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The performance of a phosphoric acid fuel cell reactor, (PAFC), with n-hexadecane, C16H34, canola biodiesel, soybean biodiesel and petroleum diesel fuel has been investigated. Fifteen-hour steady-state operation was achieved with each of the diesel fuels. This is the first extensive study reported in the literature in which n-hexadecane is used directly as the fuel. It is also the first study of a fuel cell operated with petroleum diesel fuel. Identification of steady-state conditions (temperature = 190oC, molar ratio of fuel to water = 414) is significant because it demonstrates that stable fuel cell operation is technically feasible when operating a PAFC with diesel fuels. Degradation in fuel cell performance was observed prior to reaching steady-state. The degradation was attributed to a carbonaceous material forming on the surface of the anode. After treating the anode with water the fuel cell performance recovered. However, the fuel cell performance degraded again prior to obtaining another steady-state operation. Several consistent observations suggested that the carbonaceous material formed from the diesel fuels might be a reaction intermediate necessary for steady-state operation. Finally, the experiments indicated that water in the phosphoric acid electrolyte could be used as the water required for the anodic reaction. The water formed at the cathode could provide the replacement water for the electrolyte, thereby eliminating the need to provide a water feed system for the fuel cell.

Calculations of fluvial flows are strongly influenced by geometry complexity and large overall uncertainty on every single measurable property, such as velocity and shear. Moreover, a considerable portion of the data obtained from computational simulations arose from two-dimensional, steady-state models. The present work states a different approach to perform computer-based simulations and analyze fluvial flows. For the first part, the suitability of OpenFOAM to be used as the main CFD solver to analyze fluvial flows is studied. Initially, two well documented channel configurations are computationally studied using OpenFOAM. Finally, these results are compared to the output obtained from one of the widely used quasi-3D CFD solvers used to perform studies about environmental hydraulics.

<p> The optical properties of high temperature superconductors have long been of interest to condensed matter physicists. The majority of the research has concentrated on the steady-state properties of cuprates. Optical excitation of cuprate superconductors provides the valuable opportunity to study the dynamics of the superconducting state via the evolution of the superconducting condensate and excited quasiparticles. Terahertz (THz) spectroscopy is particularly attractive for the study of thin film cuprates, as the energies available in broad spectrum THz pulses lie below the maximum superconducting gap values. Optical pump THz probe spectroscopy utilizes a high energy infrared pulse to destroy the condensate and excite quasiparticles states out of equilibrium. The THz probe is capable of spectrally resolving the sample's temporal response to the optical perturbation. The direct measurement of both the amplitude and phase of the electric fields associated with the transmitted THz radiation allow for the calculation of both the real and imaginary parts of the conductivity. This offers the tantalizing potential of untangling the condensate's recovery from quasi-particle dynamics.</p> <p> The focus of this thesis will be upon the long timescale dynamics of YBa2Cu3O7-δ (YBCO) thin films. It has generally been believed that the condensate is fully recovered after a few picoseconds, and that the recovery of these films at longer timescales is essentially a thermal process although perhaps slowed by a phonon bottleneck. However, we will show spectral evidence that this picture cannot fully explain long lived dynamics in YBCO thin films. Specifically we see a suppression of the low frequency components of the optical conductivity. This anomaly is consistent with the formation of spatial inhomogeneity in the superconducting fraction, which likely arises from a non-uniform formation of the condensate across the film. The role of local inhomogeneity in the condensate and its effect on the conductivity of the thin film will be discussed. Evidence of intrinsic inhomogeneities in YBCO films may prove useful to the theoretical understanding of condensate dynamics in the cuprates. The spectral response of three doping levels, from optimally doped to underdoped YBCO, will also be shown, with a brief discussion of the normal state dynamics in underdoped films and the possible sensitivity of THz radiation to pseudogap dynamics.</p> / Thesis / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

<p> Optical fibers are becoming so good that their optical and mechanical properties are fast approaching fundamental limits. It has also become evident that there is a requirement for establishing accurate and precise measurement techniques of these properties. The optical loss is the most important parameter characterizing fiber. This project reviews the subject of loss (or attenuation), its measurement and some of its subtleties. </p> <p> Presently at BNR there are two attenuation measurements made: (1) one is the LED steady-state attenuation at λ≅840 nm, which makes use of a "pigtail" launching fiber and (2) the second is the spectral attenuation from 600-1400 nm. Both measurement techniques were developed by the author and Dr. K. Abe during the summer work term and made considerable improvements in both accuracy and speed over previously established methods. Some of the subtleties of attenuation which were also studied during this period were the effects of different launch conditions, and environmental effects such as those caused by temperature and ice. The extensive temperature tests done on the fiber led to the change from "hytrel" and nylon as coating materials to the use of silicone (which is still in use at BNR).</p> <p> Throughout the paper, results of the measurements have been given for several types of fibers because some of them have very unique characteristics and applications. </p> <p> All of the data displayed for this project was gathered by the author unless otherwise noted.</p> / Thesis / Master of Engineering (MEngr)

