Mechanical Engineering Commons^™

Selective Oxidation Of Iron In Chalcopyrite For Enhanced Copper Recovery, Khojiakbar Shuxrat O'G'Li Sultonov, Shokhrukh Toshpulatovich Khojiev, Gulnoza Berdiyor Qizi Beknazarova, Malika Sayfullayevna Saidova

Technical science and innovation

This study explores the thermodynamic feasibility of selectively oxidizing iron contained in chalcopyrite mineral while preventing the oxidation of copper sulphide, with the ultimate goal of enhancing the copper concentration in the sulphide concentrate. A redox reaction in the solid phases between chalcopyrite and copper (I) oxide was constructed and subjected to thermodynamic analysis. The research identifies a crucial temperature range of 498-598 K (225-325 °C) as the most favourable for the redox reaction. The equilibrium constants at the selected optimal temperatures, 1.152 for chalcopyrite and 1.137 for copper (I) oxide, indicate that the redox reaction adheres to the expected …

Thermoacoustic Refrigerator, Rees Phillip Verleur, Colleen Farrell Mccandless, Anders Matthew Bjork, Yashraj Ashwinkumar Solanki

Mechanical Engineering

In the Thermoacoustic Refrigerator Cal Poly Mechanical Engineering senior project, we designed, built, and tested a thermoacoustic refrigeration system which achieved an average temperature difference of 11.0°C. Our system consists of a resonator tube with an instrumented stack, mounted onto a base with a speaker and amplifier. An external power supply and function generator provide the power and signal to the system, and a thermocouple reader displays the temperature of the top and bottom of the stack. The system consistently achieved a significant temperature difference between the two ends of the stack in various ambient conditions, and it was quick …

Cool Thermal Energy Storage: Water And Ice To Alternative Phase Change Materials, Sandra K. S. Boetcher

Publications

Cool thermal energy storage has a long history dating back to ancient times with modern developments beginning in the mid-nineteenth century where blocks of ice were cut from frozen lakes for cooling applications. Today, the prevalent mode of thermal energy storage is the utilization of ice tanks in commercial buildings for peak shaving and load shifting. In this chapter, a summary of different types of water/ice thermal energy storage systems is provided; an overview of alternative phase change materials for use in cool thermal energy storage is given; and alternative phase change material thermal energy systems, their implementation, challenges, and …

Numerical Investigation On The Effect Of Spectral Radiative Heat Transfer Within An Ablative Material, Raghava S. C. Davuluri, Rui Fu, Kaveh A. Tagavi, Alexandre Martin

Mechanical Engineering Faculty Publications

The spectral radiative heat flux could impact the material response. In order to evaluate it, a coupling scheme between KATS - MR and P1 approximation model of radiation transfer equation (RTE) is constructed and used. A Band model is developed that divides the spectral domain into small bands of unequal widths. Two verification studies are conducted: one by comparing the simulation computed by the Band model with pure conduction results and the other by comparing with similar models of RTE. The comparative results from the verification studies indicate that the Band model is computationally efficient and can be used to …

Study Of The Thermodynamic Properties Absorbation Sulfur Storage Gas Of Zinc And Copper Industry, Berdiyarov Tilovkabulovich Berdiyarov Dr., Sh. T. Khojiev, S. T. Matkarimov, Sh. Munosibov

Technical science and innovation

The article considers the problems of utilization of industrial gases formed in the production of copper and ore containing sulfur anhydrides. Currently, the composition of process gases entering the gas purification department is approximately 6-7% SO₂, 0.2-0.3% SO₃ and other gases, until sulfuric acid is obtained from these gases, the sulfate is treated in a counter-scheme with 8% sulfate acid. The aim is to first reduce the temperature of the exhaust gases and second to avoid flying components such as as As, F, Se. As a result of the studies, the amount of SO₂ in the …

Relationship Between Thermal Conductivity And Free Electrons In Metal, Yansong Liu

Senior Theses

An experiment was designed and conducted to explore the relationship between thermal conductivity with free electrons in metal. In the experiment, copper, iron, aluminum, and titanium rods with close diameters were used to carry out the experiment. Each rod was heated up by a heat unit at one end while cooled on the other end with a heat sink to maintain a steady state. DC current was applied to rods in the direction along, as well as against, the heat flow. Thermal conductivities were measured in these two situations for each rod. Results showed electrons do dominate thermal flow inside …

Thermal Conductivity Measuring Device, Kyle Saalfeld

All Undergraduate Projects

The thermal conductivity measuring device is used to measure thermal conductivity of solids, liquids, and food products. Thermal conductivity is a material property that determines the rate at which heat disperses through a material. This determines how well insulation works, what materials are used as heat sinks, refrigeration, and how thoroughly food is cooked. The device measures thermal conductivity by heating up a thermistor bead using a high magnitude current for a measured duration and allowing the given heat to disperse; meeting the goal of designing a device that can easily measure the conductivity. Additional requirements of this device include …

