Mechanical Engineering Commons^™

Integrated Energy-Aware Motion Planning And Charge Scheduling Of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, Hayleyesus Alemayehu

All Theses

The growing demand for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) is driven by their operational convenience, cost-effectiveness, availability, and adaptability to various scenarios. In energy-constrained environments, optimizing energy consumption and ensuring a continuous power supply for UAVs is crucial for mission success. The objective of this thesis is to address this issue by integrating energy-aware motion planning and charge scheduling for UAVs by utilizing a charger hosted on an unmanned ground vehicle (UGV), whose rendezvous locations and routes are jointly computed to minimize overall energy consumption.

This thesis proposes a hierarchical trajectory and control framework comprising local and global planners for each …

Characterization Of Mechanically Recycled Polylactic Acid (Pla) Filament For 3d-Printing By Evaluating Mechanical, Thermal, And Chemical Properties And Process Performance, Mahsa Shabani Samghabady

All Theses

Polylactic acid (PLA) is a biopolymer made from renewable resources such as sugar and corn. PLA filament is a popular material used in Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) 3D-printing. While this material has many advantages, all the failed parts, support structures, rafts, nozzle tests, and the many prototype iterations during the 3D-printing process contribute to the plastic pollution and release of greenhouse gases. Although PLA is biodegradable, it can take years to degrade in landfills. Instead of throwing away PLA waste and buying new filaments, PLA can be recycled. Amongst the different recycling technologies, mechanical recycling is the most environmentally friendly. …

Dynamics And Steering Of A Vibration-Driven Bristle Bot In A Pipe System, Ian Stewart

All Theses

Soft vibrational robots are robots that incorporate compliant structures into their design and are driven by oscillating actuators. A recent, popular version of a soft vibrational robot is the bristle bot, which uses flexible bristles and a vibration motor to propel itself across surfaces and through pipes. This motion is primarily driven by stick-slip dynamics resulting from asymmetric frictional forces applied at the bristle tips. Depending on the frequency of vibration of the motor, the robot experiences various resonance regions allowing it to maneuver in different directions. Attaching bristles to all sides of the robot and placing it in a …

Development Of Pre-Magnetized Magnetorheological Elastomer For Bidirectionally Variable Stiffness Applications, Choonghan Lee

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Magnetorheological elastomers (MREs) utilize magnetic forces between ferromagnetic particles to cause variable stiffness properties and damping with external magnetic fields. In the MREs, the particles are embedded in a cured elastomer matrix, and an external magnetic field makes the stiffness change due to induced magnetic forces among particles. A disadvantage of the conventional MREs is that they cannot be softened (reduced stiffness) under an external magnetic field. Considering that there are many engineering applications where fast changes of stiffness in both directions (stiffening and softening) are required, embedding magnetically biased particles in the MRE can provide potential solutions. In this …

Towards Cfd Investigations Into Particulate Air Pollution Of A Desert Urban Environment, Prosun Roy

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This dissertation has explored computational fluid dynamics (CFD) techniques for studying particulate air quality in the Las Vegas urban area. The dissertation is based on three research tasks:

• • High time-resolution fenceline air quality sensing and dispersion modeling for environmental justice-centered source attribution. (Chapter 2)
• • Pollen dispersion and deposition in real-world urban settings: A computational fluid dynamic study. (Chapter 3)
• • Effects of urban canopy parameterizations on modeling pollen dispersion and exposure. (Chapter 4)

In Chapter 2, we investigate the facilitation of low-cost air quality sensors (LCAQS) and CFD technique on exposure assessment of environmental justice (EJ) communities and …

A Virtual Method For Establishing Femoral Stem Position In Total Hip Arthroplasty, Samuel Mattei

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Total hip arthroplasty (THA) is one of the most successful orthopedic surgeries performed, in which the hip joint is reconstructed to improve functionality and decrease pain in the joint. Despite the success of these procedures, femoral stem misalignment remains an area that influences THA success. The relationship between the femoral stem geometry and implanted femoral stem size and orientation is underreported due to limitations in the collection of radiographic data used for clinical pre-operative templating. Furthermore, the influence of anatomic measurements on the direction and size of the femoral stem are not considered due to imaging technique and difficulties associated …

Finite Element Modeling Of Patient-Specific Total Shoulder Arthroplasty, Ignacio Rivero Crespo

