Engineering Commons^™

Energy Efficient Office Building Design For A Hot And Humid Climate: Florida's New Energy Center, Florida Solar Energy Center, Philip Fairey

FSEC Energy Research Center®

Hot and humid climates, such as those in Florida, pose unique challenges to architects and engineers seeking energy efficient office building designs. The severe impact of internal loads on cooling, the intense solar conditions and the need for increased ventilation set against high relative humidities, all serve to limit the success of many conventional methods of reducing building energy use. To provide a high-visibility demonstration of potential energy design solutions, the Florida Solar Energy Center (FSEC) is building a state-of-the-art office complex for its new facility in Cocoa, Florida.

Methodology Evaluation For Remotely Estimating Water Quality Parameters In Estuarine Waters, Charles R. Bostater, Manuel Gimond

Ocean Engineering and Marine Sciences Faculty Publications

Water absorption signatures were measured from water samples placed in a 50 cm pathlength cylindrical cuvette. Quantitative analysis of chlorophyll-a and dissolved organic matter (DOM- humic acid, fulvic acid, or tannic acid) was conducted using second derivative spectra followed by computation of double inflection ratio (DIR) spectra for all possible combinations of bands (from 362-1 1 15 nm with 252 channels). A specially designed instrument system is described which allows measurements of absorption of particulate and dissolved organic matter (chlorophyll-a and DOM) in a water sample. The ability of the system to allow measurement of absorption signatures and relating the …

The Measured Summer Performance Of Tile Roof Systems And Attic Ventilation Strategies In Hot, Humid Climates, Florida Solar Energy Center, David Beal

FSEC Energy Research Center®

During 1994, simultaneous full-scale testing of residential plywood-decked roofing system was conducted using a flexible roof facility (FRF). The facility consists of a 24-ft by 48ft rectangular building with one large conditioned space under an attic that is partitioned into six separate test cells. Throughout the test protocol one cell was configured as a residential black-shingle roof system, employed as the baseline for comparison of the alternative roofing systems.

Two identical cells were employed during the summer of 1994 to investigate soffit and ridge venting. Tests of two different configurations best illustrate the results. A comparison of a sealed attic …

Structural Characterization Of Aluminum Films Deposited On Sputtered-Titanium Nitride/ Silicon Substrate By Metalorganic Chemical Vapor Deposition From Dimethylethylamine Alane, Xiaodong Li, Byoung-Youp Kim, Shi-Woo Rhee

Faculty Publications

Alfilmsdeposited on sputtered‐TiN/Si substrate by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition(MOCVD) from dimethylethylamine alane (DMEAA) were characterized using x‐ray diffraction(XRD),Auger electron spectroscopy(AES),atomic force microscopy(AFM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The TiN filmsputtered on the Si has a preferred orientation along the growth direction with the 〈111〉 of the film parallel to the Si〈111〉. Sputtering of the TiN film on the Si induced strains at the interface. The TiN/Si interface is flat while the Al/TiN interface is rough. There exist many dislocations at the Al/TiN interface. The Al₂O₃ phase was formed at the Al/TiN interface during the early stages of …

Study On Passive And/Or Active Vibration Control For Flexible Structures, Qinghua Chen

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research is to present new methods of active and passive vibration control for flexible structures. The study includes: 1) passive viscoelastic damping treatment; 2 ) active vibration control using layered shape memory alloy (SMA); 3) combined application of viscoelastic damping treatment and SMA; 4) experiments.

In order to maximize damping and save weight of the structure and cost, a partially covered double sandwich cantilever beam model has been presented. It is shown that the double sandwich beam is better than single sandwich beam for some conditions. To take into account of end loads effect of elastic …

The Effect Of Rotor Wake/Exit Guide Vane Interaction On The Total Pressure Losses In An Airfoil Cascade, Aaron Mosebach

Masters Theses

Computational simulations have been performed to study the effects of unsteady rotor wakes on the total pressure losses and the boundary layer characteristics in a compressor cascade. In the numerical simulations, transitional and turbulent flow conditions were modeled at design and off-design inlet flow angles, and for varying rotor wake widths and wake velocity deficits.

