Harrison analyzing data acquired from acoustic emission sensors, an underutilized sensor type that could change the way we monitor machines and systems.
Author: Harrison Greene | Major: Mechanical Engineering | Semester: Fall 2023
Harrison Greene is an Honors College Fellow and student of the College of Engineering studying mechanical engineering. He is working alongside his research mentor, Dr. Han Hu, also in the mechanical engineering department, to conduct research towards the development of a universal, open-source system that seeks to bring an underutilized method of data acquisition into the mainstream. He has conducted research during the fall semester of 2023 and plans to continue doing so in the spring of 2024.
Throughout the fall semester of 2023, I worked alongside my mentor, Dr. Han Hu, to develop a system for recording and analyzing the vibrations emitted when substances interact by colliding, flowing, undergoing chemical changes, and more. Similar to recording sound waves with a microphone, this method of data acquisition is known as acoustic emission sensing and has been used to detect propagation of cracks in bridges, buildings, and storage tanks. Implementation of this technology in other fields for device and structure monitoring is lacking, however, and our lab seeks to remedy this through developing a device that is easy to set up, conduct research with, and modify as needed through open-source programming.
Another goal of ours is to implement this new system on to the International Space Station, where research is currently being done on the effects that decreased gravity has on the efficiency of boiling as a method of cooling. By implementing our device, we seek to analyze and catalog any notable effects that the decrease in gravity inflicts on boiling and understand the process from a new, sound-based perspective. With this catalog, we can then implement these same devices onto long-term spaceflight vehicles with the purpose of monitoring the boiling systems that keep the vehicle at desired temperatures. Continuous monitoring for mishap detection will aid in keeping astronauts safe on voyages.
Thus far my research has been focused on the programming side of this device creation, as I’ve had to learn a new programming language, LabVIEW, in order to implement the data acquisition and analysis methods that we seek. To this extent, my mentor Dr. Hu has provided me with access to tutorials, learning guides, and communications with official support regarding this program. My mentor also provided me with the sensors, data acquisition models, and previous experimental data acquired with this technology so that I could test my program, acquire various types of data, and compare methods of analysis. I’ve been successful in developing the basis of the desired program, and I am looking to further develop an advanced model in my coming semester of research, but this process should be very smooth due to what I’ve learned so far. Thanks to my mentor and fellow lab members, I’ve gained substantial experience with data processing, organizing, analyzing, and reporting; my ability to critically approach problems and develop solutions has vastly improved throughout my time in the lab.
Development of these skills did not happen overnight, however, and I experienced my fair share of challenges and roadblocks. Much of my time at the beginning of my research was spent learning. I read articles from accomplished experts in the field of acoustic emission sensing, researched methods that others had used for their own testing and the outcomes of said tests, and watched many, many tutorials to learn how to code in a language so foreign to me. Programming can be frustrating, especially when a dozen errors awaited me for every step of progress I made, but learning to reach out to experts, work with other students in my lab, and give myself time to reassess my problems to find alternative solutions allowed me to push forward and ultimately find success in my efforts.
Overall, I’m very thankful for the opportunities provided to me in Dr. Han Hu’s lab, as well as the support towards my individual learning and skill development. I found my mentor through my academic advisor and was offered to work on this project due to my interests in this field of technology. My research has challenged me in ways that I’ve never been challenged before, and I’ve developed skills such as literature review, troubleshooting, data acquisition and management, and project-based teamwork that I’ve had no other opportunity to grow outside of a classroom setting. Thus far, research has been a wonderful opportunity for me to learn and to grow, and I’m so very thankful for it.