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Full-Text Articles in Engineering

The Electrodeposition Of Cerium/Copper Prox Catalysts On Metal Foam, James Matthew Faubion Jan 2007

The Electrodeposition Of Cerium/Copper Prox Catalysts On Metal Foam, James Matthew Faubion

LSU Master's Theses

A cerium/copper (Ce/Cu) preferred carbon monoxide (CO) oxidation (PROX) catalyst has been synthesized via electrodeposition onto a metal foam monolith. The catalyst was characterized using ICP, TPRS, TPR and SEM/EDS. Preliminary PROX TPRS evidence in a reaction mixture of 1% CO, 0.5% O2, 40% H2 (bal. Ar.) indicated that the highest activity was seen in a sequential deposition, in which Cu was deposited first. The highest CO oxidation activity was obtained when the Ce concentration in the second step was 0.1 M (resulting in a bulk wt% loading of 0.24 Ce:Cu). SEM/EDS analysis indicated that an increase in ceria loading …


Hydrodynamic Modeling Of A Hypothetical River Diversion Near Empire, Louisiana, Nathan Lamont Dill Jan 2007

Hydrodynamic Modeling Of A Hypothetical River Diversion Near Empire, Louisiana, Nathan Lamont Dill

LSU Master's Theses

Hydrodynamic models of a hypothetical Mississippi river diversion near Empire, LA are constructed using two popular finite element codes RMA2 and ADCIRC. In a series of simulations eddy viscosity parameters and bottom friction parameters are varied. Constant boundary conditions, discharge inflow and elevation outflow, are applied and water surface elevation and velocity solutions at fully developed flow are taken as steady-state results. A particle tracking code is developed and applied to the velocity solutions to aid in flow field comparisons. The results elucidate the model sensitivities to the varied parameters, and also provide for a comparison of the two different …


Eigenvalue Optimization And Its Applications In Buckling And Vibration, Srinivas Gopal Krishna Jan 2007

Eigenvalue Optimization And Its Applications In Buckling And Vibration, Srinivas Gopal Krishna

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Eigenvalue problems are of immense interest and play a pivotal role not only in many fields of engineering but also in pure and applied mathematics. An in-depth understanding of this class of problems is a pre-requisite for vibration and buckling analyses of structures. Design optimization of structures to prevent failure due to instability (bucking) and vibration introduces the problem of determining optimal physical parameters such that load carrying capacity or the fundamental natural frequency is maximized. A classical example of such problems is the Lagrange problem of determining the shape of the strongest column against buckling. The primary objective of …


An Experimental Study On Characteristics And Behavior Of Reinforced Soil Foundation, Qiming Chen Jan 2007

An Experimental Study On Characteristics And Behavior Of Reinforced Soil Foundation, Qiming Chen

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This research study aims at investigating the potential benefits of using the reinforcement to improve the bearing capacity and reduce the settlement of shallow foundations. To implement this objective, a total of one hundred seventeen tests were performed to study the behavior of reinforced soil foundation. The test results showed that the inclusion of reinforcement can significantly improve the soil's bearing capacity and reduce the footing settlement. The geogrids with higher tensile modulus performed better than geogrids with lower tensile modulus. The strain developed along the reinforcement is directly related to the settlement. The test results also showed that the …


Comparative Study On Double-Rotor Pm Brushless Motors With Cylindrical And Disc Type Slot-Less Stator, Pavani Gottipati Jan 2007

Comparative Study On Double-Rotor Pm Brushless Motors With Cylindrical And Disc Type Slot-Less Stator, Pavani Gottipati

LSU Master's Theses

Among brushless permanent magnet machines, the torus motors (also called Axial Flux Double-Rotor Permanent Magnet (AFTR PM) motors) are most compact and highly efficient. A cylindrical counterpart of this motor is a newly proposed Radial Flux Double-Rotor Permanent Magnet (RFTR PM) motor. The objectives of this thesis are to optimize the magnetic circuit of both AFTR PM and RFTR PM motors and to compare their electromechanical parameters on the basis of the results obtained from magnetic field simulation using Finite Element Method (FEM). To reach these objectives, FEM models are developed for both the motors, for particular given data. Applying …


