MECHANICAL

Rapid Engineering

- Project or Honours Thesis - (1 student) Semester 1 2016 Start date

Supervisors; Paul Briozzo

(Room S318, Bldg J07)

<paulb@aeromech.usyd.edu.au> A recently purchased 3D printer, the CubePro Duo offers the ability to print filament

materials other than the traditional ABS and PLA. One material that this Thesis may focus on

is Nylon. The requirement would be to develop operating procedures and perform materials

testing of printed Nylon components. The ultimate aim is to compare results obtained for

ABS, PLA and Nylon and to develop safe working practices and an operating knowledge that

could be readily applied to practical use.

The main requirements of the suitable candidate would be; 1. A strong interest in CAD and Manufacturing Engineering.

2. Completed MECH3660, 9660 or AMME 5902.

3. Prior experience in FDM would be a distinct advantage.

Use of LS-DYNA in the Analysis of Manufacturing Processes or

Mechanical Design - Project or Honours Thesis

(unlimited No. of students) Semester 1 2016 Start date

Supervisors: Paul Briozzo

(Room S318, Bldg J07)

<paulb@aeromech.usyd.edu.au>

This is an open ended Thesis topic that deals with interesting areas related to Manufacturing

or Design that may be analysed by using LS-DYNA.

The main requirements of the suitable candidates would be;

1. A strong interest in CAD and FEA.

2. Completed AMME5912 or prepared to undertake the subject in Semester 1 2016.

3. A high skill level in the use of computers.

Choose your own Mechanical Design adventure

- Project or Honours Thesis (unlimited No. of students)

Semester 1 or 2 2016 Start date

Supervisors; Paul Briozzo

(Room S318, Bldg J07)

<paulb@aeromech.usyd.edu.au>

Students to undertake a Mechanical Design in a particular area of interest will be considered.

Preferred areas include but are not limited to, the development of software to carry out;

Mechanical Design component selection, the creative design process and other areas that may

interest

Industry Sponsored Projects or Thesis

-Project or Honours Thesis (unlimited No. of students)

Semester 1 or 2 2016 Start date

Supervisors; Paul Briozzo

(Room S318, Bldg J07)

<paulb@aeromech.usyd.edu.au>

Students that require an Internal Academic Supervisor are welcome to submit their proposal

for consideration. External Project topics should be of a Mechanical Design or Manufacturing

Engineering nature.

HONOURS PROJECTS

Contact: A/Prof. Julie Cairney, Associate Professor, AMME

Location: Australian Centre for Microscopy and Microanalysis, Madsen Building F09,

LG

Email: julie.cairney@sydney.edu.au

Phone: + 61 2 9351 4523

Working with the biomedical industry to develop 3D printed medical devices

3DMedical are an exciting new start up based in Melbourne. They recently listed with the

ASX and are already Australia’s leading medical and healthcare specific

technology provider. In an Australian first, they recently developed a 3D printed and

customised titanium jaw joint which was used to correct a rare jaw deformity in a 32-

year-old male (x-ray shown below).

In this project, you will work closely with the 3D Medical to develop new 3D printed

products for orthopaedics. By undertaking a thorough review of the current orthopaedic

consumables, you will be expected to identify the top 5 applications in which 3D printing

could ‘disrupt’ the market for existing technologies. From there, you will be design and

print a prototype product.

The student undertaking this honours project will have the opportunity to undertake an

industry placement in Melbourne over summer with 3DMedical.

http://3dmedical.com.au/

3D imaging of cells on scaffolds

The successful use of scaffolds for biomedical applications depends on how tissue grows

into structures on the macroscopic scale but also at the cell level. The University of

Sydney has recently acquired a state of the art ‘focused ion beam’ microscope that is

capable of generating 3D images of cells on surfaces, along with the ability to analyse the

composition and anatomic features of the tissue at and below cell level. This project will

involve the 3D imaging of cells on scaffolds, providing completely new information

about the morphology of the cells, the surface attachment preferences of the cell on

bioactive materials, and possible resulting changes in the anatomy of the cells throughout

attachment and proliferation phases. This will be useful in the design of future bioactive

scaffolds and implant interfaces. The project will be supervised by Julie Cairney and Phil

Boughton.

This project is suitable for Honours Thesis A/B

Figure: A 3D image of a cell (not a model, but a reconstructed microscopy image!) and

an image of an electron microscope similar to the focused ion beam.

High wear alloys for the mining industry (with Weir Minerals)

Weir Minerals are multinational company, with a research lab in Artarmon, who produce

metal parts for the minerals processing industry. They have developed a new alloy that

has very high wear resistance and lasts up to three times as long than their previous

product, and can lead to longer-lasting parts. This is critical for the mining sector, as

instrument down time for replacement of parts can cost many millions of dollars per day

in lost production. The aim of this project is to understand how the microstructure of

these new alloys contributes to wear resistance, by using state of the art microscopy and

microanalysis techniques. This information can then be used for further alloy

improvements. The project will be carried out in collaboration with Weir Minerals

This project is suitable for Honours Thesis A/B

Figure: Scanning electron microscope / electron backscatter diffraction images showing

the orientation of grains and carbides in cast iron samples from Weir minerals

A new tool to map the orientation of grains in nanocrystalline alloys

Understanding how the grains are oriented in materials is often critical for the materials

design process. At the University of Sydney, we have been instrumental in the

development of a new microscopy technique, called ‘Transmission Kikuchi Diffraction

(TKD)’. This method can be used to map the orientation of grains with a very high

resolution, and is now being used to better understand fine-grained materials, such as

nanocrystalline alloys. Although we can use the technique, we still don’t fully understand

how it works. This project will involve the comparison of data from conventional

transmission electron microscopy techniques with images obtained through TKD, to

better understand the contrast mechanisms and the potential future applications.

This project is suitable for Honours Thesis A/B

Figure: A nanocrystalline metal film imaged under different conditions using TKD

Assessment of new Nickel-based alloys as structural materials for future nuclear

reactors.

Nickel-based alloys are being studied to assess their suitability as structural materials for

future Generation IV thorium molten salt reactor systems operating at much higher

temperatures, corrosion environments and neutron radiation fluxes than currently used

fission reactor technologies. At present, researchers at the Australian Nuclear Science

and Technology Organisation (ANTSO) at Lucas Heights, in collaboration with the

Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics (SINAP) in China, are working on specific nickel-

based alloys identified for their potential to withstand the extreme environments in such

systems. The project will explore the alloys’ microstructure and mechanical properties in

simulated molten salt reactor conditions, using microanalysis techniques and mechanical

testing. Information from this research can then be used to better understand the

microstructure-property issues that may lead to possible service failure of the Ni-based

alloys and to provide information about alloy in regards to safety and applicability.

This project is suitable for Honours Thesis A/B

Figures: Molten salt reactor schematic and an image of the microstructure of an Ni-based

alloy produced by Electron Backscatter Diffraction (EBSD)

Ex-situ EBSD observation of martensitic transformation in an intergranular

corrosion area of austenitic stainless steel during thermal cycling

For high temperature applications, such as in new-generation energy technologies,

austenitic stainless steels offer an attractive combination of economy and mechanical /

corrosion properties. For example, concentrated solar power (CSP) is a growing

renewable energy technology, but its effective use requires cost-effective and corrosion

resistant materials for tubing and piping that can operate for extended periods at high

temperatures and withstand thermal cycling between around 900 oC in the day and room

temperature at night. Like many energy technologies, this application demands affordable

alloys characterized by high strength and superior high temperature corrosion resistance.

