Mechanical Engineering Commons^™

Coanda-Assisted Spray Manipulation Implementation To Plasma Spray, Katie E. Mabey

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Co and a-assisted Spray Manipulation (CSM) is a means of modifying the direction of a jet. Previous isothermal static vectoring research is expanded to plasma spray. Two- dimensional Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) was used to determine the vectoring results for small angles between 5-10°. Suitable parameters were determined for use on a plasma spray gun for small angle vectoring. Three-dimensional PIV was used to determine the elect of high speed rotation on a vectored jet. A 2-piece CSM collar was retrofitted to a Praxair SG-100 plasma spray gun that replaced the standard faceplate. Two separate collars were tested: one designed …

Evaluation Of The Aerodynamic Differences Of A Balloon Shape And A Sphere Using Computational Fluid Dynamic Modeling In Fluent, Daniel Burton Scholes

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

While tracking balloons for wind characterization, there was a question about the theoretical rise rate and corresponding coefficient of drag of a balloon shape as compared to a sphere. Since there are many studies published detailing the drag on spherical shapes, the question of whether or not a balloon can be treated as a sphere begged to be answered.

In this study we apply Computational Fluid Dynamic (CFD) modeling to compare the aerodynamic behavior and drag of a sphere to that of a balloon as it moves through fluid at Reynolds numbers from 10,000 to 100,000.

Fluent CFD models are …

Automatic Particle Image Velocimetry Uncertainty Quantification, Benjamin H. Timmins

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The uncertainty of any measurement is the interval in which one believes the actual error lies. Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) measurement error depends on the PIV algorithm used, a wide range of user inputs, flow characteristics, and the experimental setup. Since these factors vary in time and space, they lead to nonuniform error throughout the flow field. As such, a universal PIV uncertainty estimate is not adequate and can be misleading. This is of particular interest when PIV data are used for comparison with computational or experimental data.

A method to estimate the uncertainty due to the PIV calculation of …

Turbulence Modeling Of Strongly Heated Internal Pipe Flow Using Large Eddy Simulation, Michal Hradisky

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The main objective of this study was to evaluate the performance of three Large Eddy Simulation (LES) subgrid scale (SGS) models on a strongly heated, low Mach number upward gas flow in a vertical pipe with forced convection. The models chosen for this study were the Smagorinsky-Lilly Dynamic model (SLD), the Kinetic Energy Transport model (KET), and the Wall-Adaptive Local-Eddy viscosity model (WALE). The used heating rate was sufficiently large to cause properties to vary significantly in both the radial and streamwise directions. All simulations were carried out using the commercial software FLUENT.

The effect of inlet turbulence generation techniques …

Micromechanical Simulation For Fatigue Damage Incubation, Tong Li

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Micromechanical simulations are conducted to quantify the influence of microstructure attributes to the formation of small fatigue cracks. Three wrought aluminum alloys (7075-T651, 2024-T3, virtual material) with fractured particle are studied to quantify the influence of material’s yield strength and ultimate strength to material’s fatigue resistance. Laser Engineered Net Shaping (LENS) material with pores of various spatial distribution and particles are simulated for the microplasticity and its effects on fatigue incubation.

A cohesive zone model is used to study the interface cohesive behavior’s influence to the cyclic driving mechanisms. Different simulations based on different interfacial crack geometries and particle shapes …

Characteristics Of Combustion Flame Sprayed Nickel Aluminum Using A Coanda Assisted Spray Manipulation Collar For Off-Normal Deposits, Reid S. Archibald

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

A novel flame spray collar called the Coanda Assisted Spray Manipulation collar (CSM) has been tested for use on the Sulzer Metco 5P II combustion flame spray gun. A comparison study of the stock nozzle and the CSM has been performed by evaluating the porosity, surface roughness, microhardness, tensile strength and microscopy of normal and off-normal sprayed NiAl deposits. The use of the CSM collar resulted in the need to position the sprayed coupons closer to the gun, which in turn affected the particle impact energy and particle temperatures of the NiAl powder. For the CSM, porosities had a larger …

Effect Of Heavy Metals Found In Flue Gas On Growth And Lipid Accumulation For Green Algae Scenedesmus Obliquus, Reece Butler

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

In recent years there has been a growing interest within the United States to replace fossil fuels with biofuels for environmental and national security reasons. Algal feedstocks have the potential of producing significantly higher yields of oil for biofuels than any other source. It is well known that high concentrations of CO₂ can increase algal yields. Flue gas from coal fire power plants is an obvious source of CO₂. The flue gas, however, will contain other chemicals besides CO₂ that may not be beneficial to the algae. The research objectives for this study were to determine …

Surface Geometry And Heat Flux Effect On Thin Wire Nucleate Pool Boiling Of Subcooled Water In Mictrogravity, Troy Munro, Heng Ban

Presentations

No abstract provided.

