Mechanical Engineering Commons^™

Refrigeration & Pressure Circuits For The Test Apparatus On Triaxial Properties Of Polymer Foams At Arctic Temperatures, Nathaniel Ackerman

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The objective of this project is to modify the previous testing apparatus used by Dr. M. Hoo Fatt for exploration of Crushing Behavior of Polymer Foams in Sandwich Structures Operating in Arctic Regions commissioned by the Office of Naval Research and performed under the University of Akron’s Mechanical Engineering testing facilities. To do this, it is required to design a system capable of operating at a constant temperature during a testing cycle, reaching down to -60⁰C. This apparatus must also be compatible with prior equipment, facilities, persons, samples, and media.

Primarily, a copper-tube refrigeration coil design was considered to ...

Online Parameter Estimation Under Non-Persistent Excitations For High-Rate Dynamic Systems, Jin Yan, Simon Laflamme, Jonathan Hong, Jacob Dodson

Civil, Construction and Environmental Engineering Publications

High-rate dynamic systems are defined as systems experiencing dynamic events of typical amplitudes higher than 100 g_n for a duration of less than 100 ms. They are characterized by 1) large uncertainties on the external loads; 2) high levels of nonstationarity and heavy disturbance; and 3) generation of unmodeled dynamics from changes in mechanical configuration. To fully enable these systems, feedback capabilities must be developed. This includes computationally fast software and low latency hardware. This paper presents a pure time-based online parameter estimation algorithm for high-rate dynamic systems with real-time applicability. The algorithm is based on a model reference ...

Reliability-Informed Life Cycle Warranty Cost And Life Cycle Analysis Of Newly Manufactured And Remanufactured Units, Meng Li, Venkat P. Nemani, Jinqiang Liu, Michael A. Lee, Navaid Ahmed, Gül E. Okudan Kremer, Chao Hu

Industrial and Manufacturing Systems Engineering Publications

Standard life cycle techniques such as life cycle warranty cost (LCWC) analysis and life cycle analysis (LCA) are used to respectively quantify the relative economical and environmental advantages of remanufactured goods while simultaneously identifying avenues for improvement. In this paper, we contribute to the literature on life cycle studies by incorporating reliability into LCWC analysis and LCA with the goal of improving long-term/multiple life cycle decision making. We develop a branched power-law model to incorporate the physical degradation mechanisms leading to reduced reuse rates of system parts over multiple life cycles. We then follow a standard LCA protocol to ...

Deformation Of An Airfoil-Shaped Brain Surrogate Under Shock Wave Loading, Ling Zhang, William J. Jackson, Sarah A. Bentil

Mechanical Engineering Publications

Improvised explosive devices (IEDs), during military operations, has increased the incidence of blast-induced traumatic brain injuries (bTBI). The shock wave is created following detonation of the IED. This shock wave propagates through the atmosphere and may cause bTBI. As a result, bTBI research has gained increased attention since this injury's mechanism is not thoroughly understood. To develop better protection and treatment against bTBI, further studies of soft material (e.g. brain and brain surrogate) deformation due to shock wave exposure are essential. However, the dynamic mechanical behavior of soft materials, subjected to high strain rates from shock wave exposure ...

Surrogate Optimization Model For An Integrated Regenerative Methanol Transcritical Cycle, Yili Zhang

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In order to reduce the cost ($) per megawatts hour (MWh) of electrical energy generated by a nuclear power cycle with a novel small modular reactor (SMR), a new SMR-based nuclear power cycle with Methanol as working fluid was designed. It was built virtually with the Python & Coolprop software based on all components’ physical properties, and it is therefore called the physics-based model. The physics-based model would require seven user-defined values as input for the seven free design parameters, respectively. The physics-based model outcomes include LCOE (the cost per megawatts hour of electrical energy generated by the cycle), the first-law efficiency ...

