Operations Research, Systems Engineering and Industrial Engineering Commons^™

Biohydrogen Production From Cull Peach Medium By Hyperthermophilic Bacterium Thermotoga Neapolitana, Abhiney Jain

All Theses

ABSTRACT
Thermotoga neapolitana is a marine hyperthermophilic bacterium that ferments various sugars to hydrogen and acetate. In this study, cull peaches were used as carbon source in a defined medium for biohydrogen production and produced 18 % to 25% hydrogen in the headspace. The hydrogen production varied from 6.4-7.7 mmol H2/g peach (dry weight). The hydrogen concentration did not increase after 20 hours of incubation. The final pH decreased to 4.9 after 20 hours. Unautoclaved peach medium can be used for hydrogen production. The hydrogen production did not increase with the increase in peach concentration from 50 g/L to 100 …

A Descriptive Study Of The Remote Operation And Automation Of The Vhf/Uhf System For Tracking And Controlling Kysay-1 At Morehead State University, Marc B. Beck

Morehead State Theses and Dissertations

A thesis presented to the faculty of the College of Science and Technology at Morehead State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Science by Marc B. Beck on July 27, 2009.

Magnetic Stabilization Of Nadir-Pointing Small Satellites, Chau Ton

Master's Theses - Daytona Beach

Since magnetic control systems are relatively lightweight, require low power and are inexpensive, they are attractive for small, inexpensive satellites in low Earth orbits. In this thesis we present averaging-based feedback control laws that achieve three-axis stabilized nadir-pointing attitude. Two types of nonlinear feedback control laws are proposed: full-state feedback and passivity-based feedback. Full-state feedback uses the attitude and angular velocity measurements to regulate the spacecrafts dynamics. Passivity-based feedback uses the attitude measurement and doesn’t require the rate sensors. The control laws are tested using two magnetic field models: the tilted dipole model and the International Geomagnetic Reference Field (IGRF) …

A Study Of Decision Analysis Methods In Aerospace Technology Assessments, Sharon Monica Jones

Engineering Management & Systems Engineering Theses & Dissertations

Managers of aerospace technology programs and projects are faced with the challenge of making technology portfolio decisions under conditions of limited data, rapidly changing macro level factors and organizational uncertainties. To help make these technology investment decisions, some aerospace managers and analysts have used techniques from the field of decision analysis. In addition, there have been a limited number of research studies of real decision problems.

This dissertation presents the results of a non-experimental examination of the use of decision analysis methods for the assessment of aerospace technology portfolios. A web-based survey instrument was developed based on the results of …

Developing A Philosophical Profile Of The Individual For Complex Problem-Solving Through Agent-Based Modeling, Ipek Bozkurt

Engineering Management & Systems Engineering Theses & Dissertations

Research that focuses on the emotional, mental, behavioral and cognitive capabilities of individuals has been abundant within disciplines such as psychology, sociology, and anthropology, among others. The main argument made in this dissertation, however, is that a different perspective is necessary in order to gain insight about individuals when facing the complex problems that are presented within engineering and management disciplines. This is done by developing the Philosophical Profile of the Individual (PPI) that uses epistemology, ontology and teleology as underlying dimensions of philosophical predispositions. The epistemology dimension considers whether an individual is an Empiricist or a Rationalist, the ontology …

Reconciling Discontinuities And Disruptions: The Construction Of An Integrated Typology, David Jeffery Kern

Engineering Management & Systems Engineering Theses & Dissertations

Radical innovations are often characterized by a rapid shift from one dominant design to another. The theories of discontinuous and disruptive innovation present two important and independent explanations for why these shifts occur. This research tests the usefulness of combining these two theories into a single integrated typology. First, a typology is constructed that classifies shifts in dominant designs according to the theories of discontinuous and disruptive innovation. Next, the usefulness of this typology is tested with a taxonomy derived from 100 randomly selected shifts in dominant designs from across a broad range of industries. This research reconciles the theories …

An Analytical Framework And Model Formulation For Measuring Risk In Engineering Enterprise Systems: A Capability Portfolio Perspective, Paul Raphael Garvey

Engineering Management & Systems Engineering Theses & Dissertations

This work formulates an analytical framework and computational model for assessing risk in engineering enterprise systems. It addresses the engineering management problem of how to represent, model, and measure risk in large-scale, complex systems engineered to function in enterprise-wide environments.

