DIVISION: Mechanics NAME OF LECTURER: Dr Annie ... Mechanics NAME OF LECTURER: Dr Annie Bekker ABEK1 PROJECT TITLE: The reconstruction and assessment of human vibration on the Dynamic

DIVISION: Mechanics

NAME OF LECTURER: Dr Annie Bekker ABEK1

PROJECT TITLE: The reconstruction and assessment of human vibration on the Dynamic Seat Testing Facility

CAN PROJECT BE COMPLETED IN THE 1st SEMESTER? (Yes/No) No

DIRECTION: Mechanical (Yes) Mechatronic (Yes)

STUDENT:

DESCRIPTION:

A time-signal of a recorded vibration stimulus from a harsh environment will be reconstructed on the platform of the Dynamic Seat Testing Facility in the Structural Laboratory. This stimulus will be recorded on the chassis of a vehicle while driving over a rough road. The necessary user interface and analysis tools are to be developed in LabView and MATLAB to enable vibration reconstruction on the platform of the dynamic seat testing facility from a computer interface. The reconstructed signal in the laboratory should match the test signal in both the time and frequency domain on a test seat for different seated subjects. The algorithm will be validated through physical tests on the platform with seated subjects. This will involve the measurement of the seat transmissibility function and will require real-time vibration signal analysis for human comfort according to ISO 2631-1.

Elective module required (only for Mechanical):

ABEK2

PROJECT TITLE: The manipulation of vehicle interior sound by the use of image processing to identify sound phenomena from spectrograms.



STUDENT:

DESCRIPTION:

The exhilaration of driving a vehicle is closely related to the sound quality and noise experienced by the occupants in the passenger cabin. Current advances in sound trouble shooting include the use of image recognition in sound spectrograms. These spectrograms involve the presentation of data such that a colour plot of sound the sound magnitude at each frequency is presented as a function of time. Various sounds (such as rattles and squeaks, pure tones, vehicle accelerations) will be recorded. Artificial

sound manipulation concepts will be generated, such as frequency and amplitude modulation functions. The stimuli will be presented as spectrograms and exposed to image processing techniques to attempt to identify the prevailing patterns that characterize different sounds. These techniques will be implemented to manipulate and enhance vehicle drive-train sounds in the passenger cabin.

Elective module required (only for Mechanical): None

ABEK3

PROJECT TITLE: DEVELOPMENT OF PAIRED COMPARISON PROCEDURES FOR SOUND QUALITY METRICS

CAN PROJECT BE COMPLETED IN THE 1st SEMESTER? (Yes/No) Yes


STUDENT:

DESCRIPTION: The development of sound quality metrics entails paired comparison testing (similar to eye tests performed by an optometrist) in a laboratory environment through binaural headphones. The paired comparison test is a simple procedure that can be used with untrained jurors (e.g. customers). A jury is asked to listen to pairs of sounds and then choose one based upon a question, for example; “Which sound do you think is the more powerful?” or “Which sound do you think is louder?” Paired comparison testing is a very time consuming process. The purpose of this

project is to develop some paired comparison test procedures with an interface in MATLAB. This entails a thorough literature survey and the engineering design of a sound quality test. These procedures will be evaluated in terms of efficiency and accuracy through jury testing of recorded sound stimuli.


ABEK4

PROJECT TITLE: The use of vibration in railway condition monitoring

CAN PROJECT BE COMPLETED IN THE 1st SEMESTER? (yes / no) No

DIRECTION: Mechanical (Yes) Mechatronic (No)

STUDENT:

DESCRIPTION:

In the rail environment, the maintenance of the infrastructure and rolling stock assets are important for optimal performance. Because it is geographical dispersed, the infrastructure offers unique challenges and one such challenge is the condition based assessment of the perway system (consisting of the rails, sleepers, rail pads, rail clips and sub structure).

Part of condition assessment, the geometry of the rails in the perway system is measured with laser measurement equipment on a mobile unit. But the effectiveness of the

perway in terms of damping, stability, etc cannot be effectively measured. Therefore rail operators rely on visual inspection to identify critical perway sections for maintenance, or time based maintenance to periodically maintain sections.

The purpose of this project is to determine whether the condition of a perway system can be determined, based on frequency responses. After a literature review, the student will study the sensitivity of different perway conditions in the frequency domain. This will be undertaken through simulation and experiments. The perway will be modelled as a single system (incl rail/sleeper pads/sleeper/ballast), and the expected outcome of the project is to compare the condition of perway sections. The investigation could include the proposal of a design to enable the excitation and measurement of the perway system such that these conditions could be determined in the field.

The results will be validated at the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA), Western Cape.

Elective module required (only for Mechanical): Finite Element Methods

ABEK 5

PROJECT TITLE: Design and construction of a vibration damper / absorber for of small-scale tubular turbine towers


DIRECTION: Mechanical (Yes) Yes Mechatronic (No)

STUDENT:

DESCRIPTION:

A high voltage conductor pipe spans 10 m and is experiencing resonance of its lower vibration modes as a result of wind excitation. A modal measurement will be conducted to determine the frequencies and mode shapes of the lower modes as well as the associated vibration levels as a result of the vibration excitation. A finite element model of the pipe will be validated through the experimental modal measurement results. This model will be used to aid the design of a vibration damper to limit the excitation of the vibration modes. The current industry solution includes

the use of a Stockbridge damper which presents some limitations. This project will endeavour to eliminate the lower vibration modes of the conductor pipe by proposing an alternative concept which will be benchmarked against the Stockbridge damper solution. The success of the designed solution will be evaluated by experimental testing and vibration analysis. This project will find direct applicability to a current challenge in industry.

Researchers from Stellenbosch University are studying the responses of two small-scale tubular towers which are constructed at the Mariendahl test site (near Elsenburg). The one tower is 18 m high and is designed for wind turbine systems up to a power level of 20 kW. The other tower is 24 m high and is designed to handle power levels up to 50 kW. In this project the resonance vibration frequencies of these towers must be determined along with the turbine rotor (three-blade turbine rotor) speeds that will generate resonance in these towers. This project includes the design of a vibration damper / absorber to reduce the effects of resonance on the tubular tower. The concept could also include targets for top-tower mass as part of a likely investigation in Finite Elements.

Elective module required (only for Mechanical): Finite element modelling

ABEK6

PROJECT TITLE: The design and construction of a musical instrument for the illustration of the natural frequencies of systems


DIRECTION: Mechanical (Yes/No) Yes Mechatronic (Yes/No) No

STUDENT:

DESCRIPTION:

A musical instrument will be designed and built with the express goal to offer an audio-visual or audio-sensory demonstration of the modes of continuous systems with the use of existing laboratory equipment. The natural frequencies of this instrument will be determined by experimental modal analysis and could be confirmed by finite element modelling of the design. Engineering judgement is required to determine the factors that cause the deviation between the mathematical boundary conditions and the real life structure. This work can be complimented by the possible use of material testing, optimization or image processing techniques. Other innovative means, such as the design of an instrument to provide sensory feedback of the sound experience could additionally be investigated.


ABEK7

PROJECT TITLE: The design and evaluation device to remove “stickers” from a casting mold



STUDENT: Inance Bonsma – 16978242

DESCRIPTION:

BHP Billiton Samancor are experiencing problems with the removal of minerals that stick to casting molds during a plant process. The vibration modes of a casting mold will be determined experimentally in the laboratory. A mold will be transported from Samancor to the Structural Laboratory for the purposes of these experiments. A device will be designed to enable the vibro-acoustric excitation of the mould structure to remove “stickers” from the mould surface. This will include the evaluation of the current pricker bar solution and other concepts such as an acoustic horn. The problem statement and design specifications will be

obtained by on-site study at BHP Billiton Samancor, Meyerton. The sample mold, refined testing and building of the “acoustic horn” model will be investigated at the University Stellenbosch. The variation in the dynamic response as a result of the location of stickers and plant boundary conditions will be investigated through Finite Element Modelling.


NAAM VAN DOSENT: Prof JL van Niekerk

JLvN1

PROJECT TITLE: Develop a one-way power take-off device for wave energy

CAN PROJECT BE COMPLETED IN THE 1st SEMESTER? (Yes)


STUDENT:

DESCRIPTION: Many wave energy converters, such as floating buoys and platforms, have to convert a tension force in one direction to rotary motion that can drive a generator. Frequently these devices are also equipped with a flywheel to smooth the power.

In this project the student needs to design, build and test a device to convert a tension force to rotary motion with the required clutches to ensure that the cable that connects the buoy with an anchor remains taught. A representative test-setup will be build and installed in the laboratory to test the device.


JLvN2

PROJECT TITLE: Development and commissioning of an automatic son follower for a parabolic dish


DIRECTION: Mechanical (Yes) Mechatronic (Preferred)

STUDENT:

DESCRIPTION: Stellenbosch University received a donation of a McDonald Douglas parabolic solar dish and a Stirling engine. The system has been installed on the roof of the old Marine Laboratory and must now be commissioned.

The project will consist of the acquisition and installation of a new PLC controller, the programming of the system and the commissioning of the system.

Elective module required (only for Mechanical): FEM

JLvN3

PROJECT TITLE: Further development and testing of an ocean current device


DIRECTION: Mechanical (Yes) Mechatronic (Preferably)

STUDENT:

DESCRIPTION: With the recent rise in the price of electricity the self-generation of electricity is becoming a viable option. In this project a hybrid power system will be developed that will include at least a small hydro-electrical generator, a battery storage system and one other generator. The price of the system will be compared to the price of electricity from Eskom or the local municipality. A complete set of specifications as well as an implementation plan must be developed.


NAME OF LECTURER: Gerhard Venter

GV1

PROJECT TITLE: Material properties using Digital Image Correlation

CAN PROJECT BE COMPLETED IN THE 1st SEMESTER? (no)

DIRECTION: Mechanical (yes) Mechatronic (no)

STUDENT: N/A

DESCRIPTION:

The department of Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering has recently purchased a digital image correlation (DIC) system. The DIC system makes use of digital images to provide the full strain field of a component (as opposed to strain at a single point when measured with a strain gauge). For this project, the student will investigate the use of this new DIC system for determining material properties of linear elastic materials like steel and aluminium. The student will have to compare the DIC data with the more traditional way of determining material properties and will have to comment on accuracy, speed, ease of use, cost, etc. The ultimate goal would be to determine if the DIC could be used to determine linear elastic material properties and if so, under what conditions. The final outcome should be a methodology for using the DIC to determine linear elastic material properties.

Elective module required (only for Mechanical): FEM 414

GV2

PROJECT TITLE: Commissioning a PLC based controller for a wheel test bench

CAN PROJECT BE COMPLETED IN THE 1st SEMESTER? (yes)

DIRECTION: Mechanical (no) Mechatronic (yes)

STUDENT: N/A

DESCRIPTION:

The goal of this project is to perform the final commissioning of a PLC based controller for an automotive wheel test bench that was recently acquired. A virtual test panel should be created on the computer (using Wonderware) to control the test bench, instead of using the touch-pad based interface that is currently available on the PLC hardware. The project will also include the optimization of the PID control parameters that is part of the PLC based controller. Finally, data collected by the PLC should be downloaded to the PC in real time during the execution of the tests.

Elective module required (only for Mechanical): N/A

GV3

PROJECT TITLE: Rubber heat generation and distribution test facility



STUDENT: N/A

DESCRIPTION:

The heat generation in a rubber tires is currently being studied. A big part of this study is the determination of material properties for the rubber and using that in a numerical simulation to determine (1) how heat is generated (due to hysteresis) and (2) how the resulting heat is distributed throughout the tire.

The goal of this study would be to design, build and test a device that can be use to load/un-load a piece a of rubber in a controlled environment. The temperature distribution as a result of the load/un-load cycles must be measured with the goal of comparing the results to that of a numerical simulation. The device must thus be of such a nature that it can be used to verify both the material properties as well as the numerical simulation techniques used.


GV4

PROJECT TITLE: Inflatable wing for remote controlled aircraft



STUDENT: N/A

DESCRIPTION:

The goal here is to design, build and test an inflatable wing for a typical remote controlled aircraft. A specific aircraft with specific payload requirements will be selected as a candidate aircraft. The challenge would be to design build and test an inflatable wing for this aircraft. This would include (1) finding an appropriate material, (2) identifying appropriate construction methods, (3) design a wing that is both structurally as well as aerodynamically sound and (4) perform basic experimental verification to ensure that the wing would be able to perform as required.


GV5

PROJECT TITLE: Thermal analysis of blocked heat exchanger tube



STUDENT: N/A

DESCRIPTION:

This project will deal with the blocking of flow channels, and consequential overheating of material, inside an internally finned tube heated from one side, as is typically encountered in a heat exchanger. The student will have to model the thermal stresses and deformation of a particular tube and investigate the influence of this tube on the remainder of the heat exchanger. The simulation will be performed using Finite Element analysis. Both full blocking as well as partial blocking will be considered. Local overheating might also lead to an increased heat transfer to neighbouring channels that could result in a runaway problem. Ideally, the simulation should be verified experimentally.


NAME OF LECTURER: Dr Deborah Blaine

DCB1

PROJECT TITLE: Mechanical testing at elevated temperature

CAN PROJECT BE COMPLETED IN THE 1st SEMESTER? (Yes/No)

DIRECTION: Mechanical (Yes/No) Mechatronic (Yes/No)

STUDENT:

DESCRIPTION:

This project entails designing a removable rig that can be used in conjunction with a typical tensile

testing setup on the current mechanical testing apparatus available in the Mechanical and

Mechatronic Engineering Structures Laboratory. The rig must be capable of heating a sample in-

situ to allow tensile testing of materials at elevated temperatures. The heating device must be able

to reasonably control the temperature so that repeatable measurements over a wide range of

temperatures can be collected. The rig must be designed, built and tested, and operating and

maintenances instructions must be compiled for the safe and accurate measurement of

mechanical properties at temperature.


DCB2

PROJECT TITLE: Linking microstructure to mechanical properties for sintered titanium



STUDENT :

DESCRIPTION: Several final year and postgraduate projects over the past years have focused on producing

titanium from powder using the press-and-sinter process. There are numerous samples available

that have been characterised by different students in terms of their material and mechanical

properties. This study requires the student to collate the available data, confirm the reported

properties, and then produce high quality metallographic samples, along with micrographs of the

microstructures of the sintered titanium produced under different processing conditions. In order to

do this, the student will have to develop a metallographic preparation technique that is specifically

applicable to sintered titanium. Following the collection of data and microstructures, an analysis of

the material is required in order to link microstructural features to mechanical and material

properties.


DCB3

PROJECT TITLE: Utilising Boeing’s Ti6Al4V PREP (Plasma Rotating Electrode Powder) waste



STUDENT:

DESCRIPTION:

Boeing, USA, manufactures PREP (Plasma Rotating Electrode Powder) out of Ti6Al4V titanium alloy for producing aerospace parts for their aircraft. PREP powder is spherical and can be produced with a wide range of sizes in one batch. Typically, Boeing only uses a specific range of particle sizes for their parts, and as such, discards a significant portion of the PREP powder batch. As the efficacy of PM (powder metallurgy) processes lies in the minimal waste level of material, this undermines one of the prime advantages of using PM technology. Boeing has supplied the excess powder from a few of their PREP batches to Stellenbosch University for the purpose of exploring ideas for utilising this discarded portion of the batch.

This project entails characterising the excess batch PREP, and then developing innovative manufacturing procedures for using the powder in conventional press-and-sinter and/or powder injection moulding processes. The results will be shared with Boeing’s global materials research team.


DCB4

PROJECT TITLE: Measuring density gradients in die-compacted and sintered metal powders



STUDENT:

DESCRIPTION:

The quality of products manufactured by the powder metallurgy press-and-sinter process is dependent on the level of defects and intensity of the density gradients in the die-compacted or green part. Typically, metal powders are mixed with organic lubricants that reduce inter-particle friction and friction with the die wall, thereby improving the homogeneity of the green compact. However, with titanium powder, the reactivity of the metal with the lubricant is such that lubricants cannot be used without degrading the final sintered properties of the product. The result is that titanium powders are die-compacted with little or no lubricant, and compaction defects such as delamination, high density gradients and internal flaws are common. These flaws typically worsen during subsequent sintering.

The purpose of this project is to evaluate the quality of die-compacted and then sintered titanium shapes in order to determine the source and evolution of defects and density gradients during processing. Following on from this evaluation, the student is required to create a list of recommendation for improving the green compact quality. These recommendations must be tested and a report of best-practise for die compaction of titanium powder must be compiled. Computer tomography (CT scanner) will be used as a tool to evaluate internal defects and density gradients in the green compacts.


DCB5

PROJECT TITLE: Machining performance of sintered titanium



STUDENT:

DESCRIPTION:

Machining titanium is a challenging task as the strength of the material is high, while the thermal conductivity is low. This leads to high temperatures in the workpiece during machining. Initial studies have shown that machining sintered titanium is dependent on the materials residual porosity level. In this study, the student is required to use research from previous final year projects, pertaining to the relationship between the sintered strength, thermal conductivity and the material’s porosity, to evaluate tool wear and workpiece surface integrity after machining of sintered titanium. This may require repeating or extending some of the strength and thermal conductivity experiments. The student will be required to design, program and execute CNC machining of sintered titanium samples for evaluation.


