Engineering Commons^™

Renewable Energy Limits, Florida Solar Energy Center, Ross Mccluney

FSEC Energy Research Center®

"The more we get out of the world the less we leave, and in the long run we shall have to pay our debts at a time that may be very inconvenient for our own survival." - Norbert Wiener

Introduction: The world's energy and environmental crises are inextricably linked. The processes of extracting, processing, and burning fossil fuels generates copious pollution of air, water, and land. Fossil-fuel-derived energy lies at the heart of other environmental problems. Fossil energy powers the bulldozers clearing rainforests. It runs the tractors and other farm equipment of industrial agriculture, compacting and mineralizing soils thus increasing …

Thermal Assessment Of Silicon-Based Composite Materials Used In Photovoltaics, Pavlos K. Bataglannis

Theses

Photovoltaics are devices that convert sunlight directly to electricity. It is well established that the conversion efficiency of mono and poly-crystalline silicon-based photovoltaic modules is inversely related to their temperature. Substantial improvements in operational performance can thus be achieved if the thermal energy accumulating in the material can be effectively dissipated.

Accurate modelling of modules would allow possible methods of thermal dissipation to be evaluated, and as a crucial component of the model, the thermal properties of the constituent materials of PV modules needed to be known. Special consideration needed to be given to the interfaces between dissimilar materials and …

Mechanical Property Characterization Of Mouse Zona Pellucida, Yu Sun, Kai-Tak Wan, K. P. Roberts, J. C. Bischof, B. J. Nelson

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Previous intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) studies have indicated significant variation in ICSI success rates among different species. In mouse ICSI, the zona pellucida (ZP) undergoes a "hardening" process at fertilization in order to prevent subsequent sperm from penetrating. There have been few studies investigating changes in the mechanical properties of mouse ZP post fertilization. To characterize mouse ZP mechanical properties and quantitate the mechanical property differences of the ZP before and after fertilization, a microelectromechanical systems-based multiaxis cellular force sensor has been developed. A microrobotic cell manipulation system employing the multiaxis cellular force sensor is used to conduct mouse ZP …

Experiments With A Galton Board, Christopher Oshman

Theses

Galton boards have been used for over a half-century as a tool to illustrate the formation of Gaussian shaped distributions as well as the Central Limit Theorem. Here, the Galton board was used to study the spontaneous percolation of a particle through an ordered array of rigid scatterers. The apparatus that was designed and fabricated provided a means to release 1/8" diameter spheres one at a time in a controlled and precise manner at any location on the board. The three experimental variables used in these experiments were the particle material, the release height, and the board tilt. angle. The …

Pv Powering A Weather Station For Severe Weather, Florida Solar Energy Center, William Young

FSEC Energy Research Center®

A natural disaster, such as Hurricane Andrew, destroys thousands of homes and businesses. The destruction from this storm left thousands of people without communications, potable water, and electric power. This prompted the Florida Solar Energy Center to study the application of solar electric power for use in disasters.

During this same period, volunteers at the Tropical Prediction Center at the National Hurricane Center (NHC) and the Miami Office of the National Weather Service (NWS) were working to increase the quantity and quality of observations received from home weather stations.

Many weather data collecting stations are at remote sites, which are …

A System For Collecting Milligram Quantities Of Cloud Condensation Nuclei, Darryl J. Alofs, Donald E. Hagen, Steven D. Medley, Daniel R. White, John L. Schmitt, Allen L. Williams

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

An Experimental System to Collect Cloud Condensation Nuclei (CCN) Onto Filters in Amounts Sufficient for Chemical Analysis is Described. This Experimental Apparatus is Designed to Process Ambient Air at a Rate of More Than 1 M3/min. Two Identical Systems Have Been Built. One is Installed in a Laboratory at Rolla, MO. the Other is Installed on an 11 M Long Trailer. the System Isolates Three Size Classes of CCN, Having Mass Median Diameters of 0.27, 0.12, and 0.075 Μm, Respectively, and Mass Collection Rates of 11.5, 1.28, and 0.13 Mg/day, Respectively. the above Sizes and Collection Rates Are Obtained from …

