Engineering Commons^™

Center For Manufacturing Excellence Capstone Project: Sec Rivals Checkers, Ward Winstead

Honors Theses

Each year, the seniors in the Haley Barbour Center for Manufacturing Excellence complete a capstone project. A team comprised of seniors in varying disciplines work to develop a business model focused on producing a specific product. This team, SEC Rivals Checkers, chose to produce wooden checker boards where each half of a board is custom to a specific SEC school. These halves were designed to be interchangeable, so a variety of different combination could be created when utilizing the product. Through initial marketing analysis, cost estimation, prototyping, and process development, the original SEC Rivals Checkers idea was developed into a …

Increasing Accessibility To Monitoring Ammonia Levels In The Body Through Development Of A Novel Point-Of-Care Breath Ammonia Diagnostic Device, Emily C. Wright, Ashwin M. Sivalingam

Honors Theses

Hyperammonemia is a life-threatening metabolic condition that is characterized by elevated levels of ammonia concentrations in the blood. Resulting from serious conditions such as chronic kidney disease or liver failure, the limited functions of the liver and kidney lead to an increase in blood urea nitrogen (BUN) within the body. Currently, there are a wide variety of treatments for this condition, ranging from various medications to surgical procedures such as liver transplants. However, there is a lack of variety in diagnostic testing methods to determine a patient’s ammonia levels. In most cases, patients will need to schedule a doctor’s appointment …

Novel Keyed Fusion Method To Improve Plate Alignment In Anterior Cervical Discectomy And Fusion Procedures, Henry Seiler

Honors Theses

Anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) is a form of neck surgery that is performed to remove a damaged disc in the spine. Without intervention damaged discs in the spine cause a buildup of spinal cord or nerve root pressure which can lead to several unpleasant side effects. The current methods and devices through which this surgery is carried out can be potentially problematic for both the surgeon and the patient. Oftentimes surgeons have difficulty aligning the cervical plate typically used in ACDF surgeries. In many cases, these problems are unavoidable. It is for this reason that a group of …

Th1, Th2, And Th17 Inflammatory Pathways Predict Cardiometabolic Protein Expression In Serum Of Covid-19 Patients, James Richard Michels

Honors Theses

A predominant source of complications in SARS-CoV-2 patients arises from severe systemic inflammation contributed to by Helper T-cell associated cytokines, potentially leading to tissue damage and organ failure. The high inflammatory burden of this viral infection often results in cardiovascular comorbidities. A better understanding of the interaction between the cytokine storm and cardiovascular proteins might inform medical decisions and therapeutic approaches. We hypothesized that all major helper T-cell inflammatory pathways (Helper T 1, Helper T 2 and Helper T 17) synergistically contribute to cardiometabolic pathways in serum of COVID-19 patients, and that both of these factors correlate to COVID-19 severity. …

Relating Detonation Parameters To The Detonation Synthesis Of Silicon Carbide, Martin Langenderfer, Eric W. Bohannan, Jeremy Lee Watts, William Fahrenholtz, Catherine E. Johnson

Chemistry Faculty Research & Creative Works

Detonation synthesis of silicon carbide (SiC) nanoparticles from carbon liberated by negatively oxygen balanced explosives was evaluated in a 23 factorial design to determine the effects of three categorical experimental factors: (1) cyclotrimethylene-trinitramine (RDX)/2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) ratio, (2) silicon (Si) additive concentration, and (3) Si particle size. These factors were evaluated at low and high levels as they relate to the detonation performance of the explosive and the solid Si-containing phases produced. Detonation velocity and Chapman-Jouguet (C-J) detonation pressure, which were measured using rate stick plate dent tests, were evaluated. Solid detonation product mass, silicon carbide product concentration, and residual silicon …

Optimization Of Styrene From Ethylbenzene Case Study, Jabria Daria Thompson

Honors Theses

The following pages detail the optimization process of styrene from ethylbenzene in the Styrene Production Plant, Unit 500. There were two parts of the assignment, each with slightly different end goals. The goal of the first part of the assignment, was to create a process that would effectively and efficiently increase the negative Net Present Value (NPV) of the production plant. Procedures taken in this process included developing a working kinetic process simulation model and optimizing this model through unit operations and heat integration, as well as developing an accurate economic model that will be used to evaluate the proposed …

