Engineering Commons^™

Numerical-Analytical Assessment On Solar Chimney Power Plant, Nima Fathi, Seyed Sobhan Aleyasin, Peter Vorobieff

Nima Fathi

Engineering Design: Representation And Reasoning, Clive Dym, David Brown

David C. Brown

This text demonstrates that symbolic representation, and related problem-solving methods, offer significant opportunities to clarify and articulate concepts of design to give a better framework for design research and education. This edition includes recent work on design reasoning, computational design, AI in design, and design cognition, with pointers to the current literature.

A Framework For Control Of Robots With Energy Regeneration, Hanz Richter

Hanz Richter

This paper focuses on robot control problems where energy regeneration is an explicit consideration, and it proposes a methodology for modeling and control design of regenerative motion control systems. The generic model consists of a robotic manipulator where some joints are actively controlled and the remaining joints are energetically self-contained and semi-actively controlled. The model can capture various electromechanical and hydraulic actuator configurations for industrial robots and powered human-assist devices. The basic control approach consists of three steps. First, a virtual control design is conducted by any suitable means. Then, virtual control inputs are enacted by a matching law for …

Motion Control Of A Container With Slosh: Constrained Sliding Mode Approach, Hanz Richter

Hanz Richter

A constrained sliding mode control methodology developed by the author is applied to the motion control of an open container filled with liquid. The objective is to control the position of the container to meet the performance and robustness requirements, and to specify a safe operating set, i.e., the set of initial conditions from which the system can be operated without exceeding a prescribed liquid level and additional constraints. A conventional sliding mode regulator is designed first to address nominal performance in the sliding mode. Then, a robustly invariant cylinder formed as the Cartesian product of an ellipsoid, and a …

Muscle Synergies Improve Estimation Of Knee Contact Forces During Walking, Benjamin Fregly, Jonathan Walter, Allison Kinney, Scott Banks, Darryl D'Lima, Thor Besier, David Lloyd

Allison Kinney

This study investigates whether use of subject-specific muscle synergies can improve optimization predictions of muscle excitation patterns and knee contact forces during walking. Muscle synergies describe how a small number of neural commands generated by the nervous system can be linearly combined to produce the broad range of muscle electromyographic (EMG) signals measured experimentally. By quantifying the interdependence of individual EMG signals, muscle synergies provide dimensionality reduction for the neural control redundancy problem. Our hypothesis was that use of subjectspecific muscle synergies to limit muscle excitation patterns would improve prediction of muscle EMG patterns at the hip, knee, and ankle …

Muscle Synergy Constraints Improve Prediction Of Knee Contact Force During Gait, Benjamin Fregly, Jonathan Walter, Allison Kinney, Scott Banks, Darryl D'Lima, Thor Besier, David Lloyd

Allison Kinney

Knowledge of patient-specific muscle and joint contact forces during activities of daily living could improve the treatment of movement-related disorders (e.g., osteoarthritis, stroke, cerebral palsy, Parkinson’s disease). Unfortunately, it is currently impossible to measure these quantities directly under common clinical conditions, and calculation of these quantities using computer models is limited by the redundant nature of human neural control (i.e., more muscles than theoretically necessary to actuate the available degrees of freedom in the skeleton). Walking is a particularly important task to understand, since loss of mobility is associated with increased morbidity and decreased quality of life. Though numerous musculoskeletal …

Evaluation Of Different Optimal Control Problem Formulations For Solving The Muscle Redundancy Problem, Friedl De Groote, Allison Kinney, Anil Rao, Benjamin Fregly

Allison Kinney

This study evaluates several possible optimal control problem formulations for solving the muscle redundancy problem with the goal of identifying the most efficient and robust formulation. One novel formulation involves the introduction of additional controls that equal the time derivative of the states, resulting in very simple dynamic equations. The nonlinear equations describing muscle dynamics are then imposed as algebraic constraints in their implicit form, simplifying their evaluation. By comparing different problem formulations for computing muscle controls that can reproduce inverse dynamic joint torques during gait, we demonstrate the efficiency and robustness of the proposed novel formulation.

