OSU MECHANICAL ENGINEERING E-BULLETIN

OSU MECHANICAL ENGINEERING E-BULLETIN

Issue #22

Week of March 20, 2006

Happy Spring!

DONATE YOUR USED TEXTBOOKS to the UNIVERSITY OF ZIMBABWE

So the OSU bookstore doesn’t want your used textbooks? The University of Zimbabwe does. Engineers Without Borders – OSU, a student group that organizes projects to improve the quality of life in developing countries, is running an end-of-term book drive to provide the University of Zimbabwe with much-needed resources. Consider donating your used textbooks to support this effort and impact literacy efforts worldwide. The book drive runs through Friday, March 24. Collection bins are located in the Valley Library, the Memorial Union Student Lounge, and the History Department.

UPCOMING EVENTS

This Week...

GOOD LUCK WITH FINALS!

Monday, March 20: Martha Gallivan, Assistant Professor, School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, will speak on “A Systems Engineering Approach to Materials Processing.” 1:30–3 pm, Rogers 226.

Thursday, March 23: “Numerical Simulations of Acoustic Emissions in Non-reinforced and Reinforced Concrete.” Master’s of Science Thesis Presentation by Joseph Blomberg. 9 am, Rogers 226.

Friday, March 24: “An Experimental Study of Co-flow Ammonia-water Desorption in an Oil-heated, Microscale, Fractal-like Branching Heat Exchanger.” Master’s of Science Thesis Presentation by Greg Mouchka. 1 pm, Rogers 226

Plan Ahead...

HAVE A GREAT SPRING BREAK AND SEE YOU IN APRIL!

New Baja meeting times for Spring term:

Senior Design Testing Meetings will be on Tuesdays at 5-6pm in Rogers 230. These meetings will be focused on senior design member presentations and vehicle design and testing. Everyone is welcome, and all students interested in working on the Baja car for their senior project should definitely attend.

Team Meetings will be on Thursdays at 5-6pm in either Rogers 230 or the SAE shop (varies from week to week). These are more general meetings that will focus on organization for the spring competitions and other upcoming team events such as sponsor trips and driving days. All OSU students are encouraged to attend.

Also, 2006 Baja competition dates and locations are as follows:

2006 SAE Mini Baja West Competition: May 11, Portland, OR / May 12-13, Washougal, WA

2006 SAE Mini Baja Midwest Competition: May 24-27, Walworth County, Wisconsin

UPCOMING FACULTY/STAFF EVENT:

On Monday, April 10, Dr. George D. Kuh will visit the Oregon State University Corvallis campus for a day of conversation and workshops. Schedule of events is listed below.

· 10 -11:30 am: “Using the NSSE for Student Success and Engagement.” Open session with Q&A. Memorial Union Joyce Powell Leadership Center Journey Room

· 1:30-3 pm: “Creating an Environment Intentionally Focused on Student Success and Retention.” All-campus Keynote with Q & A. Memorial Union Joyce Powell Leadership Center Journey Room

· 3:30-5 pm: “What is Deep Learning?” Conversation and Q & A with invited faculty. If interested in this session, please contact Janine, Academic Success Center, 541-737-2272 or janine.kobel@oregonstate.edu.

Dr. Kuh (http://nsse.iub.edu/staff/george_kuh.cfm) is professor of higher education at Indiana University Bloomington, an author, and director of several national projects focused on assessment issues. He directs the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE), an annual survey of college first-year and senior students. Dr. Kuh has published some 175 books, chapters and articles. He has made hundreds of presentations on topics related to college and university cultures, student engagement, assessment and institutional improvement. This event is jointly sponsored by OSU Student Affairs, Center for Teaching and Learning, and Academic Success Center. For more information, visit http://success.oregonstate.edu/georgekuh.html.

FACULTY/GRADUATE SEMINARS

Monday, March 20, 1:30–3 pm, Rogers 226: Martha Gallivan, Assistant Professor, School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, will speak on “A Systems Engineering Approach to Materials Processing.”.

