This collection includes most of the ASU Theses and Dissertations from 2011 to present. ASU Theses and Dissertations are available in downloadable PDF format; however, a small percentage of items are under embargo. Information about the dissertations/theses includes degree information, committee members, an abstract, supporting data or media.

In addition to the electronic theses found in the ASU Digital Repository, ASU Theses and Dissertations can be found in the ASU Library Catalog.

Dissertations and Theses granted by Arizona State University are archived and made available through a joint effort of the ASU Graduate College and the ASU Libraries. For more information or questions about this collection contact or visit the Digital Repository ETD Library Guide or contact the ASU Graduate College at gradformat@asu.edu.

Displaying 1 - 5 of 5
Filtering by

Clear all filters

156403-Thumbnail Image.png
Description
Commercial Li-ion cells (18650: Li4Ti5O12 anodes and LiCoO2 cathodes) were subjected to simulated Electric Vehicle (EV) conditions using various driving patterns such as aggressive driving, highway driving, air conditioning load, and normal city driving. The particular drive schedules originated from the Environment Protection Agency (EPA), including the SC-03, UDDS, HWFET,

Commercial Li-ion cells (18650: Li4Ti5O12 anodes and LiCoO2 cathodes) were subjected to simulated Electric Vehicle (EV) conditions using various driving patterns such as aggressive driving, highway driving, air conditioning load, and normal city driving. The particular drive schedules originated from the Environment Protection Agency (EPA), including the SC-03, UDDS, HWFET, US-06 drive schedules, respectively. These drive schedules have been combined into a custom drive cycle, named the AZ-01 drive schedule, designed to simulate a typical commute in the state of Arizona. The battery cell cycling is conducted at various temperature settings (0, 25, 40, and 50 °C). At 50 °C, under the AZ-01 drive schedule, a severe inflammation was observed in the cells that led to cell failure. Capacity fading under AZ-01 drive schedule at 0 °C per 100 cycles is found to be 2%. At 40 °C, 3% capacity fading is observed per 100 cycles under the AZ-01 drive schedule. Modeling and prediction of discharge rate capability of batteries is done using Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS). High-frequency resistance values (HFR) increased with cycling under the AZ-01 drive schedule at 40 °C and 0 °C. The research goal for this thesis is to provide performance analysis and life cycle data for Li4Ti5O12 (Lithium Titanite) battery cells in simulated Arizona conditions. Future work involves an evaluation of second-life opportunities for cells that have met end-of-life criteria in EV applications.
ContributorsAbdelhay, Reem (Author) / Kannan, Arunachala Mada (Thesis advisor) / Wishart, Jeffrey (Committee member) / Nam, Changho (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2018
154623-Thumbnail Image.png
Description
Hydrogen fuel cells have been previously investigated as a viable replacement to traditional gas turbine auxiliary power unit onboard fixed wing commercial jets. However, so far no study has attempted to extend their applicability to rotary wing aircrafts. To aid in the advancement of such innovative technologies, a holistic technical

Hydrogen fuel cells have been previously investigated as a viable replacement to traditional gas turbine auxiliary power unit onboard fixed wing commercial jets. However, so far no study has attempted to extend their applicability to rotary wing aircrafts. To aid in the advancement of such innovative technologies, a holistic technical approach is required to ensure risk reduction and cost effectiveness throughout the product lifecycle. This paper will evaluate the feasibility of replacing a gas turbine auxiliary power unit on a helicopter with a direct hydrogen, air breathing, proton exchange membrane fuel cell, all while emphasizing a system engineering approach that utilize a specialized set of tools and artifacts.
ContributorsNesheiwat, Rod (Author) / Kannan, Arunachala M (Thesis advisor) / Nam, Changho (Committee member) / Mayyas, Abdel Ra'Ouf (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2016
154779-Thumbnail Image.png
Description
There was a growing trend in the automotive market on the adoption of Hybrid Electric Vehicles (HEVs) for consumers to purchase. This was partially due to external pressures such as the effects of global warming, cost of petroleum, governmental regulations, and popularity of the vehicle type. HEV technology

There was a growing trend in the automotive market on the adoption of Hybrid Electric Vehicles (HEVs) for consumers to purchase. This was partially due to external pressures such as the effects of global warming, cost of petroleum, governmental regulations, and popularity of the vehicle type. HEV technology relied on a variety of factors which included the powertrain (PT) of the system, external driving conditions, and the type of driving pattern being driven. The core foundation for HEVs depended heavily on the battery pack and chemistry being adopted for the vehicle performance and operations. This paper focused on the effects of hot and arid temperatures on the performance of LiFePO4 (LFP) battery packs and presented a possible modeling method for overall performance.