DCB6

PROJECT TITLE: FAST sintering of nanoparticles



STUDENT:

DESCRIPTION: Field-activated sintering (FAST) is a technique for sintering nano- and submicron-sized powder

particles into almost fully dense materials with superlative material properties. FAST makes use of

a pulsed DC electric current (2400 A at 12 V, on for 3 ms, off for 9 ms) that supposedly creates a

unique electric field in the powder compact, that influences the sintering response. In comparison,

conventional sintering uses convection to heat the powder compact and there is no electric field

created in the sample. There is much debate in the academic arena as to whether there is any real

influence of the pulsed DC electric current or not. In collaboration with E&E engineering, an

adapted-FAST device has been designed and built that does not require the specialised power

supply to operate.

For this project, the student is required to use the adapted FAST device to sinter nanopowders. A

design of experiments approach must be followed to determine the effects of varying the electric

current pulse (intensity, pulse period and duration) on the sintered material. A graphics user

interface must be developed to control the current and voltage delivered to the device. The

powders are supplied by UKZN’s Department of Chemistry and the FAST-sintered products will be

tested for their catalytic usefulness.


NAME OF LECTURER: Albert Groenwold

AG1

PROJECT TITLE: Hi-speed, large angle mirror scanner

CAN PROJECT BE COMPLETED IN THE 1st SEMESTER? (No)


STUDENT:

DESCRIPTION:

High speed optical scanning has many applications. They are for example used in image projectors and displays, printers, and components in various sensor applications. Recently, researchers at the CSIR have become interested in the development of a high speed (approximately 5kHz) large angle (10 degrees peak-to-peak) mirror scanner. A relatively simple, promising candidate design capable of meeting these specifications has been identified in the literature [1]. The mechanism significantly amplifies the vibratory response produced by a piezoelectric actuator to achieve the required rotations. The project will involve the conceptualization, manufacture and testing of the high speed mirror scanner.

(a) (b)

Figure 1. Illustration of (a) Possible scanner application and (b) Finite element modelling of device depicting the vibrator response. Both figures from [1].

References

[1] J.-H. Park, J. Adeko and H. Sato. “High-speed metal-based optical microscanners using stainless-steel substrate and piezoelectric thick films prepared by aerosol deposition method”. Sensors and Actuators A 135:86-91. 2007.


AG2

PROJECT TITLE: Wax-actuated switch



STUDENT:

DESCRIPTION: With the advent of smart grid technologies, more and more emphasis is being placed on the need to have better control over household electricity usage without the need for more human input. A very important aspect of this is the ability to interrupt the power supply to some dumb appliance.

Currently this can be done by charging a large capacitor, which unloads a pulse of power to an electromagnetic coil. The magnetic field then causes a mechanical switch to change state. However, this solution is expensive due to the required hardware, and also due to the cost of the supporting circuitry which needs to handle a high voltage and large current.

This aim of this project is to design an alternative switching solution, which makes use of the concept of wax actuation. This involves the melting of wax and using the resulting change in density to do work. The main requirement is that the switch has to be operated with a low power input, but it is acceptable if the switch takes several minutes to achieve full actuation.

The project will involve the conceptualization, manufacture and demonstration of a wax-actuated switch; dramatic improvement of an existing design is envisioned.


AG3

PROJECT TITLE: Composite materials testing



STUDENT:

DESCRIPTION: The candidate will be involved in manufacturing and testing samples to specified standards to capture tensile, compression and shear data. The effect of resin content on the material properties will also be investigated.

The specifics of the tests are unfortunately not known at this stage, but this project will be done in conjunction with a number of companies involved in the aeronautical industry. Students may need to travel to Pretoria for short periods of time (but this will certainly not interfere with normal classes).


AG4

PROJECT TITLE: Fracture mechanics testing



STUDENT:

DESCRIPTION: The candidate will be involved in manufacturing and testing samples to specified standards to capture fracture mechanics characteristics using standard fracture mechanics specimens. The effects of welding on fracture toughness are to be determined, and experimental results are to be compared with numerical and analytical results. Interested readers are referred to

http://www.twi.co.uk/content/kscsw011.html

Elective module required (only for Mechanical): Strength of Materials 3

AG5

PROJECT TITLE: A study of the interaction between interlaminar failure of composite

panels with identical adjacent ply arrangements



STUDENT:

DESCRIPTION: Panels constructed from composite materials loaded under uni- or bi-axial loads

normally fail in buckling. An alternative failure mechanism is interlaminar failure. However, even

though the “classical” failure of composite materials is fairly well understood, interlaminate failure

is not as well understood, and designers often make use of heuristics to design composite panels

w.r.t interlaminate failure. One of these heuristics is that the number of adjacent layers with

identical ply arrangements should be restricted. In this study, the characterization of these number

of layers is to be studied using analytical and experimental techniques.

Elective module required (only for Mechanical): Strength of Materials 3

http://www.twi.co.uk/content/kscsw011.html

AG6

PROJECT TITLE: The implementation of cellular automata on field programmable gate

arrays (FPGAs) Mechatronic



STUDENT:

DESCRIPTION: A cellular automaton is a collection of "colored" cells on a grid of specified shape

that evolves through a number of discrete time steps according to a set of rules based on the

states of neighboring cells. The rules are then applied iteratively for as many time steps as

desired. von Neumann was one of the first people to consider such a model, and incorporated a

cellular model into his "universal constructor." Cellular automata were studied in the early 1950s

as a possible model for biological systems (Wolfram, S. A New Kind of Science. Champaign, IL:

Wolfram Media, 2002, p. 48). Comprehensive studies of cellular automata have been performed

by S. Wolfram starting in the 1980s, and Wolfram's fundamental research in the field culminated in

the publication of his book A New Kind of Science in which Wolfram presents a gigantic collection

of results concerning automata, among which are a number of ground breaking new discoveries.

See http://mathworld.wolfram.com/CellularAutomaton.html

In this study, the students will have to develop and implement cellular automata for specific tasks

on firstly, a serial computational device, and secondly, field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs).

The physical phenomena to be modelled is not prescribed, but should be interesting to engineers.

Examples are to model the topological design of structures and mechanisms or manipulators. The

physical phenomena to be modelled should be agreed upon with me before February 28, 2009.

Interested students should be reasonably comfortable with using a computer.


AFDELING: Ontwerp en Megatronika DIVISION: Design and Mechatronics

NAAM VAN DOSENT: Corné Coetzee

CC1

PROJECT TITLE: The design and testing of a corrugator for paper boards


DIRECTION: Mechanical (yes / no) Yes Mechatronic (yes / no) No

STUDENT:

DESCRIPTION:

Packaging enhances and protects the goods we buy through its distribution, from processing, manufacturing, handling and storage to the final and ultimate user of the goods. Packaging has many other important functions, such as protecting the product from damage or contamination, keeping the products together so it does not spill, identifying and advertising the products, protection during transport and ease of transport, and facilitating stacking and storing of the products.

Two parts are involved in the manufacturing process of corrugated boards. During the first part, the fluting is corrugated between two rolls. In the second part the liners are glued to the outside of the fluting. In this project, we will only focus on the design of the corrugator, i.e., the first part of the manufacturing process.

Nampak R&D requires the design and commissioning of a laboratory scale corrugator in order to fabricate corrugated board samples for material development and evaluation. The corrugator must be designed to take A4 sized sheets of paper to produce different types of fluting (sinusoidal wave forms).

Possible opportunities to continue with this work on post- graduate level.

Elective module required (only for Mechanical): None.

CC2

PROJECT TITLE: The design and testing of a single-facer/double-backer for paper boards



STUDENT:

DESCRIPTION:


Two parts are involved in the manufacturing process of corrugated boards. During the first part, the fluting is corrugated between two rolls. In the second part the liners are glued to the outside of the fluting. In this project, we will only focus on the design of the single-facer/double-backer, i.e., the second part of the manufacturing process.

Nampak R&D requires the design and commissioning of a laboratory scale single-facer/double-backer in order to fabricate corrugated board samples for material development and evaluation. The single-facer/double-backer must be designed to take A4 sized sheets and already corrugated fluting. A liner must then be glued to the one side of the flute to form a single-face board or on both sides to form a double-backer board.

Possible opportunities to continue with this work on post-graduate level.


CC3

PROJECT TITLE: The design and testing of a corrugated tray torsion and base sag tester



STUDENT:

DESCRIPTION:


The structural performance of corrugated paper boards and boxes can be measured using tensile tests, edge compression tests and box compression tests. Nampak R&D is however looking for new methods to measure the board and box structural performance. Proposed new methods include the Corrugated Tray Torsion Test and the Base Sag Test. Nampak requires the design and commissioning of a laboratory Corrugated Tray Torsion and Base Sag Tester. The best method for Tray Torsion and Base Sag testing needs to be established and implemented. The results from these tests then need to be correlated to other standard mechanical properties of the corrugated board and box. The Finite Element Method will be used to model the corrugated paper board and box and the results compared to measurements.

Possible opportunities to continue with this work on post-graduate level.

Elective module required (only for Mechanical): Finite Element Method (FEM)

Box compression test

Edge compression test

Tray torsion test

CC4

PROJECT TITLE: The rolling resistance of bicycle wheels



STUDENT:

DESCRIPTION:

Rolling resistance is the energy that is lost when the tyre is rolling and the main reason for loss of energy is the constant deformation of the tyre. Tyre pressure, tyre diameter, tyre construction, tyre tread and other factors all have an effect on rolling resistance. The higher the tyre pressure, the less is tyre deformation and thus the rolling resistance.

Small diameter tyres have a higher rolling resistance at the same tyre pressure, because tyre deformation is proportionally more important, in other words the tyre is "less round". Wider tyres roll better than narrow ones if the inflation pressures are the same. Generally, smooth treads roll better than coarse treads. Tall lugs and wide gaps usually have a detrimental effect on rolling resistance.

A test bench should be designed and used to measure the rolling resistance of different tyres: 26” versus 29”, different tyre widths, pressures and loads. This test bench would be used for higher speeds. An existing test bench used for measuring the rolling resistance of 4x4 tyres should be adapted to measure the slow speed resistance of mountain bike tyres over sandy, rocky and uneven terrains.


CC5

PROJECT TITLE: The dynamic angle of repose



STUDENT:

DESCRIPTION: The Discrete Element Method (DEM) is a numerical method used for the modelling of granular materials such as loose rock, grains and soil. DEM is used to model agricultural processes such as fertiliser spreading, plough-soil interaction, and in the mining industry to model bulk materials handling such as conveyor belts and transfer chutes.

It is important to specify the correct material properties otherwise the DEM model can not be accurate. The static angle of repose is often used to determine the material friction. However, for dynamic modelling, the dynamic angle of repose is a better measure of the frictional properties. The dynamic angle of repose is measured in a rotating drum as shown below.

In this project, an existing rotating drum setup should be modified so that particles up to 40 mm in size can be tested. Safety measures should also be added such as an emergency stop and barriers and the drum should only be accessible when stationary. The effect of drum diameter, width, fins, rotational speed and the drum friction coefficient on the results should be quantified. Different materials should be tested, and the static angle of repose compared to the dynamic angle of repose.

A DEM simulation of the experiments (rotating drum and slump-test) should also be conducted and the results compared to the experimental results. A sensitivity study should also be conducted to determine how sensitive the angle of repose is to a change in the material properties, specifically the inter-particle friction and the particle shape.


Rotating drum

CC6

PROJECT TITLE: Off road radiator damage



STUDENT:

DESCRIPTION: Driving off-road often requires negotiating deep water crossings. Water can be sucked in by the engine, resulting in serious mechanical damage, but another danger is damaging the radiator. When the radiator fan is submerged or partially submerged under water, the fan blades tend to flex towards the radiator. The fan blades can damage the radiator fins and tubes resulting in a leak.

A test facility should be designed to measure the fan blade deformation under water. Various setups should be considered, such as electrically driven fans versus mechanically driven fans with viscous couplings, what effect the water has on the behaviour of the viscous coupling, plastic fans versus steel fans, submerged depth, etc. A simple and effective method of preventing radiator damage should be proposed and tested. In the second part of the project, a Finite Element Model (FEM) of a fan should be constructed and analysed. The fan blade deflection should be compared to experimental measurements.

Elective module required (only for Mechanical): Finite Element Method (FEM)

CC7

PROJEK TITEL: Ontwikkeling en toets van ‘n EEM-DEM intervlak

KAN DIE PROJEK IN DIE EERSTE SEMESTER VOLTOOI WORD? (ja / nee) Nee

RIGTING: Meganies (ja / nee) ja Megatronies (ja / nee) nee

STUDENT:

BESKRYWING: Die Eindige Element Metode (EEM) en die Diskreet Element Metode (DEM) is twee verskillende numeriese metodes. DEM is ‘n metode vir die modellering van diskrete stelsels soos partikelvloei. Hierdie metode modelleer elke individuele partikel as ‘n sfeer en kan gebruik word om partikelvloei te voorspel. EEM is ‘n metode vir die modellering van kontinuum probleme soos staal strukture.

Soms is dit egter handig om van beide metodes gebruik te maak. Neem as voorbeeld die lem van ‘n stootskraper. DEM kan gebruik word om die vloei van grond voor die lem te modelleer. Sterkte analises van die lem self, moet egter met EEM gedoen word.

Die resultaat vanaf die DEM pakket is tipies die posisie, snelheid en versnelling van elke individuele partikel. Die kontak punt en kontak kragte tussen alle partikels en die lem kan ook verkry word. Die resultaat vanaf ‘n tipiese EEM model is spannings en vervormings in die struktuur self wat dan gebruik kan word om te bepaal of die struktuur sal faal onder die belasting of nie.

Vir die EEM model, is dit egter nodig om die kragte wat die partikels (grond) op die lem uitoefen as intree waardes te verskaf. Vir die doel van hierdie projek moet daar ‘n rekenaar kode (program) ontwikkel word wat die resultate van die DEM model kan verwerk in so ‘n mate dat dit deur ‘n spesifieke EEM model ingelees kan word. ‘n Klein eksperimentele opstelling moet ontwerp en gebruik word as verifikasie.

Keusevak wat vereis word (slegs van toepassing op Meganies): Eindige Element Metode

DEM model met partikels

EEM model van impak oppervlak

NAAM VAN DOSENT: Danie Els

DNJE1

PROJECT TITLE: Design of downwind wind generator system


DIRECTION: Mechanical

STUDENT:

DESCRIPTION: In small scale wind turbines downwind turbine rotors (i.e. with the rotor blades on the lee side of the tower) are often used. Also direct drive wind generators, i.e. without the use of gearboxes, are used. These direct drive generators are relatively large in diameter.

Direct drive wind generator Recently a new concept of wind generator is proposed that consists of two generator components, the one generator (IG) connected to the turbine and running at slip speed and the other generator (SG) connected to the power grid and running at synchronous speed. In this project the mechanical structure and bearing systems of the turbine-rotor and the two generator components (IG and SG) running on a common drive shaft must be designed. On the one side of the drive shaft (i.e. on the downwind side of the tower) the turbine runs on a hub bearing system that is mounted on the drive shaft. Also mounted on this side of the drive shaft is the IG. On the other side of the drive shaft (i.e. on the upwind side of the tower) the SG is mounted. The mechanical strength analysis and design of the bearing systems must be done taking into account all loads including the thrust-load of the turbine rotor. Also balanced mass-load for the top tower to avoid gyroscopic loads must be considered in the design. The project has the aim to build a prototype system.

Elective module required (only for Mechanical): FEM.

DNJE2

PROJECT TITLE: Fan blade tip displacement



STUDENT:

Stellenbosch University fan test facility

DESCRIPTION:

The tips of working (rotating) large fans are displaced by the aerodynamic lift and drag forces. Unsteady inlet flow conditions can cause the blade to vibrate. The standard method of measuring the displacements and vibrations is to place strain gauges at the root of the blade and the correlating the strain gauge output with static tip displacement. There is a large uncertainty between calibration the and dynamic displacements, because of effects such as centrifugal stiffening and more complex blade deformations

The objective of this project is to measure the true tip displacements of fan blades under operational conditions by optical or any other methods and correlate it with the strain gauge measurements. A dynamic Finite Element Model (FEM) or Discrete Element Model (DEM) must be constructed to correlate the experimental values with the theoretical values.


DNJE3

PROJECT TITLE: Swing-arm slump tester for granular material



STUDENT:

DESCRIPTION: The slope (angle of repose) of a heap of granular material is an important parameter used in the characterisation of a granular material. The packing, speed of release, and various other parameters play a major role in the shape of the heap. To minimize the number of variables that influence the flow during the forming of a heap, a swing-arm slump tester is used to find the angle of repose in a consistent and repeatable way. The objectives of this project are:

1. Design and build a swing-arm slump tester for large particles.

2. Develop a Discrete Element Method (DEM) model for the swing-arm tester. Here the student must do self-study and research into granular flow theory and DEM methodology.

