Digital Commons Network^™

Steady State And Transient Analysis Of Thermoelectric Devices Using Finite Element Method, Gurjinder Singh

Theses

Thermoelectric devices offer noiseless and environment friendly operation, which makes them the most suitable devices of the future in their category. However, the performance of these devices is still way below its competitor thermal and electrical systems. The major factor that decides the performance of these devices is the thermoelectric material. Although the use of Silicon as a thermoelectric material greatly improved the performance of new thermoelectric devices over the metal based thermoelectric devices, it is still not close to the performance level of heat engines or refrigerators. With a limit on the material properties, these devices must be optimized …

Analysis Of Space Employee Risk Acceptance, Aliya Bostubayeva

Theses

In the summer of 2002, eighty-one students, faculty and staff of RIT took a survey that was aimed at determining the possible employees expectations about the risk compensation if hired to work in space. Every mission in space entails a certain degree of health damage; the length of stay is directly related with more risk involved. The survey results help understand rough estimations of risk acceptance of the future space labor force (cosmonauts and astronauts not included). Three sets of questions described the consequences of space missions (short, month-long and long), where the extent of health damage is directly dependent …

A Problem-Based Learning Approach To Continuing Professional Education For Pre-School Officers In The Early Childhood Care And Education Sector In Ireland: Rationale And Curriculum Design, Maresa Duignan

Theses

This study explores the potential of Problem-Based-Learning (PBL) as a teaching and learning strategy and curriculum design, in a continuing professional education course for a group of Pre-School Officers in the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) sector in Ireland. A rationale for the adoption of PBL is presented. This rationale is based on the symmetry between PBL as a teaching and learning strategy and the professional practice model of the ECCE sector in Ireland. It is also grounded in the correspondence between established criteria for effective continuing professional education and PBL theory and practice.

A qualitative research design is …

Natural Radioactivity Of Uae Coastal Areas, Yaqoub Abdalla Mohamed Al-Ali

Theses

Many materials that are usually found in the earth's crust contain small but measurable amount of naturally occurring radioactivity.

In the present study, the natural radioactivity due to the presence of ²³⁸U, ²³²Th and ⁴⁰K in beach sand along the UAE costal line has been measured. The measurements were performed using gamma-ray spectrometry with a high-purity Germanium (HPGe) detector connected to a multi-channel analyzer.

Chapter 1 includes an introduction about natural radioactivity, gamma ray spectrometry, types of detectors employed and analysis of gamma ray spectra. A literature review of the related work is also included at the …

Solid-Phase Combinatorial Synthesis: Wittig Reaction For C=C Formation In Tamoxifen Derivatives, David Yu-Chung Lee

Theses

Tamoxifen has a backbone structure of triphenylethylene and is a drug that has been used for over 20 years to treat patients with breast cancer. It has been discussed in the literature that the C=C formation would be the desired synthetic approach because of its flexibility in the introduction of suitable functional groups using readily available reagents. Solid-phase combinatorial approach is adopted for the purpose of product diversity and simplicity in product analysis. This research focused on optimization of each reaction step in the Wittig mechanism to overcome low yield caused by employing solid-state chemistry and the steric hindrance of …

Experimental Study Of Heat Transfer From A Moving And Evaporating Meniscus On A Heated Surface, Wai Keat Kuan

Theses

A stable meniscus is formed between a needle dispensing water over a heated circular face of a rotating copper block. The needle is offset from the axis of rotation and thus forms a moving meniscus. The water flow rate, heater surface temperature and the speed of rotation are controlled to provide a stable meniscus with complete evaporation of water without any meniscus break-up. The experimental heat transfer rate is compared with the transient heat conduction model. The results indicate that the transient heat conduction plays a major role in the heat transfer process from a moving meniscus. The study provides …

The Natural Center, Brian Frus

Theses

Not Included

Thermal Optimization Of A Polyimide V-Groove Actuator For A Walking Micro-Robot, Ritesh Arun Khire