First, simulations were performed in the absence of rotor wakes at the inlet of the EGV (Exit Guide Vane) cascade. Second, simulations were performed for different wake width and wake velocity deficit values at the inlet of the EGV cascade. The majority of the numerical …

Measured Cooling Energy Savings From Reflective Roofing Systems In Florida: Field And Laboratory Research Results, Florida Solar Energy Center, Danny Parker

FSEC Energy Research Center®

A series of field experiments in Florida have examined the impact of reflective roof coatings on air conditioning energy use in occupied homes. The tests were conducted on nine residential buildings from 1991 to 1994 using a before and after protocol where the roofs were whitened at mid-summer. Measured AC electrical savings in the buildings during similar pre- and post-retrofit periods averaged 19%, ranging from a low of 2% to a high of 43%. Utility peak coincident peak savings averaged 22%. Cooling energy reductions appear to depend on ceiling insulation level and roof solar reflectance, air duct system location and …

Energy Efficiency Technology Demonstration Project For Florida Educational Facilities: Occupancy Sensors, Florida Solar Energy Center, David Floyd

FSEC Energy Research Center®

In 1995 the Florida Department of Education and the Florida Solar Energy Center jointly sponsored a test of occupancy sensors used to control lighting in a Florida school. Occupancy sensors replace conventional light switches and use passive infrared or ultrasonic sensing to control lighting in classroom and other spaces. The test was intended to demonstrate the performance of such controls in saving energy in Florida educational facilities.

The evaluation was performed at Northwest Elementary School in Pasco County on Florida's west central coast. A before and after monitoring protocol was utilized for the study which saw lighting circuits for 33 …

Florida Exterior Wall Insulation Field Test: Final Report, Florida Solar Energy Center, Stephen Barkaszi

FSEC Energy Research Center®

The Florida Solar Energy Center (FSEC) and Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) have conducted a field test of exterior insulation applied to Florida masonry residences. Approximately 50% of Florida's six million existing residences are of concrete block construction. Many of these homes, particularly those 15 years or older, have uninsulated walls.

Within the project, two single-family homes in Central Florida were extensively monitored to measure the energy savings of the technology. The primary objective was to examine the effect exterior insulation has on air conditioning (AC) energy use and peak electrical demand for two typical residences. A secondary objective was …

Smarts2, A Simple Model Of The Atmospheric Radiative Transfer Of Sunshine, Florida Solar Energy Center, Christian Gueymard

FSEC Energy Research Center®

An upgraded spectral radiation model called SMARTS2 is introduced. The solar shortwave direct beam irradiance is calculated from spectral transmittance functions for the main extinction processes in the cloudless atmosphere: Rayleigh scattering, aerosol extinction, and absorption by ozone, uniformly mixed gases, water vapor, and nitrogen dioxide. Temperature-dependent or pressure-dependent extinction coefficients have been developed for all these absorbing gases, based on recent spectroscopic data obtained either directly from the experimental literature or, in a preprocessed form, from MODTRAN2, a state-of-the-art rigorous code. The NO2 extinction effect, in both the UV and visible, is introduced for the first time in a …

Dynamic Pulse Buckling Of Columns With Viscous Damping, Murli Kadandale

Masters Theses

This is a study of dynamic pulse buckling of columns with viscous damping. The differential equations of motion were obtained using the Bemoulli-Navier hypothesis. The effects of axial and rotary inertia were included in the analysis. The Voigt-Kelvin model for a viscoelastic material is used. The Finite Difference Method was employed to solve the differential equations of motion. First columns without geometrical imperfections were studied, and a correlation between the damping modulus and the more familiar damping ratio was obtained. Then beams with initial geometrical imperfection were studied. A suitable dynamic buckling criterion was defined. It was observed that viscous …

An Investigation Of Turbulent Taylor-Couette Flow Using Laser Doppler Velocimetry In A Refractive Index Matched Facility, Joseph C. Parker

