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- Genre: Masters Thesis
Description
Production from a high pressure gas well at a high production-rate encounters the risk of operating near the choking condition for a compressible flow in porous media. The unbounded gas pressure gradient near the point of choking, which is located near the wellbore, generates an effective tensile stress on the porous rock frame. This tensile stress almost always exceeds the tensile strength of the rock and it causes a tensile failure of the rock, leading to wellbore instability. In a porous rock, not all pores are choked at the same flow rate, and when just one pore is choked, the flow through the entire porous medium should be considered choked as the gas pressure gradient at the point of choking becomes singular. This thesis investigates the choking condition for compressible gas flow in a single microscopic pore. Quasi-one-dimensional analysis and axisymmetric numerical simulations of compressible gas flow in a pore scale varicose tube with a number of bumps are carried out, and the local Mach number and pressure along the tube are computed for the flow near choking condition. The effects of tube length, inlet-to-outlet pressure ratio, the number of bumps and the amplitude of the bumps on the choking condition are obtained. These critical values provide guidance for avoiding the choking condition in practice.
ContributorsYuan, Jing (Author) / Chen, Kangping (Thesis advisor) / Wang, Liping (Committee member) / Huang, Huei-Ping (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2013
Description
Tesla turbo-machinery offers a robust, easily manufactured, extremely versatile prime mover with inherent capabilities making it perhaps the best, if not the only, solution for certain niche applications. The goal of this thesis is not to optimize the performance of the Tesla turbine, but to compare its performance with various working fluids. Theoretical and experimental analyses of a turbine-generator assembly utilizing compressed air, saturated steam and water as the working fluids were performed and are presented in this work. A brief background and explanation of the technology is provided along with potential applications. A theoretical thermodynamic analysis is outlined, resulting in turbine and rotor efficiencies, power outputs and Reynolds numbers calculated for the turbine for various combinations of working fluids and inlet nozzles. The results indicate the turbine is capable of achieving a turbine efficiency of 31.17 ± 3.61% and an estimated rotor efficiency 95 ± 9.32%. These efficiencies are promising considering the numerous losses still present in the current design. Calculation of the Reynolds number provided some capability to determine the flow behavior and how that behavior impacts the performance and efficiency of the Tesla turbine. It was determined that turbulence in the flow is essential to achieving high power outputs and high efficiency. Although the efficiency, after peaking, begins to slightly taper off as the flow becomes increasingly turbulent, the power output maintains a steady linear increase.
ContributorsPeshlakai, Aaron (Author) / Phelan, Patrick (Thesis advisor) / Trimble, Steve (Committee member) / Wang, Liping (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2012
Description
Solar energy has become one of the most popular renewable energy in human’s life because of its abundance and environment friendliness. To achieve high solar energy conversion efficiency, it usually requires surfaces to absorb selectivity within one spectral range of interest and reflect strongly over the rest of the spectrum. An economic method is always desired to fabricate spectrally selective surfaces with improved energy conversion efficiency. Colloidal lithography is a recently emerged way of nanofabrication, which has advantages of low-cost and easy operation.
In this thesis, aluminum metasurface structures are proposed based on colloidal lithography method. High Frequency Structure Simulator is used to numerically study optical properties and design the aluminum metasurfaces with selective absorption. Simulation results show that proposed aluminum metasurface structure on aluminum oxide thin film and aluminum substrate has a major reflectance dip, whose wavelength is tunable within the near-infrared and visible spectrum with metasurface size. As the metasurface is opaque due to aluminum film, it indicates strong wavelength-selective optical absorption, which is due to the magnetic resonance between the top metasurface and bottom Al film within the aluminum oxide layer.