Integrating Design Into The Sophomore And Junior Level Mechanics Courses, Douglas R. Carroll

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Engineering schools across the country are developing ways of integrating design into their curriculum, and a question that often arises is how to best integrate design into the sophomore and junior level courses. Freshman design projects or mechanical dissection courses are designed to give the students hands-on experience in conceptual design and construction, with little if any of the mathematical modeling normally used in engineering design. The capstone senior design project is a true engineering design experience, where students draw from their background to conceptualize, analyze, model, refine, and optimize a product to meet design, manufacturing, and life cycle cost …

Towards Rational Trade Offs Between Environment And Hydro-Power, V Ranganathan

IIMB Management Review

The economic importance of hydro-power has long been recognised the world over. In fact, a certain correlation between exploitation of hydropower potential and economic growth is clearly discernible. Developed nations of North America and Western Europe, for example, have exploited 83% and 98%, respectively, of their potential hydro- power, while relatively poorer East European, Asian and African countries have a much lower record, ranging between 8% and 36% (see chart). Recent trends in hydro-power development in India are a source of serious concern: for instance, the hydro-thermal ratio of power generation in the country has been steadily declining from 1:1 …

Will It Fly? A Computer-Based Aircraft Design Tool, Eric G. Woodfin

Honors Capstone Projects and Theses

No abstract provided.

An Empirical Study Of Just-In-Time And Total Quality Management Principles Implementation In Manufacturing Firms In The U.S., Loknath Sriparavastu

Masters Theses

Literature in vogue points out that, in the last decade, American manufacturing companies came a long way in their renewed emphasis on the quality process. Justin- Time (JIT) and Total Quality Management (TQM) are the two magical phrases that are being frequently used in almost all the articles published on quality and productivity. Nevertheless, the literature does not provide any satisfactory explanation as to how JIT and TQM principles are implemented in the manufacturing industries.

This research, through a nationwide empirical survey, analyzed the effects of JIT and TQM strategies implementation. Survey results showed that implementing both JIT and TQM …

Long-Term Effects Of Neutron Absorber And Fuel Matrix Corrosion On Criticality, William Culbreth, P. Zielinski

Mechanical Engineering Faculty Research

Proposed waste package designs will require the addition of neutron absorbing material to prevent the possibility of a sustained chain reaction occurring in the fuel in the event of water intrusion. Due to the low corrosion rates of the fuel matrix and the Zircaloy cladding, there is a possibility that the neutron absorbing material will corrode and leak from the waste container long before the subsequent release of fuel matrix material. An analysis of the release of fuel matrix and neutron absorber material based on a probabilistic model was conducted and the results were used to prepare input to KENO-V, …

Coordinate Measuring Machines : A Modern Inspection Tool In Manufacturing, Matthias Richard Mantel

Theses

Coordinate Measuring Machines (CMM) are flexible and universal dimensional measuring devices with the capability for full integration into a CIM information network. Developed as highly precise measuring machines for specially designed measuring rooms, today's CMMs are more and more used in shop floor applications which is a hostile environment for a precise measuring tool. CMMs are offered in a variety of configurations and levels of automation. For the CMM buyer it is therefore essential to have an overview of the different types of CMMs and their subsystems before making a purchasing decision.

To obtain reliable measuring results that are used …

Build Your Own Solar Batch Water Heater, Florida Solar Energy Center, Public Information Office

FSEC Energy Research Center®

The solar batch water heater is a fun project for the do-it yourselfer and provides an inexpensive hot water source for the back yard workshop or weekend cabin, It is easy to construct, costs only about $70 to build and produces water temperatures as high as 150 degrees F.

Remember, the batch heater is not designed to operate with pressurized water system and should not be connected to a city water supply. If you are looking for such a system, consider manufactured solar systems, which have been designed to meet strict standards and aesthetic considerations.

