Engineering Commons^™

Smart Grid Reliability Assessment Under Variable Weather Conditions, Arif Islam

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The needs of contemporary electric utility customers and expectations regarding energy supply require dramatic changes in the way energy is transmitted and delivered. A smart grid is a concept by which the existing and aging electrical grid infrastructure is being upgraded with integration of multiple applications and technologies; such as two way power transfer, two way communication, renewable distributed generation, automated sensors, automated & advanced controls, central control, forecasting system and microgrids. This enables the grid to be more secure, reliable, efficient, self-healing, while reducing greenhouse gases. In addition, it will provide new products & services and fully optimize asset …

Advanced Transceiver Algorithms For Ofdm(A) Systems, Hisham A. Mahmoud

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

With the increasing advancements in the digital technology, future wireless systems are promising to support higher data rates, higher mobile speeds, and wider coverage areas, among other features. While further technological developments allow systems to support higher computational complexity, lower power consumption, and employ larger memory units, other resources remain limited. One such resource, which is of great importance to wireless systems, is the available spectrum for radio communications. To be able to support high data rate wireless applications, there is a need for larger bandwidths in the spectrum. Since the spectrum cannot be expanded, studies have been concerned with …

Automatic Generation Of Plc Code Based On Net Condition Event Systems, Natalia Sandberg

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

An important consideration in discrete event dynamic systems control theory is the selection of a suitable modeling formalism that can capture the complex characteristics of the system and the capability to automatically synthesize a controller based on the system model. Net condition event systems are well suited for modeling complex discrete event dynamic systems owing to their input and output structure, which effectively captures the behavior of the physical devices to be monitored and/or controlled. To date, net condition event systems control models have not been extensively applied to highly automated manufacturing systems and there are few guidelines on how …

Improving Pediatric Cardiology Consultation Methods By Introducing Digital Interactive 3-D Heart Models: A Proof Of Concept Study, Adam Verigan

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of a pediatric cardiology consultation is to inform, or educate, the patient and family of all aspects surrounding a certain congenital heart defect. Consultation education methods and materials may include verbal descriptions, two-dimensional (2-D) heart diagrams, and take-home pamphlets. Because the human heart is a complex three-dimensional (3-D) object, the problem lies within the clarity to which these methods are performed by the doctors and understood by the patients and families. Therefore, during a consultation the cardiologist must a) possess the ability to describe a defect visually as well as verbally and b) ensure that the patient and …

Gate Level Dynamic Energy Estimation In Asynchronous Circuits Using Petri Nets, Ryan Mabry

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This thesis introduces a new methodology for energy estimation in asynchronous circuits. Unlike existing probabilistic methods, this is the first simulative work for energy estimation in all types of asynchronous circuits.

The new simulative methodology is based on Petri net modeling. A real delay model is incorporated to capture both gate delays and interconnect delays. The switching activity at each gate is captured to measure the average dynamic energy consumed per request/acknowledge handshaking pair. The new type of Petri net is called Hierarchical Colored Asynchronous Hardware Petri net (HCAHPN). The HCAHPN is able to capture the temporal and spatial correlations …

Evaluation Of Unknown Foundations, Ronald W. Florkowski

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In recent years, bridge foundations have been in the spotlight throughout the nation. Bridges built over running water are susceptible to erosion or scour around their foundations. The reduction in load capacity to piers and abutments pose a safety risk to highway motorists. It has become necessary for engineers to examine and monitor these "scour critical" bridges. The difficulty arises with subsurface foundations of which very little is known about their construction. Hence, the methods applied to analyzing "Unknown Foundations" have become a necessary topic of research.

This thesis explores a method to determine foundation lengths. Similar to Sonic Echo …

Alumina Nanofluid For Spray Cooling Heat Transfer Enhancement, Aditya Bansal

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Nanofluids have been demonstrated to be promising for heat transfer enhancement in forced convection and boiling applications. The addition of carbon, copper, and other high-thermal-conductivity material nanoparticles to water, oil, ethylene glycol, and other fluids has been determined to increase the thermal conductivities of these fluids. The increased effective thermal conductivities of these fluids enhance their abilities to dissipate heat in such applications. The use of nanofluids for spray cooling is an extension of the application of nanofluids for enhancement of heat dissipation.

In this investigation, experiments were performed to determine the level of heat transfer enhancement with the addition …

A Compositional Approach To Asynchronous Design Verification With Automated State Space Reduction, Jared Ahrens

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Model checking is the most effective means of verifying the correctness of asynchronous designs, and state space exploration is central to model checking. Although model checking can achieve very high verification coverage, the high degree of concurrency in asynchronous designs often leads to state explosion during state space exploration. To inhibit this explosion, our approach builds on the ideas of compositional verification. In our approach, a design modeled in a high level description is partitioned into a set of parallel components. Before state space exploration, each component is paired with an over-approximated environment to decouple it from the rest of …

Development Of An End-Effector Sensory Suite For A Rehabilitation Robot, Stephanie A. Stiber

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This research presents an approach in assisting the control and operation of a rehabilitation robot manipulator to execute simple grasping tasks for persons with severe disabilities. It outlines the development of an end-effector sensory suite that includes the BarrettHand end-effector, laser range finder, and a low cost camera.

