Engineering Commons^™

What Does It Mean To Be “Prepared For Work”? Perceptions Of New Engineers, Jessica R. Deters, Marie C. Paretti, Logan A. Perry, Robin Ott

Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering: Faculty Publications

Background: Engineering education seeks to prepare students for engineering practice, but the concept of preparedness is often ill-defined. Moreover, findings from studies of different populations or in different contexts vary regarding how well new graduates are prepared. These variations, coupled with the lack of clarity, suggest the need to better understand what it means to be prepared for engineering work.

Purpose: This study contributes to research on workplace preparation by exploring how new graduates describe being prepared for engineering work.

Method: Applying secondary analysis to data from the multi-institution Capstone To Work (C2W) project, we used thematic …

Employment Of Intelligent Predictive Maintenance On Thermal Power Plant Component Parts Taking Condenser Vacuum As A Case Study, Titus Ajewole

Tanzania Journal of Engineering and Technology (TJET)

This work proposes deployment of machine learning in the maintenance of individual constituent parts of steam power plant assemblages. With the condenser vacuum of a steam turbine (in a six-turbine plant assemblage) taken as a case study, information on the past operating parameters of the selected plant component was used to forecast its future working condition. Based on Exponential Gaussian Process of Regression, a model was developed, trained using the diachronic operational data, and employed in determining the future. A quantitative evaluation was employed to provide the distribution of the test values of the data about the lines of regression, …

Onshore Power For The Docked Container Vessels In Apapa Port Through Blended Finance, Oladayo Matthew Atilola

World Maritime University Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Analysis Of The Pros And Cons Of The Acquisition Of Training Ships By Metis, Jeremiah Yaw Frimpong

World Maritime University Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Exploring The Role Of Education In Addressing The Skills Gap For Seafarers In Bangladesh's Maritime Industry, Fatema Tuz Tahera

World Maritime University Dissertations

No abstract provided.

The Role Of Enhancing Interaction With The Natural Environment In Achieving Social Interaction For Children In Orphanage Institutions, Shamael M. W. Al Dabbagh, Zainab Khalid Rashad Al Khafaji

Al-Esraa University College Journal for Engineering Sciences

The child deprived of family care is considered the child most in need of attention and care. When the orphan child enters a new environment for him, it is obvious that he feels alienated, isolated, and loses the sense of interaction and communication with society. The research sees the possibility of mitigating this feeling by enhancing interaction with the natural environment within the internal spaces of the orphanage building and at the neighborhood level. In order to solve the research problem, the research adopted a hypothesis stating that "interaction with the natural environment enhances the achievement of social interaction for …

Analysis Of Thin Plates In Bending By New Rectangular Strain Based Element., Samira Chichoune, Cherif Rebiai

Emirates Journal for Engineering Research

Abstract

This paper deals with the development of a new simple four node rectangular finite element for bending analysis of thin plates. The displacement s field of this element is based on the assumed functions for the various strains satisfying the compatibility equations. This developed element has three degrees of freedom at each node (two rotations and one translation), and it passed successfully benchmark tests in the case of thin plates without shear locking phenomena. The obtained numerical results using the developed element converge toward both analytical and reference solutions.

Evolution Of Glassy Carbon Derived From Pyrolysis Of Furan Resin, Josh Kemppainen, Ivan Gallegos, Aaron Krieg, Jacob R. Gissinger, Kristopher E. Wise, Margaret Kowalik, Julia A. King, S. Gowtham, Adri Van Duin, Gregory Odegard

Michigan Tech Publications

Glassy carbon (GC) material derived from pyrolyzed furan resin was modeled by using reactive molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. The MD polymerization simulation protocols to cure the furan resin precursor material are validated via comparison of the predicted density and Young's modulus with experimental values. The MD pyrolysis simulations protocols to pyrolyze the furan resin precursor is validated by comparison of calculated density, Young's modulus, carbon content, sp carbon content, the in-plane crystallite size, out-of-plane crystallite stacking height, and interplanar crystallite spacing with experimental results from the literature for furan resin derived GC. The modeling methodology established in this work can …

