Browse Objects

In Steinmetz Symposium

Abstract

The forces driving flexure and torsion in early embryo development are unknown but are vital for proper organ development. Embryonic flexures cause the body to bend and torsion is the rotational component. Improper flexion and torsion could lead to birth defects. This project aims to use differential growth on a 3D computational model to show how a chick embryo bends and twists during early development. We were able to show that differential growth can produce flexion and torsion as observed in the experiment. ABAQUS was used as the FE solver. As a first approximation, a solid cylinder was selected as the initial geometry. The part was partitioned into cranial, cervical, thoracic and caudal regions. For the coordinate system to follow along with the model deformation, local material orientation and nonlinear geometry were used. A fixed boundary condition was created to constrain the displacement and rotation on the bottom surface. A quadratic tetrahedral mesh was used. Previously published material properties were used. We also used the chick embryo as the experimental model, staged with the system of Hamburger and Hamilton (HH). The computational model displayed flexures along the dorsal edge. To determine the internal growth loads, we compared our 3D model with a chick embryo. Our results show that geometry similar to the experiment could be achieved by assigning differential growth on specific sections. Half of the thoracic region was assigned 30% growth and to achieve both flexure and torsion simultaneously, the upper dorsolateral region was assigned 70% growth. We observed torsion by element tracking; only the yellow marked element was visible in the rotated model, similar to the experiment. Our results show that it is possible to obtain flexion and torsion similar to that seen in the experiment using differential growth. Using chemical perturbations, other research in our lab investigates if the differential growth patterns suggested by the model do indeed occur in the developing embryo.

Type of Resource

DigitalDocument

In Alumni Files

Type of Resource

DigitalDocument

Rights Statement

In Steinmetz Symposium

Abstract

The goal of this Senior Project was to design and optimize a gearbox for the 2019-2020 Union College Baja SAE Vehicle. Baja SAE is a competition put on by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) in which college students from all around the world design, build, and compete one seat off-road vehicles against each other. I have previously designed a gearbox for the 2018-2019 Union College car but did not have the ability or resources to fully optimize and analyze all aspects. Though the 2018-2019 was the fastest car in Union Baja SAE history, the team felt like it lacked low end torque.To mitigate this problem, a deeper analysis of the gearbox and drivetrain, as well as the car as a whole, was undertaken. The resulting design optimized gear ratio, minimized the weight of the gearbox and employed advanced manufacturing methods to produce the custom low weight gears.

Type of Resource

VideoObject

Rights Statement

Controlled Access Terms

In Steinmetz Symposium

Abstract

This work looks at providing a versatile, renewable fuel using a consumer scale biogas processing system. Biogas is produced by anaerobic digestion of organic waste and can serve as an easily obtainable, renewable replacement for natural gas. However, in its raw form, biogas does not contain as much methane as natural gas, therefore it has a lower energy density than its fossil fuel counterpart. This lower energy density limits the use cases. For example, transportation is not possible with raw biogas. Raw biogas also contains additional contaminants that can be harmful to the equipment and nearby people. Because of this, upgrading biogas to biomethane is appealing to users. Most upgrading and storage processes for biomethane are designed for large scale applications. This work identified water scrubbing and bottling as feasible upgrading and storage methods for biomethane on the scale of a small farm. This information was then used to aid in the design of a biogas processing system for a small farm.

Type of Resource

VideoObject

Rights Statement

Controlled Access Terms

In Steinmetz Symposium

Abstract

SAE Aero Lift is an intercollegiate competition where mechanical and electrical engineering students from Union College design and build a dual remote-controlled/autonomous aircraft system to meet a specified set of mission objectives. A competition is held where teams and their aircraft compete against engineering students from universities around the world. The objective of Advanced Class is to design a system that can deliver objects representing "colonists", "habitats", and "supplies" to a location representing the surface of Mars. The colonists (ping-pong balls) are to be delivered using autonomous drones, and the habitats (Nerf footballs) and supplies (water bottles) are to be dropped from the remote-controlled plane and land in a predetermined target location. Our approach is focused on mission success through an understanding of diverse requirements, system-level engineering, and robust execution. Our project was divided into three major components: structures, autonomous drops, and electronics. Three students were responsible for the main airplane structures, one student was responsible for the autonomous drone programming and design, and another student was in charge of all the plane's electronics. This year our Advanced event team planed to travel to Fort Worth, Texas for competition during the first week of April, but the event was cancelled due to COVID-19. Our presentation will consist of a discussion of the design and construction of the aircraft.

