Engineering Commons^™

Emulsion Stability, Rheological Properties, And Combustion Characteristics Of Waterjojoba Biofuel Emulsion, Ihab Mohamed Ayad

Thesis/ Dissertation Defenses

This thesis comprehensively investigates the stability, rheological properties, and engine performance implications of water in jojoba biodiesel (WJBD) emulsion. The research delves into multiple aspects, including the influence of diverse surfactants and water concentrations on emulsion stability. It also yields valuable insights into the development of stable water in jojoba biodiesel emulsions, specifically tailored for diesel engines. These insights contribute significantly to the body of knowledge of positioning emulsion fuels as viable alternative to traditional diesel fuels. The anticipated benefits include notable reductions in emissions. Importantly, this study underscores the critical importance of considering emulsion stability, both during storage and …

Flexible Strain Gauge Sensors As Real-Time Stretch Receptors For Use In Biomimetic Bpa Muscle Applications, Rochelle Jubert

Student Research Symposium

This work presents a novel approach to real-time length sensing for biomimetic Braided Pneumatic Actuators (BPAs) as artificial muscles in soft robotics applications. The use of artificial muscles enables the development of more interesting robotic designs that no longer depend on single rotation joints controlled by motors. Developing robots with these capabilities, however, produces more complexities in control and sensing. Joint encoders, the mainstay of robotic feedback, can no longer be used, so new methods of sensing are needed to get feedback on muscle behavior to implement intelligent controls. To address this need, flexible strain gauge sensors from Portland company, …

Comparative Life Cycle Assessment Of Hydrogen Production Via Various Pv-Assisted Electrochemical Water Splitting Techniques, Achyuth Ravilla, Ilke Celik

Student Research Symposium

Photoelectrochemical (PEC) and photovoltaic-electrochemical (PV-EC) water-splitting technologies have emerged as cost-effective options for large-scale green hydrogen production in industrial applications. Solar to hydrogen (STH) efficiencies of these technologies have reached up to 20% and several pathways have been explored to drive down the cost of hydrogen using these technologies to less than $2/kg. However, the environmental impact assessment of these technologies for industry-scale deployment has not been explored in previous studies. This study assesses the environmental impacts of PEC and PV-EC technologies by conducting a cradle-to-gate life cycle assessment. The functional unit considered for this assessment is 1 kg of …

Performance-Based Risk Assessment For Large-Scale Transportation Networks, Anteneh Deriba, David Y. Yang

Student Research Symposium

Efficiently assessing the risk of asset failure due to deterioration or extreme events is crucial for transportation asset management. Traditional methods often lack effectiveness in directly evaluating system performance-based risks, facing challenges like the exponential increase in system states and the emergence of low-probability high-consequence events ("grey swan" events). To address these, this paper introduces a novel performance-based risk assessment approach for large-scale transportation networks, inspired by the Transitional Markov Chain Monte Carlo (TMCMC) method. This method transforms the risk assessment problem into a high-dimensional posterior distribution, with system risk acting as the normalization factor (evidence). It also provides risk-based …

Reducing Switching Noise And Losses In Two-Stage Electric Power Converters, Abhijeet Prem

Student Research Symposium

Advancements in semiconductor devices are enabling the design of better electrical power converter systems. Wide Bandgap (WBG) switching devices from Silicon Carbide and Gallium Nitride can operate at high temperatures, voltages, and frequencies with faster turn-on/off periods, improving converter performance over silicon devices. However, WBG technology is still new, and the rapid switching transitions of these devices lead to issues such as voltage overshoots, ringing, and electromagnetic interference, which need to be addressed for widespread adoption. This work introduces a new control method for reshaping the switching voltages, which overcomes the disadvantages of fast transition time without increasing the system's …

Plasma Ion Source, Nathan K. Davis

Student Research Symposium

It is well known that a plasma can be created with both high input power and ultra low pressure. The challenge is in creating these same plasma characteristics with both lower power while maintaining a higher pressure. We have developed an ion beam by careful manipulation of magnetic and electric fields. Magnetic fields are used to accelerate ambient electrons to ionize the low pressure gas into a plasma. Electric fields are used to extract the ions into a focused beam. To achieve these initial ionizations, an artificial vacuum is created to reach low enough pressures to ionize the gas. A …