Masters Theses

Turbulent Taylor-Couette flow between an annulus formed by two concentric cylinders with dead end walls is comprised of complex patterns of vortices. An experimental apparatus was designed to provide refractive index matching between the annulus and working fluid. Optical access was maintained through three sides of the annulus and one end wall. An aqueous solution of sodium iodide was formulated to match the refractive index of the Plexiglas annulus. Laser Doppler Velocimetry was used to measure the three components of velocity and turbulence intensity throughout a planar section in the annulus. The annulus dimensions were: ƞ= 0.672, d = 15.08 …

Design, Fabrication, Processing, And Testing Of Micro-Electro-Mechanical Chemical Sensors, Brian S. Freeman

Theses and Dissertations

Chemical microsensors are a new field integrating chemical thin film technology with solid-state fabrication techniques to make devices capable of detecting chemicals in the environment. This thesis evaluated commercially available fabrication processes and numerous sensor designs for working chemical sensors. The commercial processes used were MUMPS for surface micromachined devices and MOSIS for bulk micromachined devices. Overall, eight fabrication runs and 29 different designs were made. Of these designs, two were shown to work effectively. Other designs failed due to fabrication problems and design errors that caused release problems. One design that worked was a surface micromachined chemoresistor with interdigitated …

Design And Fabrication Of A Micromechanical Gyroscope, Richard M. Kuhns

Theses and Dissertations

Both size and cost of mechanical and optical inertial navigation systems (INS) have prevented their use in many applications. By developing a micromachined gyroscope and combining it with existing micromachined accelerometer designs to form a low sensitivity INS, the cost would be reduced by a factor of 10 or more. The lower per unit cost would open new areas for INS use. A second advantage of the micromachined INS would be its size. A micromachined INS would weigh only a few ounces and take significantly less space, allowing more room for electronics and the weight reduction would lead to longer …

Design, Fabrication And Characterization Of Micro Opto-Electro-Mechanical Systems, Darren E. Sene

Theses and Dissertations

Several micro-opto-electro-mechanical structures were designed using the Multi-User MEMS Process (MUMPS). Specific design techniques were investigated for improving the capabilities of elevating flip up structures. The integration of several flip up microoptical structures into a microoptical system was explored with emphasis on the development of a microinterferometer. The thermal effects on the Modulus of Elasticity were determined by detecting the resonant frequency for a square Flexure Beam Micromirror Device. The resonance of the device was found to match theory to within 0.1 % and the Modulus of Elasticity was found to decrease by 0.041 GPa/K from 290 to 450 K. …

1995 Strategic Plan For Museum, Tractor Museum

Lester F. Larsen Tractor Museum: Planning and Development Documents

Check from Mr. Gerst Letter from Dr. Omtvedt Plan for Renovation Decision to Replace Roof Estimate from Landscaping

Malt Drying Model Verification For Efficiency Improvement, John David Kribs

Dissertations and Theses

The aim of this work has been to minimize the thermal energy required to dry malt in deep beds while maintaining malt quality, and without increasing the drying time more than one hour. Malt drying usually takes place in deep bed (. 7-1 m) driers by forcing hot air through the bed. Measurements of inlet and outlet relative humidity, temperature, and airflow at a drier at Great Western Malting Company's Vancouver, Washington facility were made to find average moisture content versus time. The measurements were used to develop a wetted surface model of a malt bed. However, the model was …

Ultrasonic Radiative Transfer In Polycrystalline Media: Effects Of A Fluid–Solid Interface, Joseph A. Turner, Richard L. Weaver

Department of Engineering Mechanics: Faculty Publications

In previous derivations of the ultrasonic radiative transfer equation (URTE) for the modeling of multiply scattered diffuse ultrasound in polycrystalline media, the boundary conditions appropriate to experiments performed in a water bath were not used. In the present work, this fluid–solid boundary condition is discussed as it applies to the URTE. An interpolation scheme is developed that is consistent with the discrete ordinates method used for the solution of the URTE. Steady-state and time-dependent results are presented for the solution of the URTE with a fluid–solid boundary condition. The steady-state results show that diffusive behavior is exhibited nearer the specimen …