Type of Resource

VideoObject

Rights Statement

Controlled Access Terms

In Steinmetz Symposium

Abstract

Theeffects ofthe height ratio and spacing between two 2-dimensional wall-mounted roughness elementsin a turbulent boundary layer were studiedusing 2-dimensionalparticle image velocimetry.The two roughness elementswere arrangedwith spacings ofl/h2=0.8, 1.6, 2.4, and 4.8, and height ratios,h1/h2= 1.0, 0.75, and 0.5whereh1is the upstream element's height andh2is the stationary downstream elements height.At the largest spacing, the height ratio had little to no effect on the flowas there were onlysmallchangesin the reattachment length,turbulent kinetic energy(TKE), and shape factor.The flowcharacteristicsat the closest spacing were highly dependent on the height ratio asthere were largedifferencesin thereattachment length,TKE,and shape factor.Based onthe13 roughness element configurations tested,aheight ratio ofh1/h2=0.75anda spacing ofl/h2=0.8createdthe smallest recirculation zone,generatedtheleast amount of TKE, andthe flowwas closest to being fully recovered atx/h2= 14.The highlighted roughness element configurationisuseful in engineering applications asthe roughness elementsinduce turbulencein the flow,thereforeincreasingmixing and convectiveheat transfer.

Type of Resource

VideoObject

Rights Statement

Controlled Access Terms

In Steinmetz Symposium

Abstract

Bifacial solar is a promising technology in solar energy that has the potential to increase the amount of power a single solar panel can generate by allowing light to be collected on both sides of the module. Understanding how best to use these bifacial solar collectors is non-trivial as many factors go into the mounting geometry and these tend to be interrelated, requiring a case-by-case analysis. Reflectors can be used to shine more light onto the back of panels increasing their power output, making the geometry more complicated. The development of a model that can take the characteristics of a certain mounting location and determine the best bifacial mounting arrangement would therefore be helpful. This study presents a model for determining the incident energy on both sides of a bifacial collector. The model is able to analyze the use of reflectors and of spacing of rows in solar farms. These capabilities were demonstrated by simulating a bifacial panel mounted vertically with a vertical reflector behind it. Some experimental verification of the shading model has been performed with promising results. Otherwise results follow expected qualitative trends, but further experimental verification is in order. The hope is that this model can be applied to optimizing bifacial panel mountings in future studies.

Type of Resource

VideoObject

Rights Statement

Controlled Access Terms

In Steinmetz Symposium

Abstract

Water contamination increasingly threatens the most vulnerable populations and ecosystems. Small streams, and the Hans Groot Kill (Schenectady, NY) in particular, have been shown to contribute significantly to the pollution of larger bodies of water and present health and safety risks to the communities in which they are situated. This presentation describes the conception, construction, and evaluation of a design for a system to collect pollutants and debris from water flowing through a large pipe and store them for later, proper disposal. An installation site was selected after examining the section of the Hans Groot Kill that is exposed at the surface. The surface velocity and volumetric flow rates were then estimated seasonally at this location. Design requirements and constraints were identified and five alternative solutions were generated. Evaluation of these solutions identified the optimal design to be a passive system that functions by diverting the majority of the flow into a storage bin, where it passes through filtration fabric. The design makes use of several pre-existing stormwater filtration products. Its plywood frame was sized to fit the lower portion of the culvert at the selected site such that all the water passing through the pipe is forced through the system. The solution also employs distance sensors, an Arduino microcontroller, and a small water turbine to alert the user when maintenance is required. This design process and evaluation suggest that a system of this nature is a promising solution to the issue of pollution in small bodies of water carried through culverts.