Characterization Of Chopped Carbon Fiber Reinforced Composites Produced Using Fused Deposition Modeling, Jonathon Tran, Rachel Shubella

Student Research Symposium

Fused deposition modeling (FDM) is an additive manufacturing (AM) process which can create parts with complex geometries in their final shape without need for additional specialized tools or devices. The FDM process builds parts by adding material layer by layer only where it is needed, saving energy, costs, production time for complex parts, and minimizing waste. Fiber reinforcement can significantly enhance the mechanical properties of a polymer material and depends significantly on the fiber length distribution and fiber orientation distribution of the final part. In this research, we investigated the various infill patterns of FDM printed Markforged onyx which is …

Comparative Life Cycle Assessment Of Recycling Processes For Perovskite Solar Cells, Juan P. Herrera, Jules Freeman, Achyuth Ravilla, Ilke Celik

Student Research Symposium

Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) have emerged as a promising option for solar energy generation. However, it is essential to consider the environmental impact of these innovative photovoltaic (PV) technologies as the industry moves towards commercialization. Researchers are currently exploring ways to recycle PSCs to recover valuable materials and reduce their environmental impact at the end of their life. To ensure the sustainability of PSCs, this study evaluates and compares the environmental impacts of five recently developed recycling approaches. The Tool for Reduction and Assessment of Chemicals (TRACI) method was utilized to measure environmental impacts in categories such as acidification (kg …

Pulse Modulation In Braided Pneumatic Actuators Mimics Contractile Behavior Of Biological Muscles, Mohamad Elzein

Student Research Symposium

Advancements in robotics and bioengineering aim to emulate biological muscle systems through robotic actuators, blending mechanical strength with biological adaptability. A lesser-explored aspect is mimicking the pulse-like control characteristic of biological muscles, which contract in response to action potentials from motoneurons, with muscle contractile force relying heavily on the timing between these potentials. This study explores the effect of pulse lengths and the gaps between pulses on braided pneumatic actuators (BPAs), which mimic the nonlinearity and dynamic response of biological muscles. It hypothesizes that artificial muscles utilizing pulse-based control will exhibit a similar force dependency on the intervals between pulses …

Self-Balancing Robot Leg, Ben Bolen

Student Research Symposium

Research in the Agile and Adaptive Robotics Lab involves the creation of biomimetic robots. To this end, we developed a self-balancing robot leg actuated with braided pneumatic actuators (BPAs)—a type of pneumatic artificial muscle. These BPAs, akin to human muscles, exhibit properties such as high strength-to-weight ratio and tunable passive stiffness. An Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) was placed on top of the tibia for feedback and the tibia and foot were connected with a hinge joint. The orientation of the ankle joint was controlled with an Arduino microcontroller sending commands to the proportional pressure valves supplying the BPAs. Leg balance …

Deriving Analytical Design Constraints For Absolute & Relative Encoding Schemes In Functional Subnetworks, Cody W. Scharzenberger-Braet, Alexander Hunt

Student Research Symposium

As neural networks have become prolific solutions to modern problems, there has been a congruent rise in the popularity of the numerical machine learning techniques used to design them. While they are highly generalizable, numerical methods tend to produce networks that act as inscrutable “black boxes,” making it difficult to interpret their behavior. One solution to the problem of network transparency is to use analytical techniques, but these methods are underdeveloped compared to their numerical alternatives. In order to enhance the viability of analytical techniques, this work extends previous efforts to quantify the impact that non-spiking neural encoding schemes have …

A Computational Investigation Into Thermo-Kinetic Parameters Governing The Decomposition Of Bio-Oil Model Compounds, Ali Huseein Aljefri

Thesis/ Dissertation Defenses

Among notable products from thermal degradation of biomass are simple oxygen-containing aromatics. These compounds typically appear in high loads in collected bio-oil derived from biomass. As such, it is important to comprehend the decomposition chemistry of this category of compounds. This thesis takes on board a general approach to report thermo-kinetic parameters that govern decomposition of a selected set of bio-oil model compounds in two distinct systems: firstly radical-derived pathways in the gas phase and secondly thermal degradation in their condensed media. The first is attained through accurate density functional calculations while the second is accomplished through the use of …

