Engineering Commons^™

Algal Biofuel: The Future Of Green Jet Fuel In Air Transportation, Rajee Olaganathan

Publications

The aviation industry is one of the major contributors for the greenhouse gases. As air travel has become inevitable in this modern era, and fossil fuel usage is not sustainable, it is essential to produce renewable fuel and commercialize it to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions. In order to produce an alternate aviation biofuel a lot of industrial and academic collaborations have been developed worldwide. The main concern of this collaborative research is to produce aviation biofuel from renewable resources with low environmental impacts, and which is sustainable at an economically viable price. This mini-review briefly discusses the biotechnological approaches …

Non-Premixed Transversely Oscillating Plane Jet Flames In Co-Flowing Air Streams, Reuben Mwanza Kivindu, Rong Fung Huang, Ching Min Hsu

Journal of Marine Science and Technology–Taiwan

This study examined the flame behavior and thermal structure of non-premixed transversely oscillating plane jet flames. A V-shaped fluidic oscillator was installed with deflection plates to merge alternately issued pulsating jets, and induce transverse oscillations of the merged jet. Co-flowing air streams were supplied with two planar air jets arranged next to the burner. Isothermal jet frequencies were detected using single hot-wire anemometry. Flame behaviors were studied using photographic techniques. Flame temperatures were measured using a finewire type-R thermocouple, and combustion concentrations of products were measured using a gas analyzer. The Strouhal number for the transversely oscillating jet shows an …

The Investigation Of The Two-Phase Thermosyphon Performance Limit, Chih-Chung Chang, Zun-Long Huang, Yuan-Ching Chiang, Sih-Li Chen

Journal of Marine Science and Technology–Taiwan

In a steel plant, waste heat recovery systems of hot-blast furnace are characterized by high-temperature exhaust gas from a hot stove that flows through heat pipe heat exchangers. By heating gas in a hot stove and combustion air in a blast furnace, stable and balanced heat exchange efficiency is achieved in this system. The thermosyphon, which is also known as a gravitational heat pipe, uses latent heat to transfer the heat. In this article, heat pipe performance limits, including entrainment and boiling limits, are experimentally and theoretically investigated. Heat pipe tube lengths of 130 mm, 200 mm, and 300 mm …

Design Of An Intelligent Damping Controller Of Statcom With Hvdc For Large Offshore Wind Farm, Kai-Hung Lu, Hsin-Chuan Chen, Yu Su, Qiangqiang Xu

Journal of Marine Science and Technology–Taiwan

This paper proposes the design of an Intelligent Damping Controller (IDC) for a Static Synchronous Compensator (STATCOM), linking to a high voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission line, where a permanent magnet synchronous generator (PMSG)- based offshore wind farm (OWF) is connected. This IDC consists of a critic network with the proposed Functional Link based Recurrent Fuzzy Neural Network (FLRFNN) and Genetic Algorithm Hybrid Time Varying Particle Swarm Optimization (GAHTVPSO) algorithm. A single-machine infinite-bus and a multi-machine hybrid power system were used for test the system stability. GAHTVPSO approach is developed to adjust the learning rates to improve the learning capability. …

Passive Fuzzy Control For Lift Feedback Fin Stabilizer Systems Of A Ship Via Multiplicative Noise Based On Fuzzy Model, Chih-Ming Chang, Wen-Jer Chang, Cheung-Chieh Ku, Fung-Lin Hsu

Journal of Marine Science and Technology–Taiwan

This paper proposes a passive fuzzy controller design methodology for stabilization of the nonlinear lift feedback fin stabilizer system of a ship. The proposed design approach is developed based on multiplicative noised Takagi-Sugeno fuzzy model and parallel distributed compensation control technique. Applying the Itô’s formula and the sense of mean square, the sufficient conditions are developed to analyze the stability and to design the controller for stochastic nonlinear systems. The sufficient conditions derived in this paper belong to the linear matrix inequality forms which can be solved efficiently by convex optimal programming algorithm. Besides, the passivity theory is applied to …

Nonlinear Hydrostatic Analysis Of The Floating Structure Considering The Large Angle Of Inclination, Kwang-Phil Park, Ju-Hwan Cha, Namkug Ku