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Total Shoulder Arthroplasty (TSA) is a surgical procedure designed to improve joint functionality by replacing the articulation between the humeral head and the glenoid fossa. Anatomic Total Shoulder Arthroplasty (aTSA) and Reverse Total Shoulder Arthroplasty (rTSA) are two types of replacement surgery to relieve pain and restore function of the shoulder. The overall goal of this study was to evaluate the effects of variation of certain patient and implant alignment parameters that may influence long-term outcomes of these surgical procedures, including kinematics, joint loads and contact mechanics. Computational models of six TSA subjects, three aTSA and three rTSA, were created …

Miniature, Submersible Electromagnetic Pumps Of Molten Lead And Sodium For Gen-Iv Nuclear Reactors Development, Ragai M. Altamimi

Nuclear Engineering ETDs

Heavy metals and alkali Liquid Metals are suitable coolants for Generation IV terrestrial nuclear reactors for operating at elevated temperatures for achieving plant thermal efficiency more than 40% and the thermochemical generation of hydrogen fuel. In addition, the low vapor pressure of these liquids eliminates the need for a pressure vessel and instead operates slightly below ambient pressure. A primary issue with the uses of these coolants is their compatibility with nuclear fuel, cladding and core structure materials at elevated temperatures more than 500oC. Therefore, in pile and out-of-pile test loops have been constructed or being considered for quantifying the …

An Experimental And Numerical Investigation Of Bimodal Particle Distributions For Enhanced Thermal Conductivity In Concentrating Solar Power Applications, Dallin Daniel Stout

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Solid particles have recently attracted substantial interest as a thermal transport medium in high-temperature energy storage and thermal energy conversion systems due to their ability to operate at high temperatures (up to 1000 °C). This is especially useful in the concentrating solar power (CSP) industry where solid particles are utilized as heat transfer media. Thermal conductivity of particles in CSP is critically important to the overall heat transfer that occurs within a heat exchanger. A cheap and effective avenue to increase the thermal conductivity of a particle distribution is by reducing its porosity by employing 2 differently sized particles. The …

Carbon/Carbon Composites For Next Generation Microvascular Solar Thermal Receivers, Matt Zuzelski

Boise State University Theses and Dissertations

Concentrating solar power (CSP) is a method of renewable solar power generation where the sun’s radiant energy is collected by a receiver and converted into thermal energy. This thermal energy is then passed into a heat transfer fluid and either sent to thermal storage, or a steam power plant. One path to better CSP systems is improving the operational envelope of the receiver and heat transfer fluid (HTF) system by utilizing more resilient absorbing materials, different path architectures, and HTFs with higher allowable temperatures.

A new carbon/carbon composite is being developed with the potential to function as the absorbing material …

Healthcare Built Environment And The Covid-19 Pandemic, A Mixed-Method Study, Mohammad Saleh Nikooopayan Tak

All Theses

The outbreak of COVID-19 presented an unparalleled risk to public health, leading to urgent scientific efforts in understanding transmission mechanisms and mitigating risks, especially in healthcare settings. This mixed-methods study examines knowledge advancement regarding indoor air quality in healthcare facilities during the pandemic. A systematic literature review of 163 post-COVID studies identifies key research thrusts and 31 recommendations related to building ventilation, air filtration, surface disinfection, and monitoring. Comparison with over 200 pre-pandemic publications reveals both reliance on established infection control principles and unique contributions, such as detecting viral RNA in air and surface samples indicating potential airborne and fomite …

Dataset Of Single And Double Faults Scenarios Using Vibration Signals From A Rotary Machine, Larry Marshall, David Jensen

Mechanical Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

This dataset includes vibration sensor data from accelerometers located on the support bearings on a rotary machine designed as a fault simulator. Data collection for known faulty components include: bearing inner and outer raceway faults and bent shaft. 38 singles and double fault scenarios and a one no fault scenario were collected at three different operating frequencies (shaft rpm). Data was collected for approximately 10 seconds per scenario at a rate of 6400 hertz. Data can be used for machine learning classification.

Accurate Orientation Control Of Tendon Driven Continuum Robots That Exhibit Elasticity, Manu Srivastava

All Dissertations

This dissertation makes new contributions to the modeling and implementation of Tendon Driven Continuum Robots (TDCRs). Specifically, motivated by 3D printing of concrete using a continuum hose robot in construction applications, we focus on TDCRs featuring compliance in the robot backbone and actuating tendons, e.g. surgical robots/endoscopes/catheters with tendon actuation. We expand previous mechanics-based models to show how and why such compliance significantly restricts performance when traditional kinematics-based planning and control techniques are applied.

