Heat Transfer, Combustion Commons^™

California Olive Ranch Hedger, Tyler Enos, Seth Abbott, David Gamba

Mechanical Engineering

The purpose of this project is to evaluate the problems of the current KCI (Kingsburg Cultivator Incorporated) olive tree hedger in use at California Olive Ranch (COR) in Artois, CA, and then correct these problems which should yield a better performing, more efficient, and reliable machine. These problems include: the hydraulic oil temperature getting too high, the saw blades not having enough horsepower, and poor cutting performance due to operator error as well as terrain variations.

Cryogenic Heat Switch, Daniel Brodkey, Esteban Ruiz, Cristal Vasquez

Mechanical Engineering

A prototype cryogenic heat switch capable of transferring heat at cryogenic temperatures, while decoupling to prevent irreversible heat damage and minimizing parasitic heat loads, is to be developed for the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Various material properties and cryogenic heat transfer processes will be investigated to determine the best solution for this project. A working proof of concept model will be constructed that may eventually be integrated onto a spacecraft’s passive cooler systems to protect them from the irradiation emitted by the sun, from the albedo of planets, and other malicious heat sources.

Frg Turbojet, Tyler Vitti

Computer Engineering

Members of the Cal Poly SLO campus club FRG work together with students of several different disciplines to build a functional turbojet engine. Engineering approaches include design, fabrication, testing, and computer sensing, control, and integration. The goal of the project is to produce a running turbojet engine monitored and controlled by embedded hardware and specialized PC software. This project is to be used by later groups for further research and development.

Analysis And Testing Of Heat Transfer Through Honeycomb Panels, Daniel D. Nguyen

Aerospace Engineering

This project attempts to simulate accurately the thermal conductivity of honeycomb panels in the normal direction. Due to the large empty space of the honeycomb core, the thermal radiation mode of heat transfer was modeled along with conduction. Using Newton’s Method to solve for a steady state model of heat moving through the honeycomb panel, the theoretical effective thermal conduction of the honeycomb panel was found, ranging from 1.03 to 1.07 Q/m/K for a heat input of 2.5 W to 11.8 W. An experimental model was designed to test the theoretical results, using a cold plate and a heat plate …

Engine Simulation And Diagnostic Test Bed: Final Design Report, Jeff Lewis, Cody Scott, Todd Smith

Mechanical Engineering

The San Luis Obispo High School Automotive Technology Shop has a 1991 Buick V-6 Engine which uses the OBD-I (On-Board Diagnostics, generation one) standard for diagnostic testing and troubleshooting. In order to expand the capabilities of the Automotive Technology program and allow students to gain first-hand experience troubleshooting older OBD-I engines, the shop has a need for this engine to become part of a diagnostic and troubleshooting test bed. Some of the diagnostic tests the students will perform include checking cylinder pressure, monitoring coolant system temperatures, interpreting error codes from the OBD-I system, and conducting enhanced smog testing. All of …

Floating Tube Heat Exchangers, Patrick Harris, Christina Gedeon, Leonel Medrano, George Milam

Mechanical Engineering

With the slowly diminishing supply of fossil fuels across the world and the heightened risk of carbon dioxide pollution leading to global warming, a shift towards renewable energy is gaining momentum. Recent advances in wind and solar power technology have increased the power density of alternative sources while decreasing the cost per kilowatt-hour, but the technology has not become advanced enough yet for large scale deployment. Combined Power Cooperative has developed a revolutionary design for a concentrated solar power plant that utilizes Fresnel reflectors and a large body of water in which to install them. In addition to being low-cost, …

Thrust-Vector Control, Dane Larkin, Harsimran Singh

Mechanical Engineering

Mission Statement

The purpose of this project is to design, build, and test a thrust-vectoring rocket nozzle which will aid in controlling the trajectory of a solid-booster rocket. The system prototype must meet the requirements set forth by the sponsoring enterprise.

