Engineering Commons^™

A Human Powered Micro-Generator For Charging Electronic Devices, John Adam

Senior Theses

A hand-pulled generator has been designed and tested. A preliminary result has been obtained and discussed. This device was created to provide outlet-free charging. Electronic devices are useful when going out into the wilderness. A portable power supply is necessary to keep an electronic device alive. This project created a device that converts human energy into electricity to charge electronic devices. This thesis overviews the device’s design, build, and tests. Two different tests were run to determine that the device is capable of charging the storage battery. The device presented can provide 14 minutes of charging time with one hour …

Measuring The Double Layer Capacitance Of Electrolyte Solutions Using A Graphene Field Effect Transistor, Agatha Ulibarri

Senior Theses

When operating graphene field effect transistors (GFETs) in fluid, a double layer capacitance (C_dl) is formed at the surface. In the literature, the C_dl is estimated using values obtained using metal electrode experiments. Due to the distinctive electronic and surface properties of graphene, there is reason to believe these estimates are inadequate. This work seeks to directly characterize the double layer capacitance of a GFET. A unique method for determining the C_dl has been implemented, and data has been obtained for three electrolytes and one ionic fluid. The results yield dramatically lower C_dl values than …

The Effects Of Surface Pace In Baseball, Jason Farlow

Senior Theses

A baseball travels across different surfaces at different paces. The goal of this experiment is to find a percentage difference in speeds the ball will reflect off a given surface. The energy lost on the turf surface was far more significant than on dirt surface as the turf lost an average of 26% of its energy as compared to just 16% of the energy on dirt. In the Northwest conference, teams play on four turf-based infields and five dirt-based infields. The results of this study suggest that kinetic friction forces are more significant in reducing ball rebound speed than in …

Fluid Phase Separation Via Nanochannel Array, John Lee

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) and nanoelectromechanical systems (NEMS) generate ideas and techniques for creating new devices at the micro/nano scale. This dissertation study designed a gas generator system utilizing nanochannels for phase separation that is useful for micro-pneumatic actuators, micro-valves, and micro-pumps. The new gas generator has the potential to be an integral part of a propulsion system for small-scale satellites. Nano/picosatellites have limited orientation capability partly due to the current limitations of microthruster devices. Development of a self-contained micro propulsion system enables dynamic orbital maneuvering of pico- and nano-class satellites.

Additionally, the new gas generator utilizes a high efficiency, green …

Non-Covalent Functionalization Of Graphene Films For Uniform Nanoparticle Deposition Via Atoic Layer Deposition, Ty Seiwert

Mechanical Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

Graphene functionalized with platinum (Pt) and palladium (Pd) has proven to be highly effective as a hydrogen sensor. Deposition methods such as Atomic layer deposition (ALD) can be further enhanced by pretreating the graphene with a non-covalent surfactant prior to nanoparticle deposition. In this study, graphene-based sensing devices will be fabricated by ALD deposition. The graphene will be non-covalently functionalized using sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) anionic surfactant prior to ALD deposition. The aim of this study is to test the deposition pattern achieved by varying the amount of time that graphene is treated with the SDS surfactant. Initially, ALD deposition …

Semi-Annual Program Progress Performance Report For University Transportation Systems Pppr#9, Florida Solar Energy Center, Richard Raustad

FSEC Energy Research Center®

The Electric Vehicle Transportation Center (EVTC) supports the U.S. Department of Transportation's strategic goal of planning for near-term integration of alternative fuel vehicles as a means to build a sustainable transportation system. The project objectives are to evaluate technologies, standards, planning and policies to ensure seamless integration of electric vehicles (EVs) into a complex transportation network and electricity grid. The EVTC bridges the gap between deployment of electric vehicles and the traditional transportation system.

Battery Technologies For Mass Deployment Of Electric Vehicles, Florida Solar Energy Center, R. Paul Brooker

FSEC Energy Research Center®

Electric vehicle (EV) batteries have significantly improved since their inception. However, lifetime of these batteries is still strongly dependent on the usage profiles. This report describes aspects of EV battery utilization, and their impact on battery lifetime. Additionally, this report will describe potential future uses of EV batteries, particularly in vehicle-to-grid applications.

