Senior Design Showcase

Team Members
Connor Hartigan 
Alexander Thomas
Meng Fong Wan
 

Faculty Supervisor
Kevin Van Cott 

Project Description

Taking a sample procedure, the group designed, coded, and optimized the engineering aspects of a chemical production plant. Proper engineering standards were applied to create a more profitable process. The designed plant uses isopropanol as a precursor to produce bulk food and pharmaceutical grade acetone.

Team Members
Kaitlin McKenzie
Cassidy Jackson
Zach Alderson
Jack Doherty 

Faculty Supervisor
Kevin Van Cott 

Project Description

Oxygen, nitrogen and argon are used in both gaseous and liquid forms across many industries, with all of these components being found in the atmosphere. Cryogenic distillation can be used to separate the components using cryogenic temperatures to liquify the air and distillation to separate the components based on relative volatilities. This process allows for the scaled-up production of liquefied products. The goal of the project is to design a cryogenic distillation of air plant that will produce a target of 3,000 metric tons of oxygen per day while minimizing energy and utility usage throughout the plant.

Team Members
Thomas Hope
Benjamin Ebel 
 

Faculty Supervisor
Kevin Van Cott

Project Description

This project consists of simulating, designing, and economically evaluating an alkylation unit. Specifically, we simulated a 100KTA hydrofluoric acid catalyzed (HAC) alkylation process. This process is widely used around the United States for alkylation production.

Team Members
Justin Powers 
Kenneth Reese
Wendell Li
Brennan Palmer 

Faculty Supervisor
Kevin Van Cott

Project Description

This process creates H2 and O2 gas from filtered tap water using electrolysis. The trace amounts of gas are separated downstream. H2 and O2 are stored in tanks.

Team Members
Franklin Thomas 
Wade Slepicka 
Jordan Schlautman-Sudik 
Jarod Harris 

Faculty Supervisor
Kevin Van Cott 

Project Description

This project outlines the theoretical modeling and construction of a jet fuel production plant using a renewable source of iso-butanol.

Team Members
Jacob Konecky 
Helen Philbrick 
Keegan Nitsch
Matt Koenig 

Faculty Supervisor
Kevin Van Cott 

Project Description

Natural gas is a mixture of methane and other hydrocarbons that is used in power generation and a variety of chemical processes. Global usage of natural gas as a fuel source is increasing as it emits less pollutants than other fossil fuels, such as coal. The United States is the world's largest exporter of natural gas, but current global demand exceeds existing domestic infrastructure capacity. All overseas exports of natural gas are in the form of liquid natural gas (LNG). In order to meet the growing demand, new LNG facilities need to be built. This project analyzes two different methods of producing LNG on an industrial scale, both of which utilize multicomponent refrigerant (MR) loops. Mixed refrigerants allow for a highly optimizable cryogenic process but react poorly to disturbances added to the system. A facility consisting of a single MR loop is compared to a facility using a combination of single-component and multicomponent refrigeration cycles. Both facilities are sized for a production rate of 5 million tonnes of LNG per annum and compared on a basis of profitability, sustainability and flexibility.

Team Members
Taylor Adams 
Jack Mettin
Leo Pruhs 
Jacob Voigt 

Faculty Supervisor
Kevin Van Cott 

Project Description

Dimethyl ether (DME) is a promising clean fuel alternative that offers versatility and eco-friendliness in various applications like transportation and the chemical industry. To meet the escalating demand for sustainable energy sources, there’s a critical need to devise efficient methods for DME production. A prominent approach involves converting methanol, a widely available feedstock, into DME. Our project focuses on establishing a cost-effective and environmentally friendly process for DME synthesis from methanol. This entails designing, implementing, and optimizing a production facility equipped with catalytic technologies for methanol-to-DME conversion. Our key objectives include the catalytic conversion of methanol to DME, optimizing reaction conditions to maximize DME yield while minimizing cost and energy consumption, conducting an environmental evaluation of the process to ensure compliance with regulatory standards, and assessing the economic viability of DME production factoring in capital costs, operational costs, and potential revenue. Upon project completion, we envision a robust and sustainable DME production process from methanol, offering a cleaner alternative to fuel.

Team Members
Austin Gemar
Mitchel Horvath
Michael Lukaszewicz
Anthony Kowal
John Vovk

Faculty Supervisor
Kurt Palik

Project Description
Our team has built a golf ball launcher that is meant to display the speed of the SR-71 in comparison with other fast vehicles such as a Boeing 747 and a Bugatti.

Team Members
Riley Chase
Alex Schmit
Schuyler Duntz
Spencer Lenoir
Caleb Fowler

Faculty Supervisor
Mehrdad Neghaban

Project Description
Altec has a LP108-ES cable truck used to transport very heavy spools of cable. Our group was tasked with designing an arm strong enough to pick up a 20,000-pound spool and boom 18 inches on the bed of the truck.