Design And Implementation Of An Optimization Platform For Common Fixed Photovoltaic Systems, Amro Ahmad Zahrawi

Mechanical Engineering Theses

Most household photovoltaic (PV) panels are installed in a fixed arrangement (fixed-type) based on a rule of thumb that comes from experience. The azimuth angle is usually set facing south with a tilt angle equivalent to the location's latitude. However, research shows that this is not the best for all geographical locations and during all hours of the day. Consequently, this brings up the hypothesis that optimizing the PV system's azimuth and tilt angles would ensure that the PV panel produces the most possible output as it is adjusted to face the sun most effectively during peak sunlight hours. This …

Aquaculture In Hydropower Reservoirs, Racheal Macharia

Tanzania Journal of Engineering and Technology (TJET)

There is an undoubtedly existing relationship between water, energy, and food and their interaction with the natural environment and mankind. Climate change is the talk of the day in global development discussions as it intensifies water shortages, energy, poverty, food shortages, and environmental degradation. Currently, most of the hydropower dams constructed in Africa are majorly built to store water for agricultural purposes, control flooding, and generate electricity. Notable projects include the seven forks hydropower stations located on the Tana River in Kenya; Aswan high dam in Egypt; Grand Renaissance dam in Ethiopia; Kariba dam in Zimbabwe and Akosombo in Ghana. …

Mppt Dc-Dc Buck-Boost Converter For Off Grid Hybrid Solar-Wind Battery System In Ikuza Island, Tanzania, Aviti Thadei Mushi

Tanzania Journal of Engineering and Technology (TJET)

Ikuza Island in Kagera-Tanzania faces lack of electricity due to cost challenges of extending the grid by marine cables and other transmission facilities. These makes such endeavour not appealing to the supply authority due to those higher charges. Therefore, this paper undertakes to design hybrid renewable energy sources for the island by specifically focusing on the buck-boost converter for the energy conversion from these renewable resources. The design of the bidirectional buck-boost converter for maximum power point tracking in off-grid hybrid renewable energy systems is multifaceted due to the inhomogeneity nature of the renewable energy sources. The bidirectional buck-boost converter, …

Designing A Cylindrical Capacitive Based Sensor For Monitoring The Table Salt’S Moisture Content During Iodization, Mwajuma Lungo

Tanzania Journal of Engineering and Technology (TJET)

Coaxial cylinder capacitive moisture sensor for determination of moisture content of table salts has been fabricated. The CMS method for determination of moisture content of table salts overcomes the effect of evaporation of iodine in table salt which results from heating in the oven drying method. The CMS overcomes the polarization effect result from the resistive methods of moisture content determination and it is non expensive to construct and it has high accuracy since measurements involves programming system in interpretation of the results. In this research, moisture content sensor based on capacitive principal created using two coaxial cylinders with height …

Sustainability Matchmaking: Exploration Into Using Excess Renewable Energy To Deliver ‘Free’ Energy To Fuel Poor Homes – A Preliminary Case Study In Ireland, Ciara Ahern, Ronan Oliver

Articles

The aggregated fuel cost of domestic hot water (DHW) generation in Ireland, in 2022, was €529M with associated emissions/load of 1.3MtCO₂/289GWh. The shadow price of carbon monetises the negative impact of emissions, rising with time; DHW generation has an associated shadow carbon cost of €13M in 2022, rising to €42M in 2030 and €335M in 2050.