Uncertainty In Optical Particulate Counting Sensors, Jared Todd Blanchard

Undergraduate Honors Theses

To mitigate the health problems and environmental damage caused by the burning of biomass in homes across the developing world, there is an international effort to design clean burning cookstoves that burn with greater efficiency and emit fewer harmful substances. An important tool for gauging the effectiveness of these alternate stoves is the optical particulate counting (OPC) sensor, which comes in many varieties. To facilitate comparison between measurements from different models, a mathematical model and uncertainty analysis method for OPC’s have been developed. These may be applied to any light-scattering OPC. In addition, a low-cost physical system was developed to …

Investigating Different Modeling Techniques For Quantifying Heat Transfer Through Building Envelopes, Sodiq Akande

Appalachian Student Research Forum

There is interest concerning the energy performance of buildings in the United States. Buildings, whether residential, commercial or institutional, generally underperform in terms of energy efficiency when compared to buildings that are constructed following sustainably and energy efficiency standards. A substantial percentage of energy loss in these buildings is associated with the thermal efficiency of its envelope (exterior walls, windows roof, floors and doors). The objective of this study will evaluate the results of three energy modeling techniques developed to investigate the energy transfer through the envelope of existing campus buildings. The techniques employed are solving the heat transfer calculations …

Data On Cost-Optimal Nearly Zero Energy Buildings (Nzebs) Across Europe, Florida Solar Energy Center, Delia D'Agostino

FSEC Energy Research Center®

This data article refers to the research paper A model for the cost-optimal design of Nearly Zero Energy Buildings (NZEBs) in representative climates across Europe [1]. The reported data deal with the design optimization of a residential building prototype located in representative European locations. The study focus on the research of cost-optimal choices and efficiency measures in new buildings depending on the climate. The data linked within this article relate to the modeled building energy consumption, renewable production, potential energy savings, and costs. Data allow to visualize energy consumption before and after the optimization, selected efficiency measures, costs and renewable …

Computational Methods For Modeling Multicomponent Droplet Vaporization, Alanna Y. Cooney

Master's Theses (2009 -)

Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) models for combustion of multicomponent hydrocarbon fuels must often prioritize computational efficiency over model complexity, leading to oversimplifying assumptions in the sub-models for droplet vaporization and chemical kinetics. Therefore, a computationally efficient hybrid droplet vaporization-chemical surrogate approach has been developed which emulates both the physical and chemical properties of a multicomponent fuel. For the droplet vaporization/physical portion of the hybrid, a new solution method is presented called the Coupled Algebraic-Direct Quadrature Method of Moments (CA-DQMoM) with delumping which accurately solves for the evolution of every discrete species in a vaporizing multicomponent fuel droplet with the computational …

Electric Vehicle And Wireless Charging Laboratory, Florida Solar Energy Center, Richard Raustad

FSEC Energy Research Center®

Wireless charging tests of electric vehicles (EV) have been conducted at the EVTC Wireless Laboratory located at the Florida Solar Energy Center, Cocoa, FL. These tests were performed to document testing protocols, evaluate standards and evaluate operational related wireless charging characteristics. The presented results give the charging efficiency of a Plugless wireless charger of 3.3 kW rated input power operating at 20 kHz resonant frequency. The results show a maximum charging efficiency of 94% at about 19 cm (7.5 in) of vertical separation. The electric and magnetic fields emanating from the transmitter were measured with and without the unit installed …

Performance Control Of A Spray Passive Down-Draft Evaporative Cooling System, Daeho Kang, Richard K. Strand

Publications and Research

A spray passive down-draft evaporative cooling system has been regarded as a low-energy cooling system that leads significant energy savings in the cooling of buildings. While the energy saving capability of the system has been proven, the ability to control a comfortable indoor environment is still inadequate due to strong climatic dependency. This study seeks viable solutions to advance the control competence of the system by mitigating critical problems of the system to be a reliable cooling application in the cooling of buildings. It proposes potential control strategies for the system and alternative operations. It develops a control algorithm for …

Electric Vehicle Grid Experiments And Analysis, Florida Solar Energy Center, Richard Raustad

FSEC Energy Research Center®

This project developed a low cost building energy management system (EMS) and conducted vehicle-to-grid (V2G) experiments on a commercial office building. The V2G effort included the installation and operation of a Princeton Power System CA-30 bi-directional power system. These experiments targeted the reduction of utility peak electrical demand for a commercial office building. In each case, total building peak demand was managed through a computer algorithm to limit the charging rate of electric vehicles or used the vehicle's on-board traction battery as a storage device to minimize peak electrical loads.

