Mechanical Engineering Commons^™

Cal Poly Nano Hydro, Brandon N. Fujio, Alex J. Sobel, Andrew F. Del Prete

Mechanical Engineering

This projects goal was to design, construct, and test a machine capable of generating a usable amount of energy from naturally flowing water. The device conceived for this purpose is a portable raft with a turbine mounted to the underside. The turbine is mated directly to a low angular velocity generator which outputs to a power electronics system on shore. Using a Gorlov Helical turbine, this proof-of-concept is designed to output ~50 Watts of electricity to charge a battery for later use. Possible applications for this device include camping in remote locations, supplemental power generation for a home, or for …

Effect Of Process Parameters On The Weld Quality In Laser Welding Of Az31b Magnesium Alloy In Lap Joint Configuration, Masoud Harooni, Blair Carlson, Radovan Kovacevic

Mechanical Engineering Research

Magnesium is the lightest structural metal; therefore it has been used in a variety of industries such as automotive, aerospace, electronics and defense. Among different joining processes, laser welding is advantageous due to its low heat input, high depth-to-width weld ratio and good mechanical properties. In this study, a fiber laser is used to weld AZ31B magnesium alloy in a lap joint configuration. Pores were formed in the weld bead that are caused by a thick oxide layer existing on the surface of as-received AZ31B samples. Process parameters including laser power and welding speed are studied to determine their effects …

Reliability Assessment Of Ion Contamination Residues On Printed Circuit Board, Minh Tam Tran Nguyen

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Ion contaminants from Printed Circuit Board (PCB) assembly processes pose a high reliability risk because they result in damaged circuits. Therefore, it is essential to understand the level of ionic species on the electronic circuitry as well as the reliability risks caused by these contaminants. There are a number of approaches available in the industry to assess the reliability risks ; for example, the water drop test (WDT) is one of the techniques used to determine the propensity of an ionic contaminant to cause electrical short failures by dendrite formation. The objective of this research is to determine the time …

A Novel Method For Prediction Of Mobile Robot Maneuvering Spaces, Patrick N. Currier, Alfred L. Wicks

Mechanical Engineering - Daytona Beach

As the operational uses of mobile robots continue to expand, it becomes useful to be able to predict the admissible maneuvering space to prevent the robot from executing unsafe maneuvers. A novel method is proposed to address this need by using force-moment diagrams to characterize the robot’s maneuvering space in terms of path curvature and curvature rate. Using the proposed superposition techniques, these diagrams can then be transformed in real-time to provide a representation of the permissible maneuvering space while allowing for changes in the robot’s loading and terrain conditions. Simulation results indicate that the technique can be applied to …

Mechanics Of Hip Dysplasia Reduction In Infants Using The Pavlik Harness: A Physics Based Computational Model, Orlando Ardila, Eduardo Divo, Faissal Moslehy, George Rab, Alain Kassab, Charles Price

Mechanical Engineering - Daytona Beach

Biomechanical factors influencing the reduction of dislocated hips with the Pavlik harness in patients of Developmental Dysplasia of the Hip (DDH) were studied using a three-dimensional computer model simulating hip reduction dynamics in (1) subluxated and (2) fully dislocated hip joints. Five hip adductor muscles were identified as key mediators of DDH prognosis, and the non-dimensional force contribution of each in the direction necessary to achieve concentric hip reductions was determined. Results point to the adductor muscles as mediators of subluxated hip reductions, as their mechanical action is a function of the degree of hip dislocation. For subluxated hips in …

Me-Em 2012-13 Annual Report, Department Of Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics, Michigan Technological University

Department of Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics Annual Reports

Table of Contents

• Research Centers
• Students
• Faculty & Staff
• Alumni
• Contracts & Grants
• Publications

Novel Automotive Waste Heat Recovery Techniques, John Randall Armstead

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

The United States transportation industry is predicted to consume approximately 13 million barrels of liquid fuel per day by 2025. If one percent of the fuel energy were salvaged through waste heat recovery, there would be a reduction of 130 thousand barrels of liquid fuel per day. This dissertation focuses on automotive waste heat recovery techniques with an emphasis on two novel techniques.

