Other Engineering Commons^™

Extending Complex Conjugate Control To Nonlinear Wave Energy Converters, David G. Wilson, Rush D. Robinett Iii, Giorgio Bacelli, Ossama Abdelkhalik, Ryan Coe

Michigan Tech Publications, Part 1

This paper extends the concept of Complex Conjugate Control (CCC) of linear wave energy converters (WECs) to nonlinear WECs by designing optimal limit cycles with Hamiltonian Surface Shaping and Power Flow Control (HSSPFC). It will be shown that CCC for a regular wave is equivalent to a power factor of one in electrical power networks, equivalent to mechanical resonance in a mass-spring-damper (MSD) system, and equivalent to a linear limit cycle constrained to a Hamiltonian surface defined in HSSPFC. Specifically, the optimal linear limit cycle is defined as a second-order center in the phase plane projection of the constant energy …

The Desorption Kinetics Of Methane From Nonaqueous Fluids For Enhanced Well Control, James Lee Nielsen Jr.

LSU Master's Theses

The mass transfer of a dissolved gas evolving to return to the gaseous phase from a liquid is governed by many parameters. This process affects the development of an oil and gas well due to the possibility of gas contamination occurring from either an influx entering the wellbore, or drilling through gas-bearing formations. Once this dissolved hydrocarbon gas circulates up the wellbore, it will begin to evolve from solution and poses a potential risk to drilling equipment, the environment, and personnel at a drilling rig. Being able to predict the behavior of gas desorption based on a known set of …

Development And Validation Of A Simplified Transient Two-Phase Flow Model For Any Pipe Inclination, Ligia Tornisiello

LSU Master's Theses

This study describes the development and validation of an improved simplified model for transient two-phase flow for any pipe inclination. The simplified model proposed has been validated with field-scale test well and laboratorial data, and also compared to the state-of-the-art commercial simulator for transient two-phase flow in pipes. The results of the simplified model showed an agreement within the range of ±30% for the holdup predictions for 65% of the scenarios, and an agreement within the range of ±30% for the pressure predictions for 82% of the scenarios considered in this work.

In the oil and gas industry, transient two-phase …

Dual-Axis Solar Tracker, Bryan Kennedy

All Undergraduate Projects

Renewable energies, and fuels that are not fossil fuel-based, are one of the prolific topics of debate in modern society. With climate change now becoming a primary focus for scientists and innovators of today, one of the areas for the largest amount of potential and growth is that of the capturing and utilization of Solar Energy. This method involves using a mechanical system to track the progression of the sun as it traverses the sky throughout the day. A dual-axis solar tracker such as the one designed and built for this project, can follow the sun both azimuthally and in …

Applying Facets Of Work As A Source Of Knowledge And Insight For Requirements Determination, Steven Alter

Business Analytics and Information Systems

This conceptual contribution explains how the idea of “facets of work” can bring more knowledge and richer, more evocative ideas to the development of system requirements in organizational settings. Focusing on facets of work potentially provides useful guidance without requiring unnecessary details, precision, and notation. A background section summarizes how the current research emerged from partial overlaps between separate research efforts. Table 1 identifies 18 facets of work. Five other tables look at a subset of the facets to illustrate concepts associated with specific facets, common success factors and tradeoffs, sub-facets and other topics. Use of the same subset of …

Concrete Beam Design: Pouring The Foundation To Engineering In T&E Classrooms, Andrew J. Hughes, Chris Merrill

Educational Leadership & Technology Faculty Publications

Ask a middle or high school student if they could design a concrete beam that weighs only 20 pounds and is 36” long but must hold 600 pounds without failing. What is the student likely to say? What if the student was told that, with some optimized decision making based on relatively straightforward mathematics, their beam could hold 2400 pounds or more? The focus of this article is not on concrete beam design, it is rather an introduction to engineering principles in beam design using a lab activity. The concepts and skills learned in this article will lead students into …

Exploring The Curricular Content Of Engineering Ethics Education In Ireland, Diana Adela Martin, Eddie Conlon, Brian Bowe

