology that collects information from all the areas of an organization, and helps to determine the current state of the organization. A lean assessment tool is a stepping-stone for successful lean implementation as it provides as accurate accounting of a company’s current state and helps develop future strategies for business activities. It is quite essential to develop a lean assessment tool that focuses on manufacturing systems, support systems, operational excellence (integration of lean & six-sigma), and cultural sustainability of the organization. The assessment tool is developed focusing on …

Development Of Systemc Modules From Hdl For System-On-Chip Applications, Siddhartha Devalapalli

Masters Theses

Designs are becoming bigger in size, faster in speed and larger in complexity with the emergence of System-on-Chip designs. Hardware components and embedded software co-exist in such designs making it necessary to describe designs at higher levels of abstraction. Describing designs at higher levels of abstraction enables faster simulation, hardware software co-simulation and architectural exploration. SystemC is a solution.

Also the time to market can be reduced greatly if previously designed intellectually property (IP) described in a hardware description language (HDL) can be reused in SystemC.

In this research SystemC modules were successfully developed and verified from Verilog using existing …

Boundary Layer Flow Acceleration By Paraelectric And Peristaltic Ehd Effects Of Aerodynamic Plasma Actuators, Madhan Raja Chandra Mohan

Masters Theses

Plasma actuators based on the OAUGDP TM (One Atmosphere Uniform Glow Discharge Plasma) promise to be a convenient method to modify aerodynamic boundary layers. The development of the OAUGD Plasma has made it possible to locate enough plasma actuators on airfoils and the wings and fuselage of aircraft to have significant effects on flow control and re-attachment at relatively low power cost. In this study OAUGD Plasma actuators have been used to effect flow re-attachment and to manipulate aerodynamic flows, possibly leading to improved methods of flight control. The OAUGDPTM actuators have been tested in the 7 x 11 Inch …

Bit Loading And Peak Average Power Reduction Techniques For Adaptive Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing Systems, Jaideep Rajan Shahri

Masters Theses

In a frequency-selective channel a large number of resolvable multipaths are present which lead to the fading of the signal. Orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) is well-known to be effective against multipath distortion. It is a multicarrier communication scheme, in which the bandwidth of the channel is divided into subcarriers and data symbols are modulated and transmitted on each subcarrier simultaneously. By inserting guard time that is longer than the delay spread of the channel, an OFDM system is able to mitigate intersymbol interference (ISI).

Significant improvement in performance is achieved by adaptively loading the bits on the subcarriers based …

Characterization Of An Estrogen-Degrading Culture, Novosphingobium Tardaugens Ari-1, Yuechauan Yang

Masters Theses

In this study, experiments were conducted to characterize the bacterium Novosphingobium spp ARI-1, which is the only known estradiol-degrading strain. The kinetic parameters, the effects of acetone on cell growth, and the effects of starvation on estrogen degradation have been measured. A quantitative fingerprinting molecular technique, called real-time-t-RFLP, was used to characterize microbial communities of activated sludge samples collected from six wastewater treatment plants in east Tennessee. The experimental data showed that ARI-1 was capable of growing on estrogens in the presence and absence of acetone. In the absence of acetone, ARI-1 grew on 17α-estradiol, 17β-estradiol, and estrone with cell …

A Characteristic Study Of The Atmospheric Pressure Nonthermal Resistive Barrier Plasma Discharge For Biological Decontamination, Magesh Thiyagarajan

Masters Theses

Steady-state atmospheric pressure nonthermal plasmas can splendidly debilitate bacteria in liquids, gases and on surfaces, as well as can disintegrate hazardous chemicals. The nonthermal gas discharge at atmospheric pressure, such as resistive barrier discharge is investigated for low temperature sterilization purposes. In specific, exploring and understanding the hidden secrets of the plasma sterilization mechanisms and the intensification of the main microbial reduction pathways are the objectives of the research.