Customized Sidearm Case: Leading A Cme Capstone Team From Concept To Production, Robert B. Sharp

Honors Theses

The goal behind this thesis is to document and analyze my performance as the project manager for the Customized Sidearm Case capstone team during the Center for Manufacturing Excellence’s senior capstone experience. The capstone experience begins the fall of students senior year where a select number of product ideas submitted by the students are chosen, and teams are built around these projects. The objective of the project is to walk a product from the concept phase through the entire design process resulting in a full-scale production run during the spring semester. My product pitch of a wooden sidearm case, customized …

Developing New Crutch Tip Design For Overall Increased Stability And Improved Movement On Different Terrains, Lauren Skinner

Honors Theses

Crutches are a mobility assistive device that are often used in various situations, such as post- surgical rehabilitation and recovery after injury. The current crutch tip design that is used on today’s crutches are often unstable and do not provide quality movement on different terrains, such as snow, ice, mud, and wet surfaces. These problems would be solved with a new tip design that could be attached to existing crutches or manufactured with the crutch itself. The team’s solution to this problem is a crutch tip with modular parts. The tip would attach to the shaft of the crutch like …

Nuclear Energy As A Reliable And Safe Source Of Power Generation, Sarup Dhungana

Honors Theses

There is a high demand of energy for generating civil applicable power in the world and in the USA, correspondingly. The world has been consuming various sources to extract the power to meet its demands. Most of the power sources include renewable and non-renewable sources like fossil fuels, natural gas, coal, water, solar, wind, and nuclear power. Although most of these sources have many advantages in terms of their capacity and cost of production, nuclear power can be categorized as the emerging driving force in the United States and in the world for power generation, because of its reliability and …

An Overview Of Barriers To Women In Engineering, Madison Karis

Honors Theses

Engineering remains a heavily male-dominated field despite ongoing efforts to increase diversity. Early experiences within the U.S. education system can strongly influence women’s choices to pursue engineering degrees. Many young students are introduced to engineering through pre-college programs, but these programs may give students an incomplete understanding of careers in engineering. Gender stereotyping and discrimination from teachers, counselors, and professors also strongly affect female students’ majors. Students may be led to believe certain misconceptions about engineering if their teachers have inaccurate perceptions about the field. Women in engineering also face workplace discrimination at a much higher rate than women in …

Optimization And Analysis Of A Styrene Production Process, Alexis Kimpel

Honors Theses

The production of styrene from ethylbenzene in Unit 500 is designed to start up in 2024 and operate for 12 years after startup. The engineering team was tasked with designing the process, creating an economic model, and optimizing the net present value (NPV). The process was simulated in AVEVA PRO/II Simulation for the design process and to estimate the size of equipment. Parametric and topological optimization was performed subsequently on the unit operations in the process. The NPV was improved by $423M from a base case of -$919M to an optimized case of -$496M. The project is recommended to continue …

Interaction Beyond Nearest Neighbor In Periodic Structures, Sudesh Pathak

Honors Theses

Periodic structures have been of particular interest to researchers and engineers due to their interesting vibrational characteristics leading to applications, namely acoustic filters, and waveguides. Many studies on the interaction of nearest neighbors have been performed. However, such studies are insufficient to understand the variation of band gaps and the maximum number of wave vectors for each frequency. The complex band structure obtained from the interaction beyond nearest neighbors can assist in the development of sophisticated acoustic technologies. This paper primarily emphasizes the study of such interactions with the development of mathematical models based on electrostatic forces, supported by the …

Application Of The Formal Design Of Experiments To Deformed Airfoil Testing, Alex Ligman

Honors Theses

Traditionally, one factor at a time (OFAT) testing is used to accomplish wind tunnel
experimentation. OFAT testing is a process whereby one of the defined factors in the experiment is changed while all of the other factors are held constant. Afterwards, a new factor is chosen as the one to be manipulated, and the process is then repeated until all factors have been run through. Due to the possible cost-intensive and time-consuming nature of wind tunnel testing, formal design of experiments (DOE) has begun to be applied to wind tunnel experiments. In doing so, unique analyses can be made that …

