Engineering Commons^™

Ionic Liquids Tethered To Activated Carbon For Capture Of Airborne Toxins, Devin Peck

Dissertations and Theses

Ionic liquids (ILs) were investigated for functionalization of activated carbon (AC) adsorbents for the filtration of warfare toxins. Preliminary steps were taken by testing absorption capacity of neat ILs and tethering ionic liquids to the surface of AC. AC is known to have good adsorption ability for warfare agents. Functionalizing the AC with ILs could enhance the capture ability significantly. ILs have been found to be good absorbents for a variety of gaseous species. The absorption selectivity and capacity can be tuned by changing the anion-cation pair. By tethering ILs to AC, the beneficial properties of gas absorption from ILs …

A New Thin Layered Structural Coating On A Metal Substrate For Enhanced Hydrogen Production From Steam Methane Reforming, Michael A. Lugo-Pimentel

Dissertations and Theses

In the past decade the use of hydrogen has become more ubiquitous. Its applications range from the upgrading of fossil fuels, to the production of ammonia, to the hydrogenation of fats, to the production of muriatic acid and methanol, all without including the efforts being taken to move towards a hydrogen economy. Its widespread use and its increasing demand lays pressure to find more efficient techniques of hydrogen production. Because the overwhelming majority of hydrogen produced nowadays comes from the steam reforming of natural gas (SMR), it appears that the most adept way to improve yields is by improving the …

Property Analysis Of Silylamine Type Reversible Ionic Liquids For Use As A Thermal Safety Switch In Batteries, Showmik Podder

Dissertations and Theses

The increased capacity of the modern battery system has also brought about safety apprehensions. Uncontrollable runaway reactions are a big concern in these systems; these reactions are the result of in situ heat generation and very much increase the risk of explosions and device failures. The concept of this work is to provide a preliminary understanding into the use of a type of switchable solvent known as reversible ionic liquids (RevILs) and their feasibility in being used in electrolytes as a thermally-controlled reversible safety switch. In their pure forms these switchable solvents experience a dramatic change in their properties upon …

Design Development And Performance Study Of A Novel Assistive Device For Mobility Of Toddlers And Children With Visual Impairments, Joowon Jun

Dissertations and Theses

Being able to see allows mankind tremendous access to learn about the world, and because so much learning comes visually, children with visual impairments are delayed in developing range of skills: learning own languages, doing activities, socializing with peers, and etc. While children with vision can do virtually all the activities and tasks for granted, children with visual impairment require different types of tools or materials to do same tasks most of time. Amongst all the disadvantages that children with visual impairment have, one of the most critical disadvantageous area that visual impairment brings to toddler is learning to walk. …

Automatic Optimum Atlas Selection For Multi-Atlas Image Segmentation Using Joint Label Fusion, Kofi Agyeman

Dissertations and Theses

Multi-atlas image segmentation using label fusion is one of the most accurate state of the art image segmentation techniques available for biomedical imaging applications. Motivated to achieve higher image segmentation accuracy, reduce computational costs and a continuously increasing atlas data size, a robust framework for optimum selection of atlases for label fusion is vital. Although believed not to be critical for weighted label fusion techniques by some works (Sabuncu, M. R. et al., 2010, [1]), others have shown that appropriate atlas selection has several merits and can improve multi-atlas image segmentation accuracy (Aljabar et al., 2009, [2], Van de Velde …

Data Driven Approach For Increasing Power Grid Situational Awareness And Mitigating Cascaded Failures, Yassine Mhandi

Dissertations and Theses

The main purpose of this thesis is to use Artificial Neural network as a tool to monitor system health and performance. In other word Using ANN can increase the system awareness and can be used as a tool to mitigate cascade failure in power grid due to loss of communication in a critical power node and as a result avoid catastrophic phenomena like electric blackout. In this thesis, a modified IEEE 30 bus system is used as a system under study. Modified IEE 30 bus system is IEEE 30 bus system in which 2 sets of its synchronous condensers changed …

