Digital Commons Network^™

Multi-Layered Energy Management Framework For Extreme Fast Charging Stations Considering Demand Charges, Battery Degradation, And Forecast Uncertainties, Waqas Ur Rehman, Jonathan W. Kimball, Rui Bo

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

To achieve a cost-effective and expeditious charging experience for extreme fast charging station (XFCS) owners and electric vehicle (EV) users, the optimal operation of XFCS is crucial. It is however challenging to simultaneously manage the profit from energy arbitrage, the cost of demand charges, and the degradation of a battery energy storage system (BESS) under uncertainties. This paper, therefore, proposes a multi-layered multi-time scale energy flow management framework for an XFCS by considering long- and short-term forecast uncertainties, monthly demand charges reduction, and BESS life degradation. In the proposed approach, an upper scheduling layer (USL) ensures the overall operation economy …

Filter-Based Fault Detection And Isolation In Distributed Parameter Systems Modeled By Parabolic Partial Differential Equations, Hasan Ferdowsi, Jia Cai, Sarangapani Jagannathan

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

This paper covers model-based fault detection and isolation for linear and nonlinear distributed parameter systems (DPS). The first part mainly deals with actuator, sensor and state fault detection and isolation for a class of DPS represented by a set of coupled linear partial differential equations (PDE). A filter based observer is designed based on the linear PDE representation using which a detection residual is generated. A fault is detected when the magnitude of the detection residual exceeds a detection threshold. Upon detection, several isolation estimators are designed using filters whose output residuals are compared with predefined isolation thresholds. A fault …

Particulate Matter Detection In Mines Using 3d Light Detection And Ranging Technology, Zachary Osterwisch, Alexander Mauntel, Nathanael Nisbett, Dibbya Barua, Ahmad Alsharoa

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

This paper proposes a novel portable prototype and self-contained Air Quality (AQ) monitoring device that utilizes Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) technology to take its measurements. The novel device aims to improve mining safety by collecting and analyzing the AQ inside mines and displaying the real-time conditions to personnel. The intent is to create a 3D map of the environment and display potentially hazardous Atmospheric Particulate Matter (APM). To achieve this goal, we prototype a portable, compact, and easy-to-operate system that utilizes LiDAR to detect APM. Then, we propose how the collected data can be used to calculate real-time AQ …

Improving Psychological Well-Being Of Young Adults By Conducting Family History Research At A Religious University, Barry M. Lunt, Kelly R. Summers, David A. Wood

Faculty Publications

Prior research suggests that knowledge of one’s family is correlated with, but does not produce, psychological well-being. We test this conjecture, by examining whether participating in family history research (i.e., genealogical research) is associated with psychological well-being above and beyond the effects of knowledge of one’s family, documented in prior research. To test this, we examine whether students enrolled in a university level family history course, improve in family identification, self-esteem, anxiety, resilience, and locus of control more than a control sample. For students enrolled in the family history course, we find an increase in family identification, which in turn …

Digital Learning Transformation In Higher Education: International Cases Of University Efforts To Evaluate And Improve Blended Teaching Readiness, Charles R. Graham, Ganbat Danaa, Tserenchimed Purevsuren, Adriana Martínez, Cinthia Bittencourt Spricigo, Barbara Maria Camilotti, Tserenkhand Batsukh

Faculty Publications

The global pandemic of 2019 brought heightened awareness to institutions of higher education of the need to engage in a digital transformation that extends beyond university business operations to the pedagogy of the classroom. This paper is a case study that explores three international cases of universities in Colombia, Brazil, and Mongolia that are at different stages along the path of a digital pedagogical transformation. This article tells each story, including (1) what is driving the local need to engage in digital transformation, (2) what the major challenges and barriers are to achieving a transformation, and (3) what efforts are …

Understanding The Role Of Online Teaching Assistants In Student Engagement, Sara H. Tuiloma, Charles R. Graham

Faculty Publications

In this paper, we examine how online teaching assistants (OLTAs) interact with students in terms of affective, behavioral, and cognitive support and the influence of OLTA training on these interactions. Through a thematic network analysis, using a tracking instrument and semi-structured interviews with 10 OLTAs, we examined how online university students are supported based on the quantity and quality of interactions with OLTAs, and how training contributes to interactions. Our research addressed two key questions: (1) How do OLTAs support learners in the quantity and quality of interactions? and (2) How does OLTA training around affective and behavioral support influence …