Determining The Exit State Of Centrifugal Pumps And Compressors, Chase Oliphant

Utah Space Grant Consortium

Meanline performance models have a rich history in the design of radial flow pumps and compressors. These models are typically based on point data, such as static pressures and temperature measurements at walls, along with occasional traverses to capture additional flow field details. These point measurements, while valuable, do not fully characterize the internal flow behavior within the machine. The Two-Zone model, developed by Japikse and others, is a meanline model based on these measurements to predict machine performance. It posits that the flow at the impeller exit consists of two distinct zones: a primary zone assumed to be isentropic …

Investigation Of Poly(Olefin Sulfone) Depolymerization And Its Dust Mitigation Abilities For Potential Use On Spacecraft, Alexandra Stapley, Walter Paxton, David Allred

Utah Space Grant Consortium

The ubiquity of particulate contamination requires dust mitigation techniques to provide low-scatter surfaces and edges on sensitive optical devices in space. Poly(olefin sulfone)s have been shown to photodegrade with the assistance of a photobase generator when exposed to UV light (254 nm) and heat (120°C). These may be applicable to minimizing dust on optical surfaces for space applications. However, their behavior in vacuum has not been fully characterized. We synthesized poly(2-methyl-1-pentene sulfone) (PMPS) and poly(1-hexene sulfone) (PHS) with and without a photobase generator. We studied the photodegradation (172 nm or 254 nm) of thin films in vacuum. Spectroscopic ellipsometry was …

Creating Models Of Inter-Panel Slipping In Rolled Gossamer Arrays, Nathan Coleman

Utah Space Grant Consortium

Many deployable satellite systems benefit from having low mass and high surface area, which has led to the proliferation of gossamer structures in space-based applications. Gossamer structures are characterized by lightweight, low stiffness membranes, which can flex and roll to compactly stow. An effect of rolling a gossamer structure is that there is tangential separation along adjacent panels as they roll, resulting in relative motion between panels. To aid designers in predicting and accommodating this motion, a method for modeling the slippage between adjacent panels that occurs while rolling is presented. This analytical slippage model and algorithm is a function …

Discovering What Cannot Be Seen: Dust Attenuation Modeling In Early-Type Galactic Nuclei, Nonnie Bash, Benjamin Boizelle

Utah Space Grant Consortium

Black holes (BHs) are believed to reside at the center of every luminous galaxy. Increasingly accurate techniques are now seeking to expand the BH census. Most of these primary techniques account for extended masses by using a stellar luminosity profile derived from optical or near-IR imaging. About 10% of early type galaxies (ETGs) contain a circumnuclear, dusty disk that obscures much of the stellar light originating from behind this thin disk. Few studies have accurately accounted for dust obscuration, or even acknowledged its effect on a BH mass measurement. In this work, we introduce a sample of ETGs with wide …

Expanded Fabrication Of Terahertz Metal Mesh Filters, Jared E. Payne, Joseph Eddy, Hunter R.J. Stevenson, Brad Ferguson, Ryan T. Beazer, Gregory N. Nielson, Stephen M. Schultz

Utah Space Grant Consortium

A metal mesh filter is fabricated by creating metallic squares on a dielectric substrate. This capacitive metallic filter is fabricated using direct write laser ablation consisting of a femtosecond laser in combination with a high numerical aperture objective. A galvanometer beam scanning system is implemented to improve filter size by 12.5x from the previously demonstrated 2x2 mm filter. The transmission and reflection characteristics are discussed.

Constant-Thickness Accommodation By Pattern Modification For Origami Flashers, H. Pruett, S. Magleby, L. Howell

Utah Space Grant Consortium

Thickness accommodation is one of the most significant challenges in creating an origami flasher array. If it is a membrane array, thickness accommodation is generally simpler as panel deformation allows the array to wrap about itself with relative ease. However, for rigid-panel arrays, thickness accommodation is considerably more complicated. This works develops thickness accommodation techniques that yield origami-inspired mechanisms of constant thickness and high-volume efficiency. In this paper, current methods for accommodating thickness in flashers are presented and issues associated with those methods are discussed. Two methods for accommodating thickness in flashers such that panels are constant thickness are proposed.

