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2011

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Cloth Simulation Using Hardware Tessellation, David Huynh Jan 2011

Cloth Simulation Using Hardware Tessellation, David Huynh

Theses

Cloth simulation has long been a topic of interest in computer graphics since the early works of Terzopoulos et al. Over the years many techniques have been developed to simulate cloth. Though the general concern has been on the physical accuracy of the simulation. As the simulation gets closer to computational sciences the complexity also increases which at times may come at the cost of real-time performance. With newer and more powerful graphics hardware coming out each year, researchers are starting to shy away from the traditional CPU implementation and turning towards the GPU to offload work. As the parallel …

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Radar-Rainfall Estimation Algorithms Of Hydro-Nexrad, Bong Chul Seo, Witold F. Krajewski, Anton Kruger, Piotr Domaszczynski, James A. Smith, Matthias Steiner Jan 2011

Radar-Rainfall Estimation Algorithms Of Hydro-Nexrad, Bong Chul Seo, Witold F. Krajewski, Anton Kruger, Piotr Domaszczynski, James A. Smith, Matthias Steiner

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Hydro-NEXRAD is a prototype software system that provides hydrology and water resource communities with ready access to the vast data archives of the U.S. weather radar network known as NEXRAD (Next Generation Weather Radar). This paper describes radar-rainfall estimation algorithms and their modular components used in the Hydro-NEXRAD system to generate rainfall products to be delivered to users. A variety of customized modules implemented in Hydro-NEXRAD perform radar-reflectivity data processing, produce radar-rainfall maps with user-requested space and time resolution, and combine multiple radar data for basins covered by multiple radars. System users can select rainfall estimation algorithms that range from …

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Choosing Judges In Brazil: Reassessing Legal Transplants From The United States, Maria Angela De Santa Cruz Oliveira Jardim, Nuno Garoupa Jan 2011

Choosing Judges In Brazil: Reassessing Legal Transplants From The United States, Maria Angela De Santa Cruz Oliveira Jardim, Nuno Garoupa

Faculty Scholarship

This Paper compares the Brazilian with the United States general procedures of judicial selection at the state and federal levels. The most significant difference between the two approaches is that in Brazil the selection at the lower level is entirely administered by the judiciary, while in the United States, judges are either approved by the executive or elected by popular vote. At the Supreme Court level, however, the Brazilian Constitution uses the same mechanism that is used in the United States, namely presidential nomination and Senate confirmation. This Article contends that the constitutional transplant of the U.S. model of judicial …

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Mitigating The Risk Of Social Engineering Attacks, Matthew Spinapolice Jan 2011

Mitigating The Risk Of Social Engineering Attacks, Matthew Spinapolice

Theses

The topic of social engineering is only covered briefly in today's system administration and security coursework. This lack of coverage leaves many Administrators ill-equipped to administer the users of a computer network. In addition to their technical training, administrators need to comprehend the potential severity and likelihood of social engineering attacks. Teaching administrators only to minimize the risk of hacking attempts or computer virus infections does not fully equip them with the knowledge needed to defend their networks. To ensure the safety of their network from social engineering attacks, administrators need to be able to answer three primary questions: * …

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In The Name Of Watergate: Returning Ferpa To Its Original Design, Mary Margaret Penrose Jan 2011

In The Name Of Watergate: Returning Ferpa To Its Original Design, Mary Margaret Penrose

Faculty Scholarship

This article seeks to proffer an improved definition for “education records” without altering the legislation's original design. Part I provides a historical account of Watergate's climate to illustrate why privacy rights blossomed during the 1970s and provided an atmosphere conducive to the passage of FERPA. Part II details FERPA's legislative history. Part III presents the statute's current definition of “education records” and evaluates how courts interpret FERPA. Part IV suggests a modernized definition that considers the computerization of education and, correspondingly, education records. The section begins with a comparison of FERPA and the Privacy Act of 1974. Thereafter, it exposes …

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Localization Of Free-Spanning Damage Using Mode Shape Curvature, Guirong Yan, Xuelin Peng, Hong Hao Jan 2011

Localization Of Free-Spanning Damage Using Mode Shape Curvature, Guirong Yan, Xuelin Peng, Hong Hao

