Engineering Commons^™

The Construction Of A Single Crystal Neutron Diffraction Unit And Measurement Of Effective Neutron Temperature, Larry Dean Thompson

Masters Theses

"The continued expansion of the nuclear reactor facility and the nuclear engineering program makes it desirable that a neutron spectrometer be available at the reactor facility. This unit would be available for use in graduate and undergraduate laboratories and for graduate research.

A single crystal, white radiation spectrometer including collimator, automatic controls, and shielding was designed and constructed.

The performance of the unit was checked using LiF and Cu crystals. A rocking crystal curve and a θ - 2θ curve was obtained with each crystal. The effective neutron temperature was then determined from the LiF crystal θ - 2θ curve"--Abstract, …

An Introduction To Linear Time-Variant Digital Filtering Of Seismic Data, Richard Harold Lassley

Doctoral Dissertations

"The exploration geophysicist is constantly searching for new and better methods for analyzing seismic data. The primary purpose of this dissertation is to introduce linear time-variant digital filters as a technique for the filtering of seismic data. Methods of characterizing linear time-variant digital filters are discussed in general terms. The advantages of the different impulse and frequency responses are cited. In addition, the meanings and possible interpretations of the time and frequency variables introduced are considered. The concept of linear time-variant digital delay filters is presented along with their relationship to impulse responses. A pictorial diagram of discrete time-variant impulse …

A Study Of The Photomechanical Effect In Silicon, Ronald M. Oglesbee

Masters Theses

"This paper presents the results of an experimental investigation into the photomechanical effect in silicon. The effect was found to be very similar to the electromechanical effect. In both cases the phenomena observed is the softening of a thin surface layer of the material when it is either illuminated or when a current is flowing through the material. An anisotropy was observed in both the hardness and the photomechanical effect. Increasing temperatures tended to "washout" the photomechanical effect. The surface hardness and the photomechanical effect were found to depend heavily on proper surface preparation of the samples, however little dependence …

The Cementing Of Hydraulically Placed Tailing Fill By The Oxidation Products Of Pyrrhotite, Stanley H. Alder

Masters Theses

"This thesis has been prepared to make available basic information on the use of the oxidation products of pyrrhotite to cement hydraulic tailing stope fill. As nothing has been published on this subject to date, a review has been made of pertinent information culled from accounts of work in related fields. From this study, a set of equations representing the most likely pyrrhotite oxidation reactions has been evolved and tests supporting these equations performed. Samples of fill, each containing from one to six percent of pyrrhotite, were cemented in the laboratory. They were then examined microscopically, subjected to unconfined compressive …

Cylinder-Head Surface Temperature And Maximum Pressure In A Diesel Engine, Jayant M. Patel

Masters Theses

"This report presents the result of an experimental investigation on the effect of 1) fuel consumption in a diesel engine on the mean cylinder-head surface temperature 2) engine speed and load on the maximum cylinder pressure.

A fast-response thermocouple was fixed in the cylinder head and temperatures were measured for various load and speed conditions. An attempt was made to record a transient surface temperature versus crank-angle diagram. Some doubt as to the reliability of this recording may arise because of the very small amount of time lag in the thermocouple action. This is immaterial to the subject of this …

Hot Isostatic Compaction Of Graphite, Donald C. Carmichael, P. D. Ownby, Edwin S. Hodge

Materials Science and Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The effects of temperature, pressure, and graphite starting material on the density, isotropy, and strength of dense graphite material prepared by hot isostatic compaction of graphite powders were examined. Process equipment was developed to permit operation at temperatures up to 2700 C under a 1600-atom isostatic pressure of inert gas . The isotropy of graphite compacts was determined by neutron diffraction. Relatively isotropic, high-purity graphites were produced having modest isotropic tensile strength and extremely high density (up to 2.24 g per cm³, or 99 per cent of theoretical).

The Separation Of Radioactive Technetium And Zirconium By Electrodialysis And A Study Of The Behavior Of Technetium In Aqueous Solutions, William Victor Andoe

Masters Theses

"The rapid increase in radioisotope applications necessitates improved technology for separation and purification of the fission product elements. Electrodialysis techniques employing Permutit anion exchange membrane(3148) were used to separate technetium from zirconium. The method was based upon the stability of the pertechnetate ion in alkaline solutions and the precipitation of zirconium from alkaline solutions. The separation of radiotechnetium and radiozirconium was effected with a two cell electrodialysis unit employing an anion exchange membrane. The solution medium consisted of fluoride and nitrate ions which were made basic with sodium hydroxide. The minimum basicity for a good separation was 0.1N NaOH"--Abstract, page …

The Effect Of Carbonate Karst Terrain On Water Quality, Robert Russell Kilgo

Masters Theses

"The ever increasing use of water and unabated pollution of streams have made necessary increased research efforts into the quality and quantity of the available national water resources. Karst terrain is prevalent in several sections of the United States, however, little work has been done on the effect of this topography on water quality.