Barriers And Enablers To K-12 Blended Teaching, Courtney N. Hanny, Karen T. Arnesen, Qi Guo, Jordan Hansen, Charles R. Graham

Faculty Publications

The attributes of post-pandemic blended teaching (BT) will more closely resemble pre-Coronavirus conditions than the outbreak’s emergency remote teaching. Thus, barriers and enablers for teachers transitioning to BT after emergency remote teaching will be similar to those of early BT adopters. K-12 research has identified external and internal barriers and enablers to technology integration but has largely overlooked those of BT. This study involved analyzing 62 interviews of K-12 blended teachers to discover factors that enabled BT, stood as barriers to initial and continued blending efforts, and helped teachers overcome barriers. Teacher-perceived barriers included, among others, costs perceived as outweighing …

Atmospheric Meteorological Effects On Forecasting Daily Lightning Occurrence At Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Jon Saul, Torrey J. Wagner, Eric G. Mbonimpa, Brent T. Langhals

Faculty Publications

As the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and Kennedy Space Center increase their launch rate, any process that could assist in the automation of the currently-manual lightning forecast would be valuable. This work examines the possibility of machine-learning assistance with the daily lighting forecast which is produced by the 45th Weather Squadron. A dataset consisting of 34 lightning, pressure, temperature and windspeed measurements taken from 334 daily weather balloon (rawinsonde) launches in the timeframe 2012-2021 was examined. Models were created using recursive feature elimination on logistic regression and XGClassifier algorithms, as well as Bayesian and bandit optimization of neural network …

Machine Learning Prediction Of Dod Personal Property Shipment Costs, Tiffany Tucker, Torrey J. Wagner, Paul Auclair, Brent T. Langhals

Faculty Publications

U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) personal property moves account for 15% of all domestic and international moves - accurate prediction of their cost could draw attention to outlier shipments and improve budget planning. In this work 136,140 shipments between 13 personal property shipment hubs from April 2022 through March 2023 with a total cost of $1.6B were analyzed. Shipment cost was predicted using recursive feature elimination on linear regression and XGBoost algorithms, as well as through neural network hyperparameter sweeps. Modeling was repeated after removing 28 features related to shipment hub location and branch of service to examine their influence …

Technological Tools And Methods Used In Formative Assessment Activities, Lisa E. Goldsmith

Theses and Dissertations

This applied dissertation examined the use of technological tools in formative assessment activities. These phenomena have left teachers searching for timely methods to perform formative assessment or assessment for learning activities. The problem addressed by this study was that standardized testing, large class size, and increasing distance learning at all educational levels, achieving formative assessment tasks necessary for successful learning can be a challenge. The sample from which data was gathered was 189 studies and academic articles. The target of the assessment process became apparent in many of the sections studied, which led to information about the impact of the …

Examination Of Volunteer Motivations In A Civilian Auxiliary Of A Military Branch, Diane T. Lambert

Theses and Dissertations

This applied dissertation was developed to expand the understanding of the motivations of long-term volunteers in a civilian auxiliary of a military branch. The organization examined was the official auxiliary of the United States Air Force known as the Civil Air Patrol (CAP). The organization found that it was retaining only about two thirds of its members beyond their first year. The study was conducted to gain insight into the motivations of volunteers, their satisfaction levels, and length of service with the hope that such understanding may help improve recruiting and retention efforts.

A survey employing functional analysis to assess …

Ai, Taxation, And Valuation, Jay A. Soled, Kathleen Delaney Thomas

Faculty Publications

Virtually every tax system relies upon accurate asset valuations. In some cases, this is an easy identification exercise, and the exact fair market value of an asset is readily ascertainable. Often, however, the reverse is true, and ascertaining an asset’s fair market value yields, at best, a numerical range of possible outcomes. Taxpayers commonly capitalize upon this uncertainty in their reporting practices, such that tax compliance lags and the IRS has a difficult time fulfilling its oversight responsibilities. As a by-product of this dynamic, the Treasury suffers.

