Engineering Commons^™

Removal Of Heavy Metals From Mining Impacted Water By An Electrocoagulation-Ultrafiltration Hybrid Process, Long Nghiem, Duminda Kumarasinghe, Liam Pettigrew

Long D Nghiem

In this study, the use of an electrocoagulation-ultrafiltration (EC-UF) hybrid system for the treatment of mining impacted wastewater was investigated. A model wastewater solution containing copper, lead, cadmium and other constituents representative of mining impacted wastewater was used in this investigation. The effects of key operational parameters including electrolysis time, current density, and solution pH on the performance of the EC and EC-UF systems were systematically investigated. The removal rates of copper and lead by the EC process were consistently higher than that of cadmium. It is probable that the removal mechanism of cadmium was different from that of the …

Removal Of Heavy Metals Form Mining Impacted Water By A Novel Electrocoagulation-Ultrafiltration Hybrid Process, Liam Pettigrew, Long Nghiem, Muttucumaru Sivakumar

Long D Nghiem

No abstract provided.

Hybrid Fuel Cell And Energy Storage Systems Using Superconducting Coil Or Batteries For Clean Electricity Generation, Danny Soetanto, Kai Ding

Professor Darmawan Sutanto

This paper described a novel design of a hybrid fuel cell and energy storage system using high temperature superconducting energy storage system (HT-SMES) or batteries to meet fast changing load. The power electronic switches in the converter of the energy storage system are controlled in such a way that the amplitude and waveform of the inverter output current from the fuel cell is tightly regulated to follow a sinusoidal reference waveform. In this way, the energy storage system is used to supply the fast changing part of the load and the fuel cell system continuously supplies a constant full load …

High Capacity Lithium-Ion Battery Characterization For Vehicular Applications, Sazzad Hossain Ahmed

Masters Theses

A lithium-ion battery is one of the key research topics in energy storage technologies. Major characterization tests such as static capacity, open circuit voltage (OCV), hybrid pulse power characterization (HPPC) have been conducted on two different chemistries, LiMnNi and LiFePO₄, high capacity lithium-ion batteries over a wide range of temperatures from 50ºC to -30ºC. Detail analysis of temperature effects on battery capacity and simple models of direct current resistance (DCR) increment and power decrement over temperatures have been proposed using the test results. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) tests have been performed to find out the dominant internal resistances …

The Implementation Of A Versatile Pseudodynamic Hybrid Simulation For Seismic Evaluation Of Structural Systems, Chelsea Griffith

Masters Theses

Pseudodynamic hybrid simulation technique was developed to evaluate structural seismic performance by physically testing the critical portion with the remaining structure simulated using a numerical model in the computer. An incremental approach was adopted in developing the control scheme to suit multiple testing facilities and test specimens. First the small scale, predictable specimen was utilized to investigate techniques of improving stability, slowing down the loading rate and triggering the accurate force measurement in a series of at benchmark scale experiments in the Laboratory of Earthquake and Structural Simulation at Western Michigan University (WMU). A step/hold command scheme was developed and …

Closed-Loop Thrust And Pressure Profile Throttling Of A Nitrous Oxide/Hydroxyl-Terminated Polybutadiene Hybrid Rocket Motor, Zachary W. Peterson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Hybrid motors that employ non-toxic, non-explosive components with a liquid oxidizer and a solid hydrocarbon fuel grain have inherently safe operating characteristics. The inherent safety of hybrid rocket motors offers the potential to greatly reduce overall operating costs. Another key advantage of hybrid rocket motors is the potential for in-flight shutdown, restart, and throttle by controlling the pressure drop between the oxidizer tank and the injector. This research designed, developed, and ground tested a closed-loop throttle controller for a hybrid rocket motor using nitrous oxide and hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene as propellants. The research simultaneously developed closed-loop throttle algorithms and lab scale …

Performance Characterization Of Complex Fuel Port Geometries For Hybrid Rocket Fuel Grains, Andrew Bath