Journal of Marine Science and Technology–Taiwan

When ships are flooded or equipped with a heavy object, the floating structures are excessively inclined, and the immersion, heel, and trim affecting the hydrostatic restoration performance are very large. In those cases, the assumption that the position and orientation are independent of each other is not valid. Therefore, nonlinear governing equations were formulated by sequential linearization to calculate the static equilibrium position of floating structures with excessive inclination. The equations are represented using a plane area, a primary moment, and a moment of inertia of the water plane area, and the immersion, heel, and trim are fully coupled. The …

Modeling The Interdependencies Of Energy And Water In New Mexico: Historic Drivers, Hydrologic Impacts, And Energy Requirements, Catherine M. Zemlick 5774203

Civil Engineering ETDs

There is increasing need to understand the interdependencies between energy resource development and water resources, particularly in arid regions with vast energy reserves like New Mexico. The state has a long history of energy resource development, including both uranium and fossil fuels. These activities have and continue to impact scarce water resources. There exist gaps in knowledge regarding the drivers of historic uranium mining and the uncertainties inherent in past estimates of groundwater impacts because of mining activity and in current understanding of the energy required to manage water in the oil and gas industry. Although uranium has not been …

Thermal Performance Improvement By Spiky Twisted Tapes For Loop Thermosyphon With Ncg, Shyy Woei Chang, Wei Ling Cai

Journal of Marine Science and Technology–Taiwan

Thermal performance improvement for a two-phase loop thermosyphon (TPLT) with non-condensable gas (NCG) was attempted by fitting twin spiky ribbed twisted tapes (SRTTs) in the evaporator. The startup process and the steady-state boiling flow structures, boiling heat transfer rates, thermal resistance networks at various heater powers, and condenser thermal resistances were examined with 40% molar fraction of air in the TPLT. With treated water as the working fluid at an evaporator volumetric filling ratio of 50%, all tests were performed at subatmospheric pressures. The thermal performance improvement achieved by using SRTTs in the evaporator was determined by comparing the test …

Fpga Implementation Of Improved Ant Colony Optimization Algorithm Based On Pheromone Diffusion Mechanism For Path Planning, Chen-Chien Hsu, Wei-Yen Wang, Yi-Hsing Chien, Ru-Yu Hou

Journal of Marine Science and Technology–Taiwan

An improved ant colony optimization (ACO) algorithm is proposed in this paper for improving the accuracy of path planning. The main idea of this paper is to avoid local minima by continuously tuning a setting parameter and the establishment of novel mechanisms by means of partial pheromone updating and opposite pheromone updating. As a result, the global search of the proposed ACO algorithm can be significantly enhanced to derive an optimal path compared to the conventional ACO algorithm. The simulation results of the proposed approach perform better in terms of the short distance, mean distance, and success rate towards optimal …

Ranking Of Human Senses In Relation To Different In-Flight Activities Contributing To The Comfort Experience Of Airplane Passengers, Joyce Bouwens, Suzanne Hiemstra-Van Mastrigt, Peter Vink

International Journal of Aviation, Aeronautics, and Aerospace

Bubb, Bengler, Grünen, and Vollrath (2015) identified six environmental comfort factors and ordered them from most important to least important (smell, light, vibrations, sound, climate and anthropometry). This paper attempts to verify whether this suggested order of comfort-related factors also applies to the expectations of aircraft passengers. For this purpose, two studies were carried out. First, a survey was conducted among 183 aircraft passengers between 19 and 64 years old. In this survey, respondents were asked to rank six comfort factors by selecting the most important factor from 15 pairs of factors (e.g. light versus smell). The respondents indicated anthropometry …

Spectro-Electrochemical Platforms For Dynamic Analyses Of Catalytic Cascade Systems, Nalin I. Andersen

Nanoscience and Microsystems ETDs

The development of spectro-electrochemical platforms that facilitate the dynamic analyses of complex catalytic cascade systems was explored in this research. These systems facilitated multiple modalities of catalysts and were used as platforms for monitoring catalytic transformations quasi-in situ. The analytical platforms allowed for the characterization of intermediates and products using surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS). The design and fabrication of these devices proved to be reproducible, made of materials that can be manipulated for multiple applications, and incorporate fluid mechanics, electrochemistry, and multimodal catalysis. Microfluidic technology offers capabilities for understanding catalytic cascade systems by providing precise dynamic control of …

An Embedded Sensory System For Worker Safety: Prototype Development And Evaluation, Chunhee Cho, Jee Woong Park

