Mechanical Engineering Commons^™

Cluster Control Of Automated Surface Vessels, Paul David Mahacek

Mechanical Engineering Senior Theses

This research focuses on the design and control of a fleet of robotic kayaks, and presents experimental data regarding the functionality and performance of the system. One of the key technical challenges in fielding multi-robot systems for real-world applications is the coordination and relative motion control of the individual units. Coordinated formation control of the fleet is implemented through the use of the cluster space control architecture, which is a full-order controller that treats the fleet as a virtual, articulating, kinematic mechanism. The resulting system is capable of autonomous navigation utilizing a centralized controller, currently implemented via a shore-based computer …

Formation Of Organized Nanostructures From Unstable Bilayers Of Thin Metallic Liquids, Mikhail Khenner, Sagar Yadavali, Ramki Kalyanaraman

Mathematics Faculty Publications

Dewetting of pulsed-laser irradiated, thin (< 20 nm), optically reflective metallic bilayers on an optically transparent substrate with a reflective support layer is studied within the lubrication equations model. A steady-state bilayer film thickness (h) dependent temperature profile is derived based on the mean substrate temperature estimated from the elaborate thermal model of transient heating and melting/freezing. Large thermocapillary forces are observed along the plane of the liquid-liquid and liquid-gas interfaces due to this h-dependent temperature, which, in turn, is strongly influenced by the h-dependent laser light reflection and absorption. Consequently the dewetting is a result of the competition between thermocapillary and intermolecular forces. A linear analysis of the dewetting length scales established that the non-isothermal calculations better predict the experimental results as compared to the isothermal case within the bounding Hamaker coefficients. Subsequently, a computational non-linear dynamics study of the dewetting pathway was performed for Ag/Co and Co/Ag bilayer systems to predict the morphology evolution. We found that the systems evolve towards formation of different morphologies, including core-shell, embedded, or stacked nanostructure morphologies.

Highly Sensitive Refractive Index Optical Fiber Sensors Fabricated By A Femtosecond Laser, Jinpeng Yang, Lan Jiang, Sumei Wang, Qianghua Chen, Benye Li, Hai Xiao

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Highly sensitive and robust refractive index (RI) fiber sensors are proposed, which are based on concatenating two micro air-cavities. the micro air-cavities embedded in the fiber along the core axis are fabricated by combining the techniques of femtosecond laser micromachining and arc fusion splicing. the full width at half-maximum (FWHM) of an attenuation peak of a sensor in air is 0.048 nm, and the extinction ratio is ∼15 dB. When the diameter of the cavity is slightly larger than the fiber core diameter, the sensor is highly sensitive to external RI changes. a high sensitivity of 172.4 nm/refractive index unit …

A Comparative Evaluation Of An Educational Program Designed To Enable Mechanical Engineering Students To Develop Global Competence, Aaron Gerald Ball

Theses and Dissertations

The 'flattening of the world', using Thomas Friedman's phraseology, is driving corporations to increasingly use collaborative engineering processes and global teams to operate on a global scale. Globalization of the traditional university engineering curriculum is necessary to help students prepare to work in a global environment. More scalable and economically sustainable program types are needed to enable the majority of students to obtain a globalized education. The purpose of this research was to determine how effectively a global team- and project-based computer aided engineering course provided learning opportunities that enabled students to develop elements of global competence in comparison to …

Aerosol-Assisted Synthesis Of Monodisperse Single-Crystalline Α-Cristobalite Nanospheres, Xingmao Jiang, Lihong Bao, Yung-Sung Cheng, Darren R. Dunphy, Xiaodong Li, C. Jeffrey Brinker

Faculty Publications

Monodisperse single-crystalline α-cristobalite nanospheres have been synthesized by hydrocarbon-pyrolysis-induced carbon deposition on amorphous silica aerosol nanoparticles, devitrification of the coated silica at high temperature, and subsequent carbon removal by oxidation. The nanosphere size can be well controlled by tuning the size of the colloidal silica precursor. Uniform, high-purity nanocrystalline α-cristobalite is important for catalysis, nanocomposites, advanced polishing, and understanding silica nanotoxicology.

Dynamic Test Scheduling In Hardware-In-The-Loop Simulation Of Commercial Vehicles, Tenil Cletus

Master's Theses

Modern day commercial vehicles are controlled by various Electronic Control Units (ECU). They are not only tested as single units, but also by networking them in Controlled Area Network bus (CAN) to form a complete electrical control system. This is achieved using Hardware In the Loop (HIL) Integration Lab. In HIL, the electrical system is connected to a real time mathematical model of the vehicle plus it’s environment so as to form a loop.