Assessing Spacing Impact On Coherent Features In A Wind Turbine Array Boundary Layer, Naseem Ali, Nicholas Hamilton, Dominic Delucia, Raúl Bayoán Cal

Mechanical and Materials Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

As wind farms become larger, the spacing between turbines becomes a significant design consideration that can impose serious economic constraints. To investigate the turbulent flow structures in a 4 x 3 Cartesian wind turbine array boundary layer (WTABL), a wind tunnel experiment was carried out parameterizing the streamwise and spanwise wind turbine spacing. Four cases are chosen spacing turbines by 6 or 3D in the streamwise direction, and 3 or 1:5D in the spanwise direction, where D = 12 cm is the rotor diameter. Data are obtained experimentally using stereo particle image velocimetry. Mean streamwise velocity showed maximum …

Electric Vehicle Interaction At The Electrical Circuit Level, Florida Solar Energy Center, Shawyun Sariri

FSEC Energy Research Center®

A large growth in energy demand has increased renewable energy penetration into existing power grid infrastructures, as well as spurring increased research into demand response programs. But before implementing an efficient demand response program, it is first necessary to understand the power usage behaviors of a consumer. This paper presents a real-time data acquisition system for the collection and storage of power data that will allow the study of demand response in an urban area, which can be applied to the efficient use of electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE). Demand response programs are an ideal alternative to costly energy storage …

Mechanical And Electrical Characterization Of Carbon Fiber/Bucky Paper/Zinc Oxide Hybrid Composites, Suma Ayyagari, Marwan Al-Haik, Virginie Rollin

Publications

The quest for multifunctional carbon fiber reinforced composites (CFRPs) expedited the use of several nano reinforcements such as zinc oxide nanorods (ZnO) and carbon nanotubes (CNTs). Zinc oxide is a semi-conductor with good piezoelectric and pyroelectric properties. These properties could be transmitted to CFRPs when a nanophase of ZnO is embedded within CFRPs. In lieu of ZnO nanorods, Bucky paper comprising mat of CNTs could be sandwiched in-between composite laminae to construct a functionally graded composite with enhanced electrical conductivities. In this study, different configurations of hybrid composites based on carbon fibers with different combinations of ZnO nanorods and Bucky …

Field And Laboratory Testing Of Approaches To Smart Whole-House Mechanical Ventilation Control, Florida Solar Energy Center, Eric Martin

FSEC Energy Research Center®

Whole-house mechanical ventilation is a critical component to a comprehensive strategy for good indoor air quality (IAQ). However, due to lack of integration with standard heating and cooling systems, and perceptions from a portion of the homebuilding industry about risks related to increased energy use, increased cost, and decreased comfort, voluntary and code-required adoption varies amongst regions. Smart ventilation controls (SVC) balance energy consumption, comfort, and IAQ by optimizing mechanical ventilation operation to reduce the heating and/or cooling loads, improve management of indoor moisture, and maintain IAQ equivalence according to ASHRAE 62.2.Suggested Citation:Martin, E.; Fernaughty, K.; Parker, D.; Lubliner, M.; …

Optimal Control And Design Of Functionality To Improve Efficiency And Lifetime Of Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell, Maftuna Eshkobilova, Uktam Salomov, Maksudbek Baydjanov

Acta of Turin Polytechnic University in Tashkent

This work is devoted to identify operating conditions to maximize the life of power supply, meet the required power output and improve fuel consumption efficiency. We devise a framework for designing fuel cell power supplies for field sensor networks, which have important applications in environmental monitoring, wildlife preservation, in disaster monitoring and in border security. The high efficiency, low emission and zero noise pollution features of fuel cells have made them a promising clean power source. Especially, proton exchange membrane fuel cells are promising alternative to conventional fossil fuel system, because they are clean, quiet and operate high efficiencies. However, …