As understanding of atomic and molecular interactions improves and becomes more quantitative, it may be possible to use these models to design materials and the processes to make them. Formal methods for process design and process control are routinely applied to macroscopic properties such as temperature and composition, but molecular models are rarely included in the formal design process. Two design and control problems in materials processing will be described in this talk, each with its own modeling requirements and specific challenges. The first example is in chemical vapor deposition of polycrystalline metal oxide thin films. An optical sensor provides real-time measurements that are sensitive to temperature, film thickness, and microstructure. A dynamic process model is used along with a sensor model to simultaneously infer microstructural and macroscopic properties, which can then be used for feedback control to compensate for disturbances and equipment drift. A key challenge is to select the simplest possible process model to interpret the measurements. The second example is the design of feed profiles for highly branched polymers. A process model has been developed to describe the evolution of molecular weight and branching architecture, and is implemented with a Monte Carlo simulation. Good agreement with experiments has been obtained, relating the molecular weight to monomer concentration and mixing, and can be explained by the formation of cycles in the polymer. The development of a model relating process conditions and molecular architecture makes possible the design of a process to achieve desired material properties.

Informal social time starts at 1:30 (coffee and tea provided). Come meet the speaker and visit with colleagues! Presentation begins at 2 pm sharp.

Note: The most current ME Seminar schedule and other OSU seminar information is available on the Rogers Hall bulletin boards near the ME main office.

Thursday, March 23, 9 am, Rogers 226: Joseph Blomberg, OSU Department of Mechanical Engineering Masters of Science Candidate, will speak on “Numerical Simulations of Acoustic Emissions in Non-reinforced and Reinforced Concrete.”

Acoustic emission testing techniques have been developed to determine the strength and condition of both materials and structures. The use of acoustic emission testing of steel reinforced concrete bridge beams has driven a need for predictive numerical models. Using LS-DYNA, a general purpose explicit finite element analysis program, surface time histories were calculated and compared to experimental data. Smaller LS-DYNA simulations with known analytical solutions were tested to verify loading conditions, boundary conditions, element size and type. Larger models representing the test specimens were constructed using the information gained from these smaller models. The material properties of the concrete test specimen were determined using measured longitudinal and Rayleigh wave speed measurements. Qualitatively the predicted wave arrival times and surface displacements were in good agreement with the experimental data from a related project for both the non-reinforced and reinforced concrete samples. The LS-DYNA simulation for steel reinforcement concrete correctly predicted the reduction in surface displacement in the shadow of the reinforcement bar.

Friday, March 24, 1 pm, Rogers 226: Greg Mouchka, OSU Department of Mechanical Engineering Masters of Science Candidate, will speak on “An Experimental Study of Co-flow Ammonia-water Desorption in an Oil-heated, Microscale, Fractal-like Branching Heat Exchanger.”

An experimental study was performed in which an ammonia-water solution was desorbed within a branching fractal-like microchannel array. The solution entered in the center of a disk, and flowed out radially until discharging in to a gravity-driven separation chamber. Heat was added to the ammonia-water through a thin wall, above which flowed heat transfer oil in a separate branching fractal-like microchannel array. Such arrays have been shown to utilize the increased heat transfer coefficients seen in parallel channel arrays; however, they do so with a lower pressure drop. An experimental flow loop consisting of ammonia-water and heat transfer oil sub-loops was instrumented along with a test manifold for global measurements to be taken. Parameters included oil mass flow rate, oil temperature, and strong solution flow rate, while strong solution concentration, temperature, and weak solution pressure were kept constant. Calculated values of UA were shown to be as high as 5.0 W/K, and desorber heat duties were measured as high as 334 W. Strong solution, at 0.30 mass fraction, was desorbed into weak solution and vapor with concentrations ranging from 0.734 to 0.964. Circulation ratios defined as strong solution per unit desorbed vapor varied in the study from 3.4 to 20.

The presenter will describe a method for specifying desorber operating conditions in which a minimum desorber heat per unit vapor flow rate is determined at an optimum circulation ratio, and will also discuss the behavior of circulation ratio as a function of strong solution mass flow rate, oil flow rate, and maximum temperature difference between oil and ammonia-water solution.

MISCELLANEOUS ANNOUNCEMENTS

Department-wide…

WANT TO HELP WITH K-12 ENGINEERING OUTREACH ACTIVITIES? The College of Engineering has a wide variety of volunteer opportunities available for engineering students interested in working with K12 students and sharing the excitement of engineering. Twice a month, we will be sending out a newsletter of upcoming outreach events. If you would like to receive this outreach newsletter, please email Ellen Momsen at ellen.momsen@oregonstate.edu and you will be added to our distribution list. (In your email response, please include your name, year, and major.) You will then be able to sign up for events that interest you and fit your schedule. It's a great way to polish leadership skills, and a lot of fun!

