Mechanical Engineering Commons^™

Coalescence Speed Of Two Equal-Sized Nanobubbles, Eric Bird, Jun Zhou, Zhi Liang

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

In This Work, We Use Molecular Dynamics (MD) Simulations Coupled with Continuum-Based Theoretical Analysis to Study the Coalescence Dynamics of Two Equal-Sized Nanobubbles (NBs). We First Derive a Governing Equation for the Evolution of the Capillary Bridge Radius between Two Coalescing NBs from the Axisymmetric Navier-Stokes Equation. to Verify the Prediction from the Governing Equation, We Carry Out MD Simulations of the Coalescence of Two NBs in a Lennard-Jones Fluid System and Directly Measure the Bridge Radius, Rb, as a Function of Time, T. by Varying the Bubble Diameter, We Change the NB Ohnesorge Number from 0.46 to 0.33. in …

Maximum Evaporating Flux Of Molecular Fluids From A Planar Liquid Surface, Eric Bird, Zhi Liang

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

In This Work, We Use the Kinetic Theory of Gases (KTG) to Develop a Theoretical Model to Understand the Role of Internal Motions of Molecules on the Maximum Evaporation Flux from a Planar Liquid Surface. the Kinetic Theory is Applied to Study the Evaporation of Molecular Fluids into a Vacuum and Predict the Dimensionless Maximum Evaporation Flux (JR,max, I.e., the Ratio of the Maximum Evaporation Flux to the Molar Flux Emitted from a Liquid Surface). the Key Assumptions Regarding the Velocity Distribution Function (VDF) of Polyatomic Molecules in the Highly Nonequilibrium Vapor Near the Evaporating Surface Are Validated by the …

Human-Automation Interaction Testbed For Evaluating User Control Methods And Training, Sarah M. O'Meara

Link Foundation Modeling, Simulation and Training Fellowship Reports

In a complex work environment, an operational challenge may be controlling the multitude of independent objects that are required for a manual task and/or object manipulation, such as experienced by astronauts, surgeons, underwater operations, manufacturing etc. One possible option is the enhancement of the person’s capabilities through a robotic supernumerary limb (Figure 1). The idea has already been implemented in a limited application, where the United States Army Research Laboratory developed a passive limb to aid soldiers in weapon carrying and stabilization[1]. Researchers are also creating supernumerary robots. Parietti, et al. [2] designed the Supernumerary Robotics Limbs to address aircraft …

Modeling And Simulation Of A Supercritical Co2-Liquid Sodium Compact Heat Exchanger For Sodium Fast Reactors, Hailei Wang, Sean M. Kissick

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Publications

The study focuses on modeling and simulations of sodium-sCO2 intermediary compact heat exchangers for sodium-cooled fast reactors (SFR). A simplified 1-D analytical model was developed in companion with a 3-D CFD model. Using classic heat transfer correlations for Nusselt number, some simulation results using the 1-D model have achieved reasonable match with the CFD simulation results for longer channels (i.e., 40 cm and 80 cm). However, for short channel (10 cm) when axial conduction within the sodium fluid is significant, the 1-D model significantly over-predicted the heat transfer effectiveness. By incorporating the temperature-jump model, the 1-D model can extend its …

Improving Thermal Conduction Across Cathode/Electrolyte Interfaces In Solid-State Lithium-Ion Batteries By Hierarchical Hydrogen-Bond Network, Jinlong He, Lin Zhang, Ling Liu

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Student Publications and Presentations

Effective thermal management is an important issue to ensure safety and performance of lithium-ion batteries. Fast heat removal is highly desired but has been obstructed by the high thermal resistance across cathode/electrolyte interface. In this study, self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) are used as the vibrational mediator to tune interfacial thermal conductance between an electrode, lithium cobalt oxide (LCO), and a solid state electrolyte, polyethylene oxide (PEO). Embedded at the LCO/PEO interface, SAMs are specially designed to form hierarchical hydrogen-bond (H-bond) network with PEO. Molecular dynamics simulations demonstrate that all SAM-decorated interfaces show enhanced thermal conductance and dominated by H-bonds types. The …

Numerical Method For Rapid Aerostructural Design And Optimization, Jeffrey D. Taylor, Douglas F. Hunsaker

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Student Publications and Presentations

