Temperature sensing is one of the most common and needed sensing technique, especially in harsh environment like a coal gasifier or an airplane engine. Single crystal sapphire has been studied in the last two decades as a candidate for harsh environment sensing task, due to its excellent mechanical and optical properties under extreme high temperature (over 1000°C). In this research, a sapphire wafer based Fabry-Perot (FP) interferometer sensor has been proposed, whose functional temperature measurement can go beyond 1600°C. The size of the sensors can be limited to a 2cm-length tube, with 2mm outer diameter, which is suitable for a wide range of harsh environment applications. The sensors have shown linear sensing response during 20~1200°C temperature calibration, with high sensitivity and resolution, and strong robustness, which are ready for the field test in real-world harsh environment. / Master of Science

Monitoring accurate temperature and pressure profiles in harsh environments is currently in high demand in aerospace gas turbine engines and nuclear reactor simulators. Having the ability to measure both quantities continuously over a region, without thermal coupling, using a sensor with a small size (envelope) is also highly desirable. Currently available MEMS (microelectromechanical systems) provide effective small scale pressure and temperature measurement devices, however, they have only been shown to be effective up to 600C and lack the ability to perform distributed measurements unless combined with fiber-optic techniques. In general, fiber-optics provide many advantages over electrical based sensors and are the ideal choice for high temperature regimes and distributed sensing. In this thesis, preliminary designs and suggested future work are presented for a sensor built within an 3.175 mm radius envelope and capable of distributed pressure and temperature sensing up to temperatures reaching 800C. Finite element analysis via ANSYS, along with analytical verification models have been used for the design evolution. Diaphragm based designs, seem to provide easy fabrication methods and good sensitivity, however, for this design to be realized at high temperature operation, a robust bonding method must be chosen to avoid unwanted deformation due to misfit strains. / Master of Science

In this study, gas sensing systems that are based on piezoelectric smart material and structures are proposed, designed, developed, and tested, which are mainly aimed to address the temperature dependent CO2 gas sensing in a real environment. The state-of-the-art of gas sensing technologies are firstly reviewed and discussed for their pros and cons. The adsorption mechanisms including physisorption and chemisorption are subsequently investigated to characterize and provide solutions to various gas sensors. Particularly, a QCM based gas sensor and a C-axis inclined zigzag ZnO FBAR gas sensor are designed and analyzed for their performance on room temperature CO2 gas sensing, which fall into the scope of physisorption. In contrast, a Langasite (LGS) surface acoustic wave (SAW) based acetone vapor sensor is designed, developed, and tested, which is based on the chemisorption analysis of the LGS substrate. Moreover, solid state gas sensors are characterized and analyzed for chemisorption-based sensitive sensing thin film development, which can be further applied to piezoelectric-based gas sensors (i.e. Ca doped ZnO LGS SAW gas sensors) for performance enhanced CO2 gas sensing. Additionally, an innovative MEMS micro cantilever beam is proposed based on the LGS nanofabrication, which can be potentially applied for gas sensing, when combined with ZnO nanorods deposition. Principal component analysis (PCA) is employed for cross-sensitivity analysis, by which high temperature gas sensing in a real environment can be achieved. The proposed gas sensing systems are designated to work in a high temperature environment by taking advantage of the high temperature stability of the piezoelectric substrates.

Le travail présenté dans ce mémoire est basé sur l’étude et le développement d’une chaine analogique de traitement du signal destinée à la détection de particules issues d’un réacteur nucléaire. Le détecteur de radiations relatif à cette chaine, étant placé au cœur du réacteur (hautes températures et radiations), deux scénarii d’intégration de la chaine analogique en environnement sévère ont été étudiés. Tandis que le premier scénario consiste à placer le préamplificateur et l’amplificateur de mise en forme loin du détecteur, le deuxième est basé sur l’intégration de ces blocs analogiques en environnement contraint. Bien que le premier scénario ait démontré de bonnes performances en termes de linéarité et sensibilité, l’amélioration de la résolution digitale fournie par le système nous a mené à investiguer le placement de la chaine tout près du détecteur. Plusieurs études, basées sur l’évaluation de la fiabilité de la structure vis-à-vis des contraintes de l’environnement sévère ont été donc élaborées. De plus une solution innovante permettant une meilleure caractérisation de la particule incidente a été présentée et détaillée. / The work presented in this thesis is based on the study and development of an analog processing chain dedicated to the detection of particles delivred from a nuclear reactor. The radiation detector related to this chain, being placed at the heart of the reactor (high temperatures and radiation flux), two scenraii related to the integration of the analog chain in harsh environment were studied. While the first scenario consists on placing the preamplifier and the shaping amplifier away from the detector, the second is based on the integration of these analog blocks in harsh environment. Although the first scenario has proven good performances in terms of linearity and sensitivity, the improvement of the digital resolution provided by the system leaded us to investigate the placement of the chain close to the detector. Several studies based on the evaluation of the structure reliability under harsh environment constraints were thus elaborated. In addition, an innovative solution providing better characterization of the incident particle was presented and detailed.

