Other Mechanical Engineering Commons^™

California Solar Regatta - Hull Team: Up A Creek, Torrey Duncan, Sean Neuman, Kyle Krietzman, Andrew Offhaus

Mechanical Engineering

The SMUD Solar Regatta competition tasks students with developing a solar-powered watercraft to compete in various events on a fresh water lake. Cal Poly has created two mechanical engineering senior project groups to coordinate the design of a boat for the Solar Regatta competition. Up a Creek, the boat construction team, has created the following Final Design Review document to highlight the group’s progress on the project over the year. This document captures the design process from the background research, project objectives, and early concepts to the final design, manufacturing processes, and planned testing procedures. Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic halted …

Raysun's Infrared Raisin Dryer, Lucas Kensinger, Saraith Aispuro, Joe Vanacore

General Engineering

The RaySuns senior project team was tasked with lowering the drying costs of raisins for River Ranch Raisins. In doing so, we explored several options for cutting costs: utilizing automation and exploring new drying technologies were our primary focus. We eventually planned a modular infrared heating mechanism which would be easy to automate in future projects. After manufacturing and testing an infrared heating mechanism, it was found that infrared drying could significantly cut costs versus the previous natural gas fired dryer tunnels while leaving room for automation. The infrared dryer was also shown to have the potential to create high-quality …

Cp Check Valve Design, Alec B. Der Matoian, Jessica M. Dent, Skylar M. Tusting

Mechanical Engineering

This report is to serve as a final design review and update to the project sponsors at Zurn Wilkins for the Check Valve Design Senior Project. The senior project team was tasked with improving upon the design of Zurn Wilkins’ backflow prevention assembly for small diameter pipes by reducing the pressure loss created by the check valves within the double check backflow assembly. The information contained in this report builds off the information contained in the Critical Design Report (CDR), as well as feedback and further investigation suggested during an Intermediary Design Review. Based on conclusions from the CDR, our …

Atmospheric Water Harvester, Justin K. Lam, Jacob David, Jessica Mabry, Ben Brough

Mechanical Engineering

Atmospheric water harvesting uses the vapor-compression cycle to collect water from the moisture in the air. The system’s components include an evaporator, condenser, compressor, fan, and several expansion valves. Condensate from the air is then funneled into a receptacle, which determines the efficiency of the water harvesting system. For this senior project, the goal is to increase the efficiency of an existing atmospheric water harvester.

Atmospheric Water Harvester, Adam C. Goldstein, Scott Seno, Kristen E. Dentici

Mechanical Engineering

Access to potable water is a global issue that has yet to be adequately solved. In regions with limited access to electricity and ground or surface water, it is not always possible to provide clean water requiring external power or extensive infrastructure to implement. This Final Design Report document will outline the background, design and manufacturing plan involved in the development of a passive atmospheric water harvester. This report builds on the earlier Preliminary Design Review and Critical Design Review documents to reflect further research, analysis, comments from reviewers, and detailed design documentation. While a final design was decided on …

Optical Filter Selector, Camaryn Chambers, Joel Pitzer, Matthew Allen, Callen Schwefler

Mechanical Engineering

One of the many challenges with launching projectiles into space is predicting how the environment in space will affect the trajectory. One way to do this is to look at optical emissions, also known as airglow, which can only be seen from earth with sensitive equipment. By taking measurements of the light from the airglow, properties about the upper atmosphere can be inferred. This is important because variability in the atmosphere can cause variability in space that can affect astronauts and satellites. In order to accomplish this task, optical filters must be used to observe different bands of wavelengths of …

Numerical Methods For Predicting The Dynamic Crushing Response And Energy Absorption Of Composite Aluminum Honeycomb Sandwich Structures, Cody R. Volk

Master's Theses

Edgewise crushing responses of composite aluminum honeycomb sandwich structures were predicted using finite element analysis (FEA) software LS-DYNA by modeling the honeycomb as a material with anisotropic properties. The goal of the project was to develop a process for modeling the sandwich structure to rapidly iterate possible solutions for a safer workstation train table. Current workstation tables are too rigid and may cause injury or death in a head-on collision. Experimental compression tests were used to calibrate the aluminum honeycomb core with material type 26 (MAT 26, honeycomb). A published composite tensile test was used to validate the use of …

Blood Flow Simulation Of Particle Trapping In Models Of Arterial Bifurcations, Qihang Xu

McKelvey School of Engineering Graduate Student Theses & Dissertations

This thesis describes the particle trapping mechanism in blood flow in different arterial bifurcation models. For validation of CFD calculations, a T-junction model and a Y-junction model are analyzed. In both the models, there is one inlet pipe with two outlet pipes creating a symmetric bifurcation at some angle from the centerline of the inlet pipe. Naiver-Stokes (RANS) equations are solved for single phase laminar flow using the commercial CFD software ANSYS Fluent. After validation, Eulerian simulations are performed by using the Discrete Phase Model (DPM) for two-phase flow with particles injected in different bifurcation models with bifurcation angle of …