The Enterprise

Stellar Exploration is a small space systems technology company located in San Luis Obispo, CA. Stellar Exploration is currently seeking a thrust-vectoring system for its Silver Sword rocket.

Project Scope

The design and analysis portion of this project accounted for a system that would be mounted on to a rocket for operational flight. Therefore, this team has …

Rayleigh Test Apparatus Design Report, Josef Duller, Owen Raybould, James Nicovich

Mechanical Engineering

The Rayleigh Test Apparatus is a device that will be used to test the thermodynamic properties of Nitrous Oxide to assess the feasibility of using this fluid as a coolant for a hybrid rocket aero spike. The aero spike is intended to redirect the propulsion flow as it leaves the engine to create a more efficient flow pattern at low and high altitudes. However, there are issues of overheating which leads to melting of the aero spike. For this reason, the use of nitrous oxide (N2O) as a coolant is being explored. N20 is being considered because it is already …

Modeling And Numerical Investigation Of Hot Gas Defrost On A Finned Tube Evaporator Using Computational Fluid Dynamics, Oai The Ha

Master's Theses

Defrosting in the refrigeration industry is used to remove the frost layer accumulated on the evaporators after a period of running time. It is one way to improve the energy efficiency of refrigeration systems. There are many studies about the defrosting process but none of them use computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation. The purpose of this thesis is (1) to develop a defrost model using the commercial CFD solver FLUENT to simulate numerically the melting of frost coupled with the heat and mass transfer taking place during defrosting, and (2) to investigate the thermal response of the evaporator and the …

Irrigation Leak Detection: Using Flow Rate Sensors To Detect Breaks In An Irrigation System, Adam Openshaw, Kalvin Vu

Computer Engineering

This report details the exploration and invention of a mechanism that can detect breaks in an irrigation system. With the ultimate goal of conserving water, we have designed an inexpensive, self sustaining flow rate monitor that can be used to identify anomalies in an irrigation system and wirelessly communicate the status of the system to a base station. Our implementation can also determine the direction of the anomaly based on the nature of the anomaly itself. This means that multiple monitors can be used to pinpoint the location of a break within the system in addition to merely detecting its …

Pg&E Flow Loop Simulator, Cole Brooks, Seth Berger, Ben Thacker

Mechanical Engineering

PG&E’s Diablo Canyon Power Plant requested a full-sized Flow Loop Simulator to train technicians by giving them hands-on experience. The basic design requirements were established to determine the scope of the project and develop the specific characteristics of the system. The detailed system design is composed of a piping schematic, a three-dimensional layout of the system components and piping, and a skid structure for the support and transportation of the system. Heat transfer and fluid mechanics were used to analyze the system to size components.

Air Cooling For Aecm Module, Final Project Report, Kevin Whipp, Abraham Bruno Caulk

Mechanical Engineering

Advancements in electronics have created the need for improved cooling standards. The AECM standard, created to replace the antiquated ARINC 600 specification for aircraft, draws inspiration from a cooling specification known as VITA 48.2. The ARINC standard is in early stages of development and this project researches the feasibility of using air as a convective fluid instead of a liquid, the fluid used in the VITA specification.

A performance factor calculated from the ratio of the heat dissipated by convective heat exchanger plates over the power used to cause forced convective flow over said plates helps to quantify the effectiveness …

Design, Reconstruction And Evaluation Of A Dynamometer For Quarter Scale, Samuel Sanchez

BioResource and Agricultural Engineering

This project discusses the design, reconstruction, and evaluation of a dynamometer. A new test stand for the Quarter Scale team would improve the testing of the engines and the Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT). All the readings will be done electronically in order to provide the most accurate data collection. The dynamometer will be a closed hydraulic system for ease of use. This system will be able to test all of Quarter Scale engines. The data collected will be used to determine which engines are in the best condition, and which may need to be fixed. With the new design, the …