Due to the high cost of Ni-based alloys, austenitic stainless steels (ASSs) are presently

the most suitable materials. However, an oxidation-assisted martensitic phase

transformation was observed in an austenitic stainless steel after thermal cycling up to

970 °C in air in a solar thermal steam reformer. The intergranular corrosion (IGC) areas

were investigated by electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD), transmission Kikuchi

diffraction (TKD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The structural-and-

chemical maps revealed that within IGC areas this martensitic transformation primarily

occurs in oxidation-induced chromium-depleted zones, rather than due to only

sensitization. This displacive transformation may also play a significant role in the rate at

which intergranular corrosion takes place. The project will explore the mechanism behind

this phase transformation within IGC areas in the ASS during thermal cycling. More

specifically, ex-situ EBSD observation will be performed to understand this new failure

mechanism. Samples from a commercial ASS (Sandvik 253MA) will be heat treated in a

tube furnace in air at several selected temperatures (from 200°C up to 970°C, then down

to 200°C). Information from this research can then be used to design new ASSs.

This project is suitable for Honours Thesis A/B

Figures: Concentrated Solar Tower, CSIRO Newcastle and an intergranular corrosion

crack with martensitic phase transformation highlighted in red

Dr Li Chang

Field of Expertise: Precision Manufacturing and Nanotribology

Phone: +61-02-9351 5572

E-mail: li.chang@sydney.edu.au

Thesis Topics:

Title: Determination of fracture behaviour of soft materials (1-2 students)

(Honours thesis)

In modern materials science, how to accurately characterize the fracture behaviour of soft materials has been

a longstanding problem. The highly extensible behaviour of soft materials leads to both crack growth and

crack blunting which are difficult to separate. Consequently, the existing standard fracture tests may not

draw a clear distinction between fracture toughness (contributing to crack propagation) and strength

(contributing to crack blunting) of soft specimens. Owing to the lack of the reliable data of fracture

toughness, the design and use of soft matter in engineering applications are often limited.

Recently, the cutting methods (such as blade cutting, orthogonal cutting and wire cutting) have attracted

significant research interest, in which materials are removed and the separation work, i.e., the fracture

energy (GC) can be determined. The methods seem elegantly simple and promising. However, there are

several issues still outstanding concerning the validity of the fracture analysis in cutting process. For

instance, it remains unclear how the sharpness of the cutting tools effects on the fracture measurement. This

project aims to understand the role of fracture in material removal in cutting process. It will deliver the

necessary experimental data and the basic science in developing new standard methods for determining the

fracture toughness throughout material removal i.e., the cutting tests. The new methods will provide new

capabilities to characterise tough polymers, thin films, some biomaterials and more.

(a) (b) (c)

Figure 1 Schematic representation of fracture tests by using the cutting methods a) blade cutting [1], b)

orthogonal cutting [2] and c) wire cutting [3]

Title: Shear-thickening and structure formation in suspensions (1-2 students)

(Honours Thesis)

Shear thickening fluids (STFs) are unique materials, displaying recoverable phase transitions between liquid

and "solid" phases due to significant changes in viscosity at a critical rate of shear. Normally, shear-

thickening is observed in highly concentrated dispersion systems. Such highly nonlinear behaviour is of

great practical and fundamental importance. One promising application of STFs is to develop adaptive,

energy-dissipation systems, in which STFs can divert or dissipate the energy via viscosity, friction,

"plasticity" or "fracture", depending on loading conditions. In fact, the use of STFs as adaptive energy-

dissipation materials has created significant industrial and commercial innovations, e.g. new polishing

techniques, smart damping and brake devices and "liquid armour".

However, fundamental knowledge of STFs at near to and after the shear thickening transition is lacking.

There is still no a satisfying mathematical treatment of the mechanics of shear-thickening in the literature.

This project aims to establish fundamental knowledge in developing STFs as adaptive energy dissipation

materials for practical applications, which will be achieved by a thorough study on both rheological and

"solid-like" behaviours of STFs before and after the shear thickening transition. The outcomes of the work

will not only advance the basic knowledge of STFs for the research community, but also bring significant

economic opportunities for the industries to develop new STFs-based energy-absorbing systems.

Fig. 2.2 Figure 2: SEM image of particles dispersed in the suspension shown in Figure 2.1

Figure 2.1: Photos of the experiment of removing a stick out of the STF at (a) low and (b) high speed.

(a) (b)

vBhighB vBlowB

3) Development of high performance wear-resistant polymeric nanocomposites (1-2 students)

(Honours Thesis)

Over the past decades, polymer composites have been increasingly applied as structural materials in the

aerospace, automotive, and chemical industries, providing lower weight alternatives to metallic materials. A

number of these applications are concentrated on tribological components, such as gears, cams, bearings and

seals, where the self-lubrication of polymers is of special advantage. It is a current trend in the development

of polymers to seek materials retaining reliable properties at high temperatures. One example for such

requirement is the new generation of the bushings which is supposed to be used as camshaft bearings in high

pressure, diesel fuel injection pumps (Figure 3), or even in the engine of the cars. In this case, polymer

composites have to operate as tribo-elements at relatively high environmental temperature, e.g. 120o

C, and

the demand for high wear resistance becomes increasingly important. High temperature polymers such as

polyetheretherketone (PEEK) or polyetherimide (PEI) are particularly interesting candidates for these

tribological applications.

To meet the increasing industrial demands, various fillers were used to overcome the inhibited weakness of

polymers to achieve high wear resistance under extreme sliding conditions. In particular, with the booming

of nano-phased materials, nano-sized fillers such as nanoparticles and carbon nanotubes have also come

under consideration, and results have shown that such fillers are promising for improving the wear-

resistance of polymers even at very low filler content (about 1 ~ 4 vol.-%). However, the role of nano-sized

fillers in determining the hybrid polymeric composites is still unclear. This project aims to provide reliable

material data for characterise the wear properties of polymer composites filled with and without

nanoparticles. Further, the formation of transfer films with and without nanofillers will be particularly

investigated. It can be considered as a first step towards a new generation high performance wear resistance

polymeric nanocomposites.

Figure 3. Camshaft journal bearings in a diesel fuel injection pump (upper left: view into a real pump; upper

right schematic, three dimensional drawing of the bearings’ position); Courtesy of Robert Bosch GmbH,

Stuttgart, Germany (modified)

Camshaft Journal Bearings

Enhancement of Injection Pressure and

therefore of Engine‘s Degree of Efficiency

Operating

Temperature T = 100°C http://www.manager-magazin.de/magazin/artikel/0,2828,342084-2,00.html

Dr Matthew Cleary

Room S513, ME Bldg , m.cleary@sydney.edu.au

Title: Modelling of NOx emissions from the burning of coal and biomass

The cofiring of coal and biomass can reduce CO2 emissions from electricity generation

and also our reliance on fossil fuels. However, due to composition differences between

coal and biomass, technical problems such variations in toxic gas emissions can arise

when the biomass fraction rises above just a few percent. But with careful analysis and

plant design, the addition of biomass can lead simultaneous reductions of global and

local pollutants. We will develop quality computational combustion models to address

this issue. The models will be accurate and affordable so as to provide valuable

fundamental tools to assist both engineering designers and operators of electricity

generating plant.