The main contribution of this work is a new Elasticity Compensation(EC) model that explains why the ad hoc approach of preloading/pretensioning the tendons compensates for compliance …

Partial Discharge Mitigation In Power Modules Using An Automation-Driven Design Rule Development Method, Shilpi Mukherjee

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Power modules used for the conversion and conditioning of electrical power for applications like electric vehicles, more-electric aircraft, the power grid, etc., are largely designed manually by engineers. Design automation of power modules is starting to gain recognition as a timely and necessary alternative to intuitive manual design and fabrication. With increasing need for wide bandgap materials that can operate at higher voltages, and the need to make modules more compact, hazards like electrical breakdown are more likely. Partial discharge (PD) is a silent and invisible precursor to electrical breakdown. It is compounded with compaction, creating a potential for electrical …

Applications Of Large Eddy Simulations To Novel Internal Combustion Concepts, Patrick O'Donnell

All Dissertations

Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations of internal combustion engines (ICEs) are becoming an increasingly popular tool in the automotive industry to either explain experimentally observed trends or perform lower cost design iterations. The convenience of commercially available CFD software and advancements made in computing hardware have been the impetus behind this growing popularity. However, obtaining accurate results using these software packages is not a trivial process and requires an in-depth understanding of the underlying numerical methodology and sub models for various physical phenomena. Specific to the ICEs, CFD simulation often entails the use of models for detailed chemistry and combustion, …

Vibration-Based Fault Diagnostics In Wind Turbine Gearboxes Using Machine Learning, Abdelrahman Amin

All Dissertations

A significantly increased production of wind energy offers a path to achieve the goals of green energy policies in the United States and other countries. However, failures in wind turbines and specifically their gearboxes are higher due to their operation in unpredictable wind conditions that result in downtime and losses. Early detection of faults in wind turbines will greatly increase their reliability and commercial feasibility. Recently, data-driven fault diagnosis techniques based on deep learning have gained significant attention due to their powerful feature learning capabilities. Nonetheless, diagnosing faults in wind turbines operating under varying conditions poses a major challenge. Signal …

Extensional Flows Of Polymer Solutions In Planar Microchannels, Mahmud Kamal Raihan

All Dissertations

Non-Newtonian fluids such as polymer solutions often flow under microscale extensional conditions in many natural and engineering flow fields such as in microfluidic chips, porous rocks, biological membranes and filters, printheads in additive manufacturing, etc. The changing cross sectional areas of the internal flow passages therein exert additional extension on the flow along with the shearing. Numerous studies have been dedicated to understanding the extensional flows of polymer solutions over the years. However, most of these studies only focused on flexible polymers exhibiting elasticity in their macroscopic rheology, whereas rigid polymers that portray shear-thinning but often elude elasticity in the …

Cislunar Navigation Techniques And Navigation Performance Optimization, Quinn P. Moon

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Nova-C is a lunar lander developed by the private company Intuitive Machines to deliver commercial payloads to the Moon. The IM-1 mission set for 2023 will launch and land the Nova-C near the Moon's south pole. In this research, various navigation techniques are explored to determine the lander's position and velocity during key segments. This process is studied for key mission events including trajectory correction maneuvers (TCMs), lunar orbit insertion (LOI), and descent orbit insertion (DOI). Each mission segment, referred to as an Orbit Determination Segment (OD), is analyzed with three different navigation techniques: Monte Carlo Analysis, Linear Covariance Analysis, …

Water Hammer Analysis For Ash Slurry Disposal Pipelines Of A Thermal Power System, Biprodip Mukherjee, Subhasish Das, Satyapriya Mandal

Journal of Environmental Science and Sustainable Development

Coal-ash slurry transportation via pipelines has been accepted as a potential, economical, and dependable mode of two-phase flow of solid-liquid transportation. It is solid-liquid transportation where the ash slurry generally flows through mild steel, and a good amount of pump energy and pressure is required to convey the slurry with a density above 1220 kg/m3. The study is basically on the water hammer analysis of ash slurry conveying pipes. Nevertheless, since the hammer analysis is typically carried out in normal water, the study of ash slurry is compared to the know criteria of potable water. The study aims to understand …

Mechanical Properties Of Biocomposite With Various Composition Of Caco3 And Starch, Agris Setiawan, Fransisca Diana Wahyuningsih, Riria Zendy Mirahati

Journal of Mechanical Engineering Science and Technology (JMEST)