Civil and Environmental Engineering and Construction Faculty Research

At a construction site, workers mainly rely on two senses, which are sight and sound, in order to perceive their physical surroundings. However, they are often hindered by the nature of most construction sites, which are usually dynamic, loud, and complicated. To overcome these challenges, this research explored a method using an embedded sensory system that might offer construction workers an artificial sensing ability to better perceive their surroundings. This study identified three parameters (i.e., intensity, signal length, and delay between consecutive pulses) needed for tactile-based signals for the construction workers to communicate quickly. We developed a prototype system based …

Assessment Of Small Unmanned Aerial Systems Operations In The National Airspace System, Kabir O. Kasim

Journal of Aviation Technology and Engineering

The operation of small unmanned aerial systems (sUAS) in the National Airspace System requires a careful consideration of the operating philosophies to ensure a safe outcome for all users. Small UAS operations are explored while the associated risks and benefits from the operations are reviewed. The operation of sUAS in self-separation airspace is discussed by an examination of the concept of autonomous flight rules (AFR). This includes a presentation of the basic principles of AFR and an explanation of the requirement for a sense-and-avoid system. Current and future uses of sUAS are presented to highlight the benefits from their use. …

Pilot Visual Detection Of Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (Suas) Equipped With Strobe Lighting, Ryan J. Wallace, Jon M. Loffi, Samuel M. Vance, Jamey Jacob, Jared C. Dunlap, Taylor A. Mitchell

Journal of Aviation Technology and Engineering

When operating under Visual Flight Rules, pilots primarily rely on visual scanning to avoid other aircraft and airborne collision threats. Records from the Federal Aviation Administration indicate that near encounters with unmanned aircraft are on the rise, reaching 1,761 reported unmanned aircraft system (UAS) sightings or near-misses in 2016. This study sought to assess the effectiveness of pilot visual detection of UAS platforms that were equipped with strobe lighting. A sample of 10 pilots flew a general aviation aircraft on a scripted series of five intercepts with a small UAS (sUAS) that was equipped with strobe lighting. Participants were asked …

Development Of Wireless Sensing Unit For Environmental Noise Monitoring, Taylor Rink

17th Annual Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Performance (2018)

Locations with large amounts of environmental noise can raise stress and blood pressure, as well as decrease productivity, for all peoples subjected to it. In order to better quantify these noise levels, it is important to fully understand the patterns and levels of noise through data collection and analysis. Wireless sensor networks offer one method for autonomously gathering and processing levels of noise pollution in densely populated areas. In this study, a wireless sensing unit (WSU) was developed that was capable of collecting and transmitting noise data. This WSU was comprised of a Teensy microcontroller development system, a sound detecting …

Overview Of The Saber Mission And Launch Vehicle Design, Benjamin Thompson, Jared Fuchs, Grant Randsell, William Hankins, Oakley Copeland, Logan Anderson, Austin Mills, Matt Fletcher, Roman Benetti

Research Horizons Day Posters

No abstract provided.

Cyclomatic Complexity Applied To Sysml Diagrams, Maliha Lubna

Research Horizons Day Posters

No abstract provided.

Comprehensive Bicycle-Vehicle Crash Investigation On Urban And Rural Roadways In Alabama, Naveen Mallipaddi

Research Horizons Day Posters

No abstract provided.

Statistical Analysis Of Risk Factors Affecting Severe Crashes Likelihood In Proximity To Hospitals In Alabama, Niloufar Shirani

Research Horizons Day Posters

No abstract provided.

A Method For Robust Requirements Definition, Marc Gethers

Research Horizons Day Posters

No abstract provided.

Bicycle Safety Investigation In Alabama Using Historical Crash Data And Stated-Preference Survey, Sydnie Fiocca

Research Horizons Day Posters

No abstract provided.

Dynamic Behavior Of Materials, Jeremy Floyd, Andrew Minor

Research Horizons Day Posters

No abstract provided.