A dual-mode steady-state atmospheric pressure resistive barrier ionized gas (plasma) generator has been designed and developed to meet the environmental health and federally mandated safety standards. Electrical, chemical, optical, and biological …

An Open Core System-On-Chip Platform, Rishi R. Srivastava

Masters Theses

The design cycle required to produce a System-on-Chip can be reduced by providing pre-designed built-in features and functions such as configurable I/O, power and ground grids, block RAMs, timing generators and other embedded intellectual property (IP) blocks. A basic combination of such built-in features is known as a platform.

The major objective of this thesis was to design and implement one such System-on-Chip platform using open IP cores targeting the TSMC-0.18 CMOS process.

The integrated System-on-Chip platform, which contains approximately four million transistors, was synthesized using Synopsys - Design Compiler and placed and routed using Cadence - First Encounter, …

Aircraft Turbulence Detection And Display From The Professional Pilot’S Perspective, Leslie Owen Kagey

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to investigate the detection and display of weather avoidance information to commercial airline, business aircraft, and general aviation aircraft cockpits from the perspective of the professional pilot.

A flight campaign was conducted over a period of three years. Convective weather detection was attempted utilizing an experimental airborne weather radar installed on NASA’s Airborne Research Integrated Experiments Systems (ARIES) Boeing 757. Additionally ground-based Next Generation Radar (NEXRAD) information and textual data was linked to the aircraft for correlation. It was determined after encountering several heavy turbulence events that radar detection and conventional displays alone were …

Compressed Air-Driven Tests Of A Prototype TurbxTm Engine, Frederick John Mottley

Masters Theses

A century of research of existing thermodynamic cycles has developed piston engines exceeding 40% efficiency and open cycle gas turbine engines approaching 30% practical efficiency. A breakthrough engine concept has been invented by Dr. Michael Wilson (US Patents 5,966,927 and 6,105,359) and is called the TurbX^TM engine. This new engine, operating on the Atkinson cycle, can theoretically increase engine performance and fuel economy, and reduce emissions as compared to the open cycle gas turbine.

The TurbX™ engine implements a constant volume, continuous combustion process in rotating turbo-machinery. Based on a theoretically ideal thermodynamic analysis, this novel innovation will always …

Development Of High Performance Concrete For Use On Tennessee Bridge Decks And Overlays, Charles Herbert Hamblin Jr.

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to develop a High Performance Concrete mix design to be used on bridge decks and overlays in Tennessee. A total of eight mix designs were tested in this study. Both gap-graded and dense-graded aggregate combinations were used in the study.

Each mix was tested for fresh and hardened concrete properties. Fresh properties include slump, air content, unit weight, and temperature. Hardened properties include 7 and 28-day compressive strength, freeze-thaw durability, drying shrinkage, and chloride ion permeability.

Although further research is recommended, one promising mix was found as a result of this study. Mix 2F1 …

Thermal Modeling And Verification Of A Quasi-Poloidal Stellarator Modular Coil, Anuj Chaudhri

Masters Theses

Controlled nuclear fusion has been the subject of experimental and analytical studies for more than forty years. A focus of research in this area has been plasma confinement using a toroidal magnetic field. The two important fusion devices used for this purpose are Tokamaks and Stellarators. The Quasi Poloidal Stellerator (QPS) is a low-aspect ratio toroidal magnetic confinement device used to contain the plasma so that Controlled Thermonuclear Reactions (CTR) can take place. An integral part of an Oak Ridge National Laboratory QPS design is the modular coil, which provides the primary magnetic field in the configuration. Since the …

A Model For The Application Of Test And Evaluation Concepts By The Air Element Of The Canadian Forces During The Materiel Acquisition And Support Lifecycle, Troy M. Crosby

Masters Theses

Recent experience has proven that the Test and Evaluation (T&E) terms and responsibilities described in Department of National Defence and Canadian Forces policies and orders – particularly those related to the Category flight test system – are poorly understood and frequently in conflict with contemporary approaches to Materiel Acquisition & Support. As a result, financial and airworthiness authorities may not be recognizing the benefits inherent to the timely application of T&E by the Air element of the Canadian Forces during the Materiel Acquisition & Support lifecycle. At the same time, the on-going inconsistent application of T&E is resulting in frustration …

