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Articles 151 - 180 of 839

Full-Text Articles in Mechanical Engineering

Numerical Modelling And Co-Optimization Of Gasoline Fuels For Gasoline Compression Ignition Using Multi Component Approach, Ashwin Karthik Purushothaman Jan 2025

Numerical Modelling And Co-Optimization Of Gasoline Fuels For Gasoline Compression Ignition Using Multi Component Approach, Ashwin Karthik Purushothaman

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Future mobility is expected to rely on a broad spectrum of powertrain technologies, including battery electric vehicles (BEVs), hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) and traditional internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles. Despite the shift toward electrification, internal combustion engines are projected to remain a key component of future powertrains, either as the primary power source or as range extenders to generate electricity in hybrid systems. As such, significant research efforts continue to focus on enhancing the efficiency and reducing the emissions of ICEs to meet increasingly stringent regulatory and environmental targets. Gasoline compression ignition (GCI) has been …


Impact Of Compaction Process On The Carbon Epoxy Composite Under Varied Environmental Conditions, Maryam Al Kuwaiti, Amir Hussain Idrisi, Asima Zahoor, Mostafa S. Elsayed, Dinu Thomas Thekkuden, Abdel-Hamid I. Mourad Dec 2024

Impact Of Compaction Process On The Carbon Epoxy Composite Under Varied Environmental Conditions, Maryam Al Kuwaiti, Amir Hussain Idrisi, Asima Zahoor, Mostafa S. Elsayed, Dinu Thomas Thekkuden, Abdel-Hamid I. Mourad

Michigan Tech Publications

Fibre-reinforced polymeric composites utilized in aerospace settings, experience varying environmental conditions throughout their operational lifespan. The major factors that can have adverse effects on their long-term performance are water and temperature. The present study investigates how the determinants such as water and temperature impact the structural integrity of plain weave woven carbon/epoxy laminated composites and further categorizing them into compacted and non-compacted groups. The compacted group involves in-process compactions during composite lay-up and the use of bleeders/breathers around the laminate, whereas the non-compacted group lacks these procedures. Specimens comprising twelve plies are created and submerged in water heating chambers set …


Understanding Confusion: A Case Study Of Training A Machine Model To Predict And Interpret Consensus From Volunteer Labels, Ramanakumar Sankar, Kameswara Mantha, Cooper Nesmith, Lucy Fortson, Shawn R. Brueshaber, Candice Hansen-Koharcheck, Glenn Orton Dec 2024

Understanding Confusion: A Case Study Of Training A Machine Model To Predict And Interpret Consensus From Volunteer Labels, Ramanakumar Sankar, Kameswara Mantha, Cooper Nesmith, Lucy Fortson, Shawn R. Brueshaber, Candice Hansen-Koharcheck, Glenn Orton

Michigan Tech Publications

Citizen science has become a valuable and reliable method for interpreting and processing big datasets, and is vital in the era of ever-growing data volumes. However, there are inherent difficulties in the generating labels from citizen scientists, due to the inherent variability between the members of the crowd, leading to variability in the results. Sometimes, this is useful — such as with serendipitous discoveries, which corresponds to rare/unknown classes in the data — but it might also be due to ambiguity between classes. The primary issue is then to distinguish between the intrinsic variability in the dataset and the uncertainty …


Mae Enewsbrief July-Sept 2024, Department Of Mechanical And Aerospce Engineering, Michigan Technological University Dec 2024

Mae Enewsbrief July-Sept 2024, Department Of Mechanical And Aerospce Engineering, Michigan Technological University

Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering eNewsBrief

No abstract provided.


