Fall 2019 Project Descriptions

• ENDEAVOR Distillation Stand Disciplines needed: ChE, ECE, ME

  Faculty Mentor: Dr. Rowland, ENDV

  Sponsor: ENDEAVOR

  Design, prototype, and test a distillation stand/system for ENDEAVOR Lab. The system will include measurement devices/systems (temperature and flow meters, gages, sensors, etc.)  Instrumentation will be compatible with NI data acquisition devices and will be programmed in LabVIEW.  Calibration methods will be provided for all sensors, and undergraduate laboratory experiments will be developed and demonstrated.

• ENDEAVOR Ground Source Heat Pump Stand Disciplines needed: ECE, ME

  Faculty Mentor: Dr. Rowland, ENDV

  Sponsor: ENDEAVOR

  Phase 2 of the development of the ENDEAVOR ground source heat pump education system.  Air-side instrumentation will be added to the system including flow rate, temperature and humidity sensors.  Instrumentation will be compatible with NI data acquisition devices and will be programmed in LabVIEW.  Calibration methods will be provided for all sensors, and undergraduate laboratory experiments will be developed and demonstrated.

• Thermal Energy Systems Learning Environment Disciplines needed: ECE, ME

  Faculty Mentor: Dr. Bradshaw, MAE

  Sponsor: OSU

  A learning environment will be developed to highlight all major thermal system components including refrigeration, ducted, and power generation systems. It will additionally include equipment to enable lab modules to support systems and measurements. This environment will enable hand-on opportunities for a multitude of undergraduate courses at OSU.  Instrumentation will be compatible with NI data acquisition devices and will be programmed in LabVIEW.  Calibration methods will be provided for all sensors, and undergraduate laboratory experiments will be developed and demonstrated.

• Renewable Energy STEM Education Prototype Disciplines needed: ECE, ME

  Faculty Mentors: Dr. Norton, ENDV and Dr. Conner, ENDV

  Sponsor: OSU

  This is the second semester of this project. A "prototype" produced in Spring 2019, was “proof of concept” and needs further improvement:  1) Conversion of the control/data management module of the system from RaspberryPI to the "Industry 4.0 class" National Instruments MyRio.  2) Rebuild/redesign website based on NI STEM software and align with Regional STEM K‐12 education curriculum.  3) Add an electronic rain gauge to the weather station on the system, connect to the MyRio and include in webpage.  4) Reduce the "cut in" wind speed of the wind turbine to 3 m/s or less (which will likely require replacement of the existing wind turbine and possibly the power control/inverter system).  Note that the forces created by new or modified turbine must align with the load capacity of the existing pole and foundation.  5) Move wireless connection from OSU network to local provider.  6) Develop plan to reduce manufactured cost to less than $2,000 per unit for a production run of 100 units.  7) Design, optimize, specify, construct, and demonstrate shipping/packaging for the full system (including shipping and receiving a mock up version of $2,000 unit).  8) Develop business/manufacturing/logistics/operations plan to produce 100 units and support operations for five years (including IT and "hardware") support.  9) Conduct market/user/funding study and develop marketing/funding plan

• Wind Turbine/Sculpture/Light Show System Disciplines needed: CompE, EE

  Faculty Mentors: Dr. Norton, ENDV and Dr. Conner, ENDV

  Sponsor: City of Stillwater

  This is the second semester of work on this feature. The objective of this project will be to 1) Design the control system and connect two more 275 watt solar panels to the existing system (already purchased and installed).  2) Replace the Arduino controller with a National Instruments MyRio system.  3) Design and install a data collection network incorporating the MyRio System.  4) Connect the MyRio system to a local internet service provider.  5) Develop a webpage via the NI that enables monitoring the system.  6) Redesign the "light show" system to be more dramatic with substantially more brightness/contrast, modify/expand the lighting system per stakeholder input including evaluation to redesign the entire system to operate on 24V.  7) Enable "light show" design/control via the "web".  8) Design a light and light control system for the Bocce Ball Courts to be run off of the system.  9) Recommend modifications /additions to the battery storage system to power the Bocce Ball Court lighting system.