Surface Geometry And Heat Flux Effect On Thin Wire Nucleate Pool Boiling Of Subcooled Water In Microgravity, Troy Munro, Andrew Fassman

Presentations

The motivation of this nucleate boiling research is to understand the effects of surface geometry and heat flux as applied to a thin wire heater. This will further the understanding of the fundamental behaviors of boiling onset, steady state heat transfer, and bubble dynamics with respect to nucleate boiling with the goal of creating efficient thermal management systems for future space applications. Using three different thin platinum wire geometries and five different power levels, subcooled water was boiled over a period of approximately 30 seconds for 15 parabolic arcs to simulate microgravity. To represent the trends in bubbles behavior across …

Effects Of Heat Flux On Nucleate Boiling In Microgravity, Andrew Fassman

Presentations

No abstract provided.

The Design And Construction Of A Microgravity Boiling Experiment, Troy Munro

Presentations

No abstract provided.

Get Away Special: Microgravity Research Team, Getaway Special Team

Education and Outreach

No abstract provided.

Report For 2011 Urco Funded Experiment: Development Of Optimal Bubble-Seeding Microheaters To Study Nucleate Boiling Heat Transfer In Microgravity, Ryan Martineau

Reports and Proposals

No abstract provided.

Development Of Optimal Bubble-Seeding Microheaters To Study Nucleate Boiling Heat Transfer In Microgravity, Ryan Martineau

Reports and Proposals

No abstract provided.

Axisymmetric Finite Element Modeling For The Design And Analysis Of Cylindrical Adhesive Joints Based On Dimensional Stability, Paul E. Lyon

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The use and implementation of adhesive joints for space structures is necessary for incorporating fiber-reinforced composite materials. Correct modeling and design of cylindrical adhesive joints can increase the dimensional stability of space structures. The few analytical models for cylindrical adhesive joints do not fully describe the displacement or stress field of the joint.

A two-dimensional axisymmetric finite element model for the design and analysis of adhesive joints was developed. The model was developed solely for the analysis of cylindrical adhesive joints, but the energy techniques used to develop the model can be applied to other types of joints as well. …

Plasticity And Damage In Bimodal Grain Size Al-5083: Microstructural Finite Element, Steven Nelson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Bimodal and nanocrystalline aluminum alloys are being investigated as stronger replacements for conventional polycrystalline aluminum alloys. Higher strengths are achieved by reducing the grain size of a metal; however, as the grain size is reduced the ductility diminishes. One solution that limits this decrease in ductility is the addition of a few microcrystalline grains into a nanocrystalline alloy, creating a bimodal microstructure that offers a better balance of strength and ductility. Two- and three-dimensional microstructural finite element (FE) simulations of monotonic and fatigue failures in Al-5083 having bimodal grain structures are conducted. To reduce the computational time and facilitate the …

Spatial Light Dilution As A Technique For Conversion Of Solar Energy To Algal Biomass, Daniel J. Dye

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

A photobioreactor has been designed and developed to efficiently utilize solar irradiance through spatial dilution of sunlight. The concept of spatial light dilution is simple: incident sunlight is spread over a large surface area, thus reducing the photon flux density of the light. The implementation of this technique, however, is difficult. The reactor described within uses a new approach to spatial light dilution, utilizing recently-developed optical components to diffuse concentrated sunlight inside an algae culture. Preliminary productivity tests indicate a 2-3 fold increase in productivity per unit aperture (sunlight collection area) over a control reactor with direct-sunlight. Aperture productivity of …

Integration Of Ultrasonic Consolidation And Direct-Write To Fabricate An Embedded Electrical System Within A Metallic Enclosure, Ludwing A. Hernandez

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

A research project was undertaken to integrate Ultrasonic Consolitation (UC) and Direct-Write (DW) technologies into a single apparatus to fabricate embedded electrical systems within an ultrasonically consolidated metallic enclosure. Process and design guidelines were developed after performing fundamental research on the operational capabilities of the implemented system. In order to develop such guidelines, numerous tests were performed on both UC and DW. The results from those tests, as well as the design and process guidelines for the fabrication of an embedded touch switch, can be used as a base for future research and experimentation on the UC-DW apparatus. The successful …

Fabrication Of Multi-Material Structures Using Ultrasonic Consolidation And Laser-Engineered Net Shaping, John Olorunshola Obielodan

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This research explores the use of two additive manufacturing processes for the fabrication of multi-material structures. Ultrasonic consolidation (UC) and laser- engineered net shaping (LENS) processes were used for parallel systematic investigations of the process parameters and methodologies for the development of multi-material structures.