Optimal Control Of Nonlinear, Nonautonomous, Energy Harvesting Systems Applied To Point Absorber Wave Energy Converters, Houssein Yassin, Tania Demonte Gonzalez, Kevin Nelson, Gordon Parker, Wayne Weaver Nov 2024

Optimal Control Of Nonlinear, Nonautonomous, Energy Harvesting Systems Applied To Point Absorber Wave Energy Converters, Houssein Yassin, Tania Demonte Gonzalez, Kevin Nelson, Gordon Parker, Wayne Weaver

Michigan Tech Publications

Pursuing sustainable energy solutions has prompted researchers to focus on optimizing energy extraction from renewable sources. Control laws that optimize energy extraction require accurate modeling, often resulting in time-varying, nonlinear differential equations. An energy-maximizing optimal control law is derived for time-varying, nonlinear, second-order, energy harvesting systems. We demonstrate that sustaining periodic motion under this control law when subjected to periodic disturbances necessitates identifying appropriate initial conditions, inducing the system to follow a limit cycle. The general optimal solution is applied to two point absorber wave energy converter models: a linear model where the analytical derivation of initial conditions suffices and …


Nonlinear Model Predictive Control Of Heaving Wave Energy Converter With Nonlinear Froude–Krylov Forces, Tania Demonte Gonzalez, Enrico Anderlini, Houssein Yassin, Gordon Parker Oct 2024

Nonlinear Model Predictive Control Of Heaving Wave Energy Converter With Nonlinear Froude–Krylov Forces, Tania Demonte Gonzalez, Enrico Anderlini, Houssein Yassin, Gordon Parker

Michigan Tech Publications

Wave energy holds significant promise as a renewable energy source due to the consistent and predictable nature of ocean waves. However, optimizing wave energy devices is essential for achieving competitive viability in the energy market. This paper presents the application of a nonlinear model predictive controller (MPC) to enhance the energy extraction of a heaving point absorber. The wave energy converter (WEC) model accounts for the nonlinear dynamics and static Froude–Krylov forces, which are essential in accurately representing the system’s behavior. The nonlinear MPC is tested under irregular wave conditions within the power production region, where constraints on displacement and …


Editorial For The Special Issue On Nanomaterials For Micro/Nanodevices, Amir Hussain Idrisi Oct 2024

Editorial For The Special Issue On Nanomaterials For Micro/Nanodevices, Amir Hussain Idrisi

Michigan Tech Publications

The Special Issue of Micromachines, titled "Nanomaterials for Micro/Nanodevices", comprehensively examines the intersection of nanotechnology and micro/nanodevices [...].


Advancements In The Programmable Hyperspectral Seawater Scanner Measurement Technology For Enhanced Detection Of Harmful Algal Blooms, John J. Langan, Jungyun Bae Oct 2024

Advancements In The Programmable Hyperspectral Seawater Scanner Measurement Technology For Enhanced Detection Of Harmful Algal Blooms, John J. Langan, Jungyun Bae

Michigan Tech Publications

The Programmable Hyperspectral Seawater Scanner (PHySS) represents a significant breakthrough in monitoring harmful algal blooms (HABs), specifically targeting the “Florida red tide” caused by Karenia brevis. By utilizing a Fourth-Derivative Spectral Similarity Index (SI), this study establishes a strong positive correlation between the SI and phytoplankton counts, underscoring the PHySS’s potential for early detection and effective management of HABs. Our findings suggest that the PHySS could act as a predictive tool, offering crucial lead time to mitigate the ecological and economic repercussions of blooms. However, this study also identifies certain limitations of the PHySS technology, such as its inability to …


Radiopaque Femnn-Mo Composite Drawn Filled Tubing Wires For Braided Absorbable Neurovascular Devices, Adam J. Griebel, Petra Maier, Henry D. Summers, Benjamin Clausius, Isabella Kanasty, Weilue He, Nicholas Peterson, Carolyn Czerniak, Alexander A. Oliver, David F. Kallmes, Ramanathan Kadirvel, Jeremy E. Schaffer, Roger J. Guillory Oct 2024

Radiopaque Femnn-Mo Composite Drawn Filled Tubing Wires For Braided Absorbable Neurovascular Devices, Adam J. Griebel, Petra Maier, Henry D. Summers, Benjamin Clausius, Isabella Kanasty, Weilue He, Nicholas Peterson, Carolyn Czerniak, Alexander A. Oliver, David F. Kallmes, Ramanathan Kadirvel, Jeremy E. Schaffer, Roger J. Guillory

