Project - School of Mechanical Engineering

 Project layout
A4
A5
1557
3m × 3m A6
1471
1450
PRESENTATION
AREA
A7
1474
A2
1498
C3
A1
C4
1556
1567
C2
RESEARCH POSTERS
1462
C5
1460
1513
C1
1566
B1
B7
1464
PODIUM
B6
1425
B8
TOILETS
1395
NDA
AREA
HANDS ON AREA
A3
1389
B9
1519
D3
1526
1419
B2
D2
D4
1412
E2
1458
B3
E1
1427
1479
E3
E4
1485
D1
1496
1388
D5
1524
H2
1433
1552
1398
1482
H6
1544
H5
1441
DEMO AREA
E9
1473
E7
H4
H1
1495
E8
1543
1512
E5
B4
B5
H7
H3
1476
1499
1523
E6
G1
1558
G5
1446
1531
1549
1414
F1
SP
G2
F2
F3
1401
F6
F4
1487
1406
1411
1384
1560
G4
1510
J3
1435
G3
F5
1515
J4
1563
J2
1517
1507
ENTRANCE
SP
F7
F8
1410
2
F9
1492
1408
J1
1518
Welcome
The School of Mechanical Engineering welcomes you to the annual student Project
Exhibition, MechExpo. On display are Level IV student projects dealing with both research and design.
The projects are initiated either by one of our industry partners, our students, or
our staff and deal with topics ranging from system analysis and design to experimental
investigations of fundamental research problems. Students enrolled in one of our six
programs, mechanical, mechatronic, aerospace, automotive, sustainable energy and
sport engineering, contribute to this exhibition. On a number of occasions in the past
student solutions have led to patentable systems. Although some projects are undertaken by individual students, most are group projects involving up to ten students, and
represent in excess of 300 hours work per student.
The School of Mechanical Engineering would like to thank all contributing organisations for their support and we look forward to further strengthening industry involvement in our final year projects in the future.
We hope you will enjoy the exhibition and take the opportunity to discuss with
students and staff any aspect of the projects that you find of interest.
Professor Bassam Dally
Head of School, Mechanical Engineering
3
MechExpo is proudly presented by Bronze Sponsor:
4
The exhibition is proudly presented by Media Sponsor:
5
The exhibition prizes are proudly sponsored by
6
The exhibition prizes are proudly sponsored by
7
Index of projects by booth
Characterising the wear of a seed destructor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Characterising lithium batteries for marine applications . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Automatic weatherproof clothesline cover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Oscillating water column wave power converter for micro-generation . . . . 12
Designing a novel hybrid furnace with a combustor and a solar receiver
using CFD techniques . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
A6. Biomechanical evaluation of a novel suture anchor design for rotator cuff
tendon repair . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
A1.
A2.
A3.
A4.
A5.
A7. Development of an automatic swabbing machine for Amcor . . . . . . . . . . 14
B1. The Exoskeleton Device . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
B2. Design and build of submarine (mission demonstration) . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
B3. Solar thermal / UV water treatment for humanitarian use . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
B4. RoboBand . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
B5. QB50 satellite and payload design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17
B6. Low-emission cook stoves for the developing world . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
B7. Laser based composite damage detection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
B8. Son of Bluebottle (BlueBottle Mk 2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
B9. Sound directivity from high temperature exhaust stacks . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
C1. A fast but safe keg handling system for a traditional hotel with cellar
storage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
C2. Dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) non-thermal micro-plasma source . . . . 21
C3. Cyclist CdA measurement in the wind tunnel and on the track . . . . . . . . 21
C4. Autonomous robot for mapping soil properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
C5. Inverse modelling of pollutant dispersion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
D1. Omnibot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
D2. Design and build a solar water heater testing rig . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
D3. Maximising power output of a sprint kayaker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
D4. Jet flame modelling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
D5. BlueBottle autonomous submarine navigation and control . . . . . . . . . . . 26
E1. Compressed air vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
E2. Design and build a hybrid renewable energy production, storage and
management system for household application . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
E3.
E4.
E5.
E6.
E7.
E8.
Scuba suit warmer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Design and test a lift type vertical axis wind turbine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
HAVoC: Haptic Autonomous Vortex Cannon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Formula Vee fuel injection system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Infinity bicycle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
ASRI multi-stage launch vehicle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
8
E9. Aerodynamic characteristics of Australian Rules footballs . . . . . . . . . . . 33
F1. Intelligent maritime UAV catapult robot, detection & tracking using Fast
SLAM: A feasibility study . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
F2. Renewable energy by utilising hydrogen fuel cells with the support of
automated spar buoy for oceanic application . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
F3.
F4.
F5.
F6.
Cat falling robot lands on its feet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Direct injection retrofit to a two-stroke motorcycle engine . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Design and test quiet high-speed jet engine nozzles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Design, research & development on intelligent swarm networking of UAVs,
SUVs & AUVs for oceanic applications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
F7. Automated oceanic wave surface glider robot operations: A viability study 39
F8. Design and build a maritime quadcopter UAV with automation and
deployment capabilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
F9. Intelligent submersible thermal glider robot, system operations for
deep-sea applications: A feasibility study . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
G1. Instrumented rowing ergometer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
G2. The effect of wing leading edge tubercles on induced drag . . . . . . . . . . . 43
G3. Performance and assessment of archery bow-arrow interaction . . . . . . . 44
G4. Design of self-cleaning surfaces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
G5. Design and build a model gas turbine combustor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
H1. Biomechanics of sport climbing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
H2. Energy return in running shoes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
H3. Sustainable marine current energy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
H4. High temperature thermal storage system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
H5. Investigation of the wake of a horizontal axis wind turbine . . . . . . . . . . . 49
H6. Develop a data acquisition system for a Swearingen SX-300 . . . . . . . . . 51
H7. Flow morphology of a plasma actuator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
J1. AUV mother ship . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
J2. Evaluation of stress and strain in gas and oil pipelines: A real enginnering
project . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
J3. Measurement of radiant fraction of ceremonial flames . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
J4. Automatic test station for firework ignition systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
9
A1
Characterising the wear of a seed destructor
Student
Supervisors
Sponsors
James Barr
Assoc. Prof. Reza Ghomashchi, Dr Erwin Gamboa
Dr Chris Saunders and Nicolas Berry, Barbara Hardy Institute,
University of South Australia.
Every year about a quarter of the world’s food needs are delivered by the global grain
crops, making the productivity and sustainability of these crops crucial. The Barbara
Hardy Institute at University of South Australia specialises in agricultural machinery
research are currently developing a mechanical weed seed destructor; a specially designed mill that destroys weed seeds in the chaff fraction out of a combine harvester
during harvest in order to stop weed seeds germinating the following season. Considering the wear on the internal components and the potential life of the machine is an
important step in its development.
The wear of the seed destructor had to be placed into a operational perspective,
such as how many hours work or how many hectares it can cover in the field before parts will need replacing, ensuring that there is no unexpected down time in the
farmers harvest. To achieve this, the wear from the chaff fraction was characterised,
determining the wear mechanisms and rate of chaff and comparing them to an abrasive sand particle for two different construction materials. The results, along with a
failure analysis were extrapolated to determine an approximation for the life of the
seed destructor.
10
A2
Characterising lithium batteries for marine applications
Students
Supervisor
Sponsor
Aaron Williams, Jared Cmrlec, Matthew Clarke, Chris Rebuli
Dr Erwin Gamboa
Pacific Marine Batteries: Defence Engineering
The Australian submarine fleet consists of conventional diesel-electric submarines,
which are powered by lead-acid batteries. Our project sponsor PMB Defence Engineering wish to investigate the feasibility of upgrading the battery technology to
lithium-titanate batteries. Lithium-titanate batteries have a higher energy density than
lead-acid, meaning that a smaller volume of batteries is required to store the same
amount of energy. Advantages in the charging process would also shorten the total
time a submarine needs to remain surfaced during transit. When introducing a new
technology, maintaining the safety of the system is the first priority. Lithium-ion cells
have known failure modes including thermal runaway which have been made public
by recent issues with the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. When lithium-ion cells are designed
into a module a single cell failure can lead to cascading cell failures and significant
amounts of energy and smoke release. Lithium-titanate cells are significantly safer
than standard lithium-ion batteries, however the rare case of a cell failure still needs to
be managed. This project focused on safely managing these failures at a sub-module
level. At the 2013 MechExpo, the project team will display their research and findings.
The completed battery module will be on display for visitors to view.
A3
Automatic weatherproof clothesline cover
Students
Supervisor
Jintao Hu, Ka Yee Kwok, Yu Ting Law, Tao Nie, Xinguang Zhu
Dr. Ley Chen
Although it has not been employed extensively, automatic weatherproof clothesline
cover (AWCC) provides an alternative power saving option for family household appliance. A rain detective AWCC can be used to prevent washed clothes from being
drenched by rain when the weather is changed. It is not only eliminated the procedure of rewashing clothes that wetted by rain, it also reduced electricity and water
consumption by applying this clever clothesline cover.
11
The project involves designing and developing a rain detective AWCC prototype.
The prototype is connected with an electro-mechanical system to optimize the performance of clothesline cover. The principle of the design was similar to an umbrella’s
pole supports, and its structure must be robust firmly under a heavy rain and strong
wind. Several components are required to complete a clothesline cover such as rain
sensor, structure of cover and mechanical operating system. While designing each
1474. Automatic
Weatherproof Clothesline Cover
component of the cover, there are different limitation that needed to be concerned.
Supervisor:
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Supervisors
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A4
Sponsor
Seadov (Brian Kirke)
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Due to the complexity
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concerned. Therefore, a series of structure analysis have been carried via ANSYS.
12 of AWCC and its function.
The exhibition will demonstrate the prototype
of the chambers with buoyancy. The rig has been tested before and after this modification in flat water conditions with forced simulations to validate the modification.
A model of the fluid mechanics in the chamber is going to be constructed along with
a full working model of the dynamics of the system by analysing the spring and damper
coefficients of the system through physical testing and collecting data from height and
pressure measurements. This model will then be applied to different ocean condition
scenarios and validated with ocean wave testing. The exhibition will showcase the
work completed over the year.
A5
Designing a novel hybrid furnace with a combustor and
a solar receiver using CFD techniques
Students
Supervisors
Chongqing Mao, Zhannan Du, Zheng Luo
Dr Zhao Tian, Prof. Graham Nathan, Assoc. Prof. Farid Cristo
Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulation of a Hybrid Receiver Combustor
(HRC) was conducted to finalize the design concept of a hybrid device with both solar
thermal and fossil-fuelled sources. The HRC concept developed by Professor Nathan
and his co-workers at Adelaide University was defined to be operating in “solar-only”,
“combustion-only” and “dual energy” modes. A baseline model of the structure is developed by Creo 2.0, and then detailed CFD model of the preliminary design of the
HRC geometry is built up, based on the ANSYS/CFX 14.5 package. With no solid
samples exist yet, parametric changes such as inlet nozzle quantities, the ratios of
the cavity length and aperture throat diameter are applied in the model, to assist in
finalizing the most efficient size of the HRC. In conjunction with heat transfer process, CFD results give a general overview of the power obtained inside the furnace
chamber by fully operating combustion mode. Followed by sensitivity changes under
alternative sun intensity of South Australia, the disparate radiation energy absorption
is predictable and then relying on radiation results, detailed combustion proportion is
calculated. This exhibition is going to demonstrate our detailed design of the visualized
Hybrid Receiver Combustor.
