Engineering Commons^™

Energy And Economic Losses Due To Soiling On Utility Scale Pv Systems To Guide Timing Of Cost Effective Cleaning, Jackson P. Puckett, Maximilian M. Sosa, Brandon F. Grossman

Electrical Engineering

The energy and associated economic losses due to soiling on both residential and utility scale PV (photovoltaic) systems can be both significant and avoidable. Losses from 1.2% up to 6% have been reported, which is of interest to system operators [1]. Modules may be cleaned to reduce losses, but this comes with an offsetting economic cost. A quantification of energy losses, and the corresponding economic loss, will allow a determination of a closer to optimal cleaning schedule depending on the level of soiling and corresponding energy loss. Two methods are proposed and compared. Method 1 uses an ARES Soiling Measurement …

Quantitative And Qualitative Error Re-Analysis Of Tidal Datasets, Ernesto Andrew Ledezma

Master's Theses

Tidal data forms the basis for understanding and quantifying sea-level rise and tidal statistics. While quality assurance methods based upon spectral and harmonic analysis have been applied to individual tidal records, these methods have not been used to assess global tidal datasets. In this thesis, four west coast tidal records were examined using harmonic analysis methods to investigate uncertainty on a monthly averaged basis. Uncertainty was identified using a method that quantifies time lag as a linear regression of height difference between a predicted and measured tidal height and the predicted rate of change of tidal height. Errors identified through …

Atmospheric Water Harvester, Adam C. Goldstein, Scott Seno, Kristen E. Dentici

Mechanical Engineering

Access to potable water is a global issue that has yet to be adequately solved. In regions with limited access to electricity and ground or surface water, it is not always possible to provide clean water requiring external power or extensive infrastructure to implement. This Final Design Report document will outline the background, design and manufacturing plan involved in the development of a passive atmospheric water harvester. This report builds on the earlier Preliminary Design Review and Critical Design Review documents to reflect further research, analysis, comments from reviewers, and detailed design documentation. While a final design was decided on …

Wind/Hydro Power Generation Simulator, Justin Shaun Otus, Nicholas Joseph Steele, Patrick Daniel Murphy

Electrical Engineering

This project aims to design a wind or hydro power generation simulator. The original scope of this project was to construct a physical simulation apparatus in which wind/water speed data is fed to a microcontroller that adjusts the control voltage of a motor drive. The spinning DC motor would generate power via a coupled generator whose power output would be a scaled down version of wind/hydroelectric generator power output given the same wind/water speed input. Due to Covid-19, the project was altered to be entirely virtual and was made through Simulink in MATLAB. The virtual simulator attempts to mimic physical …

The Effect Of Climate Change On Groundwater Recharge In The United Arab Emirates, Yuliya Fadlallah Saade

Civil and Environmental Theses

Climate change is impacting ecosystems and the water resources by causing temperature variation. Evapotranspiration rates are increasing when the temperature is high whereas, precipitation amount and intensity are varying based on geographical locations.

This change in precipitation has an inevitable impact on the groundwater recharge. Quantification of groundwater recharge is a prerequisite for efficient and sustainable groundwater resources management in arid regions.

Although, both surface and groundwater resources in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are scarce; the anticipated climate change impacts could make these resources even scarcer. As such, the main aim of this thesis is to assess the potential …

Insulated Solar Electric Cooker, Paige Camacho, Ahmed Gouda, Caroline Hodes, Wyatt Johnson

General Engineering

The purpose of this Final Project Report is to highlight the work completed by the interdisciplinary engineering capstone project for the Insulated Solar Electric Cooker (ISEC) at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo under the supervision of Professor Jim Widmann (Mechanical Engineering) and Dr. Peter Schwartz (Physics). Dr. Schwartz, better known as Pete, has been working on the project with a team of students for the past five years and is working to integrate the ISEC in Ghanaian communities. This project focuses on making the ISEC mass-manufacturable and making the transition from biomass cooking to solar cooking as familiar …

