Engineering Commons^™

Effect Of Transport Vibration On Quality Of Minimally Processed And Packaged Fresh-Cut Cantaloupe, Koushik Saha, S. Paul Singh, Bruce Harte

Industrial Technology and Packaging

This study was undertaken to determine the quality of packaged fresh cut cantaloupe subjected to transport vibration after treating with various anti-browning agents. Cantaloupe (Cucumis melo) pieces were dipped in two anti-browning solutions: Treatment- A (2% ascorbic acid + 1% calcium chloride + 0.5% citric acid) and Treatment-B (3% NatureSeal™) for 2 minutes and packaged in bio-based clamshell containers and vibrated for 60 minutes (ASTM 4169, Truck assurance level II). Vibration of cut-cantaloupe packaged in sample containers had a positive effect on the flavor and overall liking. The overall liking scores were higher than 6(slightly like) on a hedonic scale …

Performance Of A Catch Basin Filter And Leachate From Biocidal Media For Stormwater Treatment, Ryan Scott Maclure

Master's Theses

The feasibility of installing biocidal beads into a catch basin filter insert for simultaneous stormwater disinfection and contaminant removal was tested. The catch basin filter insert (DrainPac®) was tested for its sediment, oil and grease, and coliform bacteria removal efficiency in conjunction with bench-scale testing of biocidal polymer beads. DrainPac® catch basin filters are composed of a metal frame, polypropylene filter fabric, and a high-density polymer support basket, and are installed below storm drains. A 12 x 41 in. DrainPac® filter (United Stormwater, Inc.) insert was set in a flume that simulated a large-scale catchment basin. Pond water was gravity …

Phytoremediation Of Weathered Petroleum In Groundwater By Arroyo Willows In Nutrient Amended On-Site Mesocosms, Sarah E. Bragg-Flavan

Master's Theses

PHYTOREMEDIATION OF WEATHERED PETROLEUM IN GROUNDWATER BY ARROYO WILLOWS IN NUTRIENT AMENDED ON-SITE MESOCOSMS

SARAH BRAGG-FLAVAN

A large-scale mesocosm study was conducted to determine if vegetation with willow trees enhances biodegradation and to evaluate the mechanisms of natural biodegradation of weathered petroleum compounds under field conditions. The mesocosms were designed to model conditions at a former oil field where mid-range petroleum distillates were used as a diluent for pumping crude oil contaminated the soil and groundwater at the site with petroleum compounds. Ten mesocosms were constructed at the field site using un-impacted soil and diluent-impacted groundwater from the site. Five …

Potential Migration Of Ε-Caprolactam To Water And Wine As Affected By Transportation And Storage, Joseph C. Ianneo

Master's Theses

Abstract: Under normal sealing and storage conditions, Nylon-6, poly-caprolactam-based plastic laminates may release impurities to packaged foods and liquids and the application of heat for cooking often increases the rate of migration. Epsilon-caprolactam is one of the main contaminates found to migrate from a Nylon-6 poly-caprolactam plastic film. The objectives of this study were to determine the effects of solvent, transportation and storage time on the migration of ε-caprolactam from a Nylon-6-based lidding material into water or a white wine substitute (12% ethanol). Polypropylene plastic cups were filled, sealed, packaged, stacked and exposed to a simulated 3-day cross-country shipment. Cups …

Impacts Of Delayed Drawdown On Water Quality And Aquatic Biota In Seasonal Wetlands Of The Grassland Ecological Area, Los Banos, California, Kyle Nathan Poole

Master's Theses

The 178,000-acre Grassland Ecological Area in California’s San Joaquin Valley is managed to provide overwintering habitat to waterfowl on the Pacific Flyway. The major management activity is the fall flooding and spring drawdown of wetlands, timed to optimize the availability of forage vegetation and invertebrates for ducks and shorebirds. Wetland drainage contains salt, boron, and trace elements that are, in part, derived from imported surface water but also concentrate during storage in the wetland impoundments. The spring drawdown drainage contributes to occasional water quality violations in the San Joaquin River (SJR) during dry years. Compliance with water quality objectives may …

Optimization Of Gan Laser Diodes Using 1d And 2d Optical Simulations, Sean Richard Keali'i Jobe