Brief Study Of Classification Algorithms In Machine Learning, Ramesh Sankara Subbu

Dissertations and Theses

The purpose of this study is to briefly learn the theory and implementation of three most commonly used Machine Learning algorithms: k-Nearest Neighbors (kNN), Decision Trees and Naïve Bayes. All these algorithms fall under the Classification algorithm category of Unsupervised Machine Learning. This paper is constructed structurally in explaining the working theory behind each algorithm and an implementation of a Machine Learning problem solved by each algorithm. KNN algorithm is designed using Euclidean distance measurement and Decision Trees make use of ID3 algorithm as a basis. We conclude the study by providing an overall picture of its strengths and weaknesses …

A Hybrid State/Event Driven Communication-Based Control For Dc Microgrids, Yusef Esa

Dissertations and Theses

The U.S. electric power industry is undergoing unprecedented changes triggered by the growing electricity demand, and the national efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Moreover, there is a call for increased power grid resiliency, survivability and self-healing capabilities. As a result of these challenges, the smart grid concept emerged. One of the main pillars of the smart grid is microgrids. In this thesis, the technical merits of clustering multiple microgrids during blackouts on the overall stability and supply availability have been investigated.

We propose to use the existing underground distribution grid infrastructure, if applicable, during blackouts to form microgrid clusters. …

Multi-Scale Assessment Of Bone Mechanics And The Mineral Phase Of Intramuscular Bone Of Atlantic Herring Fish, Svetlana Zeveleva

Dissertations and Theses

Bone tissue is a complex composite structure made up of a soft organic phase consisting of collagen I and non-collagenous proteins, and a hard inorganic phase consisting of mineral nanoplatelets. Given it’s compositional properties, bone is a unique stiff, tough, and strong biomaterial, making it exceptionally difficult to synthesize ex vivo. While the complete hierarchical structure may change with age and population, the basic building block components of mineralized collagen fibrils, are preserved. This study uses a model of intramuscular bone of the Atlantic herring fish, which present a simple structure, and no process of remodeling.

A multi-scale approach …

Understanding Adversarial Training: Improve Image Recognition Accuracy Of Convolution Neural Network, Naoki Ishibashi

Dissertations and Theses

Traditional methods of computer vision and machine learning cannot match human performance on tasks such as the recognition of handwritten digits. Recently many researchers work on Convolution Neural Network for image recognition, and get results as good as human being. Additionally, Image recognition task is getting more popular and high demand to apply to other fields, but also there are still many problems to utilize in everyday life. One of these problems is that several machine learning models, including neural networks, consistently misclassify adversarial examples—inputs formed by applying small but intentionally worst-case perturbations to examples from the dataset, such that …

The Political Water Web Of The United States, Omar Hammad

Dissertations and Theses

The United States’ water systems are interstate in their nature; these systems are governed by Congressional compact agreements. Water compacts have been influenced by common factors that have reverberated throughout the water-web of the country. These impacts varied in their scale, national level federal regulations, such as the Endangered Species Act of 1973, and recent concerns about climate change are macro-scale influences. Localized drivers such as regional economics and population change are localized impacts. While these concepts and issues influence water compacts as a whole, their impacts occur at different periods, albeit for the same reason. As such, we see …

Enhancing Ductility Of Wwr Slabs, Mohamed Shwani, Taylor J. Sorensen, Ethan Pickett, Parker Syndergaard, Marc Maguire

Faculty Publications

A series of research studies have recently identified an issue called strain localization in welded wire reinforced (WWR) members. This phenomenon reportedly concentrates strains at welded cross wire locations and severely limit ductility. Those that identified the phenomenon used it to imply that WWR is unsafe because it does not warn of failure. This research program is investigating details to mitigate the strain localization effect and demonstrate the WWR can be used safely. Sixteen beams have been constructed using WWR and rebar with various cross wire spacing, using a realistic design. The strain localization phenomenon was not demonstrated, but WWR …

