Mechanical Engineering Commons^™

Restraint System Design And Evaluation For Military Specific Applications, Sebastian Karwaczynski

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

This research focuses on designing an optimal restraint system for usage in a military vehicle applications. The designed restraint system must accommodate a wide range of DHM’s and ATD’s with and without PPE such as: helmet, boots, and body armor. The evaluation of the restraint systems were conducted in a simulated vehicle environment, which was utilized to downselect the ideal restraint system for this program.

In December of 2011 the OCP TECD program was formulated to increase occupant protection. To do this, 3D computer models were created to accommodate the entire Soldier population in the Army. These models included the …

Simulation Of Scalability For Autonomous Mobile Microgrids, Nathan Beyers

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Microgrids are small-scale, decentralized systems for generation, storage, and management of electricity to provide power within a local area. By establishing these microgrids using autonomous robots, they can be made safer and more easily reconfigurable. This thesis presents a plan and outlines the infrastructure needed for scaling up previous experimental work on such systems. This work brings together a variety of tools in the form of both software and hardware to set the stage for how further development can be completed. An architecture for physical testing has been built to validate the full potential of navigation and making electrical connections …

Design Of Real-Time Combustion Feedback System And Experimental Study Of An Rcci Engine For Control, Jayant Kumar Arora

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Premixed compression ignition (PCI) technologies offer high efficiency and low emissions but are usually confined by limited operation range as well as high pressure rise and heat release rate. In this work, a more recently developed PCI mode is explored where in-cylinder blending of two fuels with different auto-ignition characteristics (diesel and gasoline) is utilized to create reactivity stratification such that heat release rate and combustion timing can be controlled. This mode has been defined as Reactivity Controlled Compression Ignition (RCCI).

As part of this thesis, the main aim is to study various parameters that can be used to control …

Design Features And Optimization Of Profile Extrusion Dies, Abhishek Sai Erri Pradeep

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

This report deals with design of dies used in the plastic extrusion industry. The design methodology for extrusion dies has evolved over the years with advancement of computing technology. However, the design process is still heavily dependent on the experience of the die designer, and hence is still considered to be more of an art than science. Even for an experienced designer, the time required to design the die and perform consecutive fine tuning iterations is high. In this report, a proprietary optimization code for extrusion dies, .developed by Plastic Flow LLC, was tested and shown to be advantageous over …

Integration And Testing Of An Advanced Conformable Cng Tank In A Full-Sized Light-Duty Pickup, Abayomi Famuyiwa

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Michigan Technological University is collaborating with Southwestern Energy and REL Inc. to develop and integrate a compressed natural gas (CNG) matrix tank that enables efficient packaging, increases range, and reduced cost for CNG vehicle applications. The vehicle being used in this project is a light-duty pickup truck to take advantage of the open space underneath the body and bed of the vehicle. With today’s cylindrical CNG tanks consuming cargo space, a solution is to develop a tank capable of being shaping to the underbody of the truck to free cargo space. University faculty and graduate students utilizes Finite Element Analysis …

An Experimental Investigation Of Low Temperature Combustion Regimes In A Light Duty Engine, Kaushik Kannan

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

A continuous investigation on the improvement of internal combustion engines is necessary due to the stringent emission and fuel economy regulations. Low Temperature Combustion (LTC) is a promising field of research since it can simultaneously reduce NOx and soot while attaining high thermal efficiencies in automotive engines. A thorough study of several LTC regimes is necessary to understand the quantitative comparison and the extent of feasibility of these regimes functioning on an automotive engine. This thesis concentrates on an experimental investigation of three different LTC modes namely Homogeneously Charged Compression Ignition (HCCI), Partially Premixed Compression Ignition (PPCI) and Reactivity Controlled …

Air Charge Estimation For An Si Engine Using In-Cylinder Pressure Sensor, Arya Yazdani

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

An accurate estimation of cycle by cycle in-cylinder mass and the composition of the combustion chamber charge is required for engine control strategies to meet stringent pollution emission and fuel consumption regulations. Estimation of fresh charge and residual gas masses is beneficial in terms of fuel efficiency, tailpipe emissions, engine performance, for engine control strategies. Air-flow meter, which is mounted in the intake air circuit, can be utilized in a closed-loop strategy to control air charge. However, air flow meter has a response delay; moreover dynamics of intake manifold and pipes must be taken into consideration to improve the estimation …

An Experimental Investigation Of The Effect Of Temperature And Space Velocity On The Performance Of A Cu-Zeolite Flow-Through Scr And A Scr Catalyst On A Dpf With And Without Pm Loading, Vaibhav Kadam