The proposed sample is fabricated based on colloidal lithography method. Monolayer polystyrene particles of 500 nm are successfully prepared and transferred onto silicon substrate. Scanning electron microscope is used to check the surface topography. Aluminum thin film with 20-nm or 50-nm thickness is then deposited on the sample. After monolayer particles are removed, optical properties of samples are measured by micro-scale optical reflectance and transmittance microscope. Measured and simulated reflectance of these samples do not have frequency selective properties and is not sensitive to defects. The next step is to fabricate the Al metasurface on Al_2 O_3 and Al films to experimentally demonstrate the selective absorption predicted from the numerical simulation.
In this thesis, aluminum metasurface structures are proposed based on colloidal lithography method. High Frequency Structure Simulator is used to numerically study optical properties and design the aluminum metasurfaces with selective absorption. Simulation results show that proposed aluminum metasurface structure on aluminum oxide thin film and aluminum substrate has a major reflectance dip, whose wavelength is tunable within the near-infrared and visible spectrum with metasurface size. As the metasurface is opaque due to aluminum film, it indicates strong wavelength-selective optical absorption, which is due to the magnetic resonance between the top metasurface and bottom Al film within the aluminum oxide layer.
The proposed sample is fabricated based on colloidal lithography method. Monolayer polystyrene particles of 500 nm are successfully prepared and transferred onto silicon substrate. Scanning electron microscope is used to check the surface topography. Aluminum thin film with 20-nm or 50-nm thickness is then deposited on the sample. After monolayer particles are removed, optical properties of samples are measured by micro-scale optical reflectance and transmittance microscope. Measured and simulated reflectance of these samples do not have frequency selective properties and is not sensitive to defects. The next step is to fabricate the Al metasurface on Al_2 O_3 and Al films to experimentally demonstrate the selective absorption predicted from the numerical simulation.
ContributorsGuan, Chuyun (Author) / Wang, Liping (Thesis advisor) / Azeredo, Bruno (Committee member) / Wang, Robert (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2019
Description
Biogas’s potential as a renewable fuel source has been an area of increased research in recent years. One issue preventing wide-spread use of biogas as a fuel is the trace amounts of impurities that damage fuel-burning equipment by depositing silicon, sulfur, calcium and other elements on their surface. This study aims to analyze the effects of a high concentration of L4 linear siloxane on solid oxide fuel cell performance until failure occurs. L4 siloxane has not been extensively researched previously, and this investigation aims to provide new data to support similar, though slower, degradation compared to D4, D5 and other siloxanes in solid oxide fuel cells. The experiments were conducted inside a furnace heated to 800℃ with an Ni-YSZ-supported (Nickel-yttria-stabilized zirconia) fuel cell. A fuel source with a flow rate of 20 mL/min of hydrogen gas, 10 mL/min of nitrogen gas and 0.15 mL/min of L4 siloxane was used. Air was supplied to the cathode. The effects of siloxane deposition on cell voltage and power density degradation and resistance increase were studied by using techniques like the current-voltage method, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, and gas chromatography. The results of the experiment after reduction show roughly constant degradation of 8.35 mV/hr, followed after approximately 8 hours by an increasing degradation until cell failure of 130.45 mV/hr. The initial degradation and stagnation match previous research in siloxane deposition on SOFCs, but the sharp decline to failure does not. A mechanism for solid oxide fuel cell failure is proposed based on the data.
ContributorsRiley, Derall M. (Author) / Milcarek, Ryan J (Thesis advisor) / Wang, Liping (Committee member) / Phelan, Patrick E (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2021
Description
The thermal conductivity of cadmium sulfide (CdS) colloidal nanocrystals (NCs) and magic-sized clusters (MSCs) have been investigated in this work. It is well documented in the literature that the thermal conductivity of colloidal nanocrystal assemblies decreases as diameter decreases. However, the extrapolation of this size dependence does not apply to magic-sized clusters. Magic-sized clusters have an anomalously high thermal conductivity relative to the extrapolated size-dependence trend line for the colloidal nanocrystals. This anomalously high thermal conductivity could probably result from the monodispersity of magic-sized clusters. To support this conjecture, a method of deliberately eliminating the monodispersity of MSCs by mixing them with colloidal nanocrystals was performed. Experiment results showed that mixtures of nanocrystals and MSCs have a lower thermal conductivity that falls approximately on the extrapolated trendline for colloidal nanocrystal thermal conductivity as a function of size.