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Phasor Measurement Units (PMUs) have been instrumental in building a reliable and robust Power System. Recent blackouts have increased the importance of PMUs and PMUs from various manufacturers are being installed in the in large quantities in the North American Grid. The interoperability and accuracy of these PMUs is important to obtain full benefit of the wide area monitoring systems. With the large number of installed PMUs it has become necessary to validate their performance and understand the limitations of each model. A test system was built by NIST in cooperation with NASPI to test for compliance to the existing IEEE C37.118 standard. This thesis presents the development of a Steady State Test System at Virginia Tech based on the NIST Steady State Testing system. The various issues that were faced during the process of development are discussed and the methodology implemented for solving these problems is described. This thesis also presents the additional benefits derived from the results obtained when different PMUs were tested using the Virginia Tech PMU Steady State Test System. / Master of Science

For the pharmaceutical industry, the manufacture of high value pharmaceuticals from natural products, chemical synthetic routes or fermentation processes all require intensive downstream processing steps to produce a pure final product. A small footprint liquid-liquid processing method would help to reduce the capital cost and process development time of this downstream processing. In this thesis, it is hypothesised that continuous liquid-liquid extraction can be achieved using a standard hydrodynamic counter-current chromatography (CCC) instrument by switching the flow of the liquid phases between normal phase and reversed phase intermittently, so separating a feed stream into two eluant flows. A model of the process was derived and tested on three scales of instrument, from the semipreparative to the pilot scale. The method developed, Intermittent Counter-current Extraction (ICcE) was compared to dual-flow counter-current chromatography (DFCCC), the classical method of applying continuous extraction using a counter-current chromatograph. ICcE was found to be advantaged due to the more stable phase volume ratio achievable in the columns and the ability to operate the procedure on standard commercial twin-column CCC instruments which operate at high g-field. The robustness of the ICcE method was successfully demonstrated across a range of phase system polarities and at high throughput (1kg/day on a preparative instrument) with model mixtures of pharmaceutical compounds. The effectiveness of this new processing method was confirmed on three industrially relevant case studies. Firstly a polar extract from natural senna pods to extract important sennosides, secondly an intermediate polarity highly complex active pharmaceutical ingredient waste stream to recover the main active component and thirdly a non-polar natural product extract to recover macrocarpal compounds. In summary, the ICcE method now offers another tool in the range of liquid-liquid separation methods available to the pharmaceutical and other high value industries.

The data center industry currently focuses on initiatives to reduce its enormous energy consumption and minimize its adverse environmental impact. Modular data centers provide considerable operational flexibility in that they are mobile, and are manufactured using standard containers. This thesis aims at developing steady-state energy and exergy destruction models for modular data centers using four different cooling approaches: direct expansion cooling, direct and indirect evaporative cooling, and free air cooling. Furthermore, transient thermal response of these data centers to dynamic loads, such as varying server load through change in user requirement over the cloud, and/or to changes in outside weather conditions has been studied. The effect of server thermal mass has also been accounted for in developing the transient regime. The change in performance of the data center is reported through changes in the Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) metric, and through change in the exergy destruction in the individual hot and cold aisles. The core simulation software used for this work is EnergyPlus, an open source software from the U.S. Department of Energy. Moreover, EnergyPlus is used as the simulation engine within the in-house developed software package Data Center EnergyPlus (DCE+).

Introduction One of the products made by SAAB Avionics Systems in Jönköping was in need of a better cooling solution. The product, a Head-Up Display, holds a LED that was overheating when run at desired input power. The purpose of this thesis was to identify the design weaknesses in the current solution regarding heat dissipation and produce new design proposals that fulfill the requirements. The parts analyzed consist of a LED light source, adjustment plates and a heat sink. The adjustment plates and heat sink where covered in a surface treatment. Theoretical framework A simulation of a finite element model was set up of the current solution in order to identify the influence of the different parts and their thermal properties. The simulation was set up as a steady state thermal model. The FEM and steady state equations used during this are mentioned and shortly explained. The state of modern research was found in order to find new innovative ways of solving the heat problem. Method In order to understand the current solution, experimentswere carried out. Interviews were used in order to get the correct information easily. A literature study was preformed to understand the different theories. Reverse engineering was applied to get a detailed understanding of the functionality both mechanically and thermally. Brainstorming was used to generate new solutions, which was followed by a feasibility evaluation and Pugh’s method to sort out the best concepts. Implementation and Result Based on the simulations it can be concluded that some of the developed solutions pass the requirements and can be implemented right away. Some need some more work in order to fully pass the demands. Conclusions The thermal flow was greatly affected by the properties of the aluminum in the adjustment plates and heat sink, though there was not much room for thickness reduction. However, the oxide layer and the surface roughness also had a great impact on the high junction temperature. The requirements where therefore met when adjustment plates and interfaces were removed, to lower the amount of oxide and air between the LED and the heat sink. But the oxide layers needed to be thinner and the surface roughness needed to be reduced in order to meet requirements. If the oxide layers need to stay at current thickness or the surface roughness cannot be changed, the heat sink needs to be redesigned. The recommended concepts were smaller than the current solution. If this space is utilized with a bigger heat sink, the goals can be met with greater ease. There is also room for improvement when it comes to heat sink heat spreader pattern. Discussion The discussion covers what knowledge which was needed to write this thesis and how different problems that occurred along its path were solved. Sustainability in different ways was also discussed.