A Psychological Perspective On Service Segmentation Models: The Significance Of Accounting For Consumers' Perceptions Of Waiting And Service, Ziv Carmon, J. George Shanthikumar, Tali F. Carmon

Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering

We examine how service should be divided and scheduled when it can be provided in multiple separate segments. We analyze variants of this problem using a model with a conventional function describing the waiting cost, that is modified to account for some aspects of the psychological cost of waiting in line. We show that consideration of the psychological cost can result in prescriptions that are inconsistent with the common wisdom of queuing theorists derived according to the conventional approach (e.g., equal load assignments). More generally, our intention in this paper is to illustrate that aspects of the psychological cost of …

Laminar Natural Convection In A Discretely Heated Cavity: I—Assessment Of Three-Dimensional Effects, Theodore J. Heindel, S. Ramadhyani, F. P. Incropera

Theodore J. Heindel

Two and three-dimensional calculations have been performed for laminar natural convection induced by a 3 × 3 array of discrete heat sources flush-mounted to one vertical wall of a rectangular cavity whose opposite wall was isothermally cooled. Edge effects predicted by the three-dimensional model yielded local and average Nusselt numbers that exceeded those obtained from the two-dimensional model, as well as average surface temperatures that were smaller than the two-dimensional predictions. For heater aspect ratios Ahtr ≲ 3, average Nusselt numbers increased with decreasing Ahtr . However, for Ahtr ≳ 3, the two and three-dimensional predictions were within 5 percent …

Laminar Natural Convection In A Discretely Heated Cavity: Ii—Comparisons Of Experimental And Theoretical Results, Theodore J. Heindel, F. P. Incropera, S. Ramadhyani

Theodore J. Heindel

Three-dimensional numerical predictions and experimental data have been obtained for natural convection from a 3 × 3 array of discrete heat sources flush-mounted on one vertical wall of a rectangular cavity and cooled by the opposing wall. Predictions performed in a companion paper (Heindel et al., 1995a) revealed that three-dimensional edge effects are significant and that, with increasing Rayleigh number, flow and heat transfer become more uniform across each heater face. The three-dimensional predictions are in excellent agreement with the data of this study, whereas a two-dimensional model of the experimental geometry underpredicts average heat transfer by as much as …

Modeling Multiple Reactive Scalar Mixing With The Generalized Iem Model, Kuochen Tsai, Rodney O. Fox

Rodney O. Fox

An outstanding feature of the amplitude mapping closure is its ability to relax an arbitrary initial probability density function (PDF) to a Gaussian PDF asymptotically. Due to the difficulties in computing either the analytical or numerical solution, the mapping closure has never been applied to multiple scalars with finite reaction rates. In this work, the generalized IEM (GIEM) model is combined with the mapping closure to model the molecular mixing terms in the PDF balance equation. The GIEM model assumes a linear relationship between the rates of change of the reactive scalars and an inert scalar (shadow scalar) during the …

Photovoltaic Applications For Disaster Relief, Florida Solar Energy Center, William Young

FSEC Energy Research Center®

Hurricanes, floods, tornadoes, and earthquakes are natural disasters that can happen at any time destroying homes, businesses, and natural surroundings. One such disaster, Hurricane Andrew, devastated South Florida leaving several hundred-thousand people homeless. Many people were without electrical service, functioning water and sewage systems, communications, and medical services for days, even weeks in the aftermath of the storm. Emergency management teams, the military and countless public and private organizations staged a massive relief effort. Dependency on electrical utility power became a pronounced problem as emergency services were rendered to survivors and the rebuilding process started.