This Article explores how tax systems, utilizing artificial intelligence, can strategically address asset-valuation …

Ignorance Of The Rules Of Omission: An Essay On Privilege Law, Rebecca Wexler

Faculty Scholarship

Evidentiary privileges--that is, rules that empower people to withhold evidence from legal proceedings-are one thread in a mesh of secrecy powers that control the flow of information in society. They are part and parcel of the laws, rules, norms, and practicalities that determine who can conceal and who can compel, that allocate power based on access to knowledge and its opposite. Despite the significance of privileges and of the harms that they produce, our understanding of this body of law has profound gaps.5 The questions posed above turn out to be more challenging than they might at first appear. Notwithstanding …

Dynamics Of Flood Flow In Red River Basin, Vida Atashi

Theses and Dissertations

In recent decades, flooding has become a major issue in many areas of the Upper Midwest. Many rivers and streams in the region had considerable increases in mean annual peak flows during this period, which was driven by a combination of natural factors including discharge synchrony with the spring thaw, ice jams, glacial lake plain, and a decrease in gradient downstream. The Red River of the North is a prominent river in the United States and Canada's Upper Midwest. It flows from its headwaters in Minnesota and North Dakota to Lake Winnipeg in Manitoba. The river is well-known for its …

Predicting Ash Deposition In A Cyclone-Fired Coal Boiler Under Variable Load Conditions, Evan Bloom

Theses and Dissertations

Today, a significant number of coal-fired power plants are required to decrease the operating load as a result of intermittent power availability from wind or solar sources. Low load conditions introduce a number of challenges for these plants, such as decreased efficiency and degradation of system components due to cycling. Ash deposition on heat transfer surfaces makes these problems even worse. The overall goal of this project is to improve the understanding of fireside ash deposition behavior as the load fluctuates, thereby allowing for more efficient operations. To accomplish this goal, a computation fluid dynamic (CFD) based simulation methodology was …

Perceived Quality Of Life In Oil Boomtowns: A Case Study Of Western North Dakota, Ian Nathaniel Geller

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the changes in the quality of life (QoL) perceived by long-term community members in oil boomtowns in Western North Dakota. The study focused on basic QoL indicators and indicators based on oil boom effects. This study explored what QoL indicators mattered most to long-term community members. The main method in this study was a principal component analysis (PCA) done on two surveys from 2012 and 2020 which included many indicators related to oil boom effects. This statistical method grouped together indicators related to each other according to the perception of long-term community …

Enhancing Resin Composite Using Nanoparticle Embedded Jute Fiber And Exploring Plant Polymer For Biomedical Applications, Md Sultan Mahmud

Theses and Dissertations

The severe detrimental effect of nondegradable and toxic synthetic materials on the environment in the last couple of decades has led researchers to focus more on eco-friendly products such as building materials, medical instruments, sports, textile, and automobile industries. Lignocellulosic plants and their fibers are the first choices for both material and biological science researchers due to their chemical structure, abundance, low cost, and nontoxic nature. These plants are composed of three major biopolymers such as cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin. Cellulose is the most abundant polymer. In the recent past natural fibers have attracted substantial importance as potential structural materials …

The Impact Of The Authority Gradient Created By Rank Imbalance On The Role Effectiveness Of U.S. Coast Guard Safety Officers, James Bernard Mccormack

Theses and Dissertations

Coast Guard air station commands have three department heads referred to as the Tri-P, consisting of the safety officer, operations officer, and engineering officer. The safety officer is generally junior in rank to the other members of the Tri-P despite what is advertised as an equal position within the command structure. The purpose of this study was to explore rank imbalance for Coast Guard safety officers at air stations throughout the United States by examining their perceptions in a quantitative survey. All current Coast Guard safety officers were eligible for participation in the survey. The survey revealed that safety officers …

Exploring Organizational Recidivism With A Focus On Federal Environmental Crime, Isaac M. Mvula

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation explores the recidivism rates of organizational offenders convicted of federal environmental crimes. Individual recidivism has received considerable attention from re-searchers over the years. This is not so with organization recidivism. This dissertation aims at put-ting greater light on this subject. The study focuses on environmental crime because of the critical need to preserve the earth’s ability to sustain life. Federal environmental criminal prosecution da-ta maintained by the EPA was the study population. The population included prosecutions of organizational offenders from 1994 to 2013. The total number of organizational prosecutions was 73625 and the total number of organizational offenders …