Global Command And Control For The Future Operating Concept: Implications For Structural Design And Information, Ian M. Slazinik, Benjamin T. Hazen

Faculty Publications

Due to increasing demands on air mobility aircraft, US Transportation Command(USTRANSCOM) has more recently advocated retaining operational control (OPCON)of aircraft it might have transferred to a requesting combatant command in the past. This recent approach mirrors that of similar-type civilian logistics operations that are centrally managed to maximize efficiencies by flowing resources to the point of need without having to navigate through time-consuming sourcing processes. Furthermore, the acceleration of information availability has condensed decision timelines and changed how similar civilian organizations organize and perform, allowing them to react seemingly on a dime to changing market conditions anywhere.4While retaining OPCON might …

2d Vector Map And Database Design For Indoor Assisted Navigation, Luciano Caraciolo Albuquerque

Dissertations and Theses

In this paper we implemented a 2D Vector Map, map editor and Database design intended to provide an efficient way to convert cad files from indoor environments to a set of vectors representing hallways, doors, exits, elevators, and other entities embedded in a floor plan, and save them in a database for use by other applications, such as assisted navigation for blind people.

A graphical application as developed in C++ to allow the user to input a CAD DXF file, process the file to automatically obtain nodes and edges, and save the nodes and edges to a database for posterior …

Comprehensive Model Of Single Particle Pulverized Coal Combustion Extended To Oxy-Coal Conditions, Troy Michael Holland, Thomas H. Fletcher

Faculty Publications

Oxy-fired coal combustion is a promising potential carbon capture technology. Predictive CFD simulations are valuable tools in evaluating and deploying oxy-fuel and other carbon capture technologies either as retrofit technologies or for new construction. However, accurate predictive simulations require physically realistic submodels with low computational requirements. In particular, comprehensive char oxidation and gasification models have been developed that describe multiple reaction and diffusion processes. This work extends a comprehensive char conversion code (CCK), which treats surface oxidation and gasification reactions as well as processes such as film diffusion, pore diffusion, ash encapsulation, and annealing. In this work several submodels in …

Developments In Capture- Γ Libraries For Nonproliferation Applications, A. M. Hurst, R. B. Firestone, B. W. Sleaford, D. L. Bleuel, M. S. Basunia, F. Becvar, T. Belgya, L. A. Bernstein, J. J. Carroll, B. Detwiler, J. E. Escher, C. Genreith, B. L. Goldblum, M. Krticka, A. G. Lerch, David A. Matters, John W. Mcclory, Stephen R. Mchale, Zs. Revay, L. Szentmiklosi, D. Turkoglu, A. Ureche, J. Vulic

Faculty Publications

The neutron-capture reaction is fundamental for identifying and analyzing the γ-ray spectrum from an unknown assembly because it provides unambiguous information on the neutron-absorbing isotopes. Nondestructive-assay applications may exploit this phenomenon passively, for example, in the presence of spontaneous-fission neutrons, or actively where an external neutron source is used as a probe. There are known gaps in the Evaluated Nuclear Data File libraries corresponding to neutron-capture γ-ray data that otherwise limit transport-modeling applications. In this work, we describe how new thermal neutron-capture data are being used to improve information in the neutron-data libraries for isotopes relevant to nonproliferation applications. We …

Gradient-Based Optimization Of Wind Farms With Different Turbine Heights, Andrew P.J. Stanley, Jared Thomas, Andrew Ning, Jennifer Annoni, Katherine Dykes, Paul Fleming

Faculty Publications

Turbine wakes reduce power production in a wind farm. Current wind farms are gen- erally built with turbines that are all the same height, but if wind farms included turbines with different tower heights, the cost of energy (COE) may be reduced. We used gradient-based optimization to demonstrate a method to optimize wind farms with varied hub heights. Our study includes a modified version of the FLORIS wake model that accommodates three-dimensional wakes integrated with a tower structural model. Our purpose was to design a process to minimize the COE of a wind farm through layout optimization and varying turbine …