Conference papers

Our contribution aims to determine the main curricular themes employed in engineering ethics instruction. In the use of the term `curricular content", the study is guided by an understanding of curriculum in terms of the syllabus content of a specific discipline or set of units taught to students. The research study has been conducted in cooperation with the national accrediting body Engineers Ireland and includes 23 Engineering programmes from 6 institutions in Ireland that underwent accreditation between 2017-2019. The research method employed is a documentary analysis of the materials prepared by the programmes for accreditation or made available on the …

Pretreatment Of Loblolly Pine Tree Toppings (Needled) Using Dess, Prathima Gujjula

Master's Theses

Contemporary industrial development and swift urbanization require environmentally sustainable energy sources. Ethanol made from biomass provides unique environmental and economic strategic benefits and can be considered a safe and clean liquid fuel alternative to fossil fuels. Ethanol’s significant advantages, such as low cost, biodegradability, and abundance, make the application of biomass for production of biorenewable energy favorable. However, biomass must be subjected to pretreatment processes to liberate the components needed for effective enzymatic hydrolysis that converts cellulose to sugars prior to fermentation to create biofuel. Production of valueadded co-products besides biofuels, through coordinated bio refinery processes, requires selectivity during pretreatment. …

Investigating Multidimensional Characteristics Of Noise Signals With Tones From Building Mechanical Systems And Their Effects On Annoyance, Joonhee Lee, Lily M. Wang

Durham School of Architectural Engineering and Construction: Faculty Publications

This paper investigates multidimensional characteristics of tonal noise from heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning systems, besides loudness and tonality, to improve prediction of annoyance. Two studies were conducted: multidimensional scaling (MDS) analysis to determine what other perceptual signal characteristics are important and perceptual weight analysis (PWA) to understand the impact of multiple tones in a signal. In the MDS study, paired comparison tasks were conducted to gather similarity and annoyance data. Results show that the latent perceptual dimensions are related to the signal’s tonality, loudness, sharpness, and roughness. Including metrics for these perceptions, except roughness, improves the performance of earlier annoyance …

Comparison Of Hybridizing Options For Solar Heat, Biomass And Heat Storage For Electricity Generation In Spain, Cm Iftekhar Hussain, Brian Norton, Aidan Duffy

Articles

Diurnal and seasonal variations of direct solar energy circumscribe locations suitable for sole use of concentrated solar power for electricity generation, whereas to generate electricity at night and during winter months, biomass systems can be used that incur fuel expenditures and may encounter fuel supply discontinuities. Combining solar heat, biomass conversion and heat storage in a hybrid electricity generation plant may overcome the limitations of sole use of any one of these energy sources in specific geographic and/or economic conditions. In this work standalone biomass, hybrid concentrated solar power-biomass and hybrid concentrated solar power-biomass-thermal energy storage power generation systems are …

Mapping The In-Plane Electric Field Inside Irradiated Diodes, L. Poley, A.J. Blue, C. Buttar, V. Cindro, C. Darroch, V. Fadayev, J. Fernandez-Tejero, C. Fleta, C. Helling, C. Labitan, I. Mandic, S.N. Santpur, D. Sperlich, M. Ullan, Y. Unno

Articles

A significant aspect of the Phase-II Upgrade of the ATLAS detector is the replacement of the current Inner Detector with the ATLAS Inner Tracker (ITk). The ATLAS ITk is an all-silicon detector consisting of a pixel tracker and a strip tracker. Sensors for the ITk strip tracker have been developed to withstand the high radiation environment in the ATLAS detector after the High Luminosity Upgrade of the Large Hadron Collider at CERN, which will significantly increase the rate of particle collisions and resulting particle tracks. During their operation in the ATLAS detector, sensors for the ITk strip tracker are expected …

The Impact Of Stress Shadowing With Variations In Cluster Spacing On The Production For Wells Completed In The Marcellus Shale, Joshua R. Dietz

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The design of the well stimulation treatment has significantly changed over the last decade because of the advancement of hydraulic fracturing. The cluster and stage spacing design component of hydraulic fracturing has been a key factor in enhancing the production from the horizontal wells. Recently, the treatment designs are moving towards lower cluster spacing. The reduction of the spacing alters the in-situ stresses in the formation and begin to impact the propagation of next set of future fractures and the properties of previous fractures. These stress alterations from hydraulic fracturing is referred to as stress shadowing.