Design Of A Pneumatic Soft Robotic Actuator Using Model-Based Optimization, Mahsa Raeisinezhad

Theses and Dissertations

In this thesis, the design and optimization process of a novel soft intelligent modular pad (IntelliPad) for the purpose of pressure injury prevention is presented. The structure of the IntelliPad consists of multiple individual multi-chamber soft pneumatic-driven actuators that use pressurized air and vacuum. Each actuator is able to provide both vertical and horizontal motions that can be controlled independently. An analytical modeling approach using multiple cantilever beams and virtual springs connected in a closed formed structure was developed to analyze the mechanical performance of the actuator. The analytical approach was validated by a finite element analysis. For optimizing the ...

In Situ Characterization Of Fiber-Matrix Interface Debonding Via Full-Field Measurements, Robert Livingston

Theses and Dissertations

Macroscopic mechanical and failure properties of fiber-reinforced composites depend strongly on the properties of the fiber-matrix interface. For example, transverse cracking behavior and interlaminar shear strength of composites can be highly sensitive to the characteristics of the fiber-matrix interface. Despite its importance, experimental characterization of the mechanical behavior of the fiber-matrix interface under normal loading conditions has been limited. This work reports an experimental approach that uses in situ full-field digital image correlation (DIC) to quantify the mechanical and failure behaviors at the fiber-matrix interface. Single fiber model composite samples are fabricated from a proprietary epoxy embedding a single glass ...

Feasibility Analysis Of The Power Supply Model Using Solar Pv For The Public Lighting System In Hanoi, Hang Le Thi Thuy, Dong Ngo Nguyen

Journal of Asian Energy Studies

Public lighting is an essential service in today’s cities, towns, and highways, including improving public safety and reducing traffic accidents. Public lighting could consume up to 40% of the energy budget of the local governments. Therefore, the technical innovations related to public lighting always bring significant value to municipal governments. In Vietnam, the public lighting in big cities account for 25% of the total power consumption. The solutions to reducing electricity consumption for public lighting are also of interest to domestic and foreign organizations, including the use of on-site energy such as wind and solar energy. In this paper ...

Machine Learning Reduced Order Model For Cost And Emission Assessment Of A Pyrolysis System, Olumide Olafasakin, Yahan Chang, Alberto Passalacqua, Shankar Subramaniam, Robert C. Brown, Mark Mba Wright

Mechanical Engineering Publications

Biomass pyrolysis is a promising approach for producing economic and environmentally friendly fuels and bioproducts. Biomass pyrolysis experiments show that feedstock properties have a significant impact on product yields and composition. Scientists are developing detailed chemical reaction mechanisms to capture the relationships between biomass composition and pyrolysis yields. These mechanisms can be computationally intensive. In this study, we investigate the use of a machine learning reduced order model (ROM) for assessing the costs and emissions of a pyrolysis biorefinery. We developed a Kriging-based ROM to predict pyrolysis yields of 314 feedstock samples based on the results of a detailed chemical ...

Advanced Exergy Analysis Of A Whispergen Stirling Engine System, Akash Mathew

Major Papers

With the increasing demand for energy, it has become imperative to look for better and more efficient systems. Combined heat and power systems can provide the required power output while also utilizing the waste heat to increase the overall efficiency of the system. This study analyzed a 1 kW WhisperGen Combined Heat and Power system powered by a Stirling engine. A thermodynamic analysis of the engine was performed to understand the losses occurring within it. In addition, the WhisperGen engine was analyzed in terms of its exergy losses through an advanced exergy analysis on the different components of the engine ...

Bibliometric Analysis On Artificial Compressibility Method Based Cfd Simulations, Bhavna Hemraj Joshi Miss, Chandrakant R. Sonawane Dr, Priyambada Bada Praharaj Mrs, Anand Kumar Pandey Dr

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

This bibliometric analysis in this paper aims to study the quantitative progress done in the artificial compressibility (AC) method-based CFD simulation and analyze its potential in solving incompressible flow simulations in computational fluid dynamics smoothly. The sector of CFD is enhancing more and more maturely due to advancements in computing architecture, numerical methods, and simulation tools. There have been various attempts to solve the pressure-velocity coupling issue in the Navier-Stokes equation. The artificial compressibility method (ACM), as opposed to pressure-correction methods, solves the incompressible equation in a non-segregated manner. With the introduction of the ACM, the system of the equation ...

