Engineering Science and Materials Commons^™

Me-Em Enewsbrief, December 2023, Department Of Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics, Michigan Technological University

Department of Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics eNewsBrief

No abstract provided.

Me-Em Enewsbrief, September 2023, Department Of Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics, Michigan Technological University

Department of Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics eNewsBrief

No abstract provided.

Me-Em Enewsbrief, June 2023, Department Of Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics, Michigan Technological University

Department of Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics eNewsBrief

No abstract provided.

Me-Em Enewsbrief, March 2023, Department Of Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics, Michigan Technological University

Department of Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics eNewsBrief

No abstract provided.

Me-Em Enewsbrief, December 2022, Department Of Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics, Michigan Technological University

Department of Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics eNewsBrief

No abstract provided.

Me-Em Enewsbrief, September 2022, Department Of Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics, Michigan Technological University

Department of Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics eNewsBrief

No abstract provided.

Me-Em Enewsbrief, June 2022, Department Of Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics, Michigan Technological University

Department of Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics eNewsBrief

No abstract provided.

Me-Em Enewsbrief, March 2022, Department Of Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics, Michigan Technological University

Department of Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics eNewsBrief

No abstract provided.

Permeability, Structural Changes, Flow Regime Transitions In Fuel Cell Catalyst Layers And A Model For Predicting Trapped Saturation For Two-Phase Flow In Porous Media, Karrar Takleef Alofari

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Proper water management in Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) fuel cell is important to achieve high performance. Understanding the percolation of the produced water at the cathode catalyst layer (CL) is critical for any robust water management technique. In this study, an ex-situ experimental setup is used to study percolation in the CL at different injection rates and relative humidity (RH) conditions. The results show that increasing the flow rate force the liquid to flow through the bulk of the pores due to the dominant viscous effect. On the other hand, at low injection rates, the capillary becomes dominant and liquid …

Me-Em Enewsbrief, December 2021, Department Of Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics, Michigan Technological University

Department of Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics eNewsBrief

No abstract provided.

Me-Em 2020-21 Annual Report, Department Of Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics, Michigan Technological University

Department of Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics Annual Reports

Table of Contents

• Responsive Research
• Alumni Impact
• Innovative Enterprises
• Enrollment & Degrees
• Graduates
• Department
• Donors
• Contracts & Grants
• Patents & Publications

Me-Em Enewsbrief, September 2021, Department Of Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics, Michigan Technological University

Department of Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics eNewsBrief

No abstract provided.

Me-Em Enewsbrief, June 2021, Department Of Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics, Michigan Technological University

Department of Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics eNewsBrief

No abstract provided.

Solid-State Transducer, System, And Method, Andrew Barnard

Michigan Tech Patents

The present disclosure includes solid-state transducers, a system, and a method. In one embodiment, a solid-state transducer includes a housing, a first end portion, a second end portion, a plurality of electrical conductors, and a thin-film resistive material. The thin-film resistive material is disposed between and in electrical communication with a plurality of electrical conductors. The thin-film resistive material is configured to receive one or more electrical signals from the plurality of electrical conductors, and generate thermal oscillations to create pressure waves in a medium in response to receiving the one or more electrical signals.

Me-Em Enewsbrief, March 2021, Department Of Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics, Michigan Technological University

Department of Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics eNewsBrief

No abstract provided.

Me-Em Enewsbrief, October-December 2020, Department Of Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics, Michigan Technological University

Department of Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics eNewsBrief

No abstract provided.

Nonlinear Controller For Nonlinear Wave Energy Converters, David G. Wilson, Giorgio Bacelli, Rush D. Robinett Iii, Ossama Abdelkhalik

Michigan Tech Patents

The present invention is directed to a nonlinear controller for nonlinear wave energy converters (WECs). As an example of the invention, a nonlinear dynamic model is developed for a geometrically right-circular cylinder WEC design for the heave-only motion, or a single degree-of-freedom (DOF). The linear stiffness term is replaced by a nonlinear cubic hardening spring term to demonstrate the performance of a nonlinear WEC as compared to an optimized linear WEC. By exploiting the nonlinear physics in the nonlinear controller, equivalent power and energy capture, as well as simplified operational performance is observed for the nonlinear cubic hardening spring controller …

Me-Em 2019-20 Annual Report, Department Of Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics, Michigan Technological University

Department of Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics Annual Reports

Table of Contents

• Element 1
• Element 2
• Element 3
• Element 4
• Enrollment & Degrees
• Graduates
• Department
• Alumni
• Donors

Me-Em Enewsbrief, September 2020, Department Of Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics, Michigan Technological University

Department of Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics eNewsBrief

No abstract provided.

Open-Source Digitally Replicable Lab-Grade Scales, Benjamin R. Hubbard, Joshua M. Pearce

Michigan Tech Publications

This study provides designs for a low-cost, easily replicable open-source lab-grade digital scale that can be used as a precision balance. The design is such that it can be manufactured for use in most labs throughout the world with open-source RepRap-class material extrusion-based 3-D printers for the mechanical components and readily available open-source electronics including the Arduino Nano. Several versions of the design were fabricated and tested for precision and accuracy for a range of load cells. The results showed the open-source scale was found to be repeatable within 0.05 g with multiple load cells, with even better precision (0.005 …

Me-Em Enewsbrief, June 2020, Department Of Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics, Michigan Technological University

Department of Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics eNewsBrief

No abstract provided.

