Theses and Dissertations at Montana State University (MSU)
Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://scholarworks.montana.edu/handle/1/733
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Item Green onions: kitchen design and foodways in mid-century Memphis(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Letters & Science, 2020) Keesee, Angela King; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Mary MurphyFlush with the victory of World War II, America faced an expansive industrial and agricultural landscape that had been focused on war. As factories re-tooled themselves from military production to a domestic market, kitchen appliances, metal cabinets, plastics, and synthetic fabrics appeared at the same time that processed and packaged foods inspired by the efficiency and development of MREs became available for public consumption. Simultaneously, a pent-up need for housing and an end to the deprivation of the Great Depression and war led Americans to embrace new approaches to design and construction. The development of suburbs with affordable single-family houses, standardized kitchen furnishings, and the open plan reflected new attitudes towards living. The accessibility of a variety of foods and time-saving preparations such as cake mixes and canned fruits complemented those attitudes. In this study of mid-century Memphis, the synchronous qualities of cultivation, production, presentation, and consumption in kitchen design and foodways are analyzed to demonstrate an inextricable relationship between the design of place and the culture of food. Memphis was a Southern city steeped in regional tradition but modernizing rapidly while absorbing the national and international dynamics of social and economic changes during the Cold War. Local factors of race, gender, and class on this growth affected the convergence of new ideas in kitchen design and foodways. Regional and national media such as newspapers, magazines, and the rise of television saturated the public with images of idyllic suburban life, particularly available to middle-class whites despite the increased appearance of a black middle-class culture flourishing in the same modern environment. Whether spotlighting the femininity of Betty Crocker or the favorite appetizer of a local socialite, the growing publication of cookbooks fueled a desire for new kitchens and the presentation of new foods. The convergence of kitchen design and foodways illustrated the influence of material culture and regionalism on the experience of place.Item Toward the design and characterization of a dynamically similar artificial insect wing(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Engineering, 2019) Reid, Heidi Elita; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Mark JankauskiMicro air vehicles (MAVs) are a useful tool for numerous tasks, such as environmental mapping, search and rescue, and military reconnaissance. As MAV applications require them to operate at smaller and smaller length scales, traditional propulsion mechanisms (e.g. fixed wings, rotating propellers) cannot meet these demands. Conversely, flapping wing micro air vehicles (FWMAVs) can to realize flight at sub centimeter-lengths. However, FWMAVs face design challenges that preclude autonomous flight, including inefficient energetics and reliable on-board sensing. A comprehensive understanding of flying insect biomechanics may provide valuable design insights to help overcome the challenges experienced by FWMAVs. Insect wings have biological sensors that provide feedback to control attitude and wing deformation improves both inertial and aerodynamic power economy. Consequently, the insect wing can guide the design FWMAV-employed artificial insect wings. The present work aims to (1) dynamically characterize real insect wings via experimental modal analysis, and (2) develop dynamically similar artificial wings to be used on FWMAVs or in controlled studies. To our knowledge, no existing artificial insect wing models are isospectral and isomodal with respect to their biological counterparts. Isomodality and isospectrality imply they have identical frequency response functions and vibration mode shapes, and thus will deform similarly under realistic flapping conditions. We measured the frequency response function and vibration modes of fresh Manduca sexta forewings using an electrodynamic shaker and planar scanning vibrometer and estimated the wings' mass distribution via a cut-and-weigh procedure. Based upon our results, we designed and constructed the artificial wings using fused filament fabrication to print a polylactic acid vein structure, based upon the actual vein size and arrangement present in biological wings. Thin polymer films were manually layered over the vein structure and trimmed to fit the wing boundaries to produce a flat wing structure. We determined that the biological and artificial wings have nearly identical natural frequencies, damping ratios, gain, and shape for the first vibration mode. The second mode exhibited complex modal behavior previously unreported in literature, which likely has significant implications to flapping wing aerodynamics. We demonstrate the feasibility of fabricating economical, realistic artificial wings for robotic applications moving forward.Item Development of non-proprietary ultra high performance concrete(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Engineering, 2017) Snidarich, Richard Allen, Jr.; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Michael BerryUltra-high performance concrete (UHPC) has mechanical and durability properties that far exceed those of conventional concrete. Particularly, UHPC has compressive and post-cracking tensile strengths of around 20 ksi and 0.72 