Testing functionality of the electrical system begins by defining functional tests. An example would be testing cruise control activation. Executing each test is made possible by …

Analysis Of Biomass/Coal Co-Gasification For Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle (Igcc) Systems With Carbon Capture, Henry A. Long Iii

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

In recent years, Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle Technology (IGCC) has become more common in clean coal power operations with carbon capture and sequestration (CCS). Great efforts have been spent on investigating ways to improve the efficiency, reduce costs, and further reduce greenhouse gas emissions. This study focuses on investigating two approaches to achieve these goals. First, replace the subcritical Rankine steam cycle with a supercritical steam cycle. Second, add different amounts of biomass as feedstock to reduce emissions. Finally, implement several types of CCS, including sweet- and sour-shift pre-combustion and post-combustion.

Using the software, Thermoflow®, this study shows that utilizing …

Innovative Design: Design Of A Press System And Molds To Produce A Skateboard Deck., George William Linke

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Skateboarding is a passion for many people. Homemade skateboard machinery has been fabricated throughout the country. While the demand for skateboards is steady; there is a steady growth in the homemade skateboard deck market. The desire to create a one of a kind deck that expresses a person's individualism is growing. This applied research and development effort - designing and fabricating a fluid powered press system and 2-part mold assembly for forming glue up laminations for skateboard decks - is an attempt to gain understanding of the different phases of the product design process.

An Experimental Study Of Formation Of Circulation Patterns In Laminar Unsteady Driven Cavity Flows Using Particle Image Velocimeter (Piv) Techniques, Jon Farkas

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

An experimental study is conducted to determine the velocity fields, from development to steady state, in a square enclosure due to movement of a constant velocity lid using Particle Image Velocitmetry (PIV). Experiments were conducted with water, seeded with hollow glass sphere particles 10 microns in diameter, at three different lid velocities leading to Reynolds numbers in the high laminar to transitional range. Driven Cavity Flow is a classic fluid dynamics case often used for benchmarking of computational codes. Previous work has primarily focused on improving computational codes, experimental work is lacking and focused on obtaining steady state readings. …

The Development And Fabrication Of A Modular Vertical Reciprocating Conveyor System For The Transportation Of Materials To And From A Mezzanine., Matthew Paul Crum

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this developmental project was to design and fabricate a vertical reciprocating conveyor in order to eliminate the process of manually carrying 27 pound containers of plastic resin up and down a flight of offset space saver stairs. This project took place and was built for Phoenix Closures Incorporated. The conveyor was designed and built in house because there are no commercially available vertical reciprocating conveyors available that meet the necessary requirements.

The capabilities of the proposed vertical reciprocating conveyor are not limited to the carrying of the containers but designed to carry vacuum cleaners, tool boxes, and …

Simvastatin Improves Spinal Fusion In Rats, Bora Bostan, Taner Güneş, Murat Aşçi, Cengiz Şen, Mehmet Halidun Keleştemur, Mehmet Erdem, Reşit Doǧan Köseoǧlu, Ünal Erkorkmaz

Faculty Publications - Mechanical Engineering

Objective: Statins stimulate bone formation by inducing the expression of bone morphogenetic proteins (BMP-2). The aim of our study was to investigate the effects of orally administered simvastatin on spinal fusion in rats. Methods: Twenty rats were randomized into a spinal fusion group (SF) (n=10) or a spinal fusion and oral simvastatin administered group (SFS) (n=10). A spinal fusion was performed between L4-L6 representing two levels. Simvastatin (120 mg/kg/day) was administered orally in the SFS group. The rats were killed at the end of the 12 week study period. Results: Manual palpation revealed two moderate fusions in the SF group. …

2011 Fall Engr333 Project Final Report, Fall 2011 Engr333

ENGR 333

Analysis of the Bunker Interpretive Center (BIC) began during the spring of 2011 with the Engineering 382 Instrumentation Lab. To determine the energy use at the BIC, sensing equipment was placed on 44 different energy consuming devices, ranging from pumps to lights to heating and ventilation (HVAC) equipment. These data were collected over the spring and summer and then analyzed by the Engineering 333 Thermal Systems Design class during the fall of 2011. The class was tasked with determining whether or not the BIC was eligible for Energy Star certification. While the building was built to be LEED Gold certified, …

Effect Of Thin Film Confined Between Two Dissimilar Solids On Interfacial Thermal Resistance, Zhi Liang, Hai-Lung Tsai