Me-Em Enewsbrief, March 2020, Department Of Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics, Michigan Technological University

Department of Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics eNewsBrief

No abstract provided.

Increasing Access To Pv Technology Through Sustainable Racking: A Review Of Existing Literature And Ground Mounted Fixed Tilt Designs, And What Can Be Done Next, Parijata Prabhakara

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

There is a lack of literature on the structural balance of systems (BOS), also called racking, for ground mount, fixed-tilt solar PV systems. Literature that exists discusses mostly rooftop racking and installations, additional wind loading, and weight considerations imposed on roofs, and little guidance is provided in building codes. The lack of peer-reviewed guidance on design requirements for domestic and large-scale application solar PV racking systems leaves most consumers relying on expensive, patented, off-the-shelf hardware. As PV cell technology and module costs have improved, we can start to focus on PV BOS improvements (particularly racking) and move towards sustainable designs …

Me-Em Enewsbrief, December 2019, Department Of Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics, Michigan Technological University

Department of Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics eNewsBrief

No abstract provided.

Multi-Resonant Feedback Control Of Multiple Degree-Of-Freedom Wave Energy Converters, Ossama Abdelkhalik, Shangyan Zou, Rush D. Robinett Iii, David G. Wilson, Giorgio Bacelli, Ryan G. Coe, Umesh Korde

Michigan Tech Patents

Multi-resonant control of a 3 degree-of-freedom (heave-pitch-surge) wave energy converter enables energy capture that can be in the order of three times the energy capture of a heave-only wave energy converter. The invention uses a time domain feedback control strategy that is optimal based on the criteria of complex conjugate control. The multi-resonant control can also be used to shift the harvested energy from one of the coupled modes to another, enabling the elimination of one of the actuators otherwise required in a 3 degree-of-freedom wave energy converter. This feedback control strategy does not require wave prediction; it only requires …

Multi-Resonant Feedback Control Of A Single Degree-Of-Freedom Wave Energy Converter, David G. Wilson, Rush D. Robinett Iii, Ossama Abdelkhalik, Jiajun Song, Giorgio Bacelli

Michigan Tech Patents

A multi-resonant wide band controller decomposes the wave energy converter control problem into sub-problems; an independent single-frequency controller is used for each sub-problem. Thus, each sub-problem controller can be optimized independently. The feedback control enables actual time-domain realization of multi-frequency complex conjugate control. The feedback strategy requires only measurements of the buoy position and velocity. No knowledge of excitation force, wave measurements, nor wave prediction is needed. As an example, the feedback signal processing can be carried out using Fast Fourier Transform with Hanning windows and optimization of amplitudes and phases. Given that the output signal is decomposed into individual …

Model Predictive Control Of Parametric Excited Pitch-Surge Modes In Wave Energy Converters, Ossama Abdelkhalik, Rush D. Robinett Iii, Shangyan Zou, David G. Wilson, Giorgio Bacelli, Umesh Korde, Ryan G. Coe

Michigan Tech Patents

A parametric excitation dynamic model is used for a three degrees-of-freedom (3-DOF) wave energy converter. Since the heave motion is uncoupled from the pitch and surge modes, the pitch-surge equations of motion can be treated as a linear time varying system, or a linear system with parametric excitation. In such case the parametric exciting frequency can be tuned to twice the natural frequency of the system for higher energy harvesting. A parametric excited 3-DOF wave energy converter can harvest more power, for both regular and irregular waves, compared to the linear 3-DOF. For example, in a Bretschneider wave, the harvested …

Me-Em Enewsbrief, September 2019, Department Of Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics, Michigan Technological University

Department of Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics eNewsBrief

No abstract provided.

Pseudo-Spectral Method To Control Three-Degree-Of-Freedom Wave Energy Converters, Ossama Abdelkhalik, Giorgio Bacelli, Shangyan Zou, Rush D. Robinett Iii, David G. Wilson, Ryan G. Coe

Michigan Tech Patents

The invention provides optimal control of a three-degree-of-freedom wave energy converter using a pseudo-spectral control method. The three modes are the heave, pitch and surge. A dynamic model is characterized by a coupling between the pitch and surge modes, while the heave is decoupled. The heave, however, excites the pitch motion through nonlinear parametric excitation in the pitch mode. The invention can use a Fourier series as basis functions to approximate the states and the control. For the parametric excited case, a sequential quadratic programming approach can be implemented to numerically solve for the optimal control. The numerical results show …

Generating Electrospray From A Ferrofluid, Lyon Bradley King

Michigan Tech Patents

An electrospray device for generating electrospray from a ferrofluid. The electrospray device includes an emitter, an extraction electrode, and a magnet. The emitter is configured to receive a ferrofluidic liquid. The extraction electrode includes an aperture and is positioned a first distance from the emitter. The magnet generates a magnetic field in a first direction toward the emitter. The magnetic field causes Rosensweig instability in the ferrofluidic liquid, and generates a ferrofluidic peak in the ferrofluidic liquid. The magnet is positioned a second distance from the emitter, and the emitter is positioned between the extraction electrode and the magnet. The …