The Design And Economic Optimization Of A Warehouse Refrigeration System, Hannah Talbot

Honors Theses

The purpose of this project was to design a cool warehouse refrigeration system for Acme Frozen Foods, Inc located in Newark, New Jersey. The refrigeration system was used to cool eighteen 300,000 ft³ refrigerated units (200 ft x 100 ft x 15 ft), each requiring 200 cooling tons of refrigeration at a level of 0 F. The scope of this project included determining the appropriate refrigeration cycle, selecting the most desirable refrigerant, and temperature ranges to optimize the performance of the system. This project also considered the economic cost of the power needed to run the refrigerated units and …

Analysis Of Hemp Fiber Reinforced Polylactide Composite Under High Strain-Rate, Benjamin Rhoads

Honors Theses

The introduction of hemp fibers into a polylactide (PLA) matrix creates a hemp fiber-reinforced composite with 10% hemp fibers and 90% PLA. Natural fibers are becoming a popular alternative to synthetic fibers since they are environmentally friendly, and hemp-fibers are becoming used more often as the demand for natural fibers increased. A Split-Hopkinson Pressure Bar was used to test this composite against a control group using elastic wave propagation theory. Strain gauges were mounted on the incident and transmission bars of the SHPB to measure the propagation of the wave that caused the strain in the sample, which were used …

Energy And Resource-Saving Method For Enriching The Waste Water Purified Without Sufficient Purification With Oxygen, Dilobar Khurramova, Mukhtor Khurramov, Sharifa Ganieva, Zulqaynar Nazirov

CHEMISTRY AND CHEMICAL ENGINEERING

In order to implement a reliable and environmentally safe, economically viable method of wastewater enrichment, the goal is to develop an energy- and resource-saving method of oxygen enrichment of wastewater that has not undergone sufficient treatment. Cleaning is carried out in a tank, which is built using rock, which is an algal limestone. Limestone contributes to the improvement of the oxygen regime due to the “conservation” of organic matter in anoxic bottom layers and the acceleration of the process of photosynthesis of unicellular algae. Calcium carbonate is a reagent that provides not only automatic stabilization of water pH at 2/dm …

Kinetics Of Carboxymethylation Reaction Of Cellulose Samples With Different Degree Of Crystallinity, Ilkhom Goyibnazarov, Sherzod Yuldoshov, Abdushukhur Sarimsokov

CHEMISTRY AND CHEMICAL ENGINEERING

No abstract provided.

Mathematical Modeling Of Synthesis 4´,4´´-Di-(1-Methyl-1-Hydroxy-2-Phenylethynyl)-Dibenzo-18-Crown-6, Lyubov Kozinskaya, Dilorom Mirkhamitova

CHEMISTRY AND CHEMICAL ENGINEERING

The main goal of this study is the mathematical modeling of the optimal conditions for the synthesis of 4´,4´´-di-(1-methyl-1-hydroxy-2-phenylethynyl)-dibenzo-18-crown-6 by the least squares method. In the STAT program, iconograms of mathematical modeling of the synthesis and the dependence of the rate of formation of 4´,4´´-di-(1-methyl-1-hydroxy-2-phenylethynyl)-dibenzo-18-crown-6 on temperature and reaction time were obtained, the corresponding analytical dependencies are determined. Mathematical processing of the results of the synthesis of 4´,4´´-di-(1-methyl-1-hydroxy-2-phenylethynyl)-dibenzo-18-crown-6 was carried out, a system of linear equations was compiled using the matrix method. The average reaction rate and the optimum of the mathematical model were determined, and the experimental and calculated …

Synthesis Of Aromatic Acetylene Alcohols Based On Benzaldehyde And Its Halogenated Products, Sanat Samatov, Abduvakhab Ikramov, Saida Abdurakhmanova, Odiljon Ziyadullayev, Guzal Otamukhamedova

CHEMISTRY AND CHEMICAL ENGINEERING

The aim of this study is to synthesize the corresponding aromatic acetylenic alcohols by alkylation with phenylacetylene in a complex catalytic system based on Zn(OTf)₂ and TBAF·3H₂O for the first time with benzaldehyde and some of its halogen derivatives. The selectivity and stability of catalysts used for the yields of reactions for the synthesis of aromatic acetylene alcohols were analyzed. The effect of benzaldehyde and its halogenated derivatives on the product yield was analyzed. The nature, structure, isomerism, spatial structure and other properties influenced to this reactions were studied. Some features of reactions of synthesis of aromatic …