Optimizing Turbulence Generation For Studying The Dynamics Of Particle Laden Flows, Rhett T. Parry, Tim Berk

Utah Space Grant Consortium

In order to extend the study of particle dynamics into a turbulent fluid regime, novel apparatuses must be developed to simulate desired environments. Synthetic jets are a compact and adaptable tool to generate turbulent flows, however, current studies on synthetic jets are not focused on generating optimal turbulence. Our study seeks to understand how important physical parameters influence the generation of turbulence. By relating far field behavior to near field influence, the parameters that govern a synthetic jet can be specified to produce a jet with desired flow characteristics. We find scalings of velocity, momentum flux, and energy flux that …

Modeling The Effects Of Retinal Thinning And Oxidative Stress During Space Travel, Dillon Weatherston, Dylan Nelson, Justin Jones, Elizabeth Vargis

Utah Space Grant Consortium

Spaceflight causes both physical and chemical changes within the subretinal tissue, particularly the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) and Bruch’s membrane. Changes such as layer thinning and increases in oxidative stress are both implicated in vision loss caused by spaceflight. While these changes can lead to cell death, the mechanistic impact that these changes have on retinal function are unknown. To isolate the physical alterations to the subretinal tissue caused by space travel, we utilized a tunable in vitro model of Bruch’s membrane and primary porcine RPE cells. Initial results showed that while thinner models can be constructed, they are difficult …

Evaluation Of Clinical Features Of Venturi Adapters For Cpap In Procedural Sedation, Trey Blackwell, Joseph Orr, Derek Sakata, Kai Kuck

Utah Space Grant Consortium

Research has shown that CPAP therapy reduces airway obstruction and oxygen desaturation during procedural sedation. However, the cost and real estate associated with a non-invasive ventilator render this an impractical approach. A Venturi adapter is an alternative device for administering CPAP, which amplifies oxygen flows to produce high flows sufficient for CPAP with cheap and compact hardware. A clinically useful Venturi adapter will generate low noise levels, exhibit high efficiency for generating pressures with low oxygen flows, and minimally dilute the end-tidal carbon dioxide sample for monitoring. To meet these needs, we designed and resin-printed a custom Venturi adapter for …

Developing Membrane Hinges To Enable Predictable And Reliable Arrays For Spacecraft, Mitchel Skinner, Andrew Geyser, Brandon Sargent, Spencer Magleby, Larry Howell

Utah Space Grant Consortium

Deployable space structures that incorporate thin, flexible solar cells allow for innovative designs that are capable of high stowing efficiency. The purpose of this work is to present an approach to predicting the deflection of deployable space structures with flexible panels connected with thin sheets as a function of their material properties, geometry, and applied moments. Related methods are described. An analytical model and finite element analysis are compared and validated with a physical model. The end angle, coordinates, and radius of curvature of each segment are calculated and the results are compared. Important factors related to the reliability of …

Chemical Herding: Using Chemical Reactions To Steer Colloidal Particles, Mark N. Mcdonald, Cameron K. Peterson, Douglas R. Tree

Utah Space Grant Consortium

Creating the next generation of dynamic colloidal materials that change their structure based on external stimuli may require the capability to precisely manipulate colloidal particles. Colloidal particles can be manipulated using a variety of forces, such as electric, magnetic, and optical, but so far chemical reactions have received less attention. We consider here a novel paradigm for using a chemically active colloidal particle to interact with other, passive colloids and precisely manipulate colloidal particles in a microfluidic device, a strategy which we dub “chemical herding”. Specifically, we show in simulation that chemical herding can be used to move a small …

Novel Apparatus For Studying The Effect Of Gravity On The Dynamics Of Particle Laden Flows, Ryan Lewis, Tim Berk

Utah Space Grant Consortium

Dust is a major concern for NASA Lunar and Martian missions due to its abrasive nature tendency to cover equipment. However, little is known how dust behaves in low gravity environments. This paper studies the methodology and validation of a novel apparatus that will simulate low gravity using upward coulomb forces. A parametric study found that the optimized charging parameters to create a charged particle stream, using corona discharge, was a wire-plate spacing of 25 mm at 8 kV and 30 mm at 9 kV. Future work will expand the platform to simulate low gravity in turbulent conditions.