This project will focus on prediction of NOx from a single coal and/or biomass particle

undergoing combinations of evaporation, pyrolysis and char reactions. It will involve

implementation of the models into a numerical solver such as Matlab and validation of

the predictions against available experimental data.

Dr Matthew Cleary

Room S513, ME Bldg , m.cleary@sydney.edu.au

Title: Computational fluid dynamics of swirl and bluff-body stabilised flames

Due to high mass throughput rates, modern gas turbine combustors operate very close

to the point of flame blowoff. Avoidance of blowoff is the critical concern in combustor

design as it can lead to complete loss of power. Swirl and bluff-body stabilisers are

commonly used to hold the flame in place and minimise flame length. Due to

environmental concerns and finite oil supplies, there is increasing use of exotic fuels

with vastly different combustion properties. Fuel flexible gas turbines are in demand

but the stabilisation mechanisms designed for conventional fuels are not always suitable

and simple fuel substitution can lead to catastrophic failure. Gas turbine designers such

as General Electric and Rolls Royce are increasingly using computational fluid

dynamics (CFD) to improve their designs.

The aim of this thesis is to perform a CFD model of swirl and bluff-body stabilised

flames, make comparison to experimental data and explore the sensitivity to changes in

the fuel.

Students are expected to have taken or to be taking the CFD elective course.

Dr Matthew Cleary

Room S513, ME Bldg , m.cleary@sydney.edu.au

Title: Dispersion of pulmonary drugs in inhaler devices and the respiratory tract

Pulmonary drug delivery via inhaled powders is an efficient form of therapy for a range

of diseases. Although inhalers are part of a multi-billion dollar industry, currently

available dry powder inhalers are unable to ensure consistent dose delivery to the lungs.

Improvements will rely on improved computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modelling to

gain a better understanding of the powder dispersion and de-agglomeration.

The project will involve the development of models for particle de-agglomeration via a

statistical population balance equation approach and comparison against idealised

laboratory data. Two projects are available: one will concentrate on turbulent dispersion

and deagglomeration and the other on deagglomeration by mechanical impaction.

This project has a very high level of mathematics. Students are also expected to have

taken or to be taking the CFD elective course.

Title: Novel propulsors which mimic nature for long-range autonomous vessels

Autonomous sea-going vessels are used or have potential use for exploration,

monitoring of equipment such as undersea cables and oil rigs, and for military

purposes. Since the vessels are powered by solar, wind and wave energy, it is important

to minimise power usage. Optimisation of the propulsion system is a major way of

achieving that. Additionally, if used for military purposes, low noise generation is

required. Propulsors which mimic nature (e.g. fin and tail motion) have been suggested.

This project will use computational fluid dynamics to investigate various propulsor

designs.

Students are also expected to have taken or to be taking the CFD elective course.

Title: CFD modelling of internal combustion engines

Internal combustion engine technology is evolving rapidly. There has been a shift

towards small diesel engines in the past decade using common rail injector technology.

Emission regulations are progressively tighter demanding reductions in NOx and soot

emissions. Stratified charge and biofuel burning engines are also under development.

Engine workshop tests are expensive and designers are using CFD to do much of the

design work.

This project will pioneer the use of moving mesh CFD in the Clean Combustion

Research Group. Commercial and opensource software may be used, with an emphasis

on theory-informed practical engine design.

Students are also expected to have taken or to be taking the CFD elective course.

Supervisor: Dr. Matthew Dunn (matthew.dunn@sydney.edu.au),

Rm S 505 (Mech. Eng.)

I am offering a number of thesis topics in energy and thermofluids related areas

including, but not limited to: combustion, thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, heat

transfer, solar reactors, heating ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) and

refrigeration. Some samples of the topics I am offering are detailed below. Most

projects can be tailored to take advantage of particular skills and interests in areas

such as mechanical design, practical experiments, thermodynamics, fluid

mechanics, computational fluid dynamics (CFD), programming, chemistry, lasers,

spectroscopy, physics and signal processing. If you are interested in any of the topics or topic areas I have

outlined, please come and see me to discuss further as well as to find out about additional topics that I am

offering that are not outlined below.

Oxy-fuel combustion as route towards carbon neutral power generation

Oxy-fuel combustion is a mode of combustion that

utilizes an oxidiser of oxygen and a diluent such as

carbon dioxide. Significant further developments

in the understanding and prediction of oxy-fuel

combustion are necessary for the development of

next generation combustion cycles that allow

carbon capture processes such as clean coal and

natural gas power generation technologies. This

project will seek to build upon recently obtained

experimental results to further understand the

flame stability, flame extinction and radiant

emissions in oxyfuel flames. Both experiments

utilising advanced laser diagnostic techniques and

numerical modelling streams for this project are

available.

Chemiluminescence image of a typical laboratory

scale oxy-fuel flame

Formation of nanoparticles in conventional and Biodiesel flames

Nanoparticles are renowned for featuring an extreme bio-reactivity, this bio-reactivity has recently been

exploited in cancer drug delivery using nanoparticle encapsulated cancer drug delivery. The extreme bio-

reactivity of nanoparticles can also be an extreme health hazard if the nanoparticles are formed in flames

or other chemical processes resulting in particles with an extreme toxicity and carcinogenic properties.

Combustion formed nanoparticles from Diesel engines are becoming an increasing concern and

correspondingly modern emission regulations such as in Euro 5 and Euro 6 attempt to regulate their

emission. Biodiesels are a promising alternative to fossil fuel derived Diesel in terms of sustainability and

carbon cycle neutrality, however there is significant debate and conflicting experimental evidence as to if

Biodiesels enhance or inhibit nanoparticle production when combusted. This project will the investigate

the nanoparticle formation and sooting properties of different fuels including biodiesels to determine the

presence, size and quantity of nanoparticles and soot using advanced laser diagnostic techniques.

Utilising high speed CMOS cameras for measurements in combustion

The use of high speed cameras in many popular

TV shows (MythBusters) and YouTube channels

(The Slow Mo Guys) is testament to insights

(and wow factor) that can be obtained from

viewing events at high speed. Recent

applications of high speed CMOS cameras to

combustion applications have revealed many

new insights into transient combustion

phenomena. This project will focus on the

application of high speed CMOS cameras to

combustion applications where quantitative

measurements are desired. A particular emphasis

of this project will be to extend the use of high

speed imaging to go beyond feature tracking to

the analysis of temporally varying quantities

such as temperature and fuel concentration.

Solar fuels and solar reactors

Solar energy is an abundant energy source that is being investigated as a source to drive industrial energy

intensive processes such as the formation of hydrocarbon fuels (such as Diesel and jet A fuel) from water,

CO2 and air. Whilst this may initially seem ridiculous from a thermodynamic perspective, in that the

formation of fuel from combustion products is highly endothermic process, they key point to understand

here is that all of the energy to drive the reaction is delivered from the sun and is essentially free. This

project will leverage high powered lasers to allow the simulation of very high irradiances similar to those

found in large solar heliostats (10 000 suns) in the laboratory. The influence of irradiance levels relevant

to solar reactors will be examined using laser diagnostics with a particular emphasis on soot, particle,

aerosol and droplet behaviour under these very high irradiance levels.