Type of Resource

VideoObject

Rights Statement

Controlled Access Terms

In Steinmetz Symposium

Abstract

Fluid flow over two-dimensional roughness elements was measured using volumetric particle image velocimetry. The roughness was immersed in a turbulent boundary layer, and two roughness configurations were considered: a single element, and two elements with the upstream element 0.75 times the height of the downstream element and separated by one element width. The Reynolds number of the flow was found to be ~66,000, based on the boundary layer thickness and freestream velocity. Time-averaged velocity, Reynolds shear stress, and turbulent kinetic energy profiles were considered for each arrangement in order to compare with previous planar particle image velocimetry measurements. Agreement with the planar measurements was achieved, supporting the calibration of the volumetric particle image velocimetry system and suggesting that measurements made further from the center plane would accurately describe the flow. The flow over the elements was found to be highly three-dimensional, supporting the need for the volumetric measurements. Time-resolved measurements of the system were also made to better view the vortices being shed by the elements and their interaction. Vortices were identified using multiple vortex identification methodsand observed forming at the rear of the elements and travelling downstream. The frequency of this vortex shedding was analyzed to determine the Strouhal number.

Type of Resource

VideoObject

Rights Statement

Controlled Access Terms

In Steinmetz Symposium

Abstract

This project focused on analyzing the haptic feedback produced by a mechanical pipe organ. As the musician plays, a force is generated during key fall that is perceived as resistance to the playing motion, and is caused by the mechanical systems involved within the instrument. Sinceevery organ is unique, especially when comparing electronic keyboards to mechanical organs, each instrument can feel vastly different from one another. The motivation behind this project was to study what causes the feedback forces in the mechanical instruments, with the goal of eventually developing a product that would simulate the feeling of a certain organ in an electronic keyboard. A measurement device was designed, built, and tested for the purpose of collecting data that would show patterns in the force curves based on different conditions. This device was programmed to press a key a predetermined velocityand continuously record the force and position of the key.Conditions that were varied include the velocity of the movement, the number of stops pulled (the number of pipes open at once), the use of couplers (playing two keyboards at once), the use of the air blowers, and the difference between distinct keys. Using the data collected, conclusions were made about which organ conditions affected the force curves the most and in what ways. It was found that the number of stops had virtually no effect on the force curves, while each of the other parameters had a unique effect. In the future, this measurement process could be refined and used on a larger scale to test any keyboard instrument, and someday be used to replicate the feeling of a certain instrument in an electronic keyboard.

Type of Resource

VideoObject

Rights Statement

Controlled Access Terms

In Steinmetz Symposium

Abstract

The product evolution of downhill skis is over 8000 years long; however, the most recent era in the ski industry has focused on material engineering to fine tune desired high performance characteristics such as bending and vibration. Bending properties represent the ability of the ski to deflect as it supports the load of the skier. Vibration in skis is caused by uneven terrain and can create a less enjoyable ride for the skier when not properly dampened. A comparison was done using experimental and analytical modeling to determine bending and frequency properties of skis with varying material composition. Experimental results were gathered from three ski samples provided by Deviation Skis and compared to a finite element analysis model for validation. The skis tested had a core consisting of ash, poplar, and purpleheart wood. The goal was to find tools that streamlined the potentially wasteful and costly testing process of ski design. The test results gathered that analytical modeling can offer a cheaper and consistent alternative to testing done in labs or on snow. The results provide companies the ability to fine tune their ski models for improved performance without the added cost of manufacturing each ski design revision.

Type of Resource

VideoObject

Rights Statement

Controlled Access Terms

In Steinmetz Symposium

Abstract

A chick embryo undergoes flexion and torsion which are two significant shape-changing events that occur during embryonic development. Such events are observed to be essential for the proper development of the body and organs. This project aims to simulate the growth of the chick embryo by using Finite Element Analysis. Specifically, this study observes how the straight body bends when internal growth is in effect. While working under the student license to model the bending of the chick embryo, thermal expansion plays a main role in the growth simulation. The model for this project is 2D and deformable along with some properties of silicon rubber. Moreover, a temperature field is applied to various sections of the model to produce such expansion and contraction as well as observe how the model would bend. The results from the simulation have shown that expansion or contraction on a specific section drives the entire body to bend to a fetal position.

