Energy Systems Commons^™

Comprehensive Analysis Of Spray Development And Low Temperature Combustion Characteristics In A Cvcc With Nvh Of Renewable Aerospace Fuels: Hefa & Ft Synthetic Kerosene (S8) Compared To Jet-A & Ulsd, Coleman Norton

Honors College Theses

A comprehensive analysis was conducted to research the viability of Hydroprocessed Esters and Fatty Acids (HEFA) and S8 Synthetic Kerosene fuels as a drop-in replacement for conventional petroleum-based fuels, Jet-A and ULSD (Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel). Global transportation remains heavily dependent on liquid fossil fuels, while renewable aerospace fuels offer a promising pathway to reducing life cycle greenhouse gas emissions and pollution. However, the combustion performance and long-term feasibility of these fuels remain insufficiently characterized. This study performed a thorough assessment of each fuel's thermophysical and combustion properties. Thermophysical characterization encompassed viscosity, freezing point, energy density, spray atomization, and volatility. …

One-Dimensional Numerical Analysis Of A Novel Elastohydrodynamic Seal For Supercritical Co2 Power Cycles With Experimental Validation And Future Approach, Cole B. Hayne

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

This thesis presents a numerical analysis and experimental verification approach for a novel elastohydrodynamic (EHD) seal designed with the specific application of supercritical carbon dioxide (sCO₂) power cycles. Brayton power cycles with sCO₂ as the working fluid have gained significant traction as potential large-scale power generation methods. This increase in interest and research is primarily due to their many beneficial characteristics, such as high thermal efficiency, compact geographic footprint, reduced capital costs, and lower water and fuel usage than comparable power cycles. Despite these many positive qualities, proper sealing technology remains one of the primary barriers to …

Multiphysics Modeling Of Solid Oxide Fuel Cells For Gradient Minimization And Inductive Loop Analysis In Impedance Spectroscopy Using Machine Learning-Based Microstructural Property Estimation, Muhammad Usman Khan

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Solid oxide fuel cells have significant advantages in renewable energy utilization due to their high efficiency, fuel flexibility, and low emissions. However, despite the numerous efforts of technology, thermal and current density gradients and impedance behavior fluctuations are still causing performance degradation. A combined computational framework that integrates machine learning and three-dimensional Multiphysics modeling is needed to investigate and optimize the performance of solid oxide fuel cells. A machine learning model, trained on synthetic microstructure data by percolation analysis, is used to predict important microstructural parameters like triple phase boundary density and geometric tortuosity. These are then employed in a …

Experimental Study Of Deformation Behavior For A Novel Elastohydrodynamic Seal For Supercritical Carbon Dioxide Power Cycles, William A. Adams

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Supercritical carbon dioxide (sCO₂) Brayton cycles are a strong contender for future power generation systems due to their high thermal efficiency and compact nature. Sealing is one of the key challenges presented by such systems that has a direct impact on the system's overall efficiency. This research is the first experimental study to investigate the deformation behavior of an elastohydrodynamic (EHD) seal made from bearing-grade polyether ether ketone (PEEK). A testing apparatus was developed to integrate four strain gauges positioned along the seal to quantify the deformation occurring up to pressures of 13 MPa. Mass flow rate measurements …

Environmental Assessment Of Biomass/ Torrefied Biomass And Waste Coal Co-Fired Power Plants With The Incorporation Of Carbon Capture And Storage Technologies, Surja Sarkar

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Climate change is a worldwide problem that has recently garnered significant attention in recent years. While widespread emissions of greenhouse gases, mainly CO₂, from the combustion of fossil fuels, contribute to global warming, biomass-based heat and electricity generation, on the other hand, is rapidly growing due to its smaller carbon footprint, aiding in attaining the goal of zero carbon emissions. In this study, the environmental assessment of the waste coal and biomass/ torrefied biomass co-fired power plants was completed using the life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology through the performance assessment of the co-fired power plants using the commercial …

Mathematical Modeling Of Coupled Heat And Mass Transfer In Metal-Hydride Hydrogen Storage Systems, Muhammad Hasnain

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

As a promising clean energy carrier hydrogen has recently gained significant interest, but its efficient and safe storage is a major challenge. Compared to the gaseous state and liquid state, metal hydrides (MH) offer a potentially more effective storage approach for hydrogen. However, the main challenge in this approach is the low thermal conductivity of the MH bed that leads to low heat transfer and ultimately to higher charging and discharging times. The purpose of this work is to develop an in-house comprehensive heat and mass transfer model for hydrogen sorption in MH reactors to simulate the dynamic behavior of …

