Senior Design Showcase

The demand for cyclohexane is slowly on the rise. The current global market CAGR for cyclohexane is 4.9%. Therefore, this report is investigating the possibility of creating a new facility to produce cyclohexane from the hydrogenation of benzene. The report will study the economics, engineering, and process design of this new cyclohexane plant. Specifically, a complete analysis will be done for the inside battery limits of a factory producing 100,000 metric tons per year of cyclohexane. The main use of cyclohexane is as feedstock to produce nylon intermediates, accounting for about 98% of global production. This includes major derivatives such as caprolactam, adipic acid, and hexamethylenediamine, which are building blocks for producing nylon-6 and nylon-6,6. Of these, caprolactam predominates in producing nylon-6, an engineering polymer used in textiles, engineering plastics, and industrial fibers. The rest of the cyclohexane produced is used in different applications, such as a solvent for chemical processes and as a diluent in polymerization reactions. This factory is to be built on the Missouri River on the Nebraska side. This location would allow for the use of water from the river for processes that require it. Benzene, hydrogen, and other utilities would be required to be bought from outside sources for the plant to operate. In this plant, the main reaction that is occurring is the hydrogenation of benzene to form cyclohexane. This reaction can be seen below.
𝐶6𝐻6 + 3𝐻2 → 𝐶6𝐻12
Additional reactions could occur such as over hydrogenation, or hydrogenolysis. However, the conditions of the reactors are to be controlled to minimize the rate of the side reactions while maximining the rate of the studied reaction. Raw benzene and excess hydrogen are fed into a primary reactor, a bubble column reactor, where approximately 95 percent of the fed benzene is converted to cyclohexane through the above reaction. Following this, the gaseous top stream of the reactor is fed into a secondary reactor, a fixed bed reactor, where most of the remaining unreacted benzene is converted into cyclohexane. The total conversion is approximately 99 percent following the set of reactors. The effluent stream from the secondary reactor enters a series of heat exchangers to prepare it for a flash drum where a majority of the unreacted hydrogen is removed. This hydrogen is then compressed to the original pressure and recycled back to the beginning of the process. The liquid stream of the flash drum is fed to a series of distillation columns that use ethylene glycol as a solvent to extract the product cyclohexane that meets the required specifications. The utilities that are required for this plant include cooling water, low pressure steam, and boiler feed water. One challenging aspect of this report is the difficult separation of the benzene from the
cyclohexane. Due to the azeotrope associated with these two substances, one distillation column is not sufficient for the degree of separation required. To get around this, multiple distillation columns are used. The first distillation column involves a feed of the effluent stream from the flash drum as well as ethylene glycol. This solvent works by increasing the relative volatility of the cyclohexane compared to the benzene. This allows for the top stream of this column to be cyclohexane while the bottom stream contains most of the ethylene glycol as well as the benzene. A second distillation column is needed to separate the benzene, which is a waste product, from ethylene glycol. The ethylene glycol is regenerated and recycled back to the first distillation column.

Team members: Nicholas Todd, Linh Hua and William Ventling

This project focuses on evaluating the economic viability of a new hydrogen production facility due to the rising demand for hydrogen. We aim to design a grassroots Steam Methane Reforming (SMR) plant with a capacity of 100,000 tons per year followed by a Pressure Swing Adsorption (PSA) system for purification.

Hydrogen is most used as a chemical feedstock in the manufacture of ammonia and methanol and in food and drug production. It is also used in hydro processing operations in petroleum industries, and in the use of hydrogen-based fuels for power.

Site

Corpus Christi, Texas, has been identified as the proposed location for the SMR plant. The region offers access to natural gas supply and hydrogen pipeline, both essential for the SMR process.

Raw Materials

Raw materials required by the SMR process are natural gas, which is the primary feedstock, steam, used as a reactant in the reforming reaction, and catalysts, which are present in select reactors to improve reaction kinetics and yield.

Reactions & Byproducts

There are two main reactions for the process:

The reforming reaction occurs in the Reformer and reacts methane and steam to produce carbon monoxide and hydrogen.

The water-gas shift reaction occurs in the Water-Gas Shift Reactor and reacts carbon monoxide with water to produce hydrogen and carbon dioxide.

Process Steps at BFD Level

Steam methane reforming (SMR) is a process used to produce hydrogen gas from a natural gas feedstock. Inlet natural gas is compressed and heated to 350°C and 60 bar before entering a hydrotreater and then a desulfurizer where sulfur components that could damage downstream operations are removed. Steam is then introduced to the process stream flowing to the Reformer Reactor, operated at 850°C and 20 bar, where the reforming reaction occurs. Leaving the Reformer, the stream is cooled to 375°C before entering the WGS Reactor where the WGS reaction occurs. Excess water is removed, and the process stream enters the PSA system where the remaining impurities are removed to yield a 99.99% pure hydrogen product.

Waste Products

Hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) is adsorbed onto a zinc oxide (ZnO) bed in the desulfurizer, forming solid ZnS, which is removed as a solid waste stream. After the WGS reactor, the gas mixture enters a PSA unit, where CO₂ and other impurities are adsorbed and later desorbed as PSA off-gas. High-purity hydrogen passes through for recovery, while the off-gas, containing CO₂, CH₄, and CO, may be partially recycled as reformer fuel. Non-combustible CO₂ is typically vented.

Utility Requirements

Natural gas is used as a utility in the process to fire the Reformer heater. High pressure steam is generated on site for use as a reactant in the reforming reaction. The facility will tie to the local grid for electricity to power equipment. Cooling water is required to maintain operating conditions of different units.

Environmental Concerns

Steam methane reforming raises environmental concern due to significant CO₂ emissions and methane slip, which is when unreacted methane can escape as a potent greenhouse gas. 