Rr Lyrae Variable Star Light Curves As Audible Sound, Isaac Bentley, Jonathan Barnes

Utah Space Grant Consortium

RR Lyrae stars have light curves that look similar to sound waves inspiring curiosity as to how they might audibly sound. Differences in the composition of RR Lyrae, a property called metallicity, creates slight differences in their light curves. We aim to first convert these light curves to audio, and secondly, see if the difference in metallicity is perceptible. We did this by using publicly available magnitude data taken at several instances of time to create the light curve for one cycle. We processed this data using a Python script to produce a Fourier fit and sound file.

Production Of Steel From Lunar Regolith Through Carbonyl Iron Refining (Cir), Collin T. Andersen, John F. Otero, Olivia Dale, Christian Norman, Cole Walker, Jason Sheets, Talon Townsend, Juliana Ortiz, Olivia Slane, Hong Yong Sohn, Michael F. Simpson, Zhigang Z. Fang

Utah Space Grant Consortium

Transporting equipment to the moon is extremely cost-prohibitive, and competition is fierce over a limited cargo volume. Freight impediments are circumvented if the required material can be harvested, processed, and shaped at the destination. The hostile and remote environment constrains candidate technologies to establish a production pipeline with minimal equipment volume and a low dependence on consumables.

Rr Lyrae Variable Stars From The Gaia Dr3 Dataset In The Palomar 5 Stream, Jacob Best, Jonathan Barnes

Utah Space Grant Consortium

Palomar 5 is a stellar stream orbiting the Milky Way galaxy. Using RR Lyrae variable stars, which are standard candles, the structure of stellar streams can be investigated. Results on the distribution of RR Lyrae variable stars in Palomar 5 have been obtained by Price-Whelan et al. (2020), hereafter PW, using the second data release (DR2) from the Gaia spacecraft mission, but have not been obtained for the third data release (DR3). Using DR3 we investigate whether additional RR Lyrae stars might be identified as part of the stream. Some may be, and these stars have similar locations and proper …

Microgravity Mobility: Redesigning Footwear And Intravehicular Activity Infrastructure For Space Stations, Bennett Graff

Utah Space Grant Consortium

Currently, on the International Space Station, the most commonly used foot restraints are handrails. This presents ergonomic challenges as astronauts try to maintain their position in a microgravity environment, which is exacerbated for astronauts with a predisposition to repetitive strain injuries.

Relevant contexts could include an astronaut with a preexisting medical condition such as early-onset osteoporosis (1 in 5 women over 50) or any astronaut traveling in deep space or spending extended time in microgravity, as this causes a significant decrease in bone density over time. Astronauts Scott Kelly and Don Petit specifically articulated the problematic nature of the current …

Establishing A Common Framework For Triangles, Jordan Gertino, Lane Law, Bryan Wilson

Utah Space Grant Consortium

This study investigates the inscribing of a tetrahedron within a unit circle, presenting a unique approach to generate a comprehensive array of all triangles with a specific scale and orientation. While this endeavor is a work in progress, the ultimate objective is to establish a mapping between the creation angle and the resulting transformation of the triangle. This research aims to yield a set of triangles characterized by consistent side ratios, which can serve as a benchmark for scalable transformations. By creating a standard family of triangles this research may provide a different framework in geometric manipulation with potential applications …

Enhancing Bioluminescence, Olivia Harrison, Lane Law

Utah Space Grant Consortium

In this project, we aim to develop a strain of Escherichia coli expressing high levels of luminescence via the use of a NanoLuc. derivative, cyan-based LumiFluor (CeNLuc). CeNLuc is a self-illuminating bioluminescent-fluorescent protein that generates biologic light via bioluminescence resonance energy transfer (BRET). We have obtained the plasmids, and are preparing to transform E. coli. cultures.