Type of Resource

VideoObject

Rights Statement

Controlled Access Terms

In Steinmetz Symposium

Abstract

Nanoparticle packings have potential uses in new nanoscale devices including in optics, electronics, and biomedicine. Of particular significance to the design of these new devices is a thorough characterization of the mechanical behavior of nanoparticle packings. Previous work demonstrates that disordered materials undergo a jamming transition, where particles become fixed in place due to compressive loading. This transition has been reported as a strong function of density, stress, and temperature. Atomic force microscopy-based nanoindentation experiments were performed on disordered nanoparticle packings to determine the mechanical behavior of these material systems. Specifically, the plastic deformation and failure of disordered nanoparticle thin films was investigated below the jamming transition. Current directions include investigating how the mechanical behavior of the nanoparticle packings change when a compressive strain is applied to the film, and the jamming transition is approached. Compressive stress will be applied to the thin films using a novel fixture which uses a vacuum to bend the wafer into a concave geometry.

Type of Resource

VideoObject

Rights Statement

Controlled Access Terms

In Steinmetz Symposium

Abstract

The current temperature-rising trend is extremely important because most of it is a result of human activities since the mid-20th century. There is no doubt that increasing the amount of greenhouse gases results in rising temperature on Earth. In order to reduce human impacts on greenhouse gas emissions and climate changes, the usage of renewable energy, such as solar and wind, is essential. Solar energy is the most abundant renewable energy source available. However, commercially used solar cells have an energy conversion efficiency of approximately only 20%. Wind turbines, on the other hand, have a significantly higher energy conversion efficiency of between 35% to 45%. Nevertheless, wind turbines are expensive to manufacture and difficult to install in residential areas due to their sizes and loud noises. The triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) is one key nanotechnology-based invention that has the potential to harvest wind energy at greater efficiencies than current technologies. The fundamental principle behind TENGs is the triboelectric effect, which causes certain materials to become electrically charged after rubbing against another material. The sign and strength of the charges generated depend on the materials, surface roughness, temperature, and many other properties of the TENGs. In order to understand how one factor, the triboelectric material combination, affects the performance of wind-based triboelectric nanogenerators (W-TENGs), standardized experiments were conducted. Five double-side-fixed mode W-TENGs with inner dimensions of 80 mm ¨‰ 40 mm ¨‰ 20 mm were designed and constructed. Each W-TENG is composed of a material pair, including a nickel copper textile with polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) film, a nickel copper textile with fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP) film, copper tape with PTFE film, copper tape with FEP film, and aluminum tape with PTFE film. A scanning electron microscope (SEM) and an atomic force microscope (AFM) were used to characterize the surface morphologies of the materials. The power outputs of W-TENGs were obtained by measuring the open-circuit voltages and short-circuit currents. The material pair with the best output performance was then determined.

Type of Resource

VideoObject

Rights Statement

Controlled Access Terms

In Steinmetz Symposium

Abstract

Silica aerogels are excellent thermal and acoustic insulators with high porosity, very low density and low thermal conductivity. They are also highly translucent. These characteristics make aerogel a potential material for use in fenestration systems. The aerogels would conserve energy while transmitting natural light, and providing thermal and acoustic insulation. This talk will review methods for making aerogel-based windows.

Type of Resource

VideoObject

Rights Statement

Controlled Access Terms

In Steinmetz Symposium

Abstract

Aerogels are nanoporous materials that are comprised of 95 - 99% air. They have unique properties, such as being insulating materials, as well as having a high specific area and porosity. Silica aerogels can be used to make windows due to their translucent nature. In the aerogel lab at Union College, various projects have been conducted to characterize these properties and learn more about aerogels. One of these projects includes producing colored aerogels through the use of different colored dyes, which has been successful. These can then be used in producing windows with a stained glass effect. My work builds on those experiments by investigating the ability to produce aerogels that experience photochromic effects, which means the color of the aerogel would change based on exposure to different light intensities. This could be useful in a real-world application as no shades would be needed since the window would act as its own shade, darkening when the sunlight is over a certain intensity. Initial experiments focused on the use of photochromic dyes. Due to the high temperature and pressure required for processing that the aerogel must undergo, that approach has not been successful: the resulting materials were not translucent aerogels. Another approach under investigation is to use salts in an ion-exchange method to produce a photochromic effect. Using silver nitrate (AgNO3) in the precursor solution for the aerogel resulted in gels that showed no photochromic properties. The current approach is to synthesize silver chloride (AgCl) nanoparticles to use in the aerogel solution and characterize the results. This presentation will focus on the approaches and results taken to obtain photochromic aerogels.

