Other Engineering Commons^™

Utilizing Economic And Environmental Data From The Desalination Industry As A Progressive Approach To Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (Otec) Commercialization, Michael R. Eller

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) is a renewable energy technology that has to overcome several key challenges before achieving its ultimate goal of producing baseload power on a commercial scale. The economic challenge of deploying an OTEC plant remains the biggest barrier to implementation. Although small OTEC demonstration plants and recent advances in subsystem technologies have proven OTEC’s technical merits, the process still lacks the crucial operational data required to justify investments in large commercial OTEC plants on the order of 50-100 megawatts of net electrical power (MWe-net). A pre-commercial pilot plant on the order of 5-10 MWe-net is required …

A Wedge Impact Theory Used To Predict Bow Slamming Forces, Ashok Benjamin Basil Attumaly

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

The pressures and impact forces acting on a hull while experiencing bow wave slamming is analyzed using Vorus' Impact Theory. The theory extends the hydrodynamic analysis of planing hulls from simple wedges to irregular shapes using a Boundary Element Method. A Fortran-based code developed by the Author is used to analyze hullforms. Linear strip theory is used to extend the analysis over a three dimensional hull. Post-processing of output data gives hull pressure distributions at different time steps and is visually presentable.

Impact pressure, Impact force, Planing, Wave slamming, Bow impact, Vorus' theory, Boundary Element Method, Linear strip theory

Evaluation Of Alternate Mouthpiece Material Types To Minimize Vibrations And Heat Loss - The Research And Execution Of Prototypes, Kristen Bobuk

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

This paper is based on the idea of current horn mouthpieces being made solely out of brass with a limited market of stainless steel and titanium with plating being silver or gold. This is an opportunity to explore alternate materials; specifically steel, cast iron and aluminum for the base material and chrome, copper and nickel for plating materials. Readers will learn about metal properties such as hardness, thermal conductivity and specific heat and learn why certain materials are more beneficial than others.

Effects Of Time Varying Background Noise Conditions On Human Perception And Performance, Andrew H. Hathaway

Durham School of Architectural Engineering and Construction: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This thesis was designed to study the effects of changing noise conditions on human perception and performance. In two phases, participants were exposed to a number of noise conditions and their performance on an arithmetic task involving short-term memory was monitored and their subjective perception of noise conditions was collected via questionnaires.

In the first phase, participants were tested while being subjected to RC-29(H) and RC-47(RV) conditions created by broadband noise fluctuating on different time intervals, resembling the changing noise conditions potentially found in modern HVAC systems. These intervals varied from two minutes to ten minutes. Results show a significant …

A Simple Method For Estimation Of Queue Length, S. P. Anusha, Lelitha Devi Vanajakshi, Anuj Sharma

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering: Faculty Publications

Urban arterials are characterized by frequent intersections. Queue length and delay are the two primary measures of performance of intersection. These measures play a primary role in determining the arterial performance. This article presents a methodology to determine the number of vehicles in queue at a signalized intersection for under saturated traffic conditions. The results obtained were validated using actual values that are manually extracted. The root-mean-square error is of the range 1.3 vehicles for estimation of number of vehicles in queue. The various aspects that have to be considered in accurate estimation of performance measures are also discussed.

La Yeguada Volcanic Vomplex In The Republic Of Panama: An Assessment Of The Geologic Hazards Using 40ar/39ar Geochronology, Karinne L. Knutsen, William I. Rose, Brian Jicha

Department of Geological and Mining Engineering and Sciences Publications

La Yeguada volcanic complex is one of three Quaternary volcanic centers in Panama. To assess potential geologic hazards, new samples were analyzed using argon analysis (⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar), and obtained the following: the most recent eruption occurred approximately 32,000 years ago at the Media Luna cinder cone; the youngest dated eruption from the main dome complex occurred 357 ± 19 ka, producing the Castillo dome unit; Cerro Picacho, a separate dacite dome 1.5 km east of the main complex is 4.47 ± 0.23 Ma; and the El Satro Pyroclastic Flow unit surrounds the northern portion of the volcanic …

Nuts & Bolts, Volume 1, Issue 4

Friends of the Larsen Tractor Museum

Splinter Gallery Construction

Restoration Club

Museum OLLI Program

Free Webinar: Ethanol in Legacy Engines

Cost Of Housing Regulation In Utah Valley-Impact Fees, Rhett M. Turner, Dr. Howard Bashford

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The purpose of impact fees is to help fund infrastructure needs brought on by new growth. The State of Utah has recently passed legislation which allows cities to charge impact fees for the construction of new homes. These impact fees can be substantial, amounting to thousands of dollars for each home.

Lemmings: A Student Animation, Craig Paul Van Dyke, Dr. Brent R. Adams

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Lemmings brought together eighteen students for one full year to work on a 5 minute computer animation. Such a learning experience broke the bonds of a normal artistic and technical education; it became a lesson in teamwork, leadership and hard work. The entire animation was student run and directed.

