Engineering Commons^™

An Euler Solver For Nonlinear Water Waves Using A Modified Staggered Grid And Gaussian Quadrature Approach, Qi Fan

LSU Master's Theses

A structured, finite-volume Euler solver for non-hydrostatic, free surface flows is developed to simulate coastal nonlinear dispersive water waves. A semi-implicit projection method which splits the pressure term into hydrostatic and non-hydrostatic parts is employed. A vertically shifted, staggered grid is designed to accommodate a new Gaussian discharge calculator and to facilitate the enforcement of a non-hydrostatic free-surface boundary condition. The Gaussian discharge calculator on the shifted grid increases the dispersion accuracy compared to traditional approaches that calculate discharges on a regular staggered grid. Numerical results are presented to demonstrate the improvements of these methods.

Molecular Dynamics Of Ionic Liquids In Nanoporous Electrodes, Nav Nidhi Rajput

LSU Master's Theses

Molecular dynamics simulations were performed to investigate the structural and dynamical properties of ionic liquid (IL) [EMIM+][TFMSI-] confined inside slit-like graphite pores. ILs are salts composed of an organic cation and an organic or inorganic anion with melting point below 100ºC. Their unique properties such as great thermal and chemical stability have gained them immense attention in recent years. The main goal of this research is to understand how molecular level properties of ILs are affected by the properties of the nanoporous materials. The results obtained in this work indicate that pore size has a profound effect on structural and …

Fault Detection In Process Control Plants Using Principal Component Analysis, Vamshi Krishna Kandula

LSU Master's Theses

The aim of this thesis is to use a statistical method (principal component analysis) to detect a fault in a system. PCA is a dimensionality reduction technique that is used here. First the PCA algorithm was implemented on a simple two dimensional random data to reduce its dimensionality. Then the algorithm was implemented on a three dimensional data from a linear first order process and introduce some white noise later on and compare the results with that under normal operating conditions, thus determining the presence of a fault. Then data from a real time plant is considered for testing. This …

Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy Substrates Based On Nanoporous Silicon And Pattern Transfer, Pallavi Rao Malempati

LSU Master's Theses

Surface-enhanced Raman scattering enhances the weak Raman scattering by using a roughened metal-coated surface as a catalyst. Roughness in the nanometer range provides the best enhancement. The nanostructures for the surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) substrates, in this work, are generated using an electrochemical etching process on silicon substrates. The patterns of nanoporous silicon thus generated are transferred onto transparent polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) substrates using the “lift-off” process. An incomplex sputtering technique is employed to coat this substrate with a ~20 nm aluminum layer. Rhodamine 6G (R6G) molecules, when adsorbed to this metal surface, form the final SERS substrate that undergoes Raman …

Smart Access Control System With Behavioral Profiling And Dynamic Pin Concept, Lohit Penubaku

LSU Master's Theses

Since ancient time, an access control device has been used for securing valuable properties as well as lives from threatening peoples. The most representative security device is Lock/Key. Recently, those security device technologies have been improved tremendously and provided various types of security methods. Nevertheless, these methods are not individually perfect to provide optimal security so that in recent years many such methods have been combined and used together to provide the required level of security. However, such combination can enhance security for limited number of users only but very difficult to provide scalable security with the number of users …

Two-Stage Biaxial Thermomechanical Cycle Of Shape Memory Polymer Based Syntactic Foam, Abraham Michael King

LSU Master's Theses

A shape memory polymer (SMP) is a polymeric material that exhibits shape memory behavior. It can be “programmed” to take on a desired shape and “recovered” to revert back to its original shape. This ability to remember multiple shapes and switch between them with the application of a stimulus from an outside source is very desirable in certain applications. By dispersing glass microspheres in a SMP matrix, a syntactic foam is created that retains much of the shape memory capabilities but has higher strength and lower density than the pure SMP. These characteristics make this material a good candidate for …