Serving Their Communities By Preserving And Explaining Their Past: North Dakota County And Local Museums, Austin Allen Olson

Theses and Dissertations

Museum scholars and professionals continue to debate the purpose of museums and their relationships to the public. These contentious debates revolve around the institution’s roles within contemporary societal issues. The purpose of this study is to analyze the expanding roles of county and local museums in North Dakota have in their communities with the goal to understand how these museums can thrive and provide positive outcomes to the communities they serve. This thesis argues that local and county museums must undertake an active role in their local communities to continue to positively preserve and interpret the area’s history. Utilizing interviews …

A Data Driven Approach To Optimize Re-Fracturing Operations In The Williston Basin, Joshua Kroschel

Theses and Dissertations

Because of the recent paradigm shift focusing heavily on cost minimization, many operators are now re-developing existing assets at much lower costs instead of developing newly drilled wells. Although it may seem that the hydraulic fracturing process on a well would be easier after initial stimulation, this is not usually the case and is often more difficult. Being able to identify high margin effects of treatment parameters will help engineers design hydraulic fracturing treatments to minimize average STP (STP) and minimize costs. This research develops a feature engineered multivariate regression model that identifies several high margin areas for STP reduction. …

Determining The Optimum Ground Coal Bottom Ash Content For Sustainable Concrete Infrastructure, Sandip Poudel

Theses and Dissertations

Cement production requires a high amount of energy and natural resources which has a high impact on the environment due to harmful gas emissions. Coal bottom ash (CBA) or Coal Boiler Slag (CBS) is the byproduct of coal-fired power plants that has pozzolanic properties. CBA or CBS can be mechanically ground to obtain Ground Coal Bottom Ash (GCBA) or Ground Coal Bottom Slag (GCBS). GCBA has the potential to replace cement in concrete which will reduce the waste in landfills, make economic benefits, preserve natural resources, and reduce health hazards. This research was performed to determine the optimum GCBA or …

Studying Phase And Morphology Of Hydrocarbon Petrochemicals In Inorganic And Organic Microdroplets Using An Electrodynamic Balance, Fafa Tackie-Otoo

Theses and Dissertations

Wastewater from the petroleum industry contains large amounts of inorganic salts, hydrocarbons, mercaptans, oil and grease, phenols, and other organic chemicals. All these compounds can be found in highly complex solutions in the petroleum industry’s discharged water, and there is no common treatment method, which precludes reuse paths in other sectors such as irrigation of farmland. In order to reuse produced water, the water must be treated and these harmful chemicals must be removed. To treat and potentially reuse oily waste outside the energy sector, researchers typically use membrane technology, photocatalytic degradation, oxidation processes, electrochemical catalysis, and other methods. The …

Exploration Of Early Career Teachers’ Perspectives On Preservice Training, Classroom Experiences, And Retention, Ashley Smalley

Theses and Dissertations

To promote the advancement of teacher recruitment, retention, and reduce attrition, K-12 teachers need to be fully prepared for the complex nature of being in a classroom, a classroom filled with students of all types. There is a unique nature to education and one must recognize the complexity of each individual student. The context of this study explores early career teachers’ perspectives on their preparedness for teaching. This research examines teachers’ perspectives in their first to fifth years of teaching who graduated from a North Dakota college. Each participant answered 13 questions regarding their perspectives on the preparation they received …

The (Local) Prosecutor, Carissa Byrne Hessick, Rick Su

Faculty Publications

The rise of the reform prosecutor has led to a backlash. Many states have sought to circumvent the power of reform prosecutors, others to sanction them, and some to replace them with unelected appointees. These efforts have been met with resistance and, in some instances, with legal challenges. Resolving those challenges may prove difficult because local prosecutors straddle three distinct axes within state governments: the horizontal divide between its branches, the vertical divide between the state government and its local subdivisions, and the constitutional divide between constitutional and statutory offices. This Essay exposes the significant state variation in the legal …

Evaluating The Size Distribution Of Submicron Particles In Seawater, Yuanheng Xiong