Analysis And Design Of An Off-Grid Residential Power System, Christopher Rotsios

Master's Theses

This thesis aims to provide a recommended power system design for optimal efficiency, reliability, and cost in off-grid applications. The power system examined in this project is a residence in an off-grid community called Quail Springs that generates its energy from roof mounted solar panels. The existing system was analyzed to see what equipment can remain, what needs to be upsized, and what needs to be added to the system. Two power systems are considered for the residence: a fully AC power system and a hybrid AC/DC power system. Simulations were run in PSCAD to compare the efficiencies of the …

Coupled Ocean-Atmosphere Modeling Over The Maritime Continent: A Review, Pengfei Xue, Paola Malanotte-Rizzoli, Jun Wei, Elfatih A.B. Eltahir

Michigan Tech Publications, Part 1

The Maritime Continent (MC) plays a vitally important role in the Earth's climate system from both oceanic and atmospheric perspectives. While the critical role of ocean-atmosphere coupled dynamics over the MC has long been recognized, development of two-way coupled regional climate models for this region is still in its early stages. In this work, the authors review recent progress in two-way coupled ocean-atmosphere regional climate modeling. Development of coupled models and their applications in the MC are summarized. Model performances are discussed with a focus on regional oceanic and atmospheric characteristics. Through a critical review of modeling advances and limitations …

Spectroscopic Measurements Of Dissolved O3, H2o2 And Oh Radicals In Double Cylindrical Dielectric Barrier Discharge Technology: Treatment Of Methylene Blue Dye Simulated Wastewater, Emile Salomon Massima Mouele, Jimoh O. Tijani, Milua Masikini, Ojo O. Fatoba, Chuks P. Eze, Chionydua T. Onwordi, Myo Tay Zar Myint, Htet Htet Kyaw, Jamal Al-Sabahi, Mohammed Al-Abri, Sergey Dobretsov, Katri Laatikainen, Leslie F. Petrik

Mining Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Advanced oxidation technologies (AOTs) focusing on nonthermal plasma induced by dielectric barrier discharge are adequate sources of diverse reactive oxygen species (ROS) beneficial for water and wastewater treatment. In this study, indigo, peroxytitanyl sulphate and terephthalic acid methods were used to approximate the concentrations of O₃, H₂O₂ and OH produced in a double cylindrical dielectric barrier discharge (DCDBD) plasma configuration. The effect of pH and scavengers as well as the amount of chemical probes on the generation of oxidants was investigated. The efficiency of the DCDBD reactor was further evaluated using methylene blue (MB) as …

Reasons Of Acceptance And Barriers Of House Onsite Greywater Treatment And Reuse In Palestinian Rural Areas, Rehab A. Thaher, Nidal Mahmoud, Issam A. Al-Khatib, Yung Tse Hung

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications

© 2020 by the authors. In the last twenty years, house onsite wastewater management systems have been increasing in the West Bank's rural areas. The aim of this research was to reveal, in the context of providing onsite GreyWater Treatment Plants (GWTPs) for wastewater management in the rural communities in Palestine, the local population's perceptions, in the sense of acceptance of and barriers towards such a type of wastewater management, so as to figure out successes, failures and lessons. The data collection tool was a questionnaire that targeted the households served with GWTPs. The findings show that 13% of the …

Slo Botanical Garden - Greenhouse Propagation Tables, Garrett William Henley

Construction Management

This paper describes the planning and construction involved in retrofitting the San Luis Obispo Botanical Garden propagation greenhouse. When trying to determine a senior project, the author of this paper met with multiple non-profit organizations. After interviewing with them, the author determined that the San Luis Obispo Botanical Garden was the organization he wanted to work with. After meeting with the facility director, Chenda Lor, many potential projects were identified but the organization determined this would be of the most use immediately. Upon selection, the scope of work was determined as helping refurbish the propagation greenhouse by removal and/or demolition …

Supply Chain Management: Fragmented Adoption In Practice, Tayler J. Yoshimura

Construction Management

Every day the construction industry develops new ideas and theories toward innovation in increased efficiency and quality for its projects. One method is supply chain management, which focuses on the relationships between partnerships along the supply chain. The theory was first developed in the manufacturing industry and this paper will highlight the reasons behind its fragmented adoption in the construction industry. The overall supply chain typically contains short supply chains that are dismissed upon project completion. Some companies have partially adopted the theory into their work practices but has been unable to fully adopt the theory as a whole. There …

