Engineering Commons^™

Optimization Models And Algorithms For Demand Response In Smart Grid., Guangyang Xu

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

For demand response in smart grid, a utility company wants to minimize total electricity cost and end users want to maximize their own utility. The latter is considered to consist of two parts in this research: electricity cost and convenience/comfort. We first develop a system optimal (SO) model and a user equilibrium (UE) model for the utility company and end users, respectively and compare the difference of the two. We consider users' possible preference on convenience over cost-saving under the real-time pricing in smart grid, and each user is assumed to have a preferred time window for using a particular …

Simulation Modeling For Energy Consumption Of Residential Consumers In Response To Demand Side Management., Prajwal Khadgi

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Energy efficiency in the electricity distribution system continues to gain importance as demand for electricity keeps rising and resources keep diminishing. Achieving higher energy efficiency by implementing control strategies and demand response (DR) programs has always been a topic of interest in the electric utility industry. The advent of smart grids with enhanced data communication capabilities propels DR to be an essential part of the next generation power distribution system. Fundamentally, DR has the ability to charge a customer the true price of electricity at the time of use, and the general perception is that consumers would shift their load …

Study Of Spatiotemporal Rainfall Structure And Optimized Local Radar Rainfall Application To Urban Watershed, Louisville, Kentucky, 2010-2014., Jin-Young Hyun

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In urban areas, a prevalence of combined sewer systems (CSS) exist that carry both storm water runoff and sanitary sewer flows in a single pipe, these system are considered combined sewers. In the absence of rainfall-runoff most of these systems function adequately, however CSS capacity is typically inadequate to carry peak stormwater runoff volume. In order to minimize sewage flooding into streets and backups into homes and businesses, most CSSs (as well as separate sanitary sewer systems) are designed to overflow into surface waters such as streams and rivers, lakes and seas. This occurrence is considered a combined sewer overflow …

A Reduced Labeled Samples (Rls) Framework For Classification Of Imbalanced Concept-Drifting Streaming Data., Elaheh Arabmakki

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Stream processing frameworks are designed to process the streaming data that arrives in time. An example of such data is stream of emails that a user receives every day. Most of the real world data streams are also imbalanced as is in the stream of emails, which contains few spam emails compared to a lot of legitimate emails. The classification of the imbalanced data stream is challenging due to the several reasons: First of all, data streams are huge and they can not be stored in the memory for one time processing. Second, if the data is imbalanced, the accuracy …

Simultaneous Behavior Onset Detection And Task Classification For Patients With Parkinson Disease Using Subthalamic Nucleus Local Field Potentials, Nazanin Zaker Habibabadi

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis aims to develop of methods for behavior onset detection of patients with Parkinson's disease (PD), as well as to investigate the models for classification of different behavioral tasks performed by PD patient. The detection is based on recorded Local Field Potentials (LFP) of the Subthalamic nucleus (STN), captured through Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) process.

One main part of this work is dedicated to the research of various properties and features of the STN LFP signals of several patients' behavior conditions. Features based on temporal and time-frequency analysis of the signals are developed and implemented. Evaluation and comparison of …

Gamma-Radiation Exposure Alters The Cardiovascular Extracellular Matrix., Nicholas Allen

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Ionizing radiation has been associated with various cardiovascular complications; however, the associated molecular changes from radiation exposure still remain largely uncharacterized. Alterations to the cardiovascular tissue microenvironment, i.e. the extracellular matrix (ECM), directly affect the function of integrated vascular cells, including cell adhesion, potential to form vessels, and endothelial permeability, which can promote cardiovascular pathologies. The ECM is constantly remodeled in response to stimuli, such as TGF-β1, which leads to excessive ECM accumulation. We hypothesize that radiation exposure will alter the cardiovascular ECM. Human Cardiac Fibroblasts (HCFs) were utilized to produce ECM as an in vitro model to study changes …