The approach taken in this research differs greatly from the currently available rehabilitation robot arms in that it requires minimal user instruction, it is easy to operate and more effective for persons severely disabled. A thorough study of the currently available systems; Manus, Raptor and Kares II arm, is also presented.

In …

A Mechanized Horseback Riding Simulator As An Aid To Physical Therapy, Jennifer Lott

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Equine-assisted therapy is a nontraditional form of physical therapy that involves riding horses as a form of rehabilitation. Limited access to these riding programs justifies a need to develop a horseback riding simulator capable of simulating the gaits, bend, and collection of the horse. Research involving the development of horseback riding simulators is limited, but the available research does show promising results in the ability to aid in physical therapy.

A two-dimensional model and simulation was developed using MATLAB. Using the results from the simulation, a horseback riding simulator was designed, fabricated and tested. The physical simulator was capable of …

Effect Of Tricalcium Silicate Content On Expansion In Internal Sulfate Attack, Troy T. Whitfield

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the cementitious parameters and placement temperature that impact internal sulfate attack in concrete. Concrete structures make up a large percentage of the infrastructure and multifamily housing. Durability is very important. Cements can be formulated to reduce the impact of external environmental exposure such as high salinity from marine environments or high sulfate levels from soils or surface waters. Concrete is also subject to internal attack such as alkali aggregate reaction, (AAR), and delayed ettringite formation, (DEF). This study focused on some of the cement chemistry issues that determine susceptibility of cement to …

Inorganic Sorption In Polymer Modified Bentonite Clays, Melody Schwartz Nocon

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In 1986, geosynthetic clay liners (GCLs) were invented and successfully used as a replacement for the soil layer in composite lining systems. In some applications an additive (polymer) is mixed with the bentonite to increase performance, especially in those that have low concentrations of sodium bentonite (EPA 2001).Studies showing significant increases in hydraulic conductivity values for bentonite in the presence of high salt concentrations are frequently documented and there is a risk of early breakthrough due to performance failure of the GCL clay component. (Ashmawy et al, 2002). It has also been stated that sodium, potassium, calcium, and magnesium have …

Control Of Hydrogen Sulfide From Groundwater Using Packed-Bed Anion Exchange And Other Technologies, Camilo Romero Cotrino

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Hydrogen sulfide imparts odors and taste to drinking water and can be corrosive to distribution systems. Groundwater sources used to produce drinking water tend to have sulfide concentrations ranging from below 0.1 to over 3 mg/L. Under anaerobic conditions, hydrogen sulfide can be formed from reduction of sulfate and elemental sulfur through chemical or biological reactions. Therefore, to decrease the potential for hydrogen sulfide in water systems, control of all forms of sulfur should be consistent.

Hydrogen sulfide in groundwater can be controlled through conversion or removal mechanisms. Conversion reactions result from chemical or biological reactions that oxidize hydrogen sulfide …

Development Of A Gis Based Infrastructure Replacement Prioritization System; A Case Study, Brian D. Pickard

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Maintenance, repair, and replacement of transmission mains and distribution system piping is expected to cost approximately $75 billion over the next two decades to ensure that public water systems are capable of providing the United States with safe drinking water. However, there is a significant gap between the funds available and the projected costs of infrastructure replacement or rehabilitation. Infrastructure Management Systems (IMS) have been developed to assist utilities and decision-makers in determining how to allocate resources for infrastructure. This project utilizes theTampa Water Department (TWD) as a case study to develop a tool for prioritizing infrastructure replacement.

TWD is …

Association Of Sound To Motion In Video Using Perceptual Organization, Sunil Babu Ravulapalli

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Technological developments and innovations of the first forty years of the digital era have primarily addressed either the audio or the visual senses. Consequently, designers have primarily focused on the audio or the visual aspects of design. In the perspective of video surveillance, the data under consideration has always been visual. However, in light of the new behavioral and physiological studies which established a proof of cross modality in human perception i.e. humans do not process audio and visual stimulus separately, but percieve a scene based on all stimulus available, similar cues are being used to develop a surveillance system …

A Benefit-Cost Analysis Of A State Freeway Service Patrol: A Florida Case Study, Harkanwal Nain Singh

