Digital Commons Network^™

An Accurate Digital Instrument To Measure Reactor Period, Ernest Wayne Scott

Masters Theses

"At facilities having a research-training reactor, such as the University of Missouri-Rolla Reactor (UMRR), one finds it necessary to perform a large number of rod calibrations during the course of the year. In practice rod worths are determined by measuring the reactor period created by an incremental withdrawal of the rod under calibration. Period is then related to reactivity thru the use of a publication such as the AEC publication, TID-4500.

This frequent measurement of period makes it desirable to have a simple, automatic and accurate method to make such measurements. At UMRR we have designed, constructed and installed such …

Performance Comparison Of Receivers Designed To Combat Intersymbol Interference Due To Specular Multipath, George H. Smith

Masters Theses

"Bit error probabilities for biphase transmission have been computed for a known two-component multipath channel with a variety of suboptimum receivers. Performance curves are presented for each receiver, and the relative performance is summarized. Degradation due to imperfect channel knowledge is calculated, and the feasibility of countering this interference with these specially designed receivers is discussed"--Abstract, page ii.

Fitting Discrete Probabilistic Frequency Distributions To Disturbed Traffic Flow At An Unsignalized Urban Intersection, Horst Walter Kaminsky

Masters Theses

"Traffic variables, such as volume, speed, gaps and lags, and headways can be described by probability distributions. In this study vehicle arrivals from three directions have been recorded at a four-leg, right-angled, at-grade intersection in Rolla, Missouri, and statistically analyzed. Two distinct probabilistic statistical concepts were used, the continuous (gap) and discrete (counting) distribution. The negative exponential distribution is discussed briefly, whereas the applicability of discrete statistical models for the traffic situation selected is elaborated in detail.

The purpose of this research was to investigate the impairment and distortion that various interferences such as upstream traffic lights, bottlenecks or other …

Experimental Study Of Neutron Reflection From A Cylindrical Surface, Dale Lee Holtzscher

Masters Theses

"The reflection patterns for an elliptical neutron beam impinging upon cylindrical and planar surfaces were measured. The flux intensity as a function of distance from the surface of either planar or cylindrical reflectors decreased monotonously with distance. No "focusing" of the neutron beam appeared in the case of the cylindrical reflectors but the flux did not decrease as rapidly as in the planar case. For the elliptical neutron beam the experimentally determined neutron flux distribution agrees with calculation"--Abstract, page ii.

Computerized Registration For High Schools, Kenneth Lee Fore

Masters Theses

"The guidance personnel in a high school are often burdened with the duty of hand scheduling the student's courses. Using the computer as a sub-optimizing tool in the registration of students, however, can cut scheduling time dramatically and relieve the guidance department of an onerous chore. The technique described in this investigation uses a conflict matrix that schedules the student's request and keeps the class load level within the course sections. A search of the schedule array for each course request may uncover a conflict. If no conflict occurs the course is scheduled and the remaining courses for this student …

Transient Cooling Of A Sphere Due To Boiling, Salil K. Banerjee

Masters Theses

"The time - dependent surface temperature is determined for a sphere subjected to cooling by boiling. One dimensional heat transfer is considered and the solid is assumed to be homogeneous, isotropic and opaque to thermal radiation and to have temperature independent physical properties. The initial temperature of the sphere and the coolant are assumed to be uniform and arbitrary. The boiling heat transfer coefficient at the surface of a sphere is a strong function of the surface temperature thus resulting in an extremely nonlinear transient heat conduction problem. As a practical application of the problem, the process of quenching has …

Development Of A Sampling System And Characterization Of Stormwater Runoff From A Small Urban Area, William Clark Ford

Masters Theses

"Increasing urbanization and the demand for high quality water have directed attention to the problem of combined sewer overflows, while recent research has demonstrated that stormwater alone, without the influence of sanitary sewage, carries a significant pollutional load. The purpose of this investigation was to determine the quality and pollutional contribution of stormwater runoff from a small urban area, with specific emphasis on the development of a suitable sampling and flow recording system, the characterization of runoff and the correlation of runoff quality with local environmental factors and storm characteristics. The system developed consisted of an automatic sampler capable of …

Force Analysis Of Involute Spur Gears, Janakkumar Girjashanker Dave

Masters Theses

"This study is devoted to the fundamental action which occurs between spur gears with involute tooth profiles when power is transmitted at a constant angular velocity ratio. Various aspects of the interaction between two mating teeth are considered. Analytic expressions for the variation of the force transmitted between two teeth are derived. Two cases are considered which include and exclude the effects of sliding friction between the teeth. The parametric equations of the involute curves for two mating teeth are derived in terms of body-fixed coordinates. Analytical expressions for Hertz compressive stresses in the teeth were also obtained. The same …

Concentration By Sorting : Feasibility Determination By Radial Distribution Analysis, Robert M. Doerr

Masters Theses

"A method was developed for determining certain factors for assessing the feasibility of sorting fragments of an inhomogeneous solid to concentrate a species. These factors are the typical size of zones in which the grade exceeds a selected value, and the recovery potentially achievable by sorting fragments of such size"--Abstract, page iii.