Process Design Challenges 

One of the most significant design challenges is the process utility and thermal requirements of the process. To minimize dependence on external utilities, we are developing an integrated network of heat exchangers to recover and reuse the heat internally through steam generation. This task is complicated by the wide range of process temperatures; for example, the reformer effluent exits at approximately 850°C and must be cooled to 350-375°C before entering the water-gas shift reactor. Our current approach involves designing a heat exchange network holistically, with interconnected process streams evaluated simultaneously. The complexity of this task highlights the importance of effective heat integration in optimizing process efficiency and sustainability.

Team Members: Luke Kramer, Easton Lemmon, Jeffrey Dusang and Andrew Jones

The demand for natural gas reforming is on the rise to provide low-cost hydrogen for fuel cell electric vehicles and other applications. For this reason, we are constructing a facility to produce 99.99 wt% hydrogen from natural gas. This project will study the engineering, process design, and economics of a new hydrogen plant that will produce 26,280 tonne/y of hydrogen from natural gas.

Hydrogen is used in a wide variety of industries. Perhaps the most abundant use of hydrogen occurs within the fertilizer industry. Through the Haber-Bosch process, hydrogen acts as a key reactant in the production of ammonia. In the petroleum industry, hydrogen is used to remove sulfur and other impurities from crude oil through a process called hydrotreating. Along with this, hydrogen is used as a reactant when manufacturing methanol. More recently, the primary focus has been to research and improve hydrogen fuel cells that can be used in electric vehicles. These are just a few of the primary uses of hydrogen, with many more industries like food, metalworking, welding, electronics, and medical using hydrogen as well. 

A plant to produce hydrogen from natural gas is to be built in Nebraska alongside the Missouri River. The site for this hydrogen plant is being explored due to the access to natural gas feed via existing pipelines, and cooling water utility facilities in the area. Natural gas feed is pretreated using a hydrotreater and desulfurizer reactor to remove nitrogen and sulfur containing impurities. Following the pretreatment steps, a thermal cracker breaks down the larger hydrocarbons into methane to be used in the steam methane reforming reactor. In the steam methane reformer, combustion of fuel gas heats the reactor to energize the reaction of methane with steam over a nickel catalyst to form carbon monoxide and hydrogen (CH₄ + H₂O  CO + 3H₂). Following the steam methane reformer, two water gas shift reactors are in place to convert carbon monoxide to carbon dioxide and hydrogen (CO + H₂O  CO₂ + H₂). The excess steam coming out of the water gas shift reactors is flashed to remove water prior to the pressure swing adsorption columns. In the pressure swing adsorption columns, the undesired components are removed from the mixture to yield 99.99 wt% hydrogen. The undesired components (carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, methane) are then vented to flare.

Hydrogen embrittlement proved to be a major challenge confronted during the design of this process. Raw hydrogen can cause steel and other materials to weaken and eventually rupture if not properly controlled. The plant is being designed to produce large quantities of hydrogen continuously, so steps must be taken to protect all piping and vessels coming into contact with hydrogen containing streams. This can be done with ceramic or polymer cladding within the piping and vessels to create a barrier that protects the steel from embrittlement. Ceramic is chosen as it has a very low solubility and diffusivity, meaning that the hydrogen cannot penetrate past it, ultimately protecting the equipment from catastrophe.

Achieving a purity of hydrogen of 99.99 wt% proves quite challenging due to hydrogen’s low molecular weight. To confront this challenge, pressure swing adsorption columns are used to purify the mixture and produce pure hydrogen. In the pressurization step of column operation, the pressure is increased to adsorb the impurities of the mixture and allow for hydrogen to pass through the column. Decreasing the pressure of the column flushes out the impurities and regenerates the adsorbent. The main challenge lies in determining cycle times for the pressurization and depressurization steps that allow for appropriate adsorption of impurities and regeneration of adsorbent. 

Team members: Tyler Kulback, Jeremy Oswald, Alex Rohe and John Wiltgen

A recent project focused on the design and economic evaluation of a world-scale plant to produce 400,000 metric tons per year of 99.7% pure styrene via the catalytic dehydrogenation of ethylbenzene. Styrene is a critical monomer used in the production of polystyrene and hundreds of other commodities such as rubber, fiberglass, and medical devices.

Project Overview

• Location: Corpus Christi, Texas – chosen for its port access and proximity to petroleum refineries.
• Integration: The facility will be integrated with nearby ethylbenzene and polystyrene production plants.
• Production Method: Catalytic dehydrogenation using Shell-105 catalyst, which accounts for over 85% of global styrene production.

Process Highlights

• Feedstock: Ethylbenzene and high-pressure steam.
• Reaction: Endothermic reactions occur across three fixed-bed reactors at >600°C.
• Separation: Multi-phase separation followed by distillation to isolate and purify styrene; unreacted ethylbenzene is recycled.
• Byproducts: Hydrogen (sold), while benzene, toluene, methane, and ethylene are treated as waste.

Utilities Required

• High and low pressure steam
• Boiler feed water
• Cooling water
• Natural gas
• Compressed air

Economic Evaluation Assumptions

• After-tax internal rate of return: 9%
• Depreciation: MACRS, 5-year schedule
• Tax rate: 21%
• Construction: 2 years
• Plant life: 10 years after start-up

Environmental Considerations

• Emissions: Furnace-generated CO₂ exceeds state limits; mitigation via onsite treatment facilities (design not included in this scope).
• Wastewater: Subject to strict limits on organic concentrations; also managed via treatment.

Engineering Challenges

• Energy-intensive heating and distillation processes
• High CO₂ emissions from natural gas-fired furnaces
• Difficult styrene-ethylbenzene separation due to close boiling points
• High operating temperatures (>400°C) and pressures outside 1–10 bar range
• Large temperature differences across heat exchangers

This design forms the foundation for a potential large-scale facility capable of supplying high-purity styrene efficiently while addressing economic and environmental challenges.