Active heat transfer technology

The ability to adequately cool high power

density devices such as CPUs is becoming a

major limitation to further advances in many

applications. By utilizing active heat transfer

technology whereby the heat transfer component

is a non-stationary rotating component, the need

for an external fan is eliminated and

significantly increased heat transfer rates can be

achieved compared to standard fan and passive

heat sink methods. The aim of this project is to

develop a detailed description of active heat

transfer technology realised through the

combination of heat pipe technology and a

multiple disk Tesla type pump.

The role of LED’s in fluid mechanics and combustion diagnostics

In the past 40 years lasers have made an enormous impact in advancing the experimental fields of fluid

mechanics and combustion. Given the recent rapid developments in high power light emitting diode

(LEDs) technology, LEDs are poised to deliver a new wave of advances in experimental fluid mechanics

and combustion. Whilst LEDs will never replace lasers in many experiments, there are many new

applications that can capitalise on the desirable properties of LEDs such as their wide ranges of spectral

bandwidths, variable temporal pulse width, high repetition rates and their ability to be employed in a

clusters due to their cost being potentially 4-5 orders of magnitude cheaper than an equivalent laser. This

project will employ and evaluate experimental techniques based on LEDs to explore and understand fluid

mechanic and combustion related phenomena. This topic is best suited to a student with a keen interest

and skills in electronics.

Second generation biofuels as alternative transportation fuels

Second generation biofuels such as dimethyl

ether (DME), are a promising renewable

alternative transportation fuel for the future as

they do not require the use of food crops for

their production. Measurements in biofuel

flames have indicated significantly lower

emissions of pollutants such as soot compared to

conventional fuels. However biofuels such as

DME are far more complex in terms of their

chemical mechanisms, flame behaviour and the

application of laser diagnostic measurements

when compared to more standard fuels such as

methane. This project will utilize both laminar

and turbulent flames to investigate the flame

structure in terms of the established chemical

mechanisms, transport properties and the

behaviour of these fuels in turbulent flames.

Both experimental and numerical streams are

offered in this project.

Application of CFD in comfort air-conditioning

The application of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) to comfort air conditioning is relatively new

and little experimental data is available to back up the model results. The recent development of the

Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) laboratory at the Faculty of Architecture, Design and Planning at the

University of Sydney provides an ideal platform to validate and explore computational modelling of

comfort with a sound experimental database. This project will work in collaboration with current projects

and experiments being run in the IEQ lab to form CFD models of these experiments and explore the

capability of current CFD models to faithfully explore the parameter space necessary to analyse,

understand and design air-conditioning systems to optimise occupant comfort and minimise energy usage.

2016 MECHANICAL DESIGN/SUSTAINABILITY BASED THESES

Supervisor: Dr Rod Fiford – rod.fiford@sydney.edu.au

1. THESIS – Engineers Without Borders Research Projects

I am willing to supervise students undertaking Engineers Without Borders research projects

(http://www.ewb.org.au/whatwedo/education-research/research-program/available-research-

projects). Interested students need to come and talk with me about the projects, then register and

apply via the Engineers Without Borders webpage.

2. THESIS – Biomechanics –Concussion in Roller Derby skaters

This project involves the investigation of impact forces and accelerations of the heads of skaters

participating in the full contact sport of roller derby. It is expected that data will be obtained over a

period of a few months through the use of accelerometers, and from this data estimations of impact

forces to the skaters’ heads and brains determined. Potential correlations with concussion injuries

will also be investigated.

3. THESIS or PROJECT – History & Philosophy of Engineering –Ethics

This topic involves investigating the current views and attitudes of Australian engineering students

towards engineering ethics and how this relates to past and current expectations of Australian

society. It is expected that this study will draw heavily on published research, case studies and

surveys/interviews with current engineering students.

4. THESIS – Biomimetics

Biomimetics involves the study of naturally occurring biological structures and application of these

structures to engineering designs. This thesis aims to investigate unique biomechanical

macroscopic structures and morphology from plants that may be of use in engineering; analyze

these structures with FEA and then construct and mechanically test 3D printed models based on

these biological structures.

Plant seed “bur” inspiration for Velcro

5. THESIS OR PROJECT– Sustainable Engineering – Choose your own topic

I am willing to supervise students that have a genuine interest in sustainability, as applied to

Engineering technologies. Please come and see me if you have an innovative idea you think might

be worth investigating, these projects require self-motivated students.

6. THESIS or PROJECT– Mechanical Design – Choose your own topic

I am willing to supervise students that have a unique idea requiring mechanical design. Please come

and see me if you have an innovative idea you think might be worth investigating, these projects

require self-motivated students.

Supervisor: A/Prof. Ahmad Jabbarzadeh

Room S311, Bldg J07, ph: 9351 2344

ahmad.jabbarzadeh@sydney.edu.au

These following research projects are available for Thesis A/B (AMME 4111/4112)

1- Tribology (experiments)

(3 student)

Tribology is the science that deals with friction, lubrication and wear. The objective of

this project is to measure the tribological properties of soft materials used in biomedical

applications. You will use tribometers and rheometers to characterize the materials and

find the relationship between the frictional/mechanical properties of the material and its

chemical/physical composition. Examples of the materials to be tested include,

hydrogels, contacts lens, and soft tissues such as cartilage.

2 Polymer crystallization (experiments)

(1 student)

Polymer Melts

Understanding polymer crystallization is essential for polymer processing industry. Due

to complex nature of polymers their mechanical properties are dependant on their

morphology and degree of crystallinity. In semi-crystalline polymer materials, crystalline

patches of molecules are imbedded within amorphous (non-crystalline) matrix.

Understanding the degree of crystallinity of the end product and its dependence on

cooling rate, additives, flow conditions and molecular structure is very important to

design efficient processing techniques. You will use rheometers and microscopy to

investigate some of these interesting problems.

Crystallization of Particles

(1 student)

Crystallization of particles in spray drying and polymer atomization experiments will be

investigated. The target area for this study is to understand the effect of processing

conditions on particles crystallization kinetics. This is important in food industry and

customized nano/micro particle making processes.

3 Effect of nucleating agents in crystallization kinetics-Simulations

(1 student)

The microstructure of crystallized polymers can be significantly affected by presence of

additives of various shape and size used for various purposes. In this project simulations

of low molecular weight hydrocarbons will be conducted to study the effect of shape and

size of particles in nucleation process during crystallization. The microstructure

(morphology) of such systems and the rate of crystallization are believed to be affected

by characteristic of the solid particles in the polymer melt. Polymer processing and nano-

composites are areas that would benefit from the results of this project. Two research

projects are available in this area to use molecular dynamics simulations to study these

challenging problems. Programming is not required; you will use an existing computer

program to run the simulations.

