Engineering Commons^™

Pocket Rocket: A 1u+ Propulsion System Design To Enhance Cubesat Capabilities, James M. Harper

Master's Theses

The research presented provides an overview of a 1U+ form factor propulsion system design developed for the Cal Poly CubeSat Laboratory (CPCL). This design utilizes a Radiofrequency Electrothermal Thruster (RFET) called Pocket Rocket that can generate 9.30 m/s of delta-V with argon, and 20.2 ± 3 m/s of delta-V with xenon. Due to the demand for advanced mission capabilities in the CubeSat form factor, a need for micro-propulsion systems that can generate between 1 – 1500 m/s of delta-V are necessary.

By 2019, Pocket Rocket had been developed to a Technology Readiness Level (TRL) of 5 and ground tested in …

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 …

Conference Roundup: Smart Cataloging - Beginning The Move From Batch Processing To Automated Classification, Rachel S. Evans

Articles, Chapters and Online Publications

This article reviewed the Amigos Online Conference titled “Work Smarter, Not Harder: Innovating Technical Services Workflows” keynote session delivered by Dr. Terry Reese on February 13, 2020. Excerpt:

"As the developer of MarcEdit, a popular metadata suite used widely across the library community, Reese’s current work is focused on the ways in which libraries might leverage semantic web techniques in order to transform legacy library metadata into something new. So many sessions related to using new technologies in libraries or academia, although exciting, are not practical enough to put into everyday use by most librarians. Reese’s keynote, titled Smart Cataloging: …

Optimization Of Aggregated Ev Power In Residential Communities With Smart Homes, Huangjie Gong, Dan M. Ionel

Power and Energy Institute of Kentucky Faculty Publications

Electric vehicles (EVs) tend to increase peak power for residences in the evening when house owners return home and begin charging. The aggregated EV charging demand can cause a sudden rise in the peak power at the distribution system level, resulting in a “dragon curve” Such phenomenon, combined with the “duck curve” that is caused by high photovoltaic (PV) penetration in residential communities, requires fast ramping rates and expanded capabilities for local distribution transformers and main feeder cables provided by the utility. As a solution, a residential energy storage system (RESS) can store surplus PV generation during midday and use …

Effect Of Soil-Structure Interaction On The Response Of Bridge Isolated With Rubber Bearing, Nitin Gopalakrishna Chandavar

Manipal Journal of Science and Technology

Soil-structure interaction effect on the analysis of continuous bridge provided with rubber bearings and subjected to earthquake ground acceleration is studied. The rubber bearing is provided between the piers and deck slab and also between abutments and deck slab. The finite element method is used to model both the bridge structure and the soil. A beam element is used to model the continuous bridge, whereas a four-noded plane strain element is used to model the soil. The response parameters considered for the study are the base shear and relative displacement between pier and deck slab. It is concluded from the …

Advancing Ecohydrology In The 21st Century: A Convergence Of Opportunities, Andrew J. Guswa, Doerthe Tetzlaff, John S. Selker, Darryl E. Carlyle-Moses, Elizabeth W. Boyer, Michael Bruen, Carles Cayuela, Irena F. Creed, Nick Van De Giesen, Domenico Grasso, David M. Hannah, Janice E. Hudson, Sean A. Hudson, Shin'ichi Iida, Robert B. Jackson, Gabriel G. Katul, Tomo'omi Kumagai, Pilar Llorens, Flavio Lopes Ribeiro, Beate Michalzik, Kazuki Nanko, Christopher Oster, Diane E. Pataki, Catherine A. Peters, Andrea Rinaldo, Daniel Sanchez Carretero, Branimir Trifunovic, Maciej Zalewski, Marja Haagsma, Delphis F. Levia

Engineering: Faculty Publications

Nature-based solutions for water-resource challenges require advances in the science of ecohydrology. Current understanding is limited by a shortage of observations and theories that can further our capability to synthesize complex processes across scales ranging from submillimetres to tens of kilometres. Recent developments in environmental sensing, data, and modelling have the potential to drive rapid improvements in ecohydrological understanding. After briefly reviewing advances in sensor technologies, this paper highlights how improved measurements and modelling can be applied to enhance understanding of the following ecohydrological examples: interception and canopy processes, root uptake and critical zone processes, and up-scaled effects of land …