Investigating Composite Action At Ultimate For Commercial Sandwich Panel Composite Connectors, Salam Al-Rubaye, Taylor J. Sorensen, Marc Maguire

Faculty Publications

To achieve full or partial-composite action in prestressed concrete sandwich panel walls, the engineer must obtain a percent composite action from a connector manufacturer, making some engineers uncomfortable. Engineers are dependent upon the recommendations given by the connector manufacturers to establish their designs. This project tested six full-scale sandwich panel walls to evaluate the percent composite action of various connectors and compare the results to those provided by the composite connector manufacturers. This study concluded that the reported degrees of composite action from each manufacturer are considered conservative in all instances for the connectors tested in this paper. Additionally, the …

Magnetic Behavior Of Bulk And Nanostructured Mnxtas2, Lucas Paul Beving

Honors Program Theses

At its base, material science research aims to categorize specific materials by their various attributes, such as structure, integrity, electronic properties, magnetic properties, and others. By categorizing materials in this way, it becomes easier to generalize the application of a specific material to those within a broader category. The interest in materials that exhibit useful characteristics at small scales derives directly from the technology industry’s need for smaller and smaller devices. Two-dimensional materials are of great interest for this reason.

Two-dimensional materials are comprised of many single layers, or planes, stacked together to create a crystal. Each layer may be …

An Experimental Study Of Non-Metallic Inclusions Precipitation And Its Effect On Impact Toughness Variations In Low Alloy Steel Subjected To Complex Deoxidation, Pavel Bizyukov

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

A low level of non-metallic inclusions in steel is the key requirement in the concept of clean steel. Although the concept has received its name quite recently, it has been implemented at the large-scale steel mills for more than 40 years. Production of clean steel became possible due active development and adoption of the post-melting treatment of molten metal in the teeming ladle. Ladle metallurgy, an umbrella term for various methods of treatment, includes operations that cannot be performed during primary metallurgical processes such as melting in an electric arc, basic oxygen, or air induction furnace. Initially, the most common …

Smartphone Based Ubiquitous Sensing Platform Leveraging Audio Jack For Power And Communication, Ranjana Joshi

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

With the popularization of smartphones, various smartphone centric ubiquitous sensing applications, which use a smartphone in conjunction with external sensors for data acquisition, processing, display, communication, and storage, have emerged. Because smartphones do not have a universal data interfaces, many ubiquitous sensing applications use the earphone and the microphone channels of the 3.5mm audio interface for data communications so that they can work with various types of smartphones. The earphone channels of the 3.5mm audio interface can only send AC signal out of a smartphone, hence DC power needs to be harvested from the earphone channels.

In this research, based …

Six Degrees Of Freedom: Kinematics Of The Healthy Ankle Syndesmosis Joint, Veronica A. Hogg-Cornejo

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Syndesmotic injury, more commonly known as a "high ankle sprain", accounts for over 12% of all ankle sprain incidents in the US; of which, over 25% occur during a sporting activity. Typically, harm to the syndesmosis occurs in sports such as football, soccer, lacrosse, and hockey where it is common for an athlete to experience rapid and extreme dorsiflexion-external rotations of the foot. Severe syndesmotic sprains have been noted by clinicians as the most difficult ankle injury to accurately diagnose and treat, require the most recuperation time, and often results in life-long dysfunction. Even more problematic, 40% of patients suffering …

Specimen-Specific Natural, Pathological, And Implanted Knee Mechanics Using Finite Element Modeling, Azhar Akber Ali

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

There is an increasing incidence of knee pain and injury among the population, and increasing demand for higher knee function in total knee replacement designs. As a result, clinicians and implant manufacturers are interested in improving patient outcomes, and evaluation of knee mechanics is essential for better diagnosis and repair of knee pathologies. Common knee pathologies include osteoarthritis (degradation of the articulating surfaces), patellofemoral pain, and cruciate ligament injury and/or rupture. The complex behavior of knee motion presents unique challenges in the diagnosis of knee pathology and restoration of healthy knee function. Quantifying knee mechanics is essential for developing successful …