Osem : Occupant-Specific Energy Monitoring., Anand S. Kulkarni

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Electricity has become prevalent in modern day lives. Almost all the comforts people enjoy today, like home heating and cooling, indoor and outdoor lighting, computers, home and office appliances, depend on electricity. Moreover, the demand for electricity is increasing across the globe. The increasing demand for electricity and the increased awareness about carbon footprints have raised interest in the implementation of energy efficiency measures. A feasible remedy to conserve energy is to provide energy consumption feedback. This approach has suggested the possibility of considerable reduction in the energy consumption, which is in the range of 3.8% to 12%. Currently, research …

A Non-Invasive Diagnostic System For Early Assessment Of Acute Renal Transplant Rejection., Mohamed Nazih Mohamed Ibrahim Shehata

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Early diagnosis of acute renal transplant rejection (ARTR) is of immense importance for appropriate therapeutic treatment administration. Although the current diagnostic technique is based on renal biopsy, it is not preferred due to its invasiveness, recovery time (1-2 weeks), and potential for complications, e.g., bleeding and/or infection. In this thesis, a computer-aided diagnostic (CAD) system for early detection of ARTR from 4D (3D + b-value) diffusion-weighted (DW) MRI data is developed. The CAD process starts from a 3D B-spline-based data alignment (to handle local deviations due to breathing and heart beat) and kidney tissue segmentation with an evolving geometric (level-set-based) …

Microfluidic Platform For Impedance Characterization Of Endothelial Cells Under Fluid Shear Stress., Vanessa Velasco

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Endothelium dysfunction has been associated with many pathophysiological processes leading to cardiovascular diseases. Studying endothelium behavior is vital to understand the onset, prevention, and treatment of such diseases. Electrical impedance spectroscopy has been shown to provide a real-time in vitro evaluation of cell behavior including cell monolayer permeability. However, the majority of published work has been primarily with static cell culture models or macro-scale models that do not properly represent the physiological sizes, structures, and environmental conditions of human blood vessels. Within this dissertation, the design, fabrication, characterization, and application of a microfluidic impedance platform is presented for the in …

Fabrication, Characterization And Skin Permeation Of Antoxidant-Loaded Lipid Vesicles For Transdermal Drug Delivery., Emily Martin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Excess production of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS), which can be caused by radiation, cigarette smoke, and pollutants, can cause many damaging cellular effects, such as DNA damage and unregulated cell apoptosis. If left unmitigated, chronic overproduction of ROS has been linked to the formation of cancer, diabetes, atherosclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, chronic inflammation, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, multiple sclerosis, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. ROS is typically eliminated with antioxidants, which scavenge and inhibit the formation of ROS by becoming oxidized by the ROS and by binding to its precursors.

Curcumin is an effective lipid-soluble antioxidant agent. However, its poor bioavailability, rapid …

Development And Evaluation Of Custom Prosthetic Devices For A Companion Animal Utilizing Additive Manufacturing., Benjamin Joseph Cahill

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

BACKGROUND AND SIGINIFICANCE: Few options exist for companion animals in need of prosthetic devices. With the rise of rapid prototyping technology, the availability and customization of prosthetic devices for individual companion animals is now a viable and cost effective alternative to the current options of a peg leg prosthetic, or wheel-assisted prosthetic device. The goals of this study were to describe the (1) specific needs and (2) biomechanics of a feline with bilateral thoracic limb amputation, (3) develop custom prosthetic devices utilizing rapid prototyping technology, and (4) describe the biomechanics of a feline with bilateral thoracic limb amputation using the …

Direct Band Gap Gallium Antimonide Phosphide (Gasbxp1-X) For Solar Fuels., Harry Benjamin Russell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Photoelectrochemical water splitting has been identified as a promising route for achieving sustainable energy future. However, semiconductor materials with the appropriate optical, electrical and electrochemical properties have yet to be discovered. In search of an appropriate semiconductor to fill this gap, GaSbP, a semiconductor never tested for PEC performance is proposed here and investigated. Density functional theory (DFT+U) techniques were utilized to predict band gap and band edge energetics for GaSbP alloys with low amount of antimony. The overall objective of this dissertation is to understand the suitability of GaSb_xP_1-x alloys for photoelectrochemical water splitting application. Specifically, …

