Engineering Commons^™

Design Optimization And Optical Characterization Of A High Temperature Solar Receiver, Samia Afrin

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Concentrated solar power (CSP) is a fast forwarding technology in power generation sector because of its' competitive price, abundance in nature and the most important fact is its' energy storage capability. Among the four types of available CSP technology, central receiver has more potential concerning with high temperature, power block efficiency and levelized cost of energy (LCOE). Other than conventional type of receiver design, the concept of this work is very particular in a sense of its design novelty.

National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) come up with a new concept of high temperature solar receiver called near black body (NBB) …

Challenges For Developing Complex System Governance, Charles B. Keating, Polinpaplinho F. Katina, Joseph M. Bradley, Sila Çetinkaya (Ed.), J. K. Ryan (Ed.)

Engineering Management & Systems Engineering Faculty Publications

This paper examines the challenges and practice implications for Complex System Governance (CSG). CSG is presented as an emerging field focused on the design, execution, and evolution of the higher order (metasystem) functions necessary to provide control, communication, coordination, and integration of a complex system. This paper is focused on three primary objectives. First, we introduce the complex system problem domain that the CSG field is being designed to address. The pervasiveness of this problem domain is demonstrated by a short examination of the water utilities sector. Second, we expound the nature of CSG and an emerging reference model …

Designing A Heat Sink For Lithium-Ion Battery Packs In Electric Vehicles, Evan Foreman, Dylan Irvine, Aaron Jackson, Christopher Brandon Remington, Sam Endrizzi

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

This report addresses the concepts and implementation of fluid cooled heat sink designs for an electric or hybrid vehicle battery. To determine the battery’s temperature and heat flux profile, testing was performed by measuring these values at multiple locations on a lithium-ion pouch battery using heat flux sensors and thermocouples during the charge and discharge cycles of the battery. Once the data was collected and analyzed, trendlines were fit to the heat flux data then used to create equations for the heat flux profile during the discharging stage. Each equation represented a specific region on the battery geometry. Four heat …

Fatigue Shaft Design Verification For Bending And Torsion, Edward Osakue, Lucky Anetor, Christopher Odetunde

Faculty Publications

A design verification study of some shafts based on a probabilistic approach using the Gerber fatigue failure rule is presented. The shafts are subjected to combined bending and torsional loads. The design model parameters are considered as random variables characterized by mean values and coefficients of variation (covs). The coefficient of variation of a design parameter is obtained by using first order Taylor series expansion for strength and stress in a stress-based fatigue design. A reliability factor is defined and related to the covs of the design parameters and a failure probability. This study shows that deterministic engineering models can …

2015 Zips Sae Baja Brakes And Throttle System, Philip A. Bennett

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The SAE Baja student design team at The University of Akron is one of the longest-standing design teams at the university. The purpose of this team is to design, manufacture, test, and race an off-road vehicle within the guidelines of competition established by the Society of Automotive Engineers. The vehicle is made up of a small number of subsystems including frame, drivetrain, suspension, steering, and braking. The following will discuss all aspects of the design process of the braking and throttle system of the 2015 Zips Baja car. This process includes several steps and considerations such as design goals, system …

Senior Design: Kong Toy Instruction-Manual Insertion, Rachael L. Innocenzi, Ashley N. Cuthbert, Marianna R. Smith

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The team’s goal is to design and test a prototype and procedure that will automate the insertion of the Kong toy instructions into the cardboard packaging. This automation will increase the speed at which the product is packaged and will serve as an aid to workers with limited dexterity who find the task cumbersome.

Senior Design:Kong Toy Instruction-Manual Insertion, Ashley N. Cuthbert, Rachael L. Innocenzi, Marianna R. Smith

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The team’s goal is to design and test a prototype and procedure that will automate the insertion of the Kong toy instructions into the cardboard packaging. This automation will increase the speed at which the product is packaged and will serve as an aid to workers with limited dexterity who find the task cumbersome.

