Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

A Meshless Approach To Computational Pharmacokinetics, Anthony Matthew Khoury

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

The meshless method is an incredibly powerful technique for solving a variety of problems with unparalleled accuracy and efficiency. The pharmacokinetic problem of transdermal drug delivery (TDDD) is one such topic and is of significant complexity. The locally collocated meshless method (LCMM) is developed in solution to this topic. First, the meshless method is formulated to model this transport phenomenon and is then validated against an analytical solution of a pharmacokinetic problem set, to demonstrate this accuracy and efficiency. The analytical solution provides a locus by which convergence behavior are evaluated, demonstrating the super convergence of the locally collocated meshless …

Ab Initio Computation Of Radiative Properties Of Monatomic Hydrogen, Fanny Thomas

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

With renewed interest in planetary atmospheric entry, descent, and landing, NASA has noted a need for improved physics modeling in computational fluid dynamics. Uncertainty in experimental data used in radiation heat transfer computations leads to “over-engineering” of entry body heat shields, at large weight and cost penalties. There is interest in developing hypersonic thermophysics models from the known “first principles” of physics.

A method for computing high temperature gas emissivity and absorptivity from quantum mechanics principles is developed. The Schroedinger wave equation is cast as a discretized matrix eigenvalue problem which is solved using the ERAU parallel supercomputer. The numerical …

Design And Validation Of Hardware-In-The-Loop Testbed For Proximity Operations Payloads, Kristia K. Harris

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

The research presented here is a new testbed design for CubeSat and payload testing and development. This research demonstrates a low-cost, hardware-in-the-loop testing apparatus for use with university CubeSat programs for testing throughout the different levels of the development process. The average university CubeSat program undergoes very little hardware-in-the-loop testing. Most of the focus is the targeted towards performance testing and environmental testing which occur after completion the development process. This research shows that, for minimal schedule and cost impact, testing can occur early in the development process. The testbed presented here demonstrates suitable accuracy to be used for advanced …

Aerodynamic Study Of Forces Due To Wind Velocity And Angle Of Attack On Parabolic Solar Troughs, Brian Northshield

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

Scant literature exists of the atmospheric effects on parabolic solar troughs. The technology is relatively new, so supporting studies by consequence are as well.

This study examines the effects of wind at various speeds, with various angles of attack on parabolic solar troughs. This begins by picking up on previous study, corroborating previously found data, then introduces new angles of attack. The model includes the presence of the solar tube where other studies omit.

The purpose of this study is to build a data set which is useful for structural consideration. During the course of this study, it was found …

Design And Development Of Scalable Solar Powered Water Purification Systems For Developing Nations, Shavin Pinto

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

This thesis presents the design and development of solar powered water purification systems. The systems were designed to meet specific customer requirements that were established from the experiences gained after the installation of five water purification systems in various Haitian communities. The systems are scalable and are able to supply 10,000-20,000 gallons of clean drinking water per day. The design consists of a three-stage filtration system with a disc-type sediment filter, a 0.1 micron ultrafiltration membrane, and an ultraviolet light for disinfection. The backwash cycle extends the life of the ultrafiltration membrane to 4-7 years before a new filter is …