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

A Non-Equilibrium Molecular Dynamics Model is Developed to Investigate How a Thin Film Confined between Two Dissimilar Solids Affects the Thermal Transport Across the Material Interface. for Two Highly Dissimilar (Phonon Frequency Mismatched) Solids, It is Found that the Insertion of a Thin Film between Them Can Greatly Enhance Thermal Transport Across the Material Interface by a Factor of 2.3 If the Thin Film Has One of the Following Characteristics: (1)a Multi-Atom-Thick Thin Film of Which the Phonon Density of States (DOS) Bridges the Two Different Phonon DOSs for the Solid on Each Side of the Thin Film; (2)a Single-Atom-Thick …

Detail Extraction From Electron Backscatter Diffraction Patterns, John A. Basinger

Theses and Dissertations

Cross-correlation based analysis of electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) patterns and the use of simulated reference patterns has opened up entirely new avenues of insight into local lattice properties within EBSD scans. The benefits of accessing new levels of orientation resolution and multiple types of previously inaccessible data measures are accompanied with new challenges in characterizing microscope geometry and other error previously ignored in EBSD systems. The foremost of these challenges, when using simulated patterns in high resolution EBSD (HR-EBSD), is the determination of pattern center (the location on the sample from which the EBSD pattern originated) with sufficient accuracy to …

Model Decomposition And Constraints To Parametrically Partition Design Space In A Collaborative Cax Environment, Felicia Diane Marshall

Theses and Dissertations

An industry survey was conducted to collect information on current collaboration methods and project management and communication structures. The results, along with other design collaboration philosophies, were used to develop a method of coordinating users in a multi-user design space. These thesis methods will regulate collaboration and avoid user collisions in the same model space, either by cooperative interaction or by spatial decomposition with regional blocking. The method partitions the design space by integrating a graphical user interface tool into the engineering application used to define and assign the necessary tasks of the project. A simple implementation of this method …

Differential Regulation Of Articular Cartilage Tensile Properties By Igf-1 And Tgf-Β1 During In Vitro Growth, M. E. Stender, N. T. Balcom, B. Berg-Johansen, K. J. Dills, D. Dyk, S. J. Hazelwood, A. C. Chen, R. L. Sah, S. M. Klisch

Mechanical Engineering

No abstract provided.

Generic Strategies To Implement Material Grading In Finite Element Methods For Isotropic And Anisotropic Materials, Ke Yu

Department of Engineering Mechanics: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

We look at generic strategies to transfer material grading into finite element methods. Three strategies are proposed to transfer material grading into the finite element analysis. These strategies are node-centered, element-centered, and the definition of material grading through external functions. The process to achieve each strategy is stated, and examples are used to illustrate each strategy, and to compare them. The strategies are implemented in finite-deformation nonlinear elastic analysis.

Several examples are used to illustrate the implementation of each strategy for graded isotropic materials. For these examples, the results obtained from finite element models are compared with those obtained from …

Investigation Of Selected Complexes And Alloys For Use In Hydrogen Storage And Related Applications, Michael Joseph Wolverton

Theses and Dissertations

The storage of hydrogen in adequate amounts limits its practical application as a fuel. This is especially important for automotive applications. Metal hydride based storage systems may yet be able to meet these storage parameters. However, no ideal hydride system has yet been identified. This work explores methods of increasing the feasibility of metal hydride based hydrogen storage by: (1) improvement of hydrogen uptake/release in known hydrides through catalysis, and (2) characterization of new hydrides and hydrogen storage materials. Catalysis work concerns primarily borohydrides due to their large hydrogen content. Catalysis and destabilization of borohydrides by addition of bulk alloy …

The Development Of A Phase Locked Excitation Testing Method For Full‐Scale Wind Turbine Blades, Waleed Fathi Gowharji

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

Full scale blade testing provides blade manufacturers with quantitative data regarding their blade design, manufacturing processes and durability. Structural fatigue tests are designed to assess the structural health of the turbine blade as well as simulate a lifespan worth of damage in a laboratory environment. These tests also provide a further understanding of the dynamics involved in modern turbine blades. Blade tests are typically conducted in one of the following manners: a dual-axis forced displacement, single axis or dual axis resonant configurations. Historically, fatigue testing has been performed by utilizing forced displacement systems. These systems do not allow for the …

2011 Fall Engr333 Student Seminar Presentation, 2011 Fall Engr333

ENGR 333

File for student presentation, given by students in the Fall 2010 class of ENGR333.