Designing A Heat Sink For Lithium-Ion Battery Packs In Electric Vehicles, Dylan Irvine, Evan Foreman, Christopher B. Remington, Aaron Jackson, Sam Endrizzi

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

This report addresses the concepts and implementation of fluid cooled heat sink designs for an electric or hybrid vehicle battery. To determine the battery’s temperature and heat flux profile, testing was performed by measuring these values at multiple locations on a lithium-ion pouch battery using heat flux sensors and thermocouples during the charge and discharge cycles of the battery. Once the data was collected and analyzed, trendlines were fit to the heat flux data then used to create equations for the heat flux profile during the discharging stage. Each equation represented a specific region on the battery geometry. Four heat …

Senior Design: Kong Toy Instruction-Manual Insertion, Marianna R. Smith, Rachael L. Innocenzi, Ashley N. Cuthbert

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The team’s goal is to design and test a prototype and procedure that will automate the insertion of the

Kong toy instructions into the cardboard packaging. This automation will increase the speed at which

the product is packaged and will serve as an aid to workers with limited dexterity who find the task

cumbersome.

3d Persistence Of Vision Display, Austin Jensen, Mark Elliott, Michael Reimer

Electrical and Computer Engineering

By rapidly sweeping a varying 2D image, a 3D image appears to the human eye. We have developed a 3D Persistence of Vision Display by rotating a 2D grid of LED’s. Our display has multiple operating modes and could be expanded to many other applications.

Acoustic Room Mapping Utilizing Blind Source Separation, Michael L. Schena

Electrical and Computer Engineering

• Acoustic signals used to map the walls of a room
• Blind Source Separation (BSS) technique used instead of traditional “pinging” techniques
• Locations of signal sources are not necessary
• Possibility to transmit data while locating signal sources

All Grades Technology (Agt) Laser Receiver, Tyler Wilson

Electrical and Computer Engineering

The AGT Laser Receiver is a landscaping tool used to measure the elevation offset from a given location (benchmark). The tool is used to set grade on a job site.

The AGT Laser Receiver consists of two main components, the AGT Remote and AGT Tool. The AGT Tool captures the laser beam and processes the information. The AGT Remote receives the processed data and displays the offset to the screen.

Auto/Manual Sprinkling System, Scott Petersen

Electrical and Computer Engineering

The Auto/Manual Sprinkling System was designed to be put in vineyards to evaluate moisture levels in the soil and water the vineyard accordingly. It has an automatic control which allows moisture sensors to control water flow, rather than a user. This is designed so the user can water with optimal efficiency. The manual control saves the user time because they can control the sprinklers from their computer instead of going out to the fields to turn on the sprinklers. This will also save the user money because water will be used more efficiently.

Autonomous Bond Car, Josh Harris, Tyler Butikofer, Trevor Kunz

Electrical and Computer Engineering

The Autonomous Bond Car System or "James" is designed to be a base architecture and platform for classic car enthusiasts to incorporate modern conveniences and features into older vehicular systems. As a demonstration of the systems abilities, a Facial Recognition Ignition Control (FRIC) feature has been implemented as well as a real-time data readout via Android app.

Computer Auxiliary Camera Hardware Extension Board, Jorden Luke

Electrical and Computer Engineering

The Get Away Special Passive Attitude Control System (GASPACS) project is investigating a way to passively control the attitude, the orientation a spacecraft in orbit, of a 1U Cubesat through the deployment of a one-meter long rigid boom. To obtain data on how the boom will be deployed and characterize the rigidness of the boom, a camera will be used to video the deployment and periodically take pictures of the boom. Subsequently the camera data will allow the GASPACS team to visually determine how much the boom flexes on orbit to to measure its rigidness.

Automated Bartender, Christopher Herman, Isaac Cocar

Electrical and Computer Engineering

The Automated Bartender (AB) provides a timely and economical means of making and delivering drinks to customers. With a rotating platform and cup detectors, the AB, unlike similar projects on the market, can handle a queue. The AB utilizes a gravity fed solenoid valve to control the delivery of the liquid. The flow sensor, in line with the valve allows for precise measurements. We have implemented a calibration technique in the software to ensure consistent and accurate flow count.

Knock Activated Door Lock, Connor George

Electrical and Computer Engineering

The Knock Activated Door Lock system is intended to provide an alternative to a traditional lock and key system for unlocking and locking a door. It’s primary value comes from its convenience and its uniqueness. The user knocks on the door in a particular pattern in order to unlock the door. This pattern can be customized to the user’s desire.

Scaled Ev Model, Christopher Dachota Keller

Electrical and Computer Engineering

Design and select the Major Electrical Systems of an Electric Vehicle, i.e.:

• Motor
• Battery
• Power Electronics
• Controls

That would comply with the DOE (Department of Energy) performance standards for Electric Vehicles, such as acceleration and range.

