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Monitoring transverse relaxation times of kerosene-adulterated diesel using low-field nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy
Get PDFTime-domain nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (TD-NMR) and low-field nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (LF-NMR) are different techniques that vary in the range of magnetic field strengths that they use, which is a determining factor for the type of analysis that can be done. In this study, LF-NMR was used to perform a time-domain analysis of petroleum products, diesel and kerosene. This is a type of analysis which is typically performed using TD-NMR. Diesel and kerosene are two petroleum products that have different characteristics such as viscosity, boiling point, and hydrocarbon length. Diluting, or adulterating, diesel fuels with kerosene is a common practice which allows gasoline companies to cut costs of production. This procedure, however, alters the chemistry of the fuel which can subsequently, at high enough concentrations of kerosene, make the consumption of this fuel mixture damaging to the mechanical engine within which the fuel is combusting. LF-NMR, although not conventionally used to conduct this type of analysis, was used to successfully measure the transverse relaxation time of three different diesel samples adulterated with kerosene. The average transverse relaxation time for unadulterated diesel was measured to be 0.71 s, while the average transverse relaxation time for kerosene was measured to be 1.29 s. These values agree with those measured using traditional TD-NMR. The transverse relaxation time correlated linearly with the percent of kerosene in the mixtures, as seen in previous TD-NMR studies. The data collected supports an inverse relationship between the viscosity of a substance (3.39 cSt for diesel and 1.20 cSt for kerosene) and its relaxation time. LF-NMR is a suitable alternative to this spectroscopic analysis of adulterated petroleum products, with measured relaxation times similar to those determined using TD-NMR
Amazon Price Drop Tracker - Smart Phone App
Get PDFUser should be able to sign up to the price tracking application using one of their social media accounts, after logging in, users will get a push notification on their smart phone about a price dropped for a product they previously registered for, application should be published for more user to download and test
Extracting Signal from the Noisy Environment of an Ecosystem
Get PDFThe collection and storage of environmental and ecological data by researchers, government agencies and stewardship groups over the last decade has been remarkable. The proportional challenge to this data accretion lies in capitalizing on these resources for significant gain for both stewards and stakeholders. These trends highlight the role of data science as a critical component to the future of data-driven environmental management. Most critical are models of how data scientists can collaborate with policy makers and stewards to offer tools that leverage data and facilitate decisions. Our project aims to show how a successful collaboration between a management group, the Susquehanna River Basin Commission (SRBC), and an academic group of data scientists resulted in that clarifying insight. The mandate of SRBC is to manage stakeholder requirements while sustaining a healthy ecosystem. The challenge was to differentiate signal events in water quality measurement data from the noisy dynamics of a monitored complex system in a manner that could be applied to other ecosystems. Through the application of generalized additive models (GAM), we were able to clarify the relationship between environmental dynamics and two critical biological communities (macroinvertebrates and fish) that live within the watershed. The GAM model sensitivity was sufficient to identify signal from the noise, and flexible enough to operate across the spatial extent of the ecosystem. By identifying signal events, environmental stewards and policy makers will be able to define thresholds that need to be monitored to reduce pollution & raise diversity in the ecosystem
Cloud Cybersecurity, VMs and Containers
Get PDFEstablishing and monitoring cloud security within an OpenStack Clou
Enterprise-Level Database Implementation
Get PDFThe student will design/already have designed an application requiring a robust database solution. This application may be a website, an app, a game, or a traditional application. The student will then design and implement a normalized database to accommodate the application using best practices, including assuring database normalization and designing and implementing appropriate stored procedures and function
Study of the impact of team morale on construction project performance
Get PDFThe moral of project teams is an important factor when considering the performance of project teams(Dye, 2011) (Yang, Liu, & Fellows, 2010). Morale can be influenced and project leadership has an important role to play in how people work in teams (Gauvreau & Belout, 2004). In research studying the performance of teams working on technology projects, it was learned that an organizational work environment that satisfies the personal and professional needs of individuals has a strong effect on team cooperation and drives team performance (Thamhain, 2004). In a study performed by the US military (Mael & Alderks, 1993), it was found that team performance improved with squad member perception of leadership team cohesiveness. Research from the Project Management Institute (PMI) has also stated that morale has a major impact on the motivation, and productivity of a team (Dye, 2011). This paper aims to study the effects of improved morale on team productivity and whether morale does have a bearing on team performance. Techniques to track the performance of teams with their perception of project morale will be investigated. Various approaches to study and track the impact of morale on team performance are investigated in this research. The study of how morale influences team performance has steadily received increased attention (Bowles & Cooper, 2009) with organizations seeking to implement systems and procedures to positively impact morale and subsequently, team performance. The results of the survey conducted in this paper showed positive results between project performance and morale. This paper will provide a summary of morale improving measures implemented by organizations to cultivate team spirit and cooperation
Key Competencies for Project Managers: An Empirical Study
Get PDFExtant project management literature on the factors that impact the success of projects suggests that the traits, competencies and leadership style of project managers positively impact project success. Despite this understanding, the key competencies and personality traits of projects managers is an under-researched area. While some studies are available that examine whether a particular behavioural trait of the project manager improves his / her efficiency, few studies prepare a list of the key competencies/traits of successful project managers. Given this consideration, the present study aims to prepare a comprehensive list of the traits/qualities of a project manager crucial for project success. Data for the study was collected with the help of a questionnaire (n=88). An analysis of the data reveals a typical competency profile of a project manager. The top competencies of project managers as reflected by the results of the current study are effective communication, emotional intelligence, team spirit, ability to manage conflict and the ability to deal with change. Implications of the findings are discussed