Integrated Applications of Geo-Information in Environmental Monitoring

This book focuses on fundamental and applied research on geo-information technology, notably optical and radar remote sensing and algorithm improvements, and their applications in environmental monitoring. This Special Issue presents ten high-quality research papers covering up-to-date research in land cover change and desertification analyses, geo-disaster risk and damage evaluation, mining area restoration assessments, the improvement and development of algorithms, and coastal environmental monitoring and object targeting. The purpose of this Special Issue is to promote exchanges, communications and share the research outcomes of scientists worldwide and to bridge the gap between scientific research and its applications for advancing and improving society

NASA Hydrogen Research at Florida Universities, Program Year 2003

This document presents the final report for the NASA Hydrogen Research at Florida Universities project for program year 2003. This multiyear hydrogen research program has positioned Florida to become a major player in future NASA space and space launch projects. The program is funded by grants from NASA Glenn Research Center with the objective of supporting NASA's hydrogen-related space, space launch and aeronautical research activities. The program conducts over 40 individual projects covering the areas of cryogenics, storage, production, sensors, fuel cells, power and education. At the agency side, this program is managed by NASA Glenn Research Center and at the university side, co-managed by FSEC and the University of Florida with research being conducted by FSEC and seven Florida universities: Florida International University, Florida State University, Florida A&M University, University of Central Florida, University of South Florida, University of West Florida and University of Florida. For detailed information, see the documents section of www.hydrogenresearch.org. This program has teamed these universities with the nation's premier space research center, NASA Glenn, and the nation's premier space launch facility, NASA Kennedy Space Center. It should be noted that the NASA Hydrogen Research at Florida Universities program has provided a shining example and a conduit for seven Florida universities within the SUS to work collaboratively to address a major problem of national interest, hydrogen energy and the future of energy supply in the U.S

Additive Manufacturing of Nanomaterial Based Hierarchical Structures

Aerospace systems demand high performance materials that minimize weight while functioning under extreme environmental conditions. One way to meet these requirements is by incorporating hierarchical structures into part design. These structures are known to impart unique mechanical properties not characteristic of the bulk material such as high strength and toughness. It is difficult, however, to manufacture these structures due to the inherent trade-off between part size and feature resolution in traditional manufacturing processes. Additive manufacturing offers a potential solution to these issues by allowing material placement directly at desired locations. This loosens geometric constraints and allows for multiple contiguous materials in a single part. Despite these advantages, additive manufacturing still suffers from part size/feature resolution and repeatability issues. The goal of this work is to develop capabilities for additive manufacturing of hierarchical structures with features from the nano- to macroscale. First, we will study existing additive manufacturing techniques for aerospace grade parts and develop improved systems to mitigate repeatability issues. Then, we will use carbon nanotubes as an element for manufacturing multifunctional systems with material hierarchy. Finally, we will study biostructures as the basis of new additive manufacturing techniques for geometric hierarchy. This includes diatomite composite printing as well as growth and manipulation of live diatoms on macroscale parts

Gas Turbines

This book is intended to provide valuable information for the analysis and design of various gas turbine engines for different applications. The target audience for this book is design, maintenance, materials, aerospace and mechanical engineers. The design and maintenance engineers in the gas turbine and aircraft industry will benefit immensely from the integration and system discussions in the book. The chapters are of high relevance and interest to manufacturers, researchers and academicians as well

Examining the Relationship Between Lignocellulosic Biomass Structural Constituents and Its Flow Behavior

Lignocellulosic biomass material sourced from plants and herbaceous sources is a promising substrate of inexpensive, abundant, and potentially carbon-neutral energy. One of the leading limitations of using lignocellulosic biomass as a feedstock for bioenergy products is the flow issues encountered during biomass conveyance in biorefineries. In the biorefining process, the biomass feedstock undergoes flow through a variety of conveyance systems. The inherent variability of the feedstock materials, as evidenced by their complex microstructural composition and non-uniform morphology, coupled with the varying flow conditions in the conveyance systems, gives rise to flow issues such as bridging, ratholing, and clogging. These issues slow down the conveyance process, affect machine life, and potentially lead to partial or even complete shutdown of the biorefinery. Hence, we need to improve our fundamental understanding of biomass feedstock flow physics and mechanics to address the flow issues and improve biorefinery economics. This dissertation research examines the fundamental relationship between structural constituents of diverse lignocellulosic biomass materials, i.e., cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin, their morphology, and the impact of the structural composition and morphology on their flow behavior. First, we prepared and characterized biomass feedstocks of different chemical compositions and morphologies. Then, we conducted our fundamental investigation experimentally, through physical flow characterization tests, and computationally through high-fidelity discrete element modeling. Finally, we statistically analyzed the relative influence of the properties of lignocellulosic biomass assemblies on flow behavior to determine the most critical properties and the optimum values of flow parameters. Our research provides an experimental and computational framework to generalize findings to a wider portfolio of biomass materials. It will help the bioenergy community to design more efficient biorefining machinery and equipment, reduce the risk of failure, and improve the overall commercial viability of the bioenergy industry