Degradation Modeling And Rul Prediction Using Wiener Process Subject To Multiple Change Points And Unit Heterogeneity, Yuxin Wen, Jianguo Wu, Devashish Das, Tzu-Liang Bill Tseng

Engineering Faculty Articles and Research

Degradation modeling is critical for health condition monitoring and remaining useful life prediction (RUL). The prognostic accuracy highly depends on the capability of modeling the evolution of degradation signals. In many practical applications, however, the degradation signals show multiple phases, where the conventional degradation models are often inadequate. To better characterize the degradation signals of multiple-phase characteristics, we propose a multiple change-point Wiener process as a degradation model. To take into account the between-unit heterogeneity, a fully Bayesian approach is developed where all model parameters are assumed random. At the offline stage, an empirical two-stage process is proposed for model …

Rainwater Harvesting System Scenario Analysis On Runoff Reduction Potential In Surabaya, Indonesia: A Geospatial Analysis For Brantas Hilir Watershed, Putri Sukmahartati

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Global warming has become an environmental concern over the past several decades and its impact on the water cycle is very crucial to the well-being of the human population. In the hydrological cycle, water evaporates by the heat of the sun and atmosphere, where it is accumulated in the atmosphere via clouds and it then falls as rain. With warmer temperatures, more intensive evaporation and downpours occur. In addition, impervious surfaces are increasing as a result of urban development. Those surfaces cause more water to flow faster into open water bodies, creating more extensive flooding, and additionally reducing water quality. …

How Does Spaceflight Affect The Detachment Of Zinc Whiskers?, Kayla Capitan

Research Horizons Day Posters

No abstract provided.

Measurement Of Forces On A Flapping Wing Micro Aerial Vehicle, Darnisha Crane

Research Horizons Day Posters

No abstract provided.

A Comparison Of Traditional Education And Project-Based Education In Construction Management, Trey Miller

Honors College Theses

Construction is a rapidly moving and constantly changing industry. The skills needed to manage the complex task of running a job site safely, on schedule, and within budget, are unique to the field. Construction Management as an academic field is relatively new discipline. Therefore the field is still rapidly evolving. In many cases, classes are taught by engineering professors, which leads to an engineering-focused education as opposed to a Project Management focused education. Therefore Construction Management students are not receiving the “hands-on” experience early enough in their studies. By structuring classes around an applied project, students will attain a more …

Effects Of Game Pitch Count And Body Mass Index On Pitching Biomechanics In 9-To 10-Year-Old Baseball Athletes, Jim D. Darke, Eshan M. Dandekar, Arnel L. Aguinaldo, Scott J. Hazelwood, Stephen M. Klisch

Biomedical Engineering

Background: Pitching while fatigued and body composition may increase the injury risk in youth and adult pitchers. However, the relationships between game pitch count, biomechanics, and body composition have not been reported for a study group restricted to 9-to 10-year-old athletes.

Hypothesis: During a simulated game with 9-to 10-year-old athletes, (1) participants will experience biomechanical signs of fatigue, and (2) shoulder and elbow kinetics will correlate with body mass index (BMI).

Study Design: Descriptive laboratory study. Methods: Thirteen 9-to 10-year-old youth baseball players pitched a simulated game (75 pitches). Range of motion and muscular output tests were conducted before and …

Exploring Commercial Counter-Uas Operations: A Case Study Of The 2017 Dominican Republic Festival Presidente, Ryan J. Wallace, Jon M. Loffi, Michael Quiroga, Carlos Quiroga

International Journal of Aviation, Aeronautics, and Aerospace

The proliferation of commercial off-the-shelf unmanned aircraft technology has resulted in a growing number of illicit or hazardous UAS activities, highlighting the growing need for effective counter-UAS mitigations. The purpose of this exploratory research is to develop a better understanding of the existing tactics, techniques, procedures involved in counter-UAS operations. Using a critical paradigm approach, the authors conducted a qualitative, unstructured interview with counter-UAS professionals. The authors sought to identify mission planning considerations, counter-UAS engagement tasks, and unanticipated conditions associated with performing a commercial [non-military] counter-UAS mission. The authors codified 11 key mission planning tasks and a 22-step engagement process …

An Investigation Of The Effects Of The Second Pyrolysis On The Chemistry, Morphology, And Performance Of Iron-Nicarbazin Catalysts, Elizabeth B. Weiler

Chemical and Biological Engineering ETDs

Proton exchange membrane fuel cells offer a cost-effective, environmentally friendly, and sustainable alternative to petroleum-based power sources to the transportation sector. However, slow electrochemical reactions at the cathode of these fuel cell prevent the technology from being competitive. Iron-nitrogen-carbon based catalysts have emerged as a viable answer to this problem, yet further progress is needed to improve their performance beyond that of current state-of-the-art platinum-based catalysts, which are economically and geopolitically impractical to be a final solution. Currently, a two-step high temperature pyrolysis method has proven a promising way to synthesize iron-nitrogen-carbon catalysts for optimized performance, but there is a …