3. Conduct physical tests on a range of granular materials and replicate with the DEM model to calibrate the micro mechanical parameters for DEM simulations.


DNJE4

PROJECT TITLE: Extended Octagonal Ring Transduced

CAN PROJECT BE COMPLETED IN THE 1st SEMESTER? ( no)


STUDENT:

Example of an extended octognal ring transducer

Agricultural application

DESCRIPTION: Extended octagonal ring transducers are popular devices for force and moment measurements in agricultural engineering research due to its capability to measure the X and Y forces as well as the resultant moment independently. It consists of a machined steel or aluminium block. Strain gauges are mounted at strain nodes, i.e. at points where there are no contribution from other force components. The accurate location of the strain nodes and subsequent positioning of the strain gauges is critical in producing a transducer with low cross sensitivities between the force components. The objective of this project is to design, optimize and manufacture such an extended octogonal ring trancducer. It must be calibrated and tested under various conditions. The sucsessfull outcome of this project depends on the demonstration of accuracy and low cross sensitivity.


DNJE5

PROJECT TITLE: Shell Eco-marathon – I: CVT



STUDENT:

Shell Eco-marathon NuVinci® CVT

BACKGROUND:

Shell Eco-marathon challenges student teams from around the world to design, build and test ultra-energy-efficient vehicles. The winners are the teams that go the furthest using the least amount of energy.

http://www.shell.com/global/environment-society/ecomarathon.html

Stellenbosch University aims to participate in the future in the class for electric vehicles. The SU team will consist of students from M&M and from E&E.

In order to send the team to the international event additional sponsors must be obtained.

DESCRIPTION M&M PROJECT I: CVT

The student is responsible for the design of a continuous variable transmission (CVT) for the propulsion system of the car. The objective of the project is to mechanically optimize the performance of the electric motor and battery system over the full race taking into account track and driving conditions.

This will require from the student to construct a detailed simulation to obtain the best driving strategy and base the design on that strategy.

IMPORTANT:

This is a team project which will require the students to manage their time very well. They must meet on a regular basis to coordinate all the work. If one member underperforms everyone else suffers.


http://www.shell.com/global/environment-society/ecomarathon.html

DNJE6

PROJECT TITLE: Automatic Dart Gun Sighting System


DIRECTION: Mechatronic

STUDENT:

DESCRIPTION:

Dart guns shoot darts filled with drugs that temporarily sedates an animal so that it may be captured safely or to deliver medication such as antibiotics. It is important to note that the kinetic impact energy of the dart must be limited, depending on the type of animal, to prevent injuries or death. The accuracy of the system is also very important to prevent injury.

The objective of the project is to develop an automatic sighting system that will:

1. Calculate maximum allowable impact velocity depending on the type of animal and mass of dart

2. Measure range to target with supplied laser range finder. 3. Get local GPS coordinates and calculate local gravitation acceleration 4. Get environmental parameters such as air density and wind velocity. 5. Calculate muzzle velocity and elevation depending on the range, dart mass, impact

velocity, etc. 6. Calculate and control gas pressure to obtain required muzzle velocity 7. Set sight to correct elevation 8. Repeat 5-8 for a moving target until dart is fired.


DNJE7

PROJECT TITLE: Firearm test mount



STUDENT:

Firearm test mount

DESCRIPTION:

The effective testing of firearms requires a mounting that emulates the human shoulder during firing.

The objective of this project is to design and build the non-linear mass-spring-damper system for the mounting. It must apply a recoil reaction force during firing that is as close as possible to the force a human shoulder would exert on the firearm under similar conditions.

This project will require from the student to do self-study into advanced dynamics, advanced numerical methods, human anatomy and ergonomics.


NAAM VAN DOSENT: Dawie van den Heever DVDH1

PROJEKTITEL: Proprioception in Sport

KAN PROJEK IN EERSTE SEMESTER AFGEHANDEL WORD? Nee

RIGTING: Megatronies

STUDENT:

BESKRYWING:

Proprioception refers to the body’s ability to sense movement within joints and joint position. This ability enables us to know where our limbs are in space without having to look. It is obvious that this ability plays a crucial role in sports. But how does this ability extend to a sense of position of a cricket bat or tennis racket for professional athlete? An active movement extent discrimination apparatus (AMEDA) is a device that is used to measure a person’s proprioceptive ability of different body parts.

The aim of this project is to design and build an AMEDA to measure the proprioceptive ability of athletes and especially their sense of where the sweet spot is in their bat or racket (or whichever weapon the sport dictates).

Keusevak wat vereis word (slegs van toepassing op Meganies):

DVDH2

PROJEKTITEL: Parkinson’s rails



STUDENT:

BESKRYWING: Parkinson’s disease is a degenerative disorder of the central nervous system. Early in the course of the disease, the most obvious symptoms are movement related; these include shaking, rigidity, slowness of movement and difficulty with walking and gait.

Physical therapists are constantly exploring new methods to help people with this disease with their movement-related problems. A big focus is on helping them walk without stumbling or falling. But in order to assess the success of the methods employed, the physical therapist needs to track the patient’s progress.

The aim of this project is to design and build a set of rails that can be used to track the progress of Parkinson’s patients. The idea is that the patient’s will walk with the rail(s) on their side(s) and use the rails for support every time they feel they are going to stumble. The rails must record the forces it experience each time the patient uses it for support and must also notify the therapist if a certain threshold is exceeded. This will aid the therapist in tracking the progress by tracking the intensity en frequency the patient uses the rails for support.


DVDH3

PROJEKTITEL: The neural correlates of blushing



STUDENT:

BESKRYWING:

Blushing is a physiological response to emotional stimuli, caused by the vasodilation of cutaneous blood vessels. This response is typically associated with the social, self-conscious emotion of embarrassment and is often a primary complaint of patients diagnosed with social anxiety disorder. The Cape Universities Brain Imaging Centre (CUBIC) is in the process of conducting a study exploring the neural correlates of blushing using a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scanner. However, they need an objective method of assessing whether or not the protocol elicited blushing in the patient or not (they don’t want to rely only on the patient’s word). And they would further like to know the exact moment blushing occurred.

Thus, the aim of this project is to design, build and test an MRI compatible device for measuring the onset of blushing.


DVDH4

PROJEKTITEL: Portable ECG monitoring

KAN PROJEK IN EERSTE SEMESTER AFGEHANDEL WORD? (Nee)


STUDENT:

BESKRYWING:

Electrocardiography (ECG or EKG) is the recording of the electrical activity of the heart. Traditionally this is in the form of a transthoracic interpretation of the electical activity of the heart over a period of time, as detected by electrodes attached to the surface of the skin and recorded or displayed by a device external to the body. However, ECG recording devices are normally restricted to labs or hospitals and this limits the environment and duration of traditional ECG recordings.

There is a need for a portable, wireless ECG monitoring device, that can monitor a person’s heart activity during his/her normal day without providing too much discomfort. The aim of this project will therefore be to design, build and test such a device.


DVDH5

PROJEKTITEL: Robot Wars I



STUDENT:

BESKRYWING:

Design and build a robot to fight another robot at the end of the year. The robots must comply to the RULES AND REGULATIONS – ROBOT WARS 2014 documentation that can be found at http://ieeesbmalta.org . The robot will fall under the official hobbyweight robot class. There will also be a further cost restriction not mentioned in the rules and regulations document.


DVDH6

PROJEKTITEL: Robot Wars II



STUDENT:

BESKRYWING:

Design and build a robot to fight another robot at the end of the year. The robots must comply to the RULES AND REGULATIONS – ROBOT WARS 2014 documentation that can be found at http://ieeesbmalta.org . The robot will fall under the official hobbyweight robot class. There will also be a further cost restriction not mentioned in the rules and regulations document.


http://ieeesbmalta.org/

http://ieeesbmalta.org/

DVDH7

PROJEKTITEL: Sideline concussion test



STUDENT: Josh Fischer 17000548

BESKRYWING:

A concussion is the most common type of traumatic brain injury and alters the way the brain functions. Although concussions usually are caused by a blow to the head, they can also occur when the head and upper body are violently shaken. Concussions are common, particularly if you play a contact sport, such as rugby or boxing. In South Africa, rugby has the highest incidence of concussion amongst collision team sports. 10 to 15% of high school rugby players will suffer a concussion in any season. Up to 50% of high school rugby players would have suffered a concussion in their high school playing careers. A high index of suspicion of potential head injury is required when assessing any athlete who has sustained a collision or has multiple injuries. A concussion causes a variety of physical, cognitive, and emotional symptoms, which may not be recognized if subtle.

The aim of this project is to develop an automatic screening device to do a quick sideline test for a concussion. Published medical studies have determined that deficiencies in saccadic eye movements can be an indicator of concussion. This phenomenon can be used to develop a device capable of diagnosing any apparent deficiency in saccadic eye movement and warn a player of possible concussion.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cognition

NAME OF LECTURER: Cobus Muller

JHM1

PROJEK TITEL: Kunsmatige elektroniese geaktueerde hand toestel

KAN DIE PROJEK IN DIE EERSTE SEMESTER VOLTOOI WORD? Nee


STUDENT: J Janse van Vuuren (16988477)

BESKRYWING:

Die omvang van die projek behels dat ‘n toestel ontwerp word wat die basiese funksies van ‘n menslike hand sal kan vervul. Hierdie funksies sluit in vashou, optel en verskuif. Die toestel moet in die drie modes gebruik kan word met verskillende grade van druk wat toegepas word deur die vashou meganisme. Verskillende tipes materiaal moet dus hanteer kan word sonder dat dit beskadig word. Die beweging moet beheer word deur `n gemete sein verkry van een of ander menslike respons, bv. EMG of hand bewegings. Suksesvolle uitvoering van die projek behels `n prototipe wat die werking van die toestel demonstreer deur byvoorbeeld `n appel op te tel en te verskuif sonder dat dit beskadig word.

Keusevak wat vereis word (slegs van toepassing op Meganies): Geen.

JHM2

PROJECT TITLE: Wheelchair gait simulator

CAN PROJECT BE COMPLETED IN THE 1st SEMESTER? No

DIRECTION: Mechanical or Mechatronic

STUDENT: A Basson (17049164)

BESKRYWING: The project proposal is to design a wheelchair that has an added function to simulate gait in order to help prevent paraplegics from getting associated infections. Specific outcomes of the project include the following:

A completed prototype of the proposed design

Successful testing on the prototype with abled and disabled individuals

Simulation results of the mechanical design and possibly of the blood flow within a

human body

The final year project outcomes involves, designing a wheelchair with the required

additional built in function, building a prototype of the design, and testing how accurately

the design simulates the movement of walking. The feasibility of the design will be tested

by means of motion sensors available at the Biomedical Engineering Research

department (BERG) of Stellenbosch University, as well as the Material Science and

Manufacturing Department of the CSIR. Using the motion sensors and associated

equipment, the motion associated with normal gait will be captured and compared to the

simulated gait motion that the prototype delivers. The error between the actual and the

simulated gait motions will then determine the feasibility of the design. The final year

project will focus on the mechanical and technical knowledge required to design a feasible

wheelchair. Successful completion will entail a functioning prototype that simulates gait

motion of the hip and knee joints.


JHM3

PROJECT TITLE: Passive gait simulator



STUDENT:

BESKRYWING:

Tad McGeer illustrated the concept of a

human-like frame that walks down an

incline in a passive manner1. The system is

thus energy efficient in that it doesn’t need

to draw any energy from a source in order

to control its motion. In this project, the

candidate will design and build a passive

dynamic walker that simulates the principles

of normal gait. This project will be

challenging in the sense that complimentary

knowledge of human gait will be needed

and implemented into the mechanical

system. The candidate will first derive a

mathematical model that will be used to

guide the design choices. A prototype will

then be build and the passive gait will be

simulated.

1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Passive_d

ynamics

http://ruina.tam.cornell.edu/hplab/pdw.html


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Passive_dynamics

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Passive_dynamics

http://ruina.tam.cornell.edu/hplab/pdw.html

JHM4

PROJECT TITLE: Fibre-optic motion capturing system



STUDENT:

BESKRYWING:

This is an ongoing effort to design and

develop a motion capturing system that

relies on fibre optic technology. A

methodology to measure simple finger

movements has been developed and the

next step will be the refinement of this

method and expansion to other joints in the

body. As a first step, the movement of the

whole hand will need to be captured

followed by the lower arm and in the end

the shoulder. The candidate will be

responsible for the

1. hardware design

2. Data acquisition

3. Data processing and biomechanical

modelling

4. And real-time presentation

The accuracy of the system will need to be

benchmarked to proof the viability of the

system. Complimentary sensors and

measurement techniques will in all

probability need to be included to improve

on the accuracy. The candidate will be

responsible to interface different

measurement systems.

http://www.metamotion.com/hardware/motio

n-capture-hardware-gloves-Datagloves.htm


http://www.metamotion.com/hardware/motion-capture-hardware-gloves-Datagloves.htm

http://www.metamotion.com/hardware/motion-capture-hardware-gloves-Datagloves.htm

JHM5

PROJECT TITLE: Run cycle



STUDENT:

BESKRYWING:

Traffic congestion is a major problem in

Stellenbosch. Add cyclists who do not have

designated paths, and you have a recipe for

disaster. Skateboards have become a

viable means of transportation to get quickly

from A to B, but it requires a special set of

skills. Pedestrians may still exercise the

safest means of transport at the expense of

longer travelling times. A run-cycle may

offer an attractive alternative in that it may

speed up traveling, while being simpler to

operate and safe for use on sidewalks. The

candidate will need to design and built a

prototype of a run-cycle with safety features

required for safe transportation in

Stellenbosch. The design must be light and

must be compact enough to be stored in

class.

http://www.likecool.com/brand-Gear-Bike-

17.html


http://www.likecool.com/brand-Gear-Bike-17.html

http://www.likecool.com/brand-Gear-Bike-17.html

JHM6

PROJECT TITLE: No hands chess



STUDENT:

BESKRYWING:

A chess robot must be designed that can

pick and place chess pieces on a standard

chess board based on a command from an

operator or virtual player. The hardware

must form part of a software interface that

either allows person vs. person, or person

vs. computer. The candidate will therefore

need to design the pick and place system,

as well as the computer interface and a

simple artificial intelligence chess algorithm

(available code can be used and adjusted).


JHM7

PROJECT TITLE: Ping pong shooter



STUDENT:

BESKRYWING:

A mechanism able to shoot a ping-pong ball

at a moving target must be designed and

build. The device must be fully automated

in that after receiving the command, it

should acquire the target, measure the

distance and speed at which the target is

traveling and then shoot it. The aim-

algorithm must be demonstrated in a

software simulation before the prototype is

built. The candidate will also need to build

the target and design a motion path on

which it can move, i.e. back-forth, left-right,

and up-down. The shooter must first strike a

stationary target, before implementing more

degrees of freedom. The gun may only fire

single shots and must be reloaded

manually.

http://blog.uberpong.com/terrifying-ping-

pong-gun/


http://blog.uberpong.com/terrifying-ping-pong-gun/

http://blog.uberpong.com/terrifying-ping-pong-gun/

NAME OF LECTURER: Dr Thorsten Becker

TBEC1

PROJECT TITLE: Auger shot peening analysis.



STUDENT: WJ Kuhn – 17171830

DESCRIPTION: Auger is used worldwide as an efficient way to feed livestock. It is important that Auger is manufactured correctly with sufficient mechanical properties to meet the demanding environmental conditions. Equipment downtime can have significant cost implications for livestock companies. Technical Systems, a company that manufactures Auger, shot peens their product after it has been formed from a flat wire into the required coil shape. Technical Systems wishes to know whether the mechanical properties of the auger will be improved if the flat wire was first shot peened before being formed into a coil. This project will require:

1. Designing and conducting physical experiments. 2. Analysing the different mechanical properties of the Auger through the use of

devices such as strain gauges and Neutron Diffraction instruments to analyse principle stress components i.e. axial, radial and hoop components.

3. Processing this data to determine which process produces the best viable auger.


Final auger geometry

Auger used is the in livestock industry to transport chicken feed Flat wire used to manufacture auger

TBEC2

PROJECT TITLE: Fatigue and crack growth investigation of 3D printed Titanium alloys.



STUDENT: L Bornschlegell – 15528421

DESCRIPTION: The next generation of manufacturing methodologies is 3D printing, also known as Selective Laser Melting (SLM). These techniques are capable of producing parts to high precision and build complexity while producing little material waste. The technique has shown great potential in the biomedical industry and in the aerospace industry. This project is focused on Material Science and forms part of a research drive that aims to evaluate the material performance of the SLM produced Titanium alloys. This project will focus on fatigue and fracture toughness analyses. This project will require:

1. Designing and conducting physical experiments. 2. Measure crack growth behaviour of SLM produced parts. 3. Measure fracture toughness of SLM produced parts. 4. Comparison of obtained data to conventional wrought titanium alloys.