By 2032, the benzyl alcohol industry is projected to grow by approximately 5.2%. A portion of this growth comes from the personal care and cosmetic industry, with consumers leaning towards personal grooming and skin routines in recent years. Benzyl alcohol can be produced using several different raw materials. The focus of this project is the production of benzyl alcohol using benzyl chloride. To take advantage of the increase in the product market, this project proposes a design for a new benzyl alcohol plant capable of producing 5000 tonne/year from benzyl chloride and sodium hydroxide.

The intended use of the product in this process is as a solvent for perfume fragrances. Benzyl alcohol has a mild scent of floral roses and almond used as a blending agent in fragrances. The fragrances are used in decorative cosmetics, fine fragrances, shampoos, toilet soaps, and more. The product is desirable for such a broad scope of consumer product applications due to its bacteriostatic and antiseptic properties, as well as low toxicity in comparison to its competitors. For cosmetics and skin products, benzyl alcohol acts as an antimicrobial preservative.

Process Summary

In this process, benzyl chloride, water, sodium hydroxide, and toluene are used as starting materials to produce benzyl alcohol. Under acidic conditions, dibenzyl ether may form as a byproduct. The facility will be in Washington along the Columbia River, offering access for importing and exporting materials, no state income tax, and an accessible location for properly discharging treated water. Toluene, an inert solvent, benzyl chloride, water, and sodium hydroxide are heated to 220^oC and pressurized to 550 psig before entering the reactor. In the reactor, the reaction given below proceeds to 98% conversion with no dibenzyl ether formation. 

C₆H₅CH₂C∫(∫) + NaOH(aq) → C₆H₅CH₂OH(∫) + NaC∫(aq)

benzyl chloride + sodium hydroxide → benzyl alcohol = sodium chloride

The reactor effluent is then depressurized to 60 psig and cooled to 60^oC before flowing through a gravity decanter, the aqueous phase of which is sent to a liquid-liquid extraction unit. The organic phase of each separation unit is then heated to 75^oC prior to entering a distillation column operated under vacuum pressure. Purified toluene is recycled to the reactor and extraction unit, and purified benzyl alcohol is collected as a final product. The aqueous phase from the extraction unit, which contains water, sodium hydroxide, sodium chloride, and trace amounts of benzyl alcohol and benzyl chloride, is considered waste and undergoes treatment before being discharged. The utilities required by this process include cooling water, steam, compressed air, and electricity.

Process Design Challenges

A challenging aspect of this process design is the immiscibility of the process reactants, aqueous sodium hydroxide and benzyl chloride, as well as the inert solvent, toluene. Benzyl chloride and toluene are present as organic components and are not miscible with aqueous sodium hydroxide. As a result, special considerations must be made to ensure that the components are thoroughly mixed before entering the reactor and while flowing through the reactor. Proper mixing, achieved with the use of static mixers and flow turbulence, will promote contact between the immiscible, reacting phases, which will lead to higher reaction conversion.

Another challenge in this process design is the purification of the product, benzyl alcohol, due to its partial solubility in water and the large amounts of toluene required throughout the process. Since the intended market for the product is the personal care and cosmetic industry, the required product purity for this process is 99.8%. As a result, multiple purification steps are required to separate benzyl alcohol from aqueous sodium chloride and toluene, as well as trace amounts of benzyl chloride and aqueous sodium hydroxide.

Team members: Janelly Hidalgo, Sebastian Sanchez-Salinas, Laurel Wagner and Lauren Woodard

Ethylene is a vital organic compound in the chemical industry, with increasing demand driving the need for expanded production capabilities. This project aims to design a plant capable of producing 1,000,000 metric tons of ethylene per year by steam cracking purity ethane. Ethylene is primarily used as an intermediate in the production of chemicals like ethylene oxide, which is then used to make ethylene glycol, and polyethylene, which is the precursor for its derivatives such as LDPE and LLDPE. 

The proposed facility will be located near Houston, Texas, close to existing gas processing facilities and transportation infrastructure. Raw materials include ethane, dilution steam, and dimethyl sulfide (DMS). The primary reaction is steam-cracking, where preheated ethane in the presence of steam is further heated to 850°C at 2.5 bar, breaking it into ethylene and hydrogen. The gas is then quickly quenched to 250°C to prevent further formation of side products, such as propane, hydrogen sulfide, acetylene, and other hydrocarbons.

To purify desired product, several separation units are used. The gas must first be compressed through a series of compression stages with intermediate cooling. High pressure allows for better separation and eventual condensation into liquid for distillation. Prior to peak compression, a scrubber removes traces of carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulfide. Further in the process, a molecular sieve removes water, and a converter reacts acetylene and hydrogen back into ethylene. A partial condenser is used to remove hydrogen and carbon monoxide. A distillation column, the demethanizer, removes methane. The second column, the de-ethanizer, separates the ethane from the final ethylene product. 

Waste streams in the process include ethane from the de-ethanizer that is recycled back to the start of the process. The methane from the demethanizer is combined with additional fuel gas to heat the steam cracker, which produces combustion products. Combustion products are a significant environmental concern in ethylene production. Other waste streams, including caustic material from the scrubber and wastewater from the sieve dryer, are sent to waste treatment facilities. The desired product and undesired byproducts produced in the process pose environmental concern and must be processed and stored safely. 

The process requires several utilities to function efficiently. Fuel gas is used to heat the steam crackers, while high pressure steam is needed for all process heaters. Quenchers, process coolers, and compression stage coolers rely on cooling water, and the cryogenic section’s process coolers, along with the condensers in the cryogenic distillation columns, require refrigerant. Column reboilers utilize low-pressure steam, and the caustic scrubber operates with a sodium hydroxide wash. Additionally, pumps, compressors, and sensors require electricity, and control valves will need pneumatic air.