Sigma-Delta Modulation Based Distributed Detection In Wireless Sensor Networks, Dimeng Wang Jan 2007

Sigma-Delta Modulation Based Distributed Detection In Wireless Sensor Networks, Dimeng Wang

LSU Master's Theses

We present a new scheme of distributed detection in sensor networks using Sigma-Delta modulation. In the existing works local sensor nodes either quantize the observation or directly scale the analog observation and then transmit the processed information independently over wireless channels to a fusion center. In this thesis we exploit the advantages of integrating modulation as a local processor into sensor design and propose a novel mixing topology of parallel and serial configurations for distributed detection system, enabling each sensor to transmit binary information to the fusion center, while preserving the analog information through collaborative processing. We develop suboptimal fusion …


Manufacturing, Testing And Modeling Of Advanced Filament Wound Grid Stiffened Composite Cylinders, Ravi Chaitanya Velamarthy Jan 2007

Manufacturing, Testing And Modeling Of Advanced Filament Wound Grid Stiffened Composite Cylinders, Ravi Chaitanya Velamarthy

LSU Master's Theses

Advanced Grid Stiffened (AGS) structures are a kind of FRP composites that are being extensively used in many engineering fields because of their inherent advantages. Hence it is of utmost importance to understand the basic mechanism of these structures in order to develop better models and to find ways to improve their efficiency. This thesis discusses the manufacturing technology used viz. the filament winding technique to fabricate grid stiffened composite cylinders. A step by step procedure of the fabrication process of grid cylinders is explained. The confinement effectiveness of the AGS cylinders is evaluated by filling them with concrete and …


Urban Stream Stabilization Using Regional Hydraulic Geometry Curves For Bankfull Floodplain Design, Jonathan Edward Fourrier Jan 2007

Urban Stream Stabilization Using Regional Hydraulic Geometry Curves For Bankfull Floodplain Design, Jonathan Edward Fourrier

LSU Master's Theses

The objective of this thesis was to determine the effectiveness of hydraulic geometry curves for designing bankfull floodplains to stabilize urban streams. In stable streams bankfull discharge is contained within the stream's banks. Higher flows spread out onto the floodplain where the water's velocity drops due to the increase in area and vegetation. This dissipation of energy promotes sediment deposition, decreases flow velocity, and reduces channel erosion. In cases like Galbraith Drain where historical gage data are not available and bankfull indicators are not present, a degraded stream's bankfull depth may be estimated with hydraulic geometry curves. Over forty cross …


Pre-Treatment Of Dynamically Varying Waste Gas Concentrations Using Activated Carbon Prior To Biofiltration: Effect Of Cycle Length On Degree Of Load Equalization, Kodi L. Collins Jan 2007

Pre-Treatment Of Dynamically Varying Waste Gas Concentrations Using Activated Carbon Prior To Biofiltration: Effect Of Cycle Length On Degree Of Load Equalization, Kodi L. Collins

LSU Master's Theses

Dynamically varying waste gas concentrations pose challenges to the operation and design of air pollution control techniques such as biofilters. Although design approaches are becoming well established for biofilters treating gases containing VOC concentrations that are constant as a function of time, many industrial processes emit gas streams contaminated with volatile organic compounds at concentrations that fluctuate with time. Application of an effective load equalization technique could eliminate some challenges associated with fluctuating pollutant concentrations. Recent research has demonstrated that granular activated carbon (GAC) can serve as a passively controlled system to provide load-equalization as a pre-treatment prior to biofiltration. …