Michigan Tech Publications

Flow diverter devices are small stents used to divert blood flow away from aneurysms in the brain, stagnating flow and inducing intra-aneurysmal thrombosis which in time will prevent aneurysm rupture. Current devices are formed from thin (∼25 μm) wires which will remain in place long after the aneurysm has been mitigated. As their continued presence could lead to secondary complications, an absorbable flow diverter which dissolves into the body after aneurysm occlusion is desirable. The absorbable metals investigated to date struggle to achieve the necessary combination of strength, elasticity, corrosion rate, fragmentation resistance, radiopacity, and biocompatibility. This work proposes and …


Jovian Vortex Hunter: A Citizen Science Project To Study Jupiter’S Vortices, Ramanakumar Sankar, Shawn R. Brueshaber, Lucy Fortson, Candice Hansen-Koharcheck, Chris Lintott, Kameswara Mantha, Cooper Nesmith, Glenn S. Orton Sep 2024

Jovian Vortex Hunter: A Citizen Science Project To Study Jupiter’S Vortices, Ramanakumar Sankar, Shawn R. Brueshaber, Lucy Fortson, Candice Hansen-Koharcheck, Chris Lintott, Kameswara Mantha, Cooper Nesmith, Glenn S. Orton

Michigan Tech Publications

The Jovian atmosphere contains a wide diversity of vortices, which have a large range of sizes, colors, and forms in different dynamical regimes. The formation processes for these vortices are poorly understood, and aside from a few known, long-lived ovals, such as the Great Red Spot and Oval BA, vortex stability and their temporal evolution are currently largely unknown. In this study, we use JunoCam data and a citizen science project on Zooniverse to derive a catalog of vortices, some with repeated observations, from 2018 May to 2021 September, and we analyze their associated properties, such as size, location, and …


Implementing Reactivity In Molecular Dynamics Simulations With Harmonic Force Fields, Jordan J. Winetrout, Krishan Kanhaiya, Josh Kemppainen, Pieter J. In ‘T Veld, Geeta Sachdeva, Ravindra Pandey, Behzad Damirchi, Adri Van Duin, Gregory Odegard, Hendrik Heinz Sep 2024

Implementing Reactivity In Molecular Dynamics Simulations With Harmonic Force Fields, Jordan J. Winetrout, Krishan Kanhaiya, Josh Kemppainen, Pieter J. In ‘T Veld, Geeta Sachdeva, Ravindra Pandey, Behzad Damirchi, Adri Van Duin, Gregory Odegard, Hendrik Heinz

Michigan Tech Publications

The simulation of chemical reactions and mechanical properties including failure from atoms to the micrometer scale remains a longstanding challenge in chemistry and materials science. Bottlenecks include computational feasibility, reliability, and cost. We introduce a method for reactive molecular dynamics simulations using a clean replacement of non-reactive classical harmonic bond potentials with reactive, energy-conserving Morse potentials, called the Reactive INTERFACE Force Field (IFF-R). IFF-R is compatible with force fields for organic and inorganic compounds such as IFF, CHARMM, PCFF, OPLS-AA, and AMBER. Bond dissociation is enabled by three interpretable Morse parameters per bond type and zero energy upon disconnect. Use …


Evolution Of Physical, Thermal, And Mechanical Properties Of Poly(Methyl Methacrylate)-Based Elium Thermoplastic Polymer During Polymerization, Swapnil S. Bamane, Prathamesh Deshpande, Sagar Patil, Marianna Maiaru, Gregory Odegard Sep 2024

Evolution Of Physical, Thermal, And Mechanical Properties Of Poly(Methyl Methacrylate)-Based Elium Thermoplastic Polymer During Polymerization, Swapnil S. Bamane, Prathamesh Deshpande, Sagar Patil, Marianna Maiaru, Gregory Odegard

Michigan Tech Publications

Elium-based thermoplastic composites are a key material for future use in the marine, wind energy, and automotive industries because of their recyclability and ease of manufacture. To optimize the processing of the Elium composites to yield optimal structural properties, computational process modeling can be used to relate processing parameters to residual stresses and material durability. The key ingredient for reliable and accurate process modeling is the evolution of physical, thermal, and mechanical properties during polymerization. The objective of this study is to use molecular dynamics to predict the mass density, bulk modulus, shear modulus, Young’s modulus, Poisson’s ratio, glass transition …