Team Members
Seth Higginbotham
Sullivan Sandridge
Riley Schultz
Adam Roth
Bakir Al-Ameri

Faculty Supervisor
Jeffrey Shield

Project Description
A two-piece, 3D-printed pressure vessel has been designed to be compatible with various measurement devices to determine the mechanical and material properties of the material used to create the vessel. The design of the vessel was created in such a way that the pressure will concentrate on a specific point, leading to the failure always happening in that area. Pressure calculations were done to determine at what pressure the vessel should burst. Compressed gas is then loaded into the vessel, inside a testing chamber built by the team, until it explodes. The pressure at which the vessel bursts is then graphed with a computer program, and the strain of the material is measured with a strain gauge. These results are then analyzed by the team to return to the project sponsor.

Team Members
Kirk Hanson
Ghazwan Haskan
Luke Lanik

Faculty Supervisor
Li Tan

Project Description
The fairlead system is a cable payout system that is attached to the end of a utility truck. The cable is either pulled or dispensed by a large winch on the truck. The fairlead head maintains alignment of the cable in whichever direction it may be pulling from. The fairlead has a limit switch that is utilized when the cable is fully retracted and will cut power to the winch to prevent damage to components or the truck. This project's objective was to redesign a cable payout fairlead to accommodate a larger sheave bearing, a more reliable limit sensor, and updated clearances for interacting components. Various analysis methods were used to verify function and integrity of parts like bearing fatigue life, shear analysis, and a SolidWorks Finite Element Analysis.

Team Members
Reid Stutzman
Tim Goldsmith
Andrew Bednar
Justin Knust

Faculty Supervisor
Project Onsen aimed to create an off-grid shower solution for outdoor enthusiasts by designing a portable shower capable of heating five gallons of water to 98 degrees Fahrenheit within 30 minutes, weighing under 45 pounds and costing less than $1,500. The final design features a battery-powered system comprising a jerry can, lithium-ion battery, resistance heater and pump. The heater warms water from 55 degrees Fahrenheit to 98 degrees Fahrenheit in less than 30 minutes with a pump delivering water through a hose and shower head for up to five minutes. We prioritized safety, portability and efficiency, resulting in a product meeting defined constraints and enabling off-grid individuals to enjoy warm showers. The project's sponsor, Keith Aljrew, supported the endeavor, emphasizing the need to surpass current market offerings in volume and accessibility. Despite initially intending to build upon a previous design, the project evolved into a standalone commercial product, aligning with the sponsor's vision.

Team Members
Simon Thengvall
Elijah Crittenden
Conner Rainforth
Mason Rivera
Joseph Mueller

Faculty Supervisor
Carl Nelson

Project Description
As a part of the Artemis III mission to the moon, NASA astronauts will be collecting geological samples using a variety of different tools. Some sampling sites will not be easy to access and may require astronauts to approach solely on foot. To transport geology tools to these difficult areas, a hand carrier that astronauts can pick up and deploy to multiple heights is needed. The ideal carrier will allow astronauts to transport the tools, and then quickly and easily set up a station that the tools can be accessed from during sampling operations. Our device fulfills these requirements by using a ratcheting tool rack and folding legs, providing an effective and portable tool holding solution for astronauts. We plan to test our device in NASA's neutral buoyancy laboratory this coming June.

Team Members
Matthew Brown
Sam Raabe
Connor Birkholz
Sam Peterson
Connor Herridge

Faculty Supervisor
Carl Nelson

Project Description
Artemis will return astronauts to the moon, and with that the symbolic gesture of a flag deployment. NASA is looking to innovate upon the Apollo designs with a taller, more stable and easily deployable flagpole. The Tape Measure Actuated Rigid Moon Flag Support (TARMS) integrates a pole consisting of tape measures constrained in a boom orientation by a series of vertebrae spaced intermittently up the pole. The flagpole assembly includes an anchor comprised of laser-cut aluminum and 3D auger, a 3D printed base to spool the tape measures and attach the pole to the anchor, and a carbon fiber flag connecting rod that keeps the flag unfurled in the absence of wind. To mitigate the sharp edge and finger entrapment concerns with the tape measures, a nylon shroud will encompass the fully extended pole. The flagpole assembly must meet certain mission requirements, most notably; be structurally stable when a 10 lbf is applied vertically and laterally to the top of the pole, be dust tolerant, weigh less than 10 pounds in Earth gravity, fit within a defined stowable configuration, stand between 96 and 120 inches tall, and be EVA friendly throughout all phases of deployment. The assembly is designed to be testable in the NASA Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory (NBL) pool at Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas.