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Abstract The heavy-duty diesel (HDD) engines use the diesel oxidation catalyst (DOC), catalyzed particulate filter (CPF) and urea injection based selective catalytic reduction (SCR) systems in sequential combination, to meet the US EPA 2010 PM and NOₓ emission standards. The SCR along with a NH₃ slip control catalyst (AMOX) offer NOₓ reduction >90 % with NH₃ slipHowever, there is a strong desire to further improve the NOₓ reduction performance of such systems, to meet the California Optional Low NOₓ Standard implemented since 2015. Integrating SCR functionality into a diesel particulate filter (DPF), by coating the SCR catalyst on the DPF, …

Methodology For Analyzing Epoxy-Cnt Phononic Crystals For Wave Attenuation And Guiding, Madhu Kolati

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Phononic crystals (PhnCs) control, direct and manipulate sound waves to achieve wave guiding and attenuation. This dissertation presents methodology for analyzing nanotube materials based phononic crystals to achieve control over sound, vibration and stress mitigation. Much of the analytical work presented is in identifying frequency band gaps in which sound or vibration cannot propagate through these PhnCs. Wave attenuation and mitigation analysis is demonstrated using finite element simulation. Engineering principles from current research areas of solid mechanics, solid-state physics, elasto-dynamics, mechanical vibrations and acoustics are employed for the methodology. A considerable effort is put to show that these PhnCs can …

Nanoionics And Nanocatalysts: Conformal Mesoporous Surface Scaffold For Cathode Of Solid Oxide Fuel Cells, Yun Chen, Kirk Gerdes, Xueyan Song

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Nanoionics has become increasingly important in devices and systems related to energy conversion and storage. Nevertheless, nanoionics and nanostructured electrodes development has been challenging for solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) owing to many reasons including poor stability of the nanocrystals during fabrication of SOFCs at elevated temperatures. In this study, a conformal mesoporous ZrO2 nanoionic network was formed on the surface of La1−xSrxMnO3/yttria-stabilized zirconia (LSM/YSZ) cathode backbone using Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) and thermal treatment. The surface layer nanoionic network possesses open mesopores for gas penetration, and features a high density of grain boundaries for enhanced ion-transport. The mesoporous nanoionic …

A 3-D Finite Element Model Of The Synthesis, Degradation, And Spatial Spread Of Camp, S Shettleworth, K J. Webb, A V. Phan, T C. Rich

Early Career Technical Journal (ECTJ)

Section 4: Materials; pp. 112-116

Drop Tower Data Filtration Validation, L Lisenbee, David L. Littlefield

Early Career Technical Journal (ECTJ)

Section 2: Design & Manufacturing; pp. 33-37

Cfd Simulation Of Fluid Accumulation In Normal And Injured Alveolar Sacs Models, Parya Aghasafari, Sommer Ihab Anjum, Ramana Pidaparti

Early Career Technical Journal (ECTJ)

Section 1: Bio-Medical/Bioengineering; pp. 15-21

Damage Tolerance And Assessment Of Unidirectional Carbon Fiber Composites, Mark David Flores

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Composites are beginning to be used in a variety of different applications throughout industry. However, certification and damage tolerance is a growing concern in many aerospace and marine applications. Although compression-after-impact have been studied thoroughly, determining a damage tolerance methodology that accurately characterizes the failure of composites has not been established. An experimental investigation was performed to study the effect of stacking sequence, low-velocity impact response, and residual strength due to compression and fatigue. Digital Image Correlation (DIC) captured the strains and deformation of the plate due to compression. Computational investigations integrated non-destructive techniques (C-Scan, X-Ray) to determine the extent …

Test 2158: Case Ih Farmall 130a, Nebraska Tractor Test Lab

Nebraska Tractor Tests

ABOUT THE TEST REPORT AND USE OF THE DATA The test data contained in this report are a tabulation of the results of a series of tests. Due to the restricted format of these pages, only a limited amount of data and not all of the tractor specifications are included. The full OECD report contains usually about 30 pages of data and specifications. The test data were obtained for each tractor under similar conditions and therefore, provide a means of comparison of performance based on a limited set of reported data. EXPLANATION OF THE TEST PROCEDURES Purpose The purpose of …