The research in this dissertation extends current practice in the management of risk for traditional systems and creates new constructs and protocols for the management of risk in engineering large-scale, complex, and highly networked enterprise systems. This work advances engineering management theory and analytic practice as applied to the measurement and management of risk for enterprise systems engineered within capability …

Optimizing Replenishment Order Quantities In Uncoordinated Supply Chains, Atipol Kanchanapiboon

Dissertations

Many modern supply chains can be described as a series of uncoordinated suppliers. That is each supplier establishes their individual inventory and production policies on both the input and output sides. In these supply links there is minimal coordination between suppliers, and typically only prices and delivery guarantees are contracted. As a consequence, the inventory behavior and associated costs do not exhibit standard patterns. This makes it difficult to model and optimize these chains using classical inventory models. The common approach, therefore, for evaluating uncoordinated supply chains is to use Supply Chain Analytics software. These retrieve operational data from Enterprise …

Performance Analysis Of Coal-Fired Boiler And Natural Gas Fired Boiler At Morehead State University, Devender Banne

Morehead State Theses and Dissertations

A thesis presented to the faculty of the College of Science & Technology at Morehead State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Science by Devender Banne on May 4, 2009.

Development Of The Integrated Censored Robust-Tolerance Engineering Design Systems Via Improved Response Surface Modeling, Abdul-Baasit Shaibu

All Dissertations

In this dissertation, we intend to integrate censoring into robust-tolerance engineering using improved dual response surface modeling. This is perhaps the first attempt in the quality control literature. In the literature, response surface models have largely been restricted to second order (or quadratic) models and robust-tolerance designs have been restricted to situations involving complete observations. We intend to show that higher order response surface models can be more powerful in terms of prediction ability, and are therefore more reliable than the preferred quadratic models in the general context of robust design. We will also consider formulating robust and tolerance designs …

High-Rate Channel Catfish Fingerling Production In The Partitioned Aquaculture System, Tim Wells

All Theses

The objective of this 4-year research project was to evaluate the performance of channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) fingerling production in the Partitioned Aquaculture System (PAS). The goal was to demonstrate production of 80-gram minimum sized fingerlings in a single growing season, allowing for 100% market-size fish production after one additional season in the grow-out PAS.
A series of 2-inch airlift pumps fed by a single 3-hp low-head blower was found to be capable of supplying sufficient water flow-rate (in 2005, 2006, and 2007) of gpm per container to 9 cohorts. A series of 0.75-hp axial flow pumps (in 2005, 2006, …

Design Of A Multi-Echelon Global Supply Chain Network With Microsoftå¨ Excel Premium Solver Plataform, Wilder Ferreira

All Theses

I designed a global supply chain distribution model of one single product, with the objective of minimizing the costs of transportation, handling materials, duties and tariffs, production, and fixed infrastructure. The distribution network has a combination of manufacturing facilities (fixed and to-be-determined), warehouses (to-be-determined), distribution centers (to-be-determined), and customer zones at fixed locations. This network design is similar to the mathematical mixed-integer linear model from Tsiakis, Shah and Pantelides (2001). This model has been implemented in Microsoft Excel, using the Standard Simplex method from Frontline, Inc. This model optimizes the number of facilities worldwide (multi-echelon) along with the flow of …

Characterization Of Pet Samples Processed In An Rf Oxygen Discharge, Russell L. Rhoton

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

A radio frequency plasma (13.56 MHz) was used to modify the surface of a poly (ethylene terepthalate) (PET) sample. The plasma was generated in a pure oxygen process atmosphere at pressures of 100 mTorr, and 2.0 Torr at output powers of 250 Watts and 500 Watts.

Optical emission spectroscopy (OES) was used to characterize the plasma/sample interaction. Spectra were measured from 250 nm to 900 nm during each of the processing sessions.

The spectra showed changes depending upon the pressure of the plasma. Molecules of OH and atomic oxygen were observed at low pressures (100 mTorr), whereas CO and atomic …

A Sensitivity Analysis Of Scheduling Changes On Flight Training Resource Utilization Using Discrete Event Simulation, Melissa A. Findlay

Master's Theses - Daytona Beach

This study presented a scheduling model of the Flight Training Department at Embry Riddle Aeronautical University's Daytona Beach Campus built using ARENA 12.0. The purpose of the study was to determine if the Flight Training Department system was sensitive to changes in the resources available to students in Flight Training Device (FTD) course modules. Historical data from the Flight Training Department was used to build the model. As no significant difference was found between the actual real world system and the model for the number of active students and for the time it took students to complete the program, the …

Towards The Quantitative Analysis Of The Connectivity Value Of Networked Operations, Dean Deller

Engineering Management & Systems Engineering Theses & Dissertations

While the nature of and the approach to command and control is evolving in order to meet the challenges of Information Age warfare, the essential functions that must be accomplished remain constant. One of those essential functions is the arrangement of the assets within a combat force. Certainly, the many different ways to arrange a given set of assets will have different impacts on the combat effectiveness of the force. Some arrangements will enable self-synchronization, while other arrangements will impede it. How then, should an Information Age combat force be organized in order to optimize its effectiveness?