During early phases of wing design, analytic and low-fidelity methods are often used to identify promising design concepts. In many cases, solutions obtained using these methods provide intuition about the design space that is not easily obtained using higher-fidelity methods. This is especially true for aerostructural design. However, many analytic and low-fidelity aerostructural solutions are limited in application to wings with specific planforms and weight distributions. Here, a numerical method for minimizing induced drag with structural constraints is presented that uses approximations that apply to wings with arbitrary planforms and weight distributions. The method is applied to the NASA Ikhana …

Thermal Transport Across The Interface Between Liquid N-Dodecane And Its Own Vapor: A Molecular Dynamics Study, Eric Bird, Jesus Gutierrez Plascencia, Zhi Liang

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

There Are Two Possible Thermal Transport Mechanisms at Liquid-Gas Interfaces, Namely, Evaporation/condensation (I.e., Heat Transfer by Liquid-Vapor Phase Change at Liquid Surfaces) and Heat Conduction (I.e., Heat Exchange by Collisions between Gas Molecules and Liquid Surfaces). using Molecular Dynamics (MD) Simulations, We Study Thermal Transport Across the Liquid-Vapor Interface of a Model N-Dodecane (C12H26) under Various Driving Force Conditions. in Each MD Simulation, We Restrict the Thermal Energy to Be Transferred Across the Liquid-Vapor Interface by Only One Mechanism. in Spite of the Complex Intramolecular Interactions in N-Dodecane Molecules, Our Modeling Results Indicate that the Schrage Relationships, Which Were Shown …

Change Of Exposure Time Mid-Test In High Temperature Dic Measurement, Thinh Quang Thai, Adam J. Smith, Robert J. Rowley, Paul R. Gradl, Ryan B. Berke

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Publications

Performing digital image correlation (DIC) at extreme temperatures has been greatly challenging due to the radiation which saturates the camera sensor. At such high temperatures, the light intensity emitted from an object is occasionally so powerful that the acquired images are overwhelmingly saturated. This induces data loss, potentially ruining the test, thus requiring the user to restart the test. For this reason, selection of an appropriate camera sensitivity plays a crucial role prior to beginning the test. Exposure time is a factor contributing to camera sensitivity and it is the easiest setting to manipulate during the test since it introduces …

Thermal Modeling Of Additive Manufacturing Using Graph Theory: Validation With Directed Energy Deposition, Jordan Severson

Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Metal additive manufacturing (AM/3D printing) offers unparalleled advantages over conventional manufacturing, including greater design freedom and a lower lead time. However, the use of AM parts in safety-critical industries, such as aerospace and biomedical, is limited by the tendency of the process to create flaws that can lead to sudden failure during use. The root cause of flaw formation in metal AM parts, such as porosity and deformation, is linked to the temperature inside the part during the process, called the thermal history. The thermal history is a function of the process parameters and part design.

Consequently, the first step …

Quantifying Wicking In Functionlized Surfaces, Maureen Winter, Ryan Regan, Alfred Tsubaki, Craig Zuhlke, Dennis Alexander, George Gogos

UCARE Research Products

Wicking remains the enigmatic key factor in many research areas. From boiling in power plants, to anti-icing on plane wings, to medical instruments, to heat pipes, efficiency and safety depend on how quickly a surface becomes wet. Yet wicking remains difficult to quantify and define as a property of the surface. This experiment strives to measure the wicking property by examining the rate that a liquid can be pulled out of a container. A superhydrophilic surface is placed in contact with the liquid at the bottom of a tube so that the volume flow rate across the surface can be …

Nytrox As “Drop-In” Replacement For Gaseous Oxygen In Smallsat Hybrid Propulsion Systems, Stephen A. Whitmore

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Publications

A medical grade nitrous oxide (N₂O) and gaseous oxygen (GOX) “Nytrox” blend is investigated as a volumetrically-efficient replacement for GOX in SmallSat-scale hybrid propulsion systems. Combined with 3-D printed acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), the propellants represent a significantly safer, but superior performing, alternative to environmentally-unsustainable spacecraft propellants like hydrazine. In a manner analogous to the creation of soda-water using dissolved carbon dioxide, Nytrox is created by bubbling GOX under pressure into N₂O until the solution reaches saturation. Oxygen in the ullage dilutes N₂O vapor and increases the required decomposition energy barrier by several orders …