ksi, respectively. Thus, elements made with UHPC are thinner/lighter than elements made with conventional concrete. The enhanced durability properties of UHPC also allow for longer service lives and decreased maintenance costs. However, using UHPC in conventional concrete applications has been cost prohibitive, with commercially available/proprietary mixes costing over 10 times conventional concrete mixes. The overall objective of this research was to develop and characterize economical non-proprietary UHPC mixes made with materials readily available in Montana. This objective was achieved by first identifying and obtaining suitable/economical materials to be used in UHPC. Specifically, the materials identified and used in this research were simply Type I/II portland cement, class F fly ash, fine masonry sand, silica fume, and high range water reducer. UHPC mixes were then developed/characterized/optimized by using a statistical experimental design procedure (response surface methodology). The mixes developed as part of this research obtained compressive strengths of approximately 20 ksi with flows of 11 inches, and costs of $300 per cubic yard (excluding freight of materials).Item Hyper-spectral microscope: auto-focusing(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Engineering, 2018) Lozano, Kora Michelle; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Ross K. SniderThis thesis is part of a larger project to develop a hyper-spectral microscope, to be used to find the optimal growing conditions for human inducible pluripotent stem cells. The hyper-spectral microscope is being developed by the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at Montana State University (MSU). Specifically, the hyper-spectral microscope is being developed to aide in live cell imaging, reduce cell stress from laser excitation, increase the number of markers possible at once, and keep costs down compared to non-hyper-spectral set-ups of similar capability. To the knowledge of those involved in this project it is the first of its kind. The scope of this thesis centers on implementing an auto-focusing algorithm for the hyper-spectral imager.Item Influence of orifice plate shape on condenser unit effectiveness(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Engineering, 2018) Kuluris, Stephen Patrick; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Erick JohnsonIn both residential and commercial buildings, heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) is the largest consumer of energy. The HVAC industry works to consistently reduce their energy consumption in order to lower consumer costs and to stay competitive in the field. Therefore, improving fan efficiency of any component in an HVAC system is beneficial. A major part of the industry is to use the vapor-compression refrigeration cycle to cool buildings and an essential component of the cycle is the condenser unit. Axial fans are commonly used to move air through and cool the heated refrigerant coil. Improving axial fan performance by redesigning the casing that surrounds the fan, known as an orifice plate, is suspected to lead to a more productive condenser unit. Changing the geometry can increase performance by reducing turbulence generation both upstream and downstream of the fan, which is thought to be a major contributor to loss in fan fan efficiency. Manufacturing many different geometries in a design process to find an improved orifice plate is time-consuming and expensive. With advances in computer technologies, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) has become a low-cost alternative to iterative, physical prototyping. This work uses CFD in the design process of an orifice plate, to characterize and analyze the effects of different geometries. Fan fan efficiency and volume ow rate characterize the performance of the design, and turbulence, vorticity, and pressure visualization provides further information about the effects of design changes. The orifice geometry upstream and downstream of the fan were changed independently, and then both regions were combined into a single design. Results show that the flow upstream and downstream are affected in different ways, and contribute to overall fan efficiency through different mechanics. An improvement to the inlet region produced an fan efficiency increase of 4.8%, and the addition of an outlet region increases fan efficiency by 9.8%. The combined change in the orifice resulted in an overall increase in fan efficiency by 15.85% over the original design.Item Technology and teaching : the adoption and diffusion of technological innovations by a community college faculty(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Education, Health & Human Development, 1995) Parisot, Arlene HazelItem Mono-cable logging system with intermediate tension control : computer simulation(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Engineering, 1988) Turk, Albert VincentA cooperative research project with the USDA-Forest Service has shown the need for a mono-cable logging system with intermediate tension control as an alternative to road construction in the logging area. Intermediate control sheaves will be required to maintain optimum tension throughout long distances and large elevation changes. Preliminary designs have shown the need to model the system to demonstrate the system's feasability. A series of FORTRAN programs were written to simulate this system, building first upon single span solutions, with the eventual program including the capability of simulating the changes in tension of a system of up to 100 connected spans with as many as 200 loads traversing the system. The individual sheaves along the system path can be modeled as either control or idler sheaves. The solution