• Aquaponics Energy System Upgrade Disciplines needed: ME

  Faculty Mentor: Dr. Taylor, MAE

  Sponsor: Osage Nation

  Aquaponics is a form of agriculture that combines raising fish in tanks (recirculating aquaculture) with soilless plant culture (hydroponics).

  Problem: Uninterrupted electrical power is critical for system control as well as HVAC/water temperature management. Power failure can result in loss of both fish and plants. There is no “non‐interruptible power supply” system at the facility. Energy costs affect the bottom‐line of the viability of the system.
  Project:  1) Develop “block diagram” of the existing electrical energy system (loads/supplies) for the Aquaponics system.  2) Study and analyze options, recommend an uninterruptable power supply system for the facility.  3) Study and analyze options, recommend and specify a back‐up natural gas (if available) fired generator for the facility.  4) Design, install and commission a solar panel system to maintain charge of the UPS and feed excess power into the operating grid of the system.  Additional (if students are available):  5) Estimate the heating and cooling loads for the HVAC and water temperature systems.  6) Study, analyze and design a GSHP system as the “heart” of the HVAC/water energy system.  7) Study, analyze and recommend viability of stand alone renewable energy system and/or natural gas fueled power generation for the facility. Note: A separate BAE project is also planned for this facility relating to the filtration system.

• Turboelectric Propulsion for Fixed Wing UAS Disciplines needed: ECE, ME

  Faculty Mentor: Dr. Rouser, MAE

  Sponsor: FAA

  A Kingtech K60TP 7 kW turboelectric system and an FPV Mugin 4.5m-wingspan aircraft will be provided.  Project will require integration and modification, mostly structural and electrical.

• JetCat Windmill Prevention Device Disciplines needed: ME

  Faculty Mentor: Dr. Rouser, MAE

  Sponsor: Air Force Research Lab

  Design a windmill prevention device for a JetCat 100 jet engine, including a test stand.

• UAV Based Wellsite Inspection Disciplines needed: ECE, ME

  Faculty Mentor: Dr. Jacob, MAE

  Sponsor: Osage Nation

  UAV based Oil and Gas Wellsite Inspection System ‐ Will include sensors (methane, IR,magnetometer), and gather visual/spatial data from abandoned wellsites, and save/store data in oil and gas well management database.

• Deice/Anti-icing for Unmanned Aerial Systems Disciplines needed: ME

  Faculty Mentor: Prof. Ambrose, MAE                           

  Sponsor: Systems Engineering Research Center

  Currently, the Scan Eagle Unmanned Aircraft System cannot fly in icing conditions because there is no de-icing functionality for the wing leading edges. Carburetor icing is a separate, but similar cold weather problem that restricts current flight capabilities. The aircraft needs a way to combat both problems so flight can be achieved in cold weather environments.

• Adaptive Wall/Cabinet/Countertop Systems Disciplines needed: DHM, EE, ME, MET

  Faculty Mentor: Dr. Taylor, MAE                                   

  Sponsor: Spanish Cove Retirement Community

  Design, fabricate, commission and test prototype kitchen cabinet systems to enable safer, more efficient access by individuals with mobility challenges that prevent them from effectively using "standard" systems. It is envisioned that this project will include the development of both movable as well as static "elements". Clients/sponsors for this project include the Spanish Cove Retirement Center in the OKC area and may include other stakeholders in the Stillwater Area.

• Fatigue Testing Apparatus for Stainless Steel Tubing Disciplines needed: ECE, ME, MET

  Faculty Mentor: Dr. Taylor, MAE                                                                                

  Sponsor: Webco

  Design/build/test a stainless steel tubing stress test apparatus for tubing used in deep water oil and gas umbilicals. Ultra‐high reliability and durability is the key performance metric for this tubing and this test apparatus is part of the quality control/assurance process for Webco and its clients. Tubing sizes range from 0.5 inch to 2.5 inch, and up to 0.22 inch wall thickness. The apparatus will need to put a pressurized section of tubing through up to thousands of cycles of bending over a range of diameters, from 12 inches to 24 inches. The project will involve controls and a control system, and a loading apparatus to cover a wide range of loads.

• 3D Low Cost Home Printing Disciplines needed: CivE, ECE, IEM, ME, MET

  Faculty Mentor: Dr. Norton, ENDV and Dr. Ley, CivE                        

  Sponsor: Arrowhead Construction

  Continue development of "home scale" 3D printing technology, including progression of the design/development of the electro‐mechanical printing system, the concrete pumping, piping and nozzle system, the "concrete" slurries, the 3D printed building and the printed building envelopes.

