Engineering Commons^™

The Effect Of Polymerization Variables On Reaction Rate And Intrinsic Viscosity, David H. Smith

Theses

The free radical solution polymerization of vinyl acetate in benzene was studied under simulated commercial conditions. The effects of monomer, initiator, inhibitor, and chain transfer agent concentration on the reaction rate and intrinsic viscosity were examined. The initial reaction rates with monomer concentrations from 40% to 70% and AIBN concentrations from 0.2% to 0.5% were in agreement with the kinetic equation, - d[M]/dT = K[M]² [I]^1/2. After the initial reaction there was an increase in the reaction rate apparently associated with high viscosities, which is consistent with the Trommsdorff effect. The addition of hundredths of a percent …

Determination Of The Electronic State Of Aryl Nitrenes In An Intramolecular C-H Insertion Reaction, Ali Mohammad Khonsari

Theses

β,γ-Dideuteriopropylbenzene was obtained in 84% yield from deuteration of allylbenzene. Nitration of this compound resulted in o-nitro (β,γ-dideuteriopropyl)-benzene. Reduction of this compound gave o-(β,γ-aideuterio-propyl)aniline. o-(β,γ-Dideuteriopropyl)phenyl azide was prepared by dizotization of the aniline compound, followed by treatment with sodium azide.

Decomposition of the azide in isooctane solution by photolysis at room temperature gave no trace of deuterio-2-methylindoline (intramolecular insertion product).

Photolysis of the azide at the reflux temperature of the solvent (99?C) resulted in the formation of deuterated-2-methylindoline as the major product (40%) yield. The reaction is presumed to proceed through an aryl nitrene intermediate. Analysis of the nuclear magnetic …

An Economic Evaluation Of A Pressure Sulfuric Acid Manufacturing Plant, Daniel A. Marlin

Theses

The production of Sulfuric Acid at elevated pressures is presented with the economics for operating at one, three, five, seven, nine and thirteen atmospheres. The conventional and pressure plants are compared operating on the same basis.

The basis for a pressure plant design is obtained from an I.B.M. 1130 computer program developed for One Thousand Net Tons per Day of Sulfuric Acid. Recognized operating conditions for a conventional acid plant are incorporated in the pressure plant design program.

Sulfuric Acid manufacture with operating pressures higher than atmospheric, but less than five atmospheres, results in maximum rate of return on investment …

The Optimization Of A Catalytic Methanol Reactor Using Quench Feed, John Paul Mcburney

Theses

The production of methanol in a catalytic quench feed reactor is studied by means of a computerized model and optimized in terms of total reactor length necessary to achieve a given production rate. The methanol reaction rate can be maximized in a quench reactor through the use of cold stream feeds along the length of reactor.

Since the methanol reaction temperature is restricted to an upper limit of 405°C, the addition of cold stream feed along the adiabatic reactor enables the desired conversion to be reached. For two given levels of conversion, 12% and 15%, an optimum inlet temperature, quench …

Effect Of Column Diameter On Mixing In Water Fluidized Beds, Donald P. Schiesl

Theses

In this investigation, the effect of column diameter and flow rate on the mixing characteristics of fluidized beds were studied.

Tests were made on columns of 4, 6, 8 and 10 inches in diameter using water to fluidize glass beads of 0.0185 inches in diameter. The tests were run both at minimum and three times minimum fluidization. Step, impulse, and sinusoidal forcing signals were fed to the columns, using a sodium chloride solution as a tracer with the inlet and outlet concentrations being monitored continuously by a conductivity recorder.

The result of this study showed increased fluid dispersion with increasing …

Batch Heat Transfer To Suspensions In An Agitated Vessel, John Philip Horzepa

Theses

Batch heat transfer data was experimentally determined for two phase (solid?liquid) systems in a baffled agitated vessel. Three iron oxide and water and two kaolin and water suspensions were evaluated and were found to be pseudoplastic. A total of 231 heating and cooling data points were examined. Each suspension was evaluated using anchor, paddle, propeller and turbine impellers. Various sizes of the latter three impellers were used.