Master's Theses

This paper studies the optical properties of a GaN Laser Diode (LD). Through simulation, the GaN LD is optimized for the best optical confinement factor. It is found that there are optimal thicknesses of each layer in the diode that yield the highest optical confinement factor. There is a strong relationship between the optical confinement factor and lasing threshold—a higher optical confinement factor results in a lower lasing threshold. Increasing optical confinement improves lasing efficiency. Blue LDs are important to the future of lighting sources as they represent the final color in the RGB spectrum that does not have a …

Use Of Ultrasonic Sensors In The Development Of An Electronic Travel Aid, Chris Gearhart, Alex Herold, Brian Self, Charles Birdsong, Lynne Slivovsky

Mechanical Engineering

Ultrasonic sensors present one of the most cost-effective digital distance measurement systems available for mobile applications. Their effectiveness is limited, however, in applications involving complex environments and when information on sensor position is unavailable. This paper focuses on the implementation and limitations of ultrasonic sensors and system design considerations during development of an Electronic Travel Aid [ETA] for the visually impaired utilizing ultrasonic sensors and vibrotactile feedback. Our work with sensors included signal filtering and triangulation to improve performance characteristics of ultrasonic-based measurements. Additionally, we describe the use of computer modeling to aid in the design of ultrasonic sensor systems.

Optimization Of Engineering Tolerance Design Using Revised Loss Functions, Jeh-Nan Pan, Jianbiao Pan

Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering

Engineering tolerance design plays an important role in modern manufacturing. Both symmetric and asymmetric tolerances are common in many manufacturing processes. Recently, various revised loss functions have been proposed for overcoming the drawbacks of Taguchi's loss function. In this article, Kapur's economic tolerance design model is modified and the economic specification limits for both symmetric and asymmetric losses are established. Three different loss functions are compared in the optimal symmetric and asymmetric tolerance design: a revised Taguchi quadratic loss function, an inverted normal loss function and a revised inverted normal loss function. The relationships among the three loss functions and …

Undergraduate Engineers Develop Hydraulic Servo Control Systems Using Model-Based Design With Simulink, Charles Birdsong

Mechanical Engineering

In the past, control engineering was the exclusive province of computer and electrical engineers with advanced degrees and years of experience in low-level programming languages. Today, engineers and students alike can use Model-Based Design to rapidly design and implement real-time control systems without having to learn low-level programming. Used throughout the automotive and aerospace industries, Model-Based Design places a high-level system model at the center of development. This approach helps engineering students understand not only the basic physics of system components, but also the interaction between components and the behavior of the overall system.

A System For Measuring The Lift And Drag Forces Of A Spinning Golf Ball Held Fixed Within A Wind Tunnel, Ryan R. Miller

Master's Theses

A system was designed, built and tested in order to test the aerodynamic properties of a standard golf ball in a wind tunnel manufactured by ELD, Inc. model 406(B). The system consists of a rotating shaft, on which the golf ball is attached, connected to a two-axis force transducer. Additionally, an automated data acquisition system was built for enhanced precision of measurements. Data for wind speeds up to 160 ft/s and rotational speeds up to 8,600 rpm were obtained and analyzed. The purpose of the designed apparatus was to allow for studies to better understand the lift and drag coefficients …

Temperature Influence And Heat Management Requirements Of Microalgae Cultivation In Photobioreactors, Thomas Hagen Mehlitz

Master's Theses

Microalgae are considered one of the most promising feedstocks for biofuel production for the future. The most efficient way to produce vast amounts of algal biomass is the use of closed tubular photobioreactors (PBR). The heat requirement for a given system is a major concern since the best algae growth rates are obtained between 25-30 °C, depending on the specific strain. A procedure to determine temperature influence on algal growth rates was developed for a lab-scale PBR system using the species Chlorella. A maximum growth rate of 1.44 doublings per day at 29 °C (optimal temperature) was determined. In addition, …

Light Extraction Improvement Of Gan-Based Light Emitting Diodes Using Patterned Undoped Gan Bottom Reflection Gratings, Simeon Trieu, Xiaomin Jin, Bei Zhang, Tao Dai, Kui Bao, Xiang-Ning Kang, Guo-Yi Zhang