Communication Based Control For Dc Microgrids, Mahmoud S. Saleh, Yusef Esa, Ahmed Mohamed

Publications and Research

Centralized communication-based control is one of the main methods that can be implemented to achieve autonomous advanced energy management capabilities in DC microgrids. However, its major limitation is the fact that communication bandwidth and computation resources are limited in practical applications. This can be often improved by avoiding redundant communications and complex computations. In this paper, an autonomous communication-based hybrid state/event driven control scheme is proposed. This control scheme is hierarchical and heuristic, such that on the primary control level, it encompasses state-driven local controllers, and on the secondary control level, an event-driven MG centralized controller (MGCC) is used. This …

Experimental Study Of A Novel Subcooling Method Based On Liquid Desiccant Dehumidification For Vapor-Compression Refrigeration Systems., Xiaohui She, Yonggao Yin, Yimo Luo, Lindeman Brett, Dan Zhong, Xiaosong Zhang

Faculty of Science & Technology (THEi)

Refrigerant subcooling could increase the refrigerating capacity and potentially improve the performance of refrigeration systems. In this paper, a novel subcooling method is experimentally studied for the first time in a hybrid vapor compression refrigeration system. In this system, condensation heat (~40 °C) is used to drive an integrated subcooling cycle to subcool the refrigerant leaving the condenser, which significantly increases the system performance. Changes in system performance are measured as functions of the following variables: the mass flow rates of the dehumidification air, ambient air, dehumidification solution, regeneration solution, and spraying water. Comparisons are made between the proposed system …

Comparative Study Of On-Off Control And Novel High- Low Control Of Regenerative Indirect Evaporative Cooler (Riec)., Yi Chen, Huaxia Yan, Hongxing Yang

Faculty of Science & Technology (THEi)

The main characteristic of an indirect evaporative cooler (IEC) is its dependency on ambient air conditions. To ensure stable indoor temperature and provide better thermal comfort for the occupants, proper control strategy is essential. However, very limited studies report the controller used in IEC. Therefore, two control schemes are comparatively studied for regenerative indirect evaporative cooler (RIEC) application, including conventional on-off control and newly proposed high-low (H-L) control. Under on-off control scheme, the fans are either in operation at constant rated speeds or turned off if the indoor temperature is satisfied. While under H-L control scheme, the fans would be …

Heat Transfer Vest, Nicholas Forsgaard

All Undergraduate Projects

The purpose of this report is to document the progression of the authors senior project. . The of that project was the research of Liquid Cooled Garment (LCG) technology, the generation of a novel LCG prototype and the testing of that prototype relative to a commercial benchmark. As such, this report is a complete narrative of the of these tasks, their execution and the underlying assumptions and commentary. The motivation for this report is to satisfy the capstone requirements of the MET program at CWU by documenting the Senior Project and its subordinate tasks. First, the student designed a LCG …

Optimal Operation Of Integrated Microgrids, Abdullah Albaker

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Microgrids' deployments are increasing and projected to increase even more in future due to the significant advantages that are provided by this technology for end-use customers. However, microgrids can be connected to each other to create integrated microgrids system, which can further promote the anticipated and desired benefits. An integrated operation of microgrids can potentially improve the local power system reliability and resilience, increase the individual microgrids' economic benefits, and promote further utilization of renewable energy resources. Integrating microgrids, to achieve a microgrid network or cluster, is expected be an essential application towards smarter power grids and a key operational …

Inherent Operational Characteristics Aided Fuzzy Logic Controller For A Variable Speed Direct Expansion Air Conditioning System For Simultaneous Indoor Air Temperature And Humidity Control., Huaxia Yan, Yudong Xia, Xiangguo Xu, Shiming Deng

Faculty of Science & Technology (THEi)