The Energy And Exergy Of Light With Application To Societal Exergy Analysis.Pdf, Matthew K. Heun, Zeke Marshall, Emmanuel Aramendia, Paul E. Brockway

University Faculty Publications and Creative Works

Lighting provides an indispensable energy service, illumination. The field of societal exergy analysis considers light (andmany other energy products) to be enablers of economic growth, and lighting contributes a non-negligible proportion of total useful exergy supplied to modern economies. In societal exergy analysis, the exergetic efficiency of electric lamps is central to determining the exergy contribution of lighting to an economy. Conventionally, societal exergy practitioners estimate the exergetic efficiency of lamps by an energy efficiency, causing confusion and, sometimes, overestimation of exergetic efficiency by a factor as large as 3. In response, we use recent results from the fields of …

What Difference Does A Catalyst Make?, Tammy Guthrie, Mike Jackson, Holly Haney

High School Lesson Plans

Students will use different catalysts for the decomposition of Hydrogen Peroxide, to determine if different catalysts affect the energy that is generated during the reaction.

Thermodynamic Potential Of Very High Performance Fuel Cells, Kimberly Liang

Honors Scholar Theses

Fuel Cells are devices that use the chemical energy of a fuel (e.g. hydrogen) to electrochemically produce electricity. Similar to a conventual combustion engine, a fuel cell will continue to run and generate electricity as long as fuel is supplied. However, unlike a conventional combustion engine, fuel cells have a much higher theoretical efficiency and do not directly emit harmful air pollutants. This project will focus on a fuel cell that uses hydrogen as fuel and oxygen as an oxidizing agent.

As fuel cell technology evolved, high pressure fuel cell systems became of interest in portable applications, such as submarine …

Thermodynamic Model Of Co2 Deposition In Cold Climates, Sandra K. S. Boetcher, Ted Von Hippel, Matthew J. Traum

Publications

A thermodynamic model, borrowing ideas from psychrometric principles, of a cryogenic direct-air CO2-capture system utilizing a precooler is used to estimate the optimal CO2 removal fraction to minimize energy input per tonne of CO2. Energy costs to operate the system scale almost linearly with the temperature drop between the ingested air and the cryogenic desublimation temperature of CO2, driving siting to the coldest accessible locations. System performance in three Arctic/Antarctic regions where the proposed system can potentially be located is analyzed. Colder ambient temperatures provide colder system input air temperature yielding lower CO2 removal energy requirements. A case is also …

Introducing Concept Maps In Undergraduate Thermodynamics, Jessie Lofton

ASEE IL-IN Section Conference

Concept maps, also called mind maps, are a widely utilized educational tool. While numerous studies cite the benefits of concept mapping as a tool for student learning, the use of concept maps is more common in non-engineering disciplines. This study examines student perceptions and academic performance in an undergraduate, introductory Thermodynamics course for students majoring in Mechanical Engineering. The pedagogical approach includes incorporating student-developed concept maps, as well as an interactive study tool for First Law analysis. Qualitative and quantitative results are presented. Results are limited to a single institution and a small sample size of students. Future work will …

Analytical Modeling And Life Cycle Assessment Of A Solar Powered Vapor Absorption Cooling System, Harold A. Walters

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Vapor absorption cooling systems (VACS) offer an environmentally friendly alternative to the standard vapor compression cooling systems (VCCS) for cooling homes, businesses, factories, and other buildings. VACS use low-grade thermal energy to achieve a cooling effect and require minimal electrical input for the liquid solution pump used for circulation within the system. The thermal energy which powers these systems can be provided through several means; one popular form is through the use of solar thermal collectors. This paper provides a process for determining the overall size and configuration of the VACS depending upon the operating conditions of selected components. A …

The Effects Of Surface Pace In Baseball, Jason Farlow

Senior Theses

A baseball travels across different surfaces at different paces. The goal of this experiment is to find a percentage difference in speeds the ball will reflect off a given surface. The energy lost on the turf surface was far more significant than on dirt surface as the turf lost an average of 26% of its energy as compared to just 16% of the energy on dirt. In the Northwest conference, teams play on four turf-based infields and five dirt-based infields. The results of this study suggest that kinetic friction forces are more significant in reducing ball rebound speed than in …

Multicomponent Working Fluids In Organic Rankine Cycle Evaporators, Jennifer Fromm

Honors Theses

Organic Rankine cycles are a promising technology to convert waste heat energy into usable mechanical or electric power, giving them the potential to reduce fossil fuel emissions generated by traditional energy generation. The heat exchangers of these devices are of particular interest, as maximizing energy extraction from these free heat sources will increase net electrical power output. For this project I created a model to predict the effects of mixture working fluids on the evaporator performance of an organic Rankine cycle generator for a wide range of waste heat source temperatures. This model combines empirically derived heat exchanger performance parameters …

Cannons To Spark Thermal-Fluid Canons, Francis M. Haas, Nicholas W. Dow, Thomas L. Merrill, Smitesh Bakrania

Henry M. Rowan College of Engineering Faculty Scholarship

Hands-on projects are launch pads for sparking student interest. Specifically, design-build-test (DBT) projects can be effective tools for boosting students’ confidence in their ability to apply theoretical knowledge to practical engineering. Recognizing the need for relating the theoretical aspects of thermodynamics to its application, an air cannon design-build-test project was envisioned and implemented.