Monitoring Participatory Approaches In Mediterranean Waterfront Developments (El Mina, Lebanon; Alexandria, Egypt; And Antalya, Turkey), Sima El-Cheikh, Mary Felix, Nabil Mohareb, Ibtihal Y. El-Bastawissi

BAU Journal - Creative Sustainable Development

Public participation is an important tool for communities to influence development decisions for public spaces in general and waterfronts in particular. In coastal cities, waterfronts are an important touristic attraction and are affected by social and economic issues. Users’ activities and responsiveness to waterfront projects are affected by the development types and methods. This study is part of ongoing research aiming to evaluate the participatory approach methods in the waterfronts of Mediterranean cities. It examines three coastal cities that have developed differently based on sustainable development studies. This study is a top–down approach that investigates the applied phases and methods …

A Legal Perspective On Corporate Social Responsibility (Csr), Tala Zein, Sarah Zein

BAU Journal - Creative Sustainable Development

Recent years have been marked by a remarkable decline in trust and confidence in the economy as well as in the business community, as a growing number of economic scandals are being reported by observers and whistleblowers. The need for better governance and higher ethical standards has become a focal issue for governments, regulators, supervisors and business actors themselves. In this context, corporate social responsibility (CSR) has come to play an increasingly important role in business and corporate regulation, paving the way for ethical business practices, as the concept of corporate social responsibility encompasses key components of economic growth, social …

Recovery Of Valuable Metals From Spent Lithium-Ion Batteries Using Organic Acids: Assessment Of Technoeconomic Feasibility, Leqi Lin

Theses

Lithium ion batteries (LIBs) are used in diverse electronic products with anticipated over 500 thousand tonnes of the waste LIBs globally in 2020. To protect the environment and also recover valuable materials such as lithium (Li) and cobalt (Co), our research employed a hydrometallurgy method and demonstrated that exposure of spent LIBs to Organic Aqua Regia (OAR) could leach Li and Co without the pre-separation of cathode from Al foil using organic solvents such as Dimethylformamide (DMF) and N-Methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP). The leaching efficiency of 99% and 94% for Li and Co were obtained with a leaching rate of 0.021, 0.167 …

Evaluation Of The Cytotoxic Effect Of Salvia Triloba On Osteosarcoma (U2os) Cell Line, Rowan Bahaa El-Din Abd El-Bary

Theses and Dissertations

Despite the huge advancement in the field of cancer treatment, the conventionally used treatments still present significant challenges such as low effectiveness and adverse side effects. Thus, there is a critical need to continuously develop new, more effective and safe drugs against cancer. Herbal plants serve as a potential source for a wide variety of complex compounds with probable anticancer activity. The genus Salvia encompasses about 900 species. Salvia triloba, commonly known as Greek sage, is native to the Middle East and is inherently linked to local traditional medicine systems. It was recently shown to possess anti-proliferative activity against breast …

Understanding Air Pollutants And Meteorology Interactions Using Chemical Transport Models, Pengfei Wang

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Air pollution is a worldwide threat to human health and ecosystems, especially in developing countries. After being emitted to the atmosphere, air pollutant concentrations are determined by chemical and physical processes including transport, transformation, and deposition, which are largely affected by meteorological variations. In turn, pollutants such as fine particulate matter (PM_2.5) affect meteorology by impacting solar radiation and cloud condensation processes. Thus, it is important and necessary to understand the interactions between air pollutants and meteorology for better designing effective air pollution control strategies and forecasting weather. In this study, two chemical transport models (CTMs) are applied …

High-Fidelity Simulation Of Video-Assisted Thoracoscopic Surgery Lobectomy, Peng Liu, Weixin Si, Zheng Rui, Xiangyun Liao, Dongliang Xu, Ping'an Wang

Journal of System Simulation

Abstract: The virtual reality simulator of the video-assisted thoracoscopic (VATS) surgery lobectomy is of great value to the surgeon's surgical training and planning. In order to simulate the high-fidelity video-assisted thoracoscopic lobectomy, a VATS lobectomy simulator to realistically and efficiently simulate the different surgical operations during the VATS lobectomy procedure is developed. Based on the Position-Based Dynamics framework, the deformation induced by tool-tissue and tissue-tissue interactions, soft tissue cuts as well as subsequent surgical suture operations is simulated. The Marching Cubes algorithm is employed to achieve the surface rendering, especially for the cutting process. The GPU parallel computing technique is …