A Study Of Plane Wave Filter Analysis With Flow, Thomas Valle Huber

Masters Theses

"The purpose of this investigation is to determine the effect of slow steady flow on the reflection and transmission characteristics of acoustic filters.

A standing wave tube and transmission tube apparatus, designed and built by a previous investigator, was modified to accept slow steady flow. Reflection characteristics were determined from measurements made on the inlet side of the filters investigated. These data along with measurements taken with the transmission tube apparatus were used to determine transmission characteristics. The calculations were simplified by terminating the filters anechoically. The filters used in this investigation were an expansion chamber, an automobile type muffler …

Digital Registration Of Stereo Images Using The Fast Fourier Transform, Victor Francis Wilreker Jr.

Masters Theses

"The exact alignment of multispectral imagery is a requirement of any image classification system. This investigation develops a system of programs which result in a technique that corrects for the translational and rotational misalignment of two images. Rotational and translational components are determined by using the fast Fourier transform to find the points of maximum correlation between the two images. The registration of two equal but misaligned boxes is given as an example of how the transform technique is used in correlating the images. The results of registering two digitized images that were obtained by scanning a pair of color …

Laboratory Studies Using Diffused Oxygen And Air For Hypolimnion Reaeration, Chin-Ming Pai

Masters Theses

"The purposes of this research were to study the oxygen transfer rates and the oxygen transfer efficiencies of different types of aerators using different sources of oxygen in different types of water bodies, and to evaluate the number of diffusers required to be installed in a selected lake for hypolimnion aeration.

The experiments were conducted using a specially designed column. Four types of aerators, including a cylindrical stone diffuser, a spherical stone diffuser, and 2 ceramic diffusers (types A and B) which differed in pore size, were utilized as the aerators. The water bodies selected for the studies were Rolla …

Computer-Aided Circuit Optimization Including The Adjoint Method Of Calculating Network Sensitivities, John Walter Olson

Masters Theses

"A complete discuss ion of the optimization of a circuit, including modeling and programming difficulties encountered, is presented. A three transistor bandpass filter is used in order to study various methods of optimization. The adjoint method of calculating the network error gradient vector is compared to the perturbation method. The adjoint method proves to have decided advantages over the other method. A generalized computer program is presented to carry out the Fletcher-Powell optimization algorithm with specialized subroutines which include a network equation solver and both methods of finding the gradient vector. The program proved very effective in realizing a desired …

A Study Of Fmfb Demodulator Operation In The Presence Of Radio Frequency Interference And Gaussian Noise, Terry D. Wormington

Masters Theses

"A digital computer model of an FMFB demodulator has been used to study the effects of radio frequency interference on the detection of a sinusoidally modulated carrier. The effectiveness of selecting the feedback factor to suppress the interference for three values of modulation index is investigated. Also, the required IF bandwidth for the minimization of the mean-square error of the loop output between a signal corrupted by interference and the same signal without interference was investigated. More work is required before the effects of Gaussian noise plus interference on loop operation can be ascertained"--Abstract, page ii.

Sensitivity Analysis In Active Rc Bandpass Circuits, Robert Bentzinger

Masters Theses

"This thesis is concerned with the analysis and cataloguing of sensitivity functions of some selected active RC bandpass networks. The sensitivity functions of primary interest are the sensitivities of the quantities ω_o and Q with respect to changes in the element values of each circuit.

An introduction is provided to give background information on how each circuit is realized. Each circuit is then analyzed and the pertinent sensitivity functions catalogued. Some comments are made as to the approximations which are involved in several of the realizations and the validity of any sensitivity analysis made on these approximate realizations. The …

Thermal Stresses And Movements In Bridges, Joseph Charles Reynolds

Masters Theses

"A state of the art regarding the thermal behavior of bridges and considerations to be given to the resultant thermal effects is presented. The results of studies related to the thermal effects on bridges are reviewed. Studies attempting to relate environmental factors to bridge temperatures, and subsequently to bridge movements and stresses, indicate that the task is extremely complex. Some correlation has been made between equations predicting bridge temperatures and movements based on weather bureau records. However, further research is needed to evaluate the effects of factors other than temperature, such as creep, shrinkage, and humidity on bridge movements and …