Study Of Sorption Of Some Metal Ions By The Obtained Phosphoric Acid Cation Exchanger Of Polycondensation Type, Malika Berdieva, Rano Nazirova, Alisher Yuldashev, Umida Sharipova, Dilmurod Azimov

CHEMISTRY AND CHEMICAL ENGINEERING

The purpose of this work is to investigate the sorption of Cu²⁺, Co²⁺, Ni²⁺, UO₂²⁺ ions, etc. depending on the ionic form of the cationite and the pH of the medium on phosphoric acid cationite obtained by forsforylation of a polymer based on cubic waste of the Shurtan gas-chemical complex and a secondary product of the hydrolysis industry – furfural. It was found that copper and UO₂²⁺ ions are best sorbed by cationite when the cationite is in Na form. The UO₂²⁺ ion is sorbed fairly well in …

Thermal Properties Of Polyelectrolyte Complexes Of Bombyx Mori Chitosan With Collagen, Shuhrat Khudoyberdiev, Noira Vokhidova, Mukhitdin Abdurazakov, Sayora Rashidova

CHEMISTRY AND CHEMICAL ENGINEERING

The aim of the work was to study the thermal behavior of the polyelectrolyte complexes of Bombyx mori ChS with collagen. As a result of the studies, the thermal properties of polyelectrolyte complexes based on Bombyx mori chitosan with collagen in wt. rel. 1:0,1 and 1:0,2 respectively. It has been determined that the most significant weight changes for chitosan with a molecular weight of 15×10³ and the degree of deacetylation of 85% occur at a temperature is 270 °C, when the mass loss rate reaches its maximum value. For collagen, the same temperature is 277 °C. For complexes ChS/collagen …

Glass Micro-Beads For Road Markings On The Basis Of Local Raw Materials, Farrukh Erkinov, Mastura Aripova, Jae-Shin Lee

CHEMISTRY AND CHEMICAL ENGINEERING

One of the priorities for the development of chemical and technological processes in the field of road-building materials and their quality is the production of materials for road markup based on glass micro-beads.

The use of glass micro-beads ensures the required retro-reflection of road marking and indicators of resistance to external influences, compliance with the requirements of regulatory documents. Therefore, the task of developing research approaches to develop a composition and control of road marking, which provide high performance and reduce accidents is an urgent problem.

For this purpose, on the basis of local raw materials, the theoretical foundations of …

Research Of The Process Of Obtaining Crystalline Monocalcium Phosphate Based On Extraction Phosphoric Acid From Phosphorites Of Central Kyzylkums, Kholtura Mirzakulov, Gavkhar Melikulova, Mohichehra Shaymardanova, Sherzod Khujamberdiev

CHEMISTRY AND CHEMICAL ENGINEERING

The aim of the research is to establish the optimal parameters of the technological process for the production of feed, crystalline monocalcium phosphate based on defluorinated and desulphated extraction phosphoric acid obtained from phosphorites of the Central Kyzylkum and limestone.

The influence of technological parameters, such as the norms and concentration of phosphoric acid, the process temperature on the filtration rate indicators, the rheological properties of the suspension and the mother liquor, as well as the dependence of the change in the commercial property of crystalline feed monocalcium phosphate, were studied.

It is shown that, regardless of the initial acid …

Investigations Of Roasting Process And Fractional Composition Of Zinc Concentrate Of Khandiza Deposit, Jasur Makhmayorov, Zafar Khakimov, Bakhrom Makhkamov, Murodjon Samadiy

CHEMISTRY AND CHEMICAL ENGINEERING

The aim of the study is to study the effect of the process of calcining zinc concentrate from the Khandiza deposit on the degree of zinc extraction and fractional composition. For this, the chemical composition of the concentrate was established and it was shown that the main components are zinc, silicon, potassium, calcium, iron, copper, cadmium, and lead. Titanium, manganese, cobalt, and molybdenum are also contained in small amounts.

