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Self Assessment
On 17, May 2020 | No Comments | In Work Done | By Miguel Infante
Self-Assessment Essay
Miguel Infante
The City College of New York
5/17/20
Over the course of English 21007, all of the students in that class, including me, have worked on our and each other’s writing in order to complete different assignments that make up the semester’s work. Each of us had our own method of approaching and completing the assignments. Self and peer reviews were done to see what in our writing could be edited to bring improvements. In the end, our method and style of writing would become more advanced in some way. The works completed also made me and my peers think about how well we understood and completed our class objectives, and also how we further evolved as writers.
In English 21007, there were Course Learning Objectives so that we could see if we had met them or not in the assignments and activities me and my peers did for the class. The first objective was to acknowledge individual linguistic differences to better understand each-others writing. The second objective is to enhance our writing, reading, and assessment strategies. The third is to negotiate our writing goals in order to adhere to the audience’s expectation when they read our paper. The fourth is to develop and participate in collaborative writing. The fifth objective was to analyze various forms of composition to write in different disciplines. The sixth is to have stances in writing and the seventh is to use every resource available to complete the assignment. Lastly, the eighth learning objective was to strengthen our practices when using sources such as annotation and citation.
The first assignment that the class had to complete was the Letter of Introduction not shown in the portfolio. In it, students would introduce themselves to each other and the professor. We each read our own letters and get an understanding of what our writing looked like. Some people had grammatical issues and others had some skewed sentences that were confusing to read on my end. Through this, I got a sense of how my classmates wrote their words and acknowledged their linguistic differences as mentioned in the first course learning objective. Each time peer review would be done between individuals, the style of writing would be kept in mind to offer constructive criticism on what would have to be done to better what was being worked on.
After the first assignment of the introductory letter, the Technical Description followed. The Technical Description involved describing an object precisely and holistically in its components, processes, and mechanisms. The object I chose to describe was the steam engine – an iconic product of engineering. Before starting it, I thought I could just look at something informative about it on how it works and go off into the assignment from there. However, this was a fallacy because each informative description was different. I then had to devise a strategy for generalizing the description of a steam engine. I found similarities in the description of the steam engine in between each informative description and generalized the properties of a steam engine. I had met the second objective by improving a portion of my planning skills when starting an assignment off. I made sure to collect enough information to know what I was going to write about in the Technical Description.
Not too many people know how a steam engine works and most have only surface knowledge of what actually happens. I needed to find a way for the audience to follow the description on how it works. For this, I described the components in a specific order. I then described the steam engine process where each of the components worked with each other in the order that I described them in. I put the third learning objective into practice in order not to confuse the audience too much on how the steam engine works by writing in an ordered flow of description. My goal was to describe the steam engine according to how I saw it and I considered how the audience would view my writing in their perspective.
The third assignment done in the semester of English 21007 was the Formal Lab Analysis. In it, the elements that went into two research papers such as the introduction and abstract were analyzed carefully and compared with each other. Purposes behind why the authors of the research paper wrote it in their way were also considered. When analyzing both lab reports, confusion and difficulty reading arose since there were bulk amounts of complex sentences. A part of the assignment was to practice annotating and my method in doing so was to annotate an entire sentence without looking at each word. This didn’t work quite effectively as the annotations didn’t translate the words properly. I then started to define complex terms off to the side of the annotation to better understanding. Through this, I had reached the eighth course learning objective by strengthening the practices done when looking at sources of information. More comprehensible annotations were created by me and writing the analysis became easier for such complex research papers.
Through an understanding of the eighth course learning objective, the fifth objective was put into practice. The lab analysis involved analyzing two lab reports written differently by their authors. They were written for different audiences in respect with the subject area of the research paper. For me, analyzing each composition took different levels of attention. The research paper for improving nutrient content in plants was more complex and had greater amounts of variables than the paper studying the Taiwan strait fault. Translating what was written in the papers into simpler terms to allow the audience to understand the context and information of them led to what I wrote down for my analysis.
The biggest assignment me and everyone had to face was the Engineering Proposal. An engineering innovation was the be proposed by a group working together. Research and brainstorming for the proposal were all done online. Internet and app resources were used in order to create the paper and presentation. The first and seventh objectives are already achieved here again with everyone carrying out plans being made and using electronic resources to do so. Everyone had a part as the engineering proposal was group effort. Since it was collaborative, the fourth objective was realized by everyone. it was also achieved before the Engineering Proposal in the form of peer review when everyone socialized in order to provide criticism to each-others’ work. In the Engineering Proposal assignment, I wrote about how my group’s product was superior to that of the competition. In doing so, I took a stance in writing and proved that our product was better than those similar to it. The sixth course learning objective had been met by doing this by taking a stance through writing.