ContributorsSun, Ming-Hsien (Author) / Wang, Robert (Thesis advisor) / Rykaczewski, Konrad (Committee member) / Wang, Liping (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2022
Description
Windows are one of the most significant locations of heat transfer through a building envelope. In warm climates, it is important that heat gain through windows is minimized. Heat transfer through a window glazing occurs by all major forms of heat transfer (convection, conduction, and radiation). Convection and conduction effects can be limited by manipulating the thermal properties of a window’s construction. However, radiation heat transfer into a building will always occur if a window glazing is visibly transparent. In an effort to reduce heat gain through the building envelope, a window glazing can be designed with spectrally selective properties. These spectrally selective glazings would possess high reflectivity in the near-infrared (NIR) regime (to prevent solar heat gain) and high emissivity in the atmospheric window, 8-13μm (to take advantage of the radiative sky cooling effect). The objective of this thesis is to provide a comprehensive study of the thermal performance of a visibly transparent, high-emissivity glass window. This research proposes a window constructed by coating soda lime glass in a dual layer consisting of Indium Tin Oxide (ITO) and Polyvinyl Fluoride (PVF) film. The optical properties of this experimental glazing were measured and demonstrated high reflectivity in the NIR regime and high emissivity in the atmospheric window. Outdoor field tests were performed to experimentally evaluate the glazing’s thermal performance. The thermal performance was assessed by utilizing an experimental setup intended to mimic a building with a skylight. The proposed glazing experimentally demonstrated reduced indoor air temperatures compared to bare glass, ITO coated glass, and PVF coated glass. A theoretical heat transfer model was developed to validate the experimental results. The results of the theoretical and experimental models showed good agreement. On average, the theoretical model demonstrated 0.44% percent error during the daytime and 0.52% percent error during the nighttime when compared to the experimentally measured temperature values.
ContributorsTrujillo, Antonio Jose (Author) / Phelan, Patrick (Thesis advisor) / Wang, Liping (Thesis advisor) / Rykaczewski, Konrad (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2022
Description
The space industry is rapidly expanding, and components are getting increasinglysmaller leading to the prominence of cubesats. Cubesats are satellites from about coffee
mug size to cereal box size. The challenges of shortened timeline and smaller budgets for
smaller spacecraft are also their biggest advantages. This benefits educational missions
and industry missions a like but can burden teams to be smaller or have less experience.
Thermal analysis of cubesats is no exception to these burdens which is why this thesis
has been written to provide a guide for conducting the thermal analysis of a cubesat using
the Deployable Optical Receiver Aperture (DORA) mission as an example. Background
on cubesats and their role in the space industry will be examined. The theoretical side of
heat transfer necessary for conducting a thermal analysis will be explored. The DORA
thermal analysis will then be conducted by constructing a thermal model in Thermal
Desktop software from the ground up. Insight to assumptions for model construction to
move accurately yet quickly will be detailed. Lastly, this fast and quick method will be
compared to a standard finite element mesh model to show quality results can be
achieved in significantly less time.