Production And Inventory Control In Complex Production Systems Using Approximate Dynamic Programming., Han Wu

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Production systems focus not only on providing enough product to supply the market, but also on delivering the right product at the right price, while lowering the cost during the production process. The dynamics and uncertainties of modern production systems and the requirements of fast response often make its design and operation very complex. Thus, analytical models, such as those involving the use of dynamic programming, may fail to generate an optimal control policy for modern production systems. Modern production systems are often in possession of the features that allow them to produce various types of product through multiple working …

Green Logistic Network Design : Intermodal Transportation Planning And Vehicle Routing Problems., Xiaoren Duan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Due to earth's climate change and global warming, environmental consideration in the design of logistic systems is accelerating in recent years. In this research we aim to design an efficient and environmentally friendly logistical system to satisfy both government and carriers. In particular, we considered three problems in this dissertation: intermodal network design, deterministic green vehicle routing problem and stochastic green vehicle routing problem. The first problem aims to design an economic and efficient intermodal network including three transportation modes: railway, highway and inland waterway. The intent of this problem is to increase the utilization percentage of waterway system in …

The Agricultural Growth And Malting Production Of Barley Grains In Northeast Tennessee And Southwest Virginia, Mark Evans Patton Mr.

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to explore the history and production processes of beer and examines the components that contribute to its brewing. The narrative will provide a timeline of the processes that are required to create the product of beer beginning with the agricultural products and following the brewing processes that result in beer as the finished product. I will also examine the business of agriculture and grain processing and will provide some historical perspectives of grain, beer, and malting. I will also consider whether the growing, processing, and malting of grains in the East Tennessee and Southwest …

A Comparative Usability Study Of Web-Based Personal Health Records., Alexandra Doggett

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Previous research on Personal Health Records (PHRs) has focused on applications that are “tethered” to a specific Electronic Health Record (EHR). However, this is a gap in research on the usability of unaffiliated, independent PHRs, as well as a gap in research on college-aged PHR users. Based on this gap in the literature, a single factor, within-subject experiment was conducted using 18 participants from the University of Louisville to determine if one PHR had superior usability and design. The testing included the completion of six tasks in three different PHRs. Dependent variables included task time, mouse movement, mouse clicks, keystrokes, …

The Influence Of Superabsorbent Polymer (Cassava Startch) On The Rheological Behavior Of Cement Pastes., James Wong

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Rheological properties are the properties typically reference flow properties of concrete and are related to processing, construction, and setting. The purpose of this research was to investigate the influence of superabsorbent polymers (SAP) and superplasticizer (SP) on rheological properties, specifically of cement pastes with 0.35, 0.45 and 0.55 water-to-cement ratios (w/c), SAP water replacement dosages of 0%, 5%, 10%, 15%, 20% and 25% were tested. Tests included rheological measurements of yield stress, viscosity using the Bingham equation and the flow behavior index using Herschel-Bulkley equation. Slump diameter tests were used to measure flow of the cement pastes. Comparisons of slump …

Automated Analysis Of Cancerous Histological Samples., Thomas Allen Tennill

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The use of immunohistochemistry has become commonplace in the field of cancer diagnosis. A major limitation to the ability to use this tool effectively is the time consuming tasks required for the analysis of data due to the fact that it is largely done by hand. Additionally, because of this, there is an inherent level of subjectivity in the results obtained from this process that may depend on who it is conducting the analysis. Therefore, there exists a need for a method that is able to quantify results from immunohistochemical techniques in a way that it is both time-effective and …

Efficacy Of Subcutaneous Electrocardiogram Leads For Synchronous Timing And Aortic Root Cannulation For Chronic Counterpulsation Therapy., Stephen R. Carnahan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Background: Counterpulsation devices (CPD) require electrocardiogram (ECG) lead implantation for timing device filling and ejection with the native heart. Non- implantable leads limit the scope of CPD treatment to short-term therapy. Standard transvenous/epicardial ECG leads increase the invasiveness of therapy.