4 Flow Induced Crystallization of nano-particles (1 student)

Simulations will be conducted to understand the crystallization of polymeric nano-

particle subjected to flow. The aim is to understand the effect of nano-particle size, flow

conditions and cooling rate on the crystallization kinetics and morphology of the

polymers and comparison with the bulk crystallization. We will also explore the

possibility to study this phenomenon using experimental means.

5-Computational nano-fluidics

(2 students)

Nano-fluidics is the science of flow at the nano-scale. There is considerable interest in

this area due to advances made in nano science and engineering. The behaviour of flow at

nano-scale where the size of pores and channels are comparable to the size of molecules

could be very different from that of macroscopic flows. For example carbon nanotubes

can be manufactured with sizes ranging from a fraction of nanometer to a few hundred

nanometers. They can be used for transportation of particles and liquids in nano-scale

applications. Experimental measurements and understanding the flow behaviour at such

small scales is a daunting task.

In computational nano-fluidics molecular dynamics simulations are used as one of the

tools for analysing the nanoscopic local properties and flow conditions in such situations.

There are two projects available in this area for two interested students. Students working

on these projects will need to use an existing computer program to simulate the flow in

nano-channels and nano-pores. They should have a basic understanding of fundamental

physics, fluid mechanics and Newtonian dynamics. Some basic understandings are

required about molecular structures such as atomic lattice structure and inter-atomic force

potentials such as van der Waals forces. The research projects are computational so

interest in working with computers is essential. You will be using existing software and

computer programming will not be necessarily required.

5) Molecular dynamics simulation of flow over cylindrical and spherical particles in

nano-scale. In this project the student will simulate the flow of a Newtonian fluid in a rectangular

nano-channel over a cylindrical obstacle. The boundary conditions, pressure, stresses and

velocity field will be calculated using molecular dynamics simulations. A few scenarios

will be investigated and effect of molecular size and ratio of particle to channel size on

the flow conditions will be analyzed.

5B) Simulation of flow through carbon nano-tubes

This project requires some algorithmic development for molecular dynamics simulation

of flow through carbon nano-tubes. Only flow simulations of simple fluids made of soft

Lennard-Jones spheres will be conducted to demonstrate the effectiveness of the

algorithm. You should have knowledge and passion in computer programming in

FORTRAN or C languages and working with computers.

6- Effect of surface topology on diffusion and spreading of liquids (1

student)

Physical properties of surfaces including their topology play an important

role in spreading and diffusion of liquids that come into contact with

them. Spreading of a liquid drop and its diffusion on the surface are of

significant importance in many processes such as lubrication, surface

induced diffusion, cell growth, and micro/nano fluidics. The project

will use simulations at the molecular level to investigate such a

process. The research projects are computational so interest in

working with computers is essential. You will be using existing

software and computer programming will not be necessarily required.

Figure 1. Surfaces can be made liquid repelling

or liquid loving by controlling their nano-scale

topology.

7) The following project is in collaboration with Westmead Hospital:

Determining upper airway surface topography in obstructive sleep apnoea patients

Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) is characterized by recurrent upper airway obstruction

during sleep, with consequent reduction and cessation of airflow. Studies have suggested

that upper airway anatomy is the major contributor to airway obstruction in the majority

of patients. Macro-anatomical abnormalities in people with OSA are well described and

acknowledged as pivotal in the pathogenesis of the disease. Recently we have examined

whether smaller scale anatomical abnormalities may also play a role. In these studies we

have developed a methodology for quantifying pharyngeal wall mucosal folds and

demonstrated low wall fold numbers in a group of OSA patients. We have also extended

this work to examine the pharyngeal mucosal surface topography by reconstructing

virtual models of the mucosal surface from magnetic resonance images of the human

upper airway. We are now currently developing a methodology for quantifying mucosal

surface topography through point curvature analysis. We are looking to answer the

question: is there a relationship between pharyngeal mucosal surface topography &

pharyngeal airway mechanics (airway resistance/flow dynamics, structural

integrity/airway collapsibility)? There are two elements to this project:

1. Develop an analysis methodology, using surface curvature measurements, to characterise the surface topography of the reconstructed pharyngeal models and then compare the surface topography of healthy and OSA subjects. (1 Student)

2. Utilise the reconstructed pharyngeal models to develop a flow dynamics model to examine the effects of surface topography on flow dynamics in the upper airway. (1 Student)

FSAE Thesis Topics 2016

THESIS & PROJECT IN FSAE

Supervisor: Dr Andrei Lozzi, room S317, andrei.lozzi@sydney.edu.au

2016 Team leaders, FSAE workshop S116

Nick Athanasios nath6224@uni.sydney.edu.au

Alex Hutto ahut7327@uni.sydney.edu.au

Serena Liu sliu7572@uni.sydney.edu.au

You are invited to apply to join the FSAE team for 2016 as a Thesis or Project student. What are

presented here are the principal topics selected to improve the current car and continue the

revolutionary development which is well underway for the 2016 and later cars.

If you wish to join the team we want to interview you, to ensure that you understand what this field

entails and what topic may suit you best.

An FSAE team is essentially a small company that has to design, manufacture and market a small

competition car, all in one year. This task provides real-world engineering challenges and

experiences. It requires a good deal of work, but it will begin to make you into a competent

engineer, and provide you with excellent credentials when you apply for professional engineering

positions.

Critical Topics:

Engine Intake and Exhaust Design:

The unique nature of the FSAE competition requires the design of specialised intake and exhaust

systems to both meet FSAE rules, and to increase the efficiency and performance of our engines.

The recent development of in-house dynamometers for engine tuning, and the development of

Electronic Throttle Control systems, have presented the need for a more comprehensive design

of our intake and exhaust systems.

The 2014 Sydney

team.

The top team

from NSW.

FSAE Thesis Topics 2016

Project Outlines:

- Review current and previous Intake and Exhaust system designs.

- Use CFD analysis to design and implement new Intake and Exhaust systems.

- Work with Engine tuning and Electronic Throttle Control design members to optimise

engine performance.

Engine Tuning for better power and economy:

Engine tuning is one of the simplest and most effective ways of improving the performance of

our car. With our new in-house engine and chassis dynamometers, optimal engine tuning has

become much more achievable. This project will involve working with/implementing a new PE3

ECU, and the tuning and maintenance of our Aprilia 550cc V-Twin engines.

Our intake plenum

with the 20 mm dia

entry restrictor

Our engine dynamometer

under construction

FSAE Thesis Topics 2016

Project Outline:

- Work with the Electronics design team to implement a new PE3 ECU.

- Use the team’s in-house engine and chassis dynamometers to tune our Aprilia engines,

working with the engine and drivetrain design teams.

- Investigate the feasibility of using the engine dynamometer to perform track

simulations.

Suspension Analysis and Optimisation:

Suspension geometry design and tuning is the fundamental aspect of the design of our car, or

any road-going vehicle. Understanding and documenting our past and present design would

enable us to optimise our tuning capability during different dynamic event, while moving to a

new chassis concept and downsized wheel package opens up the possibilities to explore other

suspension layouts and options.

Project Outline:

- Documentation of the characteristics of the existing suspension geometry designs.

- Utilisation of vehicle dynamic software (Lotus Shark) to design/optimise the suspension

geometry for the 2017 car.

- Design and manufacture of suspension arms.