13
A6
Biomechanical evaluation of a novel suture anchor
design for rotator cuff tendon repair
Student
Supervisors
Sponsor
Collaborator
Hui Zhou
Dr Claire Jones, Mr Will Robertson
Mr Michael Sandow (Discipline of Orthopaedics & Trauma,
School of Medicine, University of Adelaide)
Dr Andrew Morris (Orthopaedic Registrar, Royal Adelaide
Hospital)
Rotator cuff tendon repair failure occurs at a rate of 11.4–94% (Randelli et al., 2011). A
suture anchor is a device used to provide stable fixation of the sutures which tether the
tendon to the bone. Currently, suture anchors are embedded into the cancellous bone;
this is problematic as the anchors are easily pulled out of poor quality or osteoporotic
bone. A new suture anchor that engages with the cortical bone, which is less affected
by osteoporosis, is being developed by a surgeon at the Royal Adelaide Hospital. The
aim of this project is to biomechanically evaluate several design iterations of the new
suture anchor. A finite element model and several mechanical tests, including “suture
pull-through”, “push-through”, and “back-out” tests, have been developed to evaluate
possible modes of anchor failure. The Mech Expo will exhibit the progress and results
to date.
A7
Development of an automatic swabbing machine for
Amcor
Student
Supervisors
Sponsor
Michele Ciccone
Dr Cristian Birzer, Assoc. Prof. Ben Cazzolato
Amcor Glass
Amcor Glass wishes to develop an automated blank-side mould lubrication system
to replicate and replace the current manual swabbing process to improve safety and
productivity. The current manual lubrication process poses a safety risk to the line
operators. Furthermore the amount of lubricant applied can significantly influence the
product surface quality and as a consequence of the manual swabbing process, the
quality is highly dependent on the experience of the operator. The current project includes a design and feasibility assessment of various automated lubrication systems,
including comparisons of commercial off the shelf systems and specific designs of bespoke systems, constructed from a selection of individual components. Additionally,
the project has included an investigation into new lubrication application methods;
specifically various brush designs. The findings of the cost and performance comparisons from this project will be used by Amcor to build a series of automated blank
mould lubrication systems.
14
B1
The Exoskeleton Device
Students
Supervisor
Di Cao, Angus Church, Shen Long, Samuel Skewes,
Jared Steventon, Haoyan Wang
Dr Tien-Fu Lu
An exoskeleton is a device that operates in conjunction with a user in order to enhance
his/her physical capabilities. An exoskeleton is by definition attached to the outside of
the user and mimics the motions of the user while in turn aiding them.
Due to muscle weakness, there are many people in our society today who cannot
walk or manoeuvre themselves around without assistance, the most common solutions on the market are walking frames and crutches, however these require the use
of both hands to operate. The goal of the project was to build an exoskeleton device
that encapsulates the legs of the user and provides extra power to the user through
the use of motors placed at the user’s joints. The main focus was on increasing the
lower extremity abilities of elderly users as well as restoring their independence.
The device works by sensing the signals in the user’s muscles. In this way the
user’s intent to move can be determined even if no movement occurs. This can make
the exoskeleton useful for not only elderly users, but also for users with muscle weakness, users requiring rehabilitation of their lower body or even for heavy lifting applications.
B2
Design and build of submarine (mission demonstration)
Students
Supervisor
Brodie McBain, Anthony Razzi, Samuel Kellock,
Waylen Ramsey, Mason Said, Michael Thomas
Assoc. Prof. Andrei Kotousov
The global objective of this project is to develop a fully-functional modular submergible platform capable of completing a number of practical missions such as inspections, mapping and payload delivery. Through this venture, it is intended to improve
the understanding of the advanced submarine design and stimulate further interest in
submarine technologies among the students of the University of Adelaide.
The design and build of a submarine has been in continuation for two years, and
has resulted in a submersible platform ready for testing. The functionality of the platform is verified through the program of testing of individual subsystems. The focus of
the current project is on the design and demonstration of simple missions, which can
be completed with the designed submergible platform. The platform is modelled in
both CFD (ANSYS) and Simulink to display both Dynamic and Virtual characteristics
of submarine motion. The output of the dynamic and virtual modelling supply the data
needed to develop the programming code and control algorithms in order to achieve
15
the successful mission demonstration.
Through our research, development and carefully designed testing procedures,
the selected submarine manoeuvres have been successfully demonstrated and can
be utilised as a foundation for future submarine applications and developments. The
display at the MechExpo will outline the major achievements and the successfully
completed project.
B3
Solar thermal / UV water treatment for humanitarian
use
Students
Supervisors
Sponsors
Harrison Evans, Anthony Liew, Mark Padovan,
Michael Watchman
Dr Cristian Birzer, Dr Peter Kalt
Santos Asia Pacific, ChildFund Australia
Imagine if your only available drinking water supply was contaminated with pathogens
from faecal matter. This is the reality for 780 million people. Yet despite countless
interventions, this problem still remains a formidable challenge resulting in over 1.5
million preventable deaths each year.
In partnership with the aid organisation ChildFund, and with assistance from Santos and the School of Molecular Life Sciences, this project is working to advance
communal-based solar water treatment capabilities with villages in rural Papua New
Guinea (PNG) as an initial focus. Based on extensive research of existing technology
and social considerations, it has been identified that a continuously flowing solar disinfection process using a compound parabolic collector has merit for such applications.
However, the capabilities of such a system, especially when considering humanitarian
limitations, are sparsely documented in literature.
A testing rig, which enables environmental simulation, has been designed and
constructed to assess material selection, collector design, fluid dynamics, heat transfer and pathogenic reduction. Based on these results, a prototype system has been
constructed using readily available resources to simulate local PNG capabilities. Resources to support ChildFund in system implementation have also been developed.
16
The constructed systems, experimentation results and implementation documentation
will be exhibited.
B4
RoboBand
Students
Supervisor
Binna Nicholas-Allen, Cary Lin, Hywel Bennett, Wei Chew
Dr Steven Grainger
The RoboBand project involves the automation of a band of musical instruments. The
RoboBand implements electromagnetic mechanisms to perform the actions of a human while playing the instruments. A novel user interface, realized by a visual sensor,
is used to control the band in real time. The song to be played is interpreted from
composed MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) files.
The ability of a human to play an instrument is easily underestimated. This project
highlights the complexity of human articulation and the difficulty when trying to mimic
human actions. The RoboBand Project offers insight into the world of automation with
a difference. It is hoped that this project will be used as a basis for further robotic
instruments with the expansion of the band line-up. This project has the potential to
generate interest and insight into engineering and the future of robotics. During the
exhibition we will be demonstrating the capabilities of the Roboband and allowing
interaction via the use of the novel user interface.
B5
QB50 satellite and payload design
Students
Supervisors
Ahmad Anwari Azlan Ayuby, Emily Grace Benda,
Michael David Bottrill, Tristan James Cook, Kae Ken Foo,
Rhys Matthew Jones, Kenneth Kegan Kariuki,
Calvin Fu Cherng Khor, Binwei Liu, Chao Pan, Hiu Yan Tsang,
Jacob Anderson Whittington
Dr Matthew Tetlow, Assoc. Prof. Ben Cazzolato,
Dr David Harvey, Dr Min Kwan Kim,
Assoc. Prof. Andrei Kotousov, Dr Tommy Liddy, Dr Zebb Prime
The QB50 project is a collection of fifty independently designed micro-satellites (called
CubeSats) being coordinated by the von Karman Institute in Belgium. SUSat is one
such satellite, in development at the University of Adelaide in collaboration with the
University of South Australia. This exhibition is presented by five teams from within
the SUSat project; four of these teams are responsible for the design of the following
CubeSat subsystems; the attitude determination and control system (ADCS), the electrical power system (EPS), the physical structure of the satellite and an experimental
GPS science payload. The ADCS controls the steering of the satellite. The EPS is
17
responsible for the generation and distribution of power within the satellite. The structure contains and protects the other satellite subsystems. Lastly, the GPS payload
will measure atmospheric species using pseudorange. The fifth team is responsible
for the systems engineering of the whole SUSat project using model-based systems
engineering principles. This is the first year of the SUSat project, with launch currently
scheduled for 2015. Thus, the project is still in the design stage, and the groups will
be exhibiting the research and design that has been completed to date.
B6
Low-emission cook stoves for the developing world
Students
Supervisors
Thomas Boerema, Andrew Crowe, Mandeep Singh,
Harrison Wallace
Dr Cristian Birzer, Dr Paul Medwell
Three billion people worldwide rely on biomass as their primary fuel for cooking. Approximately four million users die every year as a result of harmful emissions (including
carbon monoxide and particulates) that are produced using traditional cooking methods. Aside from health effects, inefficient cookstoves contribute negatively towards
climate change, deforestation and the local economy. In an effort to respond to this
global issue, this project aims to establish design guidelines for a low emission Top-Lit
Up Draft (TLUD) cookstove for operation using solid fuels common to the developing world. To achieve this aim a TLUD analogous furnace has been completed and
commissioned prior to conducting a series of experiments to assess the optimisation
of combustion conditions for three selected biofuels. As a result, a proof-of-concept
TLUD cookstove suitable for home use will be designed and constructed as a practical
and meaningful engineering application. In addition to providing high quality scientific
research, the test results are being used to generate a commercial application to the
cookstove design for implementation in developing nations. The exhibition will be a
presentation of the work to date and future expectations of the project.
18
B7
Laser based composite damage detection
Student
Supervisors
Jaye Geary
Dr. John Codrington, Dr Stewart Wildy
Composites materials have seen widespread use in many applications, such as in
aircraft, pipelines and sporting goods. Like any other material, composites have their
limits and can be damaged while in use (e.g. delamination or matrix cracking) due to
overloading and fatigue. To prevent catastrophic failure of a structure or component,
damage detection techniques are employed to find and quantify damage in the material. This project developed a damage detection technique, based on the principles of
solid mechanics and the equation of motion, capable of assessing delamination damage in laminate plates and shells. Finite element methods were used to evaluate the
accuracy of the damage detection technique. The results were also validated experimentally with scanning laser Doppler vibrometery and a custom designed shaker rig.
The technique can successfully localise and determine the extent of damage within
laminate beams and plates.
B8
Son of Bluebottle (BlueBottle Mk 2)
Students
Supervisors
Sponsors
Sarah Cirillo, James Jolly
Assoc. Prof. Colin Kestell, Dr Steven Grainger
The University of Adelaide, SME Co. Pty Ltd, LAI Industries Pty
Ltd
Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs) are continually evolving to provide safer
and alternative ways to access the world below the surface, from deep sea exploration to asset management and costal conservation. The Son of Bluebottle, or Bluebottle MkII, stems from the initial Bluebottle project from 2011, which was followed by
an additional project in 2012 for an autonomous control and navigation system. The
main goal of Bluebottle was to monitor the environment surrounding the wave energy
generation platform of the sponsor, WaveRider Energy. Whilst very agile it still had attributes that limit its performance, those being its weight and limited manoeuvrability
with respect to time and movement sequence.