Methods: To overcome these limitations, subcutaneous ECG leads were tested in chronic (n=6) and acute (n=5) bovine models. ECG waveforms from clinical- grade epicardial (control) leads and subcutaneous (test) leads were simultaneously recorded resulting in 830 data epochs (30-s each) for a total of 44,614 heart beats. Device triggering using R-wave detection was calculated for each lead type and compared. …

The Electropolishing Of Electron Beam Melting, Additively Manufactured Ti6al4v Titanium : Relevance, Process Parameters And Surface Finish., Austin Lassell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Additive Manufacturing (AM) is the next frontier in manufacturing technology, but with this new frontier comes new challenges in post processing techniques. In an attempt to gain further knowledge of the post processing of metal AM components, the Electropolishing (EP) of Electron Beam Melting (EBM), Additively Manufactured Ti- 6Al-4V alloy parts is investigated in the following work. Additive Manufacturing (AM) is predominant in a number of industries, with electronics and consumer goods, aerospace, automotive and medical constituting the majority of AM sales. For most of these, Powder Bed Fusion (PBF) AM technology is of great interest given the ability of …

Development Of A Novel Device For Ventricular Assist Device Outflow Graft Anastomosis., Young Choi

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Purpose: Left ventricular assist device (LVAD) therapy can be live-saving for advanced heart failure patients. Conventional anastomosis (surgical connection) of LVAD outflow grafts to the aorta requires aortic clamping and hand-suturing. Aortic clamping increases the risk for neurological complications. Hand-suturing may be time-consuming and requires significant surgical dexterity. There is currently no commercially available device for sutureless anastomosis of large vascular grafts (diameter > 5mm). To overcome these limitations, a prototype LVAD outflow graft anastomosis device (GrAD) that facilitates sutureless anastomosis was developed and tested to demonstrate proof-of-concept and feasibility for (1) secured attachment withstanding physiological pressures, and (2) comparable attachment …

Mental Workload Measurement For Competitive Video Games., Jamal Mcfarland

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore different ways to measure mental workload for competitive video games using two different techniques: heart rate variability (HRV) and the NASA Task Load Index (TLX). eSports is a rising form of a competitive sport as well as a source of entertainment for people all over the world. I write this in hopes to find efficient and verified ways to estimate mental workload. I also hope this work can pioneer the expansion of literature for the competitive gaming scene.

The study design is a single factor, within-subject design. The single factor was Game …

Use Of Drone And Infrared Camera For A Campus Building Envelope Study, Raheem Taiwo Ariwoola

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Presently, there are concerns that buildings in the USA under-performs in terms of energy efficiency when compared with the original design specifications. A significant percentage of the energy loss in these buildings is associated with the building’s envelope. This study provides a qualitative and analytical understanding of the R-value, which indicates the thermal performance of the elements that make up a building envelope. Infrared thermography is used as a methodology to assess the thermal performance of envelopes of ten buildings on East Tennessee State University Campus. A Fluke Ti25 infrared hand-held camera and a DJI phantom-2 drone mounted with FLIR …

A Radial Basis Function Method For Solving Optimal Control Problems., Hossein Mirinejad

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This work presents two direct methods based on the radial basis function (RBF) interpolation and arbitrary discretization for solving continuous-time optimal control problems: RBF Collocation Method and RBF-Galerkin Method. Both methods take advantage of choosing any global RBF as the interpolant function and any arbitrary points (meshless or on a mesh) as the discretization points. The first approach is called the RBF collocation method, in which states and controls are parameterized using a global RBF, and constraints are satisfied at arbitrary discrete nodes (collocation points) to convert the continuous-time optimal control problem to a nonlinear programming (NLP) problem. The …