The primary challenge of the design stems from the extreme operating conditions. While the main reactor requires temperatures exceeding 800°C, the separators must operate at much lower, even cryogenic, temperatures. Additionally, maintaining the high pressures required for most separation steps is both challenging and costly. Another difficulty lies in the speed of the process, as the reactor’s residence time must be kept at approximately 0.2 seconds to ensure proper reaction kinetics.

Team members: Ella Bender, Bryce Johnson, Mason Moore and Sophia Virgillito

Sodium carbonate (Na₂CO₃), commonly known as soda ash, is used in a wide range of processes and products. Soda ash can be produced from different processes; however, this project focuses on the production of soda ash from trona. Trona is a naturally occurring mineral found in Wyoming. This project aims to evaluate two different methods: the current production method and a new processing method with the goal of reducing energy usage and cost. This will be done through eliminating the evaporation involved in the current process by relying on the low solubility of sodium bicarbonate to separate impurities before calcination to form sodium carbonate.

In the conventional method, trona is mined and is directly converted into soda ash. The conventional method first crushes the trona and screens the particles to the desired size. The crushed trona is then calcined to convert the trona to soda ash. The solids are then dissolved and filtered to remove impurities. The purified stream is then sent to an evaporator to concentrate the stream and precipitate soda ash crystals. The crystallized product is sent through a dryer to remove moisture.

In the new method, the mined trona is converted into sodium bicarbonate before it is calcined into soda ash. The new method aims to reduce the overall energy consumption to convert trona into soda ash. To accomplish this, the new process takes the crushed trona and dissolves it before filtering to remove impurities. This purified stream is then sent to a carbonator to convert the trona into sodium bicarbonate. This is then cooled and crystallized, and the sodium bicarbonate crystals are separated. The crystals are then calcined to convert the sodium bicarbonate to dry soda ash. 

The difference in cost between the processes stems from utility usage and materials of construction. Both processes use low pressure steam, cooling water, natural gas, and electricity for utilities. Less steam and cooling water are required for the new process. By converting trona to sodium bicarbonate at the beginning of the process, the energy requirements associated with boiling off additional water seen in the current process are avoided leading to the lower utility requirement. However, the new process uses stainless steel for the materials of construction due to the increased potential for corrosion, while the conventional process uses carbon steel. The operating cost for utilities in the new process is expected to be less than that of the conventional process while requiring additional capital costs given the need for stainless steel. 

To evaluate which process was feasible, the operating cost and capital cost were compared. These costs were analyzed for each process to see if a lower operating cost in the new process would justify a higher capital cost. Through this analysis, each process was modeled using Aspen Plus, with a production rate of 1 million US tons of soda ash per year. After completing an economic analysis for each process, a recommendation for which production method should be used for future soda ash production was made.

Project #

The 3D Printed Spring Design project is a collaborative effort with Honeywell at the Kansas City National Security Campus (KCNSC) to evaluate the capabilities of the Hewlett Packard Multi Jet Fusion (HP MJF) 3D printing process. The primary goal is to determine whether the HP MJF printer can successfully manufacture functional springs using HP 3D High Reusability Polyamide 12 (Nylon 12).

Team members: Aiden Knopik, mechanical engineering; Jacob Statema, mechanical engineering; Carson Friston, mechanical engineering; and Joe Wells, mechanical engineering.

Additive manufacturing has benefi tted industry by allowing for the rapid production of customized and complex parts. Powder bed fusion for example is an additive manufacturing process that uses a laser or electron beam to fuse powdered material in a layer-by-layer fashion. The advantage here is the ability to produce high accuracy and intricate parts. However, powder bed fusion is limited by its layered approach.

Acoustic levitation could be the solution to this limitation by offering a different method of material feed. Acoustic levitation utilizes high-intensity sound waves to counteract gravity and suspend and manipulate particles in air. It works by using sound waves, which exert acoustic radiation pressure, to create standing waves with pockets of minimum pressure, called nodes, and pockets of maximum pressure, called antinodes. The particles can be suspended in air at a stable equilibrium point, which is slightly below the nodes.

The specific method of acoustic levitation being used is a dual array. This means that sound waves will be emitted from two opposite sides into each other which allow for stronger pressures. The acoustic levitation device involves 2 printed circuit boards (PCB’s) designed to control an array of 256, 40khz ultrasonic transducers. A frame is designed to hold both boards and features a linearly actuating rail to modify the distance between boards. The project has also been specifically designed to fi t into a vacuum chamber which will allow for changing the medium in which the particles are in.

The goal of this project is to be able to achieve full and precise manipulation of metal particles in 3 dimensions using acoustic levitation. The secondary goal is to be able to move metal particles of higher densities, such as steel at 7.85 grams per cubic centimeter.

Team members: Boone Gray, mechanical engineering; Henry Millward, mechanical engineering; Alberto Rodriguez, mechanical engineering; Joseph Toth, mechanical engineering; and Derick Vasquez, mechanical engineering.

The Adaptive Tennis team (team 15) aims to create a system that allow individuals with physical disabilities (multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s, injuries, etc.) to engage in some controlled sporting activity, encouraging physical wellbeing. The actualization of this project consists of a simulator utilizing a projector displaying a target onto a white board that a tennis ball will be thrown at. Two cameras track the movement of the ball to give a score as it hits the target on the board. The difficult and scoring of the system can be adjusted to meet the varying needs to differing individuals who utilize the simulator.