Developing Transmedia Engineering Curricula Using Cognitive Tools To Impact Learning And The Development Of Stem Identity (Rtp), Glenn Ellis, Jeremiah Pina, Rebecca Mazur, Al Rudnitsky, Beth Mcginnis-Cavanaugh, Isabel Huff, Sonia Ellis, Crystal M. Ford, Kate Lytton, Kaia Claire Cormier

Engineering: Faculty Publications

This paper examines the use of Imaginative Education (IE) to create an NGSS-aligned middle school engineering curriculum that supports transfer and the development of STEM identity. In IE, cognitive tools—such as developmentally appropriate narratives, mysteries and fantasies— are used to design learning environments that both engage learners and help them organize knowledge productively. We have combined IE with transmedia storytelling to develop two multi-week engineering units and six shorter engineering lessons. An overview of the curriculum developed to date and a more detailed description of the engineering design unit is presented in this paper.

The curriculum is currently being implemented …

Fabrication Of Hard–Soft Microfluidic Devices Using Hybrid 3d Printing, Carlos Ruiz, Karteek Kadimisetty, Kun Yin, Michael G. Mauk, Hui Zhao, Changchun Liu

Mechanical Engineering Faculty Research

Widely accessible, inexpensive, easy-to-use consumer 3D printers, such as desktop stereolithography (SLA) and fused-deposition modeling (FDM) systems are increasingly employed in prototyping and customizing miniaturized fluidic systems for diagnostics and research. However, these 3D printers are generally limited to printing parts made of only one material type, which limits the functionality of the microfluidic devices without additional assembly and bonding steps. Moreover, mating of different materials requires good sealing in such microfluidic devices. Here, we report methods to print hybrid structures comprising a hard, rigid component (clear polymethacrylate polymer) printed by a low-cost SLA printer, and where the first printed …

Sacrificial Piles As Scour Countermeasures In River Bridges A Numerical Study Using Flow-3d, Mohammad Nazari-Sharabian, Aliasghar Nazari-Sharabian, Moses Karakouzian, Mehrdad Karami

Civil and Environmental Engineering and Construction Faculty Research

Scour is defined as the erosive action of flowing water, as well as the excavating and carrying away materials from beds and banks of streams, and from the vicinity of bridge foundations, which is one of the main causes of river bridge failures. In the present study, implementing a numerical approach, and using the FLOW-3D model that works based on the finite volume method (FVM), the applicability of using sacrificial piles in different configurations in front of a bridge pier as countermeasures against scouring is investigated. In this regard, the numerical model was calibrated based on an experimental study on …

Building B: Fire And Life Safety Analysis, Joseph Radford Sellers

Fire Protection Engineering: Culminating Experience Project Reports

A fire and life safety analysis was performed on Building B at the Y-12 National Security Complex in Oak Ridge, TN. This report was completed as a fulfillment of one of the requirements for the Masters of Science in Fire Protection Engineering Program from the California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly) in San Luis Obispo, CA. The analysis consisted of a prescriptive, or code-based analysis, and a performance-based analysis.

The prescriptive analysis composed of four main areas: Life Safety, Fire Alarm and Detection, Structural Fire Protection, and Fire Suppression. The prescriptive analysis was performed to determine if Building B is …

Military Maintenance Hangar, Eliot Jordan

Fire Protection Engineering: Culminating Experience Project Reports

This report describes the building code compliance of a military aircraft hangar. The facility is evaluated for both prescriptive code compliance and for a performance-based compliance via the use of design fires analyzed with computer programs Fire Dynamics Simulator (FDS) and occupant egress analyzed with Pathfinder software as well as hand calculations utilizing Excel.