TBEC3

PROJECT TITLE: Microstructural investigation of 3D printed Titanium alloys.



STUDENT:

DESCRIPTION: The next generation of manufacturing methodologies is 3D printing, also known as Selective Laser Melting (SLM). These techniques are capable of producing parts to high precision and build complexity while producing little material waste. The technique has shown great potential in the biomedical industry and in the aerospace industry. This project is focused on Material Science and forms part of a research drive that aims to evaluate the material performance of the SLM produced Titanium alloys. Previous work has shown that the material behaviour is directly related to its microstructure (see figure), which can be tailored by specific heat-treatments.

This project will require: 1. Designing and conducting physical experiments. 2. Investigate various heat-treatments and the resultant microstructure. 3. Measuring tensile properties of SLM produced parts. 4. Recommendations will be made for the application of SLM produced parts for

industrial applications.


TBEC4

PROJECT TITLE: Measuring material properties using digital image correlation.


DIRECTION: Mechanical (yes) Mechatronic (yes)

STUDENT:

DESCRIPTION: The fast rising demand of electrical energy in South Africa has forced Eskom to vastly exceed the designed lifetime of existing power plants. Exceeding this design lifetime can have detrimental effects on the plant’s reliability. In its most basic form, plant reliability is critically dependent on the material condition and integrity that make up the structures, machines and systems within the plant. Digital Image Correlation (DIC) offers an attractive, alternative way to characterise the material condition. DIC essentially tracks pixels in digital images to provide a displacement measurement of the surface. This project focuses on Strength of Materials and aims to use DIC to measure degradation mechanisms. This project will require:

1. Designing and conducting physical experiments. 2. Use the Virtual Field Method (VFM) to extract mechanical properties. 3. Comparison of obtained data to conventional property measurement methods.

Required skills: Matlab

Elective module required (only for Mechanical): Finite Element Method.

TBEC5

PROJECT TITLE: Arcan fatigue and fracture testing.



STUDENT:

DESCRIPTION: The fast rising demand of electrical energy in South Africa has forced Eskom to vastly exceed the designed lifetime of existing power plants. Exceeding this design lifetime can have detrimental effects on the plant’s reliability. In its most basic form, plant reliability is critically dependent on the material condition and integrity that make up the structures, machines and systems within the plant. One of the key failures is mixed mode fracture, whereby failure occurs due to tearing and shearing. The modified Arcan fixture allows for tests to be conducted of such failures, enabling the generation of precise mixed failures modes. In particular, this allows the detailed experimental study of the laws of crack propagation. This project is focused on Material Science and aims to conduct mixed mode failure tests. Part of this process is in the critical analysis of the existing Arcan design, and various other proposed designs, to minimise experimental scatter. This project will require:

1. Modify the existing Arcan fixture. 2. Conduct physical experiments to determine mixed mode fracture properties.


TBEC6

PROJECT TITLE: Design, construction and commission of fatigue crack length measurement system.


DIRECTION: Mechanical (No) Mechatronic (Yes)

STUDENT:

DESCRIPTION: Optical techniques are often used to observe and measure specimens during mechanical testing. This can help understand the degradation mechanisms that are related to fatigue cracking including crack nucleation, growth and coalescence. One of the particular requirements is the ability to accurately measure crack lengths during fatigue crack growth rate investigations. This project focuses on Design and aims to design and commission a system that will allow for accurate crack length measurements. The system should be digital and allow for crack measurements to 0.05mm.

This project will require: 1. Designing and build a crack length measuring system. 2. Commission this system by performing physical experiments.



TBEC7

PROJECT TITLE: Design of in-situ Double Torsion rig.



STUDENT:

DESCRIPTION: Digital Volume Correlation (DVC) is the next generation in measurement techniques that allow for full volume, 3D measurements. The technique uses volume images acquired from X-ray Computed Tomography systems (like the ones used to scan your brain), correlates the volume image data between two scans to calculate displacements. This project focuses on Design and aims to design a Double Torsion test rig that can be placed inside the Micro X-ray Computed Tomography system (currently available in the Forestry department) that will allow for volume images to be taken during. The rig should allow for a range of specimen sizes and be able to measure load and load point displacement data.

This project will require: 1. Design and build a miniature in situ Double Torsion rig. 2. Commission this system by performing physical experiments.


http://www.lavision.de/en/products/strainmaster-dvc.php

TBEC8

PROJECT TITLE: Design and implementation of a “DIY” digital image correlation system.



STUDENT:

DESCRIPTION: Digital Image Correlation (DIC) allows for the full field surface measurements to be obtained throughout the deformation of a material. The basis of DIC is the matching of one point from a digital image of an object’s surface before loading to a point on the object’s surface taken at after loading. Commercial DIC systems exist that allow for the computation of such full field displacement fields. These however are very expensive and a two-dimensional “DIY” DIC system may be built at a much lower cost.

This project focuses on Design and aims to design and commission a DIC system. A Matlab based DIC algorithm is available. The system should be able to acquire images to compute the displacement data, capture load and displacement data, and provide the required test conditions, i.e. lighting.

This project will require: 1. Design and build a DIY 2D Digital Image Correlation system. 2. Commission this system by performing physical experiments.



NAAM VAN DOSENT: Willie Smit WS1

PROJECT TITLE: Gimbal control by means of Google Glass



STUDENT: Josua Blom - 17098017

DESCRIPTION: A camera mounted on a gimbal has to track the head movement of a user with a head mounted display. The camera has to stream live video to the user’s head up display (HUD). The HUD and integrated sensors for the head mounted display will be in the form of Google Glass.

The camera and gimbal combination will use the same sensors to track the user’s head position as reference. If the user’s head moves to the right a certain number of degrees, the gimbal has to move the camera to track the same path as the user’s head and end up in the same position as the user’s head. This may include one or two axis movement.

The gimbal, camera and the necessary hardware and control boards (such as Arduino boards) will be bought out. A presentable and functional hardware and software package needs to be put together that adhere to the above requirements.

Practical applications of such a system include use on drones for search and rescue operations, security monitoring applications etc.


WS2

PROJECT TITLE: Determining North by means of a digital camera



STUDENT:

DESCRIPTION: Heliostats reflect solar rays onto a central tower in a concentrated solar power plant. The cost of a heliostat field is at least 25% of the total power plant cost.

Heliostats are currently controlled in an open loop fashion. The heliostat has to be accurately manufactured in order to achieve the desired accuracy required by open loop control, which makes it costly.

This project is part of a research effort by STERG to make heliostats cheaper. The idea is to fit heliostats with more sensors so that they can still be controlled accurately even though they are manufactured less accurately.

This project has to determine how accurately North can be estimated by a heliostat that is fitted with an optical camera. The position of the sun will be measured by an optical camera. The measured position of the sun will be compared with its known position. North can then be determined based on this comparison. A prototype system has to be designed, implemented and tested.


WS3

PROJECT TITLE: Determining the elevation angle of a heliostat by means of a camera



STUDENT:

DESCRIPTION: Heliostats reflect solar rays onto a central tower in a concentrated solar power plant. The cost of a heliostat field is at least 25% of the total power plant cost.

Heliostats are currently controlled in an open loop fashion. The heliostat has to be accurately manufactured in order to achieve the desired accuracy required by open loop control, which makes it costly.

This project is part of a research effort by STERG to make heliostats cheaper. The idea is to fit heliostats with more sensors so that they can still be controlled accurately even though they are manufactured less accurately.

This project has to determine how accurately the elevation angle of a heliostat can be estimated by means of an optical camera fitted to the heliostat. The position of a beacon relative to the heliostat is accurately known. Image processing algorithms should find the coordinates of a beacon in the image. The coordinates should be used to determine the elevation angle of the camera and hence the heliostat. An inclinometer will be used to provide ground truth.


WS4

PROJECT TITLE: Quadcopter with steering fins



STUDENT:

DESCRIPTION: There is a need in STERG to have quadcopters that can hold their positions while flying accurately. One issue with a quadcopter is that it has to pitch or roll in order to move horizontally.

A quadcopter should be able to hold position more accurately if it is fitted with controllable fins below the motors. Changing the orientation of the fins will create a horizontal force to move the quadcopter.

The aim of this project is to fit an existing quadcopter with controllable fins. The existing flight controller should be programmed to use the fins for controlling the position of a quadcopter.


WS5

PROJECT TITLE: An obstacle avoidance sensor for the Arduino platform



STUDENT:

DESCRIPTION: Design, implement and demonstrate an obstacle avoidance sensor for the Arduino platform. The sensor should use an optical flow field to detect obstacles. It should be fitted to an Arduino Robot to demonstrate its functionality. The robot should be able to move around in an office block without bumping into obstacles.

Only students with good programming skills and that have used Arduino products before should consider this project.


WS6

PROJECT TITLE: Optical flow sensor for a quadcopter



STUDENT:

DESCRIPTION: Quadcopters are typically fitted with a GPS module, a 3-axis acceleratomer, a 3-axis gyroscope and a 3-axis magnetometer. These sensors allow the quadcopter to estimate its pose fairly accurately.

The aim of this project is to design an optical flow sensor for the quadcopter. The sensor will point downwards so that it is able to measure horizontal and vertical speeds of the quadcopter, as well as the pitch, tilt and yaw rates. These measurements will complement the other measurements to provide a more accurate estimate of the quadcopter’s pose.

The sensor has to be implemented on the Arduino platform. Only students with good programming skills, an above average mark for mathematics and that have used Arduino products before should consider this project.


WS7

PROJEK TITEL: ‘n Automatiese Beheerstelsel vir die Algemene Swembad

KAN DIE PROJEK IN DIE EERSTE SEMESTER VOLTOOI WORD? (ja)

RIGTING: Meganies (nee) Megatronies (ja)

STUDENT: RJ van Wyk 14312212

BESKRYWING:

'n Stelsel moet ontwerp word wat automaties die eienskappe van 'n swembad monitor en aanpas. Dit sluit in die pH, temperatuur, water vlak, ensovoorts. Die sensore moet aan 'n node gekoppel word wat deel vorm van 'n Arduino + XigBee stelsel om die data te ontvang. Die data sal dan na 'n Rasberry Pie gestuur word om verwerk te word asook om verskeie verslae te genereer wat na gekyk kan word deur die verbruiker.

Insluitend sal daar 'n stelsel ontwerp moet word wat die nodige middels kan byvoeg tot die sisteem soos dit benodig word. Bv. as die pH nie reg is, as die water te laag is, as die temperatuur te laag is, moet die sisteem automaties kan aanpas.


NAME OF LECTURER: Prof C Scheffer CS1

PROJECT TITLE: Development of a measurement system to estimate the gestational age of a Neonate.

CAN PROJECT BE COMPLETED IN THE 1st SEMESTER? Yes

DIRECTION: Mechanical - no Mechatronic - yes

STUDENT:

DESCRIPTION:

For clinical reasons it is often required to determine the gestational age of a newborn baby (neonate). The purpose of this project is to develop a mechatronic tool that can take certain anatomical measurements on a neonate that incorporates software that will correlate with anatomical data to yield the approximate gestational age. The device must preferably be disposable and of a low cost, or could be a gas sterilised.


CS2

PROJECT TITLE: Development of a robotic gripper with haptic feedback



STUDENT:

DESCRIPTION:

The purpose of this project is to investigate a means of incorporating haptic feedback into a simple robotic gripper, that must also be developed. The gripper must be able to pick and place soft and hard objects and the user of the gripper must be able to “feel” the hardness of the object being manipulated.


CS3

PROJECT TITLE: Development of an intelligent robotic gripper



STUDENT:

DESCRIPTION:

The purpose of this project is to develop a simple robotic gripper that can demonstrate a level of “intelligence” in that the gripper will recognise certain objects (e.g. optically by means of a camera or other device) and will then adjust its gripper parameters accordingly. Additionally, artificial neural networks could be used for the gripper to also recognise similar objects and then behave accordingly.

NAME OF LECTURER: Liora Ginsberg

LCG1

PROJECT TITLE: Design of passive neonatal incubator

CAN PROJECT BE COMPLETED IN THE 1st SEMESTER? (yes / no)

DIRECTION: Mechanical (yes / no) Mechatronic (yes / no)

STUDENT:

DESCRIPTION:

The student must design, build and test a passive neonatal incubator to provide optimum performance. The student must measure and test the temperature and humidity in the models from previous years and compare these results to the new design. The student must also design for commercialisation. This is a continuation of current research.

Elective module required (only for Mechanical): CFD

LCG2

PROJECT TITLE: Design of gas system neonatal incubator spark plug system



STUDENT:

DESCRIPTION:

The student must redesign the current gas system incubator model to provide optimum control of the spark plug system and then build and test it . The student must measure and test the temperature and humidity in the current gas system neonatal incubators and compare these results with the new design. This is a continuation of current research.


LCG3

PROJECT TITLE: Modelling of the lymphatic trunk



STUDENT:

DESCRIPTION:

The student must learn FlowNex software in order to become familiar with it. The student must do research to study the lymphatic system, and the current models. The student must model the lymph from the lymph trunks into the venous system using FlowNex. The result must be compared with models in literature. An experiment must be conducted to validate the FlowNex results. The forms part of a current PhD study.


LCG4

PROJECT TITLE: Modelling of the lymphatic trunk – venous system



STUDENT:

DESCRIPTION:

The student must learn CFD software, such as Fluent, in order to become familiar with it. The student must do research to study the lymphatic system, and the current models. The student must model the lymph from the lymph trunks into the venous system using the Fluent software package. The result must be compared to models in literature. An experiment must be conducted to validate the CFD results. The study forms part of a current PhD study.


LCG5

PROJECT TITLE: Design of neonatal nebulizer



STUDENT:

DESCRIPTION:

The student needs to research nebulizers and droplet sprayers to be used with neonates. The student needs to develop a unique & perhaps cheap nebulizer / droplet sprayer that could be used for clinical testing / treatment / commercialized usage. The student also needs to determine droplet sizes of surfactant with and without other drugs (as carrying agent). The design must be built and tested, then compared to Aerogenpro(R). This project has been proposed by the Tygerberg Children's Hospital. This is continuation of current research.


AFDELING: Termo-vloei DIVISION: Thermo-fluids

NAME OF LECTURER: Prof H.C.R. Reuter

HCR1

PROJECT TITLE: Performance evaluation and parametric investigation of the SunSpot solarised combined cycle power plant



STUDENT:

DESCRIPTION:

This project entails the further development of a heat balance calculation tool for the Stellenbosch University Solar Power Thermodynamic (SUNSPOT) Cycle shown schematically below using own and commercial software. The aim is to investigate the annual performance of the system using annual meteorological data for a specific site in South Africa. This project will require the application of knowledge gained in all the undergraduate Thermofluids courses.


HCR2

PROJECT TITLE: Design optimisation of a low temperature rock-bed space heating and cooling system



STUDENT:

DESCRIPTION:

Space heating and cooling of buildings and factories is generally expensive and requires the use of electricity or fossil fuel. The heating and cooling of such spaces using a rock-bed heat storage system could prove to be a low cost alternative. This project entails the design and costing of such a rock-bed storage system and requires the application of knowledge gained from Thermofluid, Design and Mechatronics subjects.


HCR3

PROJECT TITLE: Design of a low cost solar water heating system



STUDENT:

DESCRIPTION:

The payback period for solar water heaters is still considered to be too long compared to electric systems. This project entails the design, manufacture, testing and costing of a new solar water heating system made from low cost, off-the-shelf materials and requires the application of knowledge gained from Thermofluids, Design and Mechatronics subjects.


HCR4

PROJECT TITLE: Investigate the flow patterns around a frustum of a cone in a wind tunnel and by means of CFD



STUDENT:

DESCRIPTION:

Stellenbosch University (SU) is considered to be a world leader in the field of industrial air-cooled heat exchangers and cooling tower performance.

Wind reduces the performance of natural draught cooling towers, where it could possibly improve the performance. To understand these wind effects better, a CFD model needs to be developed of a frustum of a hollow cone in a crossflowing air-stream with and without axial air flow inside the pipe and the results must be compared with experimental data. The experimental pressure distribution data must be obtained from tests conducted in a wind tunnel for which a test model needs to be designed and manufactured. This project requires the application of knowledge gained from Thermofluid, Design and CFD subjects.


HCR5

PROJECT TITLE: Design and performance evaluation of a pressure regulating system for a novel irrigation system design with improved water flow characteristics



STUDENT:

DESCRIPTION: Agricultural irrigations systems generally spray water with a small drop diameter, which requires high water pressure and thus pumping power costs. Furthermore, research has shown that, with current irrigation systems, more than 50 % of the water is lost mainly due to drift losses and evaporation, which is high for a dry country such as South Africa. A novel water irrigation system, which will significantly reduce water losses and pumping power compared to exisiting systems, has been developed at Stellenbosch University. This novel system requires a special pressure reducing and control valve design. This project entails the design, manufacture, testing and costing of a new pressure reducing valve which requires the application of knowledge gained from Thermofluids and Design subjects.