The Development Of All Solid-State Optical Cryo-Cooler, Junwei Meng

Optical Science and Engineering ETDs

This dissertation describes the development of an all solid-state optical cryo-cooler. Crystals of 10% wt. ytterbium-doped yttrium lithium fluoride (Yb³⁺:YLF) are used to cool an infrared HgCdTe sensor payload to an absolute temperature below 135 K, equivalent to delta T equal 138 K below ambient. This record level of cooling is accomplished with a single stage, in a completely vibration-free environment, with a corresponding cooling power of 190 mW. This milestone is made possible by the design and fabrication of an undoped YLF thermal link that efficiently shields the payload with a non-right angle kink from intense anti-Stokes …

Numerical Modeling Of Magnetic Fields For Mirror Neutron Search Experiment, Adam Johnston

Pursuit - The Journal of Undergraduate Research at The University of Tennessee

This paper will outline the configuration of 3D magnetic field model simulated from electric current sources using MATLAB. The model is using 3D arrays allowing for quick and accurate numerical approximations of Bio-Savart integrals, of error < , modeling the behavior of a magnetic field due to current carrying wires. We will discuss the development of a 3D magnetic field configuration produced by the current carrying wires around a large 2.5 m diameter vacuum beam tube in the proposed mirror neutron search experiment at High Flux Isotope Reactor (HFIR) at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). The simulations demonstrate that the magnetic field with uniformity better than ± 2.5 mG that will allow for optimal results in experiment within the controlled range of net magnetic field magnitudes |B| 500 mG and in the large vacuum tube along 20-m neutron flight path can be achieved for an approximately 6 cm radius section at the center of the tube.

Utilization Of Recycled Filament For 3d Printing For Consumer Goods, Alexa Peterson

Apparel Merchandising and Product Development Undergraduate Honors Theses

The 3D printing market has been used in a wide variety of manufacturing industries including textile and apparel. Many consumers can now own a personal 3D printer at home for recreational printing. There are even websites dedicated to 3D printing patterns made by consumers. However, the materials used in the 3D printing process pose a problem for the environment due to their plastic-based nature. 3D printing is a layered process with each layer being printed depending on the layer below it for strength and stability. During the 3D printing process, great amounts of waste are produced as a result of …

Mathematical Modeling Of A Variable Mass Rocket’S Dynamics Using The Differential Transform Method, Ashwyn Sam

Honors Theses

In this paper, the mathematical modelling of a rocket with varying mass is investigated to construct a function that can describe the velocity and position of the rocket as a function of time. This research is geared more towards small scale rockets where the nonlinear drag term is of great interest to the underlying dynamics of the rocket. A simple force balance on the rocket using Newton’s second law of motion yields a Riccati differential equation for which the solution yields the velocity of the rocket at any given time. This solution can then be integrated with respect to time …

A History And Status Of Wind Energy Potential In Arkansas, Pre And Post Covid-19, Will Blasingame

Mechanical Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

Historically, wind-generated electricity has been the largest renewable energy sources in the United States. Wind-rich regions like Oklahoma and Texas have fueled growth and sold that electricity to electric utilities located in wind-poor states like Arkansas in the form of Power Purchase Agreements. Future technologies such as Vertical Axis Wind Turbines, small wind turbines, and Tesla turbines designed to generate electricity from wind show promise in unlocking more expensive wind resources in regions like Northwest Arkansas by mitigating concerns about low wind speeds and noise. However, more factors than just feasibility influence the growth of wind power. Governmental policies such …

Impact Of Magnetocaloric Material Properties On Performance Of A Magnetocaloric Heat Pump., Michael G. Schroeder

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In the field of magnetocaloric heat pumps much research has been performed around machine design and theoretical machines, but little has been researched around practical problems such as variability in material properties. The present work defines a simulation tool that has been proven with experimental data. Magnetocaloric material cascades were statistically analyzed and parameterized, such that they could be recreated parametrically using a split Lorentz function with normally distributed parameters. Correlated curve-defining values with standard deviations were used as input into the simulation tool to determine the effect of variation on cooling heat pump performance for a household refrigerator application. …

Service Dog Ramp, Matthew Lundgren, Ariel Tolentino, Dallas Rocha, Adam Mayeda

Mechanical Engineering

This project involves designing a device to help a service dog easily get into and out of a truck. It details the design and manufacturing process. The project was interrupted due to the COVID-19 pandemic, so detailed instructions are provided for whoever takes on the project in the future.