Redwater Test Data, Paul Van Susante, Kris Zacny Sep 2024

Redwater Test Data, Paul Van Susante, Kris Zacny

Michigan Tech Research Data

The RedWater mission is to extract water from subterranean glaciers found on Mars. Honeybee robotics has contracted the PSTDL to conduct small scale tests in order to collect data on the power consumed by a high-density cartridge heater to melt through cryogenic clear ice at Martian atmospheric pressure.


The Effect Of Gamma-Ray Irradiation On Polymer-Graphene Nanocomposite Interfaces, Sagar Patil, Josh Kemppainen, Travis Wavrunek, Gregory Odegard Sep 2024

The Effect Of Gamma-Ray Irradiation On Polymer-Graphene Nanocomposite Interfaces, Sagar Patil, Josh Kemppainen, Travis Wavrunek, Gregory Odegard

Michigan Tech Publications

CNT yarns are used in ultra-high strength composites for use in manned deep-space vehicles. It has been previously demonstrated through experiments that gamma-ray irradiation substantially improves the mechanical performance of these composites. It is unclear how the irradiation affects the mechanical response of the CNT yarn/polymer interface that ultimately leads to these panel-level performance improvements. Physical insight into this process could enable further improvements in the CNT yarn/polymer interface design in the future. The objective of this research is to use molecular dynamics simulation to provide physical insight into the effect of gamma-ray irradiation on the mechanical behavior (interfacial interaction …


Wind Turbine Power Phase Control With Dc Collection Bus For Onshore/Offshore Windfarms, Wayne Weaver, David Wilson, Rush Robinett Jul 2024

Wind Turbine Power Phase Control With Dc Collection Bus For Onshore/Offshore Windfarms, Wayne Weaver, David Wilson, Rush Robinett

Michigan Tech Patents

A DC bus collection system for a wind farm reduces the overall required number of converters and minimizes the energy storage system requirements. The DC bus collection system implements a power phasing control method between wind turbines that filters the variations and improves power quality. The phasing control method takes advantage of a novel power packet network concept with nonlinear power flow control design techniques that guarantees both stable and enhanced dynamic performance.


Me-Em Enewsbrief, June 2024, Department Of Mechanical Engineering- Engineering Mechanics, Michigan Technological University Jul 2024

Me-Em Enewsbrief, June 2024, Department Of Mechanical Engineering- Engineering Mechanics, Michigan Technological University

Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering eNewsBrief

No abstract provided.


Lunar: Automated Input Generation And Analysis For Reactive Lammps Simulations, Josh Kemppainen, Jacob R. Gissinger, S. Gowtham, Gregory Odegard Jun 2024

Lunar: Automated Input Generation And Analysis For Reactive Lammps Simulations, Josh Kemppainen, Jacob R. Gissinger, S. Gowtham, Gregory Odegard

Michigan Tech Publications

Generating simulation-ready molecular models for the LAMMPS molecular dynamics (MD) simulation software package is a difficult task and impedes the more widespread and efficient use of MD in materials design and development. Fixed-bond force fields generally require manual assignment of atom types, bonded interactions, charges, and simulation domain sizes. A new LAMMPS pre- and postprocessing toolkit (LUNAR) is presented that efficiently builds molecular systems for LAMMPS. LUNAR automatically assigns atom types, generates bonded interactions, assigns charges, and provides initial configuration methods to generate large molecular systems. LUNAR can also incorporate chemical reactivity into simulations by facilitating the use of the …


Automating An Industrial Dishwashing System Using Hardware-In-The-Loop Plc Simulation With Factory I/O, Paniz Khanmohammadi Hazaveh, Nathir Rawashdeh, Dunsten M. X. Dsouza, Joshua Olusola, Joshua Albrecht, Eric Houck Jun 2024