Elective module required (only for Mechanical): The project can benefit from any of the modules

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/86/PivotWithDrops.JPG

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/86/PivotWithDrops.JPG

HCR6

PROJECT TITLE: Performance evaluation of a new hybrid cooling system



STUDENT:

DESCRIPTION: Dry-cooling systems are used in various industries, power plants and air-conditioning units to reduce the water consumption and to eliminate visible vapour plumes. To enhance the performance of these systems during high ambient temperature conditions, the heat exchanger surface can be fully or partially deluged with water to achieve evaporative cooling. The main objective of this project is to develop a calculation model, based on previous work done at Stellenbosch University, to predict the performance of a novel hybrid (dry/wet) heat exchanger design and to compare the performance with results for another exisiting design. This project requires the application of knowledge gained from Thermofluids and Design subjects.


HCR7

PROJECT TITLE: Investigation into the effects of scaling on the performance of cooling tower drift eliminators.



STUDENT:

DESCRIPTION: Natural draught wet cooling towers are used in power plant applications to provide cold water to condensers. Warm water is pumped through a series of sprayers in the cooling tower and is cooled by the air flow through the tower. In order to save water, drift eliminators are placed above the sprayers to reduce water loss through droplets leaving the cooling tower. Once in operation, drift eliminators are often susceptible to scale deposits forming on the surface, the effect of this scale on the performance of the drift eliminators is not known and quantification of this is the subject of this project. The student will be required to conduct tests in a wind tunnel on drift eliminators with varying amounts of scale; the tests should show the change in pressure drop through scaled drift eliminators and assist the client in determining whether or not to clean drift eliminators during routine maintenance. Using the data from these experiments, the student should also show the effect of scaling on the performance of a cooling tower using a model available at the university.


LECTURER: Johan van der Spuy

JvdS1

PROJECT TITLE: Develop a mechanism to limit the effect of fan blade loading



STUDENT:

DESCRIPTION:

The department has access to a facility where scaled fans of a diameter of 1.5 m can be tested. These fans, in full scale, are typically used in direct dry-cooled condensors. At low flow rates the fan blades experience a large variation in blade loading that influences the design life of the blades.

The student will use an existing epxerimental fan to develop a mechanism that can limit the variation in blade loading. Along with the development, the student must also measure the velocity distribution up- and downstream of the rotating fan blades.


CFD may be a benifit but is not a prereq.

JvdS2

PROJECT TITLE: Simulating cross wind conditions upstream of an axial flow fan



STUDENT:

DESCRIPTION:

The department has access to a facility where the interaction and performance of a multiple fan installation relative to inlet flow conditions can be measured. At present the inlet flow conditions of the facility is adjusted by varying the height of the inlet floor.

A previous student has adapted the facility to operate with a 4th fan drawing air past the other three fans. The student must verify the effect of this adaptation experimentally using, amongts others, PIV laser.


CFD may be a benifit but is not a prereq.

JvdS3

PROJEKTITEL: Simulasie en toets van ‘n vleuelprofiel.

KAN PROJEK IN EERSTE SEMESTER AFGEHANDEL WORD? (Ja/Nee)

RIGTING: Meganies (Ja/Nee) Megatronies (Ja/Nee)

STUDENT: T.W. Meissner 17199514

BESKRYWING:

When designing a wing or fan blades, the change in shape of the airfoil can have a significant effect on the lift and drag forces acting on the airfoil.

A set of airfoil profiles will be manufactured and tested in a wind tunnel to investigate the effect the shape of the wing profile has on the lift and drag forces. The chord length, profile thickness, wing span and the sweep angle will be the variables that will be investigated. The aim of the project will be to document these effects and compare the results to CFD analysis. The project will be concluded with the application of the results to airfoil design.


Numeriese Vloeidinamika 414

JvdS4

PROJECT TITLE: The propulsion of a turbocharger using a blow down configuration



STUDENT:

DESCRIPTION:

There is currently a major interest in the capability to test small scale centrifugal compressors for use in mico gas turbines. The department has a simple facility where a turbocharger is used to drive the test compressor using compressed air. The maximum speed of the facility is 100000 RPM.

The current facility has been adapted to connect the compressor outlet to the turbine inlet via an air heater. It has however been found that the facility is unable to self sustain without additional air being forced into the compressor inlet. The purpose of this project is to improve the drive system so that the facility is self sustaining.


This skripsie has a strong design focus with a a turbomachinery background.

JvdS5

PROJECT TITLE: The re-design of the centrifugal compressor test facility



STUDENT:

DESCRIPTION:

There is currently a major interest in the capability to test small scale centrifugal compressors for use in mico gas turbines. The department has a simple facility where a turbocharger is used to drive the test compressor using compressed air. The bearings in the facility requires constant high pressure lubrication, which makes it susceptable to failure. The current facility can also not test the diffusor section of the compressor.

The purpose of the project is to design a new shaft arrangement for the test facility. The shaft arrangement must be such that the compressor rotor and diffusor can be tested in a modular way without removing the turbine section. A preliminary design for the arrangement has been performed already.


This skripsie has a strong design focus with a a turbomachinery background.

JvdS6

PROJECT TITLE: Testing a micro gas turbine engine



STUDENT:

DESCRIPTION:

There is currently interest in the development of micor gas turbine engines. The department has a test facility where the thrust of the engines, as well as other temperatures and pressures are measured. One of the aspects that are currently being looked at is measuring the flow conditions between the compressor outlet and the combustor.

The purpose of the project is to invetigate the installation of measurement aparatus within the gas turbine and specifically to measure the flow direction and velocity at the inlet of the combustor. The student must design, build, calibrate and test a pitot tube to be used inside the gas turbine.


JvdS7

PROJECT TITLE: Simulate the noise levels of an axial flow fan



STUDENT:

DESCRIPTION:

A lot of research has been conducted on the design of low noise axial flow fans. As part of this research the noise levels of the fan is usually measured. The university has a test facility where fans can be tested, as well as the facilities to simulate the noise levels of these fans. The simulation of these noise levels has however never been performed because it has been considered too computationally intensive.

The purpose of the project is to simulate the noise levels of a rotating fan. The student must first obtain the necessary background information and perform simple noise level simulations. The eventual aim is to test a fan and to simulate its noise levels.


CFD 414

NAME OF LECTURER: Dr. Jaap Hoffmann

JEH1

PROJECT TITLE: Heat transfer enhancement inside tubes (practical)



STUDENT:

DESCRIPTION:

The SUNSPOT cycle is a combination of a Brayton and Rankine cycles. Air is the working fluid in the Brayton cycle. Air has poor thermal characteristics, that leads to challenges in the receiver design.

Tubular solar-thermal receivers are subject to very high heat fluxes from the heliostat field. Heat is removed from the outer surface by conduction through the tube wall, and convection to air flowing through the tube.

High heat fluxes may lead to overheating and failure of materials. Furthermore, high surface temperatures increase convection and radiation losses from the receiver.

The tubes are heated from only one side, leading to high thermal stresses and deformation.

Design, build and commission a test facility capable of measuring the heat transfer coefficient on the inside of a tube at Reynolds numbers spanning at least two orders of magnitude.


JEH2

PROJECT TITLE: Mixed convection correlation for superficial solar receiver



STUDENT:

DESCRIPTION:

Superficial receivers are mounted on the outside of the power tower, and as a result, suffer from convection (wind and buoyancy driven) and radiation losses. Correlations for mixed convection typically do not span the full Rayleigh number range encountered in concentrated solar power (CSP) plants. Furthermore, existing correlations are limited to smooth cylinders subject to a uniform heat flux or temperature. The receiver temperature is not constant in plant using molten salts as heat transfer fluid.

Investigate mixed convection across a rough cylinder for different L/D ratios experimentally. Using water as working fluid should bring you potentially closer to the Rayleigh numbers associated with CSP plant. Generate a CFD model of your receiver, and use this model to evaluate mixed flow extend your correlation to full scale.


JEH3

PROJECT TITLE: Optical tests on high temperature resistant quartz glass



STUDENT:

DESCRIPTION:

Quartz glass (fused silica) is frequently used in concentrated solar power plant, either as pressure boundary or to diffuse and redistribute solar radiation in the receiver due to its ability to cope with high temperature. In all these applications, the reflectivity, absorptivity and refraction index of quartz is required.

Several projects at the Solar Thermal Energy Research Group (STERG) investigate solar thermal receivers that operate at temperatures above 800 °C. Many of these could be enhanced, or are only possible – with quartz glass components. Therefore, qualification of the optical properties of quartz samples that are to be used in these receivers is essential.

Measure the optical properties of quartz experimentally, and if possible, extend your experiments to include different wavelengths and quartz temperatures.

It is envisaged that a laser pointer connected to a constant power supply might be a sufficient power source for these experiments.


JEH4

PROJECT TITLE: Optimization of optical field for central receiver solar thermal power plant



STUDENT:

DESCRIPTION:

The heliostats contribute about a third to the cost of a solar thermal power plant. It is crucial to utilize the heliostats optimally for any specific site. Heliostats close to the tower usually have the highest efficiency, and it is desirable to space heliostats densely near the tower. Too dense a spacing leads to blocking and shading losses. These losses change with the sun angles that in turn depend on the time of day and season.

Various heliostat arrangements are described in the literature, but it seems that consensus on the best arrangement has not yet been reached. Investigate various optimization techniques and identify the most appropriate algorithm for this type of application, if one exists. Use this algorithm to optimize the optical field for a given heat load (MWth).

For this project, the student is expected to focus on an ordered heliostat arrangement on a perfectly flat terrain. This should limit the design variables to tower height, and heliostat spacing in the radial and circumferential direction.


JEH5

PROJECT TITLE: Optimize the tube arrangement for the Spiky Central Receiver Air Pre-Heater (SCRAP)



STUDENT:

DESCRIPTION:

The spiky air receiver concept was proposed by Prof Kröger for the SUNSPOT cycle. The receiver is situated between the compressor and turbine of the Brayton cycle. It fulfils the same role normally ascribed to the combustion chamber in a gas turbine cycle.

The spiky receiver comprises of a number of annular tubes mounted perpendicularly onto a large spherical surface. Cold air flows through the inner tube, turns through 180° at the dome shaped tips, and returns through the annular space between the two tubes. Concentrated sunlight heats air passing through the insides of these tubes. The spatial distribution of the tubes, tube length and tube thickness all determines how much of the tube surface is exposed to direct sunlight, and how much is shaded by neighbouring tubes.

It seems impossible to arrange the tubes in a regular pattern on a spherical surface.

The repulsive neighbour technique is proposed to calculate the most uniform tube arrangement on a spherical surface. The technique is similar to how positively charged particles will arrange themselves on such a surface. The whole field has to be recalculated every time a tube is added to the surface.

In this project, the student will develop a routine, following the repulsive neighbour technique, to optimize the tube distribution on a spherical surface. For the purpose of this project, it may be assumed that the tube length and diameter remain constant.


JEH6

PROJECT TITLE: Optimization of a single tube for the Spiky Central Receiver Air Pre-Heater (SCRAP)



STUDENT:

DESCRIPTION:

The spiky air receiver concept was proposed by Prof Kröger for the SUNSPOT cycle. The receiver is situated between the compressor and turbine of the Brayton cycle. It fulfils the same role normally ascribed to the combustion chamber in a gas turbine cycle.

The spiky receiver comprises of a number of annular tubes mounted perpendicularly onto a large spherical surface. Cold air flows through the inner tube, turns through 180° at the dome shaped end-caps, and returns through the annular space between the two tubes. Concentrated sunlight heats air passing through the insides of these tubes. The spatial distribution of the tubes, tube length and tube thickness all determines how much of the tube surface is exposed to direct sunlight, and how much is shaded by neighbouring tubes.

The annular space if fitted with longitudinal fins to enhance heat transfer. Furthermore, the fins are wound in a helical pattern along the inner tube. The fins will also increase the pressure drop across the receiver.

Optimize a single receiver tube to obtain the highest possible heat transfer at the lowest possible pressure drop. Design variables are the tube wall thickness, diameter of inner and outer tube, fin spacing and thickness, as well as the helix angle. CFD is probably the most practical way to determine the heat transfer and pressure drop.


NAME OF LECTURER: TM Harms

TMH1

PROJECT TITLE: Analytical, numerical and experimental investigation of heat transfer augmentation measures for an induced draft domestic fire place liner



STUDENT:

DESCRIPTION: This project relates to a well-known domestic South African fire place which uses a double cavity construction to induce natural convection air circulation through the device in order to improve the convection heat transfer to the room, which mostly occurs via radiation heat transfer otherwise. While a previous project (2013) successfully demonstrated the augmentation of the heat transfer through the incorporation of a fan, the aim of this project is to investigate what measures can be additionally taken to improve the heat transfer further. The project entails quantifying the effects of such an enhancement through theoretical heat transfer analysis, measurements on a given installation and computational fluid dynamics simulations.

Elective module required (only for Mechanical): Numerical Fluid Dynamics 414

TMH2

PROJECT TITLE: Design, costing and financial performance analysis and possible installation and testing of a photovoltaic solar power supply for a domestic swimming pool pump installation



STUDENT:

DESCRIPTION: South Africa is presently experiencing critical electricity supply shortages which impediment the economic performance of the country as is but also impact negatively on investment decisions so necessary for economic growth. Domestic electricity consumption has already been targeted by Eskom through a financial rebate for the installation of solar water heating systems. Swimming pool pumps have also been identified as a significant demand side management target. This give rise to the question, whether in the context of rapidly rising electricity costs and equally rapidly diminishing cost of solar photovoltaic power, to what degree we are approaching an economic breakeven point at this scale.

This project therefore entails the design, costing and financial performance analysis and possible procurement and testing of a photovoltaic solar power supply for a typical 1 kW, 220 V AC domestic swimming pool pump. The analysis should take the form of a computer program (e.g. MS Excel) so that different scenarios can be easily evaluated. While no energy storage is envisaged for this application, controls, DC to AC conversion and resistive power dissipation will be required.

Note that for this project, a sound basis for the available solar resource as a function of location and panel orientation must be established and a utilisation factors predicted.

Elective module required (only for Mechanical): -

TMH3

PROJECT TITLE: Investigation into the optimal two-dimensional arrangement of the spike in a the central receiver of a solar power station.



STUDENT:

DESCRIPTION: Among the many world-first developments taken currently place in the solar thermal research group housed in this department, the patented spiked central receiver development for a solar power station has been a research focus for some time. This project is conceived to make a contribution to this research. A two-dimensional analysis is required how best to proceed to configure a series of thermal radiation receiving spikes in an open convective environment on a convex surface to optimise their performance. While the problem has been limited here to two dimensions to give it a reasonable scope, nevertheless useful insight is expected to emerge. A successful analysis will have to be backed up by a suitable designed experiment to verify the results.

Elective module recommended (only for Mechanical): Numerical Fluid Dynamics 414

TMH4

PROJECT TITLE: Investigation of the capability of a computational fluids dynamics software code like Fluent to model inter-phase two-phase heat transfer



STUDENT:

DESCRIPTION: Two-phase flows (liquid-gas) are very prominent in industrial processes, e.g. chemical processing, reactor modelling, process steam application and boiling and condensing in power generation applications, be nuclear, fossil fuel or solar based. Modern CFD codes like Fluent therefore have the ability to model two-phase flows. In this investigation the objective is to establish a basic two-phase flow situation, e.g. in a tube geometry, vertical or horizontal, which could resemble the receiver in concentrated solar power application, and superimpose a heat transfer situation by e.g. injecting heated air, i.e. heat transfer between the phases, which may involve phase change as well, both experimentally and numerically.


TMH5

PROJECT TITLE: Investigation of unsteady free surface flow over a decelerating water column



STUDENT:

DESCRIPTION: To explain a certain thermo-fluid phenomenon it is suspected that a rapidly decelerating free surface (liquid/gas interface) will break up under such conditions such that droplets actually emerge and penetrate the gas space. This challenging project entails designing and setting up an experiment (time controlled release of air pressure in a U-tube) to provoke this behaviour (and perhaps capture in on camera) and simulate the process in the e.g. Fluent computational fluid dynamics software environment to see whether it can be replicated there.


TMH6

PROJECT TITLE: Computational fluid dynamics using open source software



STUDENT:

DESCRIPTION: The OpenFOAM computational fluid dynamics software code, which can be freely downloaded from the internet, is a professional CFD platform, which is widely supported and deployed throughout the world in industry and research. Increasingly it is recognized that the accessibility of its source code is essential in a research environment. This project entails obtaining a basic working knowledge of the code as a user and applying the code in the context of atmospheric flow modelling research through the investigation of turbulent boundary layer flow over a flat surface both experimentally and numerically, with particular emphasis on the performance of smooth versus rough surface texture. In this regard, this project constitutes an extension of an earlier successful precursor completed during 2013. This project has a significant experimental component, consisting of hot wire anemometry in the department’s medium speed wind tunnel, using new equipment procured since then.