ContributorsAdkins, Matthew Thomas (Author) / Phelan, Patrick (Thesis advisor) / Jacobs, Danny (Thesis advisor) / Wang, Liping (Committee member) / Bowman, Judd (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2022
Description
Radiation heat transfer can surpass blackbody limit when distance between the hot emitter and cold receiver is less than the characteristic wavelength of electromagnetic radiation. The enhanced radiation heat transfer achieved is also called near-field radiation heat transfer. Several theoretical and experimental studies have demonstrated enhancement in near-field radiation heat transfer for isotropic materials such as silicon carbide (SiC), undoped and doped Si. The enhancement achieved however is narrow-banded. Significant improvement in radiation heat transfer is necessary to satisfy some of the energy demands. So, there is a growing interest to use hyperbolic materials because of its enhancement due to propagating modes. The main objective of the current thesis project is to investigate the control of hyperbolic bands using boron nitride nanotubes (nanostructure of hexagonal boron nitride) for near-field radiative heat transfer. Optical properties of boron nitride nanotubes are calculated using Maxwell-Garnet’s effective medium theory and its corresponding hyperbolic bands are identified. It is observed that the boron nitride nanotubes have only one hyperbolic band located at higher frequencies. Preliminary comparisons of the near-field radiative heat flux calculations with literature are performed using a more general 4×4 transfer matrix method. Due to its high computational time, anisotropic thin film optics is used to calculate near-field radiative heat transfer. Factors contributing to enhancement is investigated. In the end, Spectral allocation ratio, the ratio of heat flux contributed from higher frequencies to the heat flux contributed from lower frequencies is calculated to assess the contribution of each hyperbolic band to total heat flux.
ContributorsRajan, Vishwa Krishna (Author) / Wang, Liping (Thesis advisor) / Phelan, Patrick (Committee member) / Wang, Robert (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2022
Description
Vanadium-dioxide-based devices show great switchability in their optical properties due to its dramatic thermochromic phase transition from insulator to metal, but generally have concerns due to its relatively high transition temperature at 68 °C. Doping the vanadium dioxide with tungsten has been shown to reduce its transition temperature at the cost lower optical property differences between its insulating and metallic phases. A recipe is developed through parametric experimentation to fabricate tungsten-doped vanadium dioxide consisting of a novel dual target co-sputtering deposition, a furnace oxidation process, and a post-oxidation annealing process. The transmittance spectra of the resulting films are measured via Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy at different temperatures to confirm the lowered transition temperature and analyze their thermal-optical hysteresis behavior through the transition temperature range. Afterwards, the optical properties of undoped sputtered vanadium films are modeled and effective medium theory is used to explain the effect of tungsten dopants on the observed transmittance decrease of doped vanadium dioxide. The optical modeling is used to predict the performance of tungsten-doped vanadium dioxide devices, in particular a Fabry-Perot infrared emitter and a nanophotonic infrared transmission filter. Both devices show great promise in their optical properties despite a slight performance decrease from the tungsten doping. These results serve to illustrate the excellent performance of the co-sputtered tungsten-doped vanadium dioxide films.
ContributorsChao, Jeremy (Author) / Wang, Liping (Thesis advisor) / Wang, Robert (Committee member) / Tongay, Sefaattin (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2022
Description
This thesis explores the possibility of fabricating superconducting tunnel junctions (STJ) using double angle evaporation using an E-beam system. The traditional method of making STJs use a shadow mask to deposit two films requires the breaking of the vacuum of the main chamber. This technique has given bad results and proven to be a tedious process. To improve on this technique, the E-beam system was modified by adding a load lock and transfer line to perform the multi-angle deposition and in situ oxidation in the load lock without breaking the vacuum of the main chamber. Bilayer photolithography process was used to prepare a pattern for double angle deposition for the STJ. The overlap length could be easily controlled by varying the deposition angles. The low-temperature resistivity measurement and scanning electron microscope (SEM) characterization showed that the deposited films were good. However, I-V measurement for tunnel junction did not give expected results for the quality of the fabricated STJs. The main objective of modifying the E-beam system for multiple angle deposition was achieved. It can be used for any application that requires angular deposition. The motivation for the project was to set up a system that can fabricate a device that can be used as a phonon spectrometer for phononic crystals. Future work will include improving the quality of the STJ and fabricating an STJs on both sides of a silicon substrate using a 4-angle deposition.
ContributorsRana, Ashish (Author) / Wang, Robert Y (Thesis advisor) / Newman, Nathan (Committee member) / Wang, Liping (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2019