Practicum of Systems Integration in Engineering Education

This project asked engineering students to develop a multi-subsystem design that would produce electricity. Students over the duration of this project learned how to simulate and design systems theoretically using computer tools. Furthermore, students were expected to produce a prototype of their model, thereby self-analyzing the practicality levels and enhancing learning. With the technology available to students advancing, systems integration techniques become more efficient learning experiences to the students. The benefits of systems integration can also be expanded to the professional world these students will soon step into. Therefore, teaching these techniques now will give students a better further insight on real world experience in a classroom setting. When students make the expected leap into the job market, it is important for them to have a solid understanding of system integration and multi-system design. It is this understanding that will make students more desirable to top end employers and set them apart form their peers.Cockrell School of Engineerin

Meta-heuristic algorithms in car engine design: a literature survey

Meta-heuristic algorithms are often inspired by natural phenomena, including the evolution of species in Darwinian natural selection theory, ant behaviors in biology, flock behaviors of some birds, and annealing in metallurgy. Due to their great potential in solving difficult optimization problems, meta-heuristic algorithms have found their way into automobile engine design. There are different optimization problems arising in different areas of car engine management including calibration, control system, fault diagnosis, and modeling. In this paper we review the state-of-the-art applications of different meta-heuristic algorithms in engine management systems. The review covers a wide range of research, including the application of meta-heuristic algorithms in engine calibration, optimizing engine control systems, engine fault diagnosis, and optimizing different parts of engines and modeling. The meta-heuristic algorithms reviewed in this paper include evolutionary algorithms, evolution strategy, evolutionary programming, genetic programming, differential evolution, estimation of distribution algorithm, ant colony optimization, particle swarm optimization, memetic algorithms, and artificial immune system

Environmental audit of industrial waste

In this industrialization era, an environmental audit is become more complex which is a very strict action are needed in minimize a wastage. Employing an environmental management system is a significant undertaking but an extremely worthwhile one for any organisation. Certification has developed a step by step guide to aid companies in implementing the standard during their journey to ISO 14001 certification. This report discussed on manageable and unmanageable wastage in different companies. These activities give an impact also consequences to environment and lead to poor organization management

Catalog of selected heavy duty transport energy management models

A catalog of energy management models for heavy duty transport systems powered by diesel engines is presented. The catalog results from a literature survey, supplemented by telephone interviews and mailed questionnaires to discover the major computer models currently used in the transportation industry in the following categories: heavy duty transport systems, which consist of highway (vehicle simulation), marine (ship simulation), rail (locomotive simulation), and pipeline (pumping station simulation); and heavy duty diesel engines, which involve models that match the intake/exhaust system to the engine, fuel efficiency, emissions, combustion chamber shape, fuel injection system, heat transfer, intake/exhaust system, operating performance, and waste heat utilization devices, i.e., turbocharger, bottoming cycle

The concrete structure remedial assessements in marine environment from whole life asset management perspectives

This study makes use of a desk top review methodology to discover and understand the remedial assessment of damage concrete structures in the marine environment (sea water). Basically, the restorations of asset marine facility are done by using a correct and present repair technique to both spall concrete as well as corrode rebar and must follow the code and standards throughout construction periods. Specifically, the study undertook a comprehensive insight into the literature review of three (3) major components of research, consisting of reinforced concrete of marine structure, understanding marine environment and management of rehabilitation marine facility. The research chooses a case study of an oil refinery jetty piles terminal at Marsden Point in New Zealand. The asset facility is poorly deteriorating due to aggressive action of marine environment and need attention. The asset owners are aim to establish potential maintenance strategies in restoration of his asset facilities. The damaged marine structure will be looked at from whole life asset management perspectives; to identify various components of concrete structures that were subjected to steel corrosion and concrete deterioration. Application of whole life asset management paradigm in the case study will have significant impacts to the facilities and the owner as well. The benefits with regard to implementation of whole life asset management approaches in managing the asset marine facility correlate with risk management, accountability, service facility management and financial efficiency. The refurbishment work will make use of current repair method in assessing the restoration of damage concrete piles. This should take account of a risk management study prior selection of best procurement routes for the case studies. The case study is critically reviewed for options that suit the asset facility present condition and set up objectives to get the best approach adopted with regards to asset problem. The findings demonstrate that the adoption of the whole life asset management paradigm will promote the asset owner, to obtain best value for money concept from the investment and to gain benefits in terms of time, cost, quality and fit for purpose. It also help in promoting and prolong the asset lifespan and also to provide constant sustainable and economic service of asset facilities

Innovative product design conceptualization with oil-less two-stroke engine as a case study

University of Technology, Sydney. Faculty of Engineering.Innovative Product Design Conceptualization with Oil-Less Two-Stroke Engine as a Case Study Innovative product design is a creative process, involving extensive skills and knowledge, numerous stakeholders with often conflicting interests, and a variety of trade-off decisions. The multitude of different variables to be considered together with the complex nature of engineering design confronts designers with a difficult challenge. The objective of this thesis is to establish a methodology that will help to formalise and enhance innovative conceptual product design. To achieve this, an oil-less two-stroke engine concept has been taken as a case study in order to elaborate, demonstrate, and validate the proposed Innovative Conceptual Design framework. The methodology aims to yield design process insight and transparency, and embodies two major phases: the Pre-Development activities, including the identification of need and product definition, and the Conceptualization Loop, which comprises the determination of attributes, concept generation, concept evaluation, and concept decision. In this present research, the Determination of Critical Design Issues together with Early Empirical Design are identified as two essential aspects of successful conceptual design. Early detection of potential design problems is vital for making intelligent and rapid concept decisions before significant development resources are committed. This approach also allows critical design issues to be tackled first in order to avoid going down blind alleys, and helps to control risk and cost. The thesis presents the author’s view of conceptual design as involving a continuous focus on four major pillars of design, namely the Time Focus, the Innovation Focus, the Cost Focus, and the Simplicity Focus, the “TICS Focuses”. On the basis of this perception the discrete design activities during the entire design process aim to develop an innovative, inexpensive, and simple product that is introduced to the marketplace in a timely manner. This may require the designer to make a number of compromises, which can be facilitated by the early detection of design problems by means of Early Empirical Design. In essence, the suggested conceptual design framework supports design engineers in making issues and problems obvious in the early, least-costly phases of product development. This is the key to accelerating the overall design process and avoiding product failures

Research and technology highlights of the Lewis Research Center

Highlights of research accomplishments of the Lewis Research Center for fiscal year 1984 are presented. The report is divided into four major sections covering aeronautics, space communications, space technology, and materials and structures. Six articles on energy are included in the space technology section

Design and Fabrication of a Stirling Engine

In this Major Qualifying Project (MQP), the team designed and fabricated a Stirling engine, an external combustion engine that operates due to expansion and compression of air associated with an external heat source. The team designed a dual beta-type Stirling configuration and modeled it using computer aided design software. The engine was analyzed thermodynamically and subsequently fabricated, through a sequence of design iterations to reach the final prototype assembly. The dual nature of the design reduced the need for a large flywheel to store inertial energy. A unique piston design and ring system were implemented to reduce friction in the system. The prototype was analyzed through rotation and thermal testing. Results and recommendations to improve this design are provided