The objective of study …

A Novel Structural Health Monitoring Method For Reinforced Concrete Bridge Decks Using Ultrasonic Guided Waves, Ece Erdogmus, Eric Garcia, Ahmad Shoaib Amiri, Michael Schuller

Durham School of Architectural Engineering and Construction: Faculty Publications

This article presents the latest improvements in a recently developed nondestructive testing (NDT) approach for early detection of various flaws (corrosion, delamination, and concrete cracking) in reinforced concrete (RC) bridge decks. The proposed method involves the use of internal steel reinforcement as a wave guide for transmitting ultrasonic waves through the system and the measurement of leaked energy from the surface of the concrete. This paper builds upon the progress made in the previously published phases of the project and aims to further explore the capabilities and practicality of the proposed NDT method. Specifically, the limits of propagation distance, effect …

Analysis Of The Variability Of Project Cost And Schedule Performance In The Design-Build Environment, Yunping Liang, Baabak Ashuri, Wei Sun

Durham School of Architectural Engineering and Construction: Faculty Publications

Design-build (DB) projects are getting more implementations in the United States. Several studies indicate that the DB project delivery system has advantages in project cost and schedule performance. Despite having comparative advantages, DB projects are found to be far from immune from cost overruns and schedule delay in those studies. It is critical to understand the effects of various factors underpinning the cost and schedule performance of DB projects. The overall objective of this research is to utilize cluster analysis and statistical analysis to identify factors with significant potentials to describe the variability of project cost and schedule performance in …

Option Value Of Contingent Finance Support In Transportation Public-Private Partnership Projects, Yunping Liang, Baabak Ashuri

Durham School of Architectural Engineering and Construction: Faculty Publications

Uncertainties about construction cost and operational revenues are two major risks in transportation public-private partnership (P3) projects. These uncertainties put projects at risk of being unable to fulfill annual debt repayment obligations. When a project generates insufficient cash flow to service the debt in a certain year, it normally has to go for short-term financing by borrowing short-term loans. With the help of revenue risk-sharing mechanisms, supported projects may be able to get rid of unexpected interest disbursement. The objectives of this paper are twofold: (1) evaluate the refinancing cost of P3 highway projects caused by cash flow shortage and …

Estimation Of Atmospheric Conditions Over A Long Horizontal Path Using Multi-Frame Blind Deconvolution (Mfbd) Techniques In Comparison With Delayed Tilt Anisoplanatism (Delta) Software, Hannah Stoll

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

The potential to track and view objects in space from the ground with greater near real time knowledge of the intervening turbulence would be a revolutionary capability. The objective of this thesis is to cross-validate two separate methods used to estimate the Fried parameter. This verification is a step toward a commercial grade product that would make real-time estimates of the turbulence strength along an optical path from a ground-based observatory to a satellite in orbit around the Earth. Michigan Technological University has developed a multi-frame blind deconvolution (MFBD) algorithm used to estimate r0 and it was tested against MZA’s …

A Direct Data-Cluster Analysis Method Based On Neutrosophic Set Implication, Florentin Smarandache, Sudan Jha, Gyanendra Prasad Joshi, Lewis Nkenyereya, Dae Wan Kim

Branch Mathematics and Statistics Faculty and Staff Publications

Raw data are classified using clustering techniques in a reasonable manner to create disjoint clusters. A lot of clustering algorithms based on specific parameters have been proposed to access a high volume of datasets. This paper focuses on cluster analysis based on neutrosophic set implication, i.e., a k-means algorithm with a threshold-based clustering technique. This algorithm addresses the shortcomings of the k-means clustering algorithm by overcoming the limitations of the threshold-based clustering algorithm. To evaluate the validity of the proposed method, several validity measures and validity indices are applied to the Iris dataset (from the University of California, Irvine, Machine …

