Digital Commons Network^™

Testing And Qualification Of Low-Voltage Power Supplies For The Atlas Tile Hadronic Calorimeter Phase-Ii Upgrade, Justice A. Jones

2026 Spring Honors Capstones Projects

The High Luminosity upgrade of the Large Hadron Collider (HL-LHC) places increased thermal and operational demands on detector electronics, requiring highly reliable power systems. The ATLAS Tile Hadronic Calorimeter (TileCal) uses low-voltage power supply (LVPS) bricks to power front-end electronics, but these units operate in inaccessible regions, making failures difficult to repair. Therefore, rigorous qualification procedures are essential. This work focuses on improving LVPS reliability through a structured burn-in process. Each unit undergoes pre-burn-in electrical verification using a Single Test Stand (STS), followed by sustained operation under load and elevated temperature, and post-burn-in requalification. Standard cooling conditions limit temperatures to …

A Solution For Safe Pivot Transfers In A Population With Limited Mobility, Elizabeth A. Mitchell, Sean R. Giamportone

Honors Theses

Sit-to-stand pivot transfers are one of the most frequently performed movements for

individuals with limited mobility. This movement is very often performed in long-term care

facilities and clinics. Despite the commonality, this transfer poses a significant risk of injury to

both the patient and caregiver; falls, musculoskeletal injuries, and the reduction of independence

can result from issues associated with these transfers. Existing assistive devices, Hoyer lifts and

sliding boards, present limitations with cost, size, storage, and usability; thus, caregivers rely on

the hands-on manual transfer that increases the risk of injury. The goal of our team was to

address these …

Optimization And Dynamic Control Of Acetone Production From Isopropyl Alcohol, Thomas W. Wasson

Honors Theses

This paper investigates the optimization and dynamic control of acetone production via catalytic dehydrogenation of isopropyl alcohol. Optimization was conducted using steady-state Aspen Plus modeling with product specifications of 30,000 metric tons per year of 99.9% pure acetone by weight. Dynamic modeling of the feed preparation and reaction portions of the process was conducted in Aspen Plus Dynamic. Through optimization efforts the primary economic factor, net present value (NPV), was increased from $(126.6) million to $(83.2) million, representing a $43.4 million increase. This was primarily accomplished through a switch to low temperature catalyst, optimization of reactor dimensions, pressurization of key …

An Integrated Artificial Intelligence–Circular Economy Framework For Sustainable Industrial Waste Management System: Case Study From The Carpet Industry Supply Chain, Noha Mostafa

Mechanical Engineering

Waste management has become a critical issue in industry due to its environmental and  economic impact. This urges societies to move towards circular economy and sustainability in managing wastes to achieve economic, social and environmental benefits that cannot be achieved by using traditional disposal methods. Artificial intelligence technologies can play an effective role in developing systems and applications that help in realizing circular economy approaches. This research explores using circular economy in the carpet industry with a focus on being eco-friendly and achieving operational excellence. Circular economy aims to use resources efficiently within a reduce, reuse, recycle paradigm. Critical literature …

Establishing Sustainable Vegetation On A Challenging Legacy Ccr Site, Derek Oosterhouse, Blake Arthur

World of Coal Ash Proceedings

American Electric Power (AEP) is closing and restoring a legacy Coal Combustion Residuals (CCR) site in Ohio that once held a power plant that pioneered innovative steam generation technology. The plant was closed in 1975. Today, the legacy CCR site is being transformed back to natural, sustainable vegetation. To comply with and close the Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP) permit, permanent stabilization is required on the site. AEP, one of the largest electric companies in the country, holds a core principle to respect the environment through creative sustainable solutions. AEP connected with Profile Products, the world’s largest manufacturer and supplier …

Future Strategies For Beneficial Use Harvesting, Gabe Lang, Patrick Kiser

World of Coal Ash Proceedings

TVA is the largest public power company in the U.S. and has historically operated a fleet of 12 coal-fired plants as part of their diverse generating portfolio. To date, eight of the coal plants have been retired and the remaining four plants are projected to shut down in the next couple of decades. The decommissioning of these plants is driving a transition to harvesting of ponded and landfilled CCR’s to continue to support ready-mix concrete and other industries that enable infrastructure development. However, the regional market demand limits the ability to initiate widespread harvesting activities during near-term CCR Unit closure …

Methods To Enhance Groundwater Remediation During Cbr And Mass Transfer Controls On Post-Closure Groundwater Cleanup At Ccr Impoundments, Sean Larkin, Jacob Chu, John Blue