Schneider Electric's South Lincoln facility requires an automated dust collection and disposal system to address the labor-intensive and hazardous process of manually emptying 55-gallon barrels of plastic-based dust. This current method poses health risks and reduces the operational efficiency of the plant. To solve this, we’ve designed and built a pneumatic transport system to remove the dust from the building's central dust collection unit, and transport it to a dumpster for disposal. Once fully implemented, this system will fully automate the dust removal process.

Team members: Matthew Xiques, Miles Hagerty, Dylan Miller, and Aleksandar Resnik

As computing power increases, so does the need for efficient cooling solutions. Traditional fluid-cooled systems rely on pumps to circulate coolants, but as technology advances, computing systems are becoming more compact, making pumps impractical. The Multiscale Heat Transfer Laboratory (MHTL) is exploring capillary-driven cooling, which moves fluid without a pump, enabling more compact designs. Our project focuses on developing a microchannel with femtosecond laser surface processed (FLSP) surfaces, which are naturally super-hydrophilic, to facilitate capillary-driven heat transfer. We were tasked with designing a test setup to measure the heat flux of this microscale channel.

During initial meetings with the MHTL team, several key design constraints were established. The system needed to fit within a 2-cubic-foot space, accommodate a 2-inch by 3-inch sample with an attached heater block, minimize fluid loss, maintain a constant fluid level with a 0.25-inch overlap on the sample, and allow for sample changes within 30 minutes. Required deliverables included a fully assembled and operational test setup capable of measuring heat flux and surface temperature with ±2°C accuracy, complete drawings, assembly and fluid compatibility documentation, error propagation calculations, and sensor placement justifications.

The experimental setup consists of five custom-designed components, an existing tank, and a few purchased parts. The most critical components are the PEEK backplate and sample mount, which were chosen for their thermal insulation and mechanical strength, allowing for accurate 1D heat conduction assumptions in thermocouple readings. The sample itself is a stainless-steel piece with an FLSP surface, brazed to a copper block. Stainless steel was selected for its high fluid compatibility, while copper provides excellent thermal conductivity. A steel clamp was designed to secure the sample along with Kapton tape and glass slides to create the microchannel. Steel was used instead of aluminum to prevent bending, which could compromise sample integrity. The system also includes an aluminum backplate for the tank, which was bolted onto the existing tank and features an opening for inserting the PEEK sample mount. Aluminum was chosen for its affordability and ease of machining. To ensure a leak-proof design, two Viton O-rings were incorporated due to their strong chemical compatibility.

With all components received, the system was fully assembled and tested. Experiments were conducted to verify the functionality of the setup, and all required deliverables, including documentation and performance validation, were successfully completed.

Team members: Ashton Abdul, mechanical engineering; Josh Donahue, mechanical engineering; Truman Stoller, mechanical engineering; Trygve Santelman, mechanical engineering.

Classroom exhibits for the sac museum that showcase engineering principles to students. There is a lunar rover exhibit that showcases the engineering principle of traction. The second exhibit is a moon crater creation exhibit where students drop different sized balls to show effects of impact forces and angles.

Team members: Max Nelson and Lyla Zornic, mechanical engineering.

Group 3 in Senior Capstone is working with Continental ContiTech to update their Coefficient of Friction Testing Machine. Continental wants a more robust machine capable of testing larger belts compared to their current equipment. Our team was given a set of parameters and specifications that needed to be met. The new tester must accommodate belts from 1.1 to 3.6 meters in length. It must be able to tension them with up to 800 lbs of force, all while fitting in an onsite frame. Our team split the machine into several main systems and considered several options for each system before a decision was made. These systems were then designed and integrated together into a final design package. Assembly was also done by the team with assistance from our group sponsor at Continental.

Team members: Trevor Stuart, Mechanical Engineering, Jacob Rohn, Mechanical Engineering, Ben Roberts, Mechanical Engineering, Ryan Tolliver, Mechanical Engineering, and Pierce Tomlinson, Mechanical Engineering.

This project aims to enhance the efficiency of Schneider Electric’s dust collection system by leveraging sensor data to analyze and optimize the separation of media, air, and dust. The current challenge lies in determining the appropriate airflow velocity required to effectively separate small solid particles from dust without excessive velocity causing media to enter the same channel.

Objective
Develop a method to accurately quantify airflow velocity within the ductwork system to improve separation efficiency and optimize system performance.

Approach
• Investigate mathematical models for airflow quantification.
• Research and select a compatible airflow sensor suitable for mixed flow conditions.
• Design and test different probe configurations to improve sensor durability and accuracy.
• Develop a CAD-based enclosure and mounting system for the sensors to withstand tough outdoor conditions, ensuring durability against dust, moisture, and temperature variations.
• Utilize collected data to provide system recommendations for optimizing filtration performance, reducing particulate emissions, and enhancing media recovery.

By implementing data-driven improvements and incorporating ruggedized sensor enclosures, this project aims to create a more sustainable and efficient dust collection system that operates reliably in harsh environments.

Team members: Nyk Harms, mechanical engineering; Damon Huynh, mechanical engineering, Stefan Do, mechanical engineering, Gungsar Yungtang, mechanical engineering, and Kevin Chen, mechanical engineering.

This project supports the Husker Motorsports Formula SAE team by developing lightweight, cost-effective carbon fiber rear axles to replace the existing steel design. The goal was to reduce vehicle weight and cost while maintaining strength, reliability, and manufacturability.

Our team conducted material research, explored multiple design approaches, and built a custom test rig to evaluate performance. The final design supports in-house manufacturing and reproducibility, reducing dependence on external sponsors. The design offers a practical replacement for the previous axles and fits within the team's existing manufacturing capabilities.

Team members: Emily Fitzpatrick, mechanical engineering, Brennan Harms, mechanical engineering, Sean Kile, mechanical engineering, Taylor Boudreaux, mechanical engineering, and German Murcia-Martinez, mechanical engineering.