In 2020, c12%/€441M of wind was curtailed or wasted as inter alia, there was no demand at times of high wind. Meanwhile, a ‘silent crisis’ is occurring in Ireland wherein one-in-two dwellings were considered in fuel poverty in 2022. Households in …

Extreme Cooling Via Sweeping Gas Membrane Distillation, David M. Warsinger

School of Mechanical Engineering Faculty Publications

Thermal desalination processes like membrane distillation (MD) aim to have rapid evaporation rates to provide large quantities of fresh water. These processes, which resemble counterflow-heat exchangers with membranes in the middle, conventionally seek to maximize vapor mass transfer while minimizing all other modes of heat transfer as “thermal losses.” However, we can reverse this fundamental design need to make an exceptionally high throughput heat dissipation device. By using thin thermally conductive membranes and extremely rapid air flow rates, membrane heat exchangers inspired by MD can dissipate heat several times faster than conventional air-cooled heat exchangers. We demonstrate this new approach …

On The Design And Power Output Response Of Hydraulic Wind Turbines, Helber Antonio Esquivel-Puentes, Andrea Vacca, Venkatesh Pulletikurthi, Ali Doosttalab, Jose Garcia-Bravo, David M. Warsinger, Leonardo P. Chamorro, Luciano Castillo

School of Mechanical Engineering Faculty Publications

Standard horizontal axis wind turbines typically use gearboxes for large-scale applications and direct coupling for small-scale designs to connect the rotor to the generator. However, gearboxes pose challenges due to their weight, cost, and exposure to dynamic loads and vibrations within the nacelle. A promising alternative is replacing mechanical transmission with a hydrostatic counterpart, offering advantages such as reduced nacelle mass, generator placement at the tower base, and elimination of the gearbox. It can potentially lead to cost savings of up to 20% in the levelized cost of electricity for offshore wind turbines. This study compares regulated hydrostatic transmission with …

The Influence Of Diversity Dimensions On Student’S Collaboration Success: What It Means For Workforce Development In Manufacturing, Oyinkansola Adeite

All Theses

Manufacturing productivity is measured by labor productivity which is the hourly output of the manufacturing economy. The recent reduction in productivity numbers by the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics emphasizes the need for workforce development. With globalization and technological advancements, diversity has emerged as a critical aspect for the workplace. By encompassing dimensions such as education, race, and age, diversity creates a tapestry of unique perspectives and experiences. This study’s aim is to figure out the effect of a diversity dimension on team performance using intelligent systems, and in addition, if extra dimensions of diversity further impact team performance. …

Cislunar Navigation Techniques And Navigation Performance Optimization, Quinn P. Moon

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Nova-C is a lunar lander developed by the private company Intuitive Machines to deliver commercial payloads to the Moon. The IM-1 mission set for 2023 will launch and land the Nova-C near the Moon's south pole. In this research, various navigation techniques are explored to determine the lander's position and velocity during key segments. This process is studied for key mission events including trajectory correction maneuvers (TCMs), lunar orbit insertion (LOI), and descent orbit insertion (DOI). Each mission segment, referred to as an Orbit Determination Segment (OD), is analyzed with three different navigation techniques: Monte Carlo Analysis, Linear Covariance Analysis, …

Understanding The Effects Of Wind Intensity, Forward Speed, And Wave On The Propagation Of Hurricane Harvey Surges, Madinah Shamsu, Muhammad Akbar

Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering Faculty Research

Hurricane storm surges are influenced by wind intensity, forward speed, width and slope of the ocean bottom, central pressure, angle of approach, shape of coastal lines, local features, and storm size. A numerical experiment is conducted using the Advanced Circulation + Simulation and Simulating Waves Nearshore (ADCIRC + SWAN) coupled model for understanding the effects of wind intensity, forward speed, and wave on the storm surges caused by Hurricane Harvey. The ADCIRC + SWAN is used to simulate hurricane storm surges and waves. The wind fields of Hurricane Harvey were reconstructed from observed data, aided by a variety of methodologies …

A Perspective Into Development Of Pavement Design Methods For Low Volume Roads: A Review, Mwajuma Lingwanda

Tanzania Journal of Engineering and Technology (TJET)