Dynasense: Remote Monitoring System, Bryce Ott, Mike Coleman, Tyler Monson, Janell Armstrong, Ben Tanner, Brad Anderson, Dr. Steven Renshaw

Journal of Undergraduate Research

DynaSense is a robust and modular remote monitoring system that can be incorporated into an existing network. Individual embedded hardware modules gather and log data from attached sensors. This data is web-accessible from each individual module or can be compiled and monitored by custom management software for additional processing and display. A variety of industries could benefit from the features provided in the DynaSense system, including hospitals and clinical centers, manufacturing plants and refineries, museums, grocery stores, and the military.

Establishing The Facility Capital Investment Laboratory, Tim Tucker, Dr. Jeffery Campbell

Journal of Undergraduate Research

One of the greatest difficulties a manager has in the current economy is being able to validly show the value that is being created by their efforts. After human resource and related issues the greatest expenses an organization faces is the total cost of ownership of their fixed assets. Many organizations both private and public are coming to the understanding that a plan must be developed for the care of facilities and other capital assets. As one looks for information on how to proceed in the development of these plans one thing becomes clear, there is no single source that …

Asset Tracking System, Jacob Roberts, Dr. Joseph Ekstrom

Journal of Undergraduate Research

RFID, Radio Frequency Identification, is a technology that is beginning to attract the attention of large business. These businesses have complicated and expensive supply chains. RFID promises to streamline asset tracking and reduce supply chain costs.

Student Digital Portfolio Analysis And Implementation For Byu Students, Keith Kasperson, Dr. Gordon W. Romney

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The Student Digital Portfolio (StuDigiPort) capstone team shall provide a web application that provides students with a digital or electronic portfolio. A digital portfolio is a collection of student work that is organized similar to a hard copy portfolio. The purpose of the portfolio is to demonstrate the character and abilities of the student. Following are some of the requested features that shall be provided by the Student Digital Portfolio application:

Ds3 Web Interface, Kevin Wong, Dr. Gordon Romney

Journal of Undergraduate Research

As digital media storage is growing ever more popular, security of this data is becoming more and more important. Intruders can relatively easily alter digital files and documents. Several customers, such as the Harold B. Lee Library, the archivist of the Dead Sea Scrolls, and the Director of the Center for Earth Remote Sensing, need the assurance of data integrity, as the users of these files require unaltered content. A digital signature signing server can receive a digital file, digitally sign it, and store the digital signature with the original file. When needed, the server can regenerate the signature and …

Digital Signature Signing Server Project Management And Client Support, Frederick Penrose, Dr. Gordon Romney

Journal of Undergraduate Research

With the ever increasing move to electronic documents in every industry and field, digital security is becoming a greater concern for everyone. Various departments within BYU have the concern of distributing images to the public and in-turn persons from the public fraudulently change the images and then claim that their modified image is the original. The mission of our project was to create a method for which the integrity of the image is preserved to produce a unique “Digital Signature” on the object at the time of archival. The objective of the Digital Signature Signing Server (DS3 ) project is …

Securing Engineering For The Future: An Inquiry-Base Approach To Teaching Engineering In Grades 6-12, Ryan Anderson, Dr. Jared Berrett

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The basis behind inquiry-based learning is that questions are being asked and answers are being found. On that same note problems are being presented and solutions are being discovered. Inquiry-based learning and instruction allows for personal growth and choice in education on the part of the student. It doesn’t eliminate the role of the teacher, but it places the teacher in the position of facilitator. The goal of the facilitator is to create an environment where students can begin to make connections with previous learning, add to that learning new knowledge, and then form their own conclusions to find solutions.

Digital Signature Signing Server Archiving Method For Secure Data, Hoan Do, Gorden Romney

Journal of Undergraduate Research

In a world where digital information can be so easily altered it is essential to protect the original content of digital files from unauthorized changes. This is especially important with digital images such as maps or historical documents. If these images are provided to the world for research or public use then proof must be provided showing that no alterations have been made and that the image contains exactly what it should. The DS3 project will create a digital signature system that will uniquely sign digital image files and provide a process to validate each file according to the individual …

The Effects Of A User Interface On Productivity The Whiteboard Lms, Jeremiah Jackson, Dr. Barry Mark Lunt

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Common among modern universities, BYU included, is usage of Learning Management Systems, commonly known as LMS. LMS are electronic classrooms, often online, that allow for the learning process to continue outside of the traditional classroom setting. For several years, BYU has strived to use the Blackboard LMS to enhance the student experience. Unfortunately, many students and teachers dislike the program, and only use it sparingly, if at all. Initial interviews with students and teachers revealed that the problem behind Blackboard was that it has a poor user interface. Without proper training and/or experience using it, the features of Blackboard can …

Thermal Management Of Lithium Iron-Phosphate Batteries, Nicholas V. Riedel, Perry Carter

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The BYU Electric Vehicle Competition Team (EVCT) elected to use Lithium-iron phosphate batteries as the power source for their streamlined electric race car. This car will be used to attempt a land speed record for electric vehicles under 1800 lbs at the Bonneville Salt Flats in August 2008. These batteries were chosen because they were light-weight and relatively durable. However, there was some concern about using them in place of a more durable battery, like lead acid, because of the extreme temperatures and high electrical loads which the batteries would experience during a run.