The experimental heat transfer results for suspensions were compared with the Hagedorn and Salamone correlation for pseudoplastic liquids. Only partial agreement with the more dilute suspensions was obtained. Overall, the data for suspensions …

The Computer Evaluation Of The Natural Frequencies Of Vibrating Circular Plates With Free, Fixed And Simply Supported Edges, Thomas Michael Juliano

Theses

The natural frequencies of the transverse vibration of a thin, isotropic, circular plate with free, clamped, and simply supported edge conditions were studied extensively. The frequency equation for each edge condition was derived from the classical partial differential equation of plate vibration. These equations, which are in terms of Bessel functions, were then solved numerically to find the natural frequencies. Since the accuracy of the Bessel function values is very important in evaluating these frequencies, a comprehensive digital computer program was devised to calculate these values to eleven digit accuracy. In this Bessel function program four different methods were required …

Vacuum Deposition Of Thin Films Of Ultra-High Thickness Uniformity On Conical Substrates Having Extreme Curvature, Richard Bechtel

Electrical and Computer Engineering ETDs

For many industrial and analytical applications of thin films it is very essential to have a uniform thickness of the deposit. In response to this need, various techniques have been devised that are capable of providing the required uniformity on planar and slightly-curved spherical substrates. However, when a severe curvature (such as that encountered with some conical substrates) is introduced, the deposit uniformity that is obtainable with present techniques becomes quite poor. Thus, the need exists for new technology in this respect. Theoretical consideration is given to the problem of obtaining an ultra-uniform thin film coating on conical substrates. The …

Runoff And Sediment Studies For San Pedro Creek, Sandoval, Bernalillo, And Santa Fe Counties, New Mexico, Elvidio Olavo Vidalito Bernado Diniz

Civil Engineering ETDs

The San Pedro Creek basin has a drainage area of 195 square miles stretching from the eastern slopes of the Sandia Mountains to the Rio Grande in the northwest. The lower elevations in the basin have a typical semiarid climate, but the higher elevations are more humid. The basin is disected by dendritic patterned drainage systems; approximately twenty-two of these systems compose the basin. The area is a woodland with juniper, pinon, and grasses prevalent. The geology of the area is very complex numerous faults occur within the basin, and three major faults border it. The soils in the basin, …

Prompt Neutron Decay Constants In A Reflected Fast Burst Reactor, Charles Clayton Price

Nuclear Engineering ETDs

A mathematical model describing the kinetic response of a reflected fast burst reactor is developed using point reac­tor theory. The equations of the model are used to derive a reflected inhour relationship and a two region Rossi-alpha equation.

The model is investigated for three reactor-reflector configurations; the bare reactor, the reactor with a radially symmetric steel reflector, and a reactor with a radially sym­metric polyethylene reflector. This investigation includes the results of a calculational study using Monte-Carlo tech­niques and an experimental program using Rossi-alpha, pulsed neutron, and reactor burst techniques on the Sandia Pulsed Reactor SPR II.

A Type I …

The Dynamic Pressure Distribution And Rigid Body Response Of A Small Buried Dome Subjected To An Airblast-Induced Loading., Richard Cramond

Civil Engineering ETDs

A 9 inch in diameter rigid hemispherical dome was buried in the bottomless soil bins of a vertical shock tube. The interior diameter of the soil bins was 22-3/4 inches, with the interior wall being covered with a friction reducing membrane. An airblast was generated so as to strike the soil perpendicular to the soil surface. The peak reflected pressure of this airblast averaged 315 psi throughout the fourteen tests with the dome. Instrumentation measured the air pressures at the soil surface, the free-field soil stress above and below the dome, the radial on-structure stress on the dome, the rigid …

Electronic Analog Computer Hydrologic Simulation Of The Upper Bear River Basin, Mohammed A. Basha

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

OF the total precipitation falling on watersheds throughout the world, an average of approximately 85 percent returns directly to the atmosphere through evaporation and use by mountain vegetation. The remaining 15 percent moves from the watersheds as runoff and becomes available in the valleys to be used by man for irrigation, industry, recreation, and many other requirements in recent years has led to an increasing need for efficient management of available water resources, and in this regard computer modeling or simulation has proved to be a powerful tool.

The study described herein involves simulation of the hydrologic system of the …

A Study Of Flooded And Rain Infiltration Relations With Surface Ponding, Yehia Z. El-Shafei

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The non-linear partial differential equation (combination of Darcy's law and continuity equation) has been used in this investigation to predict the flooded infiltration through soils possessing appreciable amount of clay and initially drier than its field capacity. One of the most important assumptions made in solving the differential equation is that the capillary conductivity-moisture content relationship is unique for each initial moisture content computation due to the different reaction of clay minerals with different initial moisture contents.

Mathematical equations were also derived to predict:

1. The rate of the wetting front advance, prior to the occurrence of surface ponding, taking into …

Irrigation Water Management Potential In The Bear River Delta, Tom Al Austin

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The purposes of this study were to evaluate the present irrigation efficiencies of the Bear River delta area of northern Utah and to propose a set of management proposals to improve the irrigation efficiency. In order to evaluate the present use, all pertinent data on the water resources of the Bear River delta had to be assembled and analyzed.