Pool Boiling Enhancement Via Micro Ratchets, Lance Austin Brumfield

LSU Master's Theses

Nucleate boiling is an attractive method for achieving high heat flux at low superheat temperatures. It is frequently used for industrial applications such as heat exchangers and is being considered to cool advanced central processing units (CPU) which produce heat fluxes on the order of 1 MW/m2 and are becoming increasing less efficient to cool via forced conduction of air. The issues with implementing nucleate boiling as a cooling mechanism lies in the difficulty of quantifying the complex and numerous mechanisms which control the process. A comprehensive nucleate boiling model has yet to be formulated and will required in order …

Secure Distributed Detection In Bandwidth-Constrained Wireless Sensor Networks, Reza Soosahabi

LSU Master's Theses

Utilizing wireless sensor network (WSN) is a novel idea in a variety of applications. However, the limited resources allocated to the sensor nodes make the design of WSNs a challenging problem. We consider the problem of hypothesis testing in a bandwidth-constrained, low-power wireless sensor network operating over insecure links. Sensors quantize their observations and transmit their decisions to an intended (ally) fusion center (AFC) which combines the received messages to detect the state of an unknown hypothesis.

In many applications the sensor messages are vulnerable to unauthorized eavesdropping. The scarce bandwidth and processing power for the sensors rule out the …

Foldable Substrates For Micro-Ultrasonic Transducers, Karthik Balasubramanian

LSU Master's Theses

Ultrasound has broad range of applications from underwater examination, nondestructive testing of materials and medical diagnosis and treatment. The ultrasonic transducer plays an vital role in determining the resolution, sensitivity, as well as other diagnostic capabilities of an ultrasonic imaging system. Current piezoelectric transducer which dominates the medical field has limited applications compared to the capacitive ultrasonic transducer. The capacitive transducer is easy to fabricate compared to the piezoelectric transducer. In this work, the fabrication of a foldable substrate for a capacitive ultrasonic transducer has been discussed. The foldable substrate was fabricated using an ultrathin silicon wafer which is 50 …

Characterization Of Biocompatible Parylene-C Coating For Biomems Applications, Quoc Phuc Nguyen

LSU Master's Theses

This thesis characterizes parylene-C films with respect to biological micro-electro-mechanical system (BioMEMS) applications. BioMEMS devices have fueled the growth and research in the area of detecting, analyzing and identifying pathogens rapidly with precision in the bio-medical applications, thereby positively impacting millions of lives and made it extremely popular among researchers. These devices are fabricated using state-of-the-art techniques usually involving more than one material which typically has different biocompatibility and is not acceptable for various BioMEMS and biomedical applications; therefore, a special biocompatible coating is required. The parylene polymer is an example of such a coating as it is known for …

Interpretation Of Power Phenomena In Three Phase Systems With Neutral Using Instantaneous Reactive Power P-Q Theory, Rahul Anil Kantharia

LSU Master's Theses

The Instantaneous Reactive power (IRP) p-q theory considered as a major power theory as well as a primary fundamental for switching compensator control in three-phase systems, is analyzed in order to verify its ability to describe and identify the power properties or power phenomena in a 3pN system with asymmetrical and non-sinusoidal voltages along with unbalanced loads. This analysis is an outcome of the misinterpretations of power phenomena in three-wire circuits shown by IRP p-q theory under non-sinusoidal conditions. Different load and supply conditions such as balanced, unbalanced and Harmonic generating loads along with asymmetrical and non-sinusoidal voltages are assumed …

Assymmetry In Distribution Systems: Causes, Harmful Effects And Remedies, Isaac Plummer

LSU Master's Theses

ABSTRACT: Current and voltage asymmetry denigrates the power system performance. The current asymmetry reduces efficiency, productivity and profits at the generation, transmission and distribution of electric energy. Voltage asymmetry reduces efficiency, productivity and profits at the consumption/utilization level. There are a lot of conference and journal papers on the subject of voltage and current asymmetry, however, the information is scattered over a large number of journals and conferences and published over several years. Therefore, the thesis provides a comprehensive compilation of all possible published information on current and voltage asymmetry in the electrical power systems. Published information on sources of …