The definition of low volume roads (LVRs) is not time static and it varies from place to place around the world. The importance of such roads for providing access, in connecting communities and link farms to markets is well appreciated worldwide. LVRs are credited as the direct source of social economic development in rural communities, growth, reduction of poverty and sustaining livelihood. Nevertheless, the LVR network is growing at an unsatisfactory rate especially in Sub-Saharan Africa. The slow rate in developing LVR network is attributed to the high cost of construction and maintenance. To the author’s perspective, research has a …

Utilizing Machine Learning Models To Estimate Energy Savings From An Industrial Energy System, Eva Mclaughlin, Jun-Ki Choi

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Publications

Energy audits are an important part of reducing energy usage, costs, and carbon emissions, but there have been discrepancies in the quality of audits depending upon the auditor, which can negatively affect the impacts and credibility of the energy assessment. In this paper, historical energy auditing data from a U.S. Department of Energy sponsored research program was gathered and analyzed with a machine-learning algorithm to predict demand savings from a compressed air system assessment recommendation in industrial manufacturing facilities. Different energy auditors calculate savings for repairing leaks in compressed air systems in various ways, so the energy demand savings have …

Development Of A Modular Agricultural Robotic Sprayer, Paolo Rommel P. Sanchez

Theses and Dissertations

Precision Agriculture (PA) increases farm productivity, reduces pollution, and minimizes input costs. However, the wide adoption of existing PA technologies for complex field operations, such as spraying, is slow due to high acquisition costs, low adaptability, and slow operating speed. In this study, we designed, built, optimized, and tested a Modular Agrochemical Precision Sprayer (MAPS), a robotic sprayer with an intelligent machine vision system (MVS). Our work focused on identifying and spraying on the targeted plants with low cost, high speed, and high accuracy in a remote, dynamic, and rugged environment. We first researched and benchmarked combinations of one-stage convolutional …

An Exploration Of The Application Of Desalination In Disaster Relief, Emma Sager

Senior Honors Theses

This paper aims to explore the application of small-scale desalination systems to provide clean water in the wake of marine natural disasters. A lack of clean water is a devastating impact of many natural disasters. Desalination technologies, both thermal and membrane, show potential for being scaled down and self-powered by renewable energy. Desalination can transform ocean water and contaminated drinking water with a high salt content into drinkable, usable water. While these techniques are not perfected, and the solution to a need for clean water is multifaceted, desalination shows potential. Through further research and ever-advancing technology, small-scale desalination could develop …

High-Yield Bioinspired Atmospheric Water Capture Through Hydrogels, Yiwei Gao

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Water scarcity is a global issue affecting billions of people, and atmospheric water harvesting (AWH) technology has been identified as a potential solution. However, existing single-material AWH approaches have limited water harvesting yields due to alternated water capture, storage, and release stages, and only function within a high relative humidity range. In my doctoral research project, we developed a bio-inspired, hydrogel-based multi-layer AWH approach that allows for segregated capture, storage, and release stages, and is envisioned to have higher daily water harvesting efficiency even in low-humidity areas. My research began with understanding the relations between hydrogel mechanical stiffness, hydraulic permeability, …

Housing In Kibera's Soweto East Informal Settlement, Kenya: A Socio-Technical Evaluation, Tiernan Brennan

Masters

In 2003, the Kenya Slum Upgrading Programme (KENSUP) was launched in partnership with UN-Habitat and the Government of Kenya (GoK) to improve the livelihoods of people in Kenya by 2020 through the provision of improved shelter, infrastructure, land tenure and income generation. Kibera is an informal settlement in Kenya where varying housing typologies and traditional vernacular-style designs coexist with modern housing units. Soweto East was one of eighteen villages located in Kibera selected for KENSUP’s first major housing development initiative. Soweto East was selected from a screening of several housing projects that could be subjected to a socio-technical (STE). The …