Mechanical Properties And Microstructure Evolution Of 17-4 Ph Stainless Steel Processed By Laser-Powered Bed Fusion., Harish Irrinki

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Laser powder bed fusion (L-PBF) is a potential manufacturing route for the production of tooling using different steel materials. However, there is a limited understanding of how the mechanical properties and microstructures of the L-PBF produced parts vary with change in powder type and process conditions. The current research studied the influence of L-PBF process parameters on mechanical properties and microstructures of 17-4PH stainless steel using gas and water-atomized powders. The results demonstrate the feasibility of using water-atomized powders as starting raw materials instead of typically used gas-atomized powders to fabricate parts in the L-PBF process at high energy densities.

Model Validation And Transition To Turbulence In Orbiting Culture Dishes., Jonathan Michael D. Thomas

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Wall shear stress (WSS) is commonly accepted as the primary influence affecting characteristics of anchored endothelial cells when subjected to fluid flow. Orbital shakers are commonly used to study cellular responses due to their ease of use, ability to run several experiments simultaneously, and since they exert physiologically relevant oscillatory shear. These studies require comprehensive resolution of WSS, however the fluid dynamics inside orbiting culture dishes has not yet been well described since the flow is complex and difficult to quantify analytically. A computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model of flow in an orbiting dish has been developed that yields detailed …

Synthesis, Characterization, And Electronic Properties Of Novel 2d Materials : Transition Metal Dichalcogenides And Phosphorene., George Anderson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Scaling electronic devices has become paramount. The current work builds upon scaling efforts by developing novel synthesis methods and next generation sensing devices based on 2D materials. A new combination method utilizing thermal evaporation and chemical vapor deposition was developed and analyzed to show the possibilities of Transition Metal Dichalcogenide monolayers and heterostructures. The materials produced from the above process showed high degrees of compositional control in both spatial dimensions and chemical structure. Characterization shows controlled fabrication of heterostructures, which may pave the way for future band gap engineering possibilities. In addition, Phosphorene based field effect transistors, photodetectors, and gas …

Effect Of Non-Uniform Air-Side Velocity Distribution On Heat Transfer Model Predictions For Microchannel Condenser., Zachary Chapin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This is a study of the effects on heat transfer capacity predictions of microchannel condensers when airflow is maldistributed due to the shape of the condenser. The three shapes investigated in this study are flat, U-shape and roll. Each coil was tested in a water calorimeter and those results were compared to the model prediction. The model prediction was calculated using CoilDesigner™ modeling software with standard correlations. Using the uniform airflow assumption, the model over predicted the heat capacity measured in the calorimeter by 5-11% depending on the coil and inlet conditions. The local airflow velocity was measured using a …

The Effects Of Ball Interactions On The Dynamic Behavior Of A Ball Balancer Rotating At Speeds Above The Translational Resonant Frequency Of The System., Gregory A. Dedow

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Many applications are inherently rotational in nature. These applications range from industrial products to consumer products. As seen in a traditional frequency response plot, the motion of a rotating imbalance does not approach zero as the forcing frequency is increased. Unlike a traditional forced mass spring oscillator, the motion of the rotating imbalance approaches some non-zero value. To account for this residual motion, some systems utilize a balancing device to reduce this motion. These balancing devices can be passive or active, depending on the design considerations. This paper will focus on the traditional, passive ball-type balancer due to its simplicity …

An Adaptable Fuzzy-Based Model For Predicting Link Quality In Robot Networks., Christopher J. Lowrance

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

It is often essential for robots to maintain wireless connectivity with other systems so that commands, sensor data, and other situational information can be exchanged. Unfortunately, maintaining sufficient connection quality between these systems can be problematic. Robot mobility, combined with the attenuation and rapid dynamics associated with radio wave propagation, can cause frequent link quality (LQ) issues such as degraded throughput, temporary disconnects, or even link failure. In order to proactively mitigate such problems, robots must possess the capability, at the application layer, to gauge the quality of their wireless connections. However, many of the existing approaches lack adaptability or …