Theses and Dissertations

Particles of sizes < 1 µm or submicron particles in seawater can contribute up to 60% of optical backscattering that reflect sunlight measured by remote sensors. Better understanding of their optical effect in ocean color requires the knowledge of their particle size distributions (PSDs). However, data on PSDs of submicron particles is limited. We examined an instrument, ViewSizer 3000, for its capability of measuring PSDs of submicron particles. The working theory of the instrument is to track the Brownian motion of particles and relate the diffusivity of each particle to its size. A Monte Carlo simulation was conducted to prove that the instrument can be used to quantify PSDs of naturally occurring particles. Calibrations in the lab using NIST-traceable microbeads indicates two corrections are needed: (1) the sample volume varies with the size of particles and (2) particles of sizes <250 nm cannot be estimated reliably due to their low signal-to-noise ratio. With the corrections, the instrument can resolve submicron particles of sizes >250 nm with a mean absolute error of 3.9% in size and 38% in concentration. The ViewSizer 3000 was deployed in two NASA EXPORTS field campaigns in the North Pacific Ocean in August 2018 and the North Atlantic Ocean in May 2021. A total of 373 water samples were collected from 5 m to 500 m and measured in the ship’s lab for their PSDs. The PSDs of submicron particles at different depths and waters exhibit up to 3 orders of magnitude variations at each size bin, with the mean concentration in NA 30% greater than that …

The Design And Preparation Of High-Performance Silicon/Carbon Composite Anode For Lithium-Ion Batteries, Xin Zhang

Theses and Dissertations

The increasing demand for high-performance energy storage devices has driven extensive research into developing advanced lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) for various applications, including electric vehicles, portable electronics, and grid energy storage. Anode materials play a critical role in determining the overall performance of LIBs. In this dissertation, the investigation of silicon-based anode materials synthesis, characterization, and electrochemical performance was conducted for high-performance lithium-ion battery (LIB) applications. Four projects (Chapter 3 through 6) will be included in this dissertation. Chapter one includes the background and motivation of developing high-performance anode material for LIBs, followed by the hypothesis, scope of work, and significance …

Effect Of Deicing Chemicals And Fly Ash On Durability And Mechanical Properties Of Concrete, Joseph M. Useldinger-Hoefs

Theses and Dissertations

Deicing chemicals, such as Sodium Chloride (NaCl), lowers the freezing point of water, resulting in less skidding, less hydroplaning, and more friction on roadways. NaCl has limitations regarding its deicing capabilities; therefore, a supplement should be used to decrease corrosion and aid in lowering the freezing point of water. Incorporating AMP in NaCl brine aids in bonding to the road’s surface and further lowers the water’s freezing point. This study was conducted to explore the optimum solution of AMP and Sodium Nitrite (NaNO2) and the impact 20% fly ash has on durability. Hardened properties were used to compare the impact …

The Challenge Of Predicting College Success In Male And Female Saudi Arabian Students: An Examination Of Whether High School Gpa, Qudrat, And Tahsili Are Effective Predictors, Omar J. Elmoussa

Theses and Dissertations

Albeit college success predictors such as hs-GPA, SAT I, and SAT II have been widely addressed in the literature, most of the studies have covered total scores and cognitive factors while barely investigating the potential interaction of demographic factors (e.g., STEM versus Non-STEM) and specific academic domains that might drive academic success (e.g., hs-Math and hs-English, university core courses). Most importantly, very little is known of predictors of academic success in institutions of the Global South that follow a US curriculum and pedagogy, including those of Saudi Arabia. The identification of predictors of college performance is important as it can …

Spacesuit Hard Upper Torso Assembly: Development Of Fit Metrics And Customized Design Frameworks, Will J. Green

Theses and Dissertations

The Hard Upper Torso (HUT) of the spacesuit pressure garment is a central component of a spacesuit, enclosing the upper body and connecting with the shoulder joints, bearings, helmet, hatch, and waist-brief-hip components. The shape and positioning of the HUT and its connected components are critical for ensuring comfort, range of motion, field of view, and minimizing astronaut injury risk.This dissertation aims to build upon previous work on spacesuit sizing and develop new spacesuit fit metrics. Motion-tracking technology has been utilized to define the reach envelope and range of motion for test subjects wearing a HUT. Subjective surveys have also …