Type of Resource

VideoObject

Rights Statement

Controlled Access Terms

In Steinmetz Symposium

Abstract

The focus of this project is studying how gas flows through aerogels for potential applications as diverse as window insulators and motor vehicle catalytic converters. The interaction between gas and aerogels is characterized by the diffusivity value. To measure diffusivity, a known amount of gas was introduced to a pressure chamber around the aerogel and the pressure change outside of the aerogel was recorded as the gas diffuses through the aerogel. The correct value of the aerogel's diffusion can be inferred by adjusting the diffusivity parameter in the analytical solution to the 2-D transient diffusion equation until the results match the experimentally obtained pressure results. Building on previous work, improvements were made on the experimental data collection process by solving for the pressure chamber volumes to adjust for pressure transducer drifts. The analytical solution was also improved by deriving the analytical pressure change outside of the aerogel to match a greater portion of the experimental results, thus increasing the accuracy of the diffusivity measurement. Furthermore, various types of aerogels, including silica aerogels and silica aerogels with copper nanoparticles, were tested on three gases: Helium, Argon, and Nitrogen to compare how the diffusivities differ. The diffusivity result of the plain silica aerogel agreed to results in the published paper by Stumpf et al. closely. Helium was found to have a higher diffusivity in both studies as it is lighter and moves faster. The diffusivity result of silica aerogels with copper nanoparticles, however, did not agree with anticipated trends. Nitrogen had a significantly higher diffusivity value compared to Helium and Argon, which were similar in diffusivity. These diffusivity values were recollected and retested to confirm their validity, but further studies are needed in understanding the reason behind this behavior.

Type of Resource

VideoObject

Rights Statement

Controlled Access Terms

In Steinmetz Symposium

Abstract

Virtually all cars on the road today use catalytic converters to reduce harmful emissions and comply with government regulations. Without catalytic converters these gases, like nitrous oxide and carbon monoxide, would deplete the ozone layer, contributing to climate change, or generate harmful smog. Most catalytic converters are made of two main components, a honeycomb corderite base and a washcoat saturated with platinum group metals (PGMs). The most crucial component of a catalytic converter is the platinum group metals within the washcoat as they catalyze the harmful gases released by the combustion process. The Union College aerogel lab has researched the possibility of replacing the PGM based washcoat used in catalytic converters with aerogels impregnated with less expensive, but still catalytically active, metals such as copper and cobalt. This seeks to take advantage of the properties of aerogels, such as high surface area and porosity, to augment the catalytic ability of these cheaper metals. The Union College aerogel lab has also attempted to theoretically model the catalytic ability of CoAl aerogels using the activation energy and kinetics of the reactions that occur during catalysis. My project started with attempts to synthesize an aerogel with PGM, but due to my inability to perform on campus experiments the focus of the project has shifted to modeling the catalytic performance of aerogels that have already been tested experimentally using a kinetic model in matlab. This poster will go over the experiments that I accomplished during my first term to synthesize PGM aerogels and the kinetic modeling that I am doing in my second term.

