Engineering Commons^™

Site Characterization Of Riverfront Park, Kansas City, Missouri, For The Purpose Of Hazardous Waste Site Remediation, Helen Hudson Scannell

Masters Theses

"Riverfront Park, Kansas City, Missouri is located on a point bar along the Missouri River. Portions of the site have historically been used (1950 - 1973) as a municipal landfill receiving residential, commercial and industrial wastes. Relatively high concentrations of elemental lead have been found in small areas of the surface soil within the limits of the Park. Chemicals that may be present in the landfill wastes create a potential for groundwater contamination. A Remedial Investigation, including a series of groundwater monitoring wells is necessary to characterize groundwater geochemistry and flood-induced changes in groundwater flow direction, and to assess any …

The Use Of Computerized Data Acquisition Techniques To Measure The Kinetics Of A Batch Flotation Process, Jose Antonio Barrera-Godinez

Masters Theses

"The flotation response of a lead ore was measured by utilization of a computer driven data acquisition system. A symmetric, fast and automatic froth removal and weighing system was attached to a conventional laboratory flotation cell. The rate controlling mechanisms were identified by manipulation of the froth removal rate, (FRR), froth layer thickness, (FT), and air flow rate, (AFR). The production of froth, water, solids and value in addition to value recovery and concentrate grade were determined as a function of time of flotation.

The flotation response was controlled by events dependent of AFR when using shallow froths of less …

Design Of Multivariable Deadbeat Controllers Using Reduced Order Models, Joaquin Alberto Zuniga

Masters Theses

"This study is concerned with the design of minimum Frobenius norm deadbeat controllers using reduced order models. Deadbeat controllers force the non-zero initial states of a linear multivariable discrete time system to the origin of the state space in minimum time. A controller of minimum Frobenius norm achieves such response with least effort.

The deadbeat controllers are designed on the basis of eigenspectrum assignment. In general, this approach permits a freedom in the selection of the closed-loop Jordan matrix which is used in the design of parametric controllers.

In this presentation, it is demonstrated that the task of deadbeat controller …

Mechanical And Neutronic Properties Of Neutron Absorbing Materials, Donald James Buth

Masters Theses

“The primary neutron absorbing material examined in this project was Boraflex™, which consists of a silicone polymer with boron carbide acting as the neutron absorber. Two aluminum based neutron absorbers, Boral™ and Al-B-Ten, were also examined. Both X-ray and neutron radiography were used to examine the Boraflex™. The neutron radiography gave better resolution in detecting fluctuations in the boron carbide distribution; however, X-ray radiography did perform better in detecting flaws in the base material. Tensile tests were performed to determine the uniformity of Boraflex™'s tensile properties. The average tensile strength was calculated to be 303 ± 15 psi. A small …

Implementing An Mrp System In A Job Shop Environment, Kathleen A. Behnke

Masters Theses

"In today’s highly competitive marketplace, many small manufacturers are struggling to survive. The competition to produce a quality product at a competitive price comes not only from other small companies, but also from larger companies and foreign manufacturers, who have learned to produce in a more economical fashion. The challenge of the small manufacturer is learning to compete.

Every manufacturer, whether large or small, has one basic objective: to be profitable. The profit objective is usually achieved using a three part strategy of maximizing customer service, minimizing inventory investment, and maintaining efficient plant operation.

Small companies, including the one in …

Fluidized-Bed Gasifier Engine System Using Rice Hulls, Luis Cruz Baja

Masters Theses

"The operation of a fluidized-bed gasifier using rice hulls and a spark-ignition, internal combustion (IC) engine on product gas at the optimum reactor conditions and on gasoline produced generator loads of 6.7 KWe and 10.5 KWe at average speeds of 1740 RPM and 1785 RPM and thermal efficiencies of 12.7% and 13.8%, respectively. The diesel engine operation on dual diesel fuel oil (DFO) product gas and 100% DFO generated 8.0 KWe and 8.3 KWe at 1416 RPM and 1552 RPM and thermal efficiencies of 10.2% and 20.2% respectively. The gasoline engine could be run on 100% product gas while the …

The Interfacial Phenomena Of Liquid Copper Of Sapphire Substrates, Jenq Liu

Masters Theses

"The wetting behavior of liquid copper on the sapphire is effected by the crystallographic orientation of the solid surface, the oxygen partial pressure, and the temperature. Each of these influences has been studied by the sessile drop technique, over the oxygen partial pressure range from 10^-2 to 10^-20 atm at temperatures of 1373°K, and 1523°K. The effect of oxygen partial pressure on the liquid copper surface energy follows the Gibbs Langmuir Law.