Chassis Analysis and Optimisation:

The 2016 season sees us moving from a full tubular space-frame chassis to a lighter, stiffer

aluminium honeycomb monocoque (ALHC)/rear space-frame hybrid structure. A conservative

approach has been taken in order for our first monocoque contender to be rule-compliance.

Therefore, many areas of the design can be optimised for weight, stiffness and manufacturability

for the next iteration.

The 2016 chassis

under construction

FSAE Thesis Topics 2016

Project Outline:

- Review past relevant R&D theses and the current monocoque design.

- Preparation, realisation and documentation of required testing as per FSAE rule.

- Design and manufacture of an ALHC/space-frame chassis.

- Completion of the Structural Equivalency Spreadsheet.

Steering System:

The steering system is a critical and interesting topic on the design of our car. Not only is it

closely related to the vehicle dynamics/suspension geometry of the car, but other aspect such as

driver comfort and packaging also need to be put into consideration in order to optimise the

drivability and manufacturability of the vehicle.

Project Outline:

- Review past in-house manufactured design solutions.

- Design and manufacture a steering system for the 2016 car.

- Feasibility study and packaging of the Miltera steering rack.

Drivetrain and Drive Shaft Design:

Typically, FSAE cars use heavy CV joint-based drive shafts to drive the rear wheels. Past theses

have suggested new designs that could significantly lower the mass of the drive shafts, such as

the use of flexible couplings and hollow tubes, possibly manufactured from Aluminium or

Carbon Fibre. For the 2016 FSAE car, new, lighter drive shafts need to be designed and

manufactured. As part of this, a comparison between new and existing drive shaft designs will

need to be performed, and ultimately designed and manufactured.

Coordinate system of

steering wheel system

The Intermediate shaft has to be

adjustable, to ensure lower universal

is on the pinion centre line

Coordinate system of

rack & pinion

FSAE Thesis Topics 2016

Project Outlines:

- Perform a comparison between different potential drive shaft designs.

- Design, manufacture and test new drive shafts for the 2016 FSAE car.

Cooling System:

Adequate engine cooling is essential to the reliable operation of our car in a wide range of

environments. Over the years, we have obtained a significant amount of cooling system

temperature data, and we believe that it is feasible for a smaller, lighter cooling system to be

designed to meet our requirements. Such a system could be mounted above the engine at the

rear of the car, facilitating the removal of the side pod, and a lighter, lower drag car.

Project Outline:

- Determine the required cooling capacity for our engine, and design an appropriate

cooling system.

- Design ducting to optimise air flow through the cooling system, potentially with the use

of CFD techniques.

This project will require collaboration with design members from the Aerodynamics, Chassis and

Engine teams.

Impact Attenuator:

The Impact Attenuator is a critical vehicle safety feature, consisting of a deformable, energy

absorbing structure mounted on the front of the car. In the event of a collision, the Impact

Attenuator must limit the deceleration of the car to a safe level.

Our current Impact Attenuator uses a folded aluminium sheet construction, and is significantly

heavier than other potential designs. For our 2016 car, a smaller, lighter Impact Attenuator

needs to be designed, manufactured and tested. It is expected that materials evaluation and

testing will be required as part of the project.

CFD simulation of flow in

radiator duct

FSAE Thesis Topics 2016

Project Outline:

- Design and manufacture a new Impact Attenuator, compliant with all FSAE rules.

- Carry out performance testing of the Impact Attenuator, and show that the design is

compliant with all FSAE rules.

- Work together with the Chassis and Aerodynamics design teams to implement the

Impact Attenuator on our 2016 car.

- Completion of the Impact Attenuator Data (IAD) document for the FSAE competition.

Brakes:

The behaviour in which a vehicle decelerates contributes greatly to the dynamic of the vehicle,

the driver’s confident and therefore its performance overall. The brake system is a critical topic

to study in order to achieve a reliable and serviceable package that relay good feedback to the

driver.

Project Outline:

- Study of the braking demand on a FSAE car during dynamic events.

- Study of the hardware specification of the current pedal box.

- Packaging of the rear inboard brake hardware.

- Experiment with different rotor and pad materials.

Rear Bulkhead:

Our FSAE car utilises a one-piece machined aluminium bulkhead at the rear of the chassis to

accurately locate and mount 20+ critical suspension, drivetrain and chassis hard points. With the

move to a smaller wheel package, revised suspension layout and inboard brakes, this packaging

LSDYNA simulation

of kinetic energy

being absorbed by

our impact

attenuator

Our own in-house brake

dynamometer, used to

provide data on disk and

pad material, versus

temperature and pressure

FSAE Thesis Topics 2016

and optimisation exercise will challenge those who have an interest in solid modelling and finite

element analysis.

Project Outline:

- Review of existing design from our team as well as competitors worldwide.

- Design and manufacture of a rear bulkhead that meets all packaging demands and

constraints.

Points Simulator:

The design decisions made for the FSAE competition are, like any real-world engineering

projects, result driven. And the quantity that represent result in the FSAE competition is the

points rewarded. A Points Simulator is a set of arithmetic that predicts the potential gain or loss

of points in both static and dynamic events for certain design decisions based on the past results

of all teams participated in the Australasia competition.

Project Outline:

- Research on all car specifications and results of all teams in recent FSAE-A competition.

- Review past Points Simulator from our team.

- Design and construct a Points Simulator in MATLAB with an instruction manual.

Machined rear frame

providing precise

attachment points for

engine and suspension

mountings.

A Matlab program that uses

a simple car model, to

estimate the effect on the

total point score, by the

variations of individual car

performance parameters

FSAE Thesis Topics 2016

Wireless Steering Wheel:

In-car driver feedback about lap times and vehicle information such as gear position and engine

RPM, is of high importance and needs to be done without distracting the driver. The team has

recently investigated incorporating displays and controls into the steering wheel, however

further development is required. This project involves both Mechanical and Electrical design.

Project Outline:

- Design and manufacture of Electronics required to display vehicle information to the

driver, using a wireless data link.

- Work with Ergonomics and Steering design members to design and manufacture a

steering wheel out of Carbon Fibre or similar materials.

Electronics and Data Acquisition:

The Electronics system consists of three main areas; Power Distribution to all Electronics on the

car, Engine Management, and Data Acquisition. Power Distribution and Engine Management are

critical to the functioning of the car, and involve the implementation of the team’s power

distribution modules and ECUs via a single wiring loom. Data Acquisition is used by the team to

obtain real time data from sensors on the car. This data is used for the purposes of design

validation and car setup tuning. Design of the data acquisition system involves implementing a

suite of sensors across the car, and the hardware required to support them, including a MoTec

racing datalogger.

Project Outline:

- Review of current Electronics system and developed hardware.

- Design of a new wiring loom for the 2016 FSAE car.

- Work together with design members from various fields to implement the required

sensors and systems.

Research Topics:

Aerodynamics Research:

Aerodynamics is the other area to have significant gain that the team has yet to fully exploit. The

aerodynamics of a FSAE car is one of the more interesting subject in the race car engineering

world in that it mainly concerns about downforce without worrying too much about drag due to

the nature of the dynamic events. The aerodynamics devices of interest include: nosecone, front

and rear wing, rear diffuser, and radiator sidepod. Computational analysis and real-life testing

need to be conducted in order to validate design as well as rule compliance.