Statistical Shape And Intensity Modeling Of The Shoulder, Irene Sintini

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Anatomical variability in the shoulder is inherently present and can influence healthy and pathologic biomechanics and ultimately clinical decision-making. Characterizing variation in bony morphology and material properties in the population can support treatment and specifically the design, via shape and sizing, of shoulder implants. Total Shoulder Arthroplasty (TSA) is the treatment of choice for glenohumeral osteoarthritis as well as bone fracture. Complications and poor outcomes in TSA are generally influenced by the inability of the implant to replicate the natural joint biomechanics and by the bone quality around the fixation features. For this reason, knowledge of bony morphology and mechanical …

Modeling Effects Of Annealing On Coal Char Reactivity To O2 And Co2, Based On Preparation Conditions, Troy Michael Holland, Sham Bhat, Peter Marcy, James Gattiker, Joel D. Kress, Thomas H. Fletcher

Faculty Publications

Oxy-fired coal combustion is a promising potential carbon capture technology. Predictive computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations are valuable tools in evaluating and deploying oxyfuel and other carbon capture technologies, either as retrofit technologies or for new construction. However, accurate predictive combustor simulations require physically realistic submodels with low computational requirements. A recent sensitivity analysis of a detailed char conversion model (Char Conversion Kinetics (CCK)) found thermal annealing to be an extremely sensitive submodel. In the present work, further analysis of the previous annealing model revealed significant disagreement with numerous datasets from experiments performed after that annealing model was developed. The …

Iris: Deep Space Small Satellite Radio, Space Dynamics Laboratory

Space Dynamics Laboratory Publications

With nanosatellites being used for deep space missions, the need for a unique communications architecture to relay valuable mission data back to NASA’s Deep Space Network (DSN) is vital.

Ground Segment: Solutions, Space Dynamics Laboratory

Space Dynamics Laboratory Publications

SDL is a one-stop-shop for overhead and airborne ground systems and specializes in agile and flexible customized solutions. SDL’s solutions are Government owned with Government purpose rights. SDL has the facilities and staff to provide both unclassified and classified solutions.

Pearl: Spacecraft Platform, Space Dynamics Laboratory

Space Dynamics Laboratory Publications

SDL’s Pearl spacecraft platform delivers the performance, reliability, and mission flexibility needed for demanding small satellite missions. The Pearl platform architecture draws from common sets of components to build 3U, 6U, 12U, and custom sizes with variations in mission capability, parts quality, and radiation tolerance. This flexibility enables our professional staff to develop systems specific to each mission while drawing on a common design to maintain reliability and costs.

Relative Orbital Motion Dynamics With Respect To A Rotating Spacecraft-Fixed Frame, Nicholas Ortolano, David K. Geller, Aaron Avery

Space Dynamics Laboratory Publications

The Clohessy-Wiltshire equations are commonly used to describe the relative orbit motion of two spacecraft in proximity to each other. The relative motion solution provided by these equations is most naturally given in a local-vertical, local horizontal frame. However, if a nearby spacecraft is spinning in a controlled or uncontrolled manner, it may be more convenient to describe the relative orbital motion in the rotating spacecraft-fixed frame. This may be especially true for satellite inspection or approach to a spinning spacecraft. In this paper a set of linear-time-varying differential equations describing the orbital relative motion of two spacecraft as observed …

Nova Test Facility: Nanosat Operation Verification & Assessment Test Facility, Space Dynamics Laboratory

Space Dynamics Laboratory Publications

The Space Dynamics Laboratory’s (SDL) advanced NOVA test facility characterizes and verifies subsystem and system performance of small satellites up to 12 kg. The NOVA test facility provides testing to reduce preflight risk and verify requirements and is designed specifically for CubeSat-sized components and systems. NOVA augments SDL’s manufacturing, environmental testing, and calibration facilities, offering comprehensive testing capabilities and expertise for this class of small satellites.