The prescriptive code analysis is done based upon a combination of Unified Facilities Criteria, International Building Code, and NFPA 101 codes and standards. Prescriptive compliance was checked against the building non separated occupancies of S-1 and B. The building was evaluated for building construction type IIB. …

Fire Protection Analysis: Engineering Iv, Building 192, Cal Poly State University, San Luis Obispo, Paul Jenkins

Fire Protection Engineering: Culminating Experience Project Reports

This report is an analysis of the fire protection capabilities of Engineering IV (Building 192) at Cal Poly University in San Luis Obispo, CA. The overall objective of this report was to assess whether the building and its fire protection systems supported the evacuation of occupants from the building in a safe manner before conditions became untenable during a fire event. The assessment was accomplished by performing a prescriptive and performance analysis.

The purpose of the prescriptive analysis was to determine whether the building egress components and fire protections systems were designed, built, and installed in compliance with all the …

Raysun's Infrared Raisin Dryer, Lucas Kensinger, Saraith Aispuro, Joe Vanacore

General Engineering

The RaySuns senior project team was tasked with lowering the drying costs of raisins for River Ranch Raisins. In doing so, we explored several options for cutting costs: utilizing automation and exploring new drying technologies were our primary focus. We eventually planned a modular infrared heating mechanism which would be easy to automate in future projects. After manufacturing and testing an infrared heating mechanism, it was found that infrared drying could significantly cut costs versus the previous natural gas fired dryer tunnels while leaving room for automation. The infrared dryer was also shown to have the potential to create high-quality …

Effects Of Powder Recycling In Selective Laser Melting, Nina L. Menon

Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering

The following report analyzes 316L stainless steel powder characteristics of new powder and powder that has been used in the selective laser melting process for 40-50 builds. A literature review was done of powder characteristics, different ways flowability can be tested, and effects of recycling other types of metal powders in Additive Manufacturing. Flowability improved over 21 reuses of the titanium alloy Ti-6Al-4V and resulted in stronger printed parts. Flow of S17-4 PH steel powder was measured with a Hall flowmeter and increased significantly over the course of 10 reuses. Heavily recycled (estimated 50 reuses) 316L SS powder and brand …

Culminating Course Progress Report For The Na893 Community Support Center, Yokosuka Naval Base, Japan, Kazuo Miura

Fire Protection Engineering: Culminating Experience Project Reports

This is the culminating project report for the Fire Project Engineering Master’s of Science at California Polytechnic at San Luis Obispo. This project will consider a project for the US military in Japan, JFY893 Community Support Facility, Yokosuka Naval Base. The subject facility consists of a library, education center, family services, and other community services. The Library shall serve as the Main Base Library, keep and store books and provide library services for active duty population, dependents and retirees. The Education Center provides services for advancing of the academic, technical, and vocational education of military personnel of all grades and …

Mug For Tremors, Logan J. Smith, Allen Tecson, Jaret Wedow, Kai Workman

Mechanical Engineering

Melissa Oliver, an occupational therapist at McGuire VA Medical Center, works extensively with veterans who struggle with certain daily activities due to their hand tremors. Hand tremors caused by essential tremor, Parkinson’s Disease, or other physical or neurological impairments can greatly affect an individual’s ability to perform daily tasks. One of these tasks include the ability to handle beverages, as hand tremors can cause excessive sloshing and spilling of liquid. Melissa reached out to find a way to help veterans with hand tremors easily consume liquids. Our team, consisting of Logan Smith, Allen Tecson, Jaret Wedow, and Kai Workman, was …

Atmospheric Water Harvester, Justin K. Lam, Jacob David, Jessica Mabry, Ben Brough

Mechanical Engineering

Atmospheric water harvesting uses the vapor-compression cycle to collect water from the moisture in the air. The system’s components include an evaporator, condenser, compressor, fan, and several expansion valves. Condensate from the air is then funneled into a receptacle, which determines the efficiency of the water harvesting system. For this senior project, the goal is to increase the efficiency of an existing atmospheric water harvester.