The purpose of this investigation was to determine the effect of carbonate karst terrain on the quality of water. The Meramec spring area, east of Rolla, Missouri, was selected for study. This area was underlain with dolomite formations and contains both karst and non-karst drainage basins …

Design Of A Photoelectric Transient Torque And Speed Meter, Raojibhai A. Patel

Masters Theses

"There are many situations in which it is desirable to know the speed of the shaft and the torque it is transmitting, when it is equally undesirable to make any mechanical connection to the shaft. This thesis describes the development and design of a device for measuring the torque and speed by photo-electric means. The basic principle is that a light beam parallel to the shaft may be used to pick up the desired information without adding friction to the system. The deflection of a torque tube inserted in the shaft opens or closes a set of apertures arranged in …

The Effect Of Lubri-Coolant Application At The Tool-Chip Interface On Tool Forces, Bomi Ardeshir Hathikhanavala

Masters Theses

"The purpose of this experiment was to determine the effectiveness of a lubri-coolant directed in such a way that it impinged just below the chip at the tool-chip interface in an orthogonal cutting process. This was compared to the conventional method of flooding lubri-coolant around the tool-chip area ... The results obtained show that the forces required to cut a material were less if the lubri-coolant was directed on the tool-chip interface when larger values of feed and depth of cut were used, and that with smaller values of feed and depth of cut, the method of flooding was equal …

Detection Of Stress Corrosion Cracking In U-Bend Brass Specimens By An Electro-Mechanical Method, Floyd Elwin Loftin

Masters Theses

"An apparatus was designed and built which held two u-bend specimens. When the specimens were exposed to a corrodent, losses in strength were detected as a result of stress corrosion cracking. The apparatus was used to study time to failure of cartridge brass u-bend specimens exposed to ammoniacal copper sulfate solutions which varied in pH. A minimum time to failure, 1.06 hours, was detected at pH 7.2. The maximum time to failure, for the range studied, was 28.36 hours at pH 7.7.

No useful data were obtained in the range from pH 6.6 - 6.8. thick, black surface coatings were …

The Effect Of Varying Sea Coal Fineness On Sea Coal Activity In Molding Sands, Laurence A. Cooley

Masters Theses

"An experiment was conducted in an attempt to establish a relation between sea coal activity in a facing sand and the particle size of the sea coal added to the sand. It was felt that if a sufficient difference in distribution of volatiles was detected, a correlation between particle size and activity of the sea coal within the test specimens might be established. The lack of positive evidence to support such a relationship is indicative that a variation in particle size does not promote volatile re-deposition within the range of particle sizes investigated for the particular weight per cent of …

A Study Of The Structural Rearrangements Accompanying Room Temperature Recovery Of High Purity Aluminum, Carlos Manuel Lago

Masters Theses

"X-ray methods (Laue back reflection and transmission) and etch pit studies were used in order to follow structural changes in the deformed metallic lattice during room temperature recovery. The accumulative evidence indicates that the deformed lattice undergoes subboundary movements and regrouping of fragments within a few days after stressing. On the basis of a superficial investigation, it was found that fast neutron bombardment increases the rate of room temperature recovery. Through the use of a new etchant, a finer substructure was revealed within the Lacombe subgrain. Glide strain values were determined for the series investigated, and a new approach was …

Anodic Dissolution And Disintegration Of Tin And Valency Of The Tin Ions Going Into Solution, Mrityunjoy Dutta

Masters Theses

"The increased demand for protective coatings on metals and for non-corrosive alloys has stimulated extensive research on the fundamental behavior of metals in corrosive media. One of the problems still unsolved is the nature of the mechanism of the anodic dissolution of metals like beryllium, zinc, magnesium, cadmium, tin, aluminum, iron in aqueous salt solutions. It has been reported in the literature that these metals show discrepancies which often arise between coulometric data and the weight loss of metal electrodes in various media. Several investigators have proposed different and opposing theories to explain the above deviation. The purpose of the …

The Eccentric Orifice As A Flow Measuring Device In Small Diameter Pipes, James E. Casale

Masters Theses

"This thesis reports and evaluates the use of an eccentrically placed orifice as a flow measuring device in small pipe sizes. The orifice is placed in a concentric location and moved to increasingly eccentric locations until full eccentricity is reached. At full eccentricity the circumference of the orifice is tangent to the circumference of the pipe. The effects of increasing eccentricity are evaluated for four orifices...Flow coefficients for the orifices in different locations are plotted against Reynolds numbers. The eccentric orifice is a reliable, accurate flow measuring device for metering or controlling the flow of fluids. Design criteria can be …