Direct expansion air conditioning systems are widely installed in small-to medium- scale buildings due to their advantages of simple configuration, high energy efficiency and low cost to own and maintain. The two main targets of air conditioning operation include improving the system operational efficiency and energy efficiency. Stable system operational efficiency is directly related with the operation of electronic expansion valves and degree of superheat at the outlet of evaporator. In this paper, an adaptive DS controller is developed to improve the system operational efficiency based the experimental performance of a DX A/C system and reported. The adaptive DS controller …

Energy-Efficient And -Economic Technologies For Vapor Compression Refrigeration Systems: A Comprehensive Review., Xiaohui She, Lin Cong, Binjian Nie, Guanghui Leng, Hao Peng, Yi Chen, Xiaosong Zhang, Tao Wen, Hongxing Yang, Yimo Luo

Faculty of Science & Technology (THEi)

Vapor Compression Refrigeration Systems (VCRS) are widely used to provide cooling or freezing for domestic/office buildings, supermarkets, data centres, etc., which expend 15% of globally electricity and contribute to ∼10% of greenhouse gas emissions globally. It is reported that cooling demand is expected to grow tenfold by 2050. Therefore, it is critical to improve the efficiency of the VCRS. In this paper, a comprehensive review of advanced and hot technologies is conducted for the VCRS. These technologies include radiative cooling, cold energy storage, defrosting and frost-free, temperature and humidity independent control (THIC), ground source heat pump (GSHP), refrigerant subcooling, and …

Investigation On The Regeneration And Corrosion Characteristics Of An Anodized Aluminum Plate Regenerator., Tao Wen, Lin Lu, Hongxing Yang, Yimo Luo

Faculty of Science & Technology (THEi)

The traditional vapor compression cooling system (VCS) has been criticized for its heavy reliance on electricity consumption and limited control ability of humidity. Compared with the VCS, the liquid desiccant cooling system (LDCS) is more efficient by handling the sensible and latent load separately. The present study investigated the regeneration and corrosion characteristics of an anodized aluminum plate regenerator for the first time. Comparative tests were conducted to present the regeneration and corrosion characteristics of the normal and anodized regenerator. The influence of internal heating on the regeneration performance was also identified. The results showed that the corrosion rate was …

Investigation On The Regeneration Performance Of Liquid Desiccant By Adding Surfactant Pvp-K30., Tao Wen, Lin Lu, Chuanshuai Dong, Yimo Luo

Faculty of Science & Technology (THEi)

The liquid desiccant cooling system (LDCS) is a promising alternative for the conventional vapor compression system due to its high energy efficiency. To enhance the mass transfer between the regeneration air and liquid desiccant in the regenerator, the paper firstly introduced a kind of surfactant called polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP-K30) which was added into the LiCl solution for better desiccant regeneration performance. The falling film characteristics and regeneration performance were investigated and compared with and without surfactant. The results indicated that the contact angle of desiccant solution on plate decreased from 58.5° to 28.0° by adding surfactant with 0.4% of concentration. …

Test 2190: Case Ih Farmall 50a, Nebraska Tractor Test Lab

Nebraska Tractor Tests

ABOUT THE TEST REPORT AND USE OF THE DATA The test data contained in this report are a tabulation of the results of a series of tests. Due to the restricted format of these pages, only a limited amount of data and not all of the tractor specifications are included. The full OECD report contains usually about 30 pages of data and specifications. The test data were obtained for each tractor under similar conditions and therefore, provide a means of comparison of performance based on a limited set of reported data. EXPLANATION OF THE TEST PROCEDURES Purpose The purpose of …

A New Capacity Controller For A Direct Expansion Air Conditioning System For Operational Safety And Efficiency., Yudong Xia, Huaxia Yan, Shiming Deng, Ming-Yin Chan

Faculty of Science & Technology (THEi)

For achieving a balance between the operational safety and efficiency of a variable speed direct expansion air conditioning system, a new capacity controller that can not only simultaneously control indoor air temperature and humidity, but also select an optimized degree of superheat setting to properly balance the operational safety and efficiency has been developed, by adding a control module to a previously developed capacity controller. The core of the control module was an artificial neural network based model representing the known relationship between the inherent operational characteristics and operational stability of a variable speed direct expansion air conditioning system. Using …