Electromagnetic Actuator For Camless Engines, Nicholas Olesh, Charlie Thomas Glenwright, Tim Wills De Tone, Darya Daniel Darvish

Mechanical Engineering

This document summarizes the research, objectives, project plan, and design for developing an electromagnetic actuator valve for use in a camless internal combustion engine. While electromagnetic valve actuators have not been implemented into a working product to date, there have been many attempts to research and develop working prototypes. Similar products have been developed, but they do not use purely electromagnetic actuation. This research is significant because it shows the challenge that must be overcome and outlines potential design solutions to the problem. The objectives section highlights the problem statement and what is aimed to be achieved in this project. …

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 …

Optical Filter Selector, Camaryn Chambers, Joel Pitzer, Matthew Allen, Callen Schwefler

Mechanical Engineering

One of the many challenges with launching projectiles into space is predicting how the environment in space will affect the trajectory. One way to do this is to look at optical emissions, also known as airglow, which can only be seen from earth with sensitive equipment. By taking measurements of the light from the airglow, properties about the upper atmosphere can be inferred. This is important because variability in the atmosphere can cause variability in space that can affect astronauts and satellites. In order to accomplish this task, optical filters must be used to observe different bands of wavelengths of …

Prosthetic Foot Shell, Ql+, Kathryn Victoria Versteeg, Jackson A. Tucker, Ethan William Frey

Mechanical Engineering

This final design review includes an overview of our project and the steps we have taken to create our final product. We discuss the background research conducted, including various products like the foot shell we are trying to design and its related patents, along with similar past senior projects. As our product is considered a medical device, there are also certain standards that we must comply with. After determining our problem statement, we established what we believe to be the wants and needs of our user. These wants and needs were converted into specifications for our design, with durability as …

Sub-Lunar Tap-Yielding Explorer, Styx, Alexander J. Krenitsky, Ryan J. Locatelli, Aaron B. Erickson, Christoopher B. Boone, Westin R. Mchaney

Mechanical Engineering

To diversify the idea pool that NASA has to draw from for future manned and unmanned missions to the Moon and Mars, a design/build competition has been posed to collegiate teams across the country. The challenge is to reach, extract, and purify underground ice reserves in a setting analogous to mars. Along the way, teams will be collecting telemetry to mimic prospecting objectives on the moon.

The Sublunar Tap-Yielding eXplorer, STYX, is the team’s proposed design for the 2020 NASA RASC-AL competition. Some novel design features STYX will use are a rotary tool changer with swappable tools, a sleeve driving …

What Do Undergraduate Engineering Students And Preservice Teachers Learn By Collaborating And Teaching Engineering And Coding Through Robotics?, Jennifer Jill Kidd, Krishnanand Kaipa, Samuel J. Jacks, Stacie I. Ringleb, Pilar Pazos, Kristie Gutierrez, Orlando M. Ayala, Lillian Maria De Souza Almeida

Teaching & Learning Faculty Publications

This research paper presents preliminary results of an NSF-supported interdisciplinary collaboration between undergraduate engineering students and preservice teachers. The fields of engineering and elementary education share similar challenges when it comes to preparing undergraduate students for the new demands they will encounter in their profession. Engineering students need interprofessional skills that will help them value and negotiate the contributions of various disciplines while working on problems that require a multidisciplinary approach. Increasingly, the solutions to today's complex problems must integrate knowledge and practices from multiple disciplines and engineers must be able to recognize when expertise from outside their field can …

Heavy Lift Drone, Sam Carhart, David Cooper, Luis Gaitan, Michael Kaliterna, Sami Lama, Paul Rogel-Herrera, Yuya Yabe

Interdisciplinary Design Senior Theses

Despite the rapid rise in the number of drones in the past few years, there has been little work done to produce a drone that is optimized for the FAA' s 55 lb upper takeoff limit. This gap in the market is one that the Heavy Lift Drone (HLD) fills - a light-weight, higher payload capability, and inexpensive drone to be used in commercial applications - most notably irrigation monitoring. The HLD is a contra-rotating hexagonal configuration system featuring two levels of propellers that allow for larger propeller diameter and generate greater lift. After performing extensive finite element analyses and …