A Study Of Sulfide Inclusions In Medium Carbon Steels, Shane Shiang Yen

Masters Theses

"Sulfur is a very important component in steel. Usually is it present as an impurity in commercial steels. In these materials the sulfur content is 0.05 percent maximum but may be higher or lower than this in some steels...It is generally believed that sulfur has a deleterious effect on the mechanical properties of steels. Originally this investigation was to deal with this aspect of sulfur in steels but the work did not progress to this stage. An effort was made to vary the nature of the sulfides in several experimental heats of steel by controlling their composition. Variation in the …

Maximum Present Value Calculations With Digital Computers, James Boyd Robison

Masters Theses

"This paper discusses maximum present value calculations for a mineral property using digital computers. A semi-quantitative mathematical model to optimize operating conditions is considered. The model is based on a modified cash flow analysis. Many variables affect the solution, and their effect upon present value is described. Selected data (mining rate, costs, reserves, metal sales price, and others) for a hypothetical open pit copper mine are used in a set of solutions for present value. The results are discussed in detail. It is concluded that: (1) Digital computer methods are rapid and useful, (2) Changes in the mining rate, average …

Active Band-Pass Filters Using Twin-Tee Networks, Terry B. Watson

Masters Theses

"The primary objective of this thesis was the design and construction of a set of filters to determine the spectral energy density of random signal data in the spectrum from 10 cps to 20 kcps. The statement of the problem placed rather exacting conditions on the cost and performance of the equipment, and these conditions were met to the extent detailed in the following pages. A secondary objective was the investigation of techniques to improve the performance of band-pass active filters using resistive-capacitive feedback networks. This objective was not achieved to the author's satisfaction, although several promising ideas were discovered"--Abstract, …

A Study Of The Effect Of Surface Beveling On Silicon Rectifiers, Gary L. Voorhis

Masters Theses

"The problem in this thesis is to experimentally obtain voltage vs distance data for different angles of bevel, to determine the optimum bevel angle on the basis of minimum surface electric field, and also to determine the location of the maximum surface electric field with respect to the p-n junction. Experimental equipment is constructed and results are graphically illustrated. It is concluded that in general the maximum surface electric field decreased as the bevel angle decreased, that neglecting practical considerations the optimum bevel angle was 3⁰, and that the maximum surface electric field occurred near, but not at the p-n …

Thermal Degradation Of Poly (Methyl Methacrylate) In Solution In Various Solvents, Ya-Chih Chen

Masters Theses

"A study has been made of the thermal degradation of poly (methyl methacrylate) of different molecular weights in toluene, ethyl acetate and chloroform. Four poly (methyl methacrylate) samples having molecular weights of 2,210,000, 733,000, 320,000, and 43,00, respectively were studied in this investigation. The results indicated that the polymer having a molecular weight of 2,210,000 undergoes degradation while the low molecular weight polymers having molecular weights of 733,000, 320,000, 43,000 undergo reverse polymerization"--Abstract, page [ii].

Finite Difference Solution For Triangular Plates, Hao-Yang Huang

Masters Theses

"In this thesis the finite difference method is used to solve triangular plates with uniformly distributed transverse load. As a matter of convenience triangular coordinates are used. The supporting conditions as well as the shape of plate are varied. All calculations are performed by digital computer. The patterns of differential operators in triangular coordinates, the deflections of plates, and the moment distributions are shown and discussed. The results obtained for some special cases are compared with published solutions"--Abstract, page i.

The Effect Of Epoxy Resins On The Plasticity Index Of An A-6 Soil, A. R. Van Steenbergen

Masters Theses

"This thesis reports the results of an investigation of the variation in plasticity of a clayey soil after treatment with small quantities of epoxy resin and curing agent or with curing agent alone. The series of samples tested consisted of an A-6 soil obtained from the vicinity of Rolla, Missouri, combined with: 1. 0-3% of triethylenetetramine hereafter referred to as TETA. 2. 0-3% of diethylenetriamine hereafter referred to as DETA. 3. 0-3% of Araldite 6010 resin cured with TETA. The TETA content was varied form 20% to 100% of the resin by weight. 4. 0-3% Araldite 6010 resin cured with …

Analysis Of Continuous Folded Plate Roofs, Yung-Ping Wang

Masters Theses

"This work presents an analysis of continuous folded plate roofs considering the effects of relative joint displacements. For this analysis the normal modes of the lateral beam vibration were used as the form of the deflection curve and the loading was sinusoidal. By using symmetry and anti-symmetry, a possible method of analyzing prismatic folded plate roofs comprising one bay transversely but continuous over two or more spans longitudinally is suggested"--Abstract, page ii.