Humor’s effect on the audience’s relationship to the object, or speaker, of humor has often been neglected, and creating a framework by which scholars can examine how humor works to alter the relationship between audience and other fills this gap. Additionally, the definition of science fiction relies on the existence of a cognitively estranging other and under this definition, humor has not been thoroughly studied. This thesis attempts to explain how humor affects audiences cognitively, utilizing Hegel’s theory of self and other, and then applies this theoretical explanation to the field of science fiction and examines its effects. / Includes bibliography. / Thesis (M.A.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2017. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection

Since the 1990s water quality monitoring projects using aquatic insects or macroinvertebrates as bioindication in Mongolia has mostly occurred in rivers drainage to the Arctic Ocean. They have been conducted to identify different anthropogentic stressors and impacts upon these running water ecosystems. However, there are still knowledge gaps and uncertainties concerning the research of these macroinvertebrates, in particular, a life cycle study of representative species are one such section of information missing. The specific aim for the study was to determine their life cycles and secondary production of selected species in the Kharaa River Basin, Mongolia, where these animals are exposed to harsh environment conditions. The main challenges for the research project were selecting the most suitable methods for use in the field sampling campaigns as well as establishing biomonitoring criteria for the target species under the extreme harsh climatic conditions. The research also sorts to address the pre-existing taxonomical identification problems. Consequently, a multi-habitat quantitative sampling method, and emergence traps type ‘Model week’ were selected. Five specific traits were chosen as selection criteria from the literature, where the life cycles of numerous species were investigated under comparable conditions to this study. Based on those five distinct criteria, a total of 18 species from EPT group (Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, and Trichoptera) were selected for deeper analysis. This thesis provided the first quantitative results on the life cycle, production, growth rate and emergence of aquatic insects from Mongolia, to allow comparisons with studies in other regions using the same methods. However, it still needs more quantitative research of population dynamics for a wider range of species including fecundity, accurate development rates, mortality losses (e.g., due to predation), and food availability across environmental gradients of hydraulic conditions and substrate types. In conclusion, last not least it is essential to obtain knowledge especially about life cycle strategies of macroinvertebrates to identify the indicator-properties of single species and to predict re-colonisation potential of disturbed habitats and to evaluate the efficiency of management measures.

L’objectif de cette thèse était de concevoir, fabriquer, et tester des transducteurs ultrasonores multi – éléments pour des applications en environnements sévères. Dans ce contexte, des techniques de caractérisation des matériaux ont été développées afin d’adapter la conception des transducteurs en fonction des contraintes de l’environnement, et plus particulièrement la température. Deux types de conceptions ont été étudiées selon les applications visées : La première application consistait à développer un transducteur ultrasonore permettant de réaliser des contrôles non destructifs dans des réacteurs de génération IV (refroidi au sodium liquide) lors d’un arrêt de tranche. Dans ce cas, l’environnement sévère était caractérisé par une température de 200 °C, et la présence de sodium liquide. Des radiations pouvaient également être présentes. Pour cette application, un transducteur (nommé LiNa) sous la forme d’un projecteur ultrasonore linéaire de 20 éléments, fonctionnant à 2.5MHz a été fabriquée, puis testé en eau et en sodium liquide. La seconde application consistait à développer un transducteur ultrasonore permettant de réaliser des contrôles non destructifs en contact de pièces massives en cours de soudage. Une pièce massive est par exemple une cuve de réacteur nucléaire. Ce transducteur permet de détecter des défauts dans une soudure très rapidement après sa réalisation, et ainsi corriger directement cette dernière, sans attendre que les pièces soient refroidies. Pourcette application, un transducteur (nommé MaCo) sous forme de matrice 8 × 8 éléments, fonctionnant à 5MHz a été développé, et caractérisé de la température ambiante, jusqu’à 240 °C. Avec ce capteur, Avec ce capteur, des échos en ondes transversales ont été obtenus jusqu’à la température limite, sans refroidissement. / The goal of this thesis was to design, fabricate and test phased arrays ultrasonic transducers for harshenvironment applications. In this context, characterization methods were developed in order to adapt transducerdesign to the environment. We designed two types of ultrasonic phased array transducers according to theconsidered application:The first application aimed at developping an ultrasonic transducer for non destructive testing in IVth generationnuclear reactors (cooled with liquid sodium) during reactor outages. In this case, the harsh environment wascharacterized by a temperature of 200 °C, and the presence of liquid sodium. Radiations could also be present.For this application, a 20 elements 2.5MHz immersion linear projector (called LiNa) was fabricated then testedunder water and under liquid sodium.The second application aimed at developping an ultrasonic transducer in order to realize non destructive testingin contact with massive pieces during welding. A massive piece for example is a tank for nuclear plant reactor.The transducer will permit to quickly detect defects in a weld after its realization, and then correct it directlyif necessary, without waiting for the pieces to cool down at ambient temperatures. For this application,a 64elements 5MHz matrix transducer (named MaCo) were developed and tested from ambient to 240 °C. Thetransducer worked up to the limit temperature without any cooling system, and some typical defects weredetected.