Passive Cooling By Natural Ventilation: A Literature Review. Final Report, Task 1. Volumes 1 & 2. 01-29-82. Copies 1, 2, Florida Solar Energy Center, Subrato Chandra

FSEC Energy Research Center®

This is the final report on Task 1 of this contract. This literature review has been prepared in two volumes. Volume one is a summary of the state of the art. Volume two contains a summary of each major reference, a matrix relating the subject matter to various aspects of ventilative cooling and a compilation of airflow around and through buildings observed in wind tunnel studies.

Passive Cooling By Natural Ventilation: A Literature Review. 11-10-81. 40 P., Florida Solar Energy Center, Subrato Chandra

FSEC Energy Research Center®

The purpose of this paper is to summarize the existing body of knowledge in natural ventilation and point out areas of research the authors have undertaken.

Passive Cooling By Natural Ventilation; Contract Management Summary Report...Oct. 1980. Oct. 30, 1980. 18 P., Florida Solar Energy Center, Subrato Chandra

FSEC Energy Research Center®

This document is a combined monthly report and a management/cost plan.

Wood Finishing For Tree Samples Of Five Honduran Species, Amilcar A. Cruz

Graduate Research Papers

This research report will study the application of four wood finishing techniques to samples of each of five species of Honduran hardwood.

These four wood finishing methods are: The varnish-method, the lacquer method, the antiquing method and the oil-rub method. The researcher will attempt to determine which is the best method for each of the five species.

Simplifying Lubricants For Farm Machinery, R A. Platt

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

All moving parts on machinery needs lubrication. With the rapid development in farm machinery and its attendant sophistifications, the stresses imposed on the lubricants have also increased.

This article looks at some of the changes in requirements and developments in lubricants available.

David Brown Tractors: Inside Story, Nebraska Tractor Test Lab

Nebraska Tractor Tests

DAVID BROWN TRACTORS: INSIDE STORY

A summary of the design and manufacturing achievements of David Brown Tractors Ltd.

David Brown 'Firsts'

Few if any, tractor manufacturers can equal the David Brown record of pioneering achievement in tractor maufacture and development. Major examples are:

1937 - World's first farm tractor equipped with hydraulic lift and converging 3-point linkage

1948 - Two-speed power take-off, six-speed gearbox

1949 - High-speed direct injection diesel engine for farm tractors

1953 - Traction control (implement weight transfer)

1959 - All purpose tractor hydraulic system with single lever control.

1964 - Dial-controlled tractor hydraulic system

1968 - …

An Engineering, Geological And Hydrological Environmental Assessment Of A 250 Mmscfd Dry Ash Lurgi Coal Gasification Facility, Mason H. Somerville, James L. Elder, Stephen R. Moran

UMR-MEC Conference on Energy / UMR-DNR Conference on Energy

A preliminary engineering, geological, and hydrological environmental assessment of a proposed 250 MMSCFD dry ash Lurgi coal gasification facility is discussed.

The facility's emission spectrum is examined on the basis of the proposed design and empirical data. This system utilizes approximately 13 million tons of lignite and 17,000 acre feet of water per year and consumes 6500 tons of oxygen per day. The results of the study indicate that the major gaseous effluent is CO₂, that the federal limits on SO₂ effluent may be met, and that the atmospheric degradation criterion will be the most difficult one …

Metallurgical Pulp Mill Processing For The White Pine Copper Company Project, White Pine, Michigan, Steve Theodorides

Professional Degree Theses

No abstract provided.

Some Applications Of Statistical Quality Control Methods To The Preparation, Purchase And Calorimetry Of Steam Coal, Arthur P. Bellinghausen

Bachelors’ Theses

This thesis is an attempt to establish the applicability of a statistical method of quality control to several problems involving maintenance of fuel quality standards. Although the technique has found increasingly important applications in mass production industries, its use in analysis of fuel characteristics has been given little, if any, study if current catalogues of the literature are authoritative. Analyses of data drawn from publications of the Bureau of Vines have been used to test the limitations of the method. Original data collected by the author shows statistical control to exist over sufficient samples to assure the soundness of conclusions …

Advertising Brochure: 1903 Mccormick Farm Equipment, Nebraska Tractor Test Lab

Nebraska Tractor Tests

No abstract provided.