Oblivious Transfer For Secure Communication, Abhishek Parakh Jan 2007

Oblivious Transfer For Secure Communication, Abhishek Parakh

LSU Master's Theses

Over the past four decades, computational power and algorithmic strategies have advanced tremendously resulting in an enormous increase in the key sizes required for secure cryptosystems such as RSA. At the same time, the electronic devices have grown smaller and portable requiring algorithms running on them to be optimized in size and efficiency while providing security, at least, equivalent to that provided on a typical desktop computer. As a result, the industry is moving towards newer cryptosystems such as ECC and NTRU that are well suited for resource constrained environments. While, ECC claims to provide security equivalent to that of …


Biodegradation And Characterization Of A Bio-Based Polyester, Benjamin Edward Stevens Jan 2007

Biodegradation And Characterization Of A Bio-Based Polyester, Benjamin Edward Stevens

LSU Master's Theses

Anaerobic biodegradation in sewage sludge and aerobic biodegradation in compost of polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) were investigated to determine degradation kinetics and identify changes in polymer properties. To determine the impact of a natural plasticizer on biodegradation, tributyl citrate (TBC) was blended with some test specimens. For comparison to another bioplastic, polylactic acid (PLA) was biodegraded in the anaerobic study. Evolved gaseous carbon was measured to assess biodegradability according to ASTM standards D5210 and D5338. Mass loss experiments were performed to facilitate determination of degradation kinetics. Melt-pressed plates of the bioplastic with five different initial mass-to-surface-area ratios (plate thicknesses of 0.24, 0.5, …


Particle And Dredge-Scale Kinetic Studies Of Hydrophobic Organic Chemical Desorption From Sediment, Justin Edward Birdwell Jan 2007

Particle And Dredge-Scale Kinetic Studies Of Hydrophobic Organic Chemical Desorption From Sediment, Justin Edward Birdwell

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The discharge of hydrophobic organic chemicals (HOCs) and other hazardous substances from anthropogenic sources to surface waters and the atmosphere has led to the widespread contamination of bottom sediments throughout the world. HOCs collect in sediments due to their affinity for organic matter and other sorbents present on and within their solid matrices. There is interest in the movement of HOCs from historically contaminated, resuspended sediments to surface waters due to the connection between chemical desorption and bioavailability. Quantitatively accurate predictions of contaminant concentrations in environmental media are needed for reliable risk assessment and to develop strategies for protection of …


Production Data Analysis Of Shale Gas Reservoirs, Adam Michael Lewis Jan 2007

Production Data Analysis Of Shale Gas Reservoirs, Adam Michael Lewis

LSU Master's Theses

Hydrocarbon resources from unconventional shale gas reservoirs are becoming very important in the United States in recent years. Understanding the effects of adsorption on production data analysis will increase the effectiveness of reservoir management in these challenging environments. The use of an adjusted system compressibility proposed by Bumb and McKee (1988) is critical in this process. It allows for dimensional and dimensionless type curves to be corrected at a reasonably fundamental level, and it breaks the effects of adsorption into something that is relatively simple to understand. This coupled with a new form of material balance time that was originally …


Predictive Data Compression Using Adaptive Arithmetic Coding, Claudio Jose Iombo Jan 2007

Predictive Data Compression Using Adaptive Arithmetic Coding, Claudio Jose Iombo

LSU Master's Theses

The commonly used data compression techniques do not necessarily provide maximal compression and neither do they define the most efficient framework for transmission of data. In this thesis we investigate variants of the standard compression algorithms that use the strategy of partitioning of the data to be compressed. Doing so not only increases the compression ratio in many instances, it also reduces the maximum data block size for transmission. The partitioning of the data is made using a Markov model to predict if doing so would result in increased compression ratio. Experiments have been performed on text files comparing the …


A Study On Buckled-Beam Actuators For Rf Mems Applications, Seunghoon Park Jan 2007

A Study On Buckled-Beam Actuators For Rf Mems Applications, Seunghoon Park

LSU Master's Theses

When combined with MEMS actuators, a mechanical lock is a useful device for various applications including memory cells, micro-relays, micro-valves, optical switches, and digital micro-mirrors. It allows removal of actuation force during idle periods without affecting an actuated state of a device, which makes standing power consumption completely unnecessary. In this thesis, a bistable buckled-beam actuator for RF MEMS switch applications has been examined. The buckled-beam geometry was designed based upon theoretical analysis. It was fabricated by SU-8 lithography and copper pulse electroplating. It was actuated by the Lorentz force using external magnet and current flow through the beam. Measured …


