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Articles 1 - 11 of 11
Full-Text Articles in Physics
Building Structures From Mycelium, Noah M. Brown
Building Structures From Mycelium, Noah M. Brown
Physics
The purpose of this project was to develop a method for creating bricks from mycelium and agricultural waste. The bulk of the research happened in two parts, the first part being a period in which different substrates, strains, and methods were used build the bricks. This research took place in San Luis Obispo and was aided by a group of students in PSC392 under Dr. Pete Schwartz in early 2022. After developing a method for constructing these bricks, the research was moved to St. Thomas, Jamaica, in collaboration with an ecovillage called The Source Farm from July to September. The …
Developing Positive Thermal Coefficient (Ptc) Heaters For Solar Electric Cooking, Katarina Ivana Brekalo, Andrew Shepherd
Developing Positive Thermal Coefficient (Ptc) Heaters For Solar Electric Cooking, Katarina Ivana Brekalo, Andrew Shepherd
Physics
Positive Thermal Coefficients, PTCs, are materials that abruptly change in resistance in response to changes in temperature. The purpose of this experiment is to explore the viability of using the switching type ceramic PTC thermistor as a replacement for current resistive heaters. These types of PTCs have a nonlinear change in resistance with increases in temperature. This device will be used as a temperature-controlling heating element intended to power an Insulated Solar Electric Cooker (ISEC). The ISEC is designed to cook meals throughout the day for impacted communities as an alternative cooking method that doesn’t require biofuel as an energy …
Developing A Miniature Smart Boat For Marine Research, Michael Isaac Eirinberg
Developing A Miniature Smart Boat For Marine Research, Michael Isaac Eirinberg
Computer Engineering
This project examines the development of a smart boat which could serve as a possible marine research apparatus. The smart boat consists of a miniature vessel containing a low-cost microcontroller to live stream a camera feed, GPS telemetry, and compass data through its own WiFi access point. The smart boat also has the potential for autonomous navigation. My project captivated the interest of several members of California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo’s (Cal Poly SLO) Marine Science Department faculty, who proposed a variety of fascinating and valuable smart boat applications.
Solid Thermal Storage As An Energy Storage Device In Insulated Solar Electric Cookers: Thermal Modeling And Experiment, Michael Antonio Fernandez
Solid Thermal Storage As An Energy Storage Device In Insulated Solar Electric Cookers: Thermal Modeling And Experiment, Michael Antonio Fernandez
Physics
The use of solid thermal storage (STS) as an energy storage device in insulated solar electric cookers (ISEC) was explored using a thermal simulation before retrofitting an existing cooker without energy storage and testing it under several conditions. STS sizing, material selection, and geometry were examined from both theoretical and practical perspectives and re-examined following experimental results. Characterization of the system’s thermal interfaces and methods to improve their thermal conductivities were investigated resulting in several performance enhancements to the system.
Soarnet, Deep Learning Thermal Detection For Free Flight, Jake T. Tallman
Soarnet, Deep Learning Thermal Detection For Free Flight, Jake T. Tallman
Master's Theses
Thermals are regions of rising hot air formed on the ground through the warming of the surface by the sun. Thermals are commonly used by birds and glider pilots to extend flight duration, increase cross-country distance, and conserve energy. This kind of powerless flight using natural sources of lift is called soaring. Once a thermal is encountered, the pilot flies in circles to keep within the thermal, so gaining altitude before flying off to the next thermal and towards the destination. A single thermal can net a pilot thousands of feet of elevation gain, however estimating thermal locations is not …
Investigation Of Peltier Devices For Refrigeration, Evan C. Drake
Investigation Of Peltier Devices For Refrigeration, Evan C. Drake
Physics
The purpose of our project was to characterize Peltier devices and determine if they were good candidates toward inexpensive off-grid solar powered refrigeration in poor countries. We measured the rate of cooling with a constant temperature thermal sink for different current inputs. Through numerous experiments we calculated the coefficient of performance for two different thermoelectric coolers (TECs) through a range of temperature differentials. In addition, we found the lowest temperature these Peltier chips could reach so that we could test the accuracy of the information provided by the manufacturers spec sheets. Overall the data gathered through our research is compelling …
Exploring Soil Moisture Protocol Alternatives For The Classroom Setting, Garrett Smith
Exploring Soil Moisture Protocol Alternatives For The Classroom Setting, Garrett Smith
STAR Program Research Presentations
Climate change poses a direct threat to future water resources but current climate models suffer from uncertainties regarding the availability of regional water. SMAP or the Soil Moisture Active Passive mission seeks to make improvements to climate models by taking highly accurate, high resolution measurements of global soil moisture. To engage students around the world in a collection of meaningful data that may support the SMAP satellite mission, the Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment program or GLOBE, has forged a partnership with NASA and JPL. GLOBE brings the power of citizen science to the SMAP mission, empowering …
Experimenting With Polymer Blend Solar Cells And Active Layer Thickness, Ryan Blumenthal
Experimenting With Polymer Blend Solar Cells And Active Layer Thickness, Ryan Blumenthal
Physics
Bulk heterojunction organic photovoltaics utilize the electrical characteristics of semi-conductive polymers. These solution processable materials are beneficial because of their low material cost, light weight, and simple fabrication requirements. Our devices employ multiple photoactive polymers, P3HT and PCPDTBT, to absorb photons over a wide spectral range. We optimized various device characteristics including thickness and thermal anneal usage to reach a power conversion efficiency of 3.0% in AM1.5 sunlight. Device performance degrades over time due to atmospheric water and oxygen, prompting us to investigate device packaging to extend cell lifetime for additional testing.
An Investigation Into Dual-Axis Solar Tracking, Daniel Spaizman
An Investigation Into Dual-Axis Solar Tracking, Daniel Spaizman
Physics
This senior project aims to determine a) if using a controlled photon-tracking system does produce greater voltage output than a fixed panel and b) by how much, if so. To do this, I built a dual-axis solar tracker using a small solar panel, some stepper motors, and an Arduino Uno. The majority of my time was spent familiarizing myself with the electrical components and fabricating the device. To test the performance of the panel, the leads of the solar panel were attached to the Arduino to record the output voltages. Two experiments were carried out to discover the answers to …
Leds And Astronomy, Britny N. Delp, Stephen M. Pompea
Leds And Astronomy, Britny N. Delp, Stephen M. Pompea
STAR Program Research Presentations
Using a Czerny-Turner spectrometer, 45 different types of outdoor lights were categorized. These spectra were used to determine how useful the light is to human eyes and how dark skies friendly these lights are. Dark skies friendly lighting means that little to no light shines above a right angle to the light, and should emit as little as possible below 500nm (green) wavelengths. The short wavelengths present a problem to astronomers in the form of Rayleigh scattering. The following criterion were used in selecting the best source for urban and rural lighting: color rendition measured by color rendering index (CRI), …
An Analysis Of The Quasi Biennial Oscillation, Ozone And Thermal Damping, Kevin Jauregui
An Analysis Of The Quasi Biennial Oscillation, Ozone And Thermal Damping, Kevin Jauregui
Physics
No abstract provided.