Deep Learning Based Face Detection And Recognition In Mwir And Visible Bands, Suha Reddy Mokalla

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

In non-favorable conditions for visible imaging like extreme illumination or nighttime, there is a need to collect images in other spectra, specifically infrared. Mid-Wave infrared (3-5 microm) images can be collected without giving away the location of the sensor in varying illumination conditions. There are many algorithms for face detection, face alignment, face recognition etc. proposed in visible band till date, while the research using MWIR images is highly limited. Face detection is an important pre-processing step for face recognition, which in turn is an important biometric modality. This thesis works towards bridging the gap between MWIR and visible spectrum …

Design Of Pigments For Use In “Cool” Coatings, Tyler Laughorn

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

This project was focused on the development and testing of several novel pigments that exhibit high NIR-reflectance and therefore show potential for use in “cool” coatings. A “cool” coating will reflect more solar radiation than other standard coatings, and so a coated structure would require less energy to keep cool. Four sets of pigments were synthesized: Co_1-xMg_xCr₂O₄ (teal), Co_0.25Mg_0.75Cr_2-yAl_yO₄ (blue), Ti_1-x-yNi_xSb_yO₂ (yellow), and Cr_2-xFe_xO₃ (black). NIR and TSR values were then measured …

An Experiential Online Training Approach For Underrepresented Engineering And Technology Students, Arefeh Mohammadi, Kevin Grosskopf, John Killingsworth

Durham School of Architectural Engineering and Construction: Faculty Publications

Workforce pipelines are essential to sustain a productive workforce in an increasingly competitive, high-tech environment. Advanced automation, sensors, materials and data analytics will increase the need for highly skilled workers in the manufacturing (and manufactured construction) sector. Attracting and developing the next-generation workforce is not without its challenges; however, students are often deficient in technical skills and generally have negative perceptions about manufacturing and construction. As a result, new education and training models have been developed to provide instruction at all levels of the educational system, with a focus on both traditional students and non-traditional students, including ethnic minorities, women, …

Solvent-Free Coating Using Maco Bio-Based Reactive Diluent, Ryder James

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The project performed utilizes methacrylated cardanol (MACO) and a linseed oil resin to test how different weight percentages of MACO affect coating performance. MACO is synthesized from a phenolic lipid extracted from cashew nut shells, which are a cashew industry waste product. Not only does it utilize a waste product, but being a bio-based reactive diluent means it can replace the use of volatile organic solvents that are harmful to both humans and the environment. Weight percentage samples of 0%, 10%, 20%, 30%, and 40% were used. Coatings were applied using a 6-mil drawn down bar, with samples being prepared …

Household’S Willingness (Wtp) To Pay To The Utility, Rakhshinda Bano, Mehdi Khiadani, Steven Burian

Research Datasets

The dataset contains the water use at household level, payments to the utility and household income.

Application Of Decline Curve Analysis To Unconventional Reservoirs, Majed Hisham Kabbani

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Supply and demand are the main key factors for oil and gas industry. Moreover, natural gas was not important until early 18^th century after the World War II. The first shale gas well was successfully drilled 27 ft deep in 1821. The well was drilled in the Devonian Dunkirk shale. Later in the 1980s producers began investigating into the more difficult tight gas sands in order to keep up with the growing market. A decade later in 1990s investors were looking at coalbed methane. Today, as demand is increasing globally, the oil and gas industry is moving toward shale. …

Production Allocation Of Reservoir Layers Using Data-Driven Reservoir Modeling, Semaa Alessa

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The pros of having a commingled layer scheme would be considered high with successful reservoir management. If not, the cons will impact the production drastically as unfortunate consequences may result in reservoir fluids communication, well integrity issues, and production termination. Although the plane requires optimizing production with minimal capital investments and operating expenses, it is an enormous challenge considering commingled layers frequent surveillance and workover requirements.