Module Cover Conductivity Enhancement, Niles Dhanens, James Fortner

Mechanical Engineering

A clam shell module cover for printed circuit boards (PCB) has been designed for use in Boeing’s AECM cabinet. The cover utilizes materials with high thermal conductivity and cools the PCB by conducting the heat to a cold plate interface. Materials were compared and aluminum 6061-T6, aluminum 3003, and annealed pyrolytic graphite (APG) were chosen. A prototype was built and tested using aluminum 6061-T6 which was able to dissipate 57.7% of the projected wattage. Issues may include unforeseen complications in assembly along with components performing at lower levels than specified by manufacturers. The APG prototype was unable to be tested …

Two-Material Cylinder Stress Response Software, Katherine Gage, Matt Highstreet, Liz Del Cid

Mechanical Engineering

No abstract provided.

The Next Generation Router System Cooling Design, Garrett A. Glover

Master's Theses

Advancements in the networking and routing industry have created higher power electronic systems which dissipate large amounts of heat while cooling technology for these electronic systems has remained relatively unchanged. This report illustrates the development and testing of a hybrid liquid-air cooling system prototype implemented on Cisco’s 7609s router. Water was the working fluid through cold plates removing heat from line card components. The water was cooled by a compact liquid-air heat exchanger and circulated by two pumps. The testing results show that junction temperatures were maintained well below the 105°C limit for ambient conditions around 30°C at sea level. …

Rayleigh Flow Of Two-Phase Nitrous Oxide As A Hybrid Rocket Nozzle Coolant, Lauren May Nelson

Master's Theses

The Mechanical Engineering Department at California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo currently maintains a lab-scale hybrid rocket motor for which nitrous oxide is utilized as the oxidizer in the combustion system. Because of its availability, the same two-phase (gas and liquid) nitrous oxide that is used in the combustion system is also routed around the throat of the hybrid rocket’s converging-diverging nozzle as a coolant. While this coolant system has proven effective empirically in previous tests, the physics behind the flow of the two-phase mixture is largely unexplained. This thesis provides a method for predicting some of its …

Design, Construction And Evaluation Of A Multi Layered Solar Distillation Prototype, Arlen A. Flanagan

BioResource and Agricultural Engineering

Water is arguably the most important resource to any individual; especially in areas of deserts and open oceans where drinkable water suppliers are scarce. The prototype Solar Desalination Unit allows normally undrinkable water to be distilled into a potable source with minimal inputs. The unit’s main power source is focused sunlight to thermally heat water inducing evaporation which is then condensed and collected. While solar desalination has been around for many years, lately more complex designs have been investigated in order to increase yields and efficiency. This paper focuses on the design, construction and testing of a Multi-Plate Solar Desalination …

Simulation Of An Oxidizer-Cooled Hybrid Rocket Throat: Methodology Validation For Design Of A Cooled Aerospike Nozzle, Peter Alexander Brennen

Master's Theses

A study was undertaken to create a finite element model of a cooled throat converging/diverging rocket nozzle to be used as a tool in designing a cooled aerospike nozzle. Using ABAQUS, a simplified 2D axisymmetric model was created featuring only the copper throat and stainless steel support ring, which were brazed together for the experimental test firings. This analysis was a sequentially coupled thermal/mechanical model. The steady state thermal data matched closely to experimental data. The subsequent mechanical model predicted a life of over 300 cycles using the Manson-Halford fatigue life criteria. A mesh convergence study was performed to establish …

An Experiment On Integrated Thermal Management Using Metallic Foam, Derek M. Geiger

Master's Theses

This report details an approach to using metal foam heat exchangers inside an integrated thermal management system on a variable cycle engine. The propulsion system of interest is a variable cycle engine with an auxiliary, variable flow rate fan. The feasibility of utilizing an open-celled metallic foam heat exchanger in the ducting between the constant and variable-fans on this variable cycle engine to cool the avionics was explored using an experimental approach. Two heat exchangers, 6.3 inch width by 6.3 inch length by 0.5 inch thickness, were constructed from 20 and 40 pores per inch (PPI) metal foam and tested. …