The crystallographic orientation of the sapphire surface causes variations in the contact angle. This is more significant for higher oxygen partial pressure, but is eliminated at …

An Assessment Of Large Scale Battery Energy Storage For Industrial Loads, Brent Edward Mckinney

Masters Theses

"Reduction of peak demand on utility systems can be beneficial to both utilities and customers. One means of achieving peak demand reduction is by the use of load-leveling batteries. This thesis describes the technical and economic factors for demand side, customer-owned battery energy storage systems. The thesis has taken into account battery costs, converter and balance of plant costs, current utility rates, and customer load profiles typical of those for which battery storage may be feasible. Battery storage system designs and costs were described and quantified by using the results of EPRI project 1275-12. Utilities in the midwest were selected …

Packaging Management Organizations: A Case Study, Stephen A. Raper

Masters Theses

"The role of packaging management is taking on an increasingly crucial role as an aid to the success of companies today. This is a case study on the Functional Packaging Management (FPM) organizations of two companies in different industries. The case study examines the structure of the two functions, and examines their missions, responsibilities, and activities. This information is formulated into a definition of FPM for each company. The definitions are then compared to each other and to a literature theorized definition.

The knowledge gained by this case study illustrates that several factors such as the product/market served, alignment in …

A Dynamic Study Of The Effect Of Cationic Starch Molecular Weight And Charge On Filler And Fines Flocculation, Deflocculation, And Reflocculation, Bob Shian-Hou Ching

Masters Theses

A modified laboratory instrument was used to dynamically monitor the flocculation of fines and filler under various shear conditions on the "seconds" basis. A three-way factorial design and ANOVA were used to evaluate the significance of cationio starch molecular weight and charge in affecting fines and filler flocculation, deflocculation, and reflocculation. The reduction of molecular weight under high shear was suggested by the results. Both main effects and interaction effects of charge and molecular weight were important in determining flocculation. Charge was the only significant factor for the reflocculation process. Molecular weight was more important than charge in imparting shear …

Isolation And Characterization Of The Dimers Formed In The Free-Radical And Anionic Initiated Polymerization Of Alpha-Methylstryene, Kevin S. Bosman

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

A Two-Dimensional, Three-Phase Reservoir Simulator Using The Impes Formulation, Ralph Ross Roesler

Masters Theses

"A numerical model for two dimensional, three-phase fluid flow has been developed using the IMPES formulation. Reservoir heterogeneities have been included, such as areal variations in porosity, permeability, thickness, and depth from a reference point. The model can also solve the problem of variable bubble points.

To check the accuracy of the model, a comparison was made with the Buckley-Leverett technique of predicting waterflood performance. The reservoir in the comparison is a 40 acre five spot with an initial gas saturation of 15 percent. The study shows that the two models are in good agreement, except for differences due to …

A Study Of Problem Lead-Zinc Ores Of Southeast Missouri In Terms Of Mineralogy And Galena Oxidation, Michael G. Schroer

Masters Theses

"Recovery problems encountered at some of the St. Joe Lead Company's milling facilities prompted the study of 6 different ores. High and low grade ores had characteristics that varied from poor lead - zinc selectivity to excessive lead losses to the flotation tailings. Three ores from both the Fletcher and Viburnum mills were studied through flotation tests, mill water analysis, and ore analysis using an ore microscope.

The major cause for poor recovery was found to be due to ore oxidation. Not only was lead, in the form of oxides, reporting to the tails, but high levels of copper ions …

A Purchase Estimator For Oil And Gas Reserves, Ronald Ernest Robbins

Masters Theses

"A computerized means for analyzing the profitability and purchase potential of producing oil and gas properties was developed. LOTUS 1- 2-3, a computerized spreadsheet package, was utilized in this development. The basic input data required for the implementation of the purchase estimator (BUYOUT) are the forecasts of production, price, and expense. BUYOUT itself is composed of three separate, but interactive, parts: and the system macro. the profitability model, the acquisition table,

A before federal income tax cash-flow model and several economic indicators constitute the profitability model. The profitability model is then fully interactive with an acquisition table which contains six …

Dimensional Change Correlations For 20% Cold Worked Aisi 316 Stainless Steel For Fusion Applications, Robert Wayne Clark

Masters Theses

"Dimensional instability of structural components in a fusion reactor Is expected to occur during Its operation. This expectation is based upon experience with fast reactors In the United States, France and United Kingdom. Correlations for void swelling and Irradiation creep are developed in this thesis for 20% cold worked AISI 316 Stainless Steel for fusion applications.