Extraction of zinc from a concentrate, calcined at 900 °C for 90 minutes with sulfuric acid with concentration of 18-25% in an autoclave at a temperature of 75 °C, a ratio …

Technology For Producing Alumosilicate Refractory Products Based On Non-Traditional Raw Materials Of Uzbekistan, Ripsime Mkrtchyan

CHEMISTRY AND CHEMICAL ENGINEERING

The aim of the study is to develop a technology for producing aluminosilicate refractory products based on non-traditional raw materials - clay shale from the Jerdanak deposit and quartz-pyrophyllite rock from the Boynaksai deposit. The characteristics of prototypes of refractory materials were studied at different ratios of chamotte and binder. Quartz-pyrophyllite rock in its natural state and clay shale after firing at a relatively low temperature (1000 °C) were used as fireclay. The phase composition of the obtained materials was studied by X-ray diffraction and their fine structure by electron microscopy. Technological schemes for obtaining refractory products based on clay …

Fea Analysis On A Beam Of Hexacopter Drone Frame, Aicha Chahbi El Alaoui, Taymae Ben Messaoud

ME 4233/6233 Fundamentals of FEA

Our project covers the research made, a deep analysis, the structural design, modeling, and design of a hexa copter, which has six degrees of freedom. In order to improve the drone’s dynamics and efficiency, an analysis will be conducted on one beam constituting the drone using Abacus.

Teacher Preference In Professional Development, Cheri L. Keyes

ATU Theses and Dissertations 2021 - Present

Teacher Preference in Professional Development

Teacher professional development (PD) is seen as best ways to ensure teacher quality and guarantee positive student achievement outcomes; however, there is a lack of appropriate and effective PD. This quantitative study examined teachers’ preferences in PD content and delivery. Teachers from a K-12 public school district in Northwest Arkansas were invited to participate in a cross-sectional survey, and 292 teachers responded. The measured variables were the professional development preferences of the teachers, the teachers' years of experience, the grade level at which teachers teach, gender, the content of preferred PD, and the delivery or …

The Impact Of Virtual Learning Modalities On The Academic Success Of Students In One Arkansas School District, Diane F. Richards

ATU Theses and Dissertations 2021 - Present

The COVID-19 pandemic changed the way Arkansas public schools’ offered students an education. While moving through this pandemic, many Arkansas schools implemented optional methods of delivery for their students. Some schools tried to maintain face-to-face classes, while others offered completely online classes. Still, others offered a hybrid format where students attended some face-to-face classes and online classes. One Arkansas school district offered all three options. School districts need guidance as to which teaching methods worked well. The long-term effects of the educational impact of COVID-19 are not known at this time. Schools could benefit from a guide with useful strategies …

Correlations Of Subsurface Geotechnical And Geophysical Parameters In Central Montana, David Barrick

Graduate Theses & Non-Theses

This paper summarizes the results of a suite of tests performed in conjunction with a site investigation for the replacement of six timber bridges in Central Montana and four investigative geotechnical boreholes from a nearby ranch. The sites at the six timber bridges consist of Cretaceous sedimentary rocks (shale with stratified sandstone), overlain by thin layers of residual clays or Quaternary alluvium. The geology at the nearby ranch consists of either Quaternary vuggy travertine or Quaternary alluvium/colluvium deposits overlying residual shale of the Mississippian Heath Formation. In total, 49 samples were collected ranging from three Quaternary travertine HQ core samples, …

Plant Protein-Based Nanocomposite Films: A Review On The Used Nanomaterials, Characteristics, And Food Packaging Applications, Shima Jafarzadeh, Mehrdad Forough, Sajed Amjadi, Vahid J. Javan Kouzegaran, Hadi Almasi, Farhad Garavand, Masoumeh Zargar

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Consumer demands to utilize environmentally friendly packaging have led researchers to develop packaging materials from naturally derived resources. In recent years, plant protein-based films as a replacement for synthetic plastics have attracted the attention of the global food packaging industry due to their biodegradability and unique properties. Biopolymer-based films need a filler to show improved packaging properties. One of the latest strategies introduced to food packaging technology is the production of nanocomposite films which are multiphase materials containing a filler with at least one dimension less than 100 nm. This review provides the recent findings on plant-based protein films as …