How Heatwaves Are Changing Urban Livability Across The United States: A Case Study In Ten Communities, Javad Shafiei Shiva

Dissertations - ALL

Heatwaves are an important type of extreme climate event and directly result in more than 130 deaths and thousands of morbidities per year across the United States. Heat waves increase demands on water and energy, particularly in urban areas, because people use more water for drinking, showering, watering, recreational purposes, and evaporative cooling units. Global temperature is increasing due to natural cycles and greenhouse gases (GHGs) emitted by humans at an alarming rate and this increase is exacerbated in urban areas due to the Urban Heat Island (UHI) effect. Accordingly, more frequent and severe heat waves in the future years …

The Role Of Chinese Mining Industry In Domestic And Global Economy, Suen Li Chan, Djulibekov M.K.

Gorniy vestnik Uzbekistana

The article describes the impact of the Chinese gold industry on the world gold market and the economic growth of China for the period 2000-2020. Despite a slowing economic trend, the Chinese mining industry continues to experience growth. China produces about half of the world's steel, imports more than 70% of the world’s seaborne iron ore, and produces around 90% of the world’s rare earth metals. The paper demonstrates the importance of the Chinese mining sector and describes the key concepts of the successful government and business strategies.

Quantitative Assessment Of Contested Water Uses And Management In The Conflict-Torn Yarmouk River Basin, Nicolas Avisse, Amaury Tilmant, David E. Rosenberg, Samer Talozi

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications

The Yarmouk River basin is shared between Syria, Jordan, and Israel. Since the 1960s, Yarmouk River flows have declined more than 85% despite the signature of bilateral agreements. Syria and Jordan blame each other for the decline and have both developed their own explanatory narratives: Jordan considers that Syria violated their 1987 agreement by building more dams than what was agreed on, while Syria blames climate change. In fact, because the two countries do not share information, neither on hydrological flows nor on water management, it is increasingly difficult to distinguish between natural and anthropogenic factors affecting the flow regime. …

Isolation And Selective Glycosylation Of Antisalmonellal Anthraquinones From The Stem Bark Of Morinda Lucida Benth. (Rubiaceae), Napoleon A. Mfonku, James A. Mbah, Norbert Kodjio, Donatien Gatsing, Jixun Zhan

Biological Engineering Faculty Publications

In this work we report the isolation, identification and antibacterial activity of two anthraquinones, 2-hydroxy-1-methoxyanthraquinone (1) and 2,5-dihydroxy-1-methoxy-6-methoxymethylanthraquinone (2), from the stem bark of Morinda lucida. These two natural products were selectively converted into two new glycosylated derivatives, 2-hydroxy-1-methoxyanthraquinone-4′-O-methyl-2-O-β-d-glucopyranoside (3) and 2,5-dihydroxy-1-methoxy-6-methoxymethylanthraquinone-4′-O-methyl-2-O-β-d-glucopyranoside (4) by the filamentous fungus Beauveria bassiana ATCC 7159. Structure elucidation was accomplished based on the 1D and 2D NMR, IR and mass spectra. The glycosylated compounds 3 and 4 showed higher in vitro antibacterial activity against Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica sérovars Typhimurim (MIC of 8 μg/mL each) than the corresponding aglycons 1 and 2 (MIC of …

Non-Pll Direct Power Control For A Single-Phase Grid-Connected Three-Level Inverter, King Ademola Adebo

Master's Theses

The growing demand for clean, reliable renewable energy generation has led to the widespread adoption of solar energy as a source of electricity. Technological advancement aiding to reduce the cost of solar photovoltaic (PV) panels, as well as improvement in power electronics and control strategies for solar PV systems have also contributed to the growing popularity. For grid-connected solar systems to adequately meet future demand and grid requirements, the system must be reliable, and not affected by instability or distortions on the power grid.