TMH7

PROJECT TITLE: Design, analysis and testing of an underwater flat paddle fin



STUDENT:

DESCRIPTION:

South African water polo players and coaches are rated among the best in the world. In 2008 the under 19 team won the world championships. This project is aimed to establish the basis for controlled fin testing. An underwater stiff flat paddle mechanism is envisaged, which must be designed and constructed, which incorporates strain gauge transducers, such that periodic forces at a location in the paddle can be recorded during oscillatory motion. In addition to an analytical analysis of the motion and forces, a computational fluid dynamic solution must be obtained, from which the predicted forces must be extracted and compared to the measured and otherwise calculated values.


NAME OF LECTURER: Peter Blaine

PGB 1

PROJECT TITLE:

Development of a passenger counting system for the passenger rail envirionment


DIRECTION: Mechanical (Yes/No) Yes Mechatronic (Yes/No) Yes

STUDENT:

DESCRIPTION:

PRASA (MetroRail) is the source of this project

It is vital to know the number of passengers being transported on a train. Not only can the service be benchmarked for marketing and planning purposes, but the weight/mas of the passengers in a coach (payload) can be integrated with the axle weighing system and the braking system load sensors.

Traditionally train passenger information is obtained from a passenger census with information collected at all stations. The project will investigate onboard counters which will be able to count the number of passengers boarding and leaving the train.

PRASA, the passenger rail supplier, has submitted the project which was started in 2012. The work will build on the findings and recommendations in the 2012, 2013 and 2014 reports.


PGB 2

PROJECT TITLE:

Design and manufacture a non-electronically controlled sun tracking system



STUDENT:

DESCRIPTION:

The use of renewable energy systems is becoming ever more important. Much of the energy captured is solar. Often parabolic collectors are used which need to be able to automatically track the sun. Electronic control systems are now commonplace, but, in undeveloped regions there often is no electrical power available and the local technology is often primitive.

It therefore would be very advantageous if a non-electrical control system could be developed which would allow the parabolic solar collector to track the sun. The system should be fail-safe and rugged.

The project will include the design of the solar dish which is to be controlled


PGB 3

PROJECT TITLE:

Investigate wheel wear in the rail environment



STUDENT:

DESCRIPTION:

PRASA (MetroRail) is the source of this project

In the rail environment it is vital that wheel wear must be measured continuously, but equally important is determining the causes of wheel wear, which are not always obvious. This project is to study the wheel-rail interface and the effect of different conditions will have on the wear rate of wheels. Examples are:- train speed restriction, condition of the rail, condition and operation of the brake system This project will build upon the work done during 2014


PGB 4

PROJECT TITLE:

The Design and Manufacture of a Raw Water Filtration System for Peasant Communities



STUDENT:

The supply of clean potable water is a right written into the South African Constitution. However the supply of clean water to remote and small communities is not always practical, possible or economic. Generally a water supply from the local spring or stream is available, but this is most often contaminated with silt, microbes and other pollutants.

The project will require the design and manufacture of a simple and cost effective water filtration system which will produce potable water from these sources. The renewable components must be generally available to these communities and not require them to have sophisticated knowledge or skills such as the use of chemicals. It should also be possible to train the community on how the system works and how to maintain it.


PGB 5

PROJECT TITLE: The Design and Manufacture of an Electrical Generating System

for Peasant Communities



STUDENT:

In remote communities throughout the world, one of the largest barriers to development is access to electricity. The cost of building power lines across rugged terrain or to communities in sparsely populated areas can be too expensive to be practical. In these cases a low cost alternative to harness energy on site is needed.

Rural school children very often return after school to do their homework but do not have light to work by.

The project requires the design and manufacture of a simple system which will produce an electrical supply which can be stored and is capable of supplying enough power to run an light and charge a cell phone.

While the use of photo-electric cells is a possibility, they are expensive and subject to damage. The system designed should be rugged and repairable by the intended user assuming simple training is given when it is delivered.


PGB6

PROJECT TITLE: The Design and Manufacture of a Remotely Controlled Vehicle for searching for survivors of a Building Collapse


DIRECTION: Mechanical (Yes/No) Yes Mechatronic (Yes/No) Yes Mostly

STUDENT:

When there is a catastrophic failure of a building the search and rescue personnel need a machine to use in their search for possible survivors hidden in the rubble. They need a remotely guided vehicle small enough to get through gaps in the rubble. I must also have a camera and a position device which would be transmitted back to the controller using, for instance, a GPS and Bluetooth.


NAME OF LECTURER: Mr. R. W. Haines

RWH1

PROJECT TITLE: The design and development of an inlet air flow meter for an internal combustion engine



STUDENT:

DESCRIPTION: The objective of this project is to design, manufacture and test an inlet air flow meter to measure the mass flow rate of atmospheric air into a reciprocating internal combustion engine during bench testing. The meter will be used to determine the air-fuel ratio and volumetric efficiency of the engine. Real-time measurement of the mass flow rate of the inlet air is required and when used, the meter must not influence the volumetric efficiency and performance of the engine.

The meter must be designed for use on both petrol and diesel engines and have a range suitable for measuring the inlet air mass flow rates of single cylinder stationary engines and also engines typically found in passenger car and light delivery vehicles. Once calibrated, the meter will be used on an engine test bench to determine the volumetric efficiency of a reciprocating internal combustion engine.


RWH2

PROJECT TITLE: The design and development of a remote intercooler for a turbocharged internal combustion engine



STUDENT:

DESCRIPTION: The objective of this project is to design, assemble and test a remote intercooler for a turbocharged internal combustion engine. The intercooler will be used during engine dynamometer tests to cool and control the temperature of compressed inlet air to the engine. During engine performance and fuel testing, it is important to use a remote intercooler to control the temperature of the compressed inlet air as this temperature influences engine performance and exhaust gas emissions.

During engine testing, the post-intercooler air temperature must be controlled to a constant temperature of 50°C irrespective of engine power. The intercooler will use chilled water as the cooling medium and a PID controller with 3-way mixing valve will be used for control. The intercooler must be designed and sized for use on both petrol and diesel engines typically found in passenger car and light delivery vehicles. The intercooler must withstand the maximum boost pressures used on current turbocharged intercooled engines and meet the engine manufacturer’s requirements for maximum pressure drop during operation. The design will be evaluated by completing a set of experiments on an air flow test bench and also on a reciprocating internal combustion engine.


RWH3

PROJECT TITLE: The design and development of a damping chamber for an inlet air flow meter used for single cylinder stationary engine testing



STUDENT:

DESCRIPTION: The objective of this project is to design, manufacture and test a damping chamber for an inlet air flow rate meter used for single cylinder, stationary engine testing. While running, single cylinder engines generate severe pressure pulsations in the inlet manifold which results in a pulsating inlet air flow in the clean air system of the engine. These pressure pulsations can influence the accuracy of air flow rate measurements which are captured during engine performance testing and used for heat release analysis. The project also includes setting up a small single cylinder, diesel engine on a test bench as a test platform for experiments on the damping chamber. The setup will include the design of engine mountings, driveshaft, exhaust extraction system and safety guards plus all instrumentation required during testing. The design will be evaluated by completing a set of experiments to measure the attenuation of the pressure pulsations across the inlet and outlet of the chamber for different engine operating conditions.


RWH4

PROJECT TITLE: The design and development of a test rig for measuring the lubricity of biofuels and biofuel blends



STUDENT:

DESCRIPTION: The objective of this project is to design, manufacture and test a rig used to measure the lubricity of petroleum diesel, bio-diesels and a range of bio-diesel/ethanol/diesel blends. Diesel lubricity is an important parameter as modern diesel engines have fuel injection equipment operating at very high injection pressures where the lubrication is provided by the diesel fuel. There are different methods used to measure the lubricity of fuels. The high frequency reciprocating rig (HFRR) test was developed many years ago and since its development, the lubricity properties of diesel fuels have changed due to the reduction of sulphur content, changes in paraffinic content and the blending of biofuels.

The test rig design will be evaluated by completing a set of experiments to establish the lubricity of a range of fuels for use in diesel engines. The results will then be compared to those found in the literature.


RWH5

PROJECT TITLE: The design and development of a test rig for measuring the power absorbed by the valve train of an overhead camshaft engine



STUDENT: project proposed by student: Mr A. Cloete (16017625)

DESCRIPTION: The objective of this project is to design, manufacture and test a rig used to measure the power absorbed by the valve train of an overhead camshaft engine. The valve train will be driven by an electric motor controlled by a variable speed drive. The rig must also include the design of a lubrication system required to provide cold or heated lubricating oil under pressure to the valve train during operation.

The design will be evaluated by completing a set of experiments using different cylinder head configurations and different types of lubricating oils and viscosities. Some of these experiments will include running the valve train at different speeds to measure the power absorbed during transient and steady state conditions.


RWH6

PROJECT TITLE: Modelling and testing the performance of a single cylinder stationary engine



STUDENT:

DESCRIPTION: The objective of this project is to model and simulate the performance of a single cylinder stationary engine using Lotus Engine Simulation software and then verify the results by testing the performance of the engine on an engine test bench. The test engine must initially be disassembled for measurements as modelling the engine will require the dimensions of certain components. Once the engine has been modelled, the engine will be assembled and tested on a test bench.

The accuracy of the simulations will be evaluated by comparing the test data to that obtained using the model. The project also includes setting up the instrumentation required to capture the engine test parameters during testing.


RWH7

PROJECT TITLE: Install, commission and test a single cylinder research engine used to measure the octane ratings of a spark ignition fuels



STUDENT:

DESCRIPTION: The objective of this project is to install, commission and test a single cylinder, research engine in the internal combustion engines laboratory. The engine will be used to measure the research octane number and motoring octane number of spark ignition biofuels and blends. The installation will also include setting up the test bed, electric dynamometer, drive system and all instrumentation required to test the engine. Various brackets and an exhaust system must also be designed and manufactured during the installation process.

The setup will be evaluated by running a set of tests to measure the research and motoring octane numbers of 95 unleaded petrol and various ethanol and petrol blends. For the engine to be used for research purposes, it is important that the engine test setup can provide test data that is accurate and repeatable.


NAME OF LECTURER: RT Dobson

RTD 1

PROJECT TITLE: Simulation and performance optimisation aspects of a free piston Stirling heat to electrical power convertor

CAN PROJECT BE COMPLETED IN THE 1st SEMESTER? (Yes/No) NO

DIRECTION: Mechanical (Yes/No) YES Mechatronic (Yes/No) NO

STUDENT:

DESCRIPTION: Free piston Stirling engines (FPSEs) are regarded as the most reliable of all mechanical prime movers as they have no internal linkages and no lubrication system and are completely silent running. Further, they can be powered by any heat source and, potentially speaking, have the highest thermal efficiency of all thermodynamic machines. If the FPSE is coupled to an axial flux-type machine a maintenance-free hermetically-sealed heat to electrical power generator is possible. The problem however is that it is difficult to theoretically simulate and control and hence difficult to optimise its design and manufacture. An experimental FPSE electrical generator has been made but now needs to be optimised and a so-called development “engineered model” needs to designed and built. It will thus be the express objective of this project to attempt to optimise certain aspects of the existing design. This approach will require the development of an improved theoretical simulation computer program, the identification and experimental motivation of the features of the FPSE convertor that should improve its efficacy (both thermal and ease of local manufacture), the upgrading of the existing engine and the experimental validation of these improving interventions. All work conducted in this regard is to be captured in a project report that, inter alia, addresses the following: literature review, theoretical modelling, ameliorating design interventions, experimental test results and a plan for local manufacturing.

Elective module required (only for Mechanical): Any

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Thot

Tcold

RTD 2

PROJECT TITLE: Solar powered organic Rankine cycle (ORC) electrical power generator



STUDENT:

DESCRIPTION: An organic Rankine cycle (ORC) electrical power generator has been built in the laboratory by a previous student (see figure). It uses an electrically heated oil tank (controlled at 145 °C) as the high temperature heat source. The problem with this system is that the working fluid R123 tends to leak out of the system due to excessive use of compression, rather than solder joints. This project will require that the system be rebuilt using solder joints and theoretically simulated. The theoretical simulation model developed must then be evaluated and validated experimentally.


Electrically heated hot

oil tank

RTD 3

PROJECT TITLE: Optimisation aspects of the absorber of a LiBr-water and water absorption system



STUDENT:

DESCRIPTION: A LiBr-water and water absorption system has been built as shown in the figure. The absorber section of this as-built system has as yet not been optimised. [In the absorber section of the system water vapour from the evaporator is exposed to the surface of a concentrated LiBr-water solution and the water vapour is so to say sucked or absorbed into LiBr-water solution; hence the name absorber. On being absorbed the temperature of the solution increases as energy is released as a result of the chemical realignment of the electron bonds in the now diluted solution.] This project will require the identification of the variables influencing the absorption process (in the absorber of the absorption system) and hence develop a theoretical simulation model of the absorption process. This absorption process then has to be integrated into an already existing theoretical simulation model of the absorption cooling system. Having now identified the important variables a new absorber configuration has to be designed, constructed and incorporated into the as-built system and its absorption efficacy and performance quantitatively characterised and experimentally verified and validated.


2009571148536337729373389062501390.jpg chegg.com

RTD 4

PROJECT TITLE: Dynamic control system for a tri-function LiBr-water and water absorption system


DIRECTION: Mechanical (Yes/No) No Mechatronic (Yes/No) YES

STUDENT:

DESCRIPTION: A LiBr-water and water absorption system and especially a tri-function system all require a number of parameters and devices that need to be controlled. [Tri-function refers to the simultaneous generation of electrical power, process heating and aslo refrigeration.] In an absorption system there are four heating and cooling streams and four heat exchangers, a number of sensors, a throttling valve/device, a pressure control valve, a LiBr-water solution circulation pump, and a LiBr-water solution concentration detector. The electrical load variation also needs to be considered for both electrical output and heat supply fluctuations. An automatic electronic/mechatronic measurement, data capture and control system has to be built and integrated into the as-built absorption system of project RTD3. The two hand operated expansion valves need to be replaced with electronically controlled valves; the solution pump flow rate needs to be automatically adjusted. The control has to be done in accordance with the various temperatures, namely, the condenser generator, evaporator and absorber temperatures, the heating and cooling fluid inlet and outlet temperatures and the temperature of the material being cooled.


2009571148536337729373389062501390.jpg chegg.com

RTD 5

PROJECT TITLE: Theoretical simulation and experimental evaluation of a heat pump water heater



STUDENT:

DESCRIPTION:

This project will entail the procurement and installation, as shown in the figure, of a commercial heat pump water heater for domestic water heating purposes. Once installed and working the time-dependent behaviour and heat transfer behaviour and characteristics of the system are to be experimentally determined. In the meantime a theoretical computer simulation model is to be developed and its validity established by comparing the theoretically determined results with the experimentally determined results. Various water heater tank effects, such as cold (and hot) water inlet baffling, plume and inverse-plume formation, hot inlet baffling and thermal de-stratification of the water in the tank, need to be addressed.


Water heater tank

Air-to-water heat pump

Temperature flow control valve

Pump

Vacuum breaker

Pressure reducer and expansion release

P-T Valve

Valve Tair

Twater tank

Thot 55 °C

RTD 6

PROJECT TITLE: Passive Solar Tracker

CAN PROJECT BE COMPLETED IN THE 1st SEMESTER? (Yes/No) NO, but extension to Masters is possible


STUDENT:

DESCRIPTION:

This project will require the design, construction and testing of a passive (that is that no electonics, electro-magnetic or active control deives are needed for the system to operate) device to track the alititude angle of the sun as it moves across the sky. The idea is to use a thermofluidic device as shown in the figure as a, so-called single-axis solar tracker system, to control the tilt angle of a so-called trough-type solar concentrating and reflecting collector. The device consiststs of two interconnected tubular tanks containing working fluid (such as a refrigerant); then, depending on the relative orientation of the sun and radiation shields, fluid boils in the one tank and its vapour condenses in the other causing the devise to tilt, as shown in the figure. Not shown in the sketch is a damping mechanism for the tracker frame about its pivot point.

A theoretical thermo-hydraulic-mechanical simulation of the device capturing the transient and dynamic response will also needs to be developed and validated using the actual as tested device.


http://www.zomeworks.com/

Pivot point

Radiation shield

NAME OF LECTURER: TW von Backström

TWvB1

PROJECT TITLE: Effect of axial fan blade sweep on performance



STUDENT:

DESCRIPTION: Blade sweep in axial fans affect performance and noise generation. A previous student designed an axial fan with swept blades and had it manufactured. In the present project the design should be revisied and the blade profile shape should be measured up and compared to the design intent. The performance of both the designed and manufactured fan blades should be simulated by CFD and compared to each other. The aerodynamic performance and noise generation of the swept-blade fan should be experimentally compared to that of an existing straight-blade fan, using a fan noise test tunnel. Computational aero acoustics should be investigated.