of the necessary equations required the use of iterative solutions. Comparison was made of the Newton-Raphson method and Brown's method for the solution of a set of two non-linear equations with two unknowns. The model satisfies the simulation needs of the system. It allows the monitoring of tension, differential tension across sheaves, and changes in cable length required within each span. The program showed the feasibility of the system and gives direction for future modifications of the model to more closely simulate the actual situation. The program will provide a solid foundation for current and future work in this area and shows a valid procedure for future modeling.Item Extent that professional business educators associated with the American Assembly of Collegiate Schools of Business use the Internet(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Business, 1995) Scarrah-Alston, Patricia RaeItem Design, fabrication, and implementation of the energetic particle integrating space environment monitor instrument(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Engineering, 2014) Gunderson, Adam Kristopher; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Brock LaMeresThe ability to simultaneously monitor spatial and temporal variations in penetrating radiation above the atmosphere is important for understanding both the near Earth radiation environment and as input for developing more accurate space weather models. These models currently lack high resolution multi-point measurements to accurately portray the spatial and temporal variability of the radiation belts. To obtain data that may uncover the small-scale spatio-temporal variability of the areas around the planet known as the Van Allen Radiation Belts measurements must be made across a distributed array of satellites. The most recent decadal survey on solar and space physics states that the CubeSat platform is ideal for making these type of measurements [43]. The Energetic Particle Integrating Space Environment monitor instrument (EPISEM) will launch aboard eight CubeSat's as a part of the Edison Demonstration of Smallsat Networks (EDSN) mission. By being distributed across a geographically dispersed area, EPISEM will help fill the data gap by measuring the location and intensity of energetic charged particles simultaneously. This research describes the fabrication approach of the miniaturized radiation detection instrument aboard the EPISEM instrument and operational considerations unique to missions using many identical spacecraft and instruments. The EPISEM payload was specifically designed for CubeSats; leveraging heritage from the payload operating aboard Montana State University's Hiscock Radiation Belt Explorer (HRBE), launched in October 2011. The EDSN project is based at NASAs Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California, and is funded by the Small Spacecraft Technology Program (SSTP) in NASAs Office of the Chief Technologist (OCT) at NASA Headquarters, Washington. The EDSN satellites are planned to fly late 2014 as secondary payloads on a DoD Operationally Responsive Space (ORS) mission that will launch into space from Kauai, Hawaii on a Super Strypi launch vehicle. The EPISEM payload was designed, built, tested, and delivered to NASA Ames by the Space Science and Engineering Laboratory at Montana State University.Item Resonance : the science behind the art of sonic drilling(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Engineering, 2013) Lucon, Peter Andrew; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: David A. MillerThe research presented in this dissertation quantifies the system dynamics and the influence of control variables of a sonic drill system. The investigation began with an initial body of work funded by the Department of Energy under a Small Business Innovative Research Phase I Grant, grant number: DE-FG02-06ER84618, to investigate the feasibility of using sonic drills to drill micro well holes to depths of 1500 feet. The Department of Energy funding enabled feasibility testing using a 750 hp sonic drill owned by Jeffery Barrow, owner of Water Development Co. During the initial feasibility testing, data was measured and recorded at the sonic drill head while the sonic drill penetrated to a depth of 120 feet. To demonstrate feasibility, the system had to be well understood to show that testing of a larger sonic drill could simulate the results of drilling a micro well hole of 2.5 inch diameter. A first-order model of the system was developed that produced counter-intuitive findings that enabled the feasibility of using this method to drill deeper and produce micro-well holes to 1500 feet using sonic drills. Although funding was not continued, the project work continued. This continued work expanded on the sonic drill models by understanding the governing differential equation and solving the boundary value problem, finite difference methods, and finite element methods to determine the significance of the control variables that can affect the sonic drill. Using a design of experiment approach and commercially available software, the significance of the variables to the effectiveness of the drill system were determined. From the significant variables, as well as the real world testing, a control system schematic for a sonic drill was derived and is patent pending. The control system includes sensors, actuators, personal logic controllers, as well as a human machine interface. It was determined that the control system should control the resonant mode and the weight on the bit as the primary two control variables. The sonic drill can also be controlled using feedback from sensors mounted on the sonic drill head, which is the driver for the sonic drill located above ground.