The aim for this project is to design and engineer a vehicle specifically for the advancement of research of control systems for AUVs. To achieve this it is envisioned the
vehicle will have direct control in six degrees of freedom. The project has undertaken
benchmarking of commercial and recreational AUVs; focusing on the design of the
system to enhance control capabilities for various conditions and requirements. During this exhibition we will be displaying the designed and manufactured AUV alongside
a simulated model of the proposed final design.
19
B9
Sound directivity from high temperature exhaust stacks
Student
Supervisors
Linjun Zhao
Assoc. Prof. Ben Cazzolato, Mr Will Robertson,
Prof. Colin Hansen
The simple cycle gas turbine system is frequently used to meet the peak load requirements for the electricity market. These simple cycle gas turbines emit very hot
gases into the environment through a stack. Evidence has shown that these simple
cycle gas turbines often increase sound levels in the community, and almost always
exceed predictions. The aim of this project is to understand the influence that the hot
gas flow through exhaust stacks has upon acoustic radiation. This project focuses
on testing the hypothesis via experiments that the hot, fast flowing gases refract the
sound downwards. A rig has been designed and built in this project to test this hypothesis. It is comprised of a flow and heat generator, a loudspeaker, a microphone array
and a data collector. Incidental equipment such as thermocouples used to measure
temperature and differential pressure transducers to measure flow rate are also employed. To measure the directivity of the sound, experimental testing is conducted in
the Anechoic Chamber at the University of Adelaide. The completed testing rig, relative test devices and analysis facilities will be presented. The result of test including
final collected data and analysis method will be demonstrated.
C1
A fast but safe keg handling system for a traditional
hotel with cellar storage
Student
Supervisors
David McMurray
Dr Antoni Blazewicz, Assoc. Prof. Colin Kestell
During the last century working conditions have steadily improved in many western
economies. Legislation has compelled change upon industries where manual handling tasks and related injuries were once the norm. The improved safety and quality
of working lives has often been realized by the implementation of mechanical aids.
However, the manual handling of beer kegs in traditional hotels, where keg entry is
via a cellar, continues to be a high risk task. This project offers a solution.
The selected design uses two conveyors in a V formation to increase the friction
force applied to the keg such that slip is prevented at a much steeper angle than
would otherwise be possible which allows for a more space efficient design. The conveyor angles and belt material were selected after running a number of slip tests. The
electrical system includes a variable frequency speed control such that a safety and
efficiency can be optimised for different conditions, for example incoming full kegs
versus outgoing empties as well as catering for different confidence levels between
users. This exhibition will demonstrate the design and progress to date.
20
C2
Dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) non-thermal
micro-plasma source
Students
Supervisor
Soon Yii Chua, Sean Rooney
Dr Min Kwan Kim
Non-thermal plasma is a relatively new technology with potential applications within
biomedical and aerospace engineering. This project aims to design and build an atmospheric non-thermal micro-plasma source using Dielectric Barrier Discharge (DBD),
and demonstrate the feasibility of non-thermal plasma applications in areas such as
micro-thruster and plasma medicine. The project goals extend to demonstrate the
sterilizing ability of the plasma and survivability of living species from the plasma treatment. The micro-plasma source is operated using an inert gas supply and a pulsedDC power source, supplied by a 240V AC socket or by 12 volt batteries. A series of
experiments were conducted including successful generation of cold plasma, verification of its temperature, optimising the plasma flow, sterilisation test and survivability
of living species from the plasma treatment. The project hopes to initiate future research into physical properties of atmospheric plasma and to broaden understanding
of non-thermal plasma, such as the physical behaviour and plasma-surface interaction. The exhibition features demonstration of plasma generation, demonstration of
plasma interaction with different items, and findings from experiments.
C3
Cyclist CdA measurement in the wind tunnel and on the
track
Students
Supervisor
Matthew Earl, Tom Alford
Assoc. Prof. Richard Kelso
Investigating cycling CD A (drag coefficient multiplied by the effective frontal area) enables optimisation of the power output/ aerodynamic drag relationship and improved
cycling performance. The major objective of this project is to develop a system which
can be used to collect CD A measurements for elite track cyclists in the Thebarton
wind tunnel. These measurements are used to verify the on-track CD A measurements collected by the AIS/CA using a power output algorithm. Successful completion of the project requires the design and construction of a wind tunnel testing rig and
wind tunnel research to collect CD A measurements to verify the on track data. The
wind tunnel rig design must simulate real track cycling conditions and enable accurate results to be collected, whilst having a simple design which can accommodate
any rider/bicycle size and allow easy disassembly. These criteria are met by splitting
the design into subsystems: a force plate and data acquisition capable of recording
accurate CD A measurements, an aerodynamic shroud to create a fully developed realistic flow over the cyclist and finally a rollers/resistance subsystem which promotes
a genuine body position and pedalling effort.
21
C4
Autonomous robot for mapping soil properties
Students
Supervisor
Muhammad Muhaimin Hasnuden, Mohd Muizz Mohd Zaki,
Sebastien Tiburzio
Dr Tien-Fu Lu
Precision farming is an emerging trend driving the agricultural industry to greater sustainability through the micromanagement of farmland, resulting in greater yields and
reduced resource wastage. A key requirement for this is detailed data about the soil
properties over areas of interest, which can be expensive and time consuming to collect manually. This project was undertaken to attempt to address this issue by developing an autonomous mobile robot to navigate around a piece of farmland, stopping
at numerous locations and using portable sensors to collect data about moisture content, temperature, acidity and nutrient levels. Once this data has been gathered, it can
then be processed into a map of the soil properties in that area, which could facilitate
precision agriculture activities such as targeted fertilisation and watering. The exhibition for this project will include a presentation of the outcomes and demonstrations
of aspects of the prototype device, including its navigation and obstacle avoidance
systems, the mechanical soil testing rig and the novel portable nutrient measurement
device that was designed.
C5
Inverse modelling of pollutant dispersion
Students
Supervisors
Mr. Yunze Wang, Mr. Jiuzhou Zhang
Dr Zhao Tian, Dr Tien-Fu Lu, Mr Mohamed Awadalla
This project is aiming to use inverse modeling to localize and trace the contaminant
sources and propagations. There are an increasing number of passengers undertaking air travel on commercial airliners throughout the world annually. Any pollutant
sources can be found in both indoor and outdoor environment. A commercial airline
could fly varying from 1 to 20 hours. During this time period, passengers are exposed
to any contaminant source that may exist in the cabin air. Due to high occupant density and long exposure time, pollutant sources could have serious impacts and threats
to the health of passengers. It’s important to locate the primary contaminant sources
in order to control the spread of pollutant. This project therefore uses CFD to simulate
the air fluid and contaminant transmission system in the aircraft cabin and develops
program with artificial intelligence algorithm(s) which is able to trace and localize pollutant source as well as identifying the possibilities of passengers being affected by
the containment under the concept of inverse modeling. During the exhibition, the
software will be demonstrated on the PC that how it is used to perform the tracing.
22
D1
Omnibot
Students
Supervisor
Sponsor
David Skene, David Sowerbutts, Peter Svensdotter
Dr. Ley Chen
Pepperl+Fuchs
Vehicles using conventional wheels have limited mobility, being only able to drive forward, backward and rotate. In contrast, our Mecanum-wheeled robot can move in any
planar direction, extending typical manoeuvrability to include the left and right directions. This eliminates the need for a turning circle and allows the robot to negotiate
90 degree corners in a single orientation. In order to create this robot, appropriate
hardware was selected and incorporated, and driving software and control systems
were developed. The completed system facilitates command following under manual
control from a user operated gamepad or commands through the created graphical
user interface. Obstacle detection and collision avoidance has also been implemented
using a 2 dimensional LIDAR from Pepperl+Fuchs. This scanner has also been used
for map generation. We have also established the groundwork for future work in autonomy and further mapping capabilities. Progressive development of this project has
previously been presented at Science Alive and the University of Adelaide Open Day.
This exhibition will give a detailed look at the developed system and its functionality.
23
D2
Design and build a solar water heater testing rig
Students
Supervisors
Sponsor
Jarrad Braham, Jay Wei Lim, Houzhi Wang, Xuan Wang
Dr Cristian Birzer, Assoc. Prof. Eric Hu
Solahart
Solar thermal technologies are among the most rapidly developing and readily implemented renewable energy technologies in Australia. Solar water heaters effectively
demonstrate several fundamental characteristics by which all solar thermal technologies capture and utilise energy from the sun. A solar water heater testing rig helps
present such fundamentals to future students in a practical engineering environment;
the University of Adelaide’s School of Mechanical Engineering has requested the production of such a facility. With support from Solahart, this project comprises the design
and build of a solar water heater testing rig for student teaching purposes, to be used
by mechanical engineering students at the University. The facility is capable of testing
the thermal performance of residential-scale flat plate collectors. Its design consists of
temperature, luminosity and flow-rate sensors integrated with a data acquisition system, enabling students to operate the facility during lab classes in order to analyse
the thermal performance of a flat plate collector. At the exhibition the project team will
display and describe the features and abilities of the final product, detail the project
methodology and solution development, and outline the opportunities and plans for
future progression.
24
D3
Maximising power output of a sprint kayaker
Students
Supervisors
Benjamin Day, Jack King, Amy Lewis, Timothy Symonds
Mr Will Robertson, Ami Drory
Sprint kayaks are equipped with a set of rails allowing the athlete to adjust seating
height and angle. Sitting higher in the boat has been found to put the body in a more
powerful position, but can also make the athlete more unstable. Such instability often
results in a decrease of stroke efficiency, requiring the athlete to find a comfortable
balance to maximise performance. Kayaking athletes do not currently have a quantifiable method of determining this optimal seating position.
This project consists of three distinct stages to best evaluate the influence of seating position on the kayaker’s power output. Firstly mechanical modifications were
made to a kayak ergometer such that it was capable of replicating lateral instability,
typical of what a kayaker would experience on-water. The ergometer was fully instrumented in order to determine output power during paddling as well as other important
paddling variables. Finally, a computer simulation was developed to be validated by
the instrumented ergometer, which has the capacity to present some of the internal
biomechanics required for the athlete’s stroke. At the exhibition you can gain a firsthand experience of the comparisons between the modified ergometer and a traditional
fixed ergometer, whilst having performance variables analysed.
D4
Jet flame modelling
Student
Supervisors
Michael Evans
Dr Paul Medwell, Dr Zhao Tian
The contemporary world is dependent on combustion. From electricity generation, to
jet engines, combustion has shaped the technology of the modern era. Despite its
versatility, conventional combustion produces unwanted nitrogen oxides (NOx) pollutants, emits soot and generates flame noise. These undesirable environmental repercussions may be minimised, or eliminated, through more thermally efficient operation
in the Moderate or Intense Low oxygen Dilution (MILD) combustion regime. To develop practical systems employing MILD combustion, researchers within the School
of Mechanical Engineering developed the Jet in Hot Coflow (JHC) burner to ascertain
a fundamental understanding of this unique combustion regime.
Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) models have been sought as a design tool for
in the development of improved combustion systems and to complement experimental
research into MILD combustion mechanics. Combustion simulations are inherently
complex, requiring physically accurate models of turbulence, chemical reactions and,
with particular importance for MILD combustion, turbulence-chemistry interactions.
25
An accurate model of turbulent jet flames in low oxygen conditions resembling MILD
combustion has been pursued, and validated against experimental data measured in
the JHC. The new model shows superior agreement compared to previous modelling
attempts under select conditions, and the exhibition will present these results.