Electrical Engineering

The Gallium Nitride (GaN) Light-Emitting-Diode (LED) bottom refection grating simulation and results are presented. A microstructure GaN bottom grating, either conical holes or cylindrical holes, was calculated and compared with the non-grating (flat) case. A time monitor was also placed just above the top of the LED to measure both time and power output from the top of the LED. Many different scenarios were simulated by sweeping three parameters that affected the structure of the micro-structure grating: unit cell period (A) from 1 to 6 microns, unit cell width (w) from 1 to 6 microns, and …

Performance Study Of Series Loaded Resonant Converter Using Super Barrier Rectifiers, Taufik, Michael Mccarthy, Scott Watkins, Makbul Anwari

Electrical Engineering

In power electronics efficiency improvement is constantly being sought out through venues such as improved topologies or improved devices. Series loaded resonant (SLR) DC-DC converter is a type of soft-switching topology widely known for providing improved efficiency. This paper investigates the efficiency and transient performance of SLR when a new type of diode called Super Barrier Rectifier^TM is being used. The design of SLR, results from computer simulations, and hardware measurements will be discussed. The efficiency measurements from all conduction modes in SLR using three types of diodes (pn, schottky, and SBR) will be presented along with transient study …

Experimental Harmonic Analysis Of A Network Of Adjustable Speed Drives, Makbul Anwari, M.I. M. Rashid, M. Imran Hamid, Taufik

Electrical Engineering

Harmonic analysis of a network of Adjustable Speed Drives (ASDs) has been experimentally investigated. A small-scale laboratory of the network of two ASDs connected to two induction motors was setup. Load of motor 1 was fixed while load of motor 2 was varied. In the experiment, measurements have been done at both side of power transformer to analyze power system harmonic.

Face And Lip Tracking In Unconstrained Imagery For Improved Automatic Speech Recognition, Brandon Crow, Jane Zhang

Electrical Engineering

When combined with acoustical speech information, visual speech information (lip movement) significantly improves Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR) in acoustically noisy environments. Previous research has demonstrated that visual modality is a viable tool for identifying speech. However, the visual information has yet to become utilized in mainstream ASR systems due to the difficulty in accurately tracking lips in real-world conditions. This paper presents our current progress in tracking face and lips in visually challenging environments. Findings suggest the mean shift algorithm performs poorly for small regions, in this case the lips, but it achieves near 80% accuracy for facial tracking.

Two Simplified Dynamic Lane Merging System (Sdlms) For Short Term Work Zones, Rami Harb, Essam Radwan, Shankar Ramasamy, Mohamed Abdel-Aty, Anurag Pande, Khaled Shaaban, Sastry Putcha

Civil and Environmental Engineering

ITS-based lane management technologies were introduced to work zones in an attempt to reduce congestions and diminish queue lengths. Two forms of lane merging namely the early merge and the late merge were designed to advise drivers on definite merging locations. This study suggests two Simplified Dynamic Lane Merging Systems (SDLMS) (early merge and late merge) to supplement the current Florida maintenance of traffic (MOT) plans. Data was collected in work zones on I-95, Florida for three different maintenance of traffic plan treatments. The first maintenance of traffic plan treatment was the standard MOT plan employed by FDOT. The second …

Relationship Of Two-Fluid Model Parameters With Safety On Arterials, Vinayak V. Dixit, Anurag Pande, Mohamed A. Abdel-Aty, Essam Radwan, Abhishek Das

Civil and Environmental Engineering

The two-fluid model for vehicular traffic flow explains the traffic on arterials as a mix of stopped and running vehicles. It describes the relationship between the vehicles’ running speed and the fraction of running vehicles. Two parameters of the model essentially represent ‘free flow’ travel time and level of interaction among vehicles, respectively, and may be used to evaluate urban roadway networks and urban corridors with partially limited access. These parameters are supposed to be related not only with the characteristics of the roadway but also with behavioral aspects of driver population, e.g., aggressiveness. In this study two-fluid models were …

Decades Of Innovation In Aircraft Design Education, Russell M. Cummings, David W. Hall, Doral R. Sandlin