Calcium carbonate has the potential to be used in the development of medical materials, including biomaterials. Biocomposite is composed of CaCO3 as matrix material and bioplastic from the combination of corn starch and cassava starch as reinforcement. This study aims to determine mechanical properties such as tensile strength and bending/flexural strength with varying compositions of CaCO3 and bioplastic. Characterization of the biocomposite uses Scanning Electron Microscope to observe the microstructure and composition elements of their structure. This study used 4 variations in the ratio of CaCO3 suspension: (Corn Starch + Cassava Starch). Each sample was characterized using specimen code A …

Synthesis And Characterization Of Nitrogen-Doped Activated Carbon For Lithium Battery Anode Applications, Prihanto Trihutomo, Poppy Puspitasari, Muhammad Bustomi Radja, Milzam Rahmat Busono

Journal of Mechanical Engineering Science and Technology (JMEST)

Nitrogen-dopped activated carbon was synthesized to see its effect on the characterization of the nitrogen surface functional groups, crystal size, and morphology of the resulting sample. Synthesis of nitrogen-doped activated carbon was carried out by varying the addition of Urea as a nitrogen doping source. Activated carbon compared its characteristics with variations in the concentration of added Urea to activated carbon, at 1:3 and 1:5. The FTIR results obtained were the presence of functional groups indicating the presence of nitrogen bonds in each sample. The crystallinity results showed that the samples were classified as crystalline and nitrogen doping influenced the …

Designing A Naabsa Class Tanker Ship With Bottom Protection From Ground, Victor A. Kulesh, Mathias B. Prasetio, Fam Chung Hiep

Journal of Mechanical Engineering Science and Technology (JMEST)

Indonesia is the world's largest archipelago country with a high potential for economic development and top producer and exporter of palm oil. As an archipelago country, the most efficient cargo transportation routes are through rivers and seas. Designing and building tankers, taking into account the specifics of the operation, are relevant. The paper considers the issues of designing a tanker for the transportation of crude palm oil with a defined operation area and route. The general concept of the vessel is proposed, taking into account the restrictions on the navigation area and draft for operation in the river. Particular attention …

Effect Of Grafting Nano-Tio2 On Sansevieria Cylindrica Fiber Properties, Chrisrulita Sekaradi Wiguna, Heru Suryanto, Aminuddin Aminuddin, Jibril Maulana, Joseph Selvi Binoj, Alamry Ali

Journal of Mechanical Engineering Science and Technology (JMEST)

Natural fibers, which are abundant, environmentally friendly, and biodegradable, are used as a replacement for synthetic fibers. The composite strength can be increased by treating the surfaces of natural fibers with suitable chemicals, which can also improve the interface interaction between fiber and matrix. Application of a coupling agent in chemical treatment is utilized to reinforce the bonding between fiber and matrix. The objective of the study is to determine the influence of silane concentration on the Sansevieria cylindrica fiber properties. The methods included fibers treatment using ethanol and coupling agent as dissolving and TiO2 with concentrations of 0%, 0.25%, …

The Combustion Characteristics Of Calophyllum Inophyllum Fuel In The Presence Of Magnetic Field, Imam Rudi Sugara, Nasrul Ilminnafik, Salahuddin Junus, Muh Nurkoyim Kustanto, Yuni Hermawan

Journal of Mechanical Engineering Science and Technology (JMEST)

The study objective is to investigate the combustion characteristics of Callophyllum inophyllum fuel in presence of a magnetic fields. To conduct the experiment, a bunsen burner was utilized, with fuel and air being dispensed via a syringe pump and compressor, both regulated by a flowmeter. The fuel and air pipes were heated to 532.15 (K) to facilitate fuel evaporation. The equivalent ratio of 0.5, 1, and 1.5 was adjusted to control air discharge and fuel. An 11,000 gausses artificial magnet was used, with N-S, N-S, N-N, and SS being the various magnetic pole configurations. The study found that the magnetic …

Effect Of Current And Pulse-On Time On Material Removal Rate And Surface Roughness Of Tungsten Carbide In Electric Discharge Machine Die-Sinking, Mochamad Deny Riyanto, Andoko Andoko, Heru Suryanto

Journal of Mechanical Engineering Science and Technology (JMEST)