• Informal Settlement Fire Safety Test Apparatus Disciplines needed: ECE, FPST, ME

  Faculty Mentor: Dr. Charter, FPST                       

  Sponsors: OSU, Stellenbosch University-South Africa

  Design, fabricate and commission a semi‐permanent test apparatus to the standard ISO room dimensions (2.4x3.6x2.4m) customized to be an informal dwelling.

• Autonomous Systems Controls Disciplines needed: CompE, EE, ME

  Faculty Mentors: Dr. Kamalapurkar, MAE and Dr. Bai, MAE                                         

  Sponsor: OSU

  The goal of this project is to design and develop a sensor package for the MAE Autonomous Golf Cart. There are two major components to this project. The first involves design and implementation of machine vision algorithms and their integration with radar/lidar sensors for obstacle detection and obstacle motion prediction. The other involves design and implementation of reactive obstacle avoidance algorithms on the Golf cart that utilize camera/radar/lidar feedback. The team will also be expected to make any structural and/or electrical circuit modifications required to mount the cameras, and to effectively control the automatic breaks and the motorized steering wheel mechanisms to achieve obstacle avoidance.

• Down Hole Drone Disciplines needed: ME

  Faculty Mentor: Dr. Taylor, MAE                                                              

  Sponsor:  GE Baker Hughes                                     

  The goal of this project is to design a novel, feasible petroleum borehole robot. This autonomous down hole drone is to run self-sufficiently in a down hole bore with a minimum diameter of 3.995 inches in the vertical and horizontal parts of the well while carrying a modular sensor and tool payload.  The robot will be subjected to a bottom hole temperature of 250°F and a bottom hole pressure of about 4500 psi. There will be sands, chemicals, or other solid, suspended particles within the fluid that must be protected against. These particles have the potential cause damage to the structure, drivetrain, and electronics that the robot will carry. Additionally, the gas to oil ratio in the pipe can exceed 90 percent.  The robot should also have the ability to move a load 500 lbs. of equipment or heavy objects and maneuver them back to the surface or other objective point.

  The team will develop an operation concept to satisfy all of the requirements, but will design and evaluate a demonstrator that demonstrates only a portion of the objectives.

• Double Action Hydraulic Press Disciplines needed: ME
   

  Faculty Mentor: Dr. Noori, MAE                                                                                   

  Sponsor: OSU

  Double action presses are used in sheet forming applications.  The stretching, drawing, bending and shearing processes require a clamping force as well as a punching force.  Two independent press actions exert these two forces.

  Students will remodel the H-frame press at the North Campus Labs and its control system. They will also design and manufacture a combined die set which will be utilized for bending a steel sheet followed by punching a hole on its surface.

• Performance Evaluation of Enthalpy Recovery Wheels Disciplines needed: ME

  Faculty Mentor: Dr. Bach, MAE                                                                                 

  Sponsor: ASHRAE

  Enthalpy wheels allow to supply buildings with fresh air, limiting concentration of pollutants (CO2, VOCs, particulate matter) and ensuring occupant health and comfort. Unfortunately, many engineers are unaware of their advantages – causing specifying engineers to use substantially more energy costly preconditioning of fresh air. The goals of this project are two-fold: (1) Develop a testing environment for enthalpy wheels to demonstrate their capabilities and (2) provide input data to subsequent projects.

  Enthalpy wheels allow to transfer heat and moisture between two airstreams. This allows to transfer a good proportion of the heat and moisture from the fresh air to be transferred to the exhausted stale air. Only a minimal additional conditioning is needed to then provide the remaining cooling and dehumidification for the occupied space. Their use becomes increasingly important as buildings become less leaky and better insulated – with ventilation increasing in contribution to total energy use. Your goal is to develop a testing environment that allows the air conditions of fresh and exhausted air to be changed, as well as air flowrates and enthalpy wheel rotational speed. The setup will then allow you (and future students) to determine wheel effectiveness and optimal wheel speed as a function of operational parameters and wheel type (e.g. aluminum, synthetic fiber, polymer).