Theses

The objective of this thesis was to develop a Finite Element Model for the Polyimide V-groove actuator (fabricated by T. Ebefors, Sweden). Extensive FEM simulations for this MEMS actuator were performed using ANSYS 5.6. An optimization module was used to improve the performance of the existing design. A substantial improvement in the performance was observed for the proposed design. In short, this research established a methodology that can be extended for modeling and simulation of other MEMS devices. A computer simulated FEM model for heat and deflection analysis was validated for two configurations of the Polyimide V-groove Actuator (i.e. a …

Method Development Through Statistical Design For The Dependence Of Viscosity For Solutions Of Carboxymethylcellulose On Temperature, Concentration, And Dilution., Maryann E. Keene

Theses

Statistical method development is useful when expense, quantity of material, or time is limited, as experiment numbers are significantly reduced. The purpose of this study was to create a statistical model that explains the relationship between viscosity, temperature, concentration, and dilution due to bodily fluids in a pharmaceutical context of carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) solutions. The Graeco-Latin square design was employed to chose data points and Minitab® statistical software was used for data analysis. It was found in this model that concentration and dilution have the greatest effect on viscosity, while temperature has a lesser effect. It was also found that there …

A Multi-User Network Game For Learning English, Moon Jung Kim

Theses

As the era changed, education programs have developed tremendously and there are more people who seek for a new way to study easier. A game is one way to learn new skills; Network games especially can be used most effectively to support the goal of education. I believe that people can gain more knowledge through competitive games than memorizing by them selves. Some might think network games are not needed because there is no need for other people when you can compete with a computer, but There are limitations using just a computer and people feel more competitive when they …

The Assessment Of Language Delays In Preschoolers With The Differential Abilities Scales, Tracey Walenta

Theses

Language-delayed preschoolers are a heterogeneous population with diverse language skills and needs. Research has demonstrated the need for more psychometrically sound assessment instruments to accurately identify preschoolers with language delays and their specific subtypes in the general preschool population. Research has also demonstrated the Differential Ability Scales to be an effective and psychometrically sound assessment measure for differentiating among preschoolers across a broad range of skills and abilities. The purpose of this study was to examine the utility of the Differential Ability Scales in distinguishing language-delayed preschoolers and specific subtypes of language delays in the general preschool population. It was …

Effect On Participation In High School Extracurricular Activities On Grade Point Average, Nancy J. Aberasturi

Theses

Historically, studies have debated the relationship between student grade point average and student involvement in extracurricular activities. The present study investigated that relationship. A group of 47 high school sophomores and juniors voluntarily completed and returned a questionnaire designed by the researcher, which gathered data on involvement in all-inclusive extracurricular activities, plans for attending a college or university, gender, age, and date of birth. The sample included 22 females, 24 males, and I subject who did not indicate gender. Cumulative grade point average was determined by student records. A correlation analysis indicated that a significant, positive relationship existed between grade …

Virtual Electro-Photographic Printer Model, Sunadi Gunawan

Theses

A halftone image in the computer is a bitmap matrix that contains either 0 or 1 , where 0 means the printer will not deposit any toner onto a paper and 1 means the printer will deposit some amount of toner onto a paper. The amount of toner that is put by the printer onto a paper for a given input signal pattern is characterized. The hypothesis was that the distribution of toner mass on the paper for a given input matrix pattern can be modeled with a toner point spread function, a toner transfer efficiency function, and a noise …

Assessment Of Groundwater Resources In Selected Areas Of Al Ain In The U.A.E., Fatma Abdullatif Al Shahi

Theses

The sustainable development of any region depends on the availability of water resources. In arid and semi-arid regions, the shortage in freshwater resources constitutes the major constraint against the expansion in agricultural and industrial activities. Therefore, every possible effort should be made to assess, develop and sustain the limited freshwater water resource in such regions.

