Browsing 2011 MU theses - Freely available online by Thesis Department "Mechanical and aerospace engineering (MU)"
Now showing items 1-10 of 10
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The Design and analysis of a HA/PLA pedicle screw for spinal fusion
(University of Missouri--Columbia, 2011)Metallic pedicle screws have been widely used in the orthopaedic field to treat spinal diseases. Although spinal screws have improved over the last few decades, there is still sometimes a need for a second painful surgery ... -
Design and optimization of a Mars sample return mission with nuclear thermal rockets
(University of Missouri--Columbia, 2011)Nuclear thermal propulsion (NTP) is recognized as the only solution to human exploration of the near planets during the next several decades, but NTP currently receives little funding for development. In order to foster ... -
Design and simulation analysis of MEMS parallel plate capacitor models for voltage conversion and power harvesting
(University of Missouri--Columbia, 2011)In environment, unwanted and undamped vibrations are abundantly available which can be converted into electrical energy and used for energy harvesting. This paper contains the design, modeling and simulation results of ... -
Flapping wing dynamics of MAVs : nonlinear modeling and experimental investigation
(University of Missouri--Columbia, 2011)Analysis of the flapping-wing motion of micro air vehicles (MAVs) is a complex problem that involves nonlinear structural analysis coupled with unsteady fluid mechanics analysis. In this study I apply a fully nonlinear ... -
Flight mechanics and control for an unpowered reusable launch vehicle
(University of Missouri--Columbia, 2011)A new strategy has been developed to aid in allowing a reusable launch vehicle to complete the Trajectory Area Energy Management (TAEM) phase of reentry. Using the new trajectory planning and tracking strategy, the reusable ... -
Maximum-range trajectories for an unpowered reusable launch vehicle
(University of Missouri--Columbia, 2011)A software package has been developed that numerically maximizes the range of an unpowered reusable launch vehicle (RLV) during the Terminal Area Energy Management (TAEM) phase of reentry into Earth's atmosphere by adjusting ... -
Mean grain size estimation for copper-alloy samples based on attenuation coefficient estimates
(University of Missouri--Columbia, 2011)A polycrystalline metal's grain size affects its mechanical properties; therefore, the ability to effectively and easily monitor grain size during a manufacturing process is critical. Conventional destructive tests utilized ... -
Modeling a hydraulic hybrid drivetrain : efficiency considerations
(University of Missouri--Columbia, 2011)Increasing petroleum prices and environmental concerns have caused a demand for more fuel efficient vehicles. Hybrid vehicles provide a solution to this demand, and hydraulic hybrid vehicles are shown to have a cheaper ... -
Modeling and control of arterial oxygen saturation in premature infants
(University of Missouri--Columbia, 2011)In this work modeling and control of neonatal infant's blood oxygen saturation (SpO2) is investigated. Through analyzing the biological system, it was shown that the blood is oxygenated through the mechanisms of ventilation, ... -
Thermal-mechanical analysis of a low-enriched uranium foil based annular target for the production of molybdenum-99
(University of Missouri--Columbia, 2011)One of the US department of Energy's global threat reduction initiative goals is to eliminate the use of high-enriched uranium from the production of the radio-isotope Molybdenum-99. One strategy to achieve this goal is ...