CH Radical Number Density compared to photographic
measurements of an Ethylene/Nitrogen Jet Flame.
Photo from Medwell, P.R., Kalt, P.A.M. & Dally, B.B.
2008. Imaging of diluted turbulent ethylene flames stabilized on a jet in hot coflow (JHC) burner. Combustion
and Flame 152, 100–113.
D5
BlueBottle autonomous submarine navigation and
control
Students
Supervisors
Jingjie Wu, Jiming Zhang
Dr Steven Grainger, Assoc. Prof. Colin Kestell
The exhibition will demonstrate the development of the BlueBottle subsystems and the
developments to the internal chassis. Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs) are
at the forefront of scientific underwater exploration and tasks involving underwater
exploration and equipment inspection can now be done autonomously. An AUV is
an untethered, submersible vehicle that can be programmed to complete underwater
tasks utilising on board navigation and information systems.
BlueBottle Navigation and Control 2014 aims to navigate the BlueBottle in open
waters and provide visual and acoustic environmental monitoring. Inertial navigation,
acoustic distance determination and control algorithms are being developed. Additional sensors incorporated in 2013 include a pressure-based depth sensor and inclinometer to assist in determining position and orientation, which are essential to
autonomous navigation.
26
E1
Compressed air vehicle
Students
Supervisors
Sponsors
Gerry Mavrogiannis, Huon Payne, Marko Peterkovic,
Brock Pettigrove, Sam Arnold
Dr Antoni Blazewicz, Assoc. Prof. Colin Kestell
Automotive Safety Engineering (ASE), EngineAir Pty Ltd., City
Hydraulic, Chubb Fire & Safety, Kart Mania
Compressed air as a fuel source is an emerging technology currently being implemented to vehicles in an attempt to produce a zero-emission propulsion system. This
aims to combat rising greenhouse gas emissions from conventional fossil fuel operated vehicles, through the design of Compressed Air Vehicles (CAVs) which may be a
viable alternative. Air is delivered to an air motor from storage tanks, via a pneumatic
network, resulting in the conversion of potential energy to mechanical work.
In the exhibition, a Compressed Air Go-Kart (CAGK) is demonstrated. This vehicle
has been designed and tested and provides a preliminary study of potential application of compressed air fuel technologies to larger vehicles. The design includes a complete integration of sub-system designs, construction and optimisation of all systems.
Using a commercially available go-kart as a basis, the CAGK produces comparable
results in regards to performance, viability, whilst also focusing on safety aspects of
the design. Conclusions have been drawn from the acquired results, regarding the
feasibility of compressed air as a fuel source, and its potential for further development
and application in the future.
27
E2
Design and build a hybrid renewable energy production,
storage and management system for household
application
Students
Supervisors
Sean Ng, Ashley Phan and Lam-Thien Vu
Dr Maziar Arjomandi, Dr Cristian Birzer
With electricity prices continually rising in South Australia, an energy management
system (EMS) under an hourly pricing method was designed to alleviate household
electricity bills. Hybridisation through electricity production and storage, which is incorporated in the EMS, will be used to further assist in this reduction. The wholesale
price of electricity is dynamic, but households pay a flat rate on their electricity bills
based on the total amount of electricity consumed. An hourly pricing method is an
option that would better reflect the wholesale price trends. It provides a financial incentive for households to reduce their consumption in peak periods by offering prices
that reflect the current demand and supply of electricity. The EMS will automatically
shift appliance usage and manage the solar PV system and storage device to take
advantage of these varying prices.
The project required the development of an average household electricity consumption profile and the prediction of retail hourly prices based on 2012/13 financial
year wholesale prices. Furthermore, financial assessment of the management system
has been conducted for the shifting of domestic electricity usage, and household electricity production and storage. The aforementioned ideas were then integrated and it
was found that significant savings can be made by adopting this system. A graphical
user interface will be used to demonstrate the EMS.
E3
Scuba suit warmer
Students
Supervisor
Manraj Singh Mann Bhupinder Singh, Andreas Pettifer,
Sarah Wentworth
Dr Erwin Gamboa
Water has a higher thermal conductivity coefficient than air. A diver will therefore lose
a significant amount of heat to the underwater environment reducing exploration time.
This project determined the feasibility of extending dive time by delivering heat to the
diver. A recreational diver protects themselves from heat loss by donning a neoprene
suit. These suits provide adequate protection in moderate water, however in cooler
water greater amounts of heat are lost. This reduces dive times as the lost heat leads
to discomfort, loss of dexterity in fingers and toes, and eventually hypothermia. Current
solutions of heated wetsuits are unsuitable for diving and are expensive and This
project designed a prototype which provided heat to a diver thus allowing extending
dive times, with a retail cost under $400.
28
The project was divided into four major subsystems; heating element, controls,
power source and material. Tests were conducted to determine the feasibility of selected components. Heating element was tested in both air and in water to determine
the power output. Power supply was tested to determine the capacity and operation
MECHANICAL EXPO EXTRACT
time. Scalability of the control system was determined. The results were compared to
Project number: 1433
the restrictions and goals set at the beginning of the project regarding the power, cost
Project title: Design & Test a Lift-type Vertical Axis Wind Turbine
EXPO EXTRACT
and operation MECHANICAL
time requirements
for the device. This exhibition shows the final device
Students' names: Angus McLaren, Daniel Springham, David Freund,
Project
number: 1433
Steven Pfennig, Timothy Dow
in its functioning
capacity.
E4
Project title: Design & Test a Lift-type Vertical Axis Wind Turbine
Supervisors' names: Dr Maziar Arjomandi, Dr Timothy Lao
Sponsors:
Toolcraft, LJF Technical Services, Fyfe, Prince Alfred Col
Students' names: Angus McLaren, Daniel Springham, David Freund, Jarrad
Wade,
Design
and test a lift type vertical axis
wind
turbine
Steven Pfennig, Timothy Dow
Sponsor Logos:
Supervisors' names: Dr Maziar Arjomandi, Dr Timothy Lao
Students
Angus McLaren, Daniel Springham, David Freund,
Jarrad Wade, Steven Pfennig, Timothy Dow
Sponsor Logos:
Supervisors Dr Maziar Arjomandi, Dr Timothy Lao
MECHANICAL EXPO EXTRACT
Project number: 1433
Sponsors Toolcraft, LJF Technical Services, Fyfe, Prince Alfred College,
Project title: Design & Test a Lift-type Vertical Axis Wind Turbine
Carbon Fiber Australia
Sponsors: Toolcraft, LJF Technical Services, Fyfe, Prince Alfred College
Students' names: Angus McLaren, Daniel Springham, David Freund, Jarrad Wade,
Steven Pfennig, Timothy Dow
Supervisors' names: Dr Maziar Arjomandi, Dr Timothy Lao
Sponsors: Toolcraft, LJF Technical Services, Fyfe, Prince Alfred College
Sponsor Logos:
With the increasing popularity of renewable energy and wind power in particular, it is
desirable to implement small-scale wind turbine technology in urban areas. However,
horizontal axis wind turbines are unable to perform efficiently in such an environment,
and alternative turbine technologies must be sourced. Darrieus and Savonius vertical
axis wind turbines (VAWTs) are better suited to urban environments but individually,
each has its limits — the Darrieus is efficient at high speeds but is unable to self-start,
while the Savonius can self-start but is comparatively less efficient at high speeds.
Additionally, Darrieus VAWTs can take advantage of passive, or mechanically actuated
blade pitch control to further improve its performance.
This project focussed on the design, build, and test of a high-efficiency hybrid
VAWT for use in urban environments. The VAWT incorporates Savonius, Darrieus,
and passive pitch control technologies to overcome the disadvantages of each. The
designs and performance of existing VAWTs were reviewed to help develop a concept
design. Stream-tube modelling was then used to refine the concept and a final design
was reached. Once the VAWT was built, testing was undertaken to analyse the effectiveness of the passive pitch control and the Savonius as a start-up mechanism.
29
This exhibition will display the project’s results, along with future improvements and
potential market viability.
E5
HAVoC: Haptic Autonomous Vortex Cannon
Students
Supervisor
Mark Hier, John Hooper, Simon Inverarity, Adam Spencer,
Christopher Targett
Assoc. Prof. Ben Cazzolato
This project aimed to investigate, design and build a vortex cannon that is capable of
detecting humans via computer based vision and firing poloidal vortex rings towards
them. This will be used to develop a tactical avoidance style action game demonstrating various areas of engineering and computer science such as fluid mechanics,
human detection and control theory in an entertaining manner. The game consists
of players in a designated area, firing vortex rings at a target on the cannon system
whilst avoiding being hit by the cannon.
Formation and propagation of vortex rings was thoroughly investigated through
a series of experiments, simulations and mathematical models. The results of this
investigation were used in the design and optimisation of the cannon. Human detection
was also investigated and implemented using computer vision. Testing has shown the
system reliably produced stable vortex rings capable of propagating over ten metres
as well as real time detection of humans to a range of over thirteen metres. This
exhibition will detail the research, design and testing of system and its components to
date as well as a live demonstration of the system.
30
E6
Formula Vee fuel injection system
Students
Supervisor
Sponsor
Joshua Ames, Luke Air, Thomas Carpinelli, Michael King,
Andrew Lloyd
Mr Gareth Bridges
Formula Vee
Formula Vee is a highly controlled motor racing category, in which a strong focus is
placed on driver ability. Due to this focus, minimal vehicle modifications are permitted
and the specifications have remained relatively unchanged since the category was
introduced in 1965. As a result, an out-dated carburettor fuel delivery system is still in
place, discouraging many potential younger competitors. In an effort to maintain the
popularity of the racing category, the Formula Vee Association of Australia in cooperation with the University of Adelaide has begun an initiative to modernise the category
through the development of a custom electronic fuel injection (EFI) system.
The focus of this project is to design and test an EFI system which is capable of reliably matching the output performance of the original carburettor system, whilst ensuring a low set up cost for entry-level competitors. This exercise will assist in demonstrating the many commercially viable benefits of electronic systems over their mechanical
counterparts. Testing of the current Volkswagen 1600cc boxer engine fitted with the
carburettor system was undertaken using a dynamometer in order to obtain baseline
performance data. A number of design choices were analysed, with single port and
multi-port injection being selected as two options that could meet the Formula Vee
requirements. The focus of the project was then the implementation of these systems
and subsequent testing for performance matching and comparison. This exhibition
will demonstrate the progress of the project to date.
31
o Abstract:
ber:
ors:
1531
Infinity Bicycle: A pedal-powered series-hybrid electric bicycle
Antoni Blazewicz and Steven Grainger
Greenspokes, Fragile to Agile, Enterprise Thinking, Bernie Jones
Cycles.
E7
Infinity bicycle
Students
Supervisors
Sponsors
Andrew Fosdike, Edwin Michell, Michael Budimir
Dr Antoni Blazewicz, Dr Steven Grainger
Greenspokes, Fragile to Agile, Enterprise Thinking, Bernie
Jones Cycles
The Infinity Bike project aims to build a pedal-powered series-hybrid electric bicycle, in
which the mechanical derailleur-chain transmission is replaced entirely with an electric
generator-motor pair. This purely electronic transmission allows great operational flexibility, enabling an infinitely-variable pedal-to-wheel speed ratio, a power assistance
ratio, and regenerative braking.
primary goals are to develop the electronic control system between motor and
AndrewThe
Fosdike
generator, quantify the efficiency of this system compared to existing bicycle transEdwin Michell
missions, identify the main sources of energy loss, and suggest methods to reduce
Michael
Budimirthese. The completed bicycle and its capabilities will be showcased at
or eliminate
MechExpo.