In this thesis, a control strategy for single-phase grid-connected inverters that can synchronize to the grid …

Using Robotics And Engineering Design Inquiries To Optimize Learning For Middle Level Teachers: A Case Study, Iman Chafik Chahine, Norman Robinson Iii, Kimbeni Mansion

Publications & Research

This exploratory case study reports findings on 20 middle-level science and mathematics teachers’ perceptions of the effectiveness of a one-year project in which teachers engaged in using robotics and engineering design inquiries in their classrooms. Principled by Bandura’s Social Learning Theory (SLT) and using mixed methods approaches, the study measured teachers' efficacy through the Mathematics Teaching Efficacy Belief Instrument (MTEBI) and observation logs before and after the program. The results of this study showed statistically significant differences between PRE MTEBI and POST MTEBI scores. Furthermore, five themes emerged that illuminated potential affordances and constraints that teachers perceive as opportunities and …

Multiple Input Single Output Converter With Maximum Power Point Tracking For Renewable Energy Applications, Kenneth K. Nguyen, Taufik Taufik

Master's Theses

In this thesis, a maximum power point tracking (MPPT) for multiple input single output (MISO) converter is presented such that power generated from multiple individual energy sources can be combined to deliver the maximum amount of power to a common resistive load. Typically, MISO converters will employ techniques that yield equal current sharing from each energy source. However, this may not be desirable since each source may be rated at different power ratings and/or may experience different operating conditions, preventing the system MISO converter to acquire the most available total power from the sources. Utilizing MPPT control would therefore be …

Economic Analysis Of Productivity In The Irish Construction Sector, Kpmg, Fac, Róisín Murphy Dr, Avril Behan

Reports

Important strides to enhance productivity in the construction sector have been taken by both industry and Government in recent years. However, a collaborative, sectoral wide strategy to drive further increases in productivity is required, with the coordinated participation of all stakeholders across the full life cycle of a project. This report, commissioned by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (DPER), produced by KPMG and Future Analytics Consulting Ltd. (FAC) and peer reviewed by TU Dublin, aims to understand and address the reasons for low levels of productivity in the Irish construction sector and identify specific recommendations and actions that …

Promoting The Sustainable Utilization Of Groundwater Resources In Ethiopia Using The Integrated Groundwater Footprint Index, Xinyu Lin

Honors Scholar Theses

The country of Ethiopia is highly vulnerable to human-caused climate change and is already suffering from the effects. The predominately rural population relies heavily on small-scale agriculture, with 78% of households having at least one member engaged in the field, yet staple crops are highly susceptible to droughts and other weather shocks. Total and agricultural GDP growth in the country have been strongly linked to inter-annual rainfall variability, of which Ethiopia has among the highest in sub-Saharan Africa. A decrease in rainfall since the 1970s has been one of the primary causes of low crop yields, and stresses the immediate …

An Investigation Of Diode Failure, Nicholas James Adams

Physics

Solar electricity can be used to cheaply cook food and charge electronic devices. We investigate the viability of using diodes as heating elements for insulated solar electric cooking (ISEC). In addition, information on designing and constructing ISEC compatible phone chargers and rechargeable LED lighting systems is included.

Irrigation Design In Montana: Accommodating Varying Water Accessibility Across The Continental Divide., John Garrett Lampson

Biological and Agricultural Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

The design work performed in this project was conducted over two summers (2018, 2019) of internship experience with the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) across the state of Montana. The first summer’s design work was based out of Glendive, MT, in Dawson County, approximately 50 kilometers from the North Dakota border. The second summer was in Missoula, MT, in Missoula County, near the Idaho border. The two areas differ significantly in topography, weather, and water availability with the main separating geographic influence being the Rocky Mountains.

This paper focuses on the design process and requirements for two farms located outside …

A History And Status Of Wind Energy Potential In Arkansas, Pre And Post Covid-19, Will Blasingame

Mechanical Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

Historically, wind-generated electricity has been the largest renewable energy sources in the United States. Wind-rich regions like Oklahoma and Texas have fueled growth and sold that electricity to electric utilities located in wind-poor states like Arkansas in the form of Power Purchase Agreements. Future technologies such as Vertical Axis Wind Turbines, small wind turbines, and Tesla turbines designed to generate electricity from wind show promise in unlocking more expensive wind resources in regions like Northwest Arkansas by mitigating concerns about low wind speeds and noise. However, more factors than just feasibility influence the growth of wind power. Governmental policies such …