Material Properties And Microstructural Characterization Of Specimens, T.J. Silverman, Allison Kinney, B. South, W. Yong, J.H. Koo

Allison Kinney

The HiQ upgrade to the 3D Systems Vanguard selective laser sintering (SLS) machine incorporates a revised thermal calibration system and new software. This paper quantifies differences in mechanical and morphological properties of specimens built first using a Vanguard HS (high-speed) system and again using the same system with the HiQ upgrade applied. Standard specimens are built from DuraForm PA material and tested for tensile modulus, tensile strength, elongation at break, flexural modulus and Izod impact strength. The design of the specimen battery, the conduction of the tests and the significance of the results are discussed. The upgrade is found to …

Synergies Controls Improve Prediction Of Knee Contact Forces And Muscle Excitations During Gait, Benjamin Fregly, Jonathan Walter, Allison Kinney, Scott Banks, Darryl D'Lima, Thor Besier, David Lloyd

Allison Kinney

This study investigates whether use of muscle excitation controls constructed from subjectspecific muscle synergy information can improve optimization prediction of knee contact forces and muscle excitations during walking. Muscle synergies quantify how a large number of experimental muscle electromyographic (EMG) signals can be reconstructed by linearly mixing a much smaller number of neural commands generated by the nervous system. Our hypothesis was that controlling all muscle excitations with a small set of experimentally calculated neural commands would improve prediction of knee contact forces and leg muscle excitations compared to using independently controlled muscle excitations.

Comparison Of Material Properties And Microstructure Of Specimens Built Using The 3d Systems Vanguard Hs And Vanguard Hiq+Hs Sls Systems, T.J. Silverman, Allison Kinney, W. Yong, J.H. Koo

Allison Kinney

The HiQ upgrade to the 3D Systems Vanguard selective laser sintering (SLS) machine incorporates a revised thermal calibration system and new control software. The paper compares the tensile modulus, tensile strength, elongation at break, flexural modulus, Izod impact resistance and microstructure of two batteries of standard specimens built from recycled Duraform PA (Nylon 12). The first set is built on a Vanguard HS system and the second on the same system with the HiQ upgrade installed. The upgrade reduces user intervention, decreases total build time and improves surface finish. However, using the default processing parameters, tensile, flexure and impact properties …

Comparing Mathematical And Heuristic Approaches For Scientific Data Analysis, Aparna Varde, Shuhui Ma, Mohammed Maniruzzaman, David Brown, Elke Rundensteiner, Richard Sisson

David C. Brown

Scientific data is often analyzed in the context of domain-specific problems, for example, failure diagnostics, predictive analysis, and computational estimation. These problems can be solved using approaches such as mathematical models or heuristic methods. In this paper we compare a heuristic approach based on mining stored data with a mathematical approach based on applying state-of-the-art formulae to solve an estimation problem. The goal is to estimate results of scientific experiments given their input conditions. We present a comparative study based on sample space, time complexity, and data storage with respect to a real application in materials science. Performance evaluation with …

U.S. Billion-Ton Update: Biomass Supply For A Bioenergy And Bioproducts Industry, Robert D. Perlack, Laurence M. Eaton, Anthony F. Turhollow Jr., Matt H. Langholtz, Craig C. Brandt, Mark E. Downing, Robin L. Graham, Lynn L. Wright, Jacob M. Kavkewitz, Anna M. Shamey, Richard G. Nelson, Bryce J. Stokes, William L. Rooney, David J. Muth Jr., J. Richard Hess, Jared M. Abodeely, Chad Hellwinckel, Danial De La Torre Ugarte, Daniel C. Yoder, James P. Lyon, Timothy G. Rials, Timothy A. Volk, Thomas S. Buchholz, Lawrence P. Abrahamson, Robert P. Anex, Thomas B. Voigt, William Berguson, Don E. Riemenschneider, Douglas Karlen, Jane M. F. Johnson, Robert B. Mitchell, Kenneth P. Vogel, Edward P. Richard Jr., John Tatarko, Larry E. Wagner, Kenneth E. Skog, Patricia K. Lebow, Dennis P. Dykstra, Marilyn A. Buford, Patrick D. Miles, D. Andrew Scott, James H. Perdue, Robert B. Rummer, Jamie Barbour, John A. Stanturf, David B. Mckeever, Ronald S. Zalesny Jr., Edmund A. Gee, P. Daniel Cassidy, David Lightle