Long-Term Continuity Moment Assessment In Prestressed Concrete Girder Bridges, Veeravenkata S Murthy Chebole

LSU Master's Theses

Use of new materials, developing new structural systems, and improving construction details while designing bridges with longer spans has been a continuous challenge for bridge engineers since early times. The study of precast/prestressed concrete (PC) bridges made continuous started in early 1960s is one of the most popular alternatives. Continuous structure improves riding comfort and durability of structure, reduction in structural depth, and reserve load capacity under overload conditions. This research presents the state-of-the-art tool for calculating restraint moments in PC continuous bridge girders. The scope of this study is limited to straight slab-on-girder bridges i.e. effects of horizontal curves …

Assessing The Suitability Of Various Feedstocks For Biomass Gasification, Akshya Sharma

LSU Master's Theses

Ten different types of feedstocks available in Louisiana were assessed for their suitability to produce SYNGAS in a down-draft biomass gasifier. The feedstocks tested for this research include: pine pellets, hardwood pellets, cypress mulch, pine bark nuggets, corn stover pellets, switchgrass pellets, sugarcane bagasse pellets, dairy manure pellets, and poultry litter pellets. The feedstocks were first analyzed for volatile & ash content, high heating value, moisture, and mass density. Feedstocks that met the analytical criteria and available in a form that is suitable for the down-draft gasifier at LSU were tested for gasification. The temperature profile within the gasifier and …

Power Management And Optimization, Hari Sundararajan

LSU Master's Theses

After many years of focusing on “faster” computers, people have started taking notice of the fact that the race for “speed” has had the unfortunate side effect of increasing the total power consumed, thereby increasing the total cost of ownership of these machines. The heat produced has required expensive cooling facilities. As a result, it is difficult to ignore the growing trend of “Green Computing,” which is defined by San Murugesan as “the study and practice of designing, manufacturing, using, and disposing of computers, servers, and associated subsystems – such as monitors, printers, storage devices, and networking and communication systems …

Solving Evolution Equations For Triad Interaction Of Shallow Water Waves, Qian Zhang

LSU Master's Theses

This study focuses on solving the evolution equations for triad interaction in shallow water waves. First, the evolution equations based on Boussinesq-type equations with Pad¨¦ approximant of the exact linear phase velocity using multi-scale perturbation analysis are derived. Next, methods of solving the complex equation directly, splitting the complex function into amplitude and phase functions, and splitting complex function into real and imaginary parts are implemented to solve the evolution equations. Then the fourth-order Runge-Kutta (RK4) numerical scheme is employed to solve the evolution equations, and corresponding numerical results of three wave interaction are presented demonstrating the sensitivity of the …

Environmental Factors Impacting Coastal Beach Health, Kevin Michael Chenier

LSU Master's Theses

The objectives of this research were to 1) determine the variability of fecal-indicator bacteria in Gulf of Mexico marine waters, 2) determine the effect of environmental variables on enterococci concentrations, 3) determine if beach sand at Holly Beach, LA was capable of acting as a reservoir for fecal-indicator bacteria, and 4) determine if a model could be developed to reduce the time it takes to issue a beach swim advisory. Fecal-indicator bacteria concentrations varied from year to year in historical data collected from a Gulf Coast beach. Afternoon fecal-indicator bacteria concentrations were consistently lower than morning concentrations, demonstrating daily variability. …

Gas Turbine Blade Tip And Near Tip Heat Transfer With Film Cooling, Gregory Kramer

LSU Master's Theses

Gas turbine blade tips experience very high thermal loads due to high temperature combustion gases and tip leakage flows. This leads to the tip region being very susceptible to experiencing failures. To better understand these effects, experiments were performed in a suction-type low speed wind tunnel cascade to determine heat transfer coefficients and film cooling effectiveness distributions on a highly-loaded 2-D gas turbine blade model in the tip and near-tip regions. The blade shape was generated to match the pressure coefficients of the operating turbine blade design. The model featured multiple tip and pressure side film cooling holes and a …