Air cannons can be simple and inexpensive to construct, while offering a robust platform to explore thermodynamics, heat transfer, and fluid mechanics concepts. At the same time, the ability to launch projectiles from the cannons carries an obvious appeal for many students. An air cannon design project …

Second Law Of Thermodynamics Analysis Of An Internal Combustion Engine Fueled With Methane, Muataz Abotabik

Masters Theses

The second law of thermodynamics is a powerful tool for calculating the amount of energy that can be converted to work (i.e., the exergy or availability of a system), which cannot be predicted using the first law. The objectives of this research project are to quantify the availability during the compression, combustion and expansion processes of a spark-ignited engine fueled with methane; and to highlight differences in the thermo-mechanical availability of the ideal and spark-ignition (SI) engine cycles. A cooperative single-cylinder research engine was used to measure the data required for availability analysis at equivalence ratios ranging between 0.83 and …

Parameter Estimation For Hvac System Models From Standard Test Data, Hannah Luthman

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Nearly all cooling systems, and an increasing proportion of heating systems, utilize the vapor compression cycle (VCC) to provide and remove heat from conditioned spaces. Even though the application of VCC’s throughout the building environment is ubiquitous, effective and accessible models of the performance of these systems remains elusive. Such models could be important tools for VCC designers, building designers and building energy managers as well as those who are attempting to optimize building energy performance through the use of model-based control systems.

Strides have been made in developing lumped parameter models for VCC’s. In spite of these contributions, widespread …

Metal Hydride Component Design (Mhy-Code) Tool For The Selection Of Hydrides In Thermal Systems, Essene L. Waters, Timothée L. Pourpoint, Tyler G. Voskuilen

International Thermal Conductivity Conference (ITCC) and the International Thermal Expansion Symposium (ITES)

A system has been developed to enable the targeted down-selection of an extensive database of metal hydrides to identify the most promising materials for use in thermal systems. The materials’ database contains over 300 metal hydrides with various physical and thermodynamic properties included for each material. Submodels for equilibrium pressure, thermophysical data, and default properties are used to predict the behavior of each material within the given system. The application used at this time is a stationary combined heat and power system containing a hightemperature proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell, a hot water tank, and two metal hydride beds …

Assessment Of Critical Technologies For Gas Turbine Engines Using Numerical Tools, Vinicius Pessoa Mapelli, Guillermo Paniagua, Jorge Sousa

The Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Symposium

In 2014 gas turbine engine has reached a market value of 82.5 billion dollars, of which 59.5% are related to aircraft propulsion. The continuous market expansion attracts more and more the interest of researchers and industries towards the development of accurate numerical techniques to model thermodynamically the entire engine. This practice allows a performance and optimization analysis before the actual experimental testing, reducing the time and required investment in the design of a new engine. In this paper, a recently developed open source numerical tool named “Toolbox for the Modeling and Analysis of Thermodynamic Systems” (T-MATS) is used to assess …

Increasing Isentropic Efficiency With Hydrostatic Head And Venturi Ejection In A Rankine Power Cycle, Nathan Daniel Ruiz

Master's Theses

This thesis describes the modifications made to the Cal Poly Thermal Science Laboratory’s steam turbine experiment. While the use of superheating or reheating is commonly used to increase efficiency in a Rankine cycle the methods prove unfeasible in a small scale project. For this reason, a mathematical model and proof of concept design using hydrostatic head generated by elevation and venturi ejection for use by the condenser is developed along with the equations needed to predict the changes to the system. These equations were used to create software to predict efficiency as well as lay down the foundation for future …

Design, Analysis And Implementation Of An Experimental System To Harvest Energy From Atmospheric Temperature Variations Using Ethyl Chloride Filled Bellows, Gibran Ali

All Theses

The increase in global warming and the dwindling supplies of fossil fuels have shifted the focus from traditional to alternate sources of energy. This has resulted in a concerted effort towards finding new energy sources as well as better understanding traditional renewable energy sources such as wind and solar power. In addition to the shift in focus towards alternate energy, the last two decades have offered a dramatic rise in the use of digital technologies such as wireless sensor networks that require small but isolated power supplies. Energy harvesting, a method to gather energy from ambient sources including sunlight, vibrations, …