Mechexpo Abstract:
Project Number:
1531
Project Title:
Infinity Bicycle: A pedal-powered series-hybrid electric bicycle
Supervisors:
Antoni Blazewicz and Steven Grainger
List of Sponsors:
Greenspokes, Fragile to Agile, Enterprise Thinking, Bernie Jones
Cycles.
Students:
Andrew Fosdike
Bike project aims to build a pedal-powered series-hybrid electric bicycle, in
echanical derailleur-chain transmission is replaced entirely with an electric
otor pair. This purely electronic transmission allows great operational flexibility,
infinitely-variable pedal-to-wheel speed ratio, a power assistance ratio, and
braking.
Edwin Michell
Michael Budimir
Abstract:
The Infinity Bike project aims to build a pedal-powered series-hybrid electric bicycle, in
which the mechanical derailleur-chain transmission is replaced entirely with an electric
generator-motor pair. This purely electronic transmission allows great operational flexibility,
enabling an infinitely-variable pedal-to-wheel speed ratio, a power assistance ratio, and
regenerative braking.
goals are to develop the electronic control system between motor and
quantify the efficiency of this system compared to existing bicycle
s, identify the main sources of energy loss, and suggest methods to reduce or
ese. The completed bicycle and its capabilities will be showcased at
The primary goals are to develop the electronic control system between motor and
generator, quantify the efficiency of this system compared to existing bicycle
transmissions, identify the main sources of energy loss, and suggest methods to reduce or
eliminate these. The completed bicycle and its capabilities will be showcased at
MechExpo.
32
E8
ASRI multi-stage launch vehicle
Students
Supervisors
Sponsors
Fantai Meng, Anton Silvestri, Ryan Tang, James Tran
Dr Steven Grainger, Dr Matthew Tetlow
Australian Space Research Institute, The Sir Ross and Keith
Smith Fund
The ASRI Multi-Stage Launch Vehicle (MSLV) is an extension of the Small Sounding
Rocket Program (SSRP) developed during the mid-1990s. As the MSLV project implements a 2-stage launch system, as opposed to the single-stage of the SSRP, the
vehicle will be able to reach higher altitudes and speeds than the SSRP system. Currently hypersonic testing requires the acquisition of American Terrier-Orion rockets,
whilst the successful completion of this project will reduce Australia’s dependence on
America for such research activities. The designs utilise decommissioned Defence
resources, namely the Zuni and Sighter rockets. Furthermore, the MSLV can provide
an inexpensive development platform for aerospace equipment as it can simulate the
forces and environments such apparatus would be subjected to.
oject 1473: Australian Space Research Institute Multi-Stage Launch Vehicle
The 2013 project aims to develop a Dynamically Stabilised Payload Bay (DSPB),
an external communications system to relay GPS coordinates, extend the capability of
pervisors:
Dr1473:
Steven
Grainger,
Dr Research
MatthewInstitute
TetlowMulti-Stage Launch Vehicle
Project
Australian
Space
the avionics suite as well as design and manufacture a rocket enclosure to reduce the
reliance
theGrainger,
availability
of the Woomera
site. The exhibition will provide an
Supervisors:
Dr on
Steven
Dr Matthew
Tetlow
onsors:
Australian
Space
Research
Institute,
The Sir launch
Ross and
Keith Smith Fund
overview of current progress towards these goals, including research, developments
Sponsors: Australian Space Research Institute, The Sir Ross and Keith Smith Fund
and Meng,
prototypes.
udents: Fantai
Anton Silvestri, Ryan Tang & James Tran
Students: Fantai Meng, Anton Silvestri, Ryan Tang & James Tran
The ASRI Multi-Stage Launch Vehicle (MSLV) is an extension of the Small Sounding Rocket Program
e ASRI Multi-Stage Launch Vehicle (MSLV) is an extension of the Small Sounding Rocket Program
E9
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Supervisors
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namely
thebeZuni
and Sighter rockets. Furthermore, the MSLV can provide an inexpensive
apparatus
subjected
beenwould
formed
about theto.different behaviours of each ball when travelling through the air.
projectfor
provides
comparative
aerodynamic
for competition
by
velopmentThis
platform
aerospace
equipment
as it can data
simulate
the forcesballs
andproduced
environments
such
The 2013 project aims to develop a Dynamically Stabilised Payload Bay (DSPB), an external
paratus would be subjected to.
communications system to relay GPS coordinates, extend the capability of the avionics suite as well
33
as design and manufacture a rocket enclosure to reduce the reliance on the availability of the
each manufacturer to aid the relatively new notion of standardising Australian Rules
Footballs. The comparative data contains characteristics of each manufacturer’s product that play significant roles in the aerodynamic behaviours of the balls throughout
a game. In this project the aerodynamic characteristics of the balls were determined
through the use of the University’s KC wind tunnel. Each ball was placed within the test
section and tested at typical ball speeds experienced during match play. The data was
accumulated with the aid of a load cell and processed to determine the coefficients of
lift and drag as well as the side forces imparted on the ball. In addition to the quantitative data, flow visualisation will be used to help illustrate and interpret any differences
between the balls’ aerodynamic characteristics.
F1
Intelligent maritime UAV catapult robot, detection &
tracking using Fast SLAM: A feasibility study
Students
Supervisors
Sponsor
David Burns, Lee Lawson and Christopher Morrison
Assoc. Prof. Amir Anvar,
Dr Andrew Knight (DSTO) and Ms Susan Cockshell (DSTO)
The Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DSTO)
The safety of members of the Australian Defence Force is of paramount concern, and
one that requires constant improvement. This is particularly true for the harsh and unpredictable oceanic environments encountered by the Royal Australian Navy. A major
safety concern is the inherent risks that are associated with manned flights dispatched
from surface navy vessels. As such, there has been considerable emphasis placed
on the research and development of automated Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs).
Due to the space constraints enforced by the surface-vessels, a maritime UAV must
also be designed in conjunction with compact launching and recovery systems. This
exhibition will present the findings of an investigation into the feasibility of a Maritime
UAV robot with projectile launcher and recovery system, through the integration and
enhancement of current existing systems and the design of new structures. In this exhibition we will also present the potential future applications of the UAV, including the
34
simultaneous localisation and mapping (SLAM) techniques and deployment a small
payload, such as a micro-sonobuoy, to support the UAV in maritime air operations.
F2
Renewable energy by utilising hydrogen fuel cells with
the support of automated spar buoy for oceanic
application
Students
Supervisors
Sponsor
Abdul Halim Abd Latif, Mohamad Nasruddin Mat Saei,
Mohd Fahmi Hassan, Muhammad Hasif Haron Khan
Assoc. Prof. Amir Anvar, Mr John Van Velzen (DSTO)
Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DSTO)
In this project, the feasibility of utilising fuel cell as a portable power source for underwater application is investigated. In the beginning, research is carried out to establish strong theoretical understanding of the operation and application of hydrogen
fuel cells. This includes the factors influencing the efficiency and underwater working
conditions. One of the major challenges for the fuel cell to operate underwater is to
continuously supply the oxygen into the vessel. Furthermore, the water and excess
hydrogen produced during operation demands careful management to avoid contamination in the closed system. Hence, modifications are required to constantly supply
oxygen to the cells-stack and maintain good air quality in the vessel. The exhibition
features the methods of how to make the fuel cell feasible for underwater use.
In addition, this exhibition will also demonstrate the design and control concepts
for an automatic variable buoyancy spar buoy which would be tethered to the fuel cell
system by mooring lines. It is expected at high sea states, the spar buoy automatically
change its buoyancy to submerge to a small depth below the water surface to avoid
35
application is investigated. In the beginning, research is carried out to establish strong theoretical
understanding of the operation and application of hydrogen fuel cells. This includes the factors
influencing the efficiency and underwater working conditions. One of the major challenges for the
fuel cell to operate underwater is to continuously supply the oxygen into the vessel. Furthermore, the
water and excess hydrogen produced during operation demands careful management to avoid
contamination in the closed system. Hence, modifications are required to constantly supply oxygen to
the cells-stack and maintain good air quality in the vessel. The exhibition features the methods of how
to make the fuel cell feasible for underwater use.
In addition, this exhibition will also demonstrate the design and control concepts for an automatic
to the system. In this case the spar buoy will act as an autoany possible damages
variable buoyancy spar buoy which would be tethered to the fuel cell system by mooring lines. It is
expected at high sea states, the spar buoy automatically change its buoyancy to submerge to a small
mated positioning device
system that would
depth below theto
watersupport
surface to avoid anyundersea
possible damages to the renewable
system. In this case the sparenergy
buoy
will act as an automated positioning device to support undersea renewable energy system that would
used for oceanic underwater scenarios.
scenarios.
be used for oceanicbeunderwater
Automated Spar Buoy
Automated Spar Buoy connected to Hydrogen Fuel Cell System
Automated Spar Buoy (left) and Automated spar buoy connected to submerged
hydrogen fuel cell system (right).
F3
Cat falling robot lands on its feet
Students
Supervisors
Rian Visser, Benjamin Shields,
Ross Jobson and Natalie Redmond
Mr Will Robertson, Assoc. Prof. Ben Cazzolato
Cats are renowned for their ability to always land on their feet. Although their body is
dropped with no initial angular momentum, they are able to right themselves by creating an imbalance between
the
moment
inertia
of their front and back halves. Helix
Project 1487:
Falling
Cat Robot Landsof
on its
Feet
Supervisors: William Robertson and Benjamin Cazzolato
is a robot that mimicsStudents:
the motion
and
appearance
of aRedmond
real falling cat. When dropped
Rian Visser, Benjamin Shields, Ross Jobson and Natalie
upside down from anyCatsheight
or
angular
position
it
will
rotate
are renowned for their ability to always land on their feet. Although
their bodywhile falling to land on
is dropped with no initial angular momentum, they are able to right themselves by
creating
an
imbalance
between
the
moment
of
inertia
of
their
front
and
back
halves.
its feet. This is a novel project that was motivated by a desire
to demonstrate the poHelix is a robot that mimics the motion and appearance of a real falling cat. When
dropped
upside
down
from
any
height
or
angular
position
it
will
rotate
while
falling
tential for bio-inspired robotics and encourage future students to pursue engineering.
to land on its feet. This is a novel project that was motivated by a desire to
demonstrate
the potential
for bio-inspired
robotics and
encourage
future students
At this exhibition, we will
present
the
simulation
that
verifies
the theoretical model and
to pursue engineering. At this exhibition, we will present the simulation that verifies
the theoretical model and an interactive demonstration of this self-righting ability.
an interactive demonstration of this self-righting ability.