Measurement Of Spatial Variation Of Density Of Compacted Powder Using Synchrotron Microtomography, Yi Yang

LSU Master's Theses

This research considers density change in powder metallurgy when compacting a powder blend in a die. In order to provide insights into particle behavior during compaction, atomized aluminum powders with an average particle size of 100 µm were used in two different compaction configurations. The compaction dies are cylindrical in shape: compaction configuration I displays an upper punch, a die, a lower punch, and a spacer. Compaction configuration II displays an upper punch, two dies, a lower punch, and a spacer with different geometry. The Synchrotron Microtomography scans were conducted on both compaction configurations. For compaction configuration I, the scan …

Parameter Tuning And Experimental Results Of Power System Stabilizer, Bixiang Tang

LSU Master's Theses

Power system stabilizers (PSS) have been studied for many years as a method to increase power system stability. This thesis focuses on the tuning and structure of the power system stabilizer. Different types of power system stabilizers are reviewed. The one studied in this thesis is the integral of accelerated power stabilizer. The generator control system is introduced to illustrate the working environment of the PSS. The mathematic model of the generator, automatic voltage regulator and PSS are analyzed and the system transfer function in presence of the PSS is derived. Base on the transfer function, a new tuning method …

Alternative Pretreatment Of Sorghum Bagasse For Bio-Ethanol Production, Cong Chen

LSU Master's Theses

The majority of the world’s energy needs are currently met through the use of fossil fuels. The possible depletion of fossil fuel resources and environmental concerns has prompted the search for alternative renewable and environmentally friendly energy resources. The goal of this research was to develop a microwave-assisted dilute ammonia pretreatment technology for the conversion of sweet sorghum into ethanol. Conversion of biomass into ethanol requires a pretreatment step to open up the structure and decouple the cellulose, and hemicellulose and lignin in the biomass. In the first study, sorghum bagasse was pretreated with 28% ammonium hydroxide, and water at …

Development And Implementation Of A Dual-Porosity Pore Network Structure Using X-Ray Computed Tomography For Pore Network Modeling Purposes, Samuel Taylor Best

LSU Master's Theses

3-D pore network modeling based on high-resolution X-ray computed tomography (XCT) is a useful tool for simulating pore-scale processes and phenomena within porous media in fields such as chemical and petroleum engineering and groundwater hydrology. XCT images provide the opportunity to capture the true topology of the porous system, retaining important characteristics such as pore geometry, location, and connectivity. However, a major limitation of XCT is its inability to resolve features smaller than the image resolution such as intraparticle porosity and void-space within secondary phases such as clay and micrite, here called microporosity. Identifying this microporosity is important for modeling …

Design, Fabrication And Characterization Of A New Wind Tunnel Facility – Linear Cascade With A Wake Simulator, Jean-Philippe Junca-Laplace

LSU Master's Theses

A new wind tunnel has been designed and constructed at the LSU Mechanical Engineering Laboratories. The objective was to design a versatile test facility, suitable for a wide range of experimental measurements on turbine blades. The future study will investigate the impact of unsteady inflow conditions on film cooling performance. More specifically, it will study how the unsteady flow due to the upstream passing wakes coming from the front row vane affects the film cooling performances on the turbine blades. The test section consists of a four passage linear cascade composed of three full blades and two shaped wall blades. …

Evaluation Of Simultaneous Water And Gas Injection Using Co2, Shrinidhi Shetty

LSU Master's Theses

Miscible CO2 injection is the second largest contributor to global enhanced oil recovery, as it has successfully undergone extensive laboratory tests and field applications for recovering residual oil left behind after waterflooding. Prolific incremental recoveries have been obtained for some fields. Although miscible CO2 injections generally have excellent microscopic displacement efficiency they often result in poor sweep efficiency. In order to address sweep problems and maximize recoveries, other schemes of gas injection have been developed. Two such processes are water-alternating-gas (WAG) and simultaneous water-and-gas (SWAG) injection. WAG and SWAG have been successfully used to minimize poor sweep. Improved gas utilization …