Alternative Epinephrine Auto-Injector, Joshua Wong, Uriel Nieves-Cruz, Tara Howard

Biomedical Engineering

Project: Alternative Epinephrine Injector started as a solution for Bianca Aleman’s little brother however the scope has evolved to include the many millions of individuals across the world who struggle with a life-threatening allergen. The stakeholders of this project are Cal Poly and Dr. Michael D. Whitt. Our goals are the following:

● Develop a foolproof method of injection that consistently delivers a dosage of epinephrine

● Be equal or less than the current size of an EpiPen (6 in)

● Be easy to transport or store when not-in-use

● Create an isolated environment where the epinephrine will not be …

Virtual Stethoscope - Otoscope, Ermen J. Elenes-Cazares, Ceasar A. Hurtado, Thomas M. Margolle

Biomedical Engineering

The purpose of this report was to develop a working prototype for a virtual stethoscope and otoscope. Sponsored by Courtney Farr, the virtual diagnostic care system – HouseCalls Mobile digital stethoscope/otoscope is meant for use by medical professionals and non – medical professionals for preliminary medical exams while physically not in a medical setting. The HouseCalls Mobile device is to characterize key biometric parameters such as breathing patterns, heart irregularities, and visual clinical evaluation of the inner ear. This device is intended for pediatric use.

Folded! High-Rise, Alejandra Bravo, Riley Joseph Denis

Architectural Engineering

The authors of this report are undergraduate Architectural Engineering students at California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo. This report documents their experience in an interdisciplinary studio of high‐rise building design and the process by which they produced a schematic design of a high‐rise residential building in San Francisco. It will address the organization of the studio, the development of concept as well as form and structure, the studies and structural analyses, as well as the review process and the competitions the final proposals were entered in, and include some final takeaways from each Architectural Engineering group member.

Evaluation Of Alternative Rumble Strip Designs, William Nicholas Staats, Kenneth R. Agent, Brian K. Howell

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

Since Kentucky’s initial rumble strip designs were adopted, there has been additional research and experimentation in other states with alternative designs as a response to complaints from the public about noise pollution caused by rumble strips. The new research indicates that other rumble strip designs might provide increased interior noise/vibration with decreased exterior noise. Application of these alternative designs in Kentucky could result in improved rumble performance, reduced damage to new pavement, decreased noise pollution, installation on roadways with lower speed limits, and allow reinstallation of rumbles on thin overlays/microsurfacing.

The research team reviewed national and state guidelines for conventional …

Rf Power Amplifier, Angel De Jesus Delgado, Rachanon Wajanakunakorn, Andrew John Ferguson

Electrical Engineering

Wireless devices are part of everyday life, cellphones and radio receivers impact more people than any piece of technology. Thus, the respective building blocks continue to advance and achieve better performance. A primary component of all wireless communication systems is the power amplifier that drives the antenna. The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) holds the International Microwave Symposium (IMS) every year where teams compete internationally for the most efficient RF Power Amplifier (PA). Power amplifier technologies strive to maximize efficiency and linearity. Topologies to consider are D, E, F, F-1 and Doherty since they have a maximum theoretical …

New Robust Lpc-Based Method For Time-Resolved Morphology Of High-Noise Multiple Frequency Signals, Jin Xu, Ruairí De Fréin, Mark Davis

Conference papers

This paper introduces a new time-resolved spectral analysis method based on the Linear Prediction Coding (LPC) method that is particularly suited to the study of the dynamics of low Signal-to-noise Ratio (SNR) signals comprising multiple frequency components. One of the challenges of the time-resolved spectral method is that they are limited by the Heisenberg-Gabor uncertainty principle. Consequently, there is a trade-off between the temporal and spectral resolution. Most of the previous studies are time-averaged methods. The proposed method is a parameterisation method which can directly extract the dominant formants. The method is based on a z-plane analysis of the poles …