In each writing assignment done, I feel that every objective was met along the way of writing in the time it took to complete the assignments. Each of them were made so that different course learning objectives could be met as explained. It feels as if the objectives and my time spent writing had somewhat improved my skills in writing. In my las semester in English 1100, my answer to the question of “What is writing?” is that it is a form of memory. People write things down so that they won’t lose their ideas or let them die. This answer was strengthened through a typical practice that I did for all of my assignments that every writer also does. – outlining. Through all of the assignments, I have constantly started an outline in order to finish the paper quickly. I started every paper off from the top of my head but I started to slow down in coming up with ideas along the way. The flow is lost because of me running out of mental endurance in order to see what I should write in order to connect one sentence to another and I forget my ideas. Outlining has eliminated this in nearly all of my writing. To add on to remembering the ideas that I wrote down, a clear structure of organization can come out of outlining. My perception of writing may yet to change but in that perception is always the practice and value of outlining. Even this self-assessment was outlined for completion.
Engineering Proposal
On 17, May 2020 | No Comments | In Work Done | By Miguel Infante
Proposal for a Portable UV Device to Field-Sterilize Respirator Masks
Miguel Infante, John Ng, Md Rashid, Steven Yang
Department of English, The City College of New York
ENGL 21007: Writing for Engineering
Professor Sara Jacobson
May 4, 2020
Table of Contents
Introduction………………………………………..3
Other Engineering Innovations………………….………………………………………………….4
Technical Description……………………………………………………………………………..6
Bill of Materials……………………………………………………………………………8
Function………………………………………………………………………………….10
Labor Utilized for its Manufacture………………………………………………………10
Costs and Time……………………………………………………………………………11
Design Process………………………………………………………………………………12
Conclusion……………………………………………………………………………….………13
Proposal for a Portable UV Device to Field-Sterilize Respirator Masks
In almost every region of the world, the spread of COVID-19 has made social contact dangerous. It is an airborne virus that can cause severe respiratory issues for those infected. Despite its unknown pathology, there is consensus that wearing respirators will prevent airborne infection, slowing the spread of the disease. This is especially essential for medical personnel. However, these masks become contaminated quickly and are in short supply (Goodnough, 2020), but they can be reused safely if they are sterilized. Many photos online show masks stored in paper bags between uses. This is a prime opportunity for mask sterilization which no product on the market addresses. Thus, this proposal describes the UV Pill Sterilizer, which fills this market void.
Figure 1 UV Pill Sterilizer rendered using Autodesk Inventor. Ng, J. (n.d.). UV Pill Sterilizer.
The UV Pill Sterilizer is a portable unit for sterilizing respirator masks in the field so they can be reused by medical personnel. This drop-in solution relies on 4 UV LEDs, mounted on the sides and powered by a battery enclosed in the housing. The pill can be dropped into any reflective light-proof container, such as a popcorn bag, a potato chip bag, or a normal paper bag covered with aluminum foil. It is activated with the remote switch and agitated for 3 minutes, achieving 99.9% sterilization. It is recharged with a microUSB cable. There have been other inventions that rely on UV sterilization, but they are neither affordable nor portable, nor are they tailored toward respirator masks. The UV Pill Sterilizer provides a more cost-effective and efficient approach. The open sourced design, parts, and manufacture all will allow it to be available for distribution in as soon as one month.
Other Engineering Innovations
Most of the UV-based sterilization equipment on the market is too expensive for personal use, ranging from $1,000 to $120,000 (Nugent, n.d.). They are also large and need to be plugged in, designed for sterilization of large volumes (Nugent, n.d.). The UV Pill Sterilizer is expected to cost $46.49 in materials, fits in a pocket, and can be recharged via microUSB. This will prolong the lifespan of respirator masks, and consequently, the safety of healthcare workers.
One such product is the Air Science Stainless Steel UV-Box Sterilization Chamber. The market cost is $1,694 and weighs a total of 75 pounds, and runs on grid power (“Air Science”, n.d.). Although effective for mass sterilization of masks, it does not address the need for personal sterilization.
There have been other open source efforts to build a UV sterilization device. The UV-C Sterilization Cabinet is expected to cost around $50 (Deeplocal, 2020) and is in many ways similar to the proposed UV Pill Sterilizer. However, like the Air Science UV-Box, it relies on grid power and utilizes a large box as the chamber. This makes it unsuitable for field use by essential workers.
Lastly, the PULUZ 30cm UV Light Germicidal Sterilizer Disinfection Tent Box is perhaps the most similar to the proposed UV Pill Sterilizer, but still does not address the current novel needs of healthcare staff. It is a UV light embedded into a collapsible container, which is a step forward from the rigid cabinets of the other products. However, it still requires an external power source and is a 1-foot large cube (Puluz, n.d.). This is not ideal for personal use, especially in hospitals where floor space is valuable.
Technical description
Figure 2 Assembly drawing from Inventor 2020. Ng, J. (n.d.). Assembly.
Figure 3 Exploded assembly drawing from Inventor 2020. Ng, J. (n.d.). Exploded assembly.