A hydrologic budget is a method used to account for all inflows, outflows, and changes in storage within a given area. In this study, all inflows and changes in storage were evaluated and the outflow was predicted. In this manner the …

A Study Of The Secant Law For Sporadic E, Ruey-Yuan Han

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The secant law is the relationship between the frequencies of a vertically incident wave and an obliquely incident wave that are reflected from the same level (i.e., density) of a stratified ionosphere. This thesis investigates the validity of the secant law applied to sporadic E.

Sporadic E data from two backscatter sounders and one vertical incidence ionosonde located in Japan were studied to test the validity of the secant law. The B-scan photos of the backscatter sounders were searched for E_s patches which were then compared with the sporadic E parameters defined for vertical incidence ionograms.

Finally, two theoretical …

A Study Of An Unintentional Shutdown (Scram) Problem In The Operation Of The High Flux Isotope Reactor, Cheng Ping Wu

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

The High Flux Isotope Reactor (HFIR) at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory experiences occasional operating difficulties caused by temporary low voltage conditions on its main power feeder line. The low voltage causes the shutdown of one or more of the three primary coolant pumps. When two of these pumps are shut down, the capacity of the cooling system is reduced to the point where the reactor is scrammed due to a high inlet coolant temperature.

This study was made to determine the cause of the high inlet temperature when operating with one primary coolant pump and to suggest possible changes …

Estimating The Rainfall-Runoff Characteristics Of Selected Small Utah Watersheds, Clive H. Walker

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Runoff and rainfall data have been taken from three high mountain Utah watersheds and subjected to runoff to rainfall comparisons. The resulting Q/P ratios have been compared to the average volumes of runoff curve numbers (CN) computed from this data for each watershed. Runoff curve numbers were also estimated on the basis of the soils and vegetation data available for the watersheds.

An attempt has been made to estimate the watershed lag characteristics by computing synthetic hydrographs for successively larger values of time to peak estimates until the best fit comparison was achieved between the snythetic and the actual hydrographs. …

An Investigation Of A Gas Measurement Technique Employing Ultraviolet Excitation, Alphonso Vincent Diaz

Physics Theses & Dissertations

A study was undertaken to determine the general applicability of a temperature measurement technique which uses the fluorescence stimulated by a vacuum ultraviolet continuum as the indicator. This study was directed toward determining the temperature of nonradiating carbon monoxide. A number of ultraviolet radiation sources which produced high intensity in the region of l,150 A were investigated. This study led to the conclusion that the technique was not applicable to measurements in carbon monoxide within the present limits of' detectability.

A Study Of The Reduction Of Nickel Oxide Single Crystal By Hydrogen In A High Vacuum System., Jong In Joung

Chemical and Biological Engineering ETDs

Wafers of well-characterized nickel oxide single crystal, with (110) faces, were etched in hydrochloric acid and reduced by hydrogen in a high vacuum system. Reduction took place at temperatures of 280-310°C and pressures of 1.0-1.3 torr. The reduced wafers were replicated by carbon film and the replicas were examined by an electron microscope.

A series of reduction patterns at various stages of surface change were obtained. After a period of incubation, hemispherical metallic nickel particles, about 400 A in diameter, appeared on the parent nickel oxide surface. The number of hemispheres increased but the size of the hemispheres did not …

On The Performance Of Some Sequential Multiple-Decision Procedures, Thomas S. Edrington Ii

Electrical and Computer Engineering ETDs

The performance of several sequential procedures for the following multiple-decision problem is investigated. Samples from k random processes (or populations) are available, k at a time (one from each process), to a receiver or data processor. One process contains a signal; the other k - 1 are statistically-identical noise. The receiver is to select the odd process (locate the signal), with prescribed probability of error. The optimal receiver makes the selection in minimum average time. All computation is done under the hypothesis that the processes sampled are Rayleigh; however, a method for extrapolating results to other cases is given. The …

Fabrication Of The Pewee Nozzle; Brazing Nozzles For Rockets Powered By Nuclear Reactors, William C. Turner

Chemical and Biological Engineering ETDs

This thesis describes the steps taken to develop an improved process for brazing nozzles for nuclear-powered rockets. It defines the state of the art prior to this work. It gives an evaluation of the brazing alloys available for use. It shows the methods employed to develop the use of positive fixturing. It describes the use of full-scale sectors to refine processing. This thesis also describes the use of such new processing techniques in the successful production of two nozzles. Gold-nickel-palladium brazing alloys are used. Vacuum atmosphere performs superbly. Bands are used to hold U-tubes into slots in the shell. Problems …

Fluid Friction Reduction By Water Soluble Linear High Polymers, Arthur Edward Davis

Theses

The effects of various dilute aqueous linear high polymer solutions on turbulent pipe flow were studied to determine the polymer most suitable for testing as the drag reducing component in the proposed coating. Results of this study are presented for commercial schedule 40 1/4 inch NPS black iron pipe. Tests were conducted at Reynolds numbers of 6.2x10⁴,8.3x10⁴ and 9.8x10⁴.