Many of the energy needs …

Vibration As An Aid In Robotic Peg-In-Hole Assembly, Hsin-Te Liao

Dissertations

This dissertation presents an analytical and experimental investigation of vibration assisted engagement for parts mating. A dynamic model of assembly is established by using Lagrange's equation for impact to derive impact equations for a robotic manipulator in peg-in-hole assembly. The model can be used to analyze part motion and contact force in the mating of parts by robots. The impact equations of a SCARA robot are derived using this model and utilized to investigate how robot configuration, insertion speed, chamfer angle, coefficient of restitution and other system parameters affect impulsive force and departure angle in the assembly of a peg …

Particle Deposition On Surfaces In A Divergent Channal Flow, Ding Sun

Dissertations

Particle trajectory and deposition of two phase gas-solid flows in a convergent or divergent two-dimensional channel are investigated numerically in a wide range of parameters. For the fluid phase, a two dimensional, incompressible laminar fluid flow is considered in the analysis. The particle phase is a diluted suspension. The effects of inertia, gravity, viscous force and electrostatic image force are included in the computational model.

Both convergent and divergent channel flow are solved by the finite element method based on the software FIDAP. The flow separations will appear in a divergent channel and their separation positions are obtained in the …

Performance Analysis For Genetic Algorithms., Hermrean Wong

Dissertations

Genetic algorithms have been shown effective for solving complex optimization problems such as job scheduling, machine learning, pattern recognition, and assembly planning. Due to the random process involved in genetic algorithms, the analysis of performance characteristics of genetic algorithms is a challenging research topic. Studied in this dissertation are methods to analyze convergence of genetic algorithms and to investigate whether modifications made to genetic algorithms, such as varying the operator rates during the iterative process, improve their performance. Both statistical analysis, which is used for investigation of different modifications to the genetic algorithm, and probability analysis, which is used to …

Analysis Of Cim Performance Using Different Lan Structures A Simulation Approach, Kirk Rawle

Theses

This research illustrates a systematic procedure for modeling and performance analysis of the integration effect of communication network to the physical system. The concept is to model different layouts of Computer Integration Manufacturing (CIM) using different Local Area Network(LAN) structures. The steps to accomplish this concepts are, a) To determine the performance measures for physical layouts and the communication network, in order to obtain a performance analysis. b) Modeling the physical layout using Promodel simulation package. c) Extracting results from the outcome of the simulation of the physical layout and using this as input to the communication network simulation. d) …

Auditing & Measuring The Need For Flexibility In A Manufacturing Facility, Kartika-Sari Stroman

Theses

Flexible manufacturing was created out of the need for facilities to be able to efficiently respond to changes in their environment so as to build a competitive advantage. Flexible manufacturing (FM) is currently viewed as a way for facilities to be able to introduce and produce multiple products quickly and more efficiently. In this research we will present some new tools to help managers address the changes that are affecting the facility.

An audit was developed to help system designers identify the changes that are impacting the facilities. The audit provides the opportunity to understand the changes that are occurring …

The Effect Of Liquid Gallium On Plastics, Vivek P. Dwivedi

Theses

As part of a joint effort by Cornell University and NJIT to find a replacement for mercury as a pressuring medium for P-V-T devices, we investigated the effect of liquid gallium on four thermoplastics: two semi-crystalline ( high density polyethylene and polypropylene ) and two amorphous ( polystyrene and polymethylmethacrylate ). Test specimens were covered with liquid gallium and held in vacuum oven at temperatures close to their melting points for up to two weeks. Change in weight after treatment with gallium was measured, along with tensile testing and particle analysis using dispersion x-ray spectroscopy. The results are compared with …

Chute Flow Experiments, Yahong Zhang

Theses

The objective of this thesis is to study the behavior of granular materials flowing down an inclined chute using three diagnostic techniques under different chute inclination angles and chute floor conditions. The three methods are: (1) tracking the motion of single particle within the mass in a noninvasive manner using a transmitting sphere and antenna receiving system, (2) scale mass flow rate measurement, and (3) high speed camera system to obtain flow velocity measurements.

For these purposes, an experimental setup has been completed and a set experiments has been performed.