Phase Transformations In The System Zro₂-Cao, Damri Sukhotanang

Masters Theses

"Thermal expansion, thermal hysteresis, and the monoclinic tetragonal phase transformation of ZrO₂ have been studied with high temperature x-ray diffractometry. The initial transformation temperature in pure ZrO₂, on heating, is about 1150ºC. The transformation occurs over a 100ºC temperature range and thermal hysteresis occurs on heating and cooling. The mechanism of the transformation is related to preferred vibrational modes of atoms on the A_O -C_O plane of the monoclinic structure. Because the monoclinic B_O axis is parallel with the tetragonal [110] axis, structural relationships can be seen to be a controlling factor in the transformation. Initiation of …

A Comparison Of Liapunov Functions Used To Determine Power System Stability For Multimachine Power Systems, Kiritkumar S. Shah

Masters Theses

"Four Liapunov functions used in stability studies are compared for accuracy on an eight machine power system. This comparison is made to determine which function is best in multimachine stability applications. Morgan's Estimating Technique is used to estimate when the Liapunov function would exceed its maximum value and thus to predict the critical switching time for the system"--Abstract, page ii.

The Steady-State Response Of A Fluid-Filled Beam Near Resonance, Niranjan Jayantibhai Patel

Masters Theses

"In this report the steady-state near-resonant vibration of a hollow fluid-filled beam is considered. The energy dissipation caused by the beam-fluid interaction is approximated by introducing a viscous damping force into the Bernoulli-Euler beam equation. A theoretical expression is developed for the displacement of the hollow beam by solving this modified Bernoulli-Euler beam equation. Tests are made using a cantilevered fluid-filled box to simulate a unit of beam-fluid length. The band-width technique is used to determine the incremental viscous damping coefficient from test data. A variety of fluids are used in the box to determine the effect of the fluid …

The Analysis Of An Axially Symmetric Submerged Membrane Shell, Walter Earl Wehmeyer

Masters Theses

"The general theory of large elastic deformations is applied to the problem of a liquid-filled, axisymmetric membrane which is supported on a rigid horizontal plane and subjected to a variable external pressure. The variable external pressure is caused by submerging the membrane to various depths. The variation of the hydrostatic pressure in the inflating medium as well as in the surrounding environment is considered. By assuming large meridional deformations the stress field and the deformed shapes of a submerged membrane made of a neo-Hookean material are obtained. The effect of the initial shape on the deformed configuration of the membrane …

Application Of Transmission Matrices To Describe Transverse Vibrations Of Non-Uniform Bernoulli-Euler Beams, Dean Irle Parker

Masters Theses

"This report investigates the application of transmission Matrices to determine natural frequencies of non-uniform Bernoulli-Euler beams. The classes of non-uniform beams considered includes: truncated wedges, truncated cones, and truncated rectangular pyramids. Two transmission matrices were derived from solutions to the Bernoulli-Euler equation. One was an exact closed form solution which was applicable for the above classes of beams excluding uniform and nearly uniform beams. The second solution was an approximate one limited to the use for nearly uniform beams, but which does give the correct solution to the uniform beam in the limiting case. The transmission matrix has two advantages: …

The Analog Simulation Of Heat Transfer Devices For The Smoothing Of A Fluctuating Fluid Temperature, Le Thai Son

Masters Theses

"Equations are written to describe a heat exchanger with electrical energy input and also a large tank system which can have electrical energy input. The output temperatures were sampled and fedback to define the energy input to the two systems. These systems were simulated on an analog computer and the ability of the two systems to smooth a fluctuating temperature input was tested. The testing of the systems included trying different types of controllers in the control system as well as different size tanks for the tank system. A satisfactory smoothing of the output temperature was demonstrated after some modifications"--Abstract, …

Analysis Of A Substitute For The Impact Damper To Damp Near-Resonant Mechanical Vibrations, Nguyen Khanh Van

Masters Theses

"This report investigates a substitute for the impact damper which, although highly effective in reducing vibration amplitudes of near-resonant mechanical systems, in operation causes often unacceptable intensive noise. The present damper consists of a piston free to move in a cylinder, at either end of which is a ball valve set to open at a preset pressure, and in the middle along its length an intake port. An approximate analytical study is made to determine the conditions for the existence of "noiseless periodic operation" of the damper, periodic operation without the occurence of impacts. This approach is based on the …

Gas-To-Particle Conversions Of So₂-No₂-H₂O-Air Gas Mixtures Under Specific Uv Irradiation, James Leonard Fowler