TWvB2

PROJECT TITLE: The effect ofthe number of inlet guide vanes on the performance of axial fans exposed to cross flow



STUDENT:

DESCRIPTION: The axial fans in air cooled condensers are usually not fitted with inlet guide vanes (IGVs), but theoretically they can improve the fan efficiency. Previous students designed and tested IGVs for a typical cooling fan for a power plant cooling system. The manufactured vanes were thicker than the design intent, due to the bending of the master blade during mould making. The objective is to find a way of reducing the thickness of the inlet guide vanes, either by machining each vane, or by NC-machining the new master vane in metal rather than wood. The next step is to fit three fans in parallel with these IGVs and investigate the effect of cross flow on fan performance. The effect of minimising the number of vanes by removing every second vane or some unnecessary vanes on one side of the edge fan must also be investigated


TWvB3

PROJECT TITLE: Improvements to a linear Fresnel solar collector system



STUDENT:

DESCRIPTION: Previous students have built up the linear Fresnel solar collector system on the solar roof and have designed and implemented a solar tracking system. In the proposed project better practical ways of adjusting the mirrors in the collector are to be found for the traditionally mounted mirrors and for the system using mirrors that rotate off-axis. Special care should be taken regarding the interconnection of the mirrors and their automatic adjusment to track the sun. Measured data should be compared to numerical data obtained from a ray tracing computer program. The objective is to start early with the collection of experimental data.


TWvB4

PROJECT TITLE: Design of a rock bed thermal energy storage system



STUDENT:

DESCRIPTION: Rock beds are prime candidates for thermal energy storage in solar energy systems. Previous students have investigated the pressure drops through rock beds, and the thermal capacitance of such systems. The objective of this task is to use this information to design, build and test a pilot plant rock bed system to store thermal energy. The container and ducting design are of special relevance. The design should take into consideration the layout of a large SUNSPOT type system. The SUNSPOT system is a combined cycle with rock storage between the gas turbine and steam turbine. The gas turbine runs mostly during the day and the steam turbine mostly during the night. This task includes CFD modelling and the use of Flownex, a pipe network model. No experimental work is required, but existing experimental data should be modelled.


TWvB5

PROJECT TITLE: The effect of a casing on the performance of an ocean current turbine



STUDENT:

DESCRIPTION: The design of an ocean current turbine for the generation of electricity is under consideration. To enhance performance, the turbine will be situated inside a shroud (casing) in the shape of a nozzle. A section through the nozzle wall will be airfoil-shaped. There will also be a downstream nozzle, linked to the shroud by a daisy-mixer, The objective is to increase the turbine power output appreciably without increasing its drag. The approach will be analytical and by the use of CFD. The nozzles and mixer must be designed and built, and tested with the turbine in the towing tank. The experimental work will be done in a wind tunnel.


TWvB6

PROJECT TITLE: The design of an external combustion chamber for gas turbine based on turbocherger components



STUDENT:

DESCRIPTION: The SUNSPOT solar power system depends on the development of a gas turbine that can be powered by gas or solar energy. If the combustion chamber can be changed from internal to external combustion, the seamless integration of the two power sources can be achieved more easily as the solar intensity changes daily and seasonally, by adapting the number of burners to the amount of solar energy available. The concept is that of a double coil of heat exchanger tubes surrounding the gas turbine axis. This also eliminates the requirement of more or less axial flow through the combustion chamber. The student will have to design and build the external combustor and the gas burners, based on one dimensional heat transfer analysis.


WvB7

PROJECT TITLE: Analysis of the performance of a gas skottelbraai



STUDENT:

DESCRIPTION: The SUNSPOT solar power system depends on the development of a gas turbine that can be powered by gas or solar energy. A masters student is currently investigating the conversion of the department’s Rover gas turbine engine to run on propane gas. As an intermediate step we want to investigate the performance and control of a skottelbraai. The student will have to fit the skottelbraai with measuring equipment and model its performance using one-dimensional heat transfer analysis and the commercial network code, Flownex..


TWvB8

PROJECT TITLE: Prediction of slip factor of radial fans



STUDENT:

DESCRIPTION: The slip factor of radial fans, pumps and compressors relates the real change in angular momentum across the rotor to the ideal change should the flow leave the impeller at the same relative angle as the blade trailing edges. Busemann predicted the slip factor for frictionless flow for rotors with logarithmic spiral blades long ago, and Hassenplug did the same for straight bladed impellers. The objective is to find a simple correlation for straight bladed impellers based on the work of Von Backstrom for impellers with logarithmic spiral blades. On the practical side the student must come up with the design of a very simple rig to measure slip factor for parallel sided impellers with straight bladed impellers, or do some CFD simulation.

Elective module required (only for Mechanical): CFD.

NAME OF LECTURER: Prof CJ Meyer

CJM01

PROJECT TITLE: Develop a sting for the simultaneous measurement of drag, trim and sinkage of model hulls in the SU towing tank.


DIRECTION: Mechanical (yes)

STUDENT: Bradley Da Silva 16519132

DESCRIPTION: During the testing of a model hull in the SU towing tank, the drag, trim and sinkage of the hull is measured using arguably outdated methods and equipment. In more modern facilities this is usually accomplished with the use of a so-called sting that attaches to the model hull and allows for the simultaneous measurement of these quantities. The student is tasked with the development and testing of such a sting.


CJM02

PROJECT TITLE: Investigate the effect of HYSUCAT foil position on the seakeeping performance of an asymmetrical catamaran.



STUDENT:

DESCRIPTION: Investigate the resistance and sea keeping for an asymmetrical hull catamaran with changes in foil height and longitudinal position. Measure vertical accelerations both fore and aft for the series of tests in towing tank with waves. 1. Design a single deadrise asymmetrical hull. 2. Design a foil mechanism for testing foils at various positions. 3. Manufacture hulls and foil with assistance of Skeg. 4. Test (Measure acceleration and resistance and record all tests visually).


CJM03

PROJECT TITLE: Investigate the effect of spray rails and stern flaps on the performance of a 35m patrol boat hull.



STUDENT:

DESCRIPTION: Design and evaluate the effectiveness of different spray rail and stern flap arrangements on the resistance of the hull. 1. Test the bare hull without spray rails and stern flaps to establish the ‘baseline’ resistance at different speeds. 2. Retest the hull with and investigate their influence on overall resistance with increasing speed. 3. Considering the results achieved make recommendations for further work.


CJM04

PROJECT TITLE: Investigate the effect of keel pads and other bottom geometries on the performance of a planing hull



STUDENT:

DESCRIPTION: Small variations to the geometry of planning hulls are sometimes used to improve the performance of those hulls. The modifications alter the pressure distribution slightly to improve the lift to drag ratio of the hull. The aim of this investigation is to experimentally investigate the two most common forms: (1) pads and (2) keel fillet in order to establish how effective they are. 1. Design various keel pads etc. 2. Analyze hull with Savitsky for resistance values. 4. Manufacture bottom geometries with the assistance of Skeg. 5. Test


CJM05

PROJECT TITLE: Develop a test facility for the characterizing of jet pumps.



STUDENT:

DESCRIPTION: Jet or ejector pumps are often used in situations where conventional methods of pumping or suction cannot be used due to the nature of the working fluid. The latter could include a working fluid at excessively high temperatures or due to the presence of solid objects that would otherwise damage/destroy a conventional impeller.

1. Design, build and test a jet pump testing facility. 2. Construct a jet pump of known characteristics and determine its

characteristics. Compare to published data. 3. Suggest ways to improve jet pump performance. Implement and test..


CJM06

PROJECT TITLE: Determine the Reynolds-number effect on the scaling of axial flow fans performance characteristics



STUDENT:

DESCRIPTION: The performance characteristics of axial flow fans for large-scale applications are determined in a coded fan test facility through the evaluation of a geometrically scaled model of the large-scale fan. The model fan characteristics are scaled to full-size using similarity laws. The latter do not take Reynolds-number effects into account. Suggest a methodology that would allow the characterization of the Reynolds-number effect on fan scaling utilizing the coded fan test facility at SU. Implement and determine this effect.


CJM07

PROJECT TITLE: Determine the effect of hub configuration on axial flow fan performance.



STUDENT:

DESCRIPTION: The performance characteristics of axial flow fans are affected by the fan hub configuration. Perform a literature search to identify different hub configurations as well as their reported effect on fan performance. Based on the literature survey, define a range of different hub configurations and evaluate their performance for a given axial flow fan (or multiple fans) in the coded fan test facility.


NAME OF LECTURER: Mr Carl Tshamala

MCT1

PROJECT TITLE: Experimental determination of deluged air-cooled heat exchanger bundle performance characteristics



STUDENT:

DESCRIPTION: Dry-cooling systems are used in various industries, power plants and air-conditioning units to reduce the water consumption and to eliminate visible vapour plumes. To enhance the performance of these systems during high ambient temperature conditions, the heat exchanger surface can be fully or partially deluged with water to achieve evaporative cooling. The main objective of this project is to determine experimentally a the performance characteristics and develop a calculation model based on previous work done at Stellenbosch University on a deluged air-cooled heat exchager.This project requires the application of knowledge gained from Thermofluids and Design subjects.


MCT2

PROJECT TITLE: Development of a hybrid (dry/wet) dephlegmator annual performance model



STUDENT:

DESCRIPTION: Dry-cooling systems are used in various industries, power plants and air-conditioning units to reduce the water consumption and to eliminate visible vapour plumes. To enhance the performance of these systems during high ambient temperature conditions, the heat exchanger surface can be fully or partially deluged with water to achieve evaporative cooling. The aim of this project is to develop an annual performance model of a hybrid (dry/wet) dephlegmator based on previous research done at Stellenbosch University. This project requires the application of knowledge gained from Thermofluids and Design subjects.


MCT3

PROJECT TITLE: Development of a combined dry and wet cooling system annual performance model



STUDENT:

DESCRIPTION:

Dry-cooling systems are used in various industries, power plants and air-conditioning units to reduce the water consumption and to eliminate visible vapour plumes. To enhance the performance of these systems during high ambient temperature conditions, the heat exchanger surface can be fully or partially deluged with water to achieve evaporative cooling. The main objective of this project is to develop a calculation model, based on previous work done at Stellenbosch University, to predict the annual performance of a combined dry and wet cooling system. This project requires the application of knowledge gained from Thermofluids and Design subjects.


NAME OF LECTURER: F Dinter

FD 1

PROJECT TITLE: Design of a solar cooker for camping and rural application



STUDENT:

DESCRIPTION:

South Africa: Many people like to braai. A lot of sun is available. Cooking and braaiing could be done by sun.

This project should create a simple and modular solar cooker for braaiing or cooking. Easy to built and rebuilt for camping and storing.

Sunrays should be concentrated on a pan or pot.

Calculations for concentration factor and temperature received have to be done upfront.

It should be a smart and cheap design and not bigger than 2 m2. Materials can be chosen freely. Material tests and construction have to be done on our roof top laboratories, i.e. the project entails that the final design will be built as a prototype and suitably tested.

Elective module recommended (only for Mechanical):

FD2

PROJECT TITLE: Comparison of solar water heater against electrical geyser and PV panel



STUDENT:

DESCRIPTION:

This comparison includes the design and description of 2 solar water-heating systems:

a) Solar water heating system with additional electrical heater

b) Electrical geyser and solar support of electricity generation by PV panels

Both systems should only be used for solar water heating.

Design for a 4 people family house and comparison should be made theoretically, and if

systems are available, also in reality by measurements.


FD3

PROJECT TITLE: Process heat with solar applications


DIRECTION: Mechanical (Yes) Mechatronic (yes)

STUDENT:

DESCRIPTION: South Africa has one of the best solar resources in the world.

Solar heat can also be used for industry. This project should look into industries, which are able to use solar heat and make proposals for applications and design.

Tasks are: Find out, which industry uses mainly what kind of heat and energy source.

Which energy could be substituted by solar heat?

How could it work? Make some design proposals and evaluate them

Elective module required:

FD4

PROJECT TITLE: Design of a linear mirror on a two axis tracking system for optical measurement



STUDENT:

DESCRIPTION: South Africa has one of the best solar resources in the world.

Solar energy should be concentrated in a cheap way. Flat mirrors are much cheaper than bended ones. Therefore, this project should design and build a simple linear two-axis tracking focus system to concentrate the sun.

Design and calculation has to be done.

Construction work will be done in our roof top lab.


FD5

PROJECT TITLE: Curvature of glass for solar applications



STUDENT:

DESCRIPTION: Heliostats used in concentrating solar power applications benefit from accurate curved mirror modules. This project aims to gain understanding of the imperfections in glass due to deformations at the supports. The student should design and build a single or multiple simple test rigs to simulate curvature of the glass in two directions. Additionally analytical models should be implemented to determine the stress distribution in the glass and the forces on the support points. The student is required to deliver explanations for the observed phenomenon and is encouraged to investigate creative solutions.


FD6

PROJECT TITLE: Solar flux distribution in real time



STUDENT:

DESCRIPTION: Ray tracing is used to model optical systems and applications range from solar energy to computer generated imaging (CGI). For real time applications the optical flux distribution needs to be determined in a computationally efficient manner. The skripsie must include a thorough literature review of algorithms to determine flux distributions from either cone optics or a ray tracer. The student must then implement and compare various algorithms. The final deliverable is a model, which can provide the flux distribution on a complex geometry in real time for heliostat aiming strategy applications.

This student should have background in statistics, have a strong mathematical background and enjoy programming


FD7

PROJECT TITLE: Is solar energy a viable option for commercial scale irrigation in decentralised areas?

CAN PROJECT BE COMPLETED IN THE 1st SEMESTER? unsure

DIRECTION: Mechatronic: yes

STUDENT: Christo Manus Coetzee 15788121 (It is the idea from a student, I think it is worth to work on and would like to supervise him)

DESCRIPTION:

Is solar energy a viable option for commercial scale irrigation in decentralised?

The irrigation of farms is an energy intensive operation, it can account for up to 50% of a farms energy bill. With energy prices on the rise and farmers under constant pressure to keep costs down it would be a good time to start looking at alternatives.

The aim with this project is to look especially at one alternative, namely solar energy. South Africa is a country with a high annual solar radiation, which ranges between 2000 to 3000 kW/m2a. When compared to countries like Germany where investment in solar energy is high, but average solar radiation is about 1000 kW/m2a, what is restraining South African farmers from using solar energy?

Goals for the project:

Literature study on:

- Irrigation possibilites

- Renewable energy for irrigation

Design a irrigation plant with PV

Case study: Do a case study on an irrigated field for example; of 15ha under alfalfa with a weekly

irrigation need of 40mm.

Determine the cost of irrigating the field with Eskom electricity

and comparison with cost of irrigating with PV, Wind, Diesel and also hybrid models.

Cost of implementing the system:

- What will the solar system cost the farmer, and are there financing options.

- Can the system be implemented on current infrastructure, like for instance: pumps, pipes,

Electrical grid.

- Rising cost of Eskom vs the cost of solar energy.


Afdeling E&E

NAAM VAN DOSENT: Prof CJ Fourie CJF1

PROJEK TITEL: Motorhuis parkeerafstandaanwyser



STUDENT:

BESKRYWING:

Ontwikkel, bou, toets, verpak en stel ’n motorhuis parkeerafstandaanwyser in werking wat die afstand vanaf die aanwyser tot by ’n voertuig meet. Die aanwyser sal tipies teen die agterste muur van ’n motorhuis vasgemaak word, en die afstand van ’n voertuig wat ingetrek word as ’n groot digitale nommer en ’n analoogwaarde op ’n LED staaf vertoon. Die doelwit is om ’n bestuurder toe te laat om ’n voertuig herhaaldelik op presies dieselfde plek te parkeer, veral waar die voertuig se dimensies ongeveer dieselfde as die motorhuis s’n is. Daar word van u vereis om ’n energie-effektiewe ontwerp te implementeer wat etlike maande op ’n stel batterye funksioneer, en slegs aanskakel wanneer ’n voertuig opgetel word. Beide die deteksiemetode en die afstandsmetingsoplossing moet ondersoek word, en toepaslike keuses gemaak word.


NAME OF LECTURER: Dr C.E. van Daalen CvD1

PROJECT TITLE: Localisation, path planning and control of a small wheeled robot using computer vision


DIRECTION: Meganies (nee) Megatronies (ja)

STUDENT:

DESCRIPTION:

For a mobile robot to operate completely autonomously in an unknown environment, it has to locate itself in the environment, sense objects in its surroundings, construct a map of the environment, plan a collision-free path through the environment, as well as steer itself along the planned path. The goal of this project is to construct a small wheeled robot that can autonomously navigate a flat indoor environment that contains static obstacles, using a ceiling-mounted camera.

The student will need to design and construct a small, simple wheeled robot that can execute steering command received wirelessly from a PC. In addition, he/she will need to use a ceiling-mounted camera (connected to the PC) to locate and track the robot, locate obstacles in the environment and build a map of the occupied and free areas (using, for example, an occupancy grid map). The student should also implement a planning algorithm (for example, A* search) that can generate a path through the environment that would not cause any collisions with obstacles. Finally, he/she needs to design and implement a simple control system (on the PC) that would steer the robot along the planned path.

This is a very challenging topic that is suitable for a highly motivated student that is interested in robotics. The student should be willing familiarise him/herself with the relevant computer vision techniques, as well as path planning and state estimation algorithms. The student needs to be proficient in computer programming and control systems.