36
F4
Direct injection retrofit to a two-stroke motorcycle
engine
Students
Supervisors
Stefan Smith, Anthony Smith
Prof. Bassam Dally, Dr Peter Kalt
Two stroke engines are in common use especially in developing countries. The conventional carburetion fuel system has inefficiencies and creates large amounts of
harmful emissions. This form of engine has reached mainstream use largely due to
its low cost, simple construction and few moving parts. This project aims to retrofit
the two-stroke engine of a Yamaha YZ-125 racing motorcycle with a direct injection
fuel delivery system to decrease emission levels and increase fuel economy while
retaining the characteristic high power output. This project aims to demonstrate the
technical viability of retrofitting a motorcycle engine with a direct injection system to
adhere to worldwide standards in transport and motorsport. The project is in its second year, the Direct Injection system has been partially designed and implemented,
however the motorcycle is not currently in an operational state. The aim this year is to
complete this design and add a self-sufficient power system such that the motorcycle
is rideable. In this exhibition, the bike will be on display including demonstrations of
the tuning software used on a laptop.
F5
Design and test quiet high-speed jet engine nozzles
Student
Supervisors
Henri Westell
Assoc. Prof. Con Doolan, Dr Danielle Moreau, Dr Paul Medwell
Jet engines are an indispensable part of the aerospace industry. However, a drawback to their operation is the production of high levels of noise. Health problems such
as hypertension and cardio vascular disease have been linked to jet noise. As such
many airports around the world have curfews imposed upon them, which limits airline
37
profitability and productivity. Reducing the noise emanating from jet engines and other
high-speed fluid flow applications has been a heavily researched area of acoustic engineering. This project aimed to develop appropriate experimental methodology and
data processing techniques to reduce noise levels associated with jet flow via passive
nozzle exit profile manipulation. Nozzles of various shapes were manufactured using 3D printing technology and tested using a jet noise rig, placed in a reverberation
chamber. It was found that the noise reducing nozzle concepts were successful at
alleviating noise levels with varying degrees of success. It was concluded that largescale turbulence in jet flows is the predominant source of noise and passive turbulent
mixing techniques are effective at reducing it. This exhibition will include interactive
experimental jet noise comparisons and sound data processing as well as an overall
education of jet noise, how it’s created and how it can be reduced.
F6
Design, research & development on intelligent swarm
networking of UAVs, SUVs & AUVs for oceanic
applications
Students
Supervisors
Sponsors
Daniel Baines, Jeremy Connelly, Vincent Lau, Prashant Murali
Assoc. Prof. Amir Anvar, Dr Andrew Knight (DSTO),
Ms Susan Cockshell (DSTO)
Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DSTO),
Rockwell Automation
A swarm network coordinates multiple autonomous robots into a system that is able
to collectively complete a mutual task and can be applied to areas such as search and
rescue, reconnaissance, environmental studies and surveillance. Swarm networking
systems are modelled on biological insect colonies to mimic the interaction between
each member whilst undertaking a joint task. In order for a swarm to operate efficiently, certain levels of autonomy must be built into the system in order to simplify
the operator’s task.
The purpose of this project is to research, design and implement a Swarm Networking System in a group of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) that can be applied to
an Oceanic robotic community. The uniquely designed system uses a combination of
Particle Swarm Optimisation (PSO) path planning techniques, Monte Carlo localisa-
38
tion and obstacle avoidance algorithms integrated into the UAVs. These systems have
been simulated and then tested in real time through a series of scenarios designed to
replicate real applications.
The exhibition will demonstrate the research, system architecture and overall design of the robotic swarm system, simulations of individual components as well as
video demonstrations of the autonomous tests conducted. All quadcopters will also
be on display.
F7
Automated oceanic wave surface glider robot operations:
A viability study
Students
Supervisors
Sponsor
Muhammad Zainal Abidin, Zulhusmi Mohd Noor, Rizwan Talib,
Afiq Johari
Assoc. Prof. Amir Anvar, Assoc. Prof. Eric Hu, Dr Zhao Tian
Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DSTO)
410
Unmanned surface vehicle (USV) Wave Glider Robot is an unmanned autonomous
vehicle that is powered by ocean surface wave and solar energy. The wave glider consists of two main parts, which are surface float and underwater glider that is connected
via an umbilical cord. Conceptually, the underwater glider converts the oceanic underwater current and surface wave energy into forward propulsion by utilizing the movement of its wings. In addition, the float is equipped with solar panels and rechargeable
batteries that provide power to onboard navigation system and surveillance sensors as
well as communication devices. The surveillance sensors collect the ocean data while
the communication devices transmit information to off- board human operators. Besides that, oceanic mission scenarios will consider automatic landing of a quad-copter
ce Glider Robot Operations:
mi Mohd Noor, Rizwan Talib & Afiq Johari
Hu, Dr Zhao Feng Tian
39
Organisation (DSTO)
tomated Oceanic Wave Surface Glider Robot Operations:
UAV robot on USV’s landing platform using the wave glider as a power-charging staViability
Study
tion. The exhibition features the viability study of the Automated Ocean Surface Glider
Robot which is included with dynamic design and application scenarios. This exhibi-
dents:Muhammad
ZainalanAbidin,
Mohd
Noor,
Rizwan
Talib
tion will also provide
overviewZulhusmi
of up-to-date
progress
on the
project as
well &
as Afiq Joh
further improvements that will allow the wave surface glider to monitor and transmit
ervisors: A/Prof Amir Anvar, A/Prof Eric Hu, Dr Zhao Feng Tian
information from oceanic conditions at given locations whilst permitting recharging of
nsor: Defence
Science
and Technology
Organisation (DSTO)
the quad-copter
in real-time
will be presented.
manned surface vehicle (USV) Wave Glider Robot is an unmanned autonomous
Design
build
a maritime
UAV with
icle that is powered
byand
ocean
surface
wave quadcopter
and solar energy.
The wave glider
automation and deployment capabilities
sists of two main parts, which are surface float and underwater glider that is
Students Renjie Du, Ryan Harvie, Sebastian Parkitny, Toby Clark
nected via an Supervisors
umbilical cord.
the
underwater
glider converts the
Assoc. Conceptually,
Prof. Amir Anvar, Dr
Andrew
Knight (DSTO),
Susan
Cockshell
(DSTO)
anic underwater currentMs
and
surface
wave
energy into forward propulsion by
Sponsors Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DSTO), Boeing,
izing the movement of itsRockwell
wings.Automation,
In addition,
the
float is equipped with solar
Boxline
Automation
els and rechargeable batteries that provide power to onboard navigation syste
surveillance sensors as well as communication devices. The surveillance senso
increasing
utilisation
of unmanned aerial vehicles
(UAV)
in maritime
scenarWith an data
ect the ocean
while
the communication
devices
transmit
information
to o
ios, the DSTO, Boeing, Rockwell Automation and Boxline Automation have sponsored
rd human
operators.
oceanic
scenarios
will consider
a project
to designBesides
and build that,
a quadcopter
UAVmission
suitable for
maritime environments
and capable
deploying a payload. A quadcopter aircraft has four rotors which proomatic landing
of aof quad-copter UAV robot on USV’s landing platform using the
vide the thrust and lift required for flight, and also allow for vertical take-off and landve glider ing.
as aA power-charging
station.
The exhibition
features
viability study
quadcopter has unique
flight capabilities
that could be
beneficialthe
in maritime
operations
suchSurface
as surveillance,
assistance,
environmental
Automated
Ocean
Glidercommunications,
Robot whichrescue
is included
with
dynamic design
studies and object tracking. The design and build process has involved the prelimapplication
scenarios.
This exhibition
will
also provide
an resulting
overview
of up-to-da
inary design,
construction
and subsystem
integration
of the UAV,
in flight
and performance
The focus
of the project isthat
to develop
an aircraft
gress ontesting
the project
as wellanalysis.
as further
improvements
will allow
the wave
that utilised the flight characteristics of a quadcopter to make it an asset in maritime
face glider to monitor and transmit information from oceanic conditions at give
ations whilst permitting recharging of the quad-copter in real-time will be
40
sented.
F8
scenarios. The primary design features incorporated to achieve this include a waterproof design, the ability for take-off and landing from water, an on-board camera and
micro-sonobuoy deployment capabilities. A mechanical claw has been designed and
built as the deployment mechanism, which extends the UAV’s capability by supporting various payloads. This exhibition will display the fundamentals of the quadcopter
design, the completed aircraft and results of flight testing.
F9
Intelligent submersible thermal glider robot, system
operations for deep-sea applications: A feasibility study
Students
Supervisor
Sponsors
David Edwards, Abdul Ab Gani
Assoc. Prof. Amir Anvar
Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DSTO), FESTO
Australia
Underwater gliders are autonomous buoyancy changing devices equipped with various sensors to aid in a number of civilian and defence applications including undersea environmental study, Oceanographic research and etc. While studies have been
conducted on shallow waters of the Ocean, deep sea data is limited to current tools
available to researchers. Deep sea gliders are required in Australian waters to aid
a range of maritime applications and are crucial to the development of human endeavours through the roles Oceans play on climate, natural resources, recreational
activities and fisheries.
The Ocean is a reservoir of energy with potential to be harnessed. The design
of the underwater Thermal Glider Robot seeks to extract Oceanic energy in the form
of heat by utilising properties of a phase change material to produce changes in its
buoyancy to glide through water at low speeds for high range and endurance missions.
41
The main objective of this project is to investigate the feasibility of such a system and
aims to prove that the form of energy extraction is viable and has the potential to be
utilised in promoting an increased knowledge of Australian Oceans for both defence
and environmental applications. The exhibition will demonstrate the designs of thermal
engine that could operate within the temperatures of the thermocline.
G1
Instrumented rowing ergometer
Student
Supervisors
Sponsor
James McRae
Dr Paul Grimshaw, Dr David Bentley,
Assoc. Prof. Richard Kelso
South Australian Sports Institute
Rowing ergometers are designed to simulate the motion and loads of on-water rowing
and are commonly used as land based training and testing tools for beginner rowers
through to Olympic athletes. Although rowing ergometers are effective at measuring
handle forces, they fail to take into account other forces which affect on-water boat
speed such as footplate and seat forces.
In Australia, all national rowing ergometer testing takes place on Concept 2 ergometers which may be used in a stationary manner or on slides to allow the ergometer to move along a sliding axis. It is also possible for athletes to select the level of
damping applied to the ergometer flywheel during use.
This project has successfully instrumented a Concept 2 rowing ergometer to measure forces applied to the footplate and seat. The data collected, using national level
rowers, has been used to compare the differences in force application between the
mode of ergometer (sliding or stationary) as well as the effect of altering the drag factor. This exhibition will showcase these finding as well as provide an opportunity for
42
attendees to use the instrumented ergometer to compare their force production with
that of national level rowers via live feedback.
G2
The effect of wing leading edge tubercles on induced
drag
Students
Supervisors
Sophie Dawson, Oliver Durance, Tony Huang,
Simon McDonald and Jeremy Yu
Dr Maziar Arjomandi, Mr Michael Bolzon,
Assoc. Prof. Richard Kelso
Air traffic is predicted to rise to 3.6 billion passengers by 2016, a 28% increase in four
years. This will result in increased fuel costs and emissions. Reducing induced drag
improves aircraft efficiency and alleviates these concerns. Tubercles are sinusoidal
protrusions on the leading edge of humpback whale flippers. In nature these result in
increased agility attributed to an increase in lift and reduction in drag. The goal of this
project is to investigate the effect of tubercles on induced drag.
In order to understand these effects both numerical methods and experimental
testing have been used. Computational fluid dynamics was employed to enable a
wide range of flow parameters to be investigated. Experimental testing required the
design of test pieces and two experimental rigs for each of the aerodynamics facilities
used. The water tunnel flow visualisation of a baseline and tubercle wing enabled
comparison of the flow features for each wing. Force measurements of lift and drag of
the wings in the wind tunnel were used to evaluate the performance of the tubercles.