Measurement Of Stray Load Loss Of D.C. Machines, Kanaiyalal Ramanlal Shah

Masters Theses

"For many years the standard practice, in calculation of conventional efficiency of d.c. machines, has been to include stray load losses as equal to 1% of the output. This assumption may be true for large, compensated d.c. machines but it is known to be small for smaller, uncompensated, general-purpose, industrial-type machines of open design. An A.I.E.E. Committee on Rotating Machines was formed to investigate whether the present practice of assigning 1% for the stray load loss is justified or not. They reached a conclusion, reported in 1949, after investigating 243 stray loss tests on different motors ranging from 1/2 hp …

Analysis Of The Flow Characteristics Through A Water Pressure Regulator, Anthony Lee Jatcko

Masters Theses

"This thesis presents an analysis of the flow characteristics through a water pressure regulator. Characteristic curves of the relationship between pressure drop through the regulator and flow through the regulator are developed. To further analyze these relationships, a least squares computer analysis was used to develop equations to fit these curves. An investigation into the modes of dissipating pressure energy in this type of regulator tends to indicate that a significant portion of the energy is lost through viscous shearing action in the area of high turbulence. The aforementioned characteristic curves also showed definite critical pressure points in the form …

Application Of The Photoelastic Coating Method To Evaluate The Stress Distribution On The External Surface Of The Cap Of An Electrical Insulator, Harijeetsinh Jagtiani

Masters Theses

"The Photoelastic Coating Method was applied to find the surface stresses on the cap of an electrical insulator. The strain distribution was observed and photographed. This color photograph indicated a visible geography of the maximum shear strain distribution in the region of the insulator where the birefringent plastic was bonded with a reflective cement. The Oblique Incidence technique was used to determine the principal stresses from the maximum shear strain (or the principal strain difference) readings, obtained from Normal Incidence. The critical cross-section of the insulator head was optically located, giving an initiative for the re-design of the insulator cap. …

Thermal Degradation Of Poly (Methyl Methacrylate) In Solutions In A Closed System, Vikram Pranjivandas Parikh

Masters Theses

"A study has been made of the thermal degradation of poly (methyl methacrylate) of two different molecular weights, 2,303,000 and 43,000, in 1,2-dichloroethane in a closed system. The results indicated that the polymer having a molecular weight of 2,303,000 undergoes degradation while the low molecular weight polymer 43,000 undergoes reverse polymerization, and the molecular weight remains constant. The molecular weight of high molecular weight samples after 48 hours decreased from 2,303,000 to 2,232,000 and 1,690,400 at 50⁰C and at 98.5⁰C, respectively"--Abstract, page [i].

The Electrochemical Oxidation Of Crotonic Acid, John L. Cannaday

Masters Theses

"The purpose of this investigation was to explain the mechanism of the electrochemical oxidation of crotonic acid on platinized-platinum anodes at 80⁰C.

A current-potential study was conducted using the parameters of pH and crotonic acid concentration. Faradaic efficiency was determined by measurement of CO₂ production.

Oxidation occurred both in acidic and basic solutions.The Faradaic efficiency was approximately 100 per cent.

The results were interpreted in terms of a mechanism having the following characteristics.

(a) The first charge transfer is the rate determining step.

(b) The rate is the sum of the rates for two parallel reactions. In strongly acidic solutions, …

Mass Transfer In The Electrodialytic Desalination Of Brackish Water And A Correlation Of Experimental Data With Theory, James Shih-Jiann Yang

Masters Theses

"The object of this work is an experimental investigation into the possibility of obtaining an increase in mass transfer in the electrodialysis of brackish water by altering the physical character of the selective membrane, and a correlation of experimental mass transfer data with theory"--Introduction, page 1.

Comparison Of Measured And Calculated Stiffnesses For Lightweight Normal Concrete Beams, Raman Patel

Masters Theses

"This study is a presentation of the findings involving experimental measurements of stiffness (EI) for different percentages of reinforcement steel in normal and lightweight concrete beams. The experimental values of stiffness are compared with calculated values obtained by applying the standard reinforced concrete theory. The measured values of stiffness obtained by the rotation method are compared with those obtained by the deflection method. Of the thirty beams that were tested, fifteen were tested for normal concrete and the remaining fifteen for lightweight concrete. Each of these beams were tested at different ages, ranging from seven to twenty-eight days.

The test …