Automating An Industrial Dishwashing System Using Hardware-In-The-Loop Plc Simulation With Factory I/O, Paniz Khanmohammadi Hazaveh, Nathir Rawashdeh, Dunsten M. X. Dsouza, Joshua Olusola, Joshua Albrecht, Eric Houck

Michigan Tech Publications

While industrial automation is growing in many industries, the hospitality industry has not seen much technological innovation recently. This leaves a wealth of potential for the implementation of automated solutions, especially at large-scale operations, like university dining halls or cruise ship restaurants. This paper details a student project developed in the advanced programmable logic controllers class. It is part of the master program in mechatronics. Students work in groups in a creative setting, where they learn to integrate various automation technologies and learn to write scientific publications. The project implements the automation of a student dining hall dishwashing system using …


Plc Multi-Robot Integration Via Ethernet For Human Operated Quality Sampling, Jeevan S. Devagiri, Paniz Khanmohammadi Hazaveh, Nathir Rawashdeh, Sai Revanth Reddy Dudipala, Pratik Mohan Desmuhk, Aditya Prasad Karmarkar Jun 2024

Plc Multi-Robot Integration Via Ethernet For Human Operated Quality Sampling, Jeevan S. Devagiri, Paniz Khanmohammadi Hazaveh, Nathir Rawashdeh, Sai Revanth Reddy Dudipala, Pratik Mohan Desmuhk, Aditya Prasad Karmarkar

Michigan Tech Publications

In automation, quality control inspection is a critical requirement to ensure product standards. The goal of this work is to insure product quality without interrupting the production line flow. The multi-robot system presented, connects a programmable logic controller (PLC), as the main controller, to a conveyor belt and two FANUC industrial robotic arms via EtherNet/IP. Human interaction is implemented to pick a work piece from the moving conveyor and return it with a quality label. This label is used by the PLC to execute the correct robot action; either to return the inspected part to the conveyor or discard it …


Nucleation Control System And Method Leading To Enhanced Boiling Based On Electric Cooling, Amitabh Narain, Soroush Sepahyar, Divya Kamlesh Pandya, Vibhu Vivek Jun 2024

Nucleation Control System And Method Leading To Enhanced Boiling Based On Electric Cooling, Amitabh Narain, Soroush Sepahyar, Divya Kamlesh Pandya, Vibhu Vivek

Michigan Tech Patents

A cooling module for an electric devise includes a body having formed therein a plurality of channels, a micro-structured boiling surface, a piezoelectric transducer, an inlet header, and an outlet header. Each channel of the plurality of channels is defined by a first channel surface and opposing lateral channel surfaces cooperatively defining a rectangular cross section normal to a channel axis The micro-structured boiling surface is positioned adjacent the first channel surface of each channel. The piezoelectric transducer is in acoustic communication with one of the opposing lateral channel surfaces of each channel and configured to direct acoustic waves on …


Designing Hybrid Aerogel-3d Printed Absorbers For Simultaneous Low Frequency And Broadband Noise Control, Yutong Xue, L. Paige Nobles, Bhisham Sharma, J. Stuart Bolton Jun 2024

Designing Hybrid Aerogel-3d Printed Absorbers For Simultaneous Low Frequency And Broadband Noise Control, Yutong Xue, L. Paige Nobles, Bhisham Sharma, J. Stuart Bolton

Michigan Tech Publications

Recent studies have demonstrated that granular aerogels with sub-50 μm particles surpass conventional acoustic materials like glass fibers and polyurethane foams in low-frequency sound absorption. However, incorporating such granular materials within practical structural solutions remains a challenge. In this study, we use additive manufacturing to overcome this challenge by designing a modular geometry that allows us to encapsulate such granular materials within a 3D printed scaffold. Using the 3D printed porous scaffold provides the added benefits of tunability and durability. Further, we introduce a design methodology and software tool to facilitate the efficient design of such hybrid sound absorbers. The …


Me-Em Enewsbrief, Mar 2024, Department Of Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics, Michigan Technological University May 2024

Me-Em Enewsbrief, Mar 2024, Department Of Mechanical Engineering-Engineering Mechanics, Michigan Technological University

Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering eNewsBrief

No abstract provided.