Aerospace Engineering

Aircraft design has formed the foundation of the aeronautical engineering curriculum at Cal Poly since the inception of the department in 1927. While the focus and approach for teaching aircraft design has changed a great deal over the decades, the importance of the Cal Poly “learn by doing” philosophy has been a constant element. The end result of this decades-long history of innovation and improvement has been the continued success of Cal Poly students in the AIAA design competitions, especially the Undergraduate Team Aircraft Design competition. Details about how the design curriculum has evolved and grown will be discussed, including …

Senior Design At Cal Poly: A Recipe For Success, Robert A. Mcdonald, Jordi Puig-Suari, Dave Esposto, Bruce Wright

Aerospace Engineering

The Aerospace Engineering Department at Cal Poly has, over the years, evolved a unique recipe for Senior Design. This recipe has been applied to the capstone Aircraft and Spacecraft design courses and will soon be extended to an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle design course. This recipe consists primarily of a year long design sequence with a great deal of participation from the region's aerospace industry. The Cal Poly recipe has proven to be both flexible and effective. The authors believe it could be adapted and applied in a similar manner at other institutions with a similar degree of success.

Underpowered Aircraft - Performance And Operational Possibilities, Andrew S. Ezzard, Michael R. Vallone, Robert A. Mcdonald

Aerospace Engineering

A unique configuration, known as an Underpowered Aircraft, allows for the modification of gliding flight vehicles for increased range and lower cost when compared with fully powered flight vehicles. Intentionally under-sizing the powerplant for a flight vehicle allows the designer to choose a powerplant that will not only perform the mission requirements, but will also provide the customer with the most cost effective solution, as some missions may not require fully powered flight. Specifically, the underpowered aircraft concept studied in this paper is a gliding flight aircraft that does not have enough power for climbing or level flight, but does …

A User Friendly Interface For Gaussian Process Metamodeling, Collin R. Baukol, Robert A. Mcdonald, Nicholas Delmas

Aerospace Engineering

As research into metamodeling and using advanced metamodeling techniques continues, it is important to remember design engineers who need to use these advancements. Even experienced engineers may not be well versed in the material and mathematical background that is currently required to generate and fully comprehend advanced complex metamodels. A user friendly metamodeling environment is being developed to help bridge the gap that is currently growing between the research community and the design engineers. This tool allows users to easily create, modify, and assess the quality of metamodels.

Lower-Order Aerodynamic Loads Modeling Of A Maneuvering Generic Fighter Using Ddes Simulations, Tiger L. Jeans, David R. Mcdaniel, Russell M. Cummings, Keith Bergeron

Aerospace Engineering

Unforeseen nonlinear aerodynamic behavior and/or fluid-structure interactions have affected the development of nearly every major fighter program since 1960. The development cost of each of these aircraft could have been drastically reduced if these aerodynamic issues had been identified earlier in the design process. Therefore, a high-fidelity computational tool capable of reliably predicting or identifying configurations susceptible to handling quality instabilities prior to flight test would be of great interest to the stability and control community. The United States Air Force Academy Modeling and Simulation Research Center and the United States Air Force Seek Eagle Office have initiated a joint …

John Mcmasters’Contributions To Aircraft Design Education, Russell M. Cummings

Aerospace Engineering

John McMasters was intensely interested in two seemingly diverse pursuits: aircraft design and technical work force development. The later pursuit often got John involved in encouraging the development and improvement of engineering education, especially aircraft design education. He spent countless hours considering the issues that contribute to good design education, and was a strong proponent of programs that would encourage students to become interested in design. An overview of John’s ideas on aircraft design education will be presented based on discussions with John, as well as papers that we co-authored. In addition, John had a long talk with me just …

Propulsion System Modeling And Takeoff Distance Calculations For A Powered-Lift Aircraft With Circulation-Control Wing Aerodynamics, Mark Waters, Cassey Anthony, Gregory Mckenzie, David D. Marshall

Aerospace Engineering

The computation of takeoff distance for powered-lift aircraft is complicated because of the coupling of aerodynamic performance (lift, drag and moment coefficients) with forward speed. Cal Poly has developed an analysis procedure to capture this coupling, and the development of this procedure is continuing. In the past year, Cal Poly has completed a Phase I NRA contract from the NASA for the configuration development and modeling of CESTOL aircraft. The primary objective of this contract was to identify an aircraft configuration in enough detail to proceed into a Phase II contract to design and construct a large scale wind tunnel …