NAME OF LECTURER: Dr DIL de Villiers DdV1

PROJECT TITLE: General Matching Network Optimiser



STUDENT:

DESCRIPTION:

Matching of complex frequency dependent loads is a difficult network problem, and is typically solved by optimisation. In this project a computer code must be developed which produces an optimum matching network between any two frequency dependent load/source impedances, by optimising both the topology and element values of the matching network. There is much scope for more advanced implementations, and a strong candidate has the opportunity to develop a very helpful design tool for the electronics and electromagnetics group. The code will be tested by construction and measurement of a simple dipole antenna with a matching network.

Optimisation problems are common to all fields of engineering, and valuable insight will be gained into this dynamic field on the completion of this project.


NAME OF LECTURER: Prof G-J van Rooyen

GVR1

PROJECT TITLE: 3D Logo for 3D printers

CAN PROJECT BE COMPLETED IN THE 1st SEMESTER? yes


STUDENT:

DESCRIPTION:

Logo is an educational programming language created in the late 60s. It used the novelty of computer graphics at that time, combined with a simple and intuitive syntax, to teach children how to program using a functional programming language (a dialect of Lisp). In Logo, the programmer controls the movement of a “turtle”, that draws shapes on the 2D screen as it moves. For example, to draw a square, the programmer would write:

repeat 4 [ forward 100 right 90 ]

Today, seeing colourful shapes appear on a glowing computer screen is much less novel than 30 years ago, and unlikely to draw children into experimenting with computers. Rather, in this project, the student must design a dialect of the Logo language that can interact with the print head (extruder) of a 3D printer, instead of a simulated turtle. The goal is to allow young programmers to create complex objects using a simple functional language.

For example, the simple program

repeat 200 [ repeat 4 [ forward 100 right 90 ] up 1 ]

should create a square tube 200 units high, and 100 units along each edge. More advanced objects created using simple scripts, could include vases, cubes, miniature buildings and chess pieces.

This project requires a combination of good software skills (the student will have to create a simple but functioning parser) and a good understanding of the mechanical and physical constraints of 3D printing. Many of the design considerations have to do with the physical limitations of extrusion printing, rather than software.


NAME OF LECTURER: Dr PG Wiid

PGW1

PROJECT TITLE: Huff-Duff or High Frequency Direction Finder (HFDF)

CAN PROJECT BE COMPLETED IN THE 1st SEMESTER? (yes / no) YES


STUDENT:

DESCRIPTION:

The project will involve designing, building and testing a high frequency direction finding device which uses a single antenna on a rotating disc, which allows direction finding through Doppler-shift signal processing.

The design will include the design of the antenna, rotational control and digital signal processing of the received signals to determine the direction it originates from.


NAME OF LECTURER: Dr HA Engelbrecht HAE1

PROJECT TITLE: Steering Mechanisms for Driving Simulator



STUDENT:

DESCRIPTION:

This topic entails the development of a force-feedback steering wheel and driving pedals for use with a driving simulator. The student will have to develop the hardware for the steering wheel and two foot pedals (acceleration and braking) as well as USB interfaces so that the hardware can be used to control a driving simulator (such as Live for Speed) using a Human Interface Device (HID) protocol.

The topic has three distinct components:

(1) Mechanical design and construction of the steering wheel and pedals

(2) Electronics (probably using a microcontroller) for reading the sensor data from the steering wheel and pedals and interfacing via USB with a PC.

(3) Firmware development that implements the USB HID protocol.

The student will have to investigate the USB HID protocol for force-feedback devices (and game controllers) to determine the design requirements for the steering wheel and pedals. The USB HID protocol will also specify the functionality that must be implemented for the firmware so that the devices can properly communicate with the PC.


NAME OF LECTURER: Mr JAA Engelbrecht JAAE1

PROJECT TITLE: Feedback Control of a Two-Axis Pendulum Demonstrator



STUDENT:

DESCRIPTION:

A feedback control system for a two-axis pendulum demonstrator must be designed, implemented and verified. The demonstrator consists of a swinging pendulum with a propellor at the end. The pendulum swings freely about a hinge, and is mounted on a platform that can rotate freely about the vertical axis. The speed of the propellor can be controlled to change the magnitude of the thrust and it can be rotated to change the direction of the thrust. The propellor must be used to control both the angle of the pendulum relative to the vertical axis, and the azimuth angle of the platform on which it stands. The two-axis pendulum demonstrator must be constructed, and the feedback control system must be practically demonstrated.


NAME OF LECTURER: Dr. Johan Beukes Reference: JB1

PROJECT TITLE: Acoustic sensor on distribution transformers



STUDENT:

DESCRIPTION:

Design, build and test an acoustic sensor that will fit onto a distribution transformer. The sensor will feed signals to a processor that needs to identify several activities, including tampering, surge arresor failure and mechanical problems. A TMS320F28335 processor will be used and will be programmed in C.


NAAM VAN DOSENT: Prof JB de Swardt JBdeS1

PROJEK TITEL: Mikrogolf sterilisasie van vloeistowwe



STUDENT:

BESKRYWING:

Vloeistowwe word tipies met ultra violet lig of stoom gesteriliseer. Dit is egter ook moontlik om mikrogolwe hiervoor te gebruik. In hierdie skripsie sal komponente van 'n kommersiële mikrogolf oond gebruik word om so 'n steriliseerder te bou. Ekstra sensors (bv. temperatuur en humiditeit) sal gebruik word om die proses te beheer. Bestaande mikrogolf meettoerusting kan gebruik word om die effektiwiteit daarvan te bepaal. 'n Mikroverwerker en rekenaar sal gebruik word om die sensors te lees en die proses te beheer. Basiese vaardighede in analoog elektronika en programmering sal dus benodig word.


NAAM VAN DOSENT: Dr. J.M. Strauss JMS1

PROJEK TITEL: Stringgeleiervervaardigingsaanleg

KAN DIE PROJEK IN DIE EERSTE SEMESTER VOLTOOI WORD? (ja / nee) Nee


STUDENT:

BESKRYWING:

By die Elektriese Masjiene groep vervaardig ons spesiale masjiene waarvoor ons self die stringgeleiers vervaardig. Tans maak ons gebruik van ŉ baie eenvoudige metode, maar die resultaat is nie altyd so goed nie.

Hierdie projek het ten doel die ontwerp van ŉ elektroniese beheerder van ŉ vervaardigingsaanleg vir stringgeleiers. Die meganika is reeds gebou, maar daar is nog heelwat verbeteringe wat aangebring kan word. Die kandidaat gaan blootstelling kry aan digitale – en analoog stroombaanontwerp en mikroverwerker programmering en ŉ bietjie masjienaandrywing. Ook sal die kandidaat meganiese ontwerp en vervaardiging moet doen.


NAME OF LECTURER: Prof. HJ Vermeulen HJV1

PROJECT TITLE: Heat Loss Modelling of Hot Water Geyser Systems



STUDENT:

DESCRIPTION: A recent international study of locally manufactured hot water geysers has raised a number of issues around the measurement of standing losses for units with different internal heating element and thermostat configurations. This project involves an investigation to model the thermodynamic behaviour of water inside a hot water geyser during heating and cooling cycles. The project involves the following tasks:

o Thermodynamic modelling of a typical geyser configuration, allowing for different configurations of the thermostat and heating elements and diffrent control modes.

o Design and implementation of a test arrangement for testing standing losses under laboratory conditions in an environmental chamber.

o Conducting tests on geyser units to verify the losses against the SANS151 test standard.

o Laboratory investigation of the effects of external and internal piping arrangements, including lagging, on the overall losses associated with a geyser installation .


NAAM VAN DOSENT: J Treurnicht JT1

PROJEK TITEL: Flexible motor control system tutor

KAN DIE PROJEK IN DIE EERSTE SEMESTER VOLTOOI WORD? (ja / nee)


STUDENT:

BESKRYWING:

The purpose of this tutor is to construct a flexible dc motor based tutor for control system education (undergraduate) purposes. The emphasis is on a modular approach, where the system can be constructed by “assembling” different modules to achieve a specific goal. One of the major challenges that need to be addressed is that the system must also provide visual feedback to the user (a thin motor axle or a disc that spins fast cannot be considered realistic visual feedback). The student must investigate existing approaches and designs and apply an out-of-the-box approach to achieve this goal.

The emphasis is 60% on the mechanical and system design, with the remainder being the electronic design and computer interface to use it from Matlab.. The minimum modules to be designed would be the motor, angle encoder, inertia-type of load and one other type of function (e.g. backlash module).


NAME OF LECTURER: Prof MJ Kamper MJK1

PROJECT TITLE: Downwind yaw damper



STUDENT:

DESCRIPTION:

In small scale wind turbines downwind turbine rotors (i.e. with the rotor blades on the lee side of the tower) are often used. Also downwind turbine rotors can be built without an active yaw control mechanism, i.e. the nacelle and rotor follow the wind passively. However, the dynamics of a passive yaw system on top of a tower may be dangerous as for example gyroscopic loads may be induced. The passive downwind yaw system, hence, needs a damper mechanism to damp the dynamics of the system.

In this project the dynamics of a small-scale downwind turbine system will first be investigated followed by the design and build of an eddy-current damper. The damper must be designed to damp the dynamics of the system, however in such a way that the nacelle and rotor still follow the wind direction relatively fast. The eddy-current damper consists of a set of permanent magnets and an eddy-current conducting ring. These components must be designed to generate the correct damping. The damper must be built and tested on an available small-scale wind turbine system.


NAME OF LECTURER: Dr N Gule NG1

PROJECT TITLE: Design, Optimisation and Comparison of an Induction Machine and a Synchronous Machine



STUDENT:

DESCRIPTION:

Recently, the reluctance synchronous machine (RSM) has been introduced to industry and is considered to be an effective alternative to the mainly used induction machine (IM) especially in the low power range. Also, copper cast efficient IMs are making inroads in low power industry applications.

Most reports have focussed on comparing an optimised RSM to an ordinary off the shelf IM. In this study, both the RSM and IM will be optimally designed and compared under similar constrained conditions. The optimisation will be carried out using a finite element package as well as an optimisation toolbox. The results will be used to verify the conditions in which each of these machines can be better utilised.


NAME OF LECTURER: Dr PJ Randewijk

PJR1

PROJECT TITLE: Urban eMobility



STUDENT: Mnr JC Delport 18147763

DESCRIPTION:

The project is to develop a eco-friendly solution for personal urban mobility. A smaller more energy efficient alternative to the single occupant automobile. The student will develop a electric bicycle or scooter and the associated power electronics to manage the battery, power the motor and interface with the user. The range of the vehicle should be suitable for commuting from home to work in the city. A suitable control system will also have to be developed.


NAAM VAN DOSENT: Prof P Meyer PM1

PROJEK TITEL: Ontwerp van 'n Lintmikrofoon

KAN DIE PROJEK IN DIE EERSTE SEMESTER VOLTOOI WORD? Ja


STUDENT:

BESKRYWING:

Die ontwerp van 'n mikrofoon vereis 'n akoestiese en elektromagnetiese ontwerp. Hierdie projek sal primer fokus op die akoestiese ontwerp, asook die elektronika wat saam met 'n mikrofoon gaan.


NAME OF LECTURER: Dr R Wolhuter

RW1

PROJECT TITLE: Simple Telemetry System for Renewable Energy Monitoring



STUDENT:

DESCRIPTION:

A need exists for the development of a simple radio based telemetry system that could be deployed to monitor key parameters amongst distributed renewable energy sources. A typical scenario would consist of a number of wind generators, or PV generating sites in a particular area, within reasonable proximity of each other. It will be a requirement to monitor generating voltage, current, faults etc at each site and transmit these values to a central Master Station. The transmission medium should be licence free radio, probably in the 433MHz band. These stations should be easily configurable, based on something like an Arduino, or Raspberry Pi. Units will be self addressing and be battery powered, backed up by solar. A simple web based Master station displaying the field parameters, is also required.


NAME OF LECTURER: Roger Wang

Reference: RJW1

PROJECT TITLE: Design and performance evaluation of a line-start RSM



STUDENT:

DESCRIPTION:

Global environmental concerns raise the need for improving energy efficiency in industry. There has been significant research effort into developing alternative energy efficient motors. Amongst others, the line-start reluctance synchronous motor (LS-RSM) has been regarded as a promising candidate to replace traditional line-start induction motor. This project is to optimally design, construct and experimentally evaluate a novel line-start reluctance synchronous motor (LS-RSM) for cooling fan applications. The experimental investigation will focus specifically on the steady-state performance, starting and synchronisation capability. The outcome of this project will outline the advantages and disadvantages of the proposed LS-RSM and evaluate the true energy efficiency benefits of this type of motor.


NAME OF LECTURER: Prof T Jones TJ1

PROJECT TITLE: Stabilised 3-Axis camera gimbal with Lorentz force actuation



STUDENT:

DESCRIPTION:

Stabilised camera gimbals are normally actuated using complex brushless multi-pole motors. These motors are ITAR-controlled, expensive and generally difficult to source or create. An interesting possible replacement motor for precise gimbal actuation would be a monopole motor, actuated by Lorentz force. A small microprocessor may be used in conjunction with rate gyroscopes to measure the inertial rotation rates of the gimbals and to control the current (and current direction) in the rotor of the motor at very high bandwidth, thereby stabilising the gimbals at very high bandwidth and precision.

The student will research the applicability of a Lorentz force motor to actuate and stabilise a 3-axis camera gimbal. A balanced gimbal will be designed, fabricated and tested, including analogue and digital electronics, mechanics and a small wireless camera.


NAME OF LECTURER: Prof H du T Mouton

HdTM1

PROJECT TITLE: Pill dispensing robot

CAN PROJECT BE COMPLETED IN THE 1st SEMESTER? yes


STUDENT:

DESCRIPTION: The aim of this project is to develop an automatic pill dispenser for patients in hospitals. The pill dispenser will scan the patient’s identity tag and dispense the appropriate medication. The device can also be used in pharmacies or in old-age homes.


NAME OF LECTURER: Prof TR Niesler

TRN1

PROJECT TITLE: Sand abrasion testing setup

CAN PROJECT BE COMPLETED IN THE 1st SEMESTER? no


STUDENT:

DESCRIPTION:

Development of a test rig to determine the effect of sand abrasion on solar cells (or other surfaces). When erected in windy and especially coastal areas, sand abrasion is an important factor when deciding on the placement of photovolatic (PV) solar arrays. The abrasion is expected to lead to reduced light transmission and hence reduced output. Thus, the effective lifetime of the solar array may be reduced. This project will entail the design, construction and testing of a rig that will allow the simulation of accelerated sand abrasion. The rig will include a source of airflow, a way to measure and control the airflow, a means to introduce controlled quantities of sand into the airflow, a way to mount the testing sample, and a way to collect the sand after it has passed over the sample for later re-use. The systems should be controlled by a microprocessor, allowing the operator to set experimental conditions. This project will be carried out in collaboration with the Department of Forestry and Wood Science, who have a current research project concerning the optimal placement of solar arrays.

Elective module required (only for Mechanical): N.A.

NAME OF LECTURER: Mr Willem Smit Reference: WAS1

PROJECT TITLE: Rotating LED Display



STUDENT:

DESCRIPTION:

The idea of the project is to build a display that relies on the 'memory' of the human eye in order to build up an image. The design consists of a thin rod with small and bright tri-colour LED's. The LED's are turned on at the right moments to build up an image. The student will have to be comfortable with and skilled at fine mechanical design, programmable logic, processors and software in order to complete the project.


NAME OF LECTURER: Prof WJ Perold Reference: WJP1

PROJECT TITLE: Design and fabrication of a nanosensor



STUDENT:

DESCRIPTION:

Microfluidic devices are becoming very popular as diagnostic tools. The so-called "lab on a chip" microfluidic device normally consists of microfluidic channels, where liquids (e.g. blood, sputem, contaminated water, etc.) are manipulated on a nanolitre scale. Manipulation may involve the electronic transport of droplets or mixing the droplets with reagents. Ultimately the droplets are transported to a sensing device, where the appropriate measurements are taken and recorded. These sensors are designed to be very specific for the presence of, for example, pathogens like TB and E coli, or for other contaminants or partticles.

This project will focus on the design and fabrication of a sensing device that can be utilised in a microfluidic device. The sensing mechanism can utilise a number of materials (e.g. ZnO nanorods, carbon nanotubes, graphene, etc.) and can also be combined with 'amplifying' structures, such as surface acoustic wave devices.

The project will require a thorough literature study on nanosensors and the fabrication of nano-devices. The manufacture of the device (photolithography, thin film depostion, etching, etc.) will be done in the nano-laboratory by the student himself, as well as the inspection processes using Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), amongst others.


Documents

DIVISION: Mechanics NAME OF LECTURER: Dr Annie ... Mechanics NAME OF LECTURER: Dr Annie Bekker ABEK1 PROJECT TITLE: The reconstruction and assessment of human vibration on the Dynamic