Douglas L Karlen

The Report, Biomass as Feedstock for a Bioenergy and Bioproducts Industry: The Technical Feasibility of a Billion-Ton Annual Supply (generally referred to as the Billion-Ton Study or 2005 BTS), was an estimate of “potential” biomass within the contiguous United States based on numerous assumptions about current and future inventory and production capacity, availability, and technology. In the 2005 BTS, a strategic analysis was undertaken to determine if U.S. agriculture and forest resources have the capability to potentially produce at least one billion dry tons of biomass annually, in a sustainable manner—enough to displace approximately 30% of the country’s present petroleum …

Probing The Roles Of Polymeric Separators In Lithium-Ion Battery Capacity Fade At Elevated Temperatures, Jianchao Chen, Yongda Yan, Tao Sun, Yue Qi, Xiaodong Li

Xiaodong Li

The high temperature mechanical property of separators is very important for safety of lithium-ion batteries. However, the mechanical integrity of polymeric separators in lithium-ion batteries at elevated temperatures is still not well characterized. In this paper, the temperature dependent micro-scale morphology change of PP (polypropylene)-PE (polyethylene)-PP sandwiched separators (Celgard 2325) was studied by in-situ high temperature surface imaging using an atomic force microscope (AFM) coupled with power spectral density (PSD) analysis and digital image correlation (DIC) technique. Both PSD and DIC analysis results show that the PP phase significantly closes its pores by means of dilation of the nanofibrils surrounding …

Probing The Roles Of Polymeric Separators In Lithium-Ion Battery Capacity Fade At Elevated Temperatures, Jianchao Chen, Yongda Yan, Tao Sun, Yue Qi, Xiaodong Li

Xiaodong Li

The high temperature mechanical property of separators is very important for safety of lithium-ion batteries. However, the mechanical integrity of polymeric separators in lithium-ion batteries at elevated temperatures is still not well characterized. In this paper, the temperature dependent micro-scale morphology change of PP (polypropylene)-PE (polyethylene)-PP sandwiched separators (Celgard 2325) was studied by in-situ high temperature surface imaging using an atomic force microscope (AFM) coupled with power spectral density (PSD) analysis and digital image correlation (DIC) technique. Both PSD and DIC analysis results show that the PP phase significantly closes its pores by means of dilation of the nanofibrils surrounding …

A Platinum Nanowire Network As A Highly Effective Current Collector For Intermediate Temperature Solid Oxide Fuel Cells, Hanping Ding, Xingjian Xue

Xingjian "Chris" Xue

We report the fabrication and evaluation of a platinum nanowire network as a highly efficient current collector for solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs). The ink of carbon-black supported platinum nanoparticles was sprayed onto the cathode. After firing, the carbon black was oxidized and disappeared as carbon dioxide gas while the platinum nanoparticles connect with one another, forming a tree-branch-like nanowire network. The diameters of the nanowires range from 100 nm to 400 nm. Compared to a conventional platinum paste current collector, the polarization resistance of the PrBaCo₂O_5+δ (PBCO) cathode with a nanowire current collector was reduced …

A Platinum Nanowire Network As A Highly Effective Current Collector For Intermediate Temperature Solid Oxide Fuel Cells, Hanping Ding, Xingjian Xue