Impact Of Part Thickness And Drying Conditions On Saturation Limits In Binder Jet Additive Manufacturing, Nathan B. Crane

Faculty Publications

Binder jetting (BJ) is a high build-rate additive manufacturing process with growing commercial interest. Growth in BJ applications is driven by the use of finer powders and improved post-processing methods that can produce dense, homogenous final parts. However, understanding of the basic droplet/powder interaction is relatively limited. This paper considers the impact of in-process drying, part geometry, and droplet size on a key printing parameter: binder saturation. Parts of varying thicknesses are printed with a range of saturation levels under various heating conditions. The ratio of the printed part mass to the theoretical part mass is used to detect bleeding. …

Emissivity Measurements Of Painted And Aerosol Deposited Thermographic Phosphors (Yag:Dy And Mfg:Mn), Wendy Flores-Brito

Mechanical Engineering ETDs

Combustion is one of the most difficult processes to model. Luminous flames are characteristically sooty, which creates a problem when modeling and calculating the combustion and heat transfer of the process; both of which are highly dependent on temperature and emissivity. Soot particle emissivity as well as gas contributions affect the heat transfer calculation and must be accounted for.

Thermographic phosphors (TP) are ceramic based phosphorescent materials that have a temperature dependent emission that can be exploited to obtain surface and gas temperature measurements, as well as 2D temperature maps. Emissivity knowledge is not needed to obtain temperature and is …

Fluid Power Vehicle Challenge, Jacob Torrey, Kayla Londono, Bryson Chan, Aaron Trujillo

Mechanical Engineering

The FPVC combines mechanical engineering disciplines to design and manufacture a vehicle that utilizes hydraulic power. The FDR covers the final manufacturing process and verification processes developed during the front end of research and analysis built upon the Critical Design Review (CDR) and the PDR (Preliminary Design Review). This report showcases the design decisions and extensive research that supports the continuing efforts by the Team Pump My Ride, to build upon the accomplishments of Cal Poly’s previous team, The Incompressibles. The FDR presents how Team Pump My Ride produced the design changes from the CDR and PDR to achieve improvements …

Critical Point Identification In 3d Velocity Fields, Mohammadreza Zharfa

Mechanical Engineering Research Theses and Dissertations

Classification of flow fields involving strong vortices such as those from bluff body wakes and animal locomotion can provide important insight to their hydrodynamic behavior. Previous work has successfully classified 2D flow fields based on critical points of the velocity field and the structure of an associated weighted graph using the critical points as vertices. The present work focuses on extension of this approach to 3D flows. To this end, we have used the Gauss-Bonnet theorem to find critical points and their indices in the 3D velocity vector field, which functions similarly to the Poincare-Bendixon theorem in 2D flow fields. …

A Wirelessly Controlled Smart Bandage With 3d-Printed Miniaturized Needle Arrays, Hossein Derakhshandeh, Fariba Aghabaglou, Alec Mccarthy, Azadeh Mostafavi, Chris Wiseman, Zack Bonick, Ian Ghanavati, Seth Harris, Craig Kreikemeier-Bower, Seyed Masoud Moosavi Basri, Jordan Rosenbohm, Ruiguo Yang, Pooria Mostafalu, Dennis Orgill, Ali Tamayol

Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering: Faculty Publications

PUBLIC ACCESS

Results Of Improvement Of The Technological Process Of Sorting Of Draged Seeds, R.K. Djamolov, E.T. Maksudov, K. Djamolov

Irrigation and Melioration

The article presents the results of experiments conducted to justify the parameters of the seed selection unit to improve the process of sorting seeds. The experiments were carried out by changing the angle of inclination of the seed tray to the horizontal plane from α = 390 to α = 540 and the radius of the lower part of the tray in the aisle R = 140-180 mm. The experimental results show that the bottom of the tray, made in the form of a semicircle, allows the seeds to move up the pipe when the seeds fall from the tray …

Energy Saving Issues In Pumping Units, A.I. Anarbaev, D.B. Kodirov, R.A. Zakhidov, B. Usmanov

Irrigation and Melioration

The article presents the issues of energy saving, which are becoming increasingly relevant due to the constant increase in tariffs and the introduction of the demands on energy efficiency and energy conversation. To save energy at pumping units, the characteristics of controlling the electric drive of pumping stations with frequency-controlled control are considered. For adequate adjustment by the technological process of water movement and power supply, corresponding analytical dependencies are obtained. An analysis of the physical expressions of water pumping processes allowed us to determine energy-saving modes of operation and technologies for improving the efficiency of equipment.