Splitting The Scatter: Distinguishing Marine Organisms From Oceanographic Structures Using Acoustic Monitoring, Zhen Lu, Daisuke Hasegawa, Takahiro Tanaka, David M. Spencer, Yuji Okazaki, Takeshi Okunishi

Journal of Marine Science and Technology

In the northwest Pacific Ocean, off the Sanriku coast of Japan, convergence between the Tsugaru Warm Current (TWC) and the cold Oyashio Current (OC) results in the formation of highly dynamic oceanographic features that promote high biodiversity and generate hotspots for a range of commercially important fisheries. However, their effects on local biodiversity over much smaller spatiotemporal scales ( < 1 km) remains unclear. With the development of acoustic technology in recent years, echo-sounders are increasingly being used to conduct high-precision fishery resource assessments and detect small-scale variability in the oceanic thermohaline structure. In this study, we conducted a simultaneous hydrographic and dual-frequency echo-sounder survey to discriminate oceanographic features and marine organisms in the TWC-OC confluence zone. Echograms of acoustic backscatter measured at 38 kHz detected similar oceanographic features that were obtained from our hydrographic survey observations, but these features were less pronounced in the 120 kHz echograms. The dynamic oceanographic structure in the TWC-OC zone returned a large amount of backscatter, making it difficult to identify marine organisms from the scatter. The frequency differences of volume backscattering strength (SV) were, however, able to distinguish oceanographic structures from zooplankton detections. Outcomes from this study highlight the difficulty of distinguishing between hydrographic and biological detections in dynamic oceanographic environments. Further research into the acoustic frequency characteristics of heterogeneous hydrographic features will help better understand how species distributions are affected, so that the acoustic method can be used to provide more accurate estimates of species abundance.

Fine-Scale Vertical Movements And Behavior Of Immature Skipjack Tuna (Katsuwonus Pelamis) Off Eastern Taiwan, Wei-Chuan Chiang, Takayuki Matsumoto, Shian-Jhong Lin, Qi-Xuan Chang, Michael K. Musyl, Yuan-Shing Ho, Fumio Ohta

Journal of Marine Science and Technology

Skipjack tuna are globally distributed in tropical and temperate seas but little is known about their fine-scale diving patterns and how fish size and (or) maturity influences patterns off eastern Taiwan. A total of 211 immature skipjack (36 e 47 FL cm) in the study were caught by trolling near subsurface fish aggregating devices (FADs) near Green Island (southeastern Taiwan) and were tagged with Lotek LAT-2910 archival tags. The low rate of recovery (2.4%) suggests a high post-release mortality but this low rate could also be consistent with large population sizes, dispersal, tag loss or uncooperative fishers. Five individuals ...

Evaluating The Fish Aggregation Effect Of Wind Turbine Facilities By Using Scientific Echo Sounder In Nanlong Wind Farm Area, Western Taiwan, Ting-Chieh Huang, Hsueh-Jung Lu, Jia-Rong Lin, Shih-Hsuan Sun, Kou-Wei Yen, Jing-Yi Chen

Journal of Marine Science and Technology

During the stages of construction and operation of the wind power facilities, fishery and fishery resources in the wind farm areas will certainly be changed greatly. One of the major concern is the aggregation effect of wind turbines facility. We use scientific echo sounder together with scuba diving to survey fish aggregations in the wind farm areas. In order to obtain echoes very near the facility, we use tilt beam angle instead of traditional vertical one. Variation of target strength varies while using tilted beam angle were discussed both by ex-situ and in-situ experiment. In ex-situ experiment, we measured TS ...

Site Fidelity And Return Trips Of Visually And Olfactorily Inhibited Black Rockfish (Sebastes Schlegelii) Individuals Tracked By Acoustic Telemetry, Mitsuki Kuroda, Yoshinori Tatsu, Yuya Ueda, Hokuto Shirakawa, Kenji Minami, Kazushi Miyashita, Makoto Tomiyasu

Journal of Marine Science and Technology

For fish of the genus Sebastes, which have strong site fidelity, understanding the characteristics of their return trips and how their sensory cues influence behavior will be useful for conservation and resource management. Here, we conducted a behavioral tracking study for the black rockfish Sebastes schlegelii using acoustic telemetry and sensory inhibition. We compared aspects of the return process for individuals in a control group (CNT), and fish in blind (BLD) and olfactory inhibition (OLF) conditions. Nine individuals were released 850 m from the fishing site, and all of them returned. However, the time taken to complete the return varied ...