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

This Study Proposes a Damage Indicator based on Mode Shape Curvature to Localize Free-Spanning Damage of Submarine Pipeline Systems. the Feasibility of Curvatures of Low-Frequency Mode Shapes for Localizing Free-Spanning Damage of Pipeline Systems is Discussed, and Damage Indicators based on Mode Shape Curvatures Are Proposed. the Efficacy of the Proposed Damage Indicators is Demonstrated by Numerical Simulations of Dynamic Responses of a Submarine Pipeline under Ambient Conditions with Considering the Real Subsea Environment. the Proposed Approach is Simple, Which Does Not Require Baseline Data, and Thus is Promising in Practical Applications. © 2011 Published under Licence by IOP Publishing …

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Moving Micronutrients From The Soil To The Seeds: Genes And Physiological Processes From A Biofortification Perspective, Brian M. Waters, Renuka P. Sankaran Jan 2011

Moving Micronutrients From The Soil To The Seeds: Genes And Physiological Processes From A Biofortification Perspective, Brian M. Waters, Renuka P. Sankaran

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

The micronutrients iron (Fe), zinc (Zn), and copper (Cu) are essential for plants and the humans and animals that consume plants. Increasing the micronutrient density of staple crops, or biofortification, will greatly improve human nutrition on a global scale. This review discusses the processes and genes needed to translocate micronutrients through the plant to the developing seeds, and potential strategies for developing biofortified crops.

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Robustness Analysis Of Slow Learning In Iterative Learning Control Systems, John R. Singler, Douglas A. Bristow Jan 2011

Robustness Analysis Of Slow Learning In Iterative Learning Control Systems, John R. Singler, Douglas A. Bristow

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

This paper examines robust stability and robust transient growth in Iterative Learning Control (ILC). It is well known that small perturbations in system dynamics can result in very large transient growth of some ILC systems. Even larger perturbations can result in instability. One ad hoc technique commonly employed to improve robustness is to slow the learning rate by reducing the learning filter gain or lowpass filtering the error signal. Here, pseudospectra analysis is used to analyze the robustness of ILC algorithms with slow learning. It is found that robustness bounds can be increased and transient growth decreased with decreasing learning …

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Scientific Visualization Using Pixar's Renderman, John Lukasiewicz Jan 2011

Scientific Visualization Using Pixar's Renderman, John Lukasiewicz

Theses

This thesis will attempt to visualize astrophysical data that is proprocessed and formatted by the Spiegel software using Pixar's RenderMan. The output will consist of a large set of points and data associated with each point. The goal is to create images that are both informative and aesthetically pleasing to the viewer. This has been done many times before with software rendering and APIs such as OpenGL or JOGL. This thesis will use Pixar's Photorealistic RenderMan, or PRMan for short, as a renderer. PRMan is an industry proven standard renderer that is based on the RenderMan Interface Specification which has …

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Botnet Lab Creation With Open Source Tools And Usefulness Of Such A Tool For Researchers, Dimitris Vergos Jan 2011

Botnet Lab Creation With Open Source Tools And Usefulness Of Such A Tool For Researchers, Dimitris Vergos

Theses

Botnets are large scale networks, which can span across the internet and comprise of computers, which have been infected by malicious software and are centrally controlled from a remote location. Botnets pose a great security risk and their size has been rising drastically over the past few years. The use of botnets by the underground community as a medium for online crime, bundled with their use for profit has shined the spotlight on them. Numerous researchers have proposed and designed infrastructures and frameworks that identify newly formed botnets and their traffic patterns. In this research, the design of a unified …

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A Semantic Agent Framework For Cyber-Physical Systems, Jing Lin, Sahra Sedigh, Ann K. Miller Jan 2011

A Semantic Agent Framework For Cyber-Physical Systems, Jing Lin, Sahra Sedigh, Ann K. Miller

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The development of accurate models for cyber-physical systems (CPSs) is hampered by the complexity of these systems, fundamental differences in the operation of cyber and physical components, and significant interdependencies among these components. Agent-based modeling shows promise in overcoming these challenges, due to the flexibility of software agents as autonomous and intelligent decision-making components. Semantic agent systems are even more capable, as the structure they provide facilitates the extraction of meaningful content from the data provided to the software agents. In this book chapter, we present a multi-agent model for a CPS, where the semantic capabilities are underpinned by sensor …

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Cellular Network Monitoring System Based On Subscriber Units, Victor Silva Jan 2011

Cellular Network Monitoring System Based On Subscriber Units, Victor Silva

Theses

The normal approach to assess signal quality parameters in a wireless network requires performing what is known as a drive test. A drive test consists on driving a vehicle equipped with a wireless measurement toll box around the area of interest, in order to take measures of several wireless signal parameters. Drive testing is a time consuming activity often affected by external factors such as vehicular traffic congestion and others. The slowness of the process makes this technique impractical when the goal is to measure the impact caused by minor changes on the network; when you need something like a …