World of Coal Ash Proceedings

Utilities are implementing closure‑by‑removal (CBR) of coal combustion residual (CCR) impoundments as part of corrective action programs to meet groundwater protection standards (GWPSs) and are evaluating closure strategies for Legacy Units. Although CBR and associated decanting and dewatering systems can substantially reduce source mass and improve groundwater quality, lingering “tail” concentrations in the aquifer are often observed after closure because groundwater remediation typically requires extended timeframes. These persistent concentrations may be compounded by secondary source zones beneath the former impoundment, where constituent mass stored in low‑permeability materials or immobile pore spaces is slowly released into the transmissive aquifer after CBR. …

A Cost-Effective, Low-Impact Remedial Approach For Metals: Utilizing Phyto-Enhancement To Accelerate Ph Adjustment Of Shallow Groundwater, Jerry Wylie, Thomas Colton

World of Coal Ash Proceedings

SynTerra will present a unique, low-cost, low-impact approach to metals remediation in shallow groundwater at a former industrial site located in the Atlantic Coastal Plain. The approach employs pH adjustment of groundwater using agricultural lime coupled with the use of daikon radish to augment lime contact time and to increase depth of soil augmentation. This method is designed to be a more sustainable, less resource-intensive, and less technically challenging remedial alternative with lower estimated overall costs. The primary corrective action—source removal—has been completed. However, the oxidation of residual sulfide-bearing minerals has resulted in persistent low-pH groundwater, which increases the solubility …

Ccr Impoundment Closure: Encapsulation Design Using Closure Cap And Cutoff Wall, John Klamut, A. Edward Sciulli, Kevin Bortz

World of Coal Ash Proceedings

When closing a CCR Impoundment while leaving CCR in place, 40 CFR 257.102 requires minimizing post-closure infiltration of liquid into the CCR. This presentation will provide a description of a closure plan for a 16-acre impoundment in Indiana to accomplish this criteria. Key components of the closure plan which will be presented including consolidation of CCR into a smaller footprint due to questionable underlying clay layer identified in a portion of the impoundment and the design of a geosynthetic and soil cap system. A Soil-Cement-Bentonite (SCB) cutoff wall will be constructed to enclose the portion of the impoundment where CCR …

The Effect Of Closure In Place On Groundwater Performance Objectives, Dennis Connair, Jason Lach, Rachel Bosch

World of Coal Ash Proceedings

The effect of closure in place (CiP) of a coal combustion residual (CCR) surface impoundment on the achievement of groundwater remedial performance objectives is evidenced in groundwater monitoring data. The CCR unit is located over a major alluvial aquifer adjacent to a navigable river. The unit is separated from the aquifer by an unsaturated zone and the compliance monitoring wells are located at the unit boundary. Sluicing of CCR to the unit was ceased in early 2020 with dry placement of CCR from other units and CiP/installation of a composite cap substantially completed by the end of 2020. Groundwater corrective …

Integrated Groundwater Flow And Transport Modeling For Coal Combustion Residual (Ccr) Sites: From Closure Permitting To Corrective Action, Brian Hennings, Pejman Rasouli, Vic Modeer, Rhys Fuller

World of Coal Ash Proceedings

This session describes a coordinated multi-year effort to assess and manage groundwater quality at five CCR impoundments. The objectives were to (i) develop site-specific hydrogeologic and geochemical conceptual models; (ii) quantify groundwater flow and constituent transport under baseline and post-closure conditions; and (iii) design and evaluate corrective action strategies that achieve regulatory compliance and provide a defensible framework for long-term monitoring and management. The program highlights a phased approach aligned with regulatory requirements, progressing from closure construction to corrective action planning for detected exceedances. Comprehensive hydrogeologic datasets including borehole lithology, hydraulic testing, CCR source water characterization, and groundwater monitoring were …

Navigating Regulatory Uncertainty In Ccr Management: A Panel Discussion, Mark Rokoff, Richard Huggins, Martha Thomsen, Roger Clarke

World of Coal Ash Proceedings

The only certainty in CCR management is regulatory uncertainty! As we approach 2026, the industry and “CCR Universe” faces significant challenges and uncertainties due to the proposed EPA rule expected early in the year. This panel discussion will bring together a diverse group of industry experts, including representatives from associations (e.g. EEI), legal professionals, utility representatives, and consultants, to address the hard questions head-on and provide insight to and understanding of the implications of these regulatory changes. Key discussion points will include: • Legal Ramifications and Possible Pathways for 2026: Exploring the potential major pathways considering the proposed regulations and …

