Thesis (M.S.)--University of Michigan, 1977.

No description available.

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Michigan, 1971.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1981. / Typescript. Vita. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 231-240).

Pressurized artificial muscles show promise in both standard aircraft actuation operations and in morphing structures as an alternative to currently used actuation systems due to their high power-to-weight ratio. Pressurized artificial muscles have already demonstrated the necessary force production to be utilized as an alternative actuation mechanism. In order to better understand the feasibility of using pressurized artificial muscles as a standard actuation mechanism it is necessary to determine the life cycle of pressurized artificial muscles under high pressures, loads, and strains, and how muscle geometry and materials effect the life cycle of the artificial muscle. This thesis presents a study to determine the fatigue characteristics of pressurized artificial muscles to address the issues noted above. The life cycle of the pressurized artificial muscle is examined at high internal pressures and high strains. The materials composing the pressurized artificial muscle, and the artificial muscle geometry are changed throughout the study to determine their effect on the life cycle of a pressurized artificial muscle. Finally a morphing aileron utilizing pressurized artificial muscles as the actuation mechanism is fatigue tested. Fatigue testing results show that pressurized artificial muscle fatigue life is dependent on both actuator materials and geometry. Latex rubber bladders were shown to perform better than bladders of other materials. Increasing the wall thickness of the latex bladder increased the life cycle of the pressurized artificial muscles. Additionally, casting the pressurized artificial muscle in a cylindrical polyurethane resin matrix increased the life cycle of the actuator, and increasing the diameter of this resin matrix further increased the life cycle of the actuator. / Master of Science

This research presents an analysis of thermal stratification in the reactor cold leg of the Advanced Plant Experiment-Combustion Engineering (APEX-CE). This phenomenon may be a precursor leading to a Pressurized Thermal Shock (PTS) event in a nuclear power plant. This work was performed in support of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission's (USNRC) re-evaluation of its PTS regulations. Using the APEX-CE test facility, thermal stratification was observed for injection flow rates ranging from 30% to 100% and natural circulation flow rates that were generated by core decay powers ranging from 1.5% to 4%, both relative to the scaled Palisades values. A theoretical model was derived to estimate the hot stream entrainment that occurs during cold leg thermal stratification. This model was applied to the Separate Effects Transparent Loop (SETL) facility, a scaled cold leg/downcomer configuration of the APEX-CE plant. The model predictions were in reasonable agreement with the High Pressure Injection (HPI) fluid entrainment data from the Purdue ½ scale facility. The same model was then used to estimate HPI entrainment in SETL. The results proved to be very consistent. Finally, data for the onset of loop seal spillover was obtained using SETL and APEX-CE. A useful flow map, characterizing the onset condition, was generated. / Graduation date: 2002

Thesis (M.S.)--Oregon State University, 2009. / Printout. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 80-84). Also available on the World Wide Web.

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Michigan, 1984.

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Michigan, 1980.

No description available.