A Model Worth A Thousand Pictures, Tyson Triplett, Paul Skaggs

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Model-making is an essential part of the Industrial Design profession. An idea, no matter how good, is only as valuable as you are able to present it to others. Model-making can be seen as a language by which we share and validate our ideas as designers. More than that, it is a universal language that everyone understands no matter origin, education, or level of understanding. For this reason, we spend more time learning to convince others of our concepts than generating those ideas. A common saying around the department is: “If a picture is worth a thousand words then a …

A Model For Transforming Engineering Education Through Group Learning, Shannon Chance, Gavin Duffy, Brian Bowe, Mike Murphy, Tony Duggan

Conference papers

Electrical engineering educators at Technological University Dublin (DIT) have successfully implemented pedagogical change. They now use group-based, student-centered and inquiry-driven approaches to teach emerging engineers. The objective of this was to foster students’ personal as well as professional skills (i.e., teamwork, communication, self-directed learning, etc.). This paper explores how such change was achieved and provides graphic models that draw from prior phenomenological studies and incorporates aspects of Rogers’ (1962) product adoption curve and Lowe’s (2012) interpretations of it.

Examples Where The Conjunctive And Dempster’S Rules Are Insensitive, Florentin Smarandache, Jean Dezert, Valeri Kroumov

Branch Mathematics and Statistics Faculty and Staff Publications

In this paper we present several counter-examples to the Conjunctive rule and to Dempster rule of combinations in information fusion.

Family Tree Mapper: Designing A User Interface For Online Mapping Of Genealogical Data, Craig Fryer, Richard Helps

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Designing and Implementing a web service for promoting genealogy and family history work requires a complex process of working with potential end users, designing a product that meets their needs, and testing it with the end users. I found that the greatest challenge to this process was including the end users in every step of the process. Developers tend to make assumptions regarding what is best for the users. These assumptions are often proven wrong when presented to the end user of the product. To circumvent this error, I used the following process.

Plastics For Designers, Colburn L. Jones

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Plastics for Designers is a basic survey of the industry of plastics specifically written to address the questions and needs of the industrial designer. It is interesting that most people understand and are much more familiar with materials such as wood, metal, glass, stone, etc., than they are with plastics. This is quite amazing when we consider how much we surround ourselves with the very substance of which we are so ignorant. For the industrial designer this unfamiliarity with plastics is an especially vulnerable position as the number of products specifying the use of plastic grows exponentially. It is therefore …

Navigation Safety Management On Hangzhou Bay Sea-Crossing Bridge, Yueming Yin

Maritime Safety & Environment Management Dissertations (Dalian)

No abstract provided.

Study On The Selection Mechanism Of Opening Targeted Ship-Borne Containers Carrying Dangerous Goods, Yuheng Lu

Maritime Safety & Environment Management Dissertations (Dalian)

No abstract provided.

Study On The Influencing Factors Of Loading And Discharging Efficiency In Tianjin Port Container Terminal, Xiaoqi Kang

Maritime Safety & Environment Management Dissertations (Dalian)

No abstract provided.

The Size Range Of Bubbles That Produce Ash During Explosive Volcanic Eruptions, Kimberly Genareau, Gopal K. Mulukutla, Alexander A. Proussevitch, Adam J. Durant, William I. Rose, Dork L. Sahagian

Department of Geological and Mining Engineering and Sciences Publications

Volcanic eruptions can produce ash particles with a range of sizes and morphologies. Here we morphologically distinguish two textural types: Simple (generally smaller) ash particles, where the observable surface displays a single measureable bubble because there is at most one vesicle imprint preserved on each facet of the particle; and complex ash particles, which display multiple vesicle imprints on their surfaces for measurement and may contain complete, unfragmented vesicles in their interiors. Digital elevation models from stereo-scanning electron microscopic images of complex ash particles from the 14 October 1974 sub-Plinian eruption of Volcán Fuego, Guatemala and the 18 May 1980 …

Moving Towards Technology Literacy: An Evaluation Of Teachers And Curriculum, Braden Boss, Dr. Geoffrey A. Wright

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Many people struggle defining technology literacy. Some say that there is no “absolute definition of literacy” because technology literacy varies from society to society.1 No matter what society you belong to, how you define technology literacy depends on how you view technology and education.

Third World Water Filtration System Implementation, Christopher Welton, Perry Carter

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Approximately 70 million people in rural India do not have access to clean water. Chemicals such as cesium, arsenic, and others contaminate India’s drinking water, rendering it unsafe. Biological contaminates pose increased health risks to those drinking the water. If a water source is bad, large populations need to relocate to find a better source of water. Creating an economic water filtration system capable of being obtained through a micro-loan is beginning alleviate this problem. By creating an affordable and quality system, clean water is becoming a reality for the world’s poor, especially in Third World countries. Through my efforts …