Numerical Modeling Of Thermal Runaway In Lithium-Ion Batteries Using Decomposition Kinetics And Inter-Cell Contact Resistance, Shehzad Khan

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) are central in numerous high-demand applications due to their high energy density and prolonged cycle life. Despite these advantages, their susceptibility to thermal runaway (TR) poses a significant safety risk, with the potential for catastrophic failures. This study focuses on the thermal behavior of prismatic lithium-ion cells, using a finite volume-based partial differential equation (PDE) solver developed in MATLAB and JULIA to model TR behavior. This solver accurately simulates transient behaviors, convection, diffusion, and source terms across various coordinate systems. By engaging in a series of increasing complex case studies, this research aims to identify the critical …

A Proof-Of-Concept Study For An Elastohydrodynamic Seal Design, Cameron M. Stuart

Honors College Theses

Supercritical CO₂ (sCO₂) power cycles are superior to traditional water based, air-breathing, direct-fired, open Brayton cycles or indirect-fired, closed Rankine cycles in terms of efficiency and equipment size. They hold great potential in fossil fuel power plants, nuclear power production, solar power, geothermal power, and ship propulsion. To unlock the potential of sCO₂ power cycles, utilized technology must withstand 10–600 MWe and at sCO₂ temperatures and pressures of 350–700℃ and 20–35 MPa for nuclear industries. Amongst many challenges at the component level, the lack of suitable shaft seals for sCO₂ operating conditions needs to …

An Innovative Elastohydrodynamic Seal Concept For Gases, Matthew J. Demond

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Supercritical CO₂ (sCO₂) power cycles are next generation power technologies offering improved efficiency, lower customer costs, and less water usage. They hold significant potential in many different industries such as nuclear power production, ship propulsion, geothermal power, solar power, and fossil fuel power plants. One of the largest hurdles preventing this milestone is the lack of suitable shaft seals for sCO₂ operating conditions. This component issue needs to be addressed for the next generation nuclear turbine and compressor development to progress. In this study, a novel Elastohydrodynamic (EHD) seal is proposed. This proposed design is capable …

Analysis Of Bio-Alcohols With Mie-Scattering And Ltc For Lowered Emissions In Pcci, Cesar E. Carapia

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

An investigation was conducted on the optimal engine parameters for facilitating lower NOX and soot emissions of PCCI combustion with either ethanol or n-butanol. The PFI fuels selected were tested at loads of 3, 4, and 5 Bar IMEP for a total of 28 total combustion tests with variations made to the EGR% and boost pressure for each test in order to find the optimal emissions strategy. A Mie-scattering spray fuel analysis was also conducted on the three fuels to gain insight on their influence on combustion/emissions characteristics. It was found that ethanol had a greater average Sauter Mean Diameter …

Cfd And Heat Transfer Analysis Of Rocket Cooling Techniques On An Aerospike Nozzle, Geoffrey Sullivan

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

In recent years the development of rocket engines has been mainly focused on improving the engine cycle and creating new fuels. Rocket nozzle design has not been changed since the late 1960s. Recent needs for reliable and reusable rockets, as well as advancements in additive manufacturing, have brought new interest into the aerospike nozzle concept. This nozzle is a type of altitude adjusting nozzle that is up to 90% more efficient than bell nozzles at low altitudes and spends up to 30% less fuel. Since the nozzle body is submerged in the hot exhaust gasses it is difficult to keep …

Investigations Of The Negative Temperature Coefficient Region Of Sustainable Aviation Fuels For Mitigation Of Global Warming, Richard C. Smith Iii

Honors College Theses

An investigation was led to determine the correlations between the durations of Ignition Delay (ID), Combustion Delay (CD), Derived Cetane Number (DCN), Negative Temperature Coefficient (NTC), Low-Temperature Heat Release (LTHR) regions, ringing intensity, and precent mass burn, and the effect of blending the Fischer-Tropsch (F-T) synthetic aerospace fuel (SAF), iso-paraffinic kerosene (IPK), with petroleum derived Jet-A aerospace fuel on these regions. Neat blends of Jet-A and IPK and three by mass blends of the fuels will be researched. These blends include mass percentages of 75%Jet-A and 25%IPK (75Jet-A25IPK), 50%Jet-A 50%IPK (50Jet-A50IPK), and 25%Jet-A 75%IPK (25Jet-A75IPK). The study will utilize a …

Pico-Grid Smart Homes Power Management System, Kathleen Hobbs, Mbonya Myers

ENgaging Educators in Renewable enerGY (ENERGY): Lesson Plans & Slideshows (2017-2019)

No abstract provided.