This project supports the Husker Motorsports Formula SAE team by developing lightweight, cost-effective carbon fiber rear axles to replace the existing steel design. The goal was to reduce vehicle weight and cost while maintaining strength, reliability, and manufacturability.

Our team conducted material research, explored multiple design approaches, and built a custom test rig to evaluate performance. The final design supports in-house manufacturing and reproducibility, reducing dependence on external sponsors. The design offers a practical replacement for the previous axles and fits within the team's existing manufacturing capabilities.

Team members; Emma Soukup, mechanical engineering; Zach Ridl, mechanical engineering; and Zach Broders, mechanical engineering.

Lozier is a company primarily focused on manufacturing shelves used in commercial applications such as Walmart, Target, and Dollar General. They have been developing a shelf load test system to allow for them to test the max ratings on their shelves as well as their ground level shelf called a deck. They have developed a pressing structure to test these products but were interested in creating a cart that would be able to withstand the almost 2000 lbs. max rating while being large enough to attach equipment like indicators and strain gauges to the cart. The major advantage to our cart design is that it is extremely modular and can be used in a multitude of applications and test every combination of shelf height, width, and depth that they offer. 

Team members: Carter Fleshman, mechanical engineering, Francisco Tramonte Bisneto, mechanical engineering, Gavin Kreycik, mechanical engineering, and Tyler Ulrichson.

The University of Nebraska-Lincoln R.E.D. Teams’ Micro-g NExT design team presents HERBIE: The Highly Efficient Regolith Bidirectional Integrated Extraction device. Team HERBIE believes that the proposed device will match the stipulations outlined in the Micro-g NExT contact sampling design challenge. The contact sampling design challenge seeks to challenge students to collect a 5 mm sample of lunar regolith using a device friendly to the movement of suited astronauts. The challenge then requires this sample to preserve the grain orientation of the sample and return it to earth for further study. 

Designed to capture lunar regolith, HERBIE features an internal cable system and removable sample container, allowing for repetitive sample collection. An internal driver connected to two arms operates the device’s capture doors, allowing for smooth and controlled sample collection. The sample container features a set depth to prevent over collection and uses the natural compression from sample collection to maintain sample orientation. The sample compartment is removable to allow for repeated sample collection using the same framework from HERBIE. These unique design features show how HERBIE has been created to fulfill the requirements of the contact sampling design challenge. 

Team members: Hector Cong Jimenez, Mechanical Engineering, Kwuin Ping Felix Cong Jimenez, Mechanical Engineering, Tanner Sasse, Mechanical Engineering, and Aleea Stanford, Mechanical Engineering.

MS Forward is a physical therapy gym in Omaha, Nebraska that serves as a second step for those who have completed rehab with varying disabilities. MS Forward has tasked our team with creating an Adaptive Baseball Simulator. A full design package was created for an adaptive baseball simulator that can accommodate many disabilities while still maintaining a realistic baseball experience. Due to project timing and grant restrictions, the full simulator could not be constructed, and a functional prototype/proof of concept was created instead to develop and test the functionality of the game. The prototype consists of two cameras, a whiteboard, and a computer. The cameras track the ball and record the position of the ball when it impacts the whiteboard. One camera is set up parallel to the whiteboard, detecting when the ball impacts the whiteboard. The other camera is facing perpendicular to the whiteboard, detecting the location of the ball at impact. The computer is utilized as a control system for the game, and the whiteboard as a batting “screen”, intended to be used in conjunction with a projector to simulate a realistic experience. The game records scores based on many factors, including location of projectile impact, distance from user to screen, seating position of the user, whether the ball is soft pitched or hit off tee, and other miscellaneous factors that promote improvement and growth.

Team members: Calvin Cuddy, mechanical engineering, Jared Johnson, mechanical engineering, Dakota Simpson, mechanical engineering, and Dawson Reynolds, mechanical engineering.

Endurance-A is a NASA long range rover mission that will collect and return 12 lunar regolith samples from the South-Pole Aitken basin of the moon. This is the oldest undisputed impact basin on the moon, and can provide valuable information about solar system chronology.
Our project will design and prototype a vibrational end-effector scoop for this Endurance-A mission. The optimal scoop will minimize the force required to lift lunar rocks while maximizing the amount of rocks collected. A working testbed will be fabricated to simulate these end-effector interactions with the lunar regolith. Vibrational frequency, excavation depth, scoop velocity, and motor orientation will be varied to find the optimal scooping parameters. Additional project work involves characterization of test soil using an in-vitro direct shear test, an efficient and automatic controls setup for the testbed, and modeling/printing of the testbed design.

Team members: Peyton Kullmann, mechanical engineering, Wyatt Smydra, mechanical engineering, Luke Bartz, mechanical engineering, Will Howard, mechanical engineering, and Ben Ferguson, mechanical engineering.

This project focuses on designing engaging, hands-on learning experiences that promote a deeper understanding of space exploration and the core engineering principles behind it. The implemented interactive exhibits are aligned with key STEM education standards, aiming to inspire critical thinking and curiosity in students. Three distinct exhibits were developed as part of this initiative: a rocket launch simulator, which demonstrates the effects of pressure and launch angle on trajectory; a gravity well display, which explores orbital motion and gravitational forces; and an astronaut training circuit, which introduces basic electronics and systems thinking. Each exhibit connects a different area of engineering to space exploration, helping students build STEM skills in a fun and accessible way.

Team members: Jonathan Leach, mechanical engineering, Tyler Downey, mechanical engineering, Gavin Dugan, mechanical engineering, and Vlad Kovalenko, mechanical engineering.