Design Of International Airport Hybrid Renewable Energy System, Aviti Thadei Mushi

Tanzania Journal of Engineering and Technology (TJET)

This paper presents the design and simulation of a hybrid renewable energy system utilizing solar and wind energy sources with a backup generator. The demand for reliable electric energy in support of investments in large social and economic development activities such as airport operations has been an agenda worldwide. In Tanzania, Mwanza International Airport (MIA) expects to consume about 18 MVA of electric power annually to support its operations for the next 25 years. About 78-80% of the world's commercial energy comes from fossil fuels. Non-renewable fuels and other negative effects contribute to global warming through greenhouse gas emissions and …

Sensible Heat Bean Cooker, Casiana Lwiwa

Tanzania Journal of Engineering and Technology (TJET)

Alternative cooking energy to replace wood fuels is needed in the African context. Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) is a solution but is still based on burning fossil fuel. Electrical cookers can be an alternative as well. However, for off-grid systems this means electrical batteries are required, as the solar electricity from Photovoltaic (PV) panels is intermittent, and as cooking is also to be made after sunset. Heat storage technologies can provide solutions where available energy is stored in the form of heat for cooking when needed. The challenge is then to develop systems which are robust, safe, and technically simple. …

Development Of Solar Pv Systems For Mini-Grid Applications In Tanzania, Seleman Mayanjo

Tanzania Journal of Engineering and Technology (TJET)

Access to electricity offers great benefits to development through the provision of reliable and efficient energy sources in the country. Majority of the population living in the remote and rural areas of developing countries mostly sub-Saharan Africa are not supplied with electricity. Although the governments through their electricity companies put their effort to extends the grid distribution networks to remote and rural areas still the coverage were not sufficiently enough due to growing demands for safe and reliable electricity. However, solar as a source of energy remains the least utilized energy source in many countries including Tanzania. Solar Photovoltaic (PV) …

Biogas Combustion Characteristics In A Concentric Flow Slot Burner: Effects Of Co2 Concentration On Stability And Flame Structure, Maged Kiriakos

Theses and Dissertations

Biogas combustion is affected by the concentration of carbon dioxide. The successful applications of Biogas as a sustainable renewable alternative fuel produced from waste depend on its combustion stability, heat release, and pollution level. The aim of the current study is to apply new combustion technology and study the stability and combustion characteristics of natural gas with different percentages of carbon dioxide from 0 to 40% simulating biogas fuel. The stability characteristics and the temperature profiles of turbulent planar flames at different levels mixture inhomogeneity are investigated and presented in this work. The flames are created in a newly developed …

Estimating Solar Energy Production In Urban Areas For Electric Vehicles, Shaimaa Ahmed

Theses and Dissertations

Cities have a high potential for solar energy from PVs installed on buildings' rooftops. There is an increased demand for solar energy in cities to reduce the negative effect of climate change. The thesis investigates solar energy potential in urban areas. It tries to determine how to detect and identify available rooftop areas, how to calculate suitable ones after excluding the effects of the shade, and the estimated energy generated from PVs. Geographic Information Sciences (GIS) and Remote Sensing (RS) are used in solar city planning. The goal of this research is to assess available and suitable rooftops areas using …

A Methodology For Statistical Mean Wave Climate Regime Characterisation In Oceanic Islands: The Case Of The Southern Coast Of Tenerife, Emilio Megías, Manuel García-Román

Journal of Marine Science and Technology–Taiwan

Oceanic islands of volcanic origin tend to have peculiar characteristics, such as: exposure to many wave directions; grouping in archipelagos; steep coastal slopes; and small coastal shelves. All these features require certain considerations in wave climate studies. These types of studies, when wave spectra are not available and have to be performed with parametric data, can be unreliable without an adequate systematic treatment. In this work we propose a methodology consisting of pre-classification according to the peak period and subsequent separation into different sectors according to the geographical fetch. The island of Tenerife is the case study, and in particular …