Proper Orthogonal Decomposition And Recurrence Map For The Identification Of Spatial–Temporal Patterns In A Low-Re Wake Downstream Of Two Cylinders, Meihua Zhang, Zhongquan Charlie Zheng, Huixuan Wu

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Publications

Flow decomposition methods provide systematic ways to extract the flow modes, which can be regarded as the spatial distribution of a coherent structure. They have been successfully used in the study of wake, boundary layer, and mixing. However, real flow structures also possess complex temporal patterns that can hardly be captured using the spatial modes obtained in the decomposition. In order to analyze the temporal variation of coherent structures in a complex flow field, this paper studies the recurrence in phase space to identify the pattern and classify the evolution of the flow modes. The recurrence pattern depends on the …

A Molecular Dynamics Study Of Transient Evaporation And Condensation, Zhi Liang, Anirban Chandra, Eric Bird, Pawel Keblinski

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

We Use Molecular Dynamics (MD) Simulations to Study the Transient Evaporation and Condensation of a Pure Fluid Ar in a Nanochannel. in the MD Model, the Evaporation and Condensation of Fluid Ar is Initiated by a Sudden Increase of the Temperature or Periodically Varying the Temperature in the Solid Substrate on One Side of the Nanochannel. in Both Cases, We Find the Transient Evaporation and Condensation Rates Obtained Directly from MD Simulations Are in Good Agreement with the Predictions from the Schrage Relationships. Furthermore, Our Analyses Show that the Kinetics of the Transient Heat and Mass Transfer between the Evaporating …

Constructal Design And Aeroelastic Stability Analysis Of Hale Aircraft, Ehsan Izadpanahi

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In the new generation of the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), the capability of increasing the flight duration and altitude is the area of interest for designers. The High-Altitude Long-Endurance (HALE) aircraft can fly farther and for a longer period by using high aspect ratio flexible wings. The primary applications and flight missions of this type of aircraft are environmental monitoring, surveillance, and communications. While using high-aspect-ratio, flexible, light-weighted wings improve the efficiency and reduces the required power, it will bring new challenges into the design of the aircraft. One of the major concerns is aeroelastic instability, which can appear as …

Near-Field Pressure Signature Splicing For Low-Fidelity Design Space Exploration Of Supersonic Aircraft, Christian R. Bolander, Douglas F. Hunsaker

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Student Publications and Presentations

As interest in supersonic overland flight intensifies, new ways to meet government restrictions on sonic boom loudness must be implemented. Low-fidelity aerodynamic tools, such as PANAIR, can estimate the near-field pressure signature that ultimately determines the loudness of the sonic boom at the ground. These tools can greatly benefit the exploration of large design spaces due to their computational efficiency. One of the limitations of low-fidelity tools is the accuracy of the solution produced, which is dependent on the fundamental physical assumptions made in the development of the governing equations. If flow patterns are produced that severely violate these fundamental …

Mechanical And Aerospace Engineering, 2019-2020, College Of Engineering And Applied Sciences

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering News

• Letter from the Chair
• The MAE Staff
• Dr. Zachary Asher
• Alumni Excellence Academy Inductees
• From Sunway University to Success in America
• Student Experience at the Oshkosh Airventure
• Parker-Hannifin Donates New Hydraulic Trainers
• Electric Ducted Fan Lab for the Aircraft Propulsion Course
• MAE Faculty

Tangle-Free Exploration With A Tethered Mobile Robot, Danylo Shapovalov, Guilherme Pereira

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Exploration and remote sensing with mobile robots is a well known field of research, but current solutions cannot be directly applied for tethered robots. In some applications, tethers may be very important to provide power or allow communication with the robot. This paper presents an exploration algorithm that guarantees complete exploration of arbitrary environments within the length constraint of the tether, while keeping the tether tangle-free at all times. While we also propose a generalized algorithm that can be used with several exploration strategies, our implementation uses a modified frontier-based exploration approach, where the robot chooses its next goal in …

Direct Numerical Simulations Of Acoustic Disturbances In Various Rectangular Nozzle Configurations, Nathaniel Hildebrand, Meelan M. Choudhari, Lian Duan

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

We perform Direct Numerical Simulations (DNS) to study the acoustic freestream disturbances radiating from the turbulent boundary layers along the contoured nozzle walls of a hypersonic wind tunnel with a rectangular test section. To begin with, the effects of the spanwise end walls are suppressed by confining the spanwise computational domain to a finite segment of the overall nozzle cross section and by imposing periodic boundary conditions across that spanwise domain. Besides providing a building-block configuration to reveal partial effects of the enclosed acoustic environment within the wind tunnel, these computations serve as a steppingstone toward the goal of fully-3D …