As the value of information is a decision tool for the surveillance frequency, the oil industry often uses static assumptions as an economical replacement of dynamic measurements such as KH static modeling. However, the …

Using Ai And Machine Learning To Indicate Shale Anisotropy And Assist In Completions Design, Cole E. Palmer

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Operating companies in the unconventional Marcellus shale play have all faced a similar and problematic issue, while attempting to produce natural gas over the last decade. Companies have quickly realized that not every perforation along their horizontal wells are producing gas. In fact, producing perforations are only ranging from 15%-70% of the total perforations along the horizontal wellbore [1]. This unexplained issue results in millions of dollars in lost revenue per well, in addition to the sunk cost of paying for completions that are not actually yielding any produced gas.

What is causing these perforations to have no produced gas? …

Performance Study Of Five Different Cabin Air Filters In The Laboratory And On-Road Drive, Fahad Alqahtani

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

One of the aims of installing ventilation filters in a car is to prevent vehicle occupants from inhaling potentially harmful aerosols emanating from the environment. Vehicle cabin filters are essential in ensuring that a vehicle's air conditioning system provides clean air to its occupants. The purpose of the cabin filter is to improve air quality inside the car to provide better comfort and better protect occupants from experiencing unwanted respiratory problems. Using cabin filters in air conditioning systems is a common practice in modern vehicle manufacturing. Scientists and engineers are continually seeking new ways of improving the efficiency and effectiveness …

Green Completion As A Mitigation For Btex Exposure In Gas Flaring: Nigeria Case Study (Exposure Assessment And Cost Model), Akintunde S. Akinyemi

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Gas flaring is an essential part of the oil and gas industry safety and waste management procedures; however, it presents a potential exposure to BTEX compounds, a group of Non-Methane Volatile Organic Compounds (NMVOC), within up to a 10-mile radius of the flare point. The physical and the psychological cost of the journey to work, make employees live close to the workplace. This study examined the perceived exposure of oil and gas industry workers to possible carcinogenic emissions outside the workplace. It looked at the outcomes of the exposure to BTEX through gas flaring drawing on archival data and using …

Semi Analytical Approach For Binary Mixture Conductivity In Hydraulic Fracturing, Vuong V. Pham

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

In hydraulic fracturing, a proppant injection schedule practice typically applies a binary proppant mixture (for example: 100 Mesh sand following by 40/70 Mesh sand in well MIP-3H, Marcellus Shale). The former injection agent is finer in size or less resistant to stress, whereas the latter injection agent is coarser in size or more resistant to stress. This practice creates a special region inside the fracture, in which two injected proppant types co-exist and is defined as the mixture zone. This research concentrates on the variability of the mixture zone under impact of different factors, introduces novel semi-analytical modelling approach to …

Top-Down Model Development Using Data Generated From A Complex Numerical Reservoir Simulation With Water Injection, Yvon Andrea Martinez

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Numerical simulation and data-driven modeling are two current approaches in engineering reservoir modeling. Numerical reservoir simulation attempts to match past production history by modifying reservoir properties of the model. After multiple computationally intensive trial and error efforts, accurate history matches are identified. These history matches are used by project management for production forecasting purposes. Data-driven reservoir modeling utilizes measured data and is, therefore, free of assumptions that are often included in numerical reservoir simulations. Artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms are technologies implemented in the development of a data-driven reservoir model with efforts to learn fluid flow through porous media …

Utilization Of A Numerical Reservoir Simulation With Water And Gas Injection For Verification Of Top Down Modeling, Ashley Konya

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The primary purpose of this thesis was to confirm the capabilities of artificial intelligence and machine learning through Top Down Modeling in history matching and predicting the oil, gas, and water production rates, reservoir pressure, and water saturation, of one limb of an anticline with water and gas injection. Several other characteristics were also applied to make the model more realistic to industry standards. The second purpose of this thesis was to determine the minimum amount of training and calibration data required in order to obtain good results for this particular dataset by increasing the blind validation in one year …