Xingjian "Chris" Xue

We report the fabrication and evaluation of a platinum nanowire network as a highly efficient current collector for solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs). The ink of carbon-black supported platinum nanoparticles was sprayed onto the cathode. After firing, the carbon black was oxidized and disappeared as carbon dioxide gas while the platinum nanoparticles connect with one another, forming a tree-branch-like nanowire network. The diameters of the nanowires range from 100 nm to 400 nm. Compared to a conventional platinum paste current collector, the polarization resistance of the PrBaCo2O5+δ (PBCO) cathode with a nanowire current collector was reduced by 44% at 650 …

Effectiveness Of Group Kickboxing As A Means To Improve Gait And Balance In Individuals With Ms, Kurt Jackson, Kimberly Edginton Bigelow, Christina Cooper, Harold L. Merriman

Harold L. Merriman

In recent years, there has been a particular emphasis on identifying and delivering appropriate therapeutic interventions that address the significant balance and gait impairments that affect individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS). Group interventions implemented in community settings have been especially of interest, including tai chi classes. Recently, the authors conducted a preliminary study to examine whether group kick-boxing, which requires more vigorous movements, might be a feasible intervention. Initial findings showed promise and led the authors to pursue a more rigorous follow-up study, with the objective of determining whether a 5-week group kickboxing class improved clinical measures of balance and …

Metal Wear Detection Apparatus And Method Employing Microfluidic Electronic Device, Jiang Zhe, Li Du, Joan Carletta, Robert Veillette

Robert Veillette

An apparatus and a method for detection of wear particles in a lubricant are disclosed. The apparatus includes a microfluidic device including a microchannel sized for a lubricant containing wear particles to pass therethrough and first and second electrodes extending into the microchannel. A detection system is coupled with the electrodes for detection of wear particles passing through the microchannel, based on a change in capacitance of the electrodes.

Inductive Coulter Counting: Detection And Differentiation Of Metal Wear Particles In Lubricant, Li Du, Jiang Zhe, Robert Veillette

Robert Veillette

A device based on an inductive Coulter counting principle for detecting metal particles in lubrication oil is presented. The device detects the passage of ferrous and nonferrous particles by monitoring the inductance change in a coil. First, the sensing principle is demonstrated at the mesoscale using a solenoid. Next, a small planar coil suitable for use in a microscale device is tested. Static tests are conducted on the planar coil using iron and aluminum particles ranging from 80 to 500 µm. The testing results show that the coil can be used to detect and distinguish ferrous and nonferrous metal particles …

A Magnetic Coulter Counting Device For Wear Debris Detection In Lubrication, Li Du, Joan Carletta, Robert Veillette, Jiang Zhe

Robert Veillette

A device based on a magnetic Coulter counting principle to detect metal particles in lubrication oil is presented. The device detects the passage of ferrous and non ferrous particles by monitoring inductance change in a coil. First, the sensing principle is demonstrated at the mesoscale using a solenoid. Next, a microscale device is developed using a planar coil. The device is tested using iron and aluminum particles ranging from 100μm to 500μm. The testing results show the device is capable of detecting and distinguishing ferrous and non-ferrous metal particles in lubrication oil. The design concept demonstrated here can be extended …

Real-Time Monitoring Of Wear Debris In Lubrication Oil Using A Microfluidic Inductive Coulter Counting Device, Li Du, Jiang Zhe, Joan Carletta, Robert Veillette, Fred Choy

Robert Veillette

A microfluidic device based on an inductive Coulter counting principle to detect metal wear particles in lubrication oil is presented. The device detects the passage of ferrous and nonferrous particles by monitoring the inductance change of an embedded coil. The device was tested using iron and copper particles ranging in size from 50 to 125 μm. The testing results have demonstrated that the device is capable of detecting and distinguishing ferrous and nonferrous metal particles in lubrication oil; such particles can be indicative of potential machine faults in rotating and reciprocating machinery.