This capstone project is for a patient lift redesign for Vancare Inc. Vancare is a medical manufacturing company that specializes in making patient lifts, which are devices used for transferring patients with mobility challenges from one place to another in healthcare settings.  The task given was to redesign a fixed ceiling model and a portable model, using the same chassis for each and utilizing similar existing components to simplify manufacturing and maintenance. One of the most important constraints is that the fixed model is certified to lift 650 lbs and the portable is certified for 450 lbs (prior to the safety factor), both without failure. The total budget was $14,000. 

Team members: Teresa Monsees, mechanical engineering, Tyler Stanley, mechanical engineering, Megan Walsh, mechanical engineering, Noor Himdan, mechanical engineering.

Kawasaki approached the University of Nebraska-Lincoln to assist in their desire to develop a reliable and accessible system to demonstrate their robots at various interactive events. The redesign that Kawasaki wants is a portable, user-friendly robotic system that can be used for interactive programmed activities, all within a $10,000 budget. The system must meet specific requirements related to portability, ease of setup, and operational functionality.

From the constraints, we were able to construct a final design that met all the purposed requirements. The design includes:
* An 80/20 aluminum bar base, that weighs under 50 lbs. and doubles as a demonstration area for the robot, as well as a storage compartment for spare parts.
* A custom build plate and adapter plate that is the medium for which the robot can be attached to the 80/20 aluminum bar base.
* A separate travel case for the robot to protect parts during transit and make sure they can fit in the trunk of a car.
* A 30-minute, clear, written setup/teardown instructions for non-technical personnel.
* A portable kit with spare parts that can be used for quick fixes during operation.
* And, an interactive program that engages users, whether for educational or entertainment purposes, in an interactive manner.

Team members: Tanner Turek, mechanical engineering, Caden Potts, mechanical engineering, and Alex Neefe, mechanical engineering.

General Motors would like to condition driveline fluid (low-medium viscosity oil) to a temperature that remains constant over a set period of time, to test driveline components. By changing the power input to a dynamometer that rotates the shafts in a rear axle, the oil inside changes temperature, so the conditioner must modify the fluid temperature to reach the desired constant temperature for the fluid exiting the axle. This piece of testing equipment is used for their driveline team to help study efficiencies of rear axles for emissions testing. Our final design was composed of separate heating and cooling elements to be able to achieve a final temperature for the fluid in the axel sump. This can be done through a control system that monitors different metrics within the system to adapt the amount of heating and cooling provided to the fluid to output a desired temperature. This system has been created with multiple different safety features to adhere to the rigorous standards within General Motors testing facility.

Team members: Evan Decker, mechanical engineering, Zach Firmature, mechanical engineering, Cole Oswald, mechanical engineering, and Nathan Moats, mechanical engineering.

The SR-71 Blackbird is one of the fastest planes ever built with speeds reaching over 2,200 mph. The Strategic Air Command and Aerospace museum wanted an exhibit that would convey how fast the blackbird is to its visitors. A golf ball launcher was designed to show a speed comparison of the SR-71 to a F-18, the Boeing 737 and the Bugatti Chiron. This project focuses on assembling and testing the golf ball launcher at four different speeds. Noise reduction and safety of the exhibit were optimized using control systems. Electronics were implemented to make a system by which pushing a button triggers a flow of pressurized gas to blast golf balls at various speeds.

Team members: Will Henningsen, mechanical engineering, Joe Nussrallah, mechanical engineering, Luke Papa, mechanical engineering, and Matt Nanfito, mechanical engineering.

Schneider Electric has tasked our University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) team with redesigning its Bulk Molding Compound (BMC) material delivery system used for injection presses at their Lincoln facility. The current system requires operators to use an elevated catwalk for loading materials, posing safety risks and inefficiencies. This project aims to replace the catwalk system with a ground-level, semi-automated material delivery system, ensuring both operator safety and increased operational efficiency.
To solve this problem, we have designed a bucket system that can transport the material from ground level to the elevated hopper of the injection press.

Team members: Eric Poggemeyer, mechanical engineering, Jared Coe, mechanical engineering, and Michael Nigrila, mechanical engineering.

We modified an existing shower chair/commode and adapted it to be better fitted for patients with dwarfism. The group adjusted the height of the seat to have multiple height options from 12 inches to 15 inches seat height. The seat was also custom-made to have three different seat hole sizes that would better fit a patient with dwarfism.

Team members: Adam Miller, mechanical engineering, Logan Jaixen, mechanical engineering, Gavin Engstrom, mechanical engineering, and Aaron Mick, mechanical engineering.

This device, named TARS, allows for the connection of two pieces of softgoods together, to be used by astronauts during an EVA to repair and enhance protective shells of aerospace structures. The fully mechanical device was designed in accordance with NASA guidelines, developed for the Micro-g NExT (Neutral Buoyancy Experiment Design Teams) student design challenge, operating through UNL RED (Research, Engineering, and Design) Teams club. The connection process uses a spring-powered device to semi-automatically insert 3D-printed fasteners through two layers of softgoods, effectively connecting them together. This process can be used to connect a flap of material over a hole, allowing for repair of the material and providing a permanent connection that resists anticipated loadings experienced during normal aerospace travel.

Team members: Barret Boudreau, mechanical engineering, Brayden Boudreau, mechanical engineering, and Coleden Grassmeyer, mechanical engineering.

This project investigates the drag coefficient of spherical test subjects in a controlled water flow environment using a water tunnel. The primary goal is to understand how varying the weight of spherical objects affects their drag characteristics. The test subjects will be 3D-printed spheres, with different weights achieved by adjusting the amount of lead/steel shot inserted into the test subjects. These spheres will be placed in a water tunnel, where the flow velocity will angularly displace the sphere in the direction of flow. This will be managed through the use of Aluminum T-slot rail for the frame support structure, fishing line for tethering the sphere to the frame, and a “fishing reel like” handle that can control the depth of which the sphere is lowered. The combination of 3D-printed test subjects and 3d printed control collars that interface with the T-slot rail allow for precise control of the location of the spheres, resulting in more controlled testing simulations.