FSAE Thesis Topics 2016

Project Outline:

- Review relevant theses on previous bodywork and prototype wing package.

- Design and manufacture of aforementioned aerodynamics devices using computational

fluid dynamic package.

- Real-life testing to validate CFD results.

- Preparation, realisation and documentation of required testing as per FSAE rule for wing

section strength and front wing mount impact attenuation.

Sheet Wheel Centres:

Our FSAE car currently runs on a set of three-piece split wheels with machined aluminium wheel

centres. They are sufficiently light and stiff but difficult and expensive to manufacture. One of

the solution to this issue is to design and manufacture wheel centres out of aluminium sheet,

which requires less costly raw material and do not require a CNC mill to produce.

Project Outline:

- Review previous attempt on sheet wheel centres.

- Preparation, realisation and documentation of required testing to validate new sheet

wheel centre design and FEA results.

- Manufacture new sheet wheel centres.

Some possible research topics:

Electric Hub Motors.

Electrically actuated Four Wheel Steering.

Electronic Clutch Control.

Slip Angle Sensor:

Sheet aluminium

wheel centres

Our 2013 car modified to

carry a test aero package

UG Thesis topics for 2016

A R Masri, Rm 530, Bldg J07, 93512288, assaad.masri@sydney.edu.au

Thesis only

Project 1: Biofuel sprays (one student)

Combustion of biofuels (or biofuel blends) in the form

of sprays will be more common in the future of many

industrial applications such as diesel engines, direct

injection spark ignition engines, jet propulsion units,

furnaces and incinerators. The opposite burner is

designed to study spray flows in a controlled

environment in order to resolve controlling physical

processes such the interaction between droplets and

turbulence. The atomization, evaporation, mixing, and combustion characteristics

of spray jets and flames are important stages which remain only vaguely

understood. Laser diagnostic tools will be used to measure the velocity and

composition fields as well as the droplet number density and size distribution in

controlled spray flows.

Thesis only

Project 2: Stratified Combustion (one student) This is a new project aimed at studying the characteristics of

stratified combustion under conditions of high shear rates.

This mode of combustion is highly relevant in modern engines

but remain vaguely understood particularly at high turbulence

levels. A new burner, consisting of two concentric tubes

feeding premixed fuel-air mixtures at different equivalence

ratios has been developed. Both tubes are centred in a hot co-

flowing stream of combustion products. A schematic of this

burner is shown here. The project will study the stability

features of this burner under different levels of stratification.

Thesis only

Project 1: Micro-combustion (up to two

students) Micro-combustion is a relatively new field of

research that is fast evolving due to interest in

micro-power generation systems. Hydrocarbon

fuels are particularly useful here due to their

huge specific energy which is about two orders

of magnitude higher than the best battery

available. The most difficult problem is loss of

flame stability due to thermal and radical

quenching. This project studies the interaction

between surface and gas chemistries using configuration shown here. Measurements are

made for a variety of fuels and catalysts. Parallel calculations are also conducted using

detailed chemical kinetics for the surface as well gaseous reactions. These will be

validated against measurements performed using gas sampling and analysis.

Thesis only

Project 2a: Turbulent Propagating Flames (one student)

This project is relevant for industrial safety, explosion risk and

internal combustion engines. The burning rate of turbulent

propagating flames is strongly affected by turbulence which

changes the structure of the flame front. The combustion

chamber shown here is built to study flames propagating from

rest past baffle plates that generate significant turbulence. Fast

video images, velocity measurements and laser induced

fluorescence of hydroxyl radicals (LIF-OH) will be made at

various stages of flame propagation. Processing the images to

obtain an estimate of dimensionless numbers and turbulence

levels will be a focus of the project.

Project 2b: Turbulent Propagating Flames with

stratification (one student)

This is a modified version of the combustion chamber sown here which is extended to

include a secondary downstream chamber containing air. The mixture from the primary

chamber stratifies the flow into the secondary chamber while combustion is occurring.

The presence of obstacles will lead to further turbulence generation. The project involves

the construction of the chamber along with initial testing and high-speed imaging of the

propagating flames (using LIF-OH) at varying degrees of stratification.

Thesis only

Project 3: Transition from auto-ignition to

premixed flame propagation.

This project is aimed at studying the temperature

regime over which fluid mixtures undergo a transition

from auto-ignition to premixed flame propagation.

Auto-ignition is a critical process in diesel and

homogeneous charge compression ignition (HCCI)

engines while premixed flame propagation dominates

processes in standard spark ignition engines. Both

processes may exist in modern engines. The model

burner involves a fluid mixture issuing in a co-flow of

varying temperature as shown in the opposite image.

Measurements of temperature and species

concentration will be performed at various

experimental conditions.

Thesis only

Project 3a: Swirl stabilised flames (one student) This mode of flame stabilisation is common in industrial burners but the resulting

turbulent flow is very complex and difficult to calculate even in the absence heat release.

Large eddy simulation (LES) techniques are

making significant advances in this area but the

preliminary finding point to significant

sensitivity of the calculations to the condition

in the boundary layers at the burner’s surface.

This project aims at studying experimentally

the effects of boundary layers on flames

stabilised on swirl burners similar to that

shown here. Measurements of the velocity and

turbulence fields in the boundary layers of this

burner will be made.

Project 3b: Swirl stabilised spray jets and

flames (one student) These complex flows are highly relevant in

industrial applications such as boilers and

furnaces and may involve significant

instabilities which affect the combustor’s

performance. A spray injector will be

positioned in the central part of the burner and swirl is applied to the surrounding air.

High swirl numbers can be generated. The flow and droplet fields will be measured for

various levels of spray loadings. Flame stability characteristics will also be determined

for the selection of flames for further investigations.

Thesis only

Project 6: Droplets/Particles in flows with temperature gradients (one student) This is a new project aimed at studying the dynamics of droplets and particles in

turbulent flows where a temperature gradient is imposed. It is envisaged that the local

fluctuations in temperature will affect the local dissipation as well as evaporation rate of

particles. A simple rig will be constructed for this experiment where measurements of

velocity and temperature fields will be performed.

Supervisor: Nicholas Williamson

Room S411, Mechanical Engineering Building

phone: 9351 3098 email: nicholas.williamson@sydney.edu.au

Thesis Projects Offered in: Experimental and Computational Fluid Dynamics, Numerical Modelling, Heat

Transfer.

Numerical Modelling and Computational Fluid Dynamics Projects

1) Develop an Android or iOS app that can numerically solve simple partial differential equations. It could

be used as a teaching tool that can enable students to visualise important engineering processes, such

heat diffusion etc.

Students should have taken AMME3060 Engineering Methods or intend to enrol in AMME5202

Computational Fluid Dynamics to undertake this project and have experience developing apps.

2) Solve a Computational Fluid Dynamics problem of your choice. If you have an interesting idea write a

brief proposal and I will assess if it is feasible.

Students should intend to enrol in AMME5202 Computational Fluid Dynamics to undertake this project.