Direct Numerical Simulation Of Turbulent Pressure Fluctuations Over A Cone At Mach 8, Junji Huang, Lian Duan, Katya M. Casper, Ross M. Wagnild, Neal P. Bitter

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Direct numerical simulations (DNS) were conducted to characterize the pressure fluctuations under the turbulent portion of the boundary layer over a sharp 7◦ half-angle cone at a nominal freestream Mach number of 8 and a unit Reynolds number of Reunit = 13.4 x 106/m. The axisymmetric cone geometry and the flow conditions of the DNS matched those measured in the Sandia Hypersonic Wind Tunnel at Mach 8 (Sandia HWT-8). The DNS-predicted wall pressure statistics, including the root-mean-square (r.m.s.) fluctuations and the power spectral density (PSD), were compared with those measured in the Sandia HWT-8. A good comparison between the DNS …

Reliability Estimation Of Rotary Lip Seal In Aircraft Utility System Based On Time-Varying Dependence Degradation Model And Its Experimental Validation, Chao Zhang, Rentong Chen, Guanghan Bai, Shaoping Wang, Mileta M. Tomovic

Engineering Technology Faculty Publications

With several attractive properties, rotary lip seals are widely used in aircraft utility system, and their reliability estimation has drawn more and more attention. This work proposes a reliability estimation approach based on time-varying dependence analysis. The dependence between the two performance indicators of rotary lip seals, namely leakage rate and friction torque, is modeled by time-varying copula function with polynomial to denote the time-varying parameters, and an efficient copula selection approach is utilized to select the optimal copula function. Parameter estimation is carried out based on a Bayesian method and the reliability during the whole lifetime is calculated based …

A Brief Review On 3d Bioprinted Skin Substitutes, Fateme Fayyazbakhsh, Ming-Chuan Leu

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The Global Escalating Cases of Skin Donor Shortage for Patients with Severe Wounds Warn the Vital Need for Alternatives to Skin Allografts. over the Last Three Decades, Research in the Skin Regeneration Area Has Addressed the Unmet Need for Artificial Skin Substitutes. 3D Bioprinting is a Promising Innovative Technology to Accurately Fabricate Skin Constructs based on Natural or Synthetic Bioinks, Whether Loaded or Not Loaded with Native Skin Cells (I.e., Keratinocytes and Fibroblasts) or Stem Cells in the Prescribed 3D Hierarchal Structure to Create Artificial Multilayer and Single Cell-Laden Construct. in This Paper, the Recent Developments in 3D Bioprinting for …

Large-Scale Inflatable Structures For Tunnel Protection: A Review Of The Resilient Tunnel Plug Project, Eduardo M. Sosa, Gregory J. Thompson, Gregory M. Holter, John M. Fortune

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

The protection of underground civil infrastructure continues to be a high priority for transportation and transit security agencies. In particular, rail transit tunnels running under bodies of water are susceptible to disruptions due to flooding caused by extraordinary climatic events such as hurricanes or other events resulting from human activities. Several events have taken place in the past decades that have demonstrated the need to mitigate vulnerabilities or, at least, minimize the consequences of catastrophic events. Although it is impossible to prevent all situations that can lead to flooding, damage can be substantially decreased by reducing the area affected by …

Simulation And Modeling Of Cold-Wall Hypersonic Turbulent Boundary Layers On Flat Plate, Junji Huang, Gary L. Nicholson, Lian Duan, Meelan M. Choudhari, Rodney D.W. Bowersox

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Direct numerical simulations (DNS) of flat-plate, zero-pressure-gradient turbulent boundary layers are presented for nominal freestream Mach numbers of 11 and 14 and a highly cooled wall (wall-to-recovery temperature of approximately 0.2). The flow conditions of the DNS are representative of the experimental data for a Mach 11.1 turbulent boundary layer on a flat plate that was tested at Calspan–University of Buffalo Research Center (CUBRC) and the operational conditions of the AEDC Hypervelocity Tunnel No. 9 at Mach 14. The wall shear stress and turbulent heat flux predicted by DNS show good comparisons with those measured at CUBRC and those modeled …