Solar Tracker Renewable Energy, Stephanie Christie, Annabeth Helmly, Matthew Smith, Katrina Vaughan

ENgaging Educators in Renewable enerGY (ENERGY): Lesson Plans & Slideshows (2017-2019)

No abstract provided.

Analysis Of Horizontal Axis Wind Turbine Array Optimization, Peter-Claver Nwanze, Keith Bazemore, Jessica Lyons, J. Ann Mitchem

ENgaging Educators in Renewable enerGY (ENERGY): Lesson Plans & Slideshows (2017-2019)

Wind energy is the fastest growing form of renewable energy, with a multitude of possibilities for expansion. This, as well as other forms of renewable energy, will facilitate understanding of the growing concerns regarding global warming by decreasing our dependence on fossil fuels. Wind energy requires wind speeds of at least six miles per hour; therefore, only certain geographical areas are suitable for the use of this technology. The purpose of this experiment was to determine whether the orientation of an array of wind turbines increases or decreases energy production and efficiency. In this study, various arrays consisting of five …

Blade Design And Analysis Of Horizontal-Axis Wind Turbine: Cfd And Experimental Investigation Of Blades Design, Relwinde Fabrice Zongo

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

The present thesis focuses on the investigations of the computational fluid dynamics analysis and the experimental study of small scales Horizontal Axis Wind Turbine (HAWT) blades. The initial steps are taken; in the process of this research were the selection of the airfoil type to be used in each blade design and the creation of a blade design with high efficiency operating in a low wind speed zone. For the mentioned blade design process, the following airfoils were selected respectively NACA 0010, NACA 0012, NACA 1412, NACA 2412, NACA 2414, NACA 4412 and NACA 6412. This selection intends to provide …

Pico Grid-Smart Home Energy Management System, Kristina Istre, James E. Conaway Mr.

ENgaging Educators in Renewable enerGY (ENERGY): Lesson Plans & Slideshows (2017-2019)

No abstract provided.

Geometric Optimization Of A Heaving Point Absorber Wave Energy Converter, Ian Riley

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Wave energy shows significant potential for development into a competitive renewable energy source. Non-renewable resources are finite and contribute to adverse effects on the environment. Development of wave energy conversion devices that use heave motion as the primary driver for converting wave energy into electrical potential is explored through optimizing the geometry of an axisymmetric partially submerged buoy in deep water. The governing equations of motion and hydrodynamic forces are solved for in one degree of freedom using ANSYS Aqwa. An external PTO device is simulated to induce power capture in the system. Four different geometric shapes are tested and …

Principles Of Wind Energy Production, Willie Haynes, Dianne Lhotte, Johnetta Moore

ENgaging Educators in Renewable enerGY (ENERGY): Lesson Plans & Slideshows (2017-2019)

Three public school teachers designed basic wind turbine energy production tests to help them teach wind energy principles to middle and high school students. Variables affecting wind turbine energy production were identified (distance from wind tunnel, blade design, angle of attack, and wind speed), and experiments were conducted to test each variable. This research aligns with Georgia DOE curriculum standard STEM-FET-3.7: Apply STEM knowledge and skills through hands-on research and lab experiments that are focused upon recreating the inventions and social solutions that were realized in the past, present, and possible future. These experiments will be a part of an …

Hydrogen Fuel Cells, Sydney Pilgrim, Skyler Smith

ENgaging Educators in Renewable enerGY (ENERGY): Lesson Plans & Slideshows (2017-2019)

Hydrogen fuel cells are hydrogen powered energy sources. They convert chemical energy into electrical energy by separating water molecules into the two elements that make up water, Hydrogen (2) and Oxygen (1). Hydrogen fuel cells are looking to become a paramount energy producer to avoid consuming fossil fuels for power. Along with the abundance of Hydrogen in the atmosphere being a benefit of using Hydrogen powered fuel cells, the only emission from these energy sources is water vapor. Many car engines only operate at a 20% fuel efficiency, whereas fuel cell powered cars utilize 60% of the energy produced. Although …

Solar Tracking Sustainable Energy Education, Tara Hart, Donita Legonas

ENgaging Educators in Renewable enerGY (ENERGY): Lesson Plans & Slideshows (2017-2019)

Two middle school science teachers collaborated with Georgia Southern lab students to conduct research and experimentation on the benefits of utilizing a dual-axis solar tracking system to assess the amount of voltage received during various times of the day. A smaller similar dual-axis solar tracking system was designed and fabricated to utilize in the teachers’ middle school classrooms in the study of renewable energy and the engineering and design process.