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George Enescu's Concertstück For Viola And Piano: A Theoretical Analysis Within The Composer's Musical Legacy, Simina Alexandra Renea Jan 2011

George Enescu's Concertstück For Viola And Piano: A Theoretical Analysis Within The Composer's Musical Legacy, Simina Alexandra Renea

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this monograph was to understand George Enescu’s Concertstück for viola and piano from the broad perspective of Enescu’s multiple facets of musicianship: composer, performer (violin, piano, conducting), and teacher. Moreover, the Romanian background (including musical education and direct knowledge of Romanian folklore) of this monograph’s author facilitated in a higher degree the achievement of the given purpose. The document is divided into three chapters. Chapter 1 describes Enescu as composer, performer, and teacher. The first part of Chapter 1 offers information about the most important influences on his composition style (including his teachers), and his main works …

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The Attitudes Of African American Students Towards The Study Of Foreign Languages And Cultures, Katrina Watterson Jan 2011

The Attitudes Of African American Students Towards The Study Of Foreign Languages And Cultures, Katrina Watterson

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation explores the reasons that African American students participate at lower levels in foreign language programs in terms of taking courses and majoring and minoring in foreign languages. The primary foreign language that it explores is Spanish, and its findings suggest that the introduction of the language devoid of the influence of Afro-diasporic linkages to Spanish culture leads to the topic being taught in abstraction, therefore causing a lack of interest among African American students. As this study shows, a teacher's thinking about cultural and racial difference is often intimately woven into their disciplinary training, and as a result, …

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Damage Detection And Identification In Fiber Reinforced Plastic Structural Members And Field Bridges Using Acoustic Emission Technique, Archana Nair Jan 2011

Damage Detection And Identification In Fiber Reinforced Plastic Structural Members And Field Bridges Using Acoustic Emission Technique, Archana Nair

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

With the increased use of fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) based structural systems for rehabilitation of existing and construction of new bridges there is a requirement for identification of critical components of these structural systems and the determination of critical damage thresholds in them. Of the many available non-destructive techniques (NDT), acoustic emission (AE) monitoring had been identified as one of the most popular techniques applicable for damage discrimination in composites. The current study aimed at using patterns in AE data for the identification of damage modes exhibited by composite structural systems. The extensive experimental program involved testing of two structural …

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Cognitive Radio Network With A Distributed Control Channel And Quality-Of-Service Solution, Urban Terrell Wiggins Jan 2011

Cognitive Radio Network With A Distributed Control Channel And Quality-Of-Service Solution, Urban Terrell Wiggins

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The proliferation of wireless access and applications to the Internet and the advent of a myriad of highly evolved portable communication devices; creates the need for an efficiently utilized radio spectrum. This is paramount in the licensed and unlicensed radio frequency bands, that spawn an exponential growth in Dynamic Spectrum Access (DSA) research, Cognitive Radio (CR) and Cognitive Radio Networks (CRN) research. DSA research has given way to the paradigm shift toward CR with its dynamic changes in transmission schemas. This paradigm shift from a fixed and centralized frequency spectrum environment has morphed into a dynamic and decentralized one. CR …

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Cluster-Based Term Weighting And Document Ranking Models, Keerthiram Murugesan Jan 2011

Cluster-Based Term Weighting And Document Ranking Models, Keerthiram Murugesan

University of Kentucky Master's Theses

A term weighting scheme measures the importance of a term in a collection. A document ranking model uses these term weights to find the rank or score of a document in a collection. We present a series of cluster-based term weighting and document ranking models based on the TF-IDF and Okapi BM25 models. These term weighting and document ranking models update the inter-cluster and intra-cluster frequency components based on the generated clusters. These inter-cluster and intra-cluster frequency components are used for weighting the importance of a term in addition to the term and document frequency components. In this thesis, we …

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Evaluation Of Mechanical Proerties And Effective Thickness Of The Interfaces By Finite Element Analysis, Sesha Spandana Pulla Jan 2011

Evaluation Of Mechanical Proerties And Effective Thickness Of The Interfaces By Finite Element Analysis, Sesha Spandana Pulla

University of Kentucky Master's Theses

The nanoindentation technique has been used to identify the interfaces between dissimilar materials and subsequently to evaluate the physical and mechanical properties across the interfaces. The interfaces could represent the interface (transition face) between oxidized and unoxidized polymers, the interface between rigid fiber and polymer matrix, or other similar situations. It is proposed to use a nanoindenter equipped with small spherical tip to indent across the interfaces of dissimilar materials. The proposed method has been validated by conducting a large number of virtual experiments through 3-dimensional finite element simulations, by varying the properties of the two dissimilar materials, including various …