A key element of this experiment is the use of a 3D-printed protractor to measure the angular displacement of the spheres as they move through the water. When subjected to fluid flow, the spherical objects angularly displace in the direction of the flow. Through the precise printing of angle markings and guides for ease of measurement, students will be able to measure the angular displacement within 1 degree of error. By correlating angular displacement with drag force, we can analyze the interaction between the object’s weight, shape, and the fluid, helping us better understand fluid dynamics.

Team members: Tyler Mays, Shane Miller, Khaleb Pafford and Sean Griffin

This project attempts to design a protective glove to help prevent sharps injuries in a surgical setting. The focus was to provide our sponsor-The University of Nebraska Medical Center-with a prototype and information regarding protective materials that could be used for this design.

Sharps injuries occur in about 15% of surgical procedures and injuries can expose surgeons to dangerous bloodborne pathogens. Typical surgical gloves provide little to no protection from sharps injuries. There are little to no protective surgical gloves on the market, and current protective measures like double gloving are inadequate.

The primary focus of the design process was to test a few protective material candidates to determine which had the most desirable properties, and to fabricate a protective glove that provided needlestick and cut resistance in specific areas on the hand.

Our solution was to design a partial glove that can be worn over an existing surgical glove. This concept allowed us to place the protective materials in specific areas that are more prone to injury while still maintaining necessary dexterity. This protective shell was made from Superfabric® Hex 50/05-200 material. This material performed the best of four candidates during our testing procedure.

Husker Racing Baja SAE is a student-led organization at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln where students design, build, and compete with a Baja SAE vehicle against teams from universities across the country. For the 2024–2025 season, the team identified a key area for improvement: redesigning a rear-to-front drive of the vehicle to boost performance and reduce overall weight.

Currently, the driveshaft—which transfers power from the engine in the rear to the front of the vehicle while four-wheel drive is engaged—adds a significant amount of weight. To address this, the team is planning to replace the traditional steel driveshaft with one made of carbon fiber. Thanks to its strength and lightweight properties, carbon fiber offers a promising way to enhance vehicle performance without compromising durability.

As part of the project, the team is responsible for designing both the carbon fiber winding pattern and the power transmission joint yoke assembly. The goal is to reduce the weight of the shaft assembly by 33% compared to the existing steel design, all while maintaining vehicle functionality and ensuring the safety of team members. The team is working alongside co-sponsors Neapco, based in Beatrice, Nebraska, and Regal Rexnord in Lincoln, Nebraska, to support the design and manufacturing process.

Team members: Truman Gilner, mechanical engineering, Maidson McCarthy, mechanical engineering, Zach Paasch, mechanical engineering, and Andrew Howton, mechanical engineering.

Patients with dwarfism currently do not have a walker that suits their needs. The current walkers are either too tall or not wide enough. The senior design group took time during the 2024-2025 academic year to take in research and previously designed walkers in order to create a final design suiting all the needs of a patient with dwarfism. The walker for patients with dwarfism was designed and finalized over the fall semester, and built over the spring semester to be tested by patients at UNMC. The walker will be robust enough to have all the capabilities of a standard bariatric walker, such as being foldable and having an adjustable height, while accounting for the different body sizes of the patients. The walker will also include blueprints so that UNMC can replicate the prototype walker completed.

The finalized walker will have several key features: a 22-inch width to accommodate body proportions, adjustable height ranging from 21 to 26 inches, and forearm platforms for users who require upper limb support. In addition, it will be foldable for ease of storage and transport, and capable of supporting a minimum of 250 pounds without structural failure. Comfort and safety are priorities; therefore, the design will also undergo a human comfort test, assessing grip ergonomics and platform usability.

Key constraints for the project include a $500 budget cap and the requirement for the walker to be built from or adapted from a pre-existing walker frame. All modifications must ensure structural integrity, especially under center load conditions. No material deformation or failure should occur during testing.

Deliverables will include a complete drawing package, a finalized bill of materials (BOM), cost estimates, and a detailed project timeline. By the conclusion of the project, a fully functional prototype will be shipped to the sponsor at UNMC, along with comprehensive documentation and blueprints for future replication.

Team mebers: Felicity Sierra, Cameraon Detwiler, Alex mcDonald, Maria Garcia, and Ben Huffer.

The Aero Rake is a modular, high-resolution aerodynamic measurement system designed by the Husker Motorsports Senior Design Team at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. Developed for use on the team’s Formula SAE racecar, the Aero Rake is engineered to gather precise fluid velocity data at critical aerodynamic locations: behind the front wing, near the sidepod inlets, and behind the rear wing. These areas play key roles in downforce generation and engine cooling, making accurate airflow characterization essential for performance optimization.

The system utilizes an array of custom-designed Kiel probes mounted on 3D-printed trusses and connected through custom PCBs to the car’s MoTec ECU via CAN bus. The Kiel probes are designed to accurately measure airflow across a wide range of angles of attack (±45°), enabling the rake to capture detailed aerodynamic profiles. This physical data is intended to quantitatively validate CFD simulations and improve the team’s understanding of transient flow behaviors.

Designed to be low-cost, lightweight, and easily reconfigurable, the Aero Rake can be installed at different locations on the car in under 10 minutes. The project emphasizes ease of integration, high fidelity, and a sub-$600 budget. By collecting real-time, spatially resolved aerodynamic data, the Aero Rake closes the gap between simulation and reality enabling iterative, data-driven design improvements that enhance vehicle performance. Testing and calibration will take place in controlled environments before full deployment on the 2025 model car, HMS25.