Masters Theses

"In these series of experiments, mixtures of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide were irradiated in an absorption cell with monochromatic radiation found in the tropospheric region of the atmosphere. The irradiated mixtures were then introduced into a Wilson type cloud chamber to investigate the effects of these specific wavelength induced gas to particle conversions on nucleation. Results showed that sulfur dioxide could not be the sole agent for the formation of condensation nuclei. A mixture of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide irradiated at 3660 angstroms produced copious droplet formation identifying nitrogen dioxide as an integral reactant in nuclei production"--Abstract, page …

Design Of A Torsional Vibration Machine, Prafulchandra Pragjibhai Desai

Masters Theses

"In this thesis the design of the major components of a torsional vibration machine is presented. The machine is a torsional vibration actuator which will deliver a mean output angular velocity with a superimposed harmonic component. This type of motion can be used to study the torsional vibration characteristics of models representing crankshafts, gear trains, torsional dampers, and other systems. The primary machine elements of the actuator are a power source, flywheel, and a Hooke's joint. The power source consists of a D.C. shunt motor and a drive transmission using 3 V-belts. Through the use of a Hooke's joint, approximate …

The Effects Of Intense Sound Levels And Steady Flow On The Propagation Of Plane-Waves In Air, Wuu Hao

Masters Theses

"This thesis is a theoretical investigation of the effects of intense sound levels and steady flow on the propagation of plane-waves in tubes of constant diameter. The analysis is limited to a study of the change of wave profile due to the intense sound levels, and steady flow. However, corrections for effects of viscous and heat conduction losses at tube walls are also presented. To simplify the analysis, the problem is treated by considering the steady flow and finite-amplitude-sound wave effects separately. For finite-amplitude sound only, two approaches are evaluated. The first uses small perturbations to derive a finite-amplitude wave …

A Comparison Of Analytical And Experimental Approaches In Determining The Thermoelastic Stresses Around A Cylindrical Inclusion Of Elliptical Cross-Section, Kenneth Byron Oster

Masters Theses

"Three approaches are used to determine the principal stress differences in an infinite elastic medium containing a cylindrical inclusion of elliptic cross-section due to a uniform temperature change. First, the two-dimensional equations of thermoelasticity are solved resulting in equations for the stress components anywhere in the medium material. Second, boundary displacements based on stress-strain relations are used as input displacements in a finite element program of the medium. Third, these same boundary displacements are used as input displacements on a photoelastic model simulating the medium. The problem is treated as one of plane strain in the first approach and one …

The Electric Field Strength Dependence Of Neutron-Induced Defects In Silicon P-N Junctions, Paul Edward Johnson

Masters Theses

"The effect of high electric field strengths (10⁴ to 10⁵ V/cm) present during neutron radiation on the neutron-induced defects is determined by utilizing the high electric field strength inherent in the emitter-base transistion region of an n-p-n transistor. A method is presented for the separation of neutron and gamma effects. Previous theoretical work on the ratio of base current increase to collector current decrease is applied to experimental data. The variations of the space-charge region volume damage introduction rate with neutron fluence and the average electric field strength are determined experimentally in order to obtain a measure of this effect. …

Wind Tunnel Modeling Of The Atmospheric Boundary Layer, Sreemanth Pagadala

Masters Theses

"The importance of simulating atmospheric flows in wind tunnels has been well established. Experiments were conducted in the Modified Aerodynamic Wind Tunnel to determine the suitability of this wind tunnel for simulating atmospheric flows and the degree to which various aspects of modeling could be fulfilled. A temperature profile to simulate the inversion aloft was generated inside the test section, and then an appropriate velocity profile was built in by means of screen mesh arrangements. The turbulence characteristics of the flow were measured. The validity of the temperature, velocity and turbulence fields were examined. It was found that while the …

A Study Of Some Complexometric Titrations In Nonaqueous Solvents, Ngo The Hung

Masters Theses

"Complexometric titrations of calcium, zinc and lead with polyaminocarboxylic acids: ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA), 1,2-diaminocyclohexanetetraacetic acid (DCTA), ethyleneglycol-bis(2-aminoethylether)tetraacetic acid (EGTA) and tetraethylenepentamine (tetren) have been investigated and compared in the following organic solvents: methanol, dimethyl formamide, dimethyl sulfoxide and methyl ethyl ketone. Various end point detection methods have been used: direct visual titration with metallochromic indicators and instrumental detection by photometry, potentiometry (mercury electrode and lead ion selective electrode) and amperometry. Calcium, zinc and lead can be determined up to trace levels (ppm) under specific conditions. A concrete application of this thesis is the determination of zinc or calcium in a …