The OSU Office of Admissions is currently recruiting PAID COORDINATORS FOR THE 2006-2007 TEAM OF UNDERGRADUATE RECRUITERS (TOUR) PROGRAM. Successful candidates enjoy working with people and have a wide range of OSU experiences which they are willing to share with prospective students and their families. Bilingual candidates are encouraged to apply. Preferred Qualifications: Current undergraduate student in good academic standing; full-time student at Oregon State University with the intention of remaining a full-time student in Corvallis during the 2006-07 academic year; excellent communication and interpersonal skills; ability to effectively and positively represent Oregon State University; commitment to promoting diversity; knowledge of resources and services at Oregon State University, well-rounded academic and co-curricular experiences at OSU; and demonstrated leadership, initiative, dependability, discipline and self-confidence. You can obtain an application online at www.oregonstate.edu/visitosu/tourapplication or at the Campus Visitor Center (108 Kerr). Applications are due on FRIDAY, APRIL 21, 2006 at 5:00 pm. Questions? E-mail Kristi.May@oregonstate.edu or call 737-3691.

APPLICATIONS FOR PROFESSIONAL PROGRAM ADMISSION, ENGINEERING SCHOLARSHIPS AND MECOP/CECOP are now available at: http://engr.oregonstate.edu/students/apps/. The deadline for all applications is April 10.

The APPLICATION DEADLINE FOR MORTAR BOARD SENIOR HONOR SOCIETY is 5 pm, Friday, March 24^th. Mortar Board is a prestigious national honor society that recognizes college seniors for distinguished ability and achievement in scholarship, leadership, and service. The OSU chapter is one of the oldest and strongest in the country and invites you to apply for membership. To apply you must have 115 credit hours completed by the end of winter term 2006, plan to be a full-time OSU student during 2006-07, have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.2, be willing to pay annual dues of $60, and be willing to GET INVOLVED in a variety of service projects. Mortar Board is distinguished by its commitment to service, and we want you to be too. Applications are available online at http://oregonstate.edu/groups/mortarboard, or email Donald von Borstel at vonborsd@onid.orst.edu to receive one. Applications are due by 5pm, Friday, March 24th, in the Memorial Union Student Activities room 103, or by electronic submission to Donald von Borstel. Please direct all questions to Donald von Borstel at vonborsd@onid.orst.edu.

ORDER OF THE ENGINEER: RING-SIZING COMING UP. The Order of the Engineer was initiated in the United States in the 1970s to foster a spirit of pride and responsibility in the engineering profession, to bridge the gap between training and experience, and to present to the public a visible symbol identifying the engineer. This is not a club or group with meetings or dues. Instead, it is a pledge, taken by graduating engineering students, to uphold the standards and dignity of the engineering profession and to serve humanity. Engineers who make this pledge will wear a stainless steel ring on the pinky finger of their working hand to remind them of their obligation to society and will attend a ring ceremony where they will formally accept this obligation. The OSU Order of the Engineer ring ceremony is currently scheduled for June 17th at 1pm, prior to graduation, and ring sizing will take place between April 10th & 14th (time TBA) in the atrium of Owen Hall. More information about the Order of the Engineer can be found at http://www.order-of-the-engineer.org/. You can also contact Aaron Michel, ASCE Social Chair, with any questions: michela@onid.orst.edu

SUMMER 2006 ENGINEERING CLASSES at Linn Benton Community College:

ENGR 201: Electrical Fundamentals: DC. June 26-July 28 (5 weeks). Lecture MWF 10:00-12:00 (BENTON CENTER: BC-244). Recitation UH 9:00-10:00 (BC 244). Lab UH 10:00-12:00 (BC-234)

ENGR 202: Electrical Fundamentals II: AC. July 31-September 1 (5 weeks). Lecture MWF 10:00-12:00 (BENTON CENTER: BC-244). Recitation UH 9:00-10:00 (BC-244). Lab UH 10:00-12:00 (BC-234).