The sensitivities of swelling to variations in composition, fabrication and the Irradiation environment I le al roost exclusively in the duration of the transient regime of swelling. Irradiation creep rates at high exposures are also expected to exhibit a similar parametric insensitivity, largely because …

Characteristics Of A Stirred Bed Reactor Used For Gas-Solid Reactions, Christine Joy Beyke

Masters Theses

“A fluidized bed gas-solid reactor was designed and tested in which most of the fluidization energy is provided by a helical stirrer, with gas being used primarily as a reactant. The bulk gas in which the particles are suspended is practically constant in composition except for the area immediately adjacent to the gas inlet. The reactor is capable of withstanding temperatures up to at least 800°C and can be used with a wide range of flow rates. It is intended primarily as a laboratory tool, with the potential to be scaled up to multikilogram size.

The reactoor is a useful …

Influence Of Oxygen Activity On The Lattice Parameters And Thermal Expansion Of Mg And Sr-Doped Lacro₃, Sutham Srilomsak

Masters Theses

"Lanthanum Chromite, when used as the fuel cell interconnector material is exposed to extremely different oxygen activities on its two surfaces. In addition, it must also form coherent boundaries with the fuel electrode (anode) and air electrode (cathode) layers. In order to accomplish these functions the acceptor doped LaCrO₃ must not only be chemically stable over large oxygen activity ranges, but also have good thermal expansion coefficient of match with both the anode and cathode. Therefore, the objective of this study is to investigate these requirements for Mg and Sr doped LaCrO₃. The study was divided into …

Bearing Capacity Of Shallow Foundations, Yassin Taissir Al-Kour

Masters Theses

"Several bearing capacity theories have been reviewed in this analysis. However, only Meyerhof's theory is considered in great detail. Bearing capacity factors N_c, N_q, and N_γ have been computed based on Meyerhof's plasticity theory and the minimum passive earth pressures have been found by iterative calculations at all grid locations.

A computer program was developed to run Meyerhof's analysis on the IBM-Personal Computer. His previous charts were not totally satisfactory, because certain geometry was ignored. The computer program considers surface and shallow foundations with various values of degree of mobilization and ratios of depth-to-width of …

Fuel Loading For A Low-Leakage Core In A Pressurized Water Reactor, Omar Ivan Aguilar

Masters Theses

"A study of low-leakage core fuel loading as a means to reduce fast neutron flux incident upon the pressure vessel is presented. The specific case under study is Cycle 5 of Arkansas Nuclear One - Unit Two (ANO-2), a Combustion Engineering Pressurized Water Reactor. Neutron transport calculations were performed using the DOT two-dimensional transport code. The results from DOT provide the angular distribution of the fast neutron flux at the surface of the pressure vessel.

Seven different fuel loading schemes were studied and compared to the Reference Case. The angular distribution of the fast neutron flux for all cases studied …

Measurement Of The Dusty Gas Model Parameters For Activated Carbon, Philip James Gloor

Masters Theses

"Included in the dusty gas equation are three constants, C₀, C₁ and C₂, which depend only upon the porous medium. Values for C₀ and C₁ can be obtained for a particular porous material by performing pure gas flow experiments and a value for C₂ can be obtained for the same material by performing Wicke-Kallenbach experiments. In this work, values for the dusty gas model parameters, for activated carbon, were obtained by performing the necessary experiments. The design and operation of the experimental equipment is presented along with the results obtained. The activated …

Commercial Design Of Four Indirect-Fired Fluidized Bed Gasifer Systems, Eoin Myles Clancy

Masters Theses

"This thesis deals with the design and cost analysis of four scaled up gasification plants. Reactor outputs range from 10 to 40 million Btu/hr (heating value of gas). Scale-up design parameters are based on data obtained from a 20 inch indirectly heated steam fluidized bed gasifier. This produces a medium Btu gas (450 Btu/ft³). The gas may be burnt on site or used as a chemical feedstock.

The plant designs consider reactor sizes, steam plant dimensions, specifications for feedhoppers, cyclones, conveying equipment, internal firetube heat exchangers, and drying plants.

The economic analysis deals with the cost of the …

Expert System Technology Applied To The Sensor Allocation Problem For Multisensor Integration, Edwin Rowe Carney

Masters Theses

"The use of multiple sensors for target acquisition provides both redundant and complementary coverage of the target observation space. To effectively utilize the sensor suite and to reduce the number of operator tasks, a high level of automation is required. An expert system is used to control the sensor suite. The expert system acts as an interface between the operator and the multisensory system. The sensors and their modes of operation are selected by the expert system. The mode selections are dependent upon the operator objective, the environment, and the physical and logical constraints of the system. The goal is …

Experimental Investigation Of The Effect Of Geological Discontinuity Conditions Of Rock Splitting By Blasting, Shijie Qu