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The Road Ranger program is a freeway service patrol (FSP) designed to assist disabled vehicles along congested freeway segments and relieve peak period non-recurring congestion through quick detection, verification and removal of freeway incidents in Florida. It consists of approximately 88 vehicles in fleet and provides free service to about 918 centerline miles. The program is funded by the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) and its partners, and is bid out to private contractors. The objective of this study is to examine and evaluate the benefits of the Road Ranger service against their operating costs in five of the seven …

Detection Of Cracks In Single-Crystalline Silicon Wafers Using Impact Testing, Christina Hilmersson

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This thesis is about detection of cracks in single-crystalline silicon wafers by using a vibration method in the form of an impact test. The goal to detect cracks from vibration measurements introduced by striking the silicon wafer with an impact hammer. Such a method would reduce costs in the production of solar cells. It is an inexpensive, relatively simple method which if commercialized could be used as an efficient in-line production quality test.

A hammer is used as the actuator and a microphone as the response sensor. A signal analyzer is used to collect the data and to compute frequency …

A Damage Assessment And Wind Loading Analysis Of Residential Structures Built Post-1996 In Punta Gorda In The Wake Of Hurricane Charley, James Newberry

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

One of the communities in the path of Hurricane Charley as it came ashore

August 13, 2004, was Punta Gorda, recording gusts up to 145 mph. This project

utilizes aerial photos taken approximately 10 days after the storm battered the

area, using a digital photography program. Focusing on the one-story residential

structures (houses) of the Punta Gorda area, a damage assessment could be

made of the area’s homes, and how they stood up to the storm. This study

focused further on homes built after major changes to the local/state building

codes went into effect (starting in 1996) after the devastation …

A Platform For Research On Localization And Tracking Using Wireless Sensor Networks, Sai Kiran Rupanagudi

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This research proposed the integration of wireless sensor networks, a mobile platform and a fixed station for the development of a test bed system to conduct research on localization, tracking, navigation and network mapping. The overall integrated system acts as a basis for future research on localization of wireless nodes in an indoor environment. The system enables the transfer of information from the sensor node on the platform to a distant computer through wireless communication. In addition, a robotic platform is proposed that uses the developed integrated system as well as other potential applications. The user interface to the system …

Physical-Statistical Modeling And Optimization Of Cardiovascular Systems, Dongping Du

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Heart disease remains the No.1 leading cause of death in U.S. and in the world. To improve cardiac care services, there is an urgent need of developing early diagnosis of heart diseases and optimal intervention strategies. As such, it calls upon a better understanding of the pathology of heart diseases.

Computer simulation and modeling have been widely applied to overcome many practical and ethical limitations in in-vivo, ex-vivo, and whole-animal experiments. Computer experiments provide physiologists and cardiologists an indispensable tool to characterize, model and analyze cardiac function both in healthy and in diseased heart. Most importantly, simulation modeling empowers the …

Growth And Characterization Of Zno For The Front Contact Of Cu(In,Ga)Se2, Rita Bhatt

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

ZnO window layers for CIGS solar cells are grown with a DC sputtering technique instead of a conventional RF sputtering technique. Transparent window layers and buffer layers are sputtered from the Zn target in the presence of Oxygen. The window layer is doped with Aluminum in order to achieve high electrical conductivity and thermal stability. The effect of different sputtering parameters on the electrical and optical properties of the films is elaborately studied. Sets of annealing experiments are also performed. Combinations of different deposition parameters are examined to design the optimum fabrication conditions. We are able to deposit 85% transparent, …

Thermodynamic Model And The Controlling Variables Of Phosphate Lattice Loss, Mohammad Abutayeh

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

A thermodynamic model was developed based upon five equilibrium reactions to predict the limits of distribution of phosphates between the liquid and the solid phases in a reactor used to extract phosphoric acid from phosphate rock. A computer code was generated to carry out different simulations of the model using several inputs of temperatures and liquid phase sulfuric acid contents. Ideal Solution, Debye-Hückel, and Robinson-Guggenheim-Bates electrolyte activity coefficient models were employed alternately in each simulation to complete the thermodynamic model and the outputs were compared to one another.

Experimental data of equilibrium constants were regressed to adjust the values of …

Simultaneous Extraction And Sorption Under Supercritical Conditions, Ş. Uğur Akman

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Supercritical Exsorption (SCEXS), simultaneous supercritical extraction and sorption (adsorption and/or desorption), is a novel process which may have potential for applications in chemical, biochemical and environmental engineering. The system of interest consists of a fixed-bed packed with an adsorbent (e.g., activated carbon or catalyst) through which a so~vent stream (e.g., supercritical carbon dioxide) and a feed stream (e.g., an aqueous stream with low concentration of solute such as phenol) flow countercurrently.

In this work, the theoretical foundations of SCEXS have been established through distributed-parameter modeling which enables phenomenal description of several probable three-phase mass transfer dynamics taking place in the …