ENGR 211: Statics. June 26-July 28 (5 weeks). Lecture MWF 1:00-3:00 (BENTON CENTER: BC-244). Lecture UH 2:00-3:00 (BC-244). Recitation UH 1:00-2:00 (BC-244).

ENGR 212: Dynamics. July 31-September 1 (5 weeks). Lecture MWF 1:00-3:00 (BENTON CENTER: BC-244). Lecture UH 2:00-3:00 (BC-244). Recitation UH 1:00-2:00 (BC-244).

ENGR 213: Strength of Materials. July 31-September 1 (5 weeks). Lecture MWF 3:00-5:00 (BENTON CENTER: BC-244). Lecture UH 4:00-5:00 (BC-244). Recitation UH 3:00-4:00 (BC-244). Open enrollment for summer classes starts: June 5. Contact: Linn Benton Community College or John Sweet, 541-917-4624, john.sweet@linnbenton.edu.

INTERESTED IN WORKING ON A PROJECT IN NICARAGUA THIS SUMMER? 2006 Summer Studio: Nicaragua is a month-long service team experience in the village of El Eden, Matagalpa, Nicaragua. Team members will help the villagers lay out a village "master plan"—an exciting project in urban planning and appropriate technology. For more information, read the Summer Studio brochure at http://me.oregonstate.edu/news/bulletins/NicaraguaBROCHURE06.pdf. The application form is available at http://me.oregonstate.edu/news/bulletins/NicaraguaApplication06.pdf. If you want to talk with someone about this opportunity, call or email Doug Haley, Resource Development Associate at

Agros International, 206.528.1066 or dough@agros.org.

MACHINE SHOP GUIDELINES. Sign-up sheets for the next week’s regular daytime machine-shop hours and the Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday extended hours are now posted each Friday. You can only sign up to use the lathes and milling machines for one 2-hour block per day. You cannot block off more than 2 hours at a time, even if you are signing up for someone else. If, at the end of your allotted 2 hours, no one else has signed up for the next block of time, you may sign up for that block of time. Also, Senior Project, 383, Baja, and Formula groups may only sign up for one machine per group per time slot. This means if someone in your group is using a mill at 10 am, the other members of your group are only allowed to use one lathe at the same time.

BUILDING/EQUIPMENT SECURITY ALERT. The ME department buildings and others in the college have been the recent targets of many thefts. The state police have indicated that these recent thefts have been directed at laptop computers, which according to them are marketable for identify theft. In many of these cases, the thieves have spotted a laptop through an office or lab window and have then broken it out to get at the items. Many of these occurrences have happened in the Thursday night to Sunday period. Please be aware of anything unusual and report it to campus security. Do not prop doors open after hours, and if you see doors propped open, please report it to the ME office. Be vigilant about keeping doors locked and secure.

Did you graduate Summer or Fall of 2005, or are you graduating Winter or Spring of 2006? MARK YOUR CALENDARS FOR THE ME GRADUATION CEREMONY, SATURDAY, JUNE 17, 4 - 6 P.M. This ceremony will be held in the Lasells Stewart Center, and will include individual recognition of each graduate. More information will be forthcoming.

Grad Students/Faculty/Staff…

TWO NEW SPRING ’06 GRADUATE COURSE OFFERINGS:

ME 569 Introduction to Turbulence (Spring 06, 3 credits). Instructors: Jim Liburdy (ME) and Jim Moum (COAS). Course topics: Dynamic description of turbulence; wall effects and transport properties; jets, wakes, and mixing; statistical tools for turbulence; and spectral theories. Prerequisites: at least one graduate level fluids course. Co-listed with Oc 674. For more information, contact Jim Liburdy: 737-7017, liburdy@engr.orst.edu

ME 667 Computational Fluid Dynamics (Spring 06, 3 credits). Instructor: Dr. Sourabh V. Apte, Department of Mechanical Engineering. This is an advanced graduate level course dealing with numerical methods used in simulation of turbulent flows. It is designed to understand and apply modern computational techniques to solve a wide variety of fluid dynamics problems involving incompressible and compressible flows. The course is intended for students from several disciplines interested in development and application of numerical schemes to a variety of problems involving fluid flows. Prerequisites include ME 560 or ME565 or ME566 and ME575 or instructor’s approval.