|
Research Area
FLOW INSTRUMENTATION AND MEASUREMENTS
Research interests include, but are not limited to the following areas:
· Micro- and nano-fluidic machines (MEMS/NEMS)
· Fluid dynamics and heat transfer in real and heterogeneous mixtures
· Computer-aided sensory, instrumentation and measurements
· Experimental data validation and system identification using concomitant measurement systems.
See http://www.ucs.louisiana.edu/~jkk9202/
Green and Sustainable Energy
Green and Sustainable Energy The Green and Sustainable Energy work in the Mechanical Engineering Department includes the Rougeou Hall Steam Lab. The Industrial Assessment Center and other labs associated with energy production and distribution. The steam laboratory and associated equipment is the centerpiece of this work because steam is used in about 75 percent of the electric power generated in this country. The Industrial Assessment Center uses Mechanical Engineering faculty and students (both graduate and under graduate students) to perform energy assessments of companies (manufacturers) within our territory. This territory includes eastern Texas, Southeastern Mississippi, all of Louisiana and most of Arkansas. This laboratory also houses the portable diesel generator truck/trailer donated to our University by Solar Turbine. Future work in this laboratory includes converting the Solar Turbine diesel generator to bio-diesel generator and assembly and prototype testing of solar hot-water heaters for potential use in the Solar House.
Vibrations, Acoustics and Controls
Analysis of vibrations in drillstrings:Drillstrings are used in drilling for oil and gas as well geothermal energy. Deep wells require very long drillstrings which are inherently unstable, particularly in the hard rock encountered at great depths. Excessive vibration damages the bit and drillstring. Research focuses on means of minimizing bit vibrations through strategies such as bit design, matching bit to drillstring and the use of shock subs. These shock subs can have controllable damping. Research focuses on the stiffness/damping characteristics of shock subs to optimize their performance.
CNC Machine Control:Control strategies to minimize chatter in machine tool. This involves tool design, machine dynamics and machining parameters. The goal is to optimize the machining process and improve product quality.
Feature Extraction and Data Fusion:Characterization of High Intensity Acoustic Signatures generated by very high thrust exhausted – work in this area has concentrated on development of metrics that reliably indicate the sound source as a high thrust, high temperature exhaust. Funding agencies have included the Air Force and Army; collaborations have included the National Center for Physical Acoustics, Blue Ridge Research and Consulting, and Brigham Young University.
Fault Detection in Rotating Machinery, Motors, and Welds – numerous techniques have been developed for the detection of imbalance, eccentricity, bent shafts, bearing flaws, and gear degradation. Our research concentrates on detection of faults not well identified by existing methods as well as the fusion of multiple fault indicators for more robust machinery health determinations. Funding has come from the Navy as well as internal university funding sources.
Acoustics Generated by Very High Speed, High Temperature Exhausts:Rocket Noise – this research has focused primarily on physically defensible models for far-field sound levels during rocket launches as well as estimation of on-vehicle lift-off loads. Funding has been provided by the National Center for Physical Acoustics and The Aerospace Corporation.
Military Turbojets – low by pass ratio turbojets operating on afterburner power have exhaust temperatures and velocities midway between those of rockets and non-afterburning, relatively cool, supersonic single stream exhausts. Our work in this area focuses on measurements and analysis cast in the framework of the latest, physically meaningful models of jet noise generation. Funding has been provided by the U.S. Air Force and collaborators have included Blue Ridge Research and Consulting, Brigham Young University, and Wyle Laboratories.
Mechanics, Materials, Manufacturing, Industrial, and Systems Engineering
The faculty in this areas concentrate on understanding the nature of engineering materials, developing improved manufacturing processes, and improving manufacturing production through the use of lean and agile engineering, design, and production supply chains. A short description of each area is described and links to specific research areas are provided. Materials and Solid Mechanics
Composites and nano-composite materials are being developed, and evaluated for their structural, thermal, electrical properties as well as their manufacturability. The Laboratory for Composite Materials (LCM) is a well-equipped laboratory for the investigation of advanced composite systems. The research at LCM focuses on understanding the fundamental knowledge of processing-structure-performance relationships of composite materials which is required in order to tailor material properties to meet the needs of a specific application. This research is being sponsored by the NASA, Louisiana Transportation Research Center, and Louisiana Board of Regents. LCM provides hands-on training to graduate and undergraduate students, in the area of composite materials with a sound scientific background. LCM creates an interdisciplinary collaboration environment between several engineering fields, such as Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Civil Engineering, and Industrial Technology. Additional information is available through the Laboratory for Composite Materials (LCM) website: http://www.CompositeMaterialsLab.info
Metal forming has is one of the most common methods of manufacturing parts. The Klaus J. Weinmann Advanced Metal Forming Laboratory (AMFL), which shares space with the LCM was developed to explore new methods of producing goods and products in an environmentally sensitive manner. Research at the AMFL includes improved methods for manufacturing fuel cells, developing control techniques for stamp forming parts for the automobile and aerospace industries, MEMS, and applications for improving components used in the oil and gas industries. Work in the AMFL is multidisciplinary. Researchers with backgrounds in Finite Element Analysis, Controls, Structural Mechanics, and Physics are encouraged to become involved. Graduate student researchers working in this area are highly recruited and are usually placed in automotive, aerospace, and construction equipment companies or go on to pursue their Ph.D.s. Additional Information may be obtained at http://www.ucs.ull.edu/~wje2777/.
Research in Structural Mechanics and Crashworthiness focus on study the performance and governing mechanisms of vehicles and other structures during crash events using experimental, analytical, and computational techniques. Mechanical properties of engineered and structural materials during the crash are investigated at both macroscopic and atomic scales through impact tests. The phenomena observed from the experiments are correlated with and interpreted by the results obtained from computer analysis and simulation. Advanced modeling methodologies are developed to improve the efficiency of analysis and simulation while maintain the accuracy. Applied mathematical models are also generated to describe the structural crash response analytically. Other focuses of this area include design architecture optimization and vehicle body structure optimization, and development of interactive design software for supporting modeling, analysis, and design of vehicular architectures and other engineering structures. Researchers in this area have multidisciplinary backgrounds in mechanical engineering, computer science, applied mathematics, and physics. Additional information may be obtained by visiting the following website: http://www.ucs.louisiana.edu/~yxl5763/.
The Systems and Quality Engineering research team housed within the Mechanical Engineering Department utilizes virtual reality, lean manufacturing, and agile philosophies to develop improved supply chain, product flow, and sustainable engineering practices. Kaizen principles are used to reduce waste in both manufacturing and service operations. A virtual reality laboratory was recently opened and is being used to model production processes and manufacturing cells. Interdisciplinary teams are used to solve complex problems for local, regional, and national corporations. Additional information may be found at: http://surendwivedi.com/default.htm and http://apfd.louisiana.edu/endowed/Lee-Jim.shtml
|