The concept of …

Investigating The Relationship Between An It Project Manager's Emotional Intelligence And The Customer's Perception Of Success, William Jacob Lamarsh Ii

Engineering Management & Systems Engineering Theses & Dissertations

This research focuses on the intersections of Project Management, Information Technology (IT), and Emotional Intelligence. The Project Management Institute (PMI) created the Project Management Professional (PMP) certification, which is one of the most highly regarded and sought after professional certifications (Project Management Institute 2005, p. 15-18). This certification acknowledges the holder as a knowledgeable practitioner in Project Management. The purpose behind Project Management is to obtain requirements, sometimes fluid at best, and develop solutions that are traceable by schedule and cost controls. This approach allows a Project Manager to monitor and control the project through successful completion. However, the PMI …

On The Role Of Assertions For Conceptual Modeling As Enablers Of Composable Simulation Solutions, Robert Dennis King

Computational Modeling & Simulation Engineering Theses & Dissertations

This research provides a much needed systematic review of the roles that assertions play in model composability and simulation interoperability. In doing so, this research contributes a partial solution to one of the problems of model composability and simulation interoperability—namely, why do simulation systems fail to achieve the maximum level of interoperability possible? It demonstrates the importance of the assertions that are made during model development and simulation implementation, particularly as they reflect the unique viewpoint of each developer or user. It hypothesizes that it is possible to detect composability conflicts by means of a four-step process developed by the …

Operational Knowledge Transfer In Municipal Utility Organizations, G. Christian Guvemator Iv

Engineering Management & Systems Engineering Theses & Dissertations

Municipal water and wastewater utility systems experience several challenges related to maintaining an experienced operations workforce. One of these issues is the loss of operational knowledge as the current experienced workforce reaches the age of retirement. The future success of system operability depends upon a process that transfers the knowledge of the experienced employee into the organization before he or she retires. Recent investigations highlight the importance of, and the methods for, knowledge transfer; however, current literature does not include significant information on the municipal utility industry. The objective of this investigation is to identify how operational knowledge is being …

Network Optimization Of Dynamically Complex Systems, Ramez Ahmed Shamseldin

Engineering Management & Systems Engineering Theses & Dissertations

The aim of this research is to optimize large scale network handling capabilities for large system inventories and to implement strategies for the purpose of reducing capital expenses. As computers become more and more networked, it is easier to share files among storage media. In addition, more bandwidth will be consumed by network flow because customers will be connected through networks which will transfer files and data, such as video files (MPEGn, AVI, WMV, etc.) to be watched at a customer's computer (host). Furthermore, these networks terminals will be used as mini warehouses to save files and data. Selective files …

Determining The Orbit Locations Of Turkish Airborne Early Warning And Control Aircraft Over The Turkish Air Space, Nebi Sarikaya

Theses and Dissertations

The technology improvement affects the military needs of individual countries. The new doctrine of defense for many countries emphasizes detecting threats as far away as you can from your homeland. Today, the military uses both ground RADAR and Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) Aircraft. AEW&C aircraft has become vital to detect low altitude threats that a ground RADAR cannot detect because of obstacles on the earth. Turkey has ordered four AEW&C aircraft for her air defense system because of the lack of complete coverage by ground RADAR. This research provides optimal orbit locations that can be updated according to …

Developing A Tool For The Location Optimization Of The Alert Aircraft With Changing Threat Anticipation, Okan Arslan

Theses and Dissertations

The threat to the airspace is posed by the outside world in conventional terms as well as hostilities from within the airspace such as hijacked aircraft. Alert aircraft are located with the sole responsibility of responding to any incident. Different regions of the airspace may have different alert states depending on current intelligence input. Due to non-constant states of threat level, the Turkish Air Force must deploy aircraft to cover the more sensitive regions with a greater number of aircraft with a relatively short response time. This research deals with the problem by developing a tool for the location optimization …

Application Of Reliability And Linear Regression To Enterprise Architecture In Support Of The Us Air Force's Capability Review And Risk Assessment, Peter C. Mastro, Richard L. Orcutt

Theses and Dissertations

This research explored the use of modeling and enterprise architecture in the analysis of Air Force Capabilities. The Air Force accomplishes this through the Capability Review and Risk Assessment (CRRA). The CRRA is currently performed by building architectures which contain Process Sequence Models (PSMs). PSMs are scored by Subject Matter Experts to determine the probability of successfully completing the mission they model and ultimately to determine the risk associated to Air Force capabilities. Two findings were identified. The first is that creating additional architectural viewpoints, some of which are currently being proposed for version 2.0 of the DoD Architecture Framework, …

A Tailored Systems Engineering Framework For Science And Technology Projects, Stephen M. Behm, J. Bradford Pitzer, Jane F. White