The first technique investigated was a combination coolant and exhaust-based Rankine cycle system, which utilized a patented piston-in-piston engine technology. The research scope included a simulation of the maximum mass flow rate of steam (700 K and …

An Experimental Investigation Into The Effects Of Biodiesel Blends On Particulate Matter Oxidation In A Catalyzed Particulate Filter During Active Regeneration, James Pidgeon

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

Active regeneration experiments were carried out on a production 2007 Cummins 8.9L ISL engine and associated DOC and CPF aftertreatment system. The effects of SME biodiesel blends were investigated in this study in order to determine the PM oxidation kinetics associated with active regeneration, and to determine the effect of biodiesel on them. The experimental data from this study will also be used to calibrate the MTU-1D CPF model. Accurately predicting the PM mass retained in the CPF and the oxidation characteristics will provide the basis for computation in the ECU that will minimize the fuel penalty associated with active …

Multiscale Modeling Of Liquid Crystalline/Nanotube Composites, Sharil Patrale

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

The objective of this research is to synthesize structural composites designed with particular areas defined with custom modulus, strength and toughness values in order to improve the overall mechanical behavior of the composite. Such composites are defined and referred to as 3D-designer composites. These composites will be formed from liquid crystalline polymers and carbon nanotubes. The fabrication process is a variation of rapid prototyping process, which is a layered, additive-manufacturing approach. Composites formed using this process can be custom designed by apt modeling methods for superior performance in advanced applications. The focus of this research is on enhancement of Young's …

Molecular Modeling Of Pmr-15 Polyimide, Fnu Pruthul Kokkada Ravindranath

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

PMR-15 polyimide is a polymer that is used as a matrix in composites. These composites with PMR-15 matrices are called advanced polymer matrix composite that is abundantly used in the aerospace and electronics industries because of its high temperature resistivity. Apart from having high temperature sustainability, PMR-15 composites also display good thermal-oxidative stability, mechanical properties, processability and low costs, which makes it a suitable material for manufacturing aircraft structures. PMR-15 uses the reverse Diels-Alder (RDA) method for crosslinking which provides it with the groundwork for its distinctive thermal stability and a range of 280-300 degree Centigrade use temperature. Regardless of …

A Scr Model Based On Reactor And Engine Experimental Studies For A Cu-Zeolite Catalyst, Xiaobo Song

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

A NO_x reduction efficiency higher than 95% with NH₃ slip less than 30 ppm is desirable for heavy-duty diesel (HDD) engines using selective catalytic reduction (SCR) systems to meet the US EPA 2010 NO_x standard and the 2014-2018 fuel consumption regulation. The SCR performance needs to be improved through experimental and modeling studies. In this research, a high fidelity global kinetic 1-dimensional 2-site SCR model with mass transfer, heat transfer and global reaction mechanisms was developed for a Cu-zeolite catalyst. The model simulates the SCR performance for the engine exhaust conditions with NH₃ maldistribution and aging …

Simulating Large Deformation Of Intraneural Ganglion Cyst Using Finite Element Method, Sachin Lokhande

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

Intraneural Ganglion Cyst is disorder observed in the nerve injury, it is still unknown and very difficult to predict its propagation in the human body so many times it is referred as an unsolved history. The treatments for this disorder are to remove the cystic substance from the nerve by a surgery. However these treatments may result in neuropathic pain and recurrence of the cyst. The articular theory proposed by Spinner et al., (Spinner et al. 2003) considers the neurological deficit in Common Peroneal Nerve (CPN) branch of the sciatic nerve and adds that in addition to the treatment, ligation …

Agent Based, Distributed Control Strategies And Optimization Of Plug-In Electric Vehicles On Smart/Microgrid Architectures, Kyle Bordeau

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

This thesis will present strategies for the use of plug-in electric vehicles on smart and microgrids. MATLAB is used as the design tool for all models and simulations.

First, a scenario will be explored using the dispatchable loads of electric vehicles to stabilize a microgrid with a high penetration of renewable power generation. Grid components for a microgrid with 50% photovoltaic solar production will be sized through an optimization routine to maintain storage system, load, and vehicle states over a 24-hour period. The findings of this portion are that the dispatchable loads can be used to guard against unpredictable losses …

Dynamic Model Based State Estimation In A Heavy Duty Diesel Aftertreatment System For Onboard Diagnostics And Controls, Harsha S. Surenahalli

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

Estimating un-measurable states is an important component for onboard diagnostics (OBD) and control strategy development in diesel exhaust aftertreatment systems. This research focuses on the development of an Extended Kalman Filter (EKF) based state estimator for two of the main components in a diesel engine aftertreatment system: the Diesel Oxidation Catalyst (DOC) and the Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) catalyst. One of the key areas of interest is the performance of these estimators when the catalyzed particulate filter (CPF) is being actively regenerated.