Corrective Action Alternative Evaluation For Surface Impoundment Remedy – Two Case Study Examples, Qian Zhang, Andrew Bittner

World of Coal Ash Proceedings

Illinois Administrative Code Part 845 requires owners and operators of coal combustion residual (CCR)-containing impoundments with groundwater protection standard (GWPS) exceedances to perform a Corrective Action Alternatives Analysis (CAAA) to evaluate viable remedies prior to selecting and implementing corrective action. The goal of a CAAA is to holistically evaluate a range of factors for the various corrective actions being considered at an impoundment. This presentation summarizes two CAAAs conducted for surface impoundments (SIs) at two power plants. Each CAAA applied a consistent decision framework that evaluates corrective action options using multiple performance criteria, such as: • Magnitude of Reduction of …

Ensuring Quality Geosynthetics Installations Throughout The Project Lifecycle, Glen Toepfer

World of Coal Ash Proceedings

Geosynthetics serve numerous functions in containment systems used within the Coal Ash Industry and ultimately protect the site owner from liability. A failure in the geosynthetics containment system exposes the owner to liability; therefore, it is imperative that these geosynthetic containment systems be installed correctly to mitigate the risk of failure. Avoiding failure is not just the responsibility of the geosynthetics installer – it is the responsibility of every party involved in the project lifecycle from conception through post-closure. In fact, the success of the field installation is largely determined before the first panel of geomembrane is ever installed. The …

Evaluating And Managing Ccr Variability At An Active Beneficial Use Clean Closure Site, John Garten, Bob Baker, Lee Lenhart

World of Coal Ash Proceedings

The basin is a 132-acre (534,200 square meter) coal combustion residual (CCR) disposal impoundment that has been undergoing closure-by-removal since 2021, with CCRs harvested for use in concrete manufacturing. Excavated CCRs are processed on-site through initial drying and screening before being routed through a thermal beneficiation process. Despite an extensive pre-closure CCR characterization program, pockets of material encountered in 2025 caused significant off-specification issues for the beneficiation feedstock that required immediate corrective action. To address this, a supplemental surveying, sampling, and on-site testing program was implemented to obtain additional grainsize and Loss on Ignition (LOI) data for active and upcoming …

Identifying And Controlling Landfill Construction Impacts To Stormwater Flow Paths, Kory Anstead

World of Coal Ash Proceedings

This presentation will examine the engineering challenges and lessons learned associated with construction impacts and altered stormwater flow paths in the vicinity of a Sediment Pond adjacent to a newly constructed landfill. During construction activities, the sediment basin liner experienced multiple instances of flotation. Early corrective measures were implemented as quick fixes; however, these proved ineffective and ultimately necessitated more comprehensive solutions once the underlying causes were better understood. The presentation will begin with an analysis of the initial liner flotation events, focusing on the conditions that led to the problem, the immediate responses, and the eventual engineered solution. It …

Innovative Analysis Of Groundwater Data For Scalable, Defensible, And Predictive Compliance, Shannon Zahuranec

World of Coal Ash Proceedings

Groundwater monitoring networks at coal combustion residual (CCR) facilities now yield dataset volumes that routinely exceed the capacity of traditional, univariate interpretation. This presentation introduces a scalable multivariate and machine learning (ML) framework that prioritizes understanding data structure before predictive models are applied. The workflow applies Principal Component Analysis and other multivariate statistics to groundwater datasets, to illustrate how unsupervised learning can rapidly reveal dominant sources and controls on impacted and unimpacted groundwater quality. The talk frames multivariate analysis as a practical portfolio management tool, emphasizing inference categories rather than concentrations or site identifiers. Fleet-scale multivariate screening offers strategic advantages …

Riki&Dolphin: Real Time Data Transmission From The Bottom Of A Cave To A Website, Luca Tringali, Giacomo Canciani Dr., Tecla Tripari, Alexander Debenjak, Caterina Bearzotti

International Journal of Speleology

Coming from over 10 years of experience in cave monitoring in northeast Italy, Gruppo Speleologico Talpe del Carso, has designed Riki and Dolphin: customizable, low cost, and easy to assemble tools for getting real time data transmission from the bottom of a cave, even underwater, to a webserver. Their use has been tested to monitor air temperature inside the Abisso Bonetti Cave (Classical Karst, Italy), proving for the first time that a cave in Gorizian Karst can systematically be colder than the outdoor temperature even in winter, recording an internal temperature even lower than 0°C. The Dolphin device can be …