Structural And Aerodynamic Design, Procedure And Analysis Of A Small V-Shaped Vertical Axis Wind Turbine, Odari J. Whyte

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Over the last two decades there has been a renewed interest in Vertical Axis Wind Turbines. This turbine configuration though unpopular for large-scale generation has found a niche market in the way of offshore energy harvesting. However, offshore wind has its challenges. In this thesis a detailed comprehensive study of a proposed V-shaped vertical axis turbine rotor is performed in order to examine its structural and aerodynamic characteristics. The design met and exceeded the safety parameters establish for test bed operation, showing a factor of safety of 1.87 with regard to fatigue stress response. A satisfactory fatigue stress design life …

Designing And Testing 3-D Printed Wafer-Box With Embedded Pzt Sensors To Identify The Shape Effect On Energy Harvesting, Ahmad Jami Safayet

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Piezoelectric energy has been recently paid attention in the field of alternative energy. Day by day the traditional energy sources including Coal tar and oils are becoming scarce. People are heading to an alternative energy source to meet the future energy demand. Piezoelectric energy is one of the competitive energy sources compared to the conventional renewable energy sources including solar, wind, and geothermal power and so on. This energy production method bears enormous research potential because it can be used as the roadway for a new method of power generation. This research project aimed to identify which shaped wafer-box produced …

Natural Convection Heat Transfer Of Inclined Sierpinski Carpet Fractal Fins, Luke A. Fussell

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

When designing extended surfaces for the thermal management of electronic devices in aerospace applications it is critically important to minimize mass. However, this can be difficult to achieve as the rate of heat dissipated is directly proportional to the surface area. Fortunately, when certain fractal geometries, like the Sierpinski carpet, are utilized in the design of extended surfaces an increase in surface area and simultaneous decrease in mass can be achieved. The thermal performance of fins inspired by the first four fractal iterations of the Sierpinski carpet pattern was experimentally examined in a natural convection environment. The fractal fins were …

Solar Energy R & D Project: Teachers Incorporating Stem- Modules To Yield An Energy Literate Generation, Tricia Kirkland, Lindsay Snowden

ENgaging Educators in Renewable enerGY (ENERGY): Lesson Plans & Slideshows (2017-2019)

Background- Photovoltaic (PV) cells produce the largest amount of electricity when they are directly facing the sun. Solar panels that use tracking systems to position the panel to constantly face the sun have the greatest efficiency. But, these systems are expensive.

Aim- Design a dual axis tracking solar panel with microcontroller and sensors (light, humidity, temperature, and compass) that are both cost effective and efficient. Sensors will be used to determine performance depending on environmental factors.

Ethics Statement: Researchers will keep honest, clear, and accurate records when collecting all data in lab and communication of information learned.

Module 2: Solar Powered Cricket Lab & Engineering Guest Speaker, Lindsay Snowden

ENgaging Educators in Renewable enerGY (ENERGY): Lesson Plans & Slideshows (2017-2019)

Students will participate in a Solar Panel Cricket lab to determine which environmental condition would allow for the solar panel to produce the most power. The three conditions are inside, inside with a flashlight, or outside in the sun. The students will complete a correlating lab worksheet. Students will also ask questions and hold discussions with the guest speaker. Students will actively participate while the guest speaker is presenting.

Power House Sustainable Energy Education, Rachael Grillo, Molly Hopper, Laura Mills

ENgaging Educators in Renewable enerGY (ENERGY): Lesson Plans & Slideshows (2017-2019)

No abstract provided.

Renewable Energy, Keith Bazemore

ENgaging Educators in Renewable enerGY (ENERGY): Lesson Plans & Slideshows (2017-2019)

Lesson Plan for Renewable Energy- Environmental Science.

Nsf Energy - Pico-Grid Smart Homes Power Management System, Aaron Specht, Shaina Neal

ENgaging Educators in Renewable enerGY (ENERGY): Lesson Plans & Slideshows (2017-2019)

No abstract provided.

Wind Energy, Bob Deckard, Jaimee Howard

ENgaging Educators in Renewable enerGY (ENERGY): Lesson Plans & Slideshows (2017-2019)

No abstract provided.