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is located in an arid region, where the climate is harsh and the renewable freshwater resources are very limited. Despite the severe shortage in water resources, water is misused and sometimes wasted. The per capita daily consumption in the UAE …

Response Surface Methodology Of Die-Sink-Electro-Discharge Machined Surfaces, Bhairav Mehta

Theses

The performance of most manufacturing processes depends on numerous parameters and their interactions. Most of the time, selection of an appropriate set of machining parameters is done based on experience, trial and error or both. Electro-discharge machining (EDM) process is complicated and random in nature. The large number of parameters and the inherent complexity of removal mechanism taking place in EDM make it even more difficult to select machining conditions for optimal performance. The objective of this study is to provide information on the relationships between the key input variables and resultant surface roughness and to develop a response model …

An Investigation Of Trace Cache Organizations For Superscalar Processors, Edward Mulrane Jr

Theses

Techniques such as out-of-order issue and speculative execution aggressively exploit instruction level parallelism in modem superscalar processor architectures. The front end of such pipelined machines is concerned with providing a stream of schedulable instructions at a bandwidth that meets or exceeds the rate of instructions being issued and executed. As superscalar machines become increasingly wide, it is inevitable that the large set of instructions to be fetched every cycle will span multiple noncontiguous basic blocks. The mechanism to fetch, align, and pass this set of instructions down the pipeline must do so as efficiendy as possible, occupying a minimal number …

Single Wall Carbon Nanotube-Nafion Composite Actuators, Brian Landi

Theses

Single wall carbon nanotube (SWNT)-Nafion composite actuators have been demonstrated for 0.1 - 18 %, w/w doping of purified SWNTs within the polymer matrix. The high purity SWNTs, >95%w/w, were prepared using thermal oxidation and acid treatments for both in-house synthesized pulse laser vaporization SWNTs and commercially obtained HiPco material. Characterization of the purified SWNTs was performed using thermogravimetric analysis, scanning electron microscopy, optical absorption and Raman spectroscopy. Homogeneous dispersions of SWNTs in a Nation polymer series were demonstrated using a combination of homogenization and high speed mixing techniques. Evaluation of SWNT-Nafion composites showed a "debundling" of the SWNT average …

Heat Transfer, Pressure Drop, And Dissolved Gas Effect During Flow Boiling In Microchannels, Mark Steinke

Theses

Microchannels are being considered in many advanced heat transfer applications, including automotive, fuel cells, and electronics cooling. However, there are a number of fundamental issues still unresolved with respect to heat transfer and fluid mechanics perspective. An experimental investigation of the heat transfer, pressure drop, and flow patterns during flow boiling in microchannels is performed. Six parallel microchannels with a mean hydraulic diameter of 207 micron are manufactured and tested. Flow patterns have been observed in the channels under diabatic conditions. Observations suggest that the conventional flow patterns also occur in microchannels, however, the Reynolds number range is significantly lower …

Aisimam - An Artificial Immune System Based Intelligent Multiangent Model, Srividhya Sathyanath

Theses

The goal of this thesis is to develop a biological model for multiagent systems. This thesis explores artificial immune systems, a novel evolutionary paradigm based on the immunological principles. Artificial Immune systems (AIS) are found to be powerful to solve complex computational tasks. The main focus of the thesis is to develop a generic mathematical model that uses the principles of the human immune system in multiagent systems (MAS). The components and properties of the human immune system are studied. On understanding the concepts of A/5, a literature survey of multiagent systems is performed to understand and compare the multiagent …

Absent, Shu-Jin Huang

Theses

Inspired by the Romantic Movement, many artists have studied 'selfexploration' as I am doing now. Being uprooted from home and moving to a completely different culture can really influence a person. I am lucky to be exposed to a different culture and this leads me to examine myself in a different light. Who am I really and what makes me unique? In this thesis, I explore the concept of my work, 'Absent', its development, characteristics and the themes of the movements which influenced me.

A New Electronic Image Array: The Active Pixel Charge Injection Device, George Lungu

Theses

This is a Ph.D. thesis dissertation in which a new type of image sensor is investigated as possible successor to the charge coupled device (CCD) for scientific applications. As a result of the work described in this dissertation, the active pixel charge injection device (AP-CID) has been developed. This device retains most of the positive features of both the charge injection device (CJD) imager (random readout, non destructive readout, antiblooming, increased UV sensitivity, radiation tolerance, low power consumption, low manufacturing price) and the CCD imager (low noise, high dynamic range). The device lacks most of the drawbacks of the aforementioned …

Eye Tracking Observers During Color Image Evaluation Tasks, Jason Babcock

Theses

This thesis investigated eye movement behavior of subjects during image-quality evaluation and chromatic adaptation tasks. Specifically, the objectives focused on learning where people center their attention during color preference judgments, examining the differences between paired comparison, rank order, and graphical rating tasks, and determining what strategies are adopted when selecting or adjusting achromatic regions on a soft-copy display. In judging the most preferred image, measures of fixation duration showed that observers spend about 4 seconds per image in the rank order task, 1.8 seconds per image in the paired comparison task, and 3.5 seconds per image in the graphical rating …

5 Photographs, Jim Johnson

Theses

None provided.