Assessing The Benefits Of Electrification For The Mackinac Island Ferry From An Environmental And Economic Perspective, Siddharth Gopujkar, Jeremy Worm May 2024

Assessing The Benefits Of Electrification For The Mackinac Island Ferry From An Environmental And Economic Perspective, Siddharth Gopujkar, Jeremy Worm

Michigan Tech Publications

Ferry electrification has gained attention in the last decade as a potential path to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. This study, conducted by APS LABS at Michigan Technological University for the Mackinac Economic Alliance (MEA) and funded by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC), looked at the feasibility and potential benefits of electrification of a particular vessel that is part of a ferry service from Mackinaw City, Michigan, USA, to Mackinac Island, Michigan, USA. The study included a comprehensive analysis of the feasibility of retrofitting the current configuration of the ferry into an all-electric ferry based on the availability of components …


Analyzing The Effects Of Atmospheric Turbulent Fluctuations On The Wake Structure Of Wind Turbines And Their Blade Vibrational Dynamics, Alayna Farrell, Fernando Ponta, Apurva Baruah Apr 2024

Analyzing The Effects Of Atmospheric Turbulent Fluctuations On The Wake Structure Of Wind Turbines And Their Blade Vibrational Dynamics, Alayna Farrell, Fernando Ponta, Apurva Baruah

Michigan Tech Publications

In recent trends, a rising demand for renewable energy has driven wind turbines to larger proportions, where lighter blade designs are often adopted to reduce the costs associated with logistics and production. This causes modern utility-scale wind turbine blades to be inherently more flexible, and their amplified aeroelastic sensitivity results in complex multi-physics reactions to variant atmospheric conditions, including dynamic patterns of aerodynamic loading at the rotor and vortex structure evolutions within the wake. In this paper, we analyze the influence of inflow variance for wind turbines with large, flexible rotors through simulations of the National Rotor Testbed (NRT) turbine, …


Optimal Molecular Dynamics System Size For Increased Precision And Efficiency For Epoxy Materials, Khatereh Kashmari, Sagar Patil, Josh Kemppainen, Shankara Gowtham, Gregory Odegard Apr 2024

Optimal Molecular Dynamics System Size For Increased Precision And Efficiency For Epoxy Materials, Khatereh Kashmari, Sagar Patil, Josh Kemppainen, Shankara Gowtham, Gregory Odegard

Michigan Tech Publications

Molecular dynamics (MD) simulation is an important tool for predicting thermo-mechanical properties of polymer resins at the nanometer length scale, which is particularly important for efficient computationally driven design of advanced composite materials and structures. Because of the statistical nature of modeling amorphous materials on the nanometer length scale, multiple MD models (replicates) are typically built and simulated for statistical sampling of predicted properties. Larger replicates generally provide higher precision in the predictions but result in higher simulation times. Unfortunately, there is insufficient information in the literature to establish guidelines between MD model size and the resulting precision in predicted …


Systems, Methods And Techniques For Torrefaction, Ezra Bar Ziv, Stas Zinchik, Shreyas Sunil Kolapkar Apr 2024

Systems, Methods And Techniques For Torrefaction, Ezra Bar Ziv, Stas Zinchik, Shreyas Sunil Kolapkar

Michigan Tech Patents

A system for torrefaction of waste material comprising biogenic material and plastic material may comprise a material pre-processing system, a heating and compaction unit, a reactor system comprising a reaction portion and an extrusion portion, and a cutting unit adjacent an outlet of the reactor system. A method for operating a system for torrefaction of waste material comprising biogenic and plastic material may comprise processing the waste material to generate waste material having an aspect ratio between 0.8:1 and 1.2:1 and a largest dimension of less than 4 millimeters (mm); compressing and heating the pre-processed waste material in the heating …


Deciphering The Controlling Factors For Phase Transitions In Zeolitic Imidazolate Frameworks, Tao Du, Shanwu Li, Sudheer Ganisetti, Mathieu Bauchy, Yuanzheng Yue, Morten M. Smedskjaer Apr 2024