Attempts were made to prepare a coating containing a friction drag reducing polymer - Polyhall 295 polyacrylamide - utilizing various techniques of polymer incorporation into the paint including several grinding and dispersion methods, adding the polymer …

Systems Reliability Using The Flow Graph, Kenneth Edward Farrier

Dissertations and Theses

The problem of calculating the reliability of a complex system of interacting elements is delineated to a linear system, no element of the system having a reliability distribution in terms of any other e1ement of the system, where only one path is taken through the system at a time. A precise definition is then developed to specify the reliability of the linear, single path at a time, system. A precise and concise generating function is found that effortlessly produces the reliability of the linear, single path at a time, system directly from the reliability flew graph of the system.

Initial Operation And Calibration Of The Umr Supersonic Axisymmetric Wind Tunnel, James Riley Murphy

Masters Theses

"Initial testing and a preliminary calibration were conducted in the UMR supersonic variable Mach number axisymmetric blowdown wind tunnel facility. During initial operations problems were encountered with control valve seat failure, control valve response and stability, and automatic operation. After having brittle fracture failures with seats made of nylon, Teflon and Telfon-copper composite, a copper seat was found to perform satisfactorily with minimal valve leakage. Control valve response and stability were greatly influenced by the setting of the needle valve located between the total pressure probe and the controller. The needle valve setting was observed to depend upon the stagnation …

Direct Observation Of Stacking Faults In Single Crystal T102 (Rutile) By Transmission Electron Microscopy, Michael R. Williams

Master's Essays (1922 - )

This study was undertaken to evaluate the stacking fault energy of single crystal rutile and to develop a model for the dislocation reaction.

On The Flow Near An Enclosed Rotating Blade In The Neighborhood Of The Ground, Tze-Lien Liang

Masters Theses

"The flow in the vicinity of an enclosed rotating blade near the ground was studied both analytically and experimentally. Experimental results were obtained by making pitot tube traverses across the face of the housing but gave only a qualitative indication of the velocity distribution. Tufts of strings were used to locate the flow directions in the vicinity of the ground and the housing. The two dimensional potential flow solution was found to yield unreasonable results for this flow configuration due to viscous and rotative effects. The three-dimensional Navier-Stokes equations were solved numerically by using the successive underrelaxation method. The results …

Fate And Effects Of Chemically-Precipitated Phosphorus In Anaerobic Digestion, Douglas Wayne Max

Masters Theses

"This study was conducted to determine the fate of chemically-precipitated phosphorus during the overall wastewater treatment process under actual field conditions. Specific objectives were: to evaluate the removal of phosphorus with alum and sodium aluminate in a pilot plant activated sludge system, to determine the fate of the precipitated phosphorus incorporated into the microbial floc when placed in an anaerobic environment, and to observe the effect of aluminum on the digestion process. Five 38-gpd continuous-flow activated sludge pilot plant units were operated at the Rolla Love Creek trickling filter plant and were fed with settled domestic sewage. The sludge from …

Evaluation Of City And Region Planning Techniques, Charles Clay Miller

Masters Theses

"The transportation and community planning effort in the United States has resulted in the expenditure of a great deal of time and money. However, the result of this effort has largely been unusable because of a lack of an effective formalized planning method. this thesis presents summarizations of the planning methods employed in ten plans which are typical of the U.S. Planning Effort. Each of these methods are critiqued in the light of a proposed planning method. The Federal Government has recently required the adoption of a Planning, Programming and Budgeting System (PPBS) in an effort to formalize a scientific …

Analysis And Control Of Noise Produced By Small Pneumatic Tools, Phillip Ray Elam

Masters Theses

"Noise measurements were made near the exhaust of three small pneumatic tools operating under various loads and with various components removed. One-third octave analyses were performed on the noise for identification of noise sources and to determine possible noise reduction techniques. It was determined that the noise spectra consisted of broad band turbulent flow noise plus periodic components at the tool motor blade passage frequency and harmonics of this frequency. One tool, the nut setter, was selected for reverberant field noise analyses and noise reduction studies. Reverberant field measurements indicated that most of the tool noise was transmitted through the …

Computerized Methods For Estimating Heating-Cooling-Ventilating System Usage In All-Electric Buildings, Carl William Glaser

Masters Theses

"This thesis develops a method and a resulting computer program for estimating the energy input required by the heating-cooling-ventilating system of a building. The computer program has the ability to model the ventilating system and all the inefficiencies introduced when the heating system is allowed to fight the cooling system to provide temperature control within the conditioned space. The program also can consider mechanical heat reclaim accurately, making the consideration on a time of need versus a time of occurrence basis. The program is written to utilize input data in rather simplified form. This allows the program to be used …