The UC process uses ultrasonic energy at low temperature to bond metallic foils. A wide range of metallic materials including nickel; titanium; copper; molybdenum; tantalum; MetPreg®; silver; stainless steel; and aluminum alloys 1100, 3003, and 6061 were bonded in different combinations. Material domains are inherently discrete in ultrasonically consolidated structures. The mechanical properties of some of …

Toward The Validation Of Depth-Averaged, Steady-State Simulations Of Fluvial Flows Using Three-Dimensional, Steady-State, Rans Turbulence Models, Pedro Abdiel Mateo Villanueva

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Calculations of fluvial flows are strongly influenced by geometry complexity and large overall uncertainty on every single measurable property, such as velocity and shear. Moreover, a considerable portion of the data obtained from computational simulations arose from two-dimensional, steady-state models. The present work states a different approach to perform computer-based simulations and analyze fluvial flows. For the first part, the suitability of OpenFOAM to be used as the main CFD solver to analyze fluvial flows is studied. Initially, two well documented channel configurations are computationally studied using OpenFOAM. Finally, these results are compared to the output obtained from one of …

Triso Fuel Compact Thermal Conductivity Measurement Instrument Development, Colby Jensen

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Thermal conductivity is an important thermophysical property needed for effectively predicting fuel performance. As part of the Next Generation Nuclear Plant (NGNP) program, the thermal conductivity of tri-isotropic (TRISO) fuel needs to be measured over a temperature range characteristic of its usage. The composite nature of TRISO fuel requires that measurement be performed over the entire length of the compact in a non-destructive manner. No existing measurement system is capable of performing such a measurement.

A measurement system has been designed based on the steady-state, guarded-comparative-longitudinal heat flow technique. The system as currently designed is capable of measuring cylindrical samples …

Earth Systems Lesson Plan: Size And Forces Of The Solar System, Getaway Special Team 2010

Education and Outreach

No abstract provided.

Physics Lesson Plan: How Far And Fast Does It Travel?, Getaway Special Team 2010

Education and Outreach

No abstract provided.

Elementary And Middle School Science Lesson Plan: Solid, Liquid, Gas, What Is It?, Getaway Special Team 2010

Education and Outreach

No abstract provided.

A One-Dimensional Finite-Difference Solver For Fully-Developed Pipe And Channel Flows, Doug F. Hunsaker

Utah Space Grant Consortium

An algorithm is developed to solve the fundamental flow cases of fully-developed turbulent flow in a pipe and in a channel. The algorithm uses second-order finite-difference approximations for nonuniform grid spacing and is developed in such a way as to easily facilitate the implementation of several two-equation, Reynolds-Averaged-Navier-Stokes turbulence models. Results are included for the Wilcox 1998 k-ω model.

Effects Of Temperature And Humidity On Glass-Reinforced Nylon Rotating Bands, Marc D. Raby

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Certain 30mm munitions used in various military applications are configured with a glass-reinforced nylon band that acts as a firing ring or rotating band. The purpose of this research is to investigate whether storage environments compromise the strength and integrity of the glass-reinforced nylon rotating bands by researching the environmental factors that will degrade nylon and by performing tests to investigate if these factors will embrittle nylon composites. Moisture and temperature are found to be the environmental factors that will have an effect on the rotating bands in their respective storage environments. Absorbed moisture is found to increase the impact …

Design And Scale-Up Of Production Scale Stirred Tank Fermentors, Ryan Z. Davis

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

In the bio/pharmaceutical industry, fermentation is extremely important in pharmaceutical development, and in microbial research. However, new fermentor designs are needed to improve production and reduce costs of complex systems such as cultivation of mammalian cells and genetically engineered micro-organisms. Traditionally, stirred tank design is driven by the oxygen transfer capability needed to achieve cell growth. However, design methodologies available for stirred tank fermentors are insufficient and many times contain errors. The aim of this research is to improve the design of production scale stirred tank fermentors through the development of dimensionless correlations and by providing information on aspects of …

Support Materials Development And Integration For Ultrasonic Consolidation, Matthew L. Swank

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Support materials play a vital role across the entire field of additive manufacturing (AM) technologies. They are essential to provide the ability to create complex structures and features using AM. Successful implementation of support materials in ultrasonic consolidation (UC) will provide a vast opportunity for improvement of geometric complexity. Experimentation was performed to evaluate suitable support materials and their effectiveness within UC. Additionally a fused deposition modeling (FDM) system was integrated into the UC build environment to create an automated support deposition system. Finally several unique structures were built using support materials to demonstrate the improved geometric capability and to …

Guidance And Navigation Linear Covariance Analysis For Lunar Powered Descent, Travis J. Moesser

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

A linear covariance analysis is conducted to assess closed-loop guidance, navigation, and control system (GN&C) performance of the Altair vehicle during lunar powered descent. Guidance algorithms designed for lunar landing are presented and incorporated into the closed-loop covariance equations. Navigation-based event triggering is also included in the covariance formulation to trigger maneuvers and control dispersions. Several navigation and guidance trade studies are presented demonstrating the influence of triggering and guidance and study parameters on the vehicle GN&C performance.

In-Pile Thermal Conductivity Measurement Methods For Nuclear Fuels, Brandon S. Fox

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Measuring nuclear fuel thermal conductivity in-pile can provide much needed data for understanding fuel performance during irradiation and yield thermophysical property data needed for simulation codes and fuel databases. The objective of this research is to develop and compare two in-pile thermal conductivity methods in a laboratory setting using surrogate fuel materials.

A steady-state radial heat flow method was investigated to understand its viability as an in-pile steady-state thermal conductivity technique. By using Joule heating to simulate volumetric heat generation within a surrogate fuel rod, thermal conductivity was measured with two thermocouples at different radial positions within the rod. Examinations …