Test 2157: Case Ih Farmall 120a, Nebraska Tractor Test Lab

Nebraska Tractor Tests

ABOUT THE TEST REPORT AND USE OF THE DATA The test data contained in this report are a tabulation of the results of a series of tests. Due to the restricted format of these pages, only a limited amount of data and not all of the tractor specifications are included. The full OECD report contains usually about 30 pages of data and specifications. The test data were obtained for each tractor under similar conditions and therefore, provide a means of comparison of performance based on a limited set of reported data. EXPLANATION OF THE TEST PROCEDURES Purpose The purpose of …

Nebraska Summary: S1065 Challenger Mt515e, Nebraska Tractor Test Lab

Nebraska Tractor Tests

ABOUT THE TEST REPORT AND USE OF THE DATA The test data contained in this report are a tabulation of the results of a series of tests. Due to the restricted format of these pages, only a limited amount of data and not all of the tractor specifications are included. The full OECD report contains usually about 30 pages of data and specifications. The test data were obtained for each tractor under similar conditions and therefore, provide a means of comparison of performance based on a limited set of reported data. EXPLANATION OF THE TEST PROCEDURES Purpose The purpose of …

Nebraska Summary: S1139 New Holland T4.120, Nebraska Tractor Test Lab

Nebraska Tractor Tests

ABOUT THE TEST REPORT AND USE OF THE DATA The test data contained in this report are a tabulation of the results of a series of tests. Due to the restricted format of these pages, only a limited amount of data and not all of the tractor specifications are included. The full OECD report contains usually about 30 pages of data and specifications. The test data were obtained for each tractor under similar conditions and therefore, provide a means of comparison of performance based on a limited set of reported data. EXPLANATION OF THE TEST PROCEDURES Purpose The purpose of …

Nebraska Summary: S1129 Case-Ih Farmall 120u, Nebraska Tractor Test Lab

Nebraska Tractor Tests

ABOUT THE TEST REPORT AND USE OF THE DATA The test data contained in this report are a tabulation of the results of a series of tests. Due to the restricted format of these pages, only a limited amount of data and not all of the tractor specifications are included. The full OECD report contains usually about 30 pages of data and specifications. The test data were obtained for each tractor under similar conditions and therefore, provide a means of comparison of performance based on a limited set of reported data. EXPLANATION OF THE TEST PROCEDURES Purpose The purpose of …

Nebraska Summary: S1096 Case-Ih Maxxum 145, Nebraska Tractor Test Lab

Nebraska Tractor Tests

ABOUT THE TEST REPORT AND USE OF THE DATA The test data contained in this report are a tabulation of the results of a series of tests. Due to the restricted format of these pages, only a limited amount of data and not all of the tractor specifications are included. The full OECD report contains usually about 30 pages of data and specifications. The test data were obtained for each tractor under similar conditions and therefore, provide a means of comparison of performance based on a limited set of reported data. EXPLANATION OF THE TEST PROCEDURES Purpose The purpose of …

Hybrid Diesel-Electric Drivetrain For Small Agricultural Field Machines, Joseph Jackson, Joseph S. Dvorak

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

In this project, a series electric drivetrain sized for small agricultural machinery was developed and tested. Electric drives have noted benefits in simplicity, controllability, integration with other electronics such as those that provide autonomous action, and in efficiency over a wide operating range. Their biggest drawback for agricultural use is the limited capacity of electrical energy storage. A series hybrid drivetrain provides a method to overcome these capacity constraints through the use of chemical energy storage. The series hybrid drivetrain in this research was designed using well-established components. It consisted of a diesel-electric generator, a lead acid battery pack, a …

Locally Optimized Covariance Kriging For Non-Stationary System Responses, Daniel Lee Clark Jr.

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

In this thesis, the Locally-Optimized Covariance (LOC) Kriging method is developed. This method represents a flexible surrogate modeling approach for approximating a non-stationary Kriging covariance structures for deterministic responses. The non-stationary covariance structure is approximated by aggregating multiple stationary localities. The aforementioned localities are determined to be statistically significant utilizing the Non-Stationary Identification Test. This methodology is applied to various demonstration problems including simple one and two-dimensional analytical cases, a deterministic fatigue and creep life model, and a five-dimensional fluid-structural interaction problem. The practical significance of LOC-Kriging is discussed in detail and is directly compared to stationary Kriging considering computational …

Fundamental Understanding Of Interactions Among Flow, Turbulence, And Heat Transfer In Jet Impingement Cooling, Md. Jahed Hossain

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The flow physics of impinging jet is very complex and is not fully understood yet. The flow field in an impingement problem comprised of three different distinct regions: a free jet with a potential core, a stagnation region where the velocity goes to zero as the jet impinges onto the wall and a creation of wall jet region where the boundary layer grows radially outward after impinging. Since impingement itself is a broad topic, effort is being made in the current study to narrow down on three particular geometric configurations (a narrow wall, an array impingement configuration and a curved …