Evaluation Of Consolidation Parameters Of Cohesive Soils Using Pcpt Method, Rohit Raj Pant Jan 2007

Evaluation Of Consolidation Parameters Of Cohesive Soils Using Pcpt Method, Rohit Raj Pant

LSU Master's Theses

The piezocone penetration test (PCPT) has emerged as most widely used in situ method for obtaining soil profile as well as physical properties. The PCPT method provides three independent and nearby continuous measurements with the depth; they are: tip stress (qc), sleeve friction (fs) and pore pressure (u1, u2, or u3). These measurements have been successfully used to correlate various soil properties such as undrained shear strength, unit weight and consolidation parameters. This study presents the evaluation of the PCPT interpretation methods for their capability to reasonably estimate the consolidation parameters namely constrained modulus, overconsolidation ratio and vertical coefficient of …


Characterization And Analysis Of Hybrid Electronic Materials For Molecular Based Devices, Sathish Thiruvengadam Jan 2007

Characterization And Analysis Of Hybrid Electronic Materials For Molecular Based Devices, Sathish Thiruvengadam

LSU Master's Theses

The goal of this work is to characterize and to analyze hybrid electronic materials (HEMs) using fluorescence (FL) spectroscopy and conductive probe-atomic force microscopy (CP-AFM) in order to investigate the electrical and optical properties of these materials. Currently, research efforts to characterize novel organic materials for the determination of molecular level transport properties are of great interest.[6] One of the most interesting organic materials is the porphyrin molecule, which exhibits behavior useful for memory applications.[4] Colloidal CdS quantum dots (Q-CdS) capped with dioctyl sulfosuccinate (AOT) and thiol functionalized porphyrin molecules are explored for their potential application to next-generation hybrid electronic …


Semantic Image Retrieval Using Relevance Feedback And Transaction Logs, Amin Shah-Hosseini Jan 2007

Semantic Image Retrieval Using Relevance Feedback And Transaction Logs, Amin Shah-Hosseini

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Due to the recent improvements in digital photography and storage capacity, storing large amounts of images has been made possible, and efficient means to retrieve images matching a user’s query are needed. Content-based Image Retrieval (CBIR) systems automatically extract image contents based on image features, i.e. color, texture, and shape. Relevance feedback methods are applied to CBIR to integrate users’ perceptions and reduce the gap between high-level image semantics and low-level image features. The precision of a CBIR system in retrieving semantically rich (complex) images is improved in this dissertation work by making advancements in three areas of a CBIR …


Locally Derived Nonpoint Loading Estimates For The Boeuf River/Bayou Lafourche Watershed, Emerald Purser Roider Jan 2007

Locally Derived Nonpoint Loading Estimates For The Boeuf River/Bayou Lafourche Watershed, Emerald Purser Roider

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

There is currently a great demand for data and models that can be used to quantify nonpoint source pollutant loads from different land-use types. The Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality (LDEQ) is in the process of implementing management programs for impacted water bodies based on the Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) of a pollutant. Pollutants of concern include total suspended solids (TSS), nitrogen, and phosphorus. One of the key parameters in determining the TMDL of a water body is the nonpoint source pollutant load from different land-use types. To date, such load estimates in Louisiana are lacking. The primary objective …


Monolithic Integration Of High-Aspect-Ratio Microstructures With Cmos Circuitry, Tinghui Xin Jan 2007

Monolithic Integration Of High-Aspect-Ratio Microstructures With Cmos Circuitry, Tinghui Xin