Variable Bit Rate Video Time-Series And Scene Modeling Using Discrete-Time Statistically Self-Similar Systems, Rajesh Narasimha

Theses

This thesis investigates the application of discrete-time statistically self-similar (DTSS) systems to modeling of variable bit rate (VBR) video traffic data. The work is motivated by the fact that while VBR video has been characterized as self-similar by various researchers, models based on self-similarity considerations have not been previously studied. Given the relationship between self-similarity and long-range dependence the potential for using DTSS model in applications involving modeling of VBR MPEG video traffic data is presented. This thesis initially explores the characteristic properties of the model and then establishes relationships between the discrete-time self-similar model and fractional order transfer function …

Text And Image, David Reed

Theses

The purpose of this thesis is to create images that juxtapose forms of the English language, with both related and non-related imagery, to create the illusion of realistic situations. My images will be expressed through computer-imaging processes, and non-toxic printmaking techniques, and will include the printing procedures and the problems associated with it. I will discuss not only the similarities and differences of artists who have influenced my work, but also my source material. The latter having been derived from observing and recording various uses of the English language, both as humor or social comment, and in the form of …

The Evolution Of The Long Term Performance Of Fiber Reinforced Composites Materials Based On Vinyl Easter Resin, Nasser Abdullah Ali-Al Ghailani

Theses

Fiber reinforced polymer (plastic) FRP composites are different from traditional

structural materials such as steel or aluminum since the an-isotropic nature of a Fiber _ reinforced composite material creates a unique opportunity of tailoring its properties according to the design requirements. With the accelerated change in the technological sphere, FRP composite materials

have taken a paramount importance in various structural applications, where they successfully replaced conventional materials such as steel. Such success is based on the advantages offered by composite materials such as a high strength to weight ratio. However one aspect that is still delaying full acceptance of these …

Between The Ankle And The Soul, Christine Carlson

Theses

None provided.

Dimensional Study Of Desaminotyrosyl Polyarylates, Kalsank Vaishali Pai

Theses

Synthetic polymers have found widespread usage and acceptance in various areas of the medical device industry. The recognition that no polymeric biornaterials are truly biocompatible has led to the search for bioerodible materials with desirable biological and physical properties for use as tissue engineering scaffolds and to enable in-vivo devices. Several methodologies have been tried and tested to invent the "ideal" biopolymer. The ideal polymeric biomaterial would be one that offers a favorable response at both the cellular and the systemic level with minimum alteration to its mechanical properties and chemistry. The systematic investigation of process-structure-property space to determine the …

Formation & Characterization Of P/N Shallow Junctions In Sub-Micron Mosfets, Samrat G. Chawda

Theses

The formation of shallow junctions in the source and drain regions is a major challenge to the continued success of scaling of complementary metal oxide semiconductors (CMOS) circuits. The formation of these device structures requires low-energy ion implantation and rapid thermal annealing (RTA). One of the processes which has been shown to be advantageous is spike annealing, with fast ramping and short dwell time at maximum temperature. This work is a study of the effects of implant energy, implant dose and annealing cycles on the reverse-bias leakage current in the diode junction. The reversebias leakage is the study of junction …

On Chip Implement Of Deadlock Avoidance In Wormhole Networks, Kiran K. Gururaj

Theses

This thesis gives a detailed description of the Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC) design to avoid deadlocks in Wormhole Networks. Deadlock avoidance is the most critical issue while considering wormhole networks and should be avoided by any routing protocol and algorithm. A novel architecture for the Turn Prohibition Based Routing (TPBR) protocol has been proved to be efficient and was developed as a part of this work. This architecture for implementing the algorithm is divided into three parts. The first part determines the order of selccuon of the nodes, in the network to run the algorithm. The second part deals …