Lithium-ion battery (LIB) packs were subjected to room and high temperature settings while being cycled under a current profile created from a drive cycle. The Federal Urban Driving Schedule (FUDS) was selected and modified to simulate normal city driving situation using an electric only drive mode. Capacity and impedance fade of the LIB packs were monitored over the lifetime of the pack to determine the overall performance through the variables of energy and power fade. Regression analysis was done on the energy and power fade of the LIB pack to determine the duration life of LIB packs for HEV applications. This was done by comparing energy and power fade with the average lifetime mileage of a vehicle.

The collected capacity and impedance data was used to create an electrical equivalent model (EEM). The model was produced through the process of a modified Randles circuit and the creation of the inverse constant phase element (ICPE). Results indicated the model had a potential for high fidelity as long as a sufficient amount of data was gathered. X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) and a scanning electron microscope (SEM) was performed on a fresh and cycled LFP battery. SEM results suggested a dramatic growth on LFP crystals with a reduction in carbon coating after cycling. XRD effects showed a slight uniformed strain and decrease in size of LFP olivine crystals after cycling.
ContributorsOpitz, Andrew (Author) / Kannan, Arunachala (Thesis advisor) / Mayyas, Abdel (Committee member) / Nam, Changho (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2016
154910-Thumbnail Image.png
Description
Determining the thermal conductivity of carbon gas diffusion layers used in hydrogen fuel cells is a very active topic of research. The primary driver behind this research is due to the need for development of proton exchange membrane fuels with longer usable life cycles before failure. As heat is a

Determining the thermal conductivity of carbon gas diffusion layers used in hydrogen fuel cells is a very active topic of research. The primary driver behind this research is due to the need for development of proton exchange membrane fuels with longer usable life cycles before failure. As heat is a byproduct of the oxygen-hydrogen reaction an optimized pathway to remove the excess heat is needed to prevent thermal damage to the fuel cell as both mechanical and chemical degradation is accelerated under elevated temperatures. Commercial systems used for testing thermal conductivity are readily available, but are prohibitively expensive, ranging from just over $10,000 to $80,000 for high-end systems. As this cost can exclude some research labs from experimenting with thermal conductivity, a low cost alternative system is a desirable product. The development of a low cost system that maintained typical accuracy levels of commercials systems was carried out successfully at a significant cost reduction. The end product was capable of obtaining comparable accuracy to commercial systems at a cost reduction of more than 600% when compared to entry level commercial models. Combined with a system design that only required some basic fabrication equipment, this design will allow many research labs to expand their testing capabilities without straining departmental budgets. As expected with the development of low cost solutions, the reduction in cost came at the loss in other aspects of system performance, mainly run time. While the developed system requires a significate time investment to obtain useable results, the system can be improved by the used of RTDs in place of thermocouples or incorporation of an isothermal cold plate. These improvements would reduce the runtime to less than that of a standard work day while maintaining an approximate reduction in cost of 350%.
ContributorsSucher, Brent (Author) / Kannan, Arunachala (Thesis advisor) / Hsu, Keng (Committee member) / Nam, Changho (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2016
158348-Thumbnail Image.png
Description
Honeycomb sandwich panels have been used in structural applications for several decades in various industries. While these panels are lightweight and rigid, their design has not evolved much due to constraints imposed by available manufacturing processes and remain primarily two-dimensional extrusions sandwiched between facings. With the growth in Additive Manufacturing,

Honeycomb sandwich panels have been used in structural applications for several decades in various industries. While these panels are lightweight and rigid, their design has not evolved much due to constraints imposed by available manufacturing processes and remain primarily two-dimensional extrusions sandwiched between facings. With the growth in Additive Manufacturing, more complex geometries can now be produced, and advanced design techniques can be implemented into end use parts to obtain further reductions in weight, as well as enable greater multi-functionality. The question therefore is: how best to revisit the design of these honeycomb panels to obtain these benefits?

In this work, a Bio-Inspired Design approach was taken to answer this question, primarily since the hexagonal lattice is so commonly found in wasp and bee nests, including the well-known bee’s honeycomb that inspired these panel designs to begin with. Whereas prior honeycomb panel design has primarily focused on the hexagonal shape of the unit cell, in this work we examine the relationship between the various parameters constituting the hexagonal cell itself, specifically the wall thickness and the corner radius, and also examine out-of-plane features that have not been previously translated into panel design. This work reports findings from a study of insect nests across 70 species using 2D and 3D measurements with optical microscopy and X-ray tomography, respectively. Data from these biological nests were used to identify design parameters of interest, which were then translated into design principles. These design principles were implemented in the design of honeycomb panels manufactured with the Selective Laser Sintering process and subjected to experimental testing to study their effects on the mechanical behavior of these panels.
ContributorsGoss, Derek Lee (Author) / Bhate, Dhruv (Thesis advisor) / Lewis, Sharon (Committee member) / Nam, Changho (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2020