The focus of manufacturing for tungsten carbide applications often demands a smooth surface quality as the result of the Electric Discharge Machine (EDM) die-sinking process, especially in the manufacture of die and mold with tungsten carbide material processed using a die-sinking EDM machine. The purpose of this study is to analyze the effect of electric current and pulse-on time on the Material Removal Rate (MRR) and surface roughness of tungsten carbide. Through the experimental method, the parameters varied, namely electric current 17 A, 20 A, 23 A, and pulse-on time 30 µs, 55 µs, and 80 µs. MRR was calculated …

Lap Joint On St.37 Steel Plate With Friction Welding Clamping Method, Widia Setiawan, Nugroho Santoso, Wiyadi Wiyadi, Muhammad Sulistiyo Aji, Rachmat Alamin, Achsan Tarmudi

Journal of Mechanical Engineering Science and Technology (JMEST)

Friction stir (FW) welding is a relatively fresh method that was created and has been continually refined and adapted to industrial applications due to its benefits. This approach for solid-state joining entails connecting the components at a temperature below their melting point and then heating them up. Clamp joint applications are widely used using external heating and hitting with high strength, but the clamped joints with the FW method are rarely done. The research studied the characteristic of clamped joints at various plate thicknesses using the FW method. In this study, 30 specimens were used in the form of a …

The Effect Of Cutting Speed Of Nitrogen Laser Cutting On The Surface Texture Of Sus 304 Plate, Yanuar Rohmat Aji Pradana, Raka Afrianto, Chandra Hairat Abdul Rahman, Andoko Andoko

Journal of Mechanical Engineering Science and Technology (JMEST)

The focus of today’s machining industry is on how to maintain high productivity and low cost achieved by high tool life during the operation. Laser cutting is considered the right solution because it offers cutting speeds of up to 170000 mm/min through a non-contact process regardless of the workpiece material hardness. The aim of this study is to analyze the effect of cutting speed on the surface texture aspects namely surface roughness, kerf shape, and dross height on the stainless steel 304 plate after laser cutting. The nitrogen laser was utilized with the cutting speed of 400, 1700, and 2000 …

Analysis Of Fire And Smoke Spread In Ki Hajar Dewantara Auditorium, State University Of Jakarta, Using Fire Dynamics Simulator, Pratomo Setyadi, Ariq Harits Arrizq

Journal of Mechanical Engineering Science and Technology (JMEST)

Fire behavior and smoke spread are influenced by various factors, including the amount and condition of combustible material, ventilation openings, and ceiling height. A high amount of combustible material in the auditorium poses a significant fire hazard, hence, efforts need to be made to minimize the risk. One approach is to use Computational Fluid Dynamic software, such as Fire Dynamics Simulator (FDS), to model fire combustion. In this research, it provides an overview of the heat release rate (HRR) of fires that occur as well as the effect of differences in ceiling height and the effect of ventilation on fire …

Effect Of Temperature Variations Of Corn (Maize) Oil Biodiesel On Torque Values And Thermal Efficiency Of Diesel Engines, Suardi Suardi, Rodlian Jamal Ikhwani, Ade Putri Rezki Aulia

Journal of Mechanical Engineering Science and Technology (JMEST)

The trend of consumption of hydrocarbon fuels in Indonesia, which is increasing every year, is not accompanied by the amount of production, which is decreasing. Alternative fuels to reduce dependence on hydrocarbon fuels. One form of alternative fuel is biodiesel, which is made from corn (maize) oil. Corn oil itself, if processed, can be an option for clean and environmentally friendly energy option and that is the main objective of this research is to determine the performance of biodiesel corn oil on diesel engines. The method used in this study is an experimental method where corn oil biodiesel is tested …

Multifunctional Graphene–Polymer Nanocomposite Sensors Formed By One-Step In Situ Shear Exfoliation Of Graphite, Ali Ashraf, Elizabeth Chang, Md Ashiqur Rahman, Dipannita Ghosh, Nazmul Islam, Jennifer K. Lynch-Branzoi

Mechanical Engineering Faculty Publications

Graphene nanocomposites are a promising class of advanced materials for sensing applications; yet, their commercialization is hindered due to impurity incorporation during fabrication and high costs. The aim of this work is to prepare graphene–polysulfone (G−PSU) and graphene–polyvinylidene fluoride (G−PVDF) nanocomposites that perform as multifunctional sensors and are formed using a one-step, in situ exfoliation process whereby graphite is exfoliated into graphene nanoflakes (GNFs) directly within the polymer. This low-cost method creates a nanocomposite while avoiding impurity exposure since the raw materials used in the in situ shear exfoliation process are graphite and polymers. The morphology, structure, thermal properties, and …