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Extensive research in hybrid rocket motors has taken place at the department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at USU (Utah State University) in the last several years. USU has one of the few facilities in the country capable of static-test firing rocket motors on-campus, which allows for fast-paced testing and development not available elsewhere. Research has involved investigating propulsion devices for a range of applications, including micro-satellite thrusters, hot-gas generators, and even jet-assisted takeoff kick motors. Hybrid motors have the advantage of safety over any other chemical propulsion. Since the fuel and oxidizer are stored seperately, they are relatively inert …

Novel Soft Surfaces With Interesting Surface And Bulk Morphology, Souvik Chakrabarty

Theses and Dissertations

The goal of this research is to cover a broad set of scientific investigations of elastomeric materials based on polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and poly((3,3,3-trifluoroethoxymethyl)methyloxetane) diol. The scope of study covers five areas, well correlated with each other. The first study investigates the near surface morphology of condensation cured PDMS as a function of increasing the amount of siliceous phase. The appearance, disappearance and reappearance of untreated fumed silica nanoparticles at the PDMS near surface and their correlation with the volume fraction of siliceous phase have been studied. This research with PDMS nanocomposites has led to the development of an alternative route …

Hybrid Course Design: Leading A New Direction In Learning Programming Languages, Lulu Sun, Matthew Kindy, Caroline Cecile Marcelle Liron, Christopher Grant, Shirley Waterhouse

Publications

“Introduction to Computing for Engineers” is a programming course emphasizing problem solving. The lack of practice time, in addition to the algorithm-centric nature of programming, results in an inadequate comprehension of course material. In the fall of 2010, three faculty members created and implemented online activities consisting of video lecture slides, and mini on-line quizzes at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University to give students more “hands-on” learning (rather than expecting them to absorb content through lecture). Students do online lecture study by themselves, then come to the lab to practice on the following day with the instructor and teaching assistant. In the …

Development Of Oxidizer Flow Control For Use In Hybrid Rocket Motors Of The Scientific Sounding Rocket Scale, Luke Saindon

Honors College

To successfully build a rocket engine with variable thrust you must devise a reliable and robust oxidizer flow control system. The goal of this thesis is to contribute to the goal of building a variable thrust (throttled) hybrid rocket engine, which could eventually be used to power scientific sounding rockets. A variable thrust hybrid engine would increase reusability, flexibility, and capability of almost any small rocket.

Specifically, this thesis work regards the development of the closed loop oxidizer flow control system. To do this, a small test rig was built in the lab that consists of all the components in …

Electroencephalography (Eeg)-Based Brain Computer Interfaces For Rehabilitation, Dandan Huang

Theses and Dissertations

Objective: Brain-computer interface (BCI) technologies have been the subject of study for the past decades to help restore functions for people with severe motor disabilities and to improve their quality of life. BCI research can be generally categorized by control signals (invasive/non-invasive) or applications (e.g. neuroprosthetics/brain-actuated wheelchairs), and efforts have been devoted to better understand the characteristics and possible uses of brain signals. The purpose of this research is to explore the feasibility of a non-invasive BCI system with the combination of unique sensorimotor-rhythm (SMR) features. Specifically, a 2D virtual wheelchair control BCI is implemented to extend the application of …

An Investigation Of The Ward Leonard System For Use In A Hybrid Or Electric Passenger Vehicle, Cody L. Telford

Theses and Dissertations

Since the early 1900's demand for fuel efficient vehicles has motivated the development of electric and hybrid electric vehicles. Unfortunately, some components used in these vehicles are expensive and complex. Today's consumer electric vehicles use dangerously high voltage,expensive electronic controllers, complex battery management systems and AC motors. The goal of this research at BYU is to increase safety by lowering the operating voltage and decrease cost by eliminating expensive controllers and decrease the number of battery cells. This paper specifically examines the use of a Ward Leonard Motor Control system for use in a passenger vehicle. The theory of the …

Dynamic Characteristics Of A Hybrid Microgrid With Inverter And Non- Inverter Interfaced Renewable Energy Sources: A Case Study, A V. Jayawardena, L G. Meegahapola, S Perera, D A. Robinson

Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences - Papers: Part A

Microgrids are becoming important constituents of electric power distribution networks. Microgrids are typically comprised of both inverter interfaced (e.g. double-fed induction generator (DFIG), solar-photovoltaic (PV) system) and non-inverter interfaced (e.g. synchronous generator) renewable energy generators (REGs), hence their dynamic characteristics are significantly different from the conventional grids comprised of centralised synchronous generators. Different inherent characteristics of REGs, power dispatch levels, relative REG capacities, and external grid characteristics are some of the important features of significant interest in relation to microgrid dynamic behaviour. For this study a microgrid model was developed in DIgSILENT Power Factory based on the IEEE-13 bus system …

A New Adaptive Fuzzy-Hybrid Control Strategy Of Semi-Active Suspension With Magneto-Rheological Damper, Pipit Wahyu Nugroho, H Du, W H. Li, G Alici

Faculty of Engineering - Papers (Archive)

This paper presents the design and analysis of a new adaptive fuzzy (AF) logic and hybrid (skyhook plus groundhook) control technique applied to a semi-active suspension system of a quarter car mode. The hybrid control is applied because of its very good performance in ride comfort and road handling. Meanwhile, Fuzzy adaptive system is suitable for analysis of stability with non-linear performances. The adaptive fuzzy algorithm is used to approximate the estimated mass of the variable damping in the Hybrid loop. This model is adopting a Takagi-Sugeno configuration with a back propagation learning method typically used in a neural network …

Hybrid Frp-Concrete-Steel Double-Skin Tubular Columns: Cyclic Axial Compression Tests, Tao Yu, Yu-Bo Cao, Bing Zhang, J G. Teng

Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences - Papers: Part A

Hybrid FRP-concrete-steel double-skin tubular columns (hybrid DSTCs) are a new form of hybrid columns recently developed at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University. A hybrid DSTC consists of an inner steel tube, an outer FRP tube and a concrete infill between the two tubes. Hybrid DSTCs possess many important advantages over existing column forms, including their excellent corrosion resistance and excellent seismic resistance. While a large amount of research has been conducted on the monotonic behavior of this novel form of columns, only a limited amount of work has been conducted on their behavior under cyclic loading. This paper presents the …

Behaviour Of Hybrid Double-Skin Tubular Columns Subjected To Combined Axial Compression And Cyclic Lateral Loading, Bing Zhang, J G. Teng, Tao Yu

Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences - Papers: Part A

Hybrid FRP-concrete-steel double-skin tubular columns (hybrid DSTCs) are a new form of hybrid columns developed at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University. They consist of an outer tube made of fibre reinforced polymer (FRP) and an inner tube made of steel, with the space between filled with concrete. In these hybrid DSTCs, the three constituent materials are optimally combined to achieve several advantages not available with existing forms of columns, including their superior corrosion and seismic performance. This paper presents the test results of a series of large-scale hybrid DSTCs subjected to combined axial and cyclic lateral loads, with an emphasis …

Hybrid Power Saving Technique For Wireless Sensor Networks, Asama Alshaibi, Peter Vial, Montserrat Ros

Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences - Papers: Part A

In wireless communication, idle listening, receiving and transmitting are the main source of consumption of energy. This paper gives an overview of several techniques used for wireless networks. We incorporated PSM and PC to gain the advantage of PSM (reduce idle listening) and PC (reduce receiving and transmitting power) and implemented them in the IEEE 802.15.4 protocol. The results show that the new hybrid technique saves more power than PSM and PC individually. © 2012 IEEE.

Investigation Into Feasibility Of Hybrid Laser-Gmaw Process For Welding High Strength Quenched And Tempered Steel, Lenka Kuzmikova, Nathan Larkin, Zengxi Pan, Mark Callaghan, Huijun Li, John Norrish

Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences - Papers: Part A

In this study, the feasibility of hybrid laser-gas metal arc welding process for replacement of conventional flux-cored arc welding procedure for welding high strength quenched and tempered steel was investigated. Experimental work focused on optimisation of process parameters to produce joint with desired properties. Hardness of the weld heat affected zone produced by both processes has been measured. Productivity and cost effectiveness of both processes were compared. It was concluded that hybrid laser-gas metal arc welding process is suitable for welding high strength quenched and tempered steel.