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This work involves developing processing techniques for monolithically integrating a high-aspect-ratio microstructures with CMOS circuitry. A microsystem comprising of a microprobe array and signal processing circuitry is utilized as a test vehicle to demonstrate this fabrication process. One potential application of this microsystem is for recording neural signals from the central nervous system. The main results include thick photoresist processing, DC and pulse electroplating to form high-aspect-ratio microprobes, microprobe sharpening and developing a post-IC monolithic integration process. SU-8 is utilized for thick photoresist application. This work focuses on realization of a deep microrecess array in thick resists rather than traditional …


Mechanistic Modeling Of An Underbalanced Drilling Operation Utilizing Supercritical Carbon Dioxide, Faisal Abdullah Aladwani Jan 2007

Mechanistic Modeling Of An Underbalanced Drilling Operation Utilizing Supercritical Carbon Dioxide, Faisal Abdullah Aladwani

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Mechanistic modeling of an underbalanced drilling operation using carbon dioxide has been developed in this research. The use of carbon dioxide in an underbalanced drilling operation eliminates some of the operational difficulties that arises with gaseous drilling fluids, such as generating enough torque to run a downhole motor. The unique properties of CO2, both inside the drill pipe and in the annulus are shown in terms of optimizing the drilling operation by achieving a low bottomhole pressure window. Typically CO2 becomes supercritical inside the drill pipe at this high density; it will generate enough torque to run …


Factors That Influence Visual Attention And Their Effects On Safety In Driving: An Eye Movement Tracking Approach, Larry Bargola Nabatilan Jan 2007

Factors That Influence Visual Attention And Their Effects On Safety In Driving: An Eye Movement Tracking Approach, Larry Bargola Nabatilan

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Statistics show that a high percentage of road related accidents are due to factors that cause impaired driving. Since information extraction in driving is predominantly a visual task, visual distraction and its implications are therefore important safety issues. The main objective of this research is to study some of the implications of demands to human’s attention and perception and how it affects performance of tasks such as driving. Specifically, the study aims to determine the changes that occur in the visual behavior of drivers with different levels of driving experience by tracking the movement of the eye; examine the effects …


Evaluation Of Shear Strength Parameters Of Shale And Siltstone Using Single Point Cutter Tests, Mahendra Shewalla Jan 2007

Evaluation Of Shear Strength Parameters Of Shale And Siltstone Using Single Point Cutter Tests, Mahendra Shewalla

LSU Master's Theses

Detournay and Tan (2002) performed experiments with a rock cutting device to measure the load required to fail the rock under confining stress. They proposed models describing the correlation between the specific energy and confining stress for shear dilatant rocks as a function of unconfined specific energy at failure, cutter rake angle (θ), internal friction angle (φ) of the rock and an assumed interface friction angle (ψ) between the rock and the cutter. The aim of this research is to evaluate the model proposed by Detournay and Tan (2002), which states that specific energy varies linearly with bore hole pressure …


Computer Model Of Hybrid Compensator Of Fast Varying Loads, Veronica Bohorquez Jan 2007

Computer Model Of Hybrid Compensator Of Fast Varying Loads, Veronica Bohorquez

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

A computer model of the hybrid compensator of fast varying loads was developed in this dissertation. The computer model was implemented in MFC Visual C++ compiler version 6.0. The classification of fast varying loads and effects of their operation in distribution systems were described in this dissertation. The power properties of fast varying loads were expressed in terms of the Currents' Physical Components Theory. Therefore, the Currents' Physical Components Theory was applied to systems with non-periodic voltages and currents. The supply current of the fast varying loads was decomposed into the useful and the useless components using an algorithm based …


Laboratory Characterization And Numerical Modeling Of Geogrid Reinforced Bases In Flexible Pavements, Munir Darwish Nazzal Jan 2007

Laboratory Characterization And Numerical Modeling Of Geogrid Reinforced Bases In Flexible Pavements, Munir Darwish Nazzal

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation documents the results of an extensive research study that was conducted to characterize the behavior of geogrid reinforced base course materials. The research was conducted through an experimental testing and numerical modeling programs. The experimental testing program included performing different laboratory tests to evaluate the effect of various factors on the performance geogrid reinforced base course materials. Finite element models were also developed to investigate the benefits of placing geogrids within the base course layer in a flexible pavement structure. The results of the experimental testing demonstrated that the inclusion of the geogrid reinforcement layer(s) improved the compressive …