Type of Resource

DigitalDocument

Rights Statement

Controlled Access Terms

In Steinmetz Symposium

Abstract

Heat recycling from high performance computers is gaining more attention in recent years with the exponential increase in their usage. The heat generated by their computer boards can potentially be retrieved to replace standard water heating systems while simultaneously performing profitable or useful computations, ultimately eliminating heating costs. Localized liquid cooling is conventionally used to cool down high performance computers, and consists in extracting heat exclusively from the Computer Processing Unit of the computer boards. Due to the localized aspect of this cooling method, it is unable to extract heat from the entire board and thus can physically not attain high extraction efficiencies compared to standard water heaters. Alternatively, non conductive immersion cooling can be utilized for this application to produce competitive results. This project primarily focused on the design and set up of a cooling system that utilized mineral oil as the working fluid. Antminer S9 computer boards were immersed inside an insulated styrofoam box filled with circulating mineral oil. The system is connected to a heat exchanger which transfers heat to a water loop. Hot water circulates through an insulated water tank and can be manually redirected to a liquid to air radiator for safety purposes. Each loop has been instrumented with a flowmeter, a gate valve, and 2 thermocouples at the inlet and outlet of the liquid to liquid heat exchanger. The system in its integrity is not only able to generate heat, which can be quantified by measuring the temperature change of the water tank, but also generate cryptocurrency profits, monitored online. This study presents the design of the piping system, the estimation of total value generated in terms of heat stored and cryptocurrency, and finally the steps taken towards optimizing the net profit after subtracting electric operation costs.

Type of Resource

DigitalDocument

Rights Statement

Controlled Access Terms

In Steinmetz Symposium

Abstract

The purpose of this research project is to expand upon the preliminary analysis of the articulating surface of the proximal humerus for two extant species, Piliocolobus badius (P. badius) and Cercocebus atys (C.atys). By obtaining information on the radius of curvature of the surface in three dimensions, a more complete study of the characteristics of the articulating surface as it relates to habitat use in these species can be conducted. Using various methods of 3D meshing and 3D modeling, the humerus head is effectively isolated and analyzed. Max radius and mean curvature plots have been produced to qualitatively and quantitatively compare the articulating surface of each proximal humerus analyzed. From the results of the full analysis, we hope to find characteristic trends that can relate the articulating surface to habitat use and primary modes of locomotion. Those results will be further used in the extrapolation of information for extinct species, as they relate to habitat usage and locomotion.

Type of Resource

DigitalDocument

Rights Statement

Controlled Access Terms

In Steinmetz Symposium

Abstract

When a road has a high density of traffic, a small decrease in speed of a single vehicle can set off a chain of events which leads to a traffic jam. This phenomenon has the moniker"phantom jam,"because no apparent obstruction to traffic flow is observable. The wave of congestion it creates is called a "jamiton." Over the last few decades, mathematical models have been developed to analyze traffic flow on both a microscopic (attention to individual vehicles) and macroscopic level (traffic flow as a whole). In this project, traffic flow was simulated on both levels; the behavior of individual vehicles was modeled using the Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) method and a theoretical jamiton was modeled macroscopically using the Payne-Whitham (PW) method.

Type of Resource

DigitalDocument

Rights Statement

Controlled Access Terms

In Steinmetz Symposium

Abstract

Origami (from Japanese oru, to fold and kami, paper), is the ancient art of paper folding. Traditional origami usually involves only straight folds on a (square) planar piece of paper without tearing, cutting or gluing. Once folded, the origami constitutes a developable surface that can be unfolded as a flat plane. Though the traditional purpose of origami is rather recreational and artistic, with suitable origami geometry, engineers are able to create self-folding structures. Many origami design principals are applied in space systems, robotics, and small-scale devices that are self-assembling. Because of its ability to compactly store deployable structures, origami has proven to be a good design strategy for transformable furniture. Therefore, the objective of this senior project is to develop a systematic methodology for designing transformable furniture using origami structure. To accomplish this goal, I designed and manufactured a transformable origami structure that can be stored as a flat piece but folds into a chair.