Angesichts ihrer unüberschaubaren Ausdifferenzierung scheint es heute kaum noch möglich, eine allgemeingültige Definition von Musik zu finden. Ausgehend von diesem Problem nimmt dieser Text ihre Randbereiche in den Fokus: Die Grenzen des Hörens, wie sie in extremen Formen experimenteller Musik, etwa im Harsh Noise Wall, ausgelotet werden und die Grenzen des Vernehmens, wie sie sich im stets metaphorischen Sprechen über Musik abzeichnen. Als unüberschreitbare Grenze dieser beiden Randzonen bildet die Klangfarbe das Zentrum der Argumentation und den Abschluss der Überlegungen. / Today it seems nearly impossible to find a universally valid definition of music due to its vast differentiation. Ensuing from this problem, this text focuses on music’s borders: the hearing limits as they are explored in extreme forms of experimental music (like Harsh Noise Wall) and the margins of understanding as they are shown in the use of metaphors in speaking about music. Timbre is discussed as an uncrossable border of these two aspects. These thoughts form both the focus and the conclusion of this text.

The continual development of high-power-density power electronic converters is driven particularly by modern transportation applications like electrical vehicles and more electric aircraft where the space and carrier capability is limited. However, there are several challenges related to transportation applications such as fault tolerance for safety concern, high temperature operation in extreme environments and more strict electromagnetic compatibility requirement. These challenges will increase difficulties for more electrical system adoption in the transportation applications. In this dissertation, comprehensive methodologies including more efficient energy storage solution, better power electronics devices capability, better packaging performance and more compact EMI filter design are analyzed and proposed for the goal of high power density converter design in transportation applications. / Ph. D.

Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) are popular for their wide scope of application domains ranging from agricultural, medical, defense, industrial, social, mining, etc. Many of these applications are in outdoor type environments that are unregulated and unpredictable, thus, potentially hostile or physically harsh for sensors. The popularity of WSNs stems from their fundamental concept of being low cost and ultra-low power wireless devices that can monitor and report sensor readings with little user intervention, which has led to greater demand for WSN deployment in harsh industrial environments. We argue that there are a new set of architectural challenges and requirements imposed on the hardware, software, and network architecture of a wireless sensor platform to operate effectively under harsh industrial environments, which are not met by currently available WSN platforms. We propose a new sensor platform, called Sprouts. Sprouts is a readily deployable, physically rugged, volumetrically miniature, modular, network standard, plug-and-play (PnP), and easy to use sensor platform that will assist university researchers, developers, and industrial companies to evaluate WSN applications in the field, and potentially bring about new application domains that were previously difficult to accomplish using off the shelf WSN development platforms. Therefore, we addresses the inherent requirements and challenges across the hardware, software, and network layer required for designing and implementing Sprouts sensor platform for harsh industrial environments. We fully implement the hardware, network, and software architecture for the Sprouts platform and verify that they meet the requirements for harsh environments. We deploy the Sprouts platform customized with our PnP ultrasound sensor module in an industrial application to monitor the health conditions of Syncrude's vibration screens operating under extreme harsh conditions. Sprouts has been showcased in OCE Discovery 2011, and has been proven to be extremely valuable for industrial mining companies such as Syncrude. / Thesis (Ph.D, Computing) -- Queen's University, 2013-09-28 16:14:48.223