The Most Important Aviation System: The Human Team And Decision Making In The Modern Cockpit, John Cody Allee

Masters Theses

The most critical aviation system is the human operator in the cockpit of modern aircraft. Regardless of the advancements in microelectronics and automated decision-making apparatus, the human will still remain ultimately responsible for the safety of those in the air and on the ground. Humans, however, are not entirely predictable or consistent when functioning in this capacity. The relationship between crewmembers becomes a critical aspect of this system, and this paper focuses on methods to improve both individual and especially crew decision-making in aviation. Concepts and structure from the Navy’s Crew Resource Management program are used as the background for …

The Effects Of The Surface Nanocrystallization And Hardening (Snh) Process On Fatigue Resistance, Yuan Wei

Masters Theses

Nanocrystalline and coarse-grained materials have shown high resistances for the fatigue-crack initiation and growth, respectively. In this thesis, the surface- mechanical-attrition (SMA) treatment has been employed for the surface- nanocrystallization and hardening (SNH) process to produce engineered materials with coarse grains in the interior and grain-refinement progressively down to the nano-size on the surface.

The effects of the different processing parameters of the SMA treatment, including the ball size, materials, and treatment time, on the SNH process of the Ti-6Al- 4V and Ni-based Hastelloy® C-2000 Alloys were investigated from the viewpoints of the microstructure, microhardness, surface roughness, and fatigue behavior, …

The Results Of The T-45 Main Landing Gear Uplock Investigation And The Effect That Organization Structure Had On Them, Christina Marie Stack

Masters Theses

The T-45, a military jet trainer aircraft for the Navy, recently experienced two cases of an uncommanded main landing gear extension during high airspeed and high g conditions. These events resulted in an investigation to understand the cause. The initial response to the mishaps was to limit the fleet to lower airspeeds since both mishaps occurred at high speeds. This limitation was not extensively restrictive for fleet operations; however, it was limiting for acceptance flights and functional check flights of aircraft. During the investigations, two different mechanical problems were discovered in the main landing gear uplock mechanism. This mechanism is …

A Site-Specific Indoor Wireless Propagation Model, Chen Jin

Masters Theses

In this thesis, we explore the fundamental concepts behind the emerging field of site-specific propagation modeling for wireless communication systems. The first three chapters of background material discuss, respectively, the motivation for this study, the context of the study, and signal behavior and modeling in the predominant wireless propagation environments. A brief survey of existing ray-tracing based site-specific propagation models follows this discussion, leading naturally to the work of new model development undertaken in our thesis project. Following the detailed description of our generalized wireless channel modeling, various interference cases incorporating with this model are thoroughly discussed and results presented …

Design Optimization Of Enriched Water Targets, Sampath Telikicherla Kandala

Masters Theses

The purpose of this research project is to design and optimize the enriched water targets used in the cyclotron systems that are manufactured by CTI Inc. Enriched water target is the source of Fluorine 18 that is used in the Positron Emission Tomography (PET) scanners for medical imaging purposes. Oxygen 18 enriched water is the target for the 10.5 MeV protons that are produced by the cyclotron. A p-n reaction takes place when the high-energy protons interact with the Oxygen 18, creating Fluorine 18. The proton beam also deposits thermal energy in the target. As the enriched water is costly, …

Measurement Of Material Creep Parameters Of Amorphous Selenium By Nanoindentation And The Relationship Between Indentation Creep And Uniaxial Creep, James Anthony Lamanna Jr.

Masters Theses

ὲ_I= BP_ⁿm

The purpose of this work was to measure the indentation creep parameters of amorphous selenium and to begin to develop a relationship between indentation creep and uniaxial creep. The data for this study was obtained by creating three different indentation creep experiments to test amorphous selenium under multiple loading conditions at multiple temperatures. The testing temperatures included 40°C, 35°C, 30°C, and 25°C. These specific temperatures were chosen to collect creep data above and below the glass transition temperature of 31°C. This indentation data was used to accomplish several objectives.

The first objective was to …