Turbulence Modeling For Film Cooling Flows, Asif Hoda Jan 2007

Turbulence Modeling For Film Cooling Flows, Asif Hoda

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

An improved two equation turbulence model has been developed in this dissertation to better predict the complex film cooling flow field that is formed from the interaction of a coolant jet and a crossflow over a modeled turbine blade surface. Film cooling of turbine blades is commonly employed to effectively protect turbine blades from thermal failure and thereby to allow higher inlet temperatures in order to increase the efficiency of gas turbine engines. Film cooling involves the injection of rows of coolant jets from slots on the surface of a turbine blade which is then bent over by the crossflow …


Engineering A Photo-Control Mechanism For Rna Interference, Richard Andrew Blidner Jan 2007

Engineering A Photo-Control Mechanism For Rna Interference, Richard Andrew Blidner

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

RNA interference (RNAi) is a phenomenon in which RNA molecules elicit potent and sequence-specific post-transcriptional gene silencing. Nucleic acid chemical modifications have been incorporated to improve their pharmacological properties. Despite numerous developments in chemical modifications for increased stability, safety, and efficiency of these therapeutic agents, they still face challenges of spatial and temporal targeting. One potential targeting strategy uses photocaging techniques, which involves the covalent attachment of photolabile compounds to the effector NA species that blocks bioactivity until exposed to near UV-light. This work demonstrates that fully-2’-fluorinated nucleic acids (FNAs) can elicit RNAi and that these effectors are resistant to …


Film Cooling From A Row Of Holes Supplemented With Anti Vortex Holes, Alok Dhungel Jan 2007

Film Cooling From A Row Of Holes Supplemented With Anti Vortex Holes, Alok Dhungel

LSU Master's Theses

Film cooling is a technique employed to protect the external surface of gas turbine blades from the hot mainstream gas by ejecting the internal coolant air through discrete holes or slots at several locations on the blade exterior surface. Passing the coolant through conventional cylindrical holes causes a pair of vortices to form which lifts off the coolant jet instead of letting it adhere to the surface. The present study aims at investigating the enhanced cooling performance caused by addition of anti-vortex holes to the main cylindrical film cooling holes. Both heat transfer coefficient and film cooling effectiveness are determined …


Study Of Half-Order Bod Reactions, Nicole Plauche Lirette Jan 2007

Study Of Half-Order Bod Reactions, Nicole Plauche Lirette

LSU Master's Theses

Appropriate modeling of Biochemical Oxygen Demand, BOD, is an important part of understanding the character of a wastewater. Much necessary information is gleaned and extracted from the kinetic equation chosen for modeling, especially when a BOD model is included in a dissolved oxygen model. Some information includes the ultimate level of BOD exerted, the rate the BOD demand for dissolved oxygen is exerted, and the critical time at which the minimum level of dissolved oxygen occurs. Although widely used, the first-order kinetic BOD model is not suited for all situations. In some instances, as is the case with constituents found …


Aconitic Acid From Sugarcane: Production And Industrial Application, Nicolas Javier Gil Zapata Jan 2007

Aconitic Acid From Sugarcane: Production And Industrial Application, Nicolas Javier Gil Zapata

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Trans aconitic acid (TAA) is the predominant organic acid in cane leaf matter (CLM) juice. Its concentration is three to six times higher than the level found in sugarcane stalks. The variation of composition in terms of total fermentable sugars (TFS), anions, and cations of the LCP85-384 sugarcane variety during 2003-2006 seasons, as well as the ripener (Polado-L®) effect were analyzed. TAA content ranged between 2.1-3.1 kg / t CLM. The TFS in CLM juice yielded a fermentation efficiency of 92%, four points lower than with sugar molasses. Liquid-liquid extraction (LLE), solid-liquid extraction and ion exchange were evaluated for the …