Using Cfd As A Design Tool On New Innovative Airliner Configurations, Bryan H. Blessing, John Pham, David D. Marshall

Aerospace Engineering

This paper demonstrates the use of CFD thus far as a design tool in evaluating aerodynamic performance for a NASA Research Announcement (NRA) project. The NRA project is carried out in two phases over the course of three years. Phase I utilizes CFD to evaluate and down select between two proposed future generations CESTOL airliner concepts; the Hybrid Wing-Body and the Blended Wing-Body. Both configurations are simulated at takeoff and cruise conditions to provide the means to making a final decision on which concept to continue forward with in Phase II. This second phase will take the proposed airliner concept …

A Surface Parameterization Method For Airfoil Optimization And High Lift 2d Geometries Utilizing The Cst Methodology, Kevin A. Lane, David D. Marshall

Aerospace Engineering

For aerodynamic modeling and optimization, it is desirable to limit the number of design variables to reduce model complexity and the requirements of the applied optimization scheme. The Class/Shape Transformation (CST) surface parameterization method presented by Kulfan has proven to be particularly useful for this while maintaining a wide range of applications. These include everything from smooth airfoils to 3D axi-symmetric bodies and wings. However, the CST method is confined to smooth geometries. This limits the CST method in applications incorporating discontinuous surfaces such as high lift aerodynamics with circulation control (CC) slots and flaps. The trailing edge slot on …

Characterization Of A Viscoelastic Response From Thin Metal Films Deposited On Silicon For Microsystem Applications, Steven L. Meredith

Master's Theses

Understanding the mechanisms that control the mechanical behavior of microscale actuators is necessary to design an actuator that responds to an applied actuation force with the desired behavior. Micro actuators which employ a diaphragm supported by torsional hinges which deform during actuation are used in many applications where device stability and reliability are critical. The material response to the stress developed within the hinge during actuation controls how the actuator will respond to the actuating force. A fully recoverable non-linear viscoelastic response has been observed in electrostatically driven micro actuators employing torsional hinges of silicon covered with thin metal films. …

Design Of An 8-Channel Data Acquisition System For Measuring Diode Junction Temperature, Jason Maynard

Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering

The solid state lighting industry is striving to expand the use of light emitting diodes (LEDs) in more applications, particularly in high brightness applications. As the power of LEDs increase, heat removal becomes a critical issue. To improve device lifetime, quantum efficiency, and LED colour, the diode p-n junction temperature (Tj) must be kept to a minimum. Measuring this key parameter is difficult or impossible with direct methods, such as thermocouples and infrared cameras, due to the small size of LEDs. Fortunately, junction temperature can be measured indirectly by using a relationship between the diode forward voltage (Vf) and junction …

A Decision Support System For Capacity Management, Anton Slobodnik

Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering

Every manufacturer faces the challenge of managing production capacity. How effectively a company meets required capacity as compared to competitors will be a determinant of profitability and success.

This paper details the creation of a best of breed software that can act as a decision support system and help planners reschedule work, add shifts and make sure that the master production schedule is feasible before putting it into an MRP system.

As a part of my senior project I’ve created a Rough-Cut Capacity Tool that takes lead time into account and performs basic what if analysis on level loading a …

Effectiveness Of Thermal Oxidation In Relation To Anterior Cervical Plates, Katherine A. Miyashiro

Master's Theses

Ti-6Al-4V anterior cervical plates (ACP) are used in spinal fusion surgeries to fixate cervical vertebrae during graft adhesion. However, documented cases of implant failure and the potential for ACP corrosion raise concerns regarding any degradation of material resulting from extended implantation. In addition, abrasion during implantation may damage a section of the protective oxide layer, potentially exposing surrounding tissues to the harmful effects of bare titanium, aluminum, and vanadium. Thermal oxidation has been shown to improve corrosion-resistance and wear-resistance, depending on temperature and time. To quantify the attributes of the thermally grown oxide layer, Ti-6Al-4V coupons underwent thermal oxidation treatments …