Importance Of Creating A System Of Land And Cadastral Data For Subjects Of Agriculture, К. Rakhmonov, M.O. Abdurakhimova

Irrigation and Melioration

A separate model and model were developed for compiling cadastral maps used by the authors for agricultural organizations. The model is intended for enterprises operating in the Tashkent region. The article is based on the scientific and methodological order and the system of destruction of irrigated lands. Based on the experience of leading foreign countries in this area, the possibilities of introducing modern electronic computers in Uzbekistan are presented. The procedure for converting data into a specific algorithm is recommended for the formation of a system of land cadastral data in agricultural entities. It is necessary to create an information …

Apple Orchard Drip Irrigation Conditions Of The Tashkent Region Of Uzbekistan, Sardor Gulyamov, Bakir Serikbaev, Anvar Sherov

Irrigation and Melioration

The article presents the results of many years of theoretical experimental field research on drip irrigation of the apple orchard of the Golden variety in the conditions of the Tashkent region. Based on the analysis of climatic, soil, hydrogeological, geological, hydrological and economic conditions of the experimental plot, as well as biological features of the garden, the values of total water consumption, water consumption deficit, irrigation, irrigation rate and the number of irrigation by the bioclimatic method are determined.

Calculation Of The Placement Of Vertical Drainage Wells Near An Open Water Source In The Conditions Of Waterlogging Of Built-Up Areas, B.K. Saliev

Irrigation and Melioration

The article discusses the methodology for calculating the intercepting drainage well that reveals the upper layer of the multilayer horizon, and presents analytical dependencies based on the hydrodynamic theory and formulas for approximate calculation of the location of the axial line of the blocking drainage between the source of flooding and the protected built-up area from flooding. In particular, mathematical methods have been improved to solve the forecast problems of flooding in conditions of different pressure, based on the relationship between the depressions and the incoming flow of pressure water into the drainage well. The presence of underground pressure water …

Multisector Water Consumption Database: Surkhandarya Region Of The Republic Of Uzbekistan, М. Ikramova, С. Batishev, О. Ikramov, H. Kabilov, D. Nazaraliev, А. Khodjiev, I. Akhmedkhodjaeva

Irrigation and Melioration

The available water resources in the country are used by the different sectors of economy as industry, agriculture, energy, communal service and etc. In this case the water distribution within the river basin requires perfect information service and data exchange facilities. In the paper the developed unified multi-sector on-line database is presented aimed to monitor the water distribution among sectors of economy, database structure, and data exchange tools. The software works at operative mood, allows evaluating the combined water use efficiency by water users.

Field Research Methods And Some Results For Distribution Of Suspended Sediment In Flow Constrained By Transverse Dams, M.R. Bakiev, K.T. Yakubov, O.M. Matkarimov, Z.B. Dovlatov

Irrigation and Melioration

The article presents methods for determining the main parameters of flow of medium hydraulic size sediment, turbidity, sampling methods in field and the instruments used for sampling, methods of processing the samples in laboratory. Methods for setting sections and gage points and conducting field and laboratory research have been developed for flow deformed by blank and through flow transverse dams, water surface longitudinal and transverse slope takes place in the flow constrained by transverse dams, changes in suspended sediment distribution occur inversely. Location of sections for sampling is determined in the article: in the headrace –beyond dam influence zone, maximal …

Hydromechanical Parameters Of River Sediment, A.M. Arifjanov, D.Sh. Allayorov

Irrigation and Melioration

The main problem today in irrigation canals is the danger of siltation, in this process it is important to correctly assess the factors affecting the throughput (hydromechanical parameters of sediment) and using their justification of the hydraulic elements of the flow. The article presents the results of theoretical studies of the main hydromechanical parameters (hydraulic fineness) of river sediments, in hydraulic structures, in particular in irrigation canals, which currently increasingly affect adversely moving water. It has been established that the hydraulic size entering the right bank irrigation sump of the Kokand hydropower complex varies in the range of 189-429 mm/s, …

Minimizing Control Circuits Using Logic Elements, R.T. Gaziyeva, A.M. Nigmatov, E.O. Ozodov

Irrigation and Melioration

In this article considered information about contact and non-contact automation. In most cases, contact automation is used in many pumping stations. These phenomena are a power surge or voltage drop. And also the use of contact automation occupies a large place and inconvenience in operation. Non- contactless automation solves these problems. Pumping stations are usually designed with the calculation of their operation without permanent duty personnel. At large stations, a small staff is provided, which primarily carries out control functions. Set the automatic operation of pumping units. Often, automatic selection of switched-on units is carried out, reserve is withdrawn, station …

Importance Of Creating A System Of Land And Cadastral Data For Subjects Of Agriculture, К. Rakhmonov

Irrigation and Melioration

The generation of electronic data using the land plot scheme while maintaining the land cadastre provides significant convenience for users. Based on this concept, the author explains the conditions, factors and elements of the formation of the contours of land within the land, which plays an important role in the land cadastral work. In particular, the elements of the contour of the earth, that is, the conditions and composition of the border, the area and the order of formation of numbers, are reflected in a separate figure. It is known that the composition of agricultural land plays an important role …