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Low Vision Assistance With Mobile Devices, Mark Stump Jan 2011

Low Vision Assistance With Mobile Devices, Mark Stump

Theses

Low vision affects many people, both young and old. Low vision conditions can range from near- and far-sightedness to conditions such as blind spots and tunnel vision. With the growing popularity of mobile devices such as smartphones, there is large opportunity for use of these multipurpose devices to provide low vision assistance. Furthermore, Google's Android operating system provides a robust environment for applications in various fields, including low vision assistance. The objective of this thesis research is to develop a system for low vision assistance that displays important information at the preferred location of the user's visual field. To that …

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An Experiential Comparative Analysis Of Two Remote Usability Testing Methods, Erika Varga Jan 2011

An Experiential Comparative Analysis Of Two Remote Usability Testing Methods, Erika Varga

Theses

Remote usability testing is a key tool for usability professionals. Several remote methods exist and it is often difficult to choose the appropriate method. Testing lower-fidelity prototypes often present unique problems because they provide minimally aesthetic and minimally interactive partial representations of a final product. This qualitative and experiential pilot study is an attempt to compare a remote synchronous (RS) usability testing method where the moderator and participant are displaced by space, and a remote asynchronous (RA) usability testing method where the moderator and participant are displaced by both time and space. An important byproduct of the comparison is the …

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Audience Feedback As An Influence On Graphic Design Problem Solving, Christopher Petrides Jan 2011

Audience Feedback As An Influence On Graphic Design Problem Solving, Christopher Petrides

Theses

User-generated feedback is arguably the most efficient tool to evaluate a specific product or service. Even though it is widely used to evaluate and subsequently improve video game design, it is not commonly used for graphic design applications. The aim of this thesis is to demonstrate how user-generated feedback can be utilized to improve existing graphic design applications. Specifically, three types of feedback collection vehicles were selected for use in graphic design: personal observation, evaluation polls, and existing video game design feedback. In order to demonstrate the advantage of using user generated feedback, information collected through the feedback collection vehicles …

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Layout-Based Substitution Tree Indexing And Retrieval For Mathematical Expressions, Matthew Schellenberg Jan 2011

Layout-Based Substitution Tree Indexing And Retrieval For Mathematical Expressions, Matthew Schellenberg

Theses

We introduce a new system for layout-based indexing and retrieval of mathematical expressions using substitution trees. Substitution trees can efficiently store and find hierarchically-structured data based on similarity. Previously Kolhase and Sucan applied substitution trees to indexing mathematical expressions in operator tree representation (Content MathML) and query-by-expression retrieval. In this investigation, we use substitution trees to index mathematical expressions in symbol layout tree representation (LaTeX) to group expressions based on the similarity of their symbols, symbol layout, sub-expressions and size. We describe our novel substitution tree indexing and retrieval algorithms and our many significant contributions to the behavior of these …

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Polynomial Extension Operators. Part Iii, Leszek Demkowicz, Jay Gopalakrishnan, Joachim Schöberl Jan 2011

Polynomial Extension Operators. Part Iii, Leszek Demkowicz, Jay Gopalakrishnan, Joachim Schöberl

Mathematics and Statistics Faculty Publications and Presentations

In this concluding part of a series of papers on tetrahedral polynomial extension operators, the existence of a polynomial extension operator in the Sobolev space H(div) is proven constructively. Specifically, on any tetrahedron K, given a function w on the boundary ∂K that is a polynomial on each face, the extension operator applied to w gives a vector function whose components are polynomials of at most the same degree in the tetrahedron. The vector function is an extension in the sense that the trace of its normal component on the boundary ∂K coincides with w. Furthermore, the extension operator is …

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Use Of Bio-Ethanol And Bio-Diesel The Key Solution For A More Sustainable Road Transport, Alberto Boretti Jan 2011

Use Of Bio-Ethanol And Bio-Diesel The Key Solution For A More Sustainable Road Transport, Alberto Boretti

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) of alternative transportation fuels clearly shows the advantages of reducing the use of nonrenewable fossil fuels vs. renewable biologic novel fuels to reduce the emissions of carbon dioxide. Being based on the natural recycle of carbon dioxide through the use of renewable energy sources, use of these renewable fuels does not imply depletion of natural resources and is therefore sustainable in the long term. Renewable fuels and advanced internal combustion engines and powertrains are the technologies that in addition to be the most likely to produce benefits in term of carbon balance and fossil fuel saving, …