Energy Generating Led Snowboard, Usu Department Of Electrical And Computer Engineering

Electrical and Computer Engineering

This snowboard will encourage people of all ages to start snowboarding while keeping all of their electronics fully charged. The LED strands will light different colors according to the use of the snowboard.

Fitness Watch, Jason Macy

Electrical and Computer Engineering

The Fitness Watch is consists of a microcontroller ideally worn on the wrist, a heart rate sensor, and a PC based application. Its an amazing tool for facilitating and tracking the effectiveness of workouts. It includes features such as current heart rate, workout recording, months of storage and, calendar and graph based tracking of calories burned.

Hay And Silage Product Applicator System, Marshall Folkman

Electrical and Computer Engineering

This project is an agricultural system for applying hay and silage preservatives at the time of bailing or swathing. This system provides a solution which enables customers to have better automated control, monitoring, and flexibility over the flow-rates at which product is applied to their crops.

Headphone Tester, Derrick Chugg, Michael Welch

Electrical and Computer Engineering

Have you ever wondered if your set of headphones were the best? Or if you always wanted to try those expensive headphones but have never got the money? The Headphone Tester will solve this problem by,

• Correcting the frequency response of your headphones
• Altering your headphones frequency response to sound just like another headphone

With the Headphone Tester, you can test any set of headphones with just your current headphones.

Model Aircraft Stabilization Control System, Braden Allen, Brandon Packer, Justin Weight

Electrical and Computer Engineering

Many first time hobby fliers find it difficult to control a remote control airplane. The goal of this project is to make an inexpensive control system to aid beginner flyers in controlling the aircraft.

Motorized Automated Dumbbell (M.A.D.), Aaron Anderson, Tyler Tolman

Electrical and Computer Engineering

The MAD system is a space saving dumbbell set. How does it work? Two dumbbells, with weighted plates on each end of the dumbbells, are placed on a platform. A person selects a desired weight by the push of a button or through an app on a mobile device. The weight range a person can select is from 2.5 pounds to 52.5 pounds for each dumbbell. A motor then grabs the unwanted plates at the ends of the dumbbells, leaving only the selected weight.

Multipurpose Fabrication Tool, Ryan Hathaway

Electrical and Computer Engineering

Many fabrication processes share one thing in common: they are carried out by a computer controlled machine using XYZ motion. The purpose of this project is to build a multipurpose fabrication tool with a solid XYZ platform that can easily be adapted to take advantage of several different fabrication methods. Since the XYZ motion is the most expensive portion of these types of machines, the cost can be reduced significantly by giving the XYZ motion multiple uses.

This multipurpose fabrication tool is constructed using rigid, high precision components for precise repeatable operations including, but not limited to: milling, 3D printing, …

Iris Real Time Closed-Captioning System, Kyler Anderson, Bradley Diamond

Electrical and Computer Engineering

The IRIS Real Time Closed-captioning System provides real-time closed-captioning of the surrounding verbal conversation to improve understanding for the user. Millions affected by hearing impairments in the US¹. Existing translation methods are not sufficient in many situations. Our objectives include:

• Translate near real time
• Achieve high accuracy
• Allow eye contact
• Allow mobility

By making a speech-to-text translation available instantly and alongside the visual cues of the conversation, individuals with hearing impairments will be connected to a world of possible conversations.

Quadcopter Chase Cam, Dorothy Johnson, Cameron Madsen, Jacob Rice

Electrical and Computer Engineering

The Project

• Quadcopter with detachable GoPro camera
• Free open source software to allow the quadcopter to chase
• Autonomously follows within a specified distance and elevation
• GPS dongle to provide accurate location

Adaptive Scare Hall, Jeffrey Williams, Ryan Anderson

Electrical and Computer Engineering

We give a detailed overview of one way an adaptive scare hall can be implemented. We show the common problems with todays scare halls and how our method solves those problems. We then show the inner workings of our scare hall and materials needed. We finally show some data collection we obtained while running our scare hall.

Smart Carabiner, Jeffrey Lunt, Craig Manning

Electrical and Computer Engineering

Real-time measurement and notification of equipment strain

Model Rocket Data Logger, Brian Carrick

Electrical and Computer Engineering

Model rocketry is very popular among people of all ages, and has the opportunity to be fun, engaging and educational. By creating a system to store flight data and images allows a fun hobby to also become a learning experience.