Deciphering The Controlling Factors For Phase Transitions In Zeolitic Imidazolate Frameworks, Tao Du, Shanwu Li, Sudheer Ganisetti, Mathieu Bauchy, Yuanzheng Yue, Morten M. Smedskjaer

Michigan Tech Publications

Zeolitic imidazolate frameworks (ZIFs) feature complex phase transitions, including polymorphism, melting, vitrification, and polyamorphism. Experimentally probing their structural evolution during transitions involving amorphous phases is a significant challenge, especially at the medium-range length scale. To overcome this challenge, here we first train a deep learning-based force field to identify the structural characteristics of both crystalline and non-crystalline ZIF phases. This allows us to reproduce the structural evolution trend during the melting of crystals and formation of ZIF glasses at various length scales with an accuracy comparable to that of ab initio molecular dynamics, yet at a much lower computational cost. …


Characterization Of Oscillatory Response Of Light-Weight Wind Turbine Rotors Under Controlled Gust Pulses, Fernando Ponta, Alayna Farrell, Apurva Baruah, North Yates Mar 2024

Characterization Of Oscillatory Response Of Light-Weight Wind Turbine Rotors Under Controlled Gust Pulses, Fernando Ponta, Alayna Farrell, Apurva Baruah, North Yates

Michigan Tech Publications

Given the industry-wide trend of continual increases in the size of utility-scale wind turbines, a point will come where reductions will need to be made in terms of the weight of the turbine’s blades to ensure they can be as long as needed without sacrificing structural stability. One such technique that may be considered is to decrease the material used for the shell and spar cap. While this will solve the weight issue, it creates a new one entirely—less material for the shell and spar cap will in turn create blades that are more flexible than what is currently used. …


Increasing The Dissolution Rate Of Polystyrene Waste In Solvent-Based Recycling, Rita Kol, Ruben Denolf, Gwendoline Bernaert, Dave Manhaeghe, Ezra Bar Ziv, George W. Huber, Norbert Niessner, Michiel Verswyvel, Angeliki Lemonidou, Dimitris S. Achilias, Steven De Meester Mar 2024

Increasing The Dissolution Rate Of Polystyrene Waste In Solvent-Based Recycling, Rita Kol, Ruben Denolf, Gwendoline Bernaert, Dave Manhaeghe, Ezra Bar Ziv, George W. Huber, Norbert Niessner, Michiel Verswyvel, Angeliki Lemonidou, Dimitris S. Achilias, Steven De Meester

Michigan Tech Publications

Solvent-based recycling of plastic waste is a promising approach for cleaning polymer chains without breaking them. However, the time required to actually dissolve the polymer in a lab environment can take hours. Different factors play a role in polymer dissolution, including temperature, turbulence, and solvent properties. This work provides insights into bottlenecks and opportunities to increase the dissolution rate of polystyrene in solvents. The paper starts with a broad solvent screening in which the dissolution times are compared. Based on the experimental results, a multiple regression model is constructed, which shows that within several solvent properties, the viscosity of the …


Experimental Investigation Of Long-Term Performance Of Fiber-Reinforced Epoxy And Polyurethane Polymer Composites, Abdel Hamid I. Mourad, Amir Hussain Idrisi, Asima Zahoor, Muhammad M. Sherif, Beckry M. Abdel-Magid Mar 2024

Experimental Investigation Of Long-Term Performance Of Fiber-Reinforced Epoxy And Polyurethane Polymer Composites, Abdel Hamid I. Mourad, Amir Hussain Idrisi, Asima Zahoor, Muhammad M. Sherif, Beckry M. Abdel-Magid

Michigan Tech Publications

The primary challenge encountered by polymers and their composites when exposed to saline water is their inadequate ability to withstand wear and tear over time. With a potential to replace conventional materials the long-term performance of FRP composites is still a novice area. This manuscript thus, reports an experimental investigation and prediction of the durability of fiber-reinforced polymer composites exposed to seawater at different temperatures. E-glass/epoxy and E-glass/polyurethane samples were exposed to 23 °C, 45 °C and 65 °C seawater for up to 2700 days (90 months). Tensile tests evaluated the mechanical performance of the composite as a function of …