Team Members
Samuel Harvey
Jonah Bricker
Matthew Dohmen
Charles McCoy Jr.

Faculty Supervisor
Shane Farritor

Project Description
The goal of the Robotic Arm for Mars Helicopter project is to create an easily manufacturable version of NASA JPL's Mars helicopter sample return arm. The Mars Sample Return mission is an upcoming mission to retrieve sample tubes left by the Perseverance rover and bring them back to Earth. As part of the mission, two helicopters will ferry sample tubes from the surface to the return vehicle. The robotic arm will grab a sample tube, stow it during flight, and place it into the return vehicle. The replica arm is constructed entirely from 3D-printed and off-the-shelf components. It is packaged as an outreach kit for high school robotics groups.

Team Members
Isaac Cade
Magdalene Peklo
McCaylee Dempcy
Jack Miller
Jackson Taylor

Faculty Supervisor
Kurt Palik

Project Description
The team is creating a hospital chair specifically designed for individuals with dwarfism, a genetic condition that causes disproportionate limb growth. Individuals with this condition require special furniture accommodations. A typical hospital chair is a reclining chair for impatient use that is easy to clean and has mobile capabilities to maneuvered to required rooms. UNMC has seen an increase in patients with dwarfism, thus increasing the demand for more permanent accommodations, such as hospital chairs with adjusted dimensions for individuals with dwarfism.

Team Members
Isaac Rademacher
Alex Persson
Connor Higgins
Alex Maxson

Faculty Supervisor
Zhaoyan Zhang

Project Description
Purpose of project to aid in establishing off the grid power to water pumps within rural communities. Within the design, three 30 kW inverters are able to be installed and operated within a 6-foot-by-10-foot prefabricated trailer. Along with this weight distribution, electrical code, weather proofing and heat generation all were considered in order to create a trailer that is safe, efficient, and protected.

Team Members
Alaric Schiltz
Jake Green
Mike Altidor

Faculty Supervisor
Sangjin Ryu

Project Description
This device will be used for intravascular catheterization procedures, specifically the treatment of intracranial aneurysms. The device will allow for two microcatheters to be used simultaneously with the ability to limit their motion relative to one another. The goal of this device is to give physicians more flexibility in the treatment of intracranial aneurysms.

Team Members
Colton Short
Andrew Cook
Braeden Evenson
Chris Pokorny
Kankoe Teko

Faculty Supervisor
Ruiguo Yang

Project Description
Hand and wrist repetitive stress injuries are common among sonography staff. These injuries are caused by excessive grip pressure exerted on the probe for long periods of time. Our team was tasked with developing a system to track sonography students' grip pressure and provide alerts when excessive grip pressure is used. The goal is to use this feedback system to help develop healthy muscle memory for the grip used ultrasound operators.

Faculty Supervisor
Kurt Palik 

Project Description
Strategic Air Command (SAC) and Aerospace Museum have recently acquired a model of the Dynetics Lunar Lander, sparking the initiative to create an exhibit that is STEM-based, interactive, and educational, aimed at capturing the interest of a younger demographic. In response, the senior design team developed an exhibit inspired by the Artemis Rover. This exhibit showcases various mechanical components, including a linkage system, a gear system, and other build elements, all of which are identifiable within its design.

Faculty Supervisor
Qilin Guo

Project Description
Our group has been working with Kawasaki to improve a welding process for the dash bar of the Kawasaki Mule Pro UTV. The improvement that was requested by Kawasaki was to eliminate a counter weld that runs along the back side of the dash bar for the sole purpose of keeping it from warping during the welding process.

Team Members
Thomas Crum
Jordan Chapin
Benjamin Bashtovoi
Caden Lind

Every year the Husker Motorsports team participates in a Formula SAE competition which challenges students to design and manufacture a Formula-style vehicle that will compete against colleges from across the world. This year Husker Motorsports sponsored a senior capstone project that will improve the vehicle’s performance by reducing unsprung mass. Unsprung mass reduction has numerous benefits on vehicle dynamics, including improved acceleration, handling, and braking.

To achieve these performance improvements, the team has developed carbon fiber composite wheels that weigh less than the current wheel solution and provide better rigidity. The team has designed and modeled the wheel according to the 2023-2024 competition car criteria, conducted composite loading simulations based on past vehicle performance, and developed a manufacturing plan for future production. In addition to developing the team’s 3D modeling, traditional manufacturing, and mechanical testing skills, the project has furthered the team’s complex simulation, composite manufacturing, and hands-on skills.

As the use of high-performance composites increases in motorsports, this project will provide Husker Motorsports with a product that will improve their competitiveness for future competitions.