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Investigation Of The Effect Of Geometry And Surface Properties On Water Buildup In Pem Fuel Cell Gas Channel Corners, Cody Rath Jan 2011

Investigation Of The Effect Of Geometry And Surface Properties On Water Buildup In Pem Fuel Cell Gas Channel Corners, Cody Rath

Theses

Over the past few decades, polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cells have been gaining increased attention as a possible replacement for the internal combustion engine. Fuel cell vehicles are an attractive alternative because of the fact that they can operate without the use of fossil fuels, are more efficient than internal combustion vehicles, and have no harmful emissions with the only byproducts being heat and pure water. Managing this water has been shown to be a key area of research. In order for fuel cells to operate properly, there must be a certain level of hydration present in the membrane; …

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Tsv Fault-Tolerant Mechanisms With Application To 3d Clock Networks, Chiao Ling Lung, Jui Hung Chien, Yiyu Shi, Shih Chieh Chang Jan 2011

Tsv Fault-Tolerant Mechanisms With Application To 3d Clock Networks, Chiao Ling Lung, Jui Hung Chien, Yiyu Shi, Shih Chieh Chang

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Three-dimensional integrated circuit (3D IC) has become an emerging technology in view of its advantages in packing density and flexibility in heterogeneous integration. through Silicon Via (TSV) formation is one of the keys enabling technologies for 3D ICs. While TSVs provide vertical connections between different dies for higher performance, they suffer from random open defects and thermo-mechanical stress. the potential yield loss can significantly increase the mass production cost, which in turn affects the profitability of 3D ICs. to address the TSV reliability issues, double TSV, shared spare TSV and TSV fault tolerant unit (TFU) techniques have been developed. in …

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Methods Used To Integrate Stem Subjects Into K-12 Technology Education Classrooms, Matt Basilone Jan 2011

Methods Used To Integrate Stem Subjects Into K-12 Technology Education Classrooms, Matt Basilone

OTS Master's Level Projects & Papers

The problem of this study was to determine technology education teachers' use of methods to integrate science, technology, engineering, and mathematics into technology education courses for improved student learning of complex ideas.

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A Study Of Poly Lactic Acid Bio-Polymer For Cereal Packaging, George Tuszkiewicz Jan 2011

A Study Of Poly Lactic Acid Bio-Polymer For Cereal Packaging, George Tuszkiewicz

Theses

The aim of this research has provided a technical framework for evaluating Co-Ex film structures of Poly Lactic Acid (PLA) and High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) for Ready to Eat (RTE) cereal primary packaging. This was accomplished through increased percentages of PLA content in each identified film candidate. The foundation for this research is that Bio Polymers are gaining market popularity as a result of the increasing world demand on plastics. As a result of plastics high market volatility and the strain on fossil fuel it has created focused research on Bio Polymers. However, it is widely known there are intrinsic …

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Freight Transportation And The Environment: Using Geographic Information Systems To Inform Goods Movement Policy, Arindam Ghosh Jan 2011

Freight Transportation And The Environment: Using Geographic Information Systems To Inform Goods Movement Policy, Arindam Ghosh

Theses

The freight transportation sector is a major emitter of the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide (CO2) which has been recognized by numerous experts and science organizations as a significant contributor to climate change. The purpose of this thesis is to develop a a framework for obtaining the freight flows for containerized goods movement through the U.S. marine, highway, and rail systems and to estimate CO2 emissions associated with the freight traffic along interstate corridors that serve the three major U.S. ports on the West Coast, namely the port of Los Angeles and Long Beach, the Port of Oakland and the Port …

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A Thermoelectric Generation Subsystem Model For Heat Recovery Simulations, Andrew Freedman Jan 2011

A Thermoelectric Generation Subsystem Model For Heat Recovery Simulations, Andrew Freedman

Theses

Thermoelectric devices can convert thermal energy directly into electrical energy, or they can work in reverse and use electrical energy to create a temperature gradient for cooling or heating applications. The absence of moving parts, wide range of operating temperatures, scalability, and modular capabilities makes thermoelectrics attractive for energy generation applications. They have been considered for use with vehicle exhausts, co-generation, and other energy recovery from lost heat in thermodynamic cycles. Thermoelectric devices have relatively low efficiencies but there have been recent advances in thermoelectric materials potentially opening the door to more power applications. As material advancements continue and a …

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