Phytomining Potential Of Native Rocky Mountain Plants, Halle Cogley

Honors Theses

Standard mining practices of the past have left valuable, critical minerals remaining within mine waste and tailings piles. Phytoremediation, or the use of plants to uptake and store heavy metals, has grown in popularity for these sites. A new technology, phytomining, is being developed that not only offers the benefits of phytoremediation but also allows a new pathway to extract and generate revenue from these untouched critical minerals. Certain plants have been identified as hyperaccumulators with the ability to bioaccumulate a high level of certain minerals in their plant tissue. This study explored different species of native plants within the …

Optimization Of Refolding, Purification, And Analytical Characterization Of Proinsulin(F25d) Soluble Antigen Array Immunotherapy, Abigail Richardson

McKelvey School of Engineering Graduate Student Theses & Dissertations

Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) is characterized by autoreactive immune responses to insulin and its precursor, proinsulin. Soluble antigen arrays (SAgAs) displaying the metabolically inactive proinsulin variant, proinsulin(F25D), represent a promising antigen‑specific immunotherapy candidate for T1D. However, the production of these platforms is hindered by substantial practical challenges, including protein aggregation, inefficient refolding, and the lack of sensitive analytical tools to verify quality and dosage. This work establishes an integrated, scalable pipeline for the purification, conjugation, and quantification of a proinsulin(F25D) SAgA. First, we optimized the refolding of recombinant methionine-proinsulin(F25D) (M-PI(F25D)) from inclusion bodies using controlled buffer systems and created a …

Engagement Modeling And Inference For Risk-Aware Path Planning Under Adversarial Uncertainty, Grant Stagg

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation develops methods for planning safe and efficient trajectories for autonomous vehicles operating in environments containing adversarial and environmental threats with uncertain parameters. The central objective is to quantify and control the risk of adverse events--such as interception or detection--when threat characteristics are imperfectly known. To address this challenge, probabilistic weapon engagement zone (PEZ) models are introduced to estimate the likelihood of violating adversarial engagement constraints under uncertainty in pursuer state and capabilities. Multiple computational strategies are developed for PEZ evaluation, including first-order sensitivity-based approximations, Monte Carlo estimation, and neural-network surrogate models. These approaches enable rapid engagement-probability assessment and …

Hybird Vtol Gust Load Alleviation Uav, Ryan Birch, Mouhamadou Diop, Sebastian J. Flores, Alan Alan Rubio-Saavedra

Senior Design Project For Engineers

Here's a 250-word abstract:

Abstract

This paper presents the conceptual and preliminary design of a sub-500g hybrid vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) equipped with an active gust load alleviation (GLA) system. The aircraft combines passive twist wingtip (PTWT) devices with an inertial measurement unit (IMU)-based adaptive feedforward control architecture to reduce peak wing-root bending moments by 30–40% relative to an unmitigated baseline configuration.

The propulsion system employs a twin tilt-rotor plus rear pusher arrangement within an 80g mass budget, enabling clean sensor inflow while supporting both hover and efficient cruise flight at 12–13 m/s. Electronic …

Lunar Manufacturing Systems And The Role Of Additive Recycling Technologies, Camille A. Newman

Honors Theses

Renewed international interest in sustained lunar exploration has created a growing demand for technologies to support long-duration space exploration. Part of the recent Artemis missions and the Moon to Mars initiative is to improve key mission capabilities and fill critical gaps necessary to sustain lunar habitation. Waste management, recycling systems, and manufacturing systems have been identified as critical technologies that need further development before a sustained mission is possible. This thesis explores the feasibility of an additive manufacturing and recycling system designed to process plastic waste generated during extended lunar habitation. Initial research focused on existing manufacturing and recycling technologies …

A Remote Sensing Approach To Identifying Zones Of Instability In Mine Tailings Impoundments Using Multi-Sensor Satellite Data, Arden K. Pierce

Honors Theses

Mine tailings impoundments are structures built to contain the chemical and sedimentary byproducts generated by ore extraction activities. In this common method of mining waste storage, the tailings can be pumped into containment ponds and held behind earthen embankments to prevent the release of hazardous substances into the surrounding environment. Monitoring environmental factors that influence the structural integrity of these impoundments is essential for identifying areas vulnerable to instability and failure. Soil moisture is a factor that can affect the stability of mine tailings impoundment structures. This study evaluates the relationship between satellite-derived soil moisture and surface deformation at mine …