The team members and a visual display at the Mechanical Engineering Exhibition will
provide an overview of the project, the results obtained and the implications for future
aircraft.
43
G3
Performance and assessment of archery bow-arrow
interaction
Students
Supervisors
Hayden Gale, Nelson Chau, Greg Gallman
Dr. John Codrington, Assoc. Prof. Ben Cazzolato
Archery, a popular modern Olympic sport dating back centuries, relies heavily on the
accuracy and repeatability of the arrow shots fired from a bow. One of the main factors
affecting accuracy is the setup of the bow and the arrow. There are many aspects of
the bow setup, such as string weight, limb length and even limb material, that an archer
can adjust to optimise performance; most of which are governed by well-established
rules. However, the impact of one of the bow characteristics, that of the tiller, is poorly
understood. The tiller is the difference between the draw weight of the upper and lower
limbs. Tiller values are often chosen based on anecdotal evidence and the archer’s
feel during the shot. This suggests that a deeper study of the system is warranted and
therefore forms the basis of the project.
In this exhibition we will be displaying a number of high speed videos that show
our investigation into shot performance and bow vibrational characteristics from firing
arrows at different tiller values. In order to achieve this objective, a functional firing
machine has been designed and constructed it will also be on display. To analyze the
dynamics of the system, a finite element analysis is undertaken and a full scale model
has been designed to show at the exbition how the bow vibrates.
G4
Design of self-cleaning surfaces
Students
Supervisor
Chen Shen, Shuangkai Wu, Wenjun Yan
Dr Zonghan Xie
Self-cleaning is a desirable function for many natural and artificial surfaces, such
as lotus leaves and windscreens. During the past decade, a deep understanding of
water-surface interactions that render the surface water repellent has been developed.
Based upon that, chemical and physical approaches have been used for preparing
44
self-cleaning surfaces. It is now becoming clear that the chemical method has a limitation in achieving high water contact angle (usually below 120 degree). In this project,
the physical means is chosen by emulating the lotus effect. That is, the self-cleaning
effect is realized and further enhanced primarily through the tailoring of the surface
micro-structure. To do that, Cassie and Wenzel equations are used to analyze and
optimize the surface features for water repellency. The critical pressure is also calculated to evaluate the robustness of various surface structures. In order to ensure
the mechanical durability of these designs, finite element analysis (FEA) models are
constructed and validated using published data. The magnitude and distribution of
stresses induced by static and dynamic loadings are visualized and compared between different surface structures. The results obtained from this project can guide
the fabrication of mechanically strong, super-hydrophobic surfaces for self-cleaning
applications.
G5
Design and build a model gas turbine combustor
Students
Supervisors
Sponsor
David Bey, James Dean, James Francis, Ashleigh Trainor
Dr Paul Medwell, Dr Zhao Tian
Santos Ltd
Gas turbines are used extensively for electricity generation and to power aircraft. For
both applications there is a continual societal and commercial demand for higher fuel
efficiency with lower exhaust emissions. This project seeks to address these two demands by incorporating MILD (moderate or intense low oxygen dilution) combustion
technology in the design, build and commissioning of a working prototype gas turbine combustor. MILD combustion occurs when a fuel is burnt under very low oxygen
level conditions. The conditions required to achieve MILD combustion are typically
achieved by recycling large quantities of hot exhaust gases into the combustion reaction zone. The result of the low oxygen environment is a distributed reaction zone, thus
avoiding high temperature regions and consequently lowering thermal NOx emissions.
The distributed reaction zone also results in a uniform heating profile, which reduces
high temperature erosion on turbine blades and can improve thermal efficiency. On
45
display at the exhibition is the completed prototype combustor as used in the testing and commissioning progress. This proof of concept combustor is approximately 3
metres high and is equipped with a glass viewing pane into the combustion chamber
where MILD combustion was observed.
H1
Biomechanics of sport climbing
Students
Supervisors
Elsa Burnell, Nicholas Reed, Thomas Sheridan
Dr Erwin Gamboa, Mr Will Robertson
The sport of rock climbing is rapidly increasing in popularity, but despite this there has
been little detailed research into the occurrence of stress related injuries in participants. The project aimed to address this shortage by simulating a climbing environment in which biomechanical force analysis could be performed during the execution
of climbing manoeuvres. This analysis determined internal joint forces and torques
throughout a climbing manoeuvre, and thus provided a knowledge base for future
medical research.
To achieve this, a climbing environment was designed and fabricated for the simulation of climbing manoeuvres in a laboratory setting. Motion capture cameras and
software were used to map the movement of test subjects executing these climbing
moves. The software captured three-dimensional coordinates of infra-red reflective
markers placed on anatomically significant landmarks. A MATLAB program was written to analyse the captured coordinates using inverse dynamics. To aid the biomechanical analysis of climbers, a force measurement system was designed and im46
plemented into the climbing environment. During experimentation, force and motion
capture data were recorded simultaneously, allowing the production of a computer
model that visualised the biomechanical results.
This exhibition will display the climbing environment designed for a number of
climbing manoeuvres.
H2 Energy return in running shoes
Students
Supervisors
Nathan Taverner, Michael Stevenson
Dr Paul Grimshaw, Dr David Bentley
The development of modern running shoes has led to new midsole models designed
to provide a significant performance advantage with each new generation. Running
shoes with increased ‘Energy Return’ are one possible method of improving running
economy by increasing the amount of elastic strain energy returned to the athlete
by the shoe midsole, reducing the effort required for each stride, which in turn should
improve running performance. However, after claims from athletic footwear companies
and much research, there remains no clear evidence of a significant performance
advantage due solely to energy return properties of running shoe midsoles.
The aim of this project was to compare test subjects’ percentage VO2max on a
treadmill while wearing ‘energy returning’ and ‘non-energy returning’ shoes. Additionally, uniform Ethyl-Vinyl-Acetate (EVA) midsole was modelled using ANSYS Finite
Element Analysis (FEA) software to understand the plantar pressure distribution and
material deformation typical of a single running stride. This project used physiological
testing in conjunction with FEA to determine whether the design of running shoes to
exploit ‘energy return’ is viable for improved running economy and/or performance.
47
H3 Sustainable marine current energy
Students
Supervisors
Sponsor
Rachel Tucker, Steven Ingham
Dr Antoni Blazewicz, Dr Kristy Hansen,
Assoc. Prof. Richard Kelso
SA Power Network
As society and science become increasingly aware of the harmful impact burning fossil
fuels has on public health and the environment, many economies are looking to reduce
their carbon footprint through the development of clean, renewable power generation,
such as Marine Current Turbines (MCT) that can be used to convert tidal energy into
electrical energy. The major sponsor of this project is SA Power Networks. This project
examines a horizontal axis turbine to extract kinetic energy from a free stream current
and transform it into electricity. The project team has performed a system review of
the existing prototype and testing methodology based on research literature. From
this, dimensionless parameter testing of the MCT has being performed in wind tunnel
laboratories to verify computational modelling. The focus of the project is to optimise
the performance a MCT through the inclusion of ‘tubercled’ turbine blades and a channelling device. The comprehensive systems review included designing an appropriate
data acquisition system, component stress testing and re-manufacturing the prototype
blades. Multiple tubercle, angle of attack and channelling device configurations were
tested at a range of Tip Speed Ratios, to determine the optimum coefficient of power
for the system. Based on these results, commercial viability will be investigated for
the technology. The exhibition will demonstrate the results obtained and future commercial prospects of the technology.
48
H4 High temperature thermal storage system
Students
Supervisor
Sponsor
Liguo Dai, Matthew Emes
Mr Gareth Bridges
Ammjohn Engineering Pty Ltd
Renewable energy sources are intermittent and not capable of supplying power at
peak demand. It is hoped a Thermal Energy Storage System (TESS) investigated in
the project ‘1482: High Temperature Thermal Storage System’ will assist such technologies in meeting electricity demand. Silicon is used as the storage medium in the
TESS as it can store large quantities of thermal energy per unit mass. Silicon acts
like a battery, where thermal energy can be extracted from it when required. The effectiveness of this extraction depends on the phase of the silicon, where fully molten
silicon corresponds to a fully charged battery and solidified silicon can be thought of
as a low-charged battery. Two issues of the TESS will be investigated in this project by
students Liguo Dai and Matthew Emes, supervised by Gareth Bridges in partnership
with Ammjohn Engineering Pty Ltd and financially sponsored by Ammjohn Engineering Pty Ltd.
1. Significant concern remains on whether silicon and its containment material can
resist fracture and fatigue when heating to silicon’s melting point of 1414°C.
Test crucibles will be heated in a high temperature furnace and cooled samples
observed under a Scanning Electron Microscope.
bition Abstract – 1441
mber
e
names
rs' names
2. Heat transfer from silicon to a working fluid in a duct will be modelled to determine how effectively heat can be extracted from silicon for various degrees of
1441
solidification, inlet temperatures and mass flow rates.
Investigation of the wake of a Horizontal axis wind turbine
H5
Investigation of the wake of a horizontal axis wind
turbine
Eshodarar Sureshkumar, Anthony Kent Murphy, Samir Howell, Ka Lok Lee,
Students Eshodarar Sureshkumar, Anthony Kent Murphy, Samir Howell,
Puzhi Yao, Chu Xiang Chiew
Ka Lok Lee, Puzhi Yao, Chu Xiang Chiew
Supervisors Dr Maziar Arjomandi, Assoc. Prof. Richard Kelso,
Mr Alex
Laratro
Maziar Arjomandi, Richard
Kelso,
Alex Laratro
Sponsor eLabtronics
eLabtronics
With increasing need for efficient sustainable energy resources, this project aimed to
contribute
by investigating
wake ofthis
a Horizontal
Axis
Wind Turbine
asing need for
efficient sustainable
energythe
resources,
project aimed
to contribute
by (HAWT). The
is the region
downstream
of an operating
where the airflow is changed
ng the wakewake
of a Horizontal
Axis Wind
Turbine (HAWT).
The waketurbine,
is the region
am of an operating turbine, where the airflow is changed due to the motion of the turbine.
perating in the wake of another turbine experience a loss in49power, as well as increased
noise production. Understanding the wake can lead to improving current wind technology,
Supervisors' names
Maziar Arjomandi, Richard Kelso, Alex Laratro
Sponsors
eLabtronics
due to the motion of the turbine. HAWTs operating in the wake of another turbine expeAbstract:
rience a loss in power, as well as increased loads and noise production. UnderstandWith increasing need for efficient sustainable energy resources, this project aimed to contribute by
ing the
wake can lead to improving current wind technology, which can significantly
investigating the wake of a Horizontal Axis Wind Turbine (HAWT). The wake is the region
reduce
the dependence
onturbine,
fossilwhere
fuelsthe
forairflow
energy
generation.
downstream
of an operating
is changed
due to the motion of the turbine.
HAWTs
operating
in the
wake ofwas
another
turbine experience
a loss
power, as well
as increased
The
wake
of the
turbine
investigated
using
aninempirical
model,
a Computaloads and noise production. Understanding the wake can lead to improving current wind technology,
tional Fluid Dynamics (CFD) model, and experiments in the wind tunnel. Characteriswhich can significantly reduce the dependence on fossil fuels for energy generation.
tics such as the wake diameter, velocity deficit, and power coefficient of the wake were
The wake of the turbine was investigated using an empirical model, a Computational Fluid Dynamics
being(CFD)
investigated.