Laboratory Based Fluid Dynamics Projects

We have laboratory space for two student projects in our fluid dynamics laboratory. These projects

typically involve a student designing and building a laboratory rig (or use an existing one), developing an

experimental procedure, conducting the experiments and analysing the results. We have projects based

around our research program and also projects which have appealed to students in the past. If you have

an idea you are welcome to bring it to me to discuss its feasibility.

1) Laboratory Investigation of the Natural Ventilation Heating and Cooling a Complex Building

The heating ventilation and cooling of a building can be modelled in a laboratory setting using

sources/sinks of fresh and saline water as a proxy for thermal heat flux. The aim of this project is to

produce a simple experimental rig representing a building of your choice in the fluids laboratory using this

approach. The student would then be able to use dye visualisation and image capturing techniques to

obtain estimates of the temperature distribution in the building and suggest remedial measures to improve

airflow in the building or develop a simple mathematical model of the flow.

(You will gain skills in: Fluid Mechanics / HVAC / Design and Commissioning of Experimental Rigs/

Experimental Methods / Data Analysis and Processing/ simple numerical modelling)

2) Laboratory Investigation of Mixing in Displacement Air-Conditioning- Negatively Buoyant Jets

In displacement air-conditioning a situation can arise where a hot air jet is directed vertically downwards

into a cool room or a cool jet upwards into a warm room. In these situations buoyancy forces oppose the

inflow forming a kind of fountain like flow. If we understand the mixing between the fountain and the

ambient environment we can estimate the temperature distribution in the room and the turnover time for

ventilation. At present these attributes are poorly understood. This project will use an existing laboratory

rig to investigate these types of flows and aim to provide fundamental understanding of the flow regimes.

These flows are also important in other contexts. Erupting volcanoes also behave like a fountain flow

initially, and the mixing between the rising plume and the ambient determines whether the eruption

collapses as a pyroclastic flow. The rejection of hyper saline water from desalination plants often takes

place in ocean outfalls. These outfalls have the characteristics of a fountain flow. Designers must ensure

there is sufficient mixing at the source to provide dilution of the saline flow.

(You will gain skills in: Fluid Mechanics / Experimental Methods / Data Analysis and Processing)

3) Design and build a boundary layer visualisation rig.

Boundary Layers are one of the most important flows to engineers. All undergraduate teaching programs

cover this material but there are few high quality laboratory-teaching rigs that are commercially available

to demonstrate this important flow.

In this project the student would design and build a new laboratory demonstration rig that could be used

for teaching. The rig would be used to visualise boundary layer development, the transition to turbulence.

It might also be used to demonstrate other flows such as flow around bluff bodies. It successful it could be

used as a part of the MECH3261 Fluid Mechanics Course.

Heat Transfer Projects

1) Develop a thermal model of an Australian river system, including solar heat inputs, thermal load from

sources along the river and heat losses to the ambient environment. This project work will help the NSW

Office of Water understand the thermal stress on riverine biota and develop weir release control

strategies. A successful project will produce a stand alone software tool for catchment managers or a

plugin to existing hydraulic modelling software. Data from the NSW Office of Water is available for

calibration/testing of the model.

Professor Steve Armfield steve.armfield@sydney.edu.au

Title: Improving the stability of sclerosant foams for medical applications External Supervisor: A/Prof. Kurosh Parsi Location: St Vincent's Centre for Applied Medical Research, Darlinghurst Sclerosant foams are routinely injected into diseased veins for the treatment of varicose veins and venous malformations. Our laboratory has been investigating the ideal properties of foam sclerosants in order to improve the clinical safety, efficacy and stability of these agents. In this project, we wish to investigate the fluid mechanics of sclerosant foams, using a range of methods including computational fluid dynamics, experimental rigs and microscopy. The candidate will be based at the St Vincent's Centre for Applied Medical Research interacting with medical staff, scientists and other students in the group.

Prof Lin Ye Rm S306, Bldg J07; ph. 9351 4798; lin.ye@sydney.edu.au

FEM modelling of plastic zones in fracture of adhesive joints with different bondline thickness

Prediction of mechanical properties of engineered cementitious composites using neural network algorithms.

Development of stainless steel fibre reinforced polymer composites for automotive industry

Characterisation of electromagnetic shielding of engineered fibre-reinforced composites

Fibre composite manufacturing using filament winding with an impregnation head.

The Australian Centre for Innovation and International Competitiveness, Faculty of Engineering & IT University of Sydney 2006.

John Currie Tel 02 9351 5672 Fax 02 9351 3974 Email: john.currie@sydney.edu.au

AMME Undergraduate Thesis/Project topics 2016 John Currie

INNOVATION The study of innovation involves developing and sustaining new technologies and organisational forms and practices to create competitive advantage and/or economic, social, environmental improvement. Topics will be finalised in consultation with the student and can be selected from the following areas:

Leadership and the development of engineering managers - the development of managers as leaders to enhance organizational effectiveness is crucial in times of change. This topic will involve students understanding the theory of leadership and its practical application in engineering management.

Management of organisational change - the need to maintain

competitiveness means that change is the organisational norm. This topic will investigate the factors and conditions that impact on change in strategy, operations or projects that allow managers to innovate and make more effective choices.

‘Digital disruption’, the development of smart technologies and their

impacts – a new stage of technology development with advanced computing and mechatronics is rapidly advancing. The potential for industrial, organisational and social change will be investigated along with the nature of specific engineering associated with these developments.

Space engineering and technology development – Recent discussions on space flights to Mars have reignited debate on the costs and benefits of space engineering. This topic will investigate the nature and potential of wider industrial and technological innovation as a result of Space engineering R&D.

Organisational learning and knowledge management - this topic will

examine the readiness of engineer managers to undertake the management of learning and knowledge in organisations, leading to a better understanding of the factors necessary to generate effective organisational outcomes.

Human resource development - career development for C21 professionals

will mean inevitable job and career changes. This topic will investigate the development of engineering careers, organisational career planning and the personal and skill development necessary for the development of successful careers.

Management of industrial research, innovation and technology

development - Competitiveness through new technology and product development is a cornerstone of business success. This topic will examine the factors that lead to success (and failure) in the technology/product development process.

Gender equity/women in engineering - This topic will examine the factors

necessary for women to enjoy successful careers in engineering, the factors that inhibit this, and the implications for organisational competitiveness and Australian society.

Humanitarian Engineering- The Nature and Development of Humanitarian

Engineering within the Engineering profession will be examined to discover the challenges and benefits for both engineers and/or recipients of humanitarian development assistance.

Engineering Education#1 - the promotion of Mechanical, Mechatronic and

Aeronautical Engineering in schools - This topic will involve investigating the relevance of the HSC’s “Engineering Studies” curriculum as a precursor to Engineering at University, and whether the Aeromech degree program successfully builds on this prior learning. It will also include how Aeromech can support Engineering Studies in an attempt to encourage more students to consider future careers in engineering.

Engineering Education#2 – This topic will seek to examine the extent to

which ideas of humanitarian engineering and social justice are utilised in Aeromech curriculum and teaching, and how these ideas are, or could be, utilised to enhance student learning and development of graduate attributes.

Attitudes to professional engineering - This topic will examine the origins

and the development of perceptions and understandings as to what

comprises professional engineering practice and its appropriateness to both individuals and society.