In this study, model reduction techniques were developed and used to develop reduced order models from the 1D …

Reverse Engineering The Structural And Acoustic Behavior Of A Stradivari Violin, Michael A. Pyrkosz

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

There is a tremendous amount of mystery that surrounds the instruments of Antonio Stradivari. There have been many studies done in the past, but no one completely understands exactly how he made his instruments, or why they are still considered the best in the world. This project is designed to develop an engineering model of one of Stradivari's violins that will accurately simulate the structural and acoustic behavior of the instrument. It also hopes to shine some light on what makes the instruments of Stradivari unique when compared to other violins. It will focus on geometry and material properties, utilizing …

Two-Phase Flow In Microchannels: Morphology And Interface Phenomena, Alexandru Herescu

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

The existence and morphology, as well as the dynamics of micro-scale gas-liquid interfaces is investigated numerically and experimentally. These studies can be used to assess liquid management issues in microsystems such as PEMFC gas flow channels, and are meant to open new research perspectives in two-phase flow, particularly in film deposition on non-wetting surfaces. For example the critical plug volume data can be used to deliver desired length plugs, or to determine the plug formation frequency. The dynamics of gas-liquid interfaces, of interest for applications involving small passages (e.g. heat exchangers, phase separators and filtration systems), was investigated using high-speed …

Characterization Of Porous Media In Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell Based On Percolation Studies, Stephen Stacy

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

Water management in the porous media of proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells, catalyst layer and porous transport layers (PTL) is confronted by two issues, flooding and dry out, both of which result in improper functioning of the fuel cell and lead to poor performance and degradation.

The data that has been reported about water percolation and wettability within a fuel cell catalyst layer is limited to porosimetry. A new method and apparatus for measuring the percolation pressure in the catalyst layer has been developed. The experimental setup is similar to a Hele-Shaw experiment where samples are compressed and a …

Co-Electrophoretic Deposition Of Liquid Metal And Silicon For Lithium-Ion Battery Application, Hanfei Zhang

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

A low cost electrophoretic deposition (EPD) process was successfully used for liquid metal thin film deposition with a high depositing rate of 0.6 µ/min. Furthermore, silicon nano-powder and liquid metal were then simultaneously deposited as the negative electrode of lithium-ion battery by a technology called co-EPD. The liquid metal was hoping to act as the matrix for silicon particles during lithium ion insertion and distraction. Half-cell testing was performed using as prepared co-EPD sample. An initial discharge capacity of 1500 mAh/g was reported for nano-silicon and galinstan electrode, although the capacity fading issue of these samples was also observed.

High Voltage Electrophoretic Deposition For Electrochemical Energy Storage And Other Applications, Sunand Santhanagopalan

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

High voltage electrophoretic deposition (HVEPD) has been developed as a novel technique to obtain vertically aligned forests of one-dimensional nanomaterials for efficient energy storage. The ability to control and manipulate nanomaterials is critical for their effective usage in a variety of applications. Oriented structures of one-dimensional nanomaterials provide a unique opportunity to take full advantage of their excellent mechanical and electrochemical properties. However, it is still a significant challenge to obtain such oriented structures with great process flexibility, ease of processing under mild conditions and the capability to scale up, especially in context of efficient device fabrication and system packaging. …

Comparative Analysis Of Efficiency And Operating Characteristics Of Automotive Powertrain Architectures Through Chassis Dynamometer Testing, Jeremy J. Anderson

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

The thesis "COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF EFFICIENCY AND OPERATING CHARACTERISTICS OF AUTOMOTIVE POWERTRAIN ARCHITECTURES THROUGH CHASSIS DYNAMOMETER TESTING" was completed through a collaborative partnership between Michigan Technological University and Argonne National Laboratory under a contractual agreement titled "Advanced Vehicle Characterization at Argonne National Laboratory". The goal of this project was to investigate, understand and document the performance and operational strategy of several modern passenger vehicles of various architectures. The vehicles were chosen to represent several popular engine and transmission architectures and were instrumented to allow for data collection to facilitate comparative analysis. In order to ensure repeatability and reliability during testing, …