The vortices and eddies in the wake were also of interest in this
model, and experiments in the wind tunnel. Characteristics such as the wake diameter,
project.
The
dataandobtained
by testing
a model
scale
turbine in
wind
velocity
deficit,
power coefficient
of the wake
were being
investigated.
Thethe
vortices
andengineering
eddies
in theofwake
also of interest
this project.
The data
by testing
a model
scale
turbine
section
thewere
Thebarton
windin tunnel
would
be obtained
compared
against
the
CFD
and emin the wind engineering section of the Thebarton wind tunnel would be compared against the CFD
pirical model results for verification. This exhibition would display the results we have
and empirical model results for verification. This exhibition would display the results we have
gathered
from
components
as the components
used for the project.
gathered
fromthe
the three
three components
as wellas
as well
the components
used for the project.
Left to right — Larsen model (Empirical) of the velocity propagation in the wake and the pair of vortices at
Figure 1: Left to right - Larsen model (Empirical) of the velocity propagation in the wake
the cross section of 7D (CFD)
and the pair of vortices at the cross section of 7D (CFD)
turbine
in the Wind
Engineering
section
of the
Thebarton wind tunnel
1 m diameter Z-100
Figure
2: setup
1 m diameter
Z-100
turbine setup
in the
Wind
Engineering section of the Thebarton wind tunnel
50
H6 Develop a data acquisition system for a Swearingen
SX-300
Student
Supervisor
Sponsor
Matthew Sobey
Dr Maziar Arjomandi
Nova Systems
Aircraft testing is an important part of aircraft development and modification, and successful test programs often require a Data Acquisition System (DAS) to be designed
and installed on the aircraft. With this in mind Nova Systems have sponsored the
project to develop a (DAS) for an aerobatic aircraft, with the goal of developing flight
test engineer (FTE) skills in engineers for future testing programs. If Nova Systems
are able to train FTEs it will allow them to grow their existing capabilities and also
provide employment opportunities for local engineers.
The technical objective of the project is to display in real time, and record all the
data necessary to measure aircraft operational characteristics like manoeuvrability
and stability. To successfully measure all the parameters required the DAS must interface with existing aircraft systems and new systems must be developed to measure
currently unavailable parameters. This exhibition displays the developed DAS, coupled with a flight simulator, to provide an interactive method for demonstrating the
system to the public.
H7
Flow morphology of a plasma actuator
Student
Supervisors
Matthew Orman
Dr Maziar Arjomandi, Dr Cristian Birzer
Dielectric Barrier Discharge (DBD) Plasma Actuators are extensively represented by
2-Dimensional models throughout research literature, despite the nature of their flow
being inherently 3-Dimensional. Considering common flow events and characteristics
typical of a DBD Plasma Actuator, the presence of filaments of current (streamers) in
the flow profile is postulated to effect the internal flow dynamics, whereby fluid property
variations incur internal eddy formation. This renders a 2-Dimensional definition for
51
the device inadequate to explain the dynamic effect of the implementation of these
actuators into finer applications.
In analysing the span-wise flow distribution perpendicular to the plane of all existing 2D models, and extracting slices of flow data via direct flow measurement and Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) methods, the addition or stacking of these 2D planes allows for the extension of all current models into a more comprehensive 3-Dimensional
model that also accounts for flow events such as streamer formation. By investigating
and numerically modelling the regularity of the spacing between the filaments formed
along the span, the further mathematical simplification of the 3D model ensures that
the new model is computationally efficient while providing a greater level of detail and
physical practicality for control logic integration.
J1
AUV mother ship
Students
Supervisors
Robert Buckerfield, David Heah, Alexander Minchin,
Andrew Minne, Nathan Roberts, Jack Vince
Assoc. Prof. Colin Kestell, Dr Steven Grainger
Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs) are programmable robotic vehicles designed to navigate in water without input from operators and have become conventional equipment for oil and gas exploration, scientific, and military purposes. Limited
on-board energy resources compromises the effectiveness of AUVs, creating issues
for deployment and recovery.
This project aims to design and build a remotely controlled AUV Mother Ship capable of transportation, deployment and recovery of an existing AUV (The Blue Bottle)
in order to maximise the operating range of small scale AUVs, with future potential for
recharging and navigational calibration. Furthermore, the design of the deployment
and recovery system permits the conveyance of other payloads for different applications, such as lifesaving equipment. The project incorporates the retrofitting of an
52
assessment of the structural integrity of pipelines. One of such issues is the stresses acting
between the pipeline and its support and how the selection of appropriate support could affect
that. The current project is therefore initiated to study the frictional forces acting between the
pipeline and its supports and to provide some information and practical recommendations to be
watercraft
with an outrigger and supporting structure to
electrically-powered
adopted by the pipelinepersonal
industry for
future designs.
develop an asymmetrical catamaran, that will provide a basis on which other subThe project is supported by GPA Engineering Ltd and it investigates the friction conditions
systems can work from. Necessary control systems have been designed to suit the
between the pipe and typical supports. These conditions significantly affect the pipe stress state
application, whilst technical analyses have been performed to optimise the design of
and have been taken into consideration at the design and construction stages. A unique
the catamaran structure and operation.
experimental rig was designed and fabricated. The design of this rig, which closely simulates the
loading condition for the actual pipe and supports, was verified by analytical calculations from
Evaluation
and
strain in gas and oil pipelines: A
the classical
beam theory asof
wellstress
as 3D FE
studies.
J2
real enginnering project
In this exhibition we will outline the experimental procedures and will highlight the major
Student
Mahdi
Salimian
outcomes achieved
for this
project.
Supervisors
Sponsor
Assoc. Prof. Andrei Kotousov, Assoc. Prof. Reza Ghomashchi
GPA Engineering Ltd
Pipelines are vital energy distribution means for many industries and applications.
Therefore, the design, construction and maintenance of pipelines have been the focus
of extensive research and development studies in the past. However, there are still
many problems associated with the assessment of the structural integrity of pipelines.
One of such issues is the stresses acting between the pipeline and its support and how
the selection of appropriate support could affect that. The current project is therefore
initiated to study the frictional forces acting between the pipeline and its supports and
to provide some information and practical recommendations to be adopted by the
pipeline industry for future designs.
The project is supported by GPA Engineering Ltd and it investigates the friction
conditions between the pipe and typical supports. These conditions significantly affect
the pipe stress state and have been taken into consideration at the design and construction stages. A unique experimental rig was designed and fabricated. The design
of this rig, which closely simulates the loading condition for the actual pipe and supports, was verified by analytical calculations from the classical beam theory as well as
3D FE studies.
In this exhibition we will outline the experimental procedures and will highlight the
major outcomes achieved for this project.
53
J3
Measurement of radiant fraction of ceremonial flames
Student
Supervisors
Sponsor
Vasilios Moshos
Prof. Graham Nathan, Assoc. Prof. Farid Cristo
FCT Combustion
FCT Combustion designs and supplies industrial and ceremonial burners to a diverse
range of clients. This project involves conducting laboratory tests on a range of FCT’s
burners primarily to determine the radiant fraction emitted from each of the burners under a range of conditions. The burners in question have not previously been tested in
a controlled environment, and require reliable evaluation. Before any testing could be
conducted on the burners in focus, it was necessary to establish a sound experimental
set-up. Verification of the measurement accuracy was obtained by comparison with
published academic data, using identical equipment and methodology. This project
aims to deliver a set of accurate data on global flame characteristics to FCT. This data
will then be used as inputs to a mathematical model that will extrapolate the results
to predict the radiant fraction and total heat flux for much larger ceremonial burners.
An experimental set up was established in two locations and data has been collected
and processed for the crinkle and mini cauldron burners. This exhibition shows how
the experimental method was established and validated, as well as presenting some
of the data collected and also outlines the plan for future work in the area.
54
J4
Automatic test station for firework ignition systems
Students
Supervisor
Sponsor
Ches Condo, Luke Hannigan
Dr. Ley Chen
Foti Fireworks
This project originated from discussions with an executive member of leading Australian fireworks manufacturer, Foti Fireworks, about the manufacturing processes
accompanying their business model. Foti Fireworks has an extensive history spanning over 200 years, and their manufacturing methods were a reflection of this. At a
time of business expansion, it became apparent that they needed to consider more
efficient manufacturing processes, and so ideas were collaborated and a private contract established. The nature of the design was highly creative rather than analytic,
involving extensive trial and error in prototyping. Fundamentally, the aim was to mimic
the previously used manual procedures with efficient mechanisms, and install these
mechanisms together to form a system that executes a number of sequential steps.
Our exhibition aims to provide exposure to the avenues that were explored in order to
achieve an effective design. The fundamental elements of the design include, picking
of randomly orientated objects, electrical testing of specimen in automated assemblies, electrical short-circuit protection, flow control of small objects passing through
automated assemblies, and cohesion between mechanisms in a machine. These topics are presented in detail to give an insight to the design process for this project. On
top of this we cover the processes that we used to manufacture our machine, and
issues that were encountered on the way.
55
Index of project booths by supervisor
Assoc. Prof. Amir Anvar: F1, F2, F6, F7, F8, F9
Dr Maziar Arjomandi: E2, E4, G2, H5, H6, H7
Mr Mohamed Awadalla: C5
Dr David Bentley: G1, H2
Dr Antoni Blazewicz: C1, E1, E7, H3
Dr Cristian Birzer: A7, B3, B6, D2, E2, E9, H7
Mr Michael Bolzon: G2
Mr Gareth Bridges: E6, H4
Assoc. Prof. Ben Cazzolato: A7, B5, B9, E5, F3, G3
Dr. Ley Chen: A3, D1, J4
Dr. John Codrington: B7, G3
Assoc. Prof. Farid Cristo: A5, J3
Prof. Bassam Dally: F4
Assoc. Prof. Con Doolan: F5
Dr Erwin Gamboa: A1, A2, E3, H1
Assoc. Prof. Reza Ghomashchi: A1, J2
Dr Steven Grainger: B4, B8, D5, E7, E8, J1
Dr Paul Grimshaw: G1, H2
Prof. Colin Hansen: B9
Dr Kristy Hansen: H3
Dr David Harvey: B5
Assoc. Prof. Eric Hu: D2, F7
Dr Claire Jones: A6
Dr Peter Kalt: B3, F4
Assoc. Prof. Richard Kelso: C3, E9, G1, G2, H3, H5
Assoc. Prof. Colin Kestell: B8, C1, D5, E1, J1
Dr Min Kwan Kim: B5, C2
Assoc. Prof. Andrei Kotousov: B2, B5, J2
56
Mr Alex Laratro: H5
Dr Timothy Lao: E4
Dr Tommy Liddy: B5
Dr Tien-Fu Lu: B1, C4, C5
Dr Paul Medwell: B6, D4, F5, G5
Dr Danielle Moreau: F5
Prof. Graham Nathan: A4, A5, J3
Dr Zebb Prime: B5
Mr Will Robertson: A6, B9, D3, F3, H1
Dr Zhao Tian: A5, C5, D4, F7, G5
Dr Matthew Tetlow: B5, E8
Dr Zonghan Xie: G4
Dr Stewart Wildy: B7
57
The University of Adelaide
3