Geospatial And Acoustic Application In An Artificial Reef Site Of South Korea, Myounghee Kang, Rina Fajaryanti, Kyounghoon Lee, Eun-A Yoon, Woo-Seok Oh, Eunbi Min, Young-Jae Shin, Yong-Suk Choi, Byung-Ho Yi, Hui Zhang, Doojin Hwang

Journal of Marine Science and Technology

Artificial reefs are important since they provide additional habitat leading to increasing abundance and biomass of marine biota. In a Bukchon artificial reef, Jeju Island, South Korea, environment data, artificial reef properties, and acoustic data in four seasons were integrated to visualize and examine their connections using a geographic information system (GIS). As a result, regarding the spatial and temporal distributions of fishes, January had the lowest Nautical Area Scattering Coefficient (NASC, m2/nm2) and June had the highest NASC, and relatively high NASC was observed from 5 to 30 m deep throughout seasons. The influential circle (effective distance from ...

Development Of A Marine Biodegradable Target Balloon, Blake Samuel Robinson, Arash Sam Akhavi, David Leonardo Albarran-Martinez

Materials Engineering

The US Navy utilizes PVC target balloons, known as Killer Tomatoes, that are inflated onboard a naval vessel then deployed into the ocean to calibrate a variety of weaponry. The Navy has requested the investigation of biodegradable polymers to replace the PVC in attempts to reduce ocean waste that is generated from the leftover PVC material. After communicating with American Pacific Plastic Fabricators (APPF), the current manufacturer of the Killer Tomatoes, we gained an understanding of the manufacturing process and the material requirements that would allow a new material to be integrated into their current process. Two proprietary, trial polymers ...

Interactive Physics Display: Air Cannon, Marina Smeltzer, Sydney Hosokawa, Jordan Nguyen, Jessica Ouyang

Mechanical Engineering

The San Luis Obispo Botanical Garden (SLOBG) is a non-profit organization that provides a place for visitors to connect with and explore nature. The sponsors from SLOBG sought an interactive physics display to be implemented in their children’s garden that will educate children and adult visitors about physics concepts in a welcoming and comfortable atmosphere. The research done showed that customers are looking for a “wow” factor with the display to surprise and engage them. Patents showed the design and build of interactive playground equipment. Government reports described the curriculum for the target audience and also outlined the safety ...

Sourceamerica Design Challenge Accessible Kitting And Packaging Station, Christopher Wijaya Tan, Keanau Rick Robin, Kyle Huawei Chuang, Ashley Humpal

Mechanical Engineering

This document entails our research, design, proposed development, and testing process for solving the 2020 SourceAmerica collegiate design challenge. Our team, “Just Kitting”, is composed of four Mechanical Engineering students from California Polytechnic San Luis Obispo. The design challenge requires us to create a device that will help improve the quality of life and productivity of people with disabilities working in the kitting and packaging industry. This document includes our background research and information received from various interviews with our sponsor and others who have experience working with disabilities. Using this information, we refined our problem statement to focus on ...

Consumer-Ready Insulated Solar Electric Cooker, Simon Ford, Sachin Gokhale, Brendan Lynn, Richard Nguyen

Mechanical Engineering

An insulated solar electric cooker, or ISEC, converts solar energy into electricity to cook food, boil water, provide heat or even help charge batteries. In this project, the focus is an ISEC with a phase change material (PCM) that helps store heat when the solar energy input is minimal, such as after the sun has set. Although a successful ISEC already exists that utilizes PCM, this product can be improved in many ways. The specific revisions investigated in this report are the improvement of the thermal efficiency with the implementation of a vacuum-sealed outer pot, the reduction of the overall ...