Narrow-Linewidth Megahertz-Repetition-Rate Optical Parametric Oscillator For High-Speed Flow And Combustion Diagnostics, Naibo Jiang, Walter R. Lempert, Gary L. Switzer, Terrence R. Meyer, James R. Gord

Terrence R Meyer

We demonstrate the ability to generate ultra-high-frequency sequences of broadly wavelength-tunable, high-intensity laser pulses using a custom-built optical parametric oscillator pumped by the thirdharmonic output of a "burst-mode" Nd:YAG laser. Burst sequences consisting of 6-10 pulses separated in time by 6-10 Îs are obtained, with average total conversion efficiency from the 355 nm pump to the near-IR signal and idler wavelengths of 33%. Typical individual pulse output energy for the signal and idler beams is in the range of 4-6 mJ, limited by the available pump energy. Line narrowing is demonstrated by means of injection seeding the idler wave using …

Interference-Free Gas-Phase Thermometry At Elevated Pressure Using Hybrid Femtosecond/Picosecond Rotational Coherent Anti- Stokes Raman Scattering, Joseph D. Miller, Chloe Elizabeth Dedic, Sukesh Roy, James R. Gord, Terrence R. Meyer

Terrence R Meyer

Rotational-level-dependent dephasing rates and nonresonant background can lead to significant uncertainties in coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (CARS) thermometry under high-pressure, lowtemperature conditions if the gas composition is unknown. Hybrid femtosecond/picosecond rotational CARS is employed to minimize or eliminate the influence of collisions and nonresonant background for accurate, frequency-domain thermometry at elevated pressure. The ability to ignore these interferences and achieve thermometric errors of <5% is demonstrated for N2 and O2 at pressures up to 15 atm. Beyond 15 atm, the effects of collisions cannot be ignored but can be minimized using a short probe delay (~6.5 ps) after Raman excitation, …

Comparison Of Line-Peak And Line-Scanning Excitation In Two-Color Laser-Induced-Fluorescence Thermometry Of Oh, Stanislav Kostka, Sukesh Roy, Patrick J. Lakusta, Terrence R. Meyer, Michael W. Renfro, James R. Gord, Richard Branam

Terrence R Meyer

Two-line laser-induced-fluorescence (LIF) thermometry is commonly employed to generate instantaneous planar maps of temperature in unsteady flames. The use of line scanning to extract the ratio of integrated intensities is less common because it precludes instantaneous measurements. Recent advances in the energy output of high-speed, ultraviolet, optical parameter oscillators have made possible the rapid scanning of molecular rovibrational transitions and, hence, the potential to extract information on gas-phase temperatures. In the current study, two-line OH LIF thermometry is performed in a wellcalibrated reacting flow for the purpose of comparing the relative accuracy of various line-pair selections from the literature and …

Laser Applications To Chemical, Security, And Environmental Analysis: Introduction To The Feature Issue, Terrence R. Meyer, Volker Ebert, Wolfgang Schade

Terrence R Meyer

This Applied Optics feature issue on Laser Applications to Chemical, Security, and Environmental Analysis (LACSEA) highlights topics and papers presented at the LACSEA 2010 Twelfth Topical Meeting sponsored by the Optical Society of America.

Mhz-Rate Nitric Oxide Planar Laser-Induced Fluorescence Imaging In A Mach 10 Hypersonic Wind Tunnel, Naibo Jiang, Matthew Webster, Walter R. Lempert, Joseph D. Miller, Terrence R. Meyer, Christopher B. Ivey, Paul M. Danehy

Terrence R Meyer

Nitric oxide planar laser-induced fluorescence (NO PLIF) imaging at repetition rates as high as 1 MHz is demonstrated in the NASA Langley 31 in. Mach 10 hypersonic wind tunnel. Approximately 200 timecorrelated image sequences of between 10 and 20 individual frames were obtained over eight days of wind tunnel testing spanning two entries in March and September of 2009. The image sequences presented were obtained from the boundary layer of a 20° flat plate model, in which transition was induced using a variety of different shaped protuberances, including a cylinder and a triangle. The high-speed image sequences captured a variety …