Building Information Management (Bim) Implementation In Naval Construction, Raymond Rohena

LSU Master's Theses

Traditional two-dimensional (2D) delivery systems in the construction industry can hinder the way information is communicated between owners, architects, and contractors. This hindrance exists in all phases of a project, from design and construction to the operation and maintenance of the completed facility. Building Information Management (BIM) is an emerging information technology that promotes a collaborative process for the Architectural, Engineering, Construction and Facilities Management (AECFM) industry; it can aid the exchange of information and provide improved project data accessibility to all stakeholders of a construction project. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC), in conjunction with the facility management (FM) …

Pore-Scale Lattice Boltzmann Simulations Of Inertial Flows In Realistic Porous Media: A First Principle Analysis Of The Forchheimer Relationship, Chukwudi Paul Chukwudozie

LSU Master's Theses

With recent advances in the capabilities of high performance computing (HPC) platforms and the relatively simple representation of complex geometries of porous media, lattice Boltzmann method (LBM) has gained popularity as a means of solving fluid flow and transport problems. In this work, LBM was used to obtain flow parameters of porous media, study the behavior of these parameters at varying flow conditions and quantify the effect of roughness on the parameters by relating the volume averaged flow simulation results to Darcy and Forchheimer equations respectively. To validate the method, flow was simulated on regular and random sphere arrays in …

Performance Assessment Of Innovative Framing Systems Through Building Information Modeling Based Energy Simulation, Santhosh Reddy Chinnayeluka

LSU Master's Theses

While many residential contractors, architects, and home-buyers today are concerned about the environment and interested in sustainable construction technologies, the perceived higher initial costs of innovative materials and methodologies and a lack of life-cycle cost and performance data present significant barriers in the implementation of such techniques. Research regarding an integrated design process has suggested that performance based decision making is key to the successful implementation of sustainable building practices. Therefore, a need exists for the development of whole building design and evaluation models to allow decision making in all phases of a building project. This research seeks information regarding …

Implementation Of A Wireless Sensor Network With Ez430-Rf2500 Development Tools And Msp430fg4618/F2013 Experimenter Boards From Texas Instruments, Lu De Yang

LSU Master's Theses

Wireless sensor networks have found a great deal of applications in diverse areas. Recent interest has been focused on low-power feature of the sensor nodes because the power consumption is always an issue for wireless sensor nodes which are supplied from the batteries. The eZ430RF2500 Development Tool and MSP430FG4618/F2013 Experimenter Board from Texas Instruments have integrated MSP430 family of ultralow-power microcontrollers and CC2500 low-power wireless RF transceivers which are suitable for low-power, low-cost wireless applications. In this thesis, the features of these TI devices are explored and a wireless sensor network is implemented with these devices. To implement the routing …

Development Of A Total Nutrient Treatment System For Alligator And Dairy Parlor Wastewater Using Hydrated Lime And Organic Bacterial Growth Media, Troy Francis Davis

LSU Master's Theses

Over application of phosphorus and the loss of ammonia-nitrogen to runoff and volatilization have resulted in the buildup of phosphorus in agricultural top soils around the world, and especially in the United States. Over the past few decades, raising livestock has trended towards the development of the Confined Animal Feeding Operations (CAFO’s) which produce large volumes of wastes that need to be treated before being land applied. Nutrient treatment systems have typically focused on one nutrient singularly: either nitrogen or phosphorus. In order to develop a total nutrient system a phosphorus and nitrogen system had to be developed and evaluated …

Lqg/Ltr Control Of Induction Motor, Girish Arvind Yajurvedi

LSU Master's Theses

Induction motors are the most rugged electrical equipment which are widely used in the industry. Owing to the non-linearity in its behaviour, it is not a trivial problem to solve and hence we are interested in using it as a control platform. Through several decades of research a wide number of control schemes have been developed for implementing the closed loop control. Based upon the merits and demerits of various schemes we choose a control scheme called the indirect vector control of Induction motor. Using the electrical dynamics of the motor model we design a LQG/LTR controller. We employ a …