Lunar Manufacturing Systems And The Role Of Additive Recycling Technologies, Camille A. Newman

Honors Theses

Renewed international interest in sustained lunar exploration has created a growing demand for technologies to support long-duration space exploration. Part of the recent Artemis missions and the Moon to Mars initiative is to improve key mission capabilities and fill critical gaps necessary to sustain lunar habitation. Waste management, recycling systems, and manufacturing systems have been identified as critical technologies that need further development before a sustained mission is possible. This thesis explores the feasibility of an additive manufacturing and recycling system designed to process plastic waste generated during extended lunar habitation. Initial research focused on existing manufacturing and recycling technologies …

Integrated Solar And Regenerative Braking System For Off-Grid Charging Of An Electric Motorcycle, Christian Soolany, Dhimas Oki Permata Aji, Sigit Suwarto, Setya Permana Sutisna, Furqon Furqon

Journal of Mechanical Engineering Science and Technology (JMEST)

This study introduces an off-grid charging system developed for a modified 110 cc electric motorcycle. The system incorporates a portable photovoltaic (PV) array and a regenerative braking feature, aimed at improving the motorcycle's energy efficiency. The setup includes a 72 V, 20 Ah lithium-ion battery, a 240 Wp portable PV array, and a 2 kW Brushless DC (BLDC) motor with regenerative braking to enhance the energy available on board. From the experiments, the vehicle demonstrated an average energy consumption of 44.9 Wh/km and achieved a range of about 32 km per charge. The PV system generated between 200 and 270 …

Rf Properties Of Military Radio Enclosures, Ethan Messner

Honors Theses

Ghost radios are used in a MANET setup by the 11th Airborne Division during operations in Alaska, however, the Ghost radios are limited by battery life and extreme cold temperatures. This work investigates the effects of different enclosures on the propagation characteristics of the Ghost radio. A testing setup was created to measure the S-parameters of a 2-port network in an open field to quantify the impact the enclosures will have on antenna gain. A finite element model of the final enclosure design was created in ANSYS HFSS to determine the effectiveness of adding an attachment onto the enclosure to …

Voltage-Sensor–Targeting Modulators Of Iks: Identifying Critical Functional Groups Of C28 Via Electrophysiology And Sar Modeling, Jiacheng Huang

McKelvey School of Engineering Graduate Student Theses & Dissertations

I_Ks (KCNQ1/KCNE1) channels are essential for cardiac repolarization, and their dysfunction contributes to arrhythmogenic disorders such as Long QT Syndrome type 1 (LQT1). Pharmacological activation of I_Ks has therefore emerged as a promising therapeutic strategy. C28, a recently identified voltage-sensor–targeting activator, has been shown to markedly shift KCNQ1/KCNE1 voltage dependence and enhance current amplitude, validating the voltage-sensing domain (VSD) as a druggable site. However, the structural determinants that underlie C28’s activity remain incompletely understood. In this study, we aimed to identify critical functional groups of C28 by screening a structurally diverse set of C28-like analogs and evaluating their …

Interaction-Aware Safe Planning For Human-Robot And Multi-Robot Systems, Haoyi Wang

McKelvey School of Engineering Graduate Student Theses & Dissertations

Robots operating in shared environments must interact safely not only with static obstacles but also with other decision-making agents, including humans and other robots. In such settings, both safety and task completion depend on the ability to reason about interaction. Two major challenges arise. In human-robot interaction, future human behavior depends on latent internal factors, such as attentiveness and behavioral style, that are not directly observable to the robot. In multi-robot systems, decentralized reactive navigation can fail in cluttered environments when reciprocal interactions create deadlocks that prevent progress through narrow passages or bottlenecks. This thesis investigates these two challenges from …

Improving Semantic Precision In Text-To-Image Diffusion Models Via Latent-Space Optimization And Semantically-Parsed Evaluation, Mohammad Rouie Miab

McKelvey School of Engineering Graduate Student Theses & Dissertations

Text-to-image diffusion models can produce visually impressive images from natural-language prompts, but they often fail to satisfy the detailed semantic constraints expressed in compositional prompts. Typical failure modes include omitted objects, merged entities, incorrect quantities, incorrect attribute binding, and leakage of one entity's attributes onto another. This thesis studies the problem of semantic precision in text-to-image generation: how faithfully a generated image satisfies the structured meaning of its prompt.   The thesis makes two linked contributions. First, it presents a training-free inference-time refinement method for diffusion-based image generation. The method operates directly in latent space during denoising and uses noun-phrase-aware cross-attention …