Simultaneous High-Speed Measurement Of Temperature And Lifetime-Corrected Oh Laserinduced Fluorescence In Unsteady Flames, Terrence R. Meyer, Galen B. King, Matthew Glusenkamp, James R. Gord

Terrence R Meyer

A means of performing simultaneous, high-speed measurements of temperature and OH lifetime-corrected laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) for tracking unsteady flames has been developed and demonstrated. The system uses the frequency-doubled and frequency-tripled output beams of an 80 MHz mode-locked Ti:sapphire laser to achieve ultrashort laser pulses (order 2 ps) for Rayleigh-scattering thermometry at 460 nm and lifetime-corrected OH LIF at 306.5 nm, respectively. Simultaneous, high-speed measurements of temperature and OH number density enable studies of flame chemistry, heat release, and flame extinction in unsteady, strained flames where the local fluorescence-quenching environment is unknown.

Hybrid Femtosecond/Picosecond Coherent Anti-Stokes Raman Scattering For High-Speed Gas-Phase Thermometry, Joseph D. Miller, Mikhail N. Slipchenko, Terrence R. Meyer, Hans U. Stauffer, James R. Goird

Terrence R Meyer

We demonstrate hybrid femtosecond/picosecond (fs/ps) coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering for high-speed thermometry in unsteady high-temperature flames, including successful comparisons with a time- and frequencyresolved theoretical model. After excitation of the N2 vibrational manifold with 100 fs broadband pump and Stokes beams, the Raman coherence is probed using a frequency-narrowed 2:5 ps probe beam that is time delayed to suppress the nonresonant background by 2 orders of magnitude. Experimental spectra were obtained at 500 Hz in steady and pulsed H2–air flames and exhibit a temperature precision of 2.2% and an accuracy of 3.3% up to 2400 K. Strategies for real-time gas-phase …

Probe-Pulse Optimization For Nonresonant Suppression In Hybrid Fs/Ps Coherent Anti-Stokes Raman Scattering At High Temperature, Joseph D. Miller, Mikhail N. Slipchenko, Terrence R. Meyer

Terrence R Meyer

Hybrid femtosecond/picosecond coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (fs/ps CARS) offers accurate thermometry at kHz rates for combustion diagnostics. In high-temperature flames, selection of probe-pulse characteristics is key to simultaneously optimizing signal-to-nonresonant-background ratio, signal strength, and spectral resolution. We demonstrate a simple method for enhancing signal-to-nonresonant-background ratio by using a narrowband Lorentzian filter to generate a time-asymmetric probe pulse with full-width-half-maximum (FWHM) pulse width of only 240 fs. This allows detection within just 310 fs after the Raman excitation for eliminating nonresonant background while retaining 45% of the resonant signal at 2000 K. The narrow linewidth is comparable to that of a …

Single-Shot Gas-Phase Thermometry Using Purerotational Hybrid Femtosecond/Picosecond Coherent Anti-Stokes Raman Scattering, Joseph D. Miller, Sukesh Roy, Mikhail N. Slipchenko, James R. Gord, Terrence R. Meyer

Terrence R Meyer

High-repetition-rate, single-laser-shot measurements are important for the investigation of unsteady flows where temperature and species concentrations can vary significantly. Here, we demonstrate singleshot, pure-rotational, hybrid femtosecond/picosecond coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (fs/ps RCARS) thermometry based on a kHz-rate fs laser source. Interferences that can affect nanosecond (ns) and ps CARS, such as nonresonant background and collisional dephasing, are eliminated by selecting an appropriate time delay between the 100-fs pump/Stokes pulses and the pulse-shaped 8.4-ps probe. A time- and frequency-domain theoretical model is introduced to account for rotational-level dependent collisional dephasing and indicates that the optimal probe-pulse time delay is 13.5 ps …