Thermophysical And Thermochemical Property Measurement And Prediction Of Liquid Metal Titanium Alloys With Applications In Additive Manufacturing, Jonathan Richard Raush

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Accurate high-temperature thermophysical property data for liquid metals and alloys are important for simulation of laser-based 3D printing processes. To understand and better control such additive manufacturing processes, knowledge of density, viscosity, and surface tension of liquid metals and alloys versus composition and temperature is needed. Likewise, thermochemical property data information regarding alloys, including chemical activities and free energies relative to composition and temperature, aid in the understanding and development of phase data important in the material design process. Vacuum electrostatic levitation (ESL) is an important technique through which both thermophysical and thermochemical property measurements can be accomplished without physical …

Design Of Surface Texture For The Enhancement Of Tribological Performance, Cong Shen

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Surface texturing is a method of surface modification that fabricates micro patterns on the contacting surfaces to improve the tribological performance in sliding, lubricated system. It is found that the geometric design of textures has a significant influence on the performance of textured surfaces. Some important geometric parameters, such as the area ratio and the depth-over-diameter ratio, have been identified for textures in the form of circular dimples. The current study aims to improve the friction reduction effect of surface texturing by using textures with novel designs. Some new factors considered in the design of textures are: internal structure and …

Forced Convection Cooling Of Electric Motors Using Enhanced Surfaces, Mohammed Almaghrabi

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Electric motors are extensively engaged in industrial and commercial applications such as electrical cars, energy-conversion systems, elevators, and actuators for aircrafts. Due to the significant internal heat generation, it is usually a challenge to design and manufacture high power density, high reliability, and low cost electric motors with superior performance. One of the efficient ways to dissipate the heat generated in the electrical motor is by using extended surfaces (i.e. heat sinks). These surfaces are extruded from the motor casing and air is forced though them by a cooling fan. This cooling approach is simple to be implemented and has …

Microstructural Characterization Of High Velocity Oxy Fuel Coatings Of Inconel 718 And Iron Aluminides, Ana Cecilia Rios Ibanez

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Thermal spray guns are used today to deposit metallic powders as homogeneous and durable coatings with low porosity onto metals. The objective is to improve their wear resistance and their corrosion resistance in order to withstand conditions such as abrasion and erosion. This can improve the life of turbines, generators and such devices in environments found in ultra-supercritical coal-fired (AUSC) boilers, steam turbines and gas turbines (Mohammed & Cabrera, 2014). Industries like manufacturing, automobile and especially in the sustainable energy area, have used this technique to improve component characteristics, extend product life, increase performance as well as reduce production and …

Development And Testing Of Oxygen/Methane Torch Igniter Technologies For Propulsion Systems, Luis Eduardo Sanchez

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The development and testing of an oxygen/methane torch ignition system as well as the evaluation process of the system are presented with the purpose of characterizing the properties and performance of methane as a fuel in a propulsion system. The experimental approach to this Dissertation entails the development and testing of a swirl torch igniter under conditions that may be seen when feeding propellant from the main storage tanks: combinations of gaseous and liquid oxygen and methane. The experimental goal of this Dissertation is to display the range of operability of the igniter technology presented leading to stable and consistent …

Through-Thickness Reinforcement For Woven Laminates, Alejandra G. Castellanos

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Fiber reinforced polymer composites have gained popularity in aerospace and naval applications due to their tailorable mechanical properties and high strength-to-weight. Despite these advantages, between the layers of fabric (laminas), there is a resin-rich region known as interlaminar region, with no reinforcement which is very susceptible to damage. Different types of reinforcements have been tested for the interlaminar region. However, all of these methods have proved to decrease the in-plane properties due to damage to the fibers. In this Thesis, a new reinforcement technique with ZnO nanowires is proposed to increase the damage resistance. This Thesis describes the design, manufacturing …

Manufacturing And Characterization Of Energetic Materials, Carlos Alberto Catzin

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Few products take several years of research effort to be synthesize yet disintegrate in scarcely millionths of a second when used. Despite their short lifespan energetic materials, particularly high explosives, are in demand as never before by the Aerospace, Defense, Energy, Gas, Mining, and Oil Industry for their unique properties. One class of high explosives known as polymer bonded explosives (PBXs) are popularly used in a wide variety of applications ranging from solid rocket propellants to the main explosive charge in conventional ammunitions. A key characteristic behind the popularity of PBXs in comparison to other high explosives is their handling …