Theses and Dissertations

As government and industry becomes subject to a wider range of technology initiatives, science and technology (S&T) research project leadership recognizes the need to incorporate more systems engineering (SE) rigor into their projects. The objective of this research is to develop a tailorable systems engineering framework for S&T project planning, execution, assessment and transition. The key deliverable is an Excel-based tool instantiating the SE framework for a wide range of S&T projects in technology development organizations. It includes a report with tailored methods based on programmatic discriminants.
To develop this framework, a comprehensive understanding of SE principles is applied to …

Value-Driven Enterprise Architecture Score: Evaluation Applied To Joint Force Protection Future State Design, Larry D. Cotton, Gary A. Haase

Theses and Dissertations

This research presents a methodology to evaluate the quality of a system's architecture using principles drawn from Value-Focused Thinking (VFT) and resulting in a Value-Driven Enterprise Architecture Score (VDEA-Score). This is an overall numerical architecture quality score useful to a system's management team to identify the advantages and disadvantages of a system design and associated architecture documentation or to track its quality across discrete evaluation epochs. This effort determined which aspects of the architecture are most valuable to the stakeholder in the areas of (1) the system effectiveness values (quality of the instantiated system being represented and its ability to …

Using Multiple Robust Parameter Design Techniques To Improve Hyperspectral Anomaly Detection Algorithm Performance, Matthew T. Davis

Theses and Dissertations

Detecting and identifying objects of interest is the goal of all remote sensing. New advances, specifically in hyperspectral imaging technology have provided the analyst with immense amounts of data requiring evaluation. Several filtering techniques or anomaly detection algorithms have been proposed. However, most new algorithms are insufficiently verified to be robust to the broad range of hyperspectral data being made available. One such algorithm, AutoGAD, is tested here via two separate robust parameter design techniques to determine optimal parameters for consistent performance on a range of data with large attribute variances. Additionally, the results of the two techniques are compared …

An Advanced Tabu Search Approach To Solving The Mixed Payload Airlift Load Planning Problem, Robert Larry Nance

Theses and Dissertations

This paper presents a new tabu search based two-dimensional bin packing algorithm which produces high quality solutions to the Mixed Payload Airlift Load Planning (MPALP) problem using C-5 and C-17 aircraft. This algorithm, called Mixed Payload Airlift Load Planning Tabu Search (MPALPTS), surpasses previous research conducted in this area because, in addition to pure pallet cargo loads, MPALPTS can accommodate rolling stock cargo (i.e. tanks, trucks, HMMMVs, etc.) while still maintaining aircraft feasibility with respect to aircraft center of balance, mandatory cargo separations, aircraft floor structural limitations, etc. Furthermore, while this research is currently restricted to C-5 and C-17 aircraft, …

Adaptive Pareto Set Estimation For Stochastic Mixed Variable Design Problems, Christopher D. Arendt

Theses and Dissertations

Many design problems require the optimization of competing objective functions that may be too complicated to solve analytically. These problems are often modeled in a simulation environment where static input may result in dynamic (stochastic) responses to the various objective functions. System reliability, alloy composition, algorithm parameter selection, and structural design optimization are classes of problems that often exhibit such complex and stochastic properties. Since the physical testing and experimentation of new designs can be prohibitively expensive, engineers need adequate predictions concerning the viability of various designs in order to minimize wasteful testing. Presumably, an appropriate stochastic multi-objective optimizer can …

Project Scheduling To Maximize Positive Impacts Of Reconstruction Operations, Andrew D. Chaney

Theses and Dissertations

Since the decline of the Cold War, the risk of major conflict between powerful industrialized nations has significantly decreased. Insecurity in the twenty-first century is forecast to arise rather from the debris of imploding states. Such situations may require intervention | military or otherwise | by concerned states, and the frequency with which these interventions occur is increasing. To meet this new operational challenge, the US military must adapt its planning procedures to account for Security, Stabilization, Transition, and Reconstruction Operations (SSTRO). This research develops a project scheduling based framework for post-conflict reconstruction that prioritizes and schedules reconstruction activities in …

Exploitation Of Intra-Spectral Band Correlation For Rapid Feacture Selection And Target Identification In Hyperspectral Imagery, Michael K. Miller

Theses and Dissertations

This research extends the work produced by Capt. Robert Johnson for detecting target pixels within hyperspectral imagery (HSI). The methodology replaces Principle Components Analysis for dimensionality reduction with a clustering algorithm which seeks to associate spectral rather than spatial dimensions. By seeking similar spectral dimensions, the assumption of no a priori knowledge of the relationship between clustered members can be eliminated and clusters are formed by seeking high correlated adjacent spectral bands. Following dimensionality reduction Independent Components Analysis (ICA) is used to perform feature extraction. Kurtosis and Potential Target Fraction are added to Maximum Component Score and Potential Target Signal …

Host-Based Multivariate Statistical Computer Operating Process Anomaly Intrusion Detection System (Paids), Glen R. Shilland

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.