Operational Planning In Combined Heat And Power Systems, Hariharan Gopalakrishnan

Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation presents methodologies for operational planning in Combined Heat and Power (CHP) systems. The subject of experimentation is the University of Massachusetts CHP system, which is a 22 MWe/640 MBh system for a district energy application. Systems like this have complex energy flow networks due to multiple interconnected thermodynamic components like gas and steam turbines, boilers and heat recovery steam generators and also interconnection with centralized electric grids. In district energy applications, heat and power requirements vary over 24 hour periods (planning horizon) due to changing weather conditions, time-of-day factors and consumer requirements. System thermal performance is highly dependent …

Energy Harvesting From Atmospheric Variations - Theory And Test, John Wagner, Gibran Ali, David Moline, Todd Schweisinger

John Wagner

The last two decades have offered a dramatic rise in the use of digital technologies such as wireless sensor networks that require small isolated power supplies. Energy harvesting, a method to gather energy from ambient sources including sunlight, vibrations, heat, etc., has provided some success in powering these systems. One of the unexplored areas of energy harvesting is the use of atmospheric temperature variations to obtain usable energy. This paper investigates an innovative device to extract energy from atmospheric variations using ethyl chloride filled mechanical bellows. The apparatus consists of a bellows filled with ethyl chloride working against a spring …

Applied Energy Systems - Rudimentary Thermodynamics, Jim Mcgovern

Book/Book Chapters

This is a compact textbook for a module addressing rudimentary thermodynamics within the context of applied energy systems. It is at an introductory level for engineers or technologists. The book does not attempt to cover the principles of thermodynamics comprehensively. Rather, it provides a practical but theoretically sound foundation, linked to some key areas. Energy, heat and work are all introduced, as are units and dimensions. Ideal gases and properties of liquids and vapours are treated. Non-flow and steady flow processes are described. Simple theory is provided for pumps and for the reciprocating compressor. Rudimentary steam and refrigeration or heat …

Rocket Fuel Pressurization, Sean Green, Joe Marcinkowski, Andrew Nahab

Mechanical Engineering

No abstract provided.

Thermal Characterization Of A Gasoline Turbocharged Direct Injection (Gtdi) Engine Utilizing Lean Operation And Exhaust Gas Recirculation (Egr), Daniel P. Madison

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports - Open

The push for improved fuel economy and reduced emissions has led to great achievements in engine performance and control. These achievements have increased the efficiency and power density of gasoline engines dramatically in the last two decades. With the added power density, thermal management of the engine has become increasingly important. Therefore it is critical to have accurate temperature and heat transfer models as well as data to validate them. With the recent adoption of the 2025 Corporate Average Fuel Economy(CAFE) standard, there has been a push to improve the thermal efficiency of internal combustion engines even further. Lean and …

A Simplified Model Of The Internal Combustion Engine, Christofer Neff

Undergraduate Journal of Mathematical Modeling: One + Two

This project further investigates a model of a simplified internal combustion engine considered by Kranc in 1977. Using Euler’s method for ordinary differential equations, we modeled the interaction between the engine’s flywheel and thermodynamic power cycle. Approximating with sufficiently small time intervals (0.001 seconds over a period of 12 seconds) reproduced Kranc’s results with the engine having an average angular velocity of 72/sec.

Numerical Analysis Of The Thermodynamic Properties Of Various Gaseous Species, Addison Alexander

Lewis Honors College Capstone Collection

In the field of Fluid Mechanics, the determination of various thermodynamic properties of substances is of utmost importance. Many calculations require values for internal energy or specific heats. If experimental data does not exist to facilitate these calculations, an approximation must be made. This report analyzes three different approximation approaches to examine their relative strengths and weaknesses. The first approach, the Exact Method, uses NASA thermodynamic data to give a numerical interpolation. The second, the Summation Method, breaks up the total energy of the species into different contributions and performs an approximation based on thermodynamic theory. Finally, the Spectroscopic Method …

Order-Disorder Transition Of Aragonite Nanoparticles In Nacre, Zaiwang Huang, Xiaodong Li

Faculty Publications

Understanding nacre’s bottom-up biomineralization mechanism, particularly, how individual aragonite platelets are formed, has long remained elusive due to its crystallographic peculiarity and structural complexity. Here we report that crystallographic order-disorder transition can be triggered within individual aragonite platelets in pristine nacre by means of heat treatment and/or inelastic deformation, offering a unique opportunity to discriminate mysterious aragonite nanoparticles in transmission electron microscopy. Our findings unambiguously uncover why aragonite nanoparticles in pristine nacre have long been inaccessible under TEM observation, which is attributed to the monocrystal-polycrystal duality of the aragonite platelet. The underlying physical mechanism for why an individual aragonite platelet …