Type of Resource

DigitalDocument

Rights Statement

Controlled Access Terms

In Steinmetz Symposium

Abstract

The Union College Rocket Team participates in the Spaceport America Cup along with 124 other teams around the globe. The Spaceport America Cup has multiple divisions of competition. The Rocket Team will participate in the 10,000ft commercial motor group. In this division, teams are required to send a rocket containing an 8.8lb scientific payload to an apogee of 10,000 feet using an off-the-shelf solid fuel motor. To receive full marks the rocket and payload must make a safe landing and have the proper equipment to be tracked and found. This year's rocket is named the Blazing Dutchie after the following modifications that have been done to the design from the previous year's Roaring Dutchman. To reduce packing size, as a way to minimize transportation and material costs, the body that houses the motor and parachutes has been decreased from 6in diameter to 4in. The section that houses the payload must have a 6in diameter to meet competition restraints on payload form factor. Therefore, a transition coupler of these two diameters is needed. As an initial choice the transition will be 3D printed out of ABS and consequent tests will determine the useability of this manufacturing method. The Blazing Dutchie is approximately 7.6 ft tall, will have dual chute deployment capabilities based on the real-time telemetry recorded by onboard flight computers. The decrease in weight and length of the new design calls for a lower power motor from last year's M-class. Using rocket simulation software we have decided on the Aerotech L-class 1325M solid fuel motor with a specific impulse of 4,700 N·s. he payload mentioned above will focus on monitoring atmospheric conditions as a way to track effects of climate change. It will be deployed from under the nose cone at ~4000ft consisting of a cylindrical 3D printed polymer lattice which will encase the payload electronics. A solid steel disc will be attached to the bottom of the lattice to ensure the payload falls in the correct orientation. The lattice will be hollow in the middle to allow a parachute 3 ft. in diameter to attach through the polymer lattice and to the steel cylinder. As the payload exits the rocket the parachute will deploy to allow for a slow descent and safe landing. Inside the walls of a polymer lattice, a Raspberry Pi Zero micro-computer will be connected to a SparkFun CCS811/BME280 Environmental Combo Breakout sensor. This sensor will read and log measurements of temperature, barometric pressure, humidity, TVOC and CO2 levels from the altitude that the payload is deployed to when it has reached the ground. To recover the payload and its valuable information, a Apogee Rockets, Simple GPS tracker, freq: 902-928 MHz, 17 dbm Spread Spectrum, will be used as it is one of the simplest all in one solution. In case of a signal loss the hand-held receiver will point towards the last known location.

Type of Resource

DigitalDocument

Rights Statement

Controlled Access Terms

In Steinmetz Symposium

Abstract

P-factor is an aerodynamic phenomenon experienced by ascending, single propeller aircraft. An angle between the orientation of the blade of a rotating propeller and the airstream causes thrust generation to change as the blade rotates. The result is asymmetric thrust production and the induction of a negative (counterclockwise) torque about the yaw axis. Understanding and characterizing this instability, which typically limits the maximum usable power, will allow for the exploration of more efficient propellers and higher power motors on smaller airframes. The presentation will show results and analysis of a combination of wind tunnel and field tests, which characterize the p-factor related torque induced on the airframe at a variety of different angles of attack, freestream velocities, and rotational velocities.

Type of Resource

DigitalDocument

Rights Statement

Controlled Access Terms

In Steinmetz Symposium

Abstract

Bifacial photovoltaics are an expanding sector of solar electricity production, collecting solar energy on the front, back, and sides of the module. This increases the efficiency by around 10% to 30% over a typical mono facial cell, which only collects sunlight on the front. However, the performance of bifacial PV arrays depends on a variety of factors, including temperature, shadows, solar insolation, and set-up geometry. The geometry is affected by the tilt angle, the azimuth angle, the height from the ground to the panel, and the reflectance from the ground surface. The addition of a reflector, usually white to reflect sunlight, further complicates a PV configuration. When a reflector is added to face the backside of a collector, the set-up can then be enhanced to increase the bifacial gain or the ratio of rear side energy to the front side. This paper will use a numerical model through the Python coding language to determine the incident energy on both sides of a bifacial collector. The computational model could then be verified through data gathered from an experimental setup using smaller PV cells to simulate the backside of a bifacial collector. Then by combining both the experimental and computational data, an indoor, sized-down model could be used during the winter months. The computational model helped verify trends found through experimental data. Nonuniformity between the rows was observed as the reflector was moved closer, due to a lower view factor. There is an optimal distance where BG peaks, then the BG plateaus when moved further. Because a large variety of factors contribute to the set-up of PV arrays, many tests need to be conducted, and the optimal arrangement is difficult to decipher.

Type of Resource

DigitalDocument

Rights Statement

Controlled Access Terms