Masters Theses

"A series of modal scale, two borehole splitting test blasts was geometrically designed both with concrete and with Plexiglas. The discontinuities were all symetrically located midway between split holes and were oriented perpendicular to the desired split plane. Sand and clay filled discontinuities of 1/16, 1/8 and 1/4 inch width, and closed discontinuities were used. Both discontinuity frequency and width generally reduced the maximum successful split-hole spacing. The regularity and integrity of the split profile became poorer as the discontinuities were closer to the boreholes and the discontinuity width became greater, due to the cratering effect which occurred from the …

Water Desalination Using Nocturnal Radiation Cooling, Ali Mufarreh Saleh Al-Amri

Masters Theses

"In this investigation nocturnal radiation condensation cooling is considered to determine the possibility of using this method as a desalination process in remote areas, villages and resorts, etc. An experimental study was made and programs were developed to calculate water collection under ideal conditions. Both experimental and theoretical work indicated that this process is useful for small scale water production where there is no available energy sources. It can be used also in conjunction with solar desalination processes. Cost analysis and a preliminary design are included"--Abstract, page ii.

Determining The Modified Derivative In Pressure Analysis, Scott Michael Frailey

Masters Theses

"The derivative type of curve technique of Bourdet for analyzing pressure tests requires calculating the derivative of the storage plot. Four numerical methods are used to evaluate the derivative: a five-point formula, Richardson's Extrapolation, a parabolic fit, and a central difference procedure. The parabolic fit and the central difference technique are good methods of determining the derivative. The effects of logarithmic s pacing of the data, using a central difference method, are studied. An investigation of the second derivative and the integral is conducted"-- Abstract, p. ii

The Effect Of Oxygen Partial Pressure On Oxygen And Carbon Incorporation In Czochralski Grown Single Crystal Silicon, Paul Shane Carter

Masters Theses

"The study herein detailed was made to determine the effect of varying the oxygen partial pressure of a Czochralski type crystal pulling furnace using conventional hardware and remelt silicon on the level of incorporated oxygen and carbon in the single crystal. The oxygen partial pressure was measured by a zirconia type oxygen sensor and controlled by additions of hydrogen or carbon dioxide to the argon purge gas. The oxygen and carbon incorporation measurements were made by the Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) method, using the American Standard for Testing Materials (ASTM) standard calibration.

During the study boules which were zero dislocation …

Automation Of A High-Potential Test Instrument, Jeffery D. Breshears

Masters Theses

"Microcomputer controlled automation of a high-potential test set is presented. The design and development of a controller, the support circuits used to interface between the existing electronics and the controller, the IEEE-488 Bus Interface, and a new control panel design with options for manual, automatic, or computer-controlled operation of the instrument are given. Software subroutine listings which exemplify the computer-automation feature of the instrument are also presented. Recommendations for modification and improvement of the given design conclude the paper"--Abstract, page ii.

An Investigation Of The Low Voltage Failure Mechanism In Multilayer Ceramic Capacitors, Christopher John Brannon

Masters Theses

"Enhanced leakage current was induced into multilayer ceramic capacitors by the introduction of micro-cracks. These cracks extended from the surface through the electrode layers and were formed by means of thermal shock. The capacitors were then exposed to a low voltage bias and a humid atmosphere. Results indicated that a simple electrolytic solution mechanism may be responsible for the increased conduction, and that the proposed dendritic growth mechanisms may be more complex than necessary"--Abstract, p. ii

An Experimental Investigation Of Electrochemical Memory Cells, Timothy Jules Martin

Masters Theses

"An experimental electrochemical memory cell was constructed using a Pt cathode, Cu anode, and CuS0₄ electrolyte. The mechanism of operation of this cell consisted of plating and stripping of Cu from the Pt cathode. A cathode surface area of l.33 X 10^-4 cm² required approximately 700 μs to store 5 monolayers of Cu, writing time. The access time would be the time required to measure the Pt/Cu potential and was undetermined. Fifteen seconds were projected to oxidize the plated copper, producing loss of information, resulting in poor volatility characteristics of the cell. However, this electrochemical memory cell …

Selection Of Remedial Engineering Techniques For Dioxin-Contaminated Soil Sites ; Based On Site Geological Characteristics, Jeffrey John Lux

Masters Theses

"Specific geologic, hydrologic, and topographic characteristics influence the selection of technologies employed in the remediation of sites affected by dioxin-contaminated soil. These characteristics are significant in the selection of equipment and methods for excavation and materials processing.

The only currently sociologically acceptable method of treatment of dioxin-contaminated soils is incineration. As more is learned concerning the nature of dioxin sorption to soil particles and the mobility of dioxin in the environment, long-term storage in underground mines, and land burial appear to offer strong potential alternatives. Strong public sentiment against non-destructive remedial options would have to be overcome. There are also …