Bill of Materials
The bill of materials, or BOM, is a full list and breakdown of raw materials and pre-assembled parts that are used in the product (See Appendix A, Table A1, for BOM). The Pill casing consists of aluminum and 3D printed plastic and fastened by steel screws. The rest of the BOM consists of electronics. These electronics, ordered from the power source to the light source, are the battery, the tail contact, the driver and charger circuit boards, the switch, and the LED, with wires for connections.
The aluminum used is 6061, which is the international industry code for a specific alloy that is strong, easily machinable, and corrosion-resistant (McMaster-Carr, n.d.). It is also lightweight and highly conductive to both heat and electricity, making it especially suitable for a handheld electronic light-emitting device. The 3D printed plastic specified is ABS plastic, which is commonly found in LegoTM bricks. ABS is well-known in the 3D printing community for its exceptional heat resistance, strength, and stability compared to other 3D-printed plastics. Lastly, the steel screws are made of stainless steel, which is steel that is highly resistant to corrosion.
The battery relies on lithium ion chemistry, which allows it to be reliable, high-power, and energy-dense (Samsung SDI Co., Ltd. [Samsung], 2014). It also provides 300 recharge cycles before losing 25% of its capacity when tested at its maximum power of 15 amps (Samsung, 2014). The expected power usage of the UV Pill Sterilizer is 2 amps, implying that it can be recharged many more times. It provides a nominal 3.6 volt charge.
The tail contact consists of a copper plate with a copper-alloyed spring attached. Copper is the second most conductive metal available at room temperature. The copper alloy retains this conductivity but adds elasticity to its physical properties, allowing the spring to be more flexible. This usage of copper will improve the flow of electricity to the LEDs.
The driver and charger circuit boards are made of printed circuit boards, or PCBs. They consist of copper printed onto a fiber reinforced resin substrate, onto which electronic components are attached. This forms a stiff frame that is mounted onto the Pill casing.
The switch comes pre-assembled from the manufacturer, which utilizes a spring switch assembly with a stainless steel casing (EARU, n.d.). This solid stainless steel casing protects the inside switch assembly from mechanical damage.
Since the manufacturer sells the LED device mounted on a metal core-printed circuit board, or MCPCB, this assembly was colloquially referred to as the LED. However, they consist of two separate components. The LED itself consists of a semiconductor that emits light, encased in a resin. It requires a voltage of 6 volts ( Due to its tendency to reach high temperatures, a MCPCB is used as a heatsink. The MCPCB material is copper, which is one of the most heat conductive materials available. It will easily and quickly draw heat away from the LED. The MCPCB also acts as a mounting device due to the tiny size of the actual LED.
The specified wires are 22AWG pure copper wires coated in PVC. 22AWG refers to the diameter of the wire and stands for American Wire Gauge. PVC, or polyvinyl chloride, is an insulator to electricity. It protects the copper from making unexpected electrical contact, causing shorts.
Function
Figure 4 Quarter section view from Inventor 2020. Ng, J. (n.d.). Quarter section.
The device can be comfortably held in one hand. See Appendix A, Figure A1 for its exact dimensions. To operate the device, the pill and a mask is placed into a reflective bag. The bag opening is rolled closed. The switch is held and the bag lightly shaken for 3 minutes. This will ensure full coverage of the UV light on the mask surfaces. The switch is then released, and the sterilized mask can be removed from the bag. To charge, connect a microUSB cable to the port.
When the button is pressed, the circuit is completed and the driver turns on. The negative charge from the battery travels from the battery’s right side, through the contact plate, end cap, and aluminum tube to reach the driver circuit. This path can be seen in the quarter section view in Figure 4. The positive terminal makes direct contact with the spring on the driver circuit. The driver circuit then regulates the 3.6 volt from the battery to the 6 volts required by the LED’s. The charger circuit is also connected to the battery and charges the battery when a microUSB is connected.
Labor Utilized for its Manufacture
The UV Pill Sterilizer was designed with ease of manufacturing in mind. It consists only of readily available, off-the-shelf parts and is able to be assembled with basic tools found on The City College of New York campus, robotics laboratories, or makerspaces (“Undergraduate laboratories,” n.d.).
The labor discussed will only include the labor of manufacture after the materials are ordered and have arrived. This requires 1 person working for 1 hour to produce 1 unit. First, 3D printing of the top cap is started and will run concurrently with the following operations, expected to take no more than 30 minutes. The aluminum tube and aluminum bar, which arrives in 6 ft long sections, will have to be cut to length with a band saw. They will then have holes for the screws marked and drilled, and the end cap will then need a cavity for the tail contact plate machined. This can be done manually with a drill press, or automatically with a computer controlled CNC milling machine or router. When all this is finished, the 3D printed top cap will have completed.
Then electronics work begins. The spring is soldered onto the tail contact plate, then placed in the end cap cavity, which is then screwed onto the aluminum tube. Next, the battery is placed into the tube. The driver is placed over the tube and is held in place with the 3D printed top cap, which is screwed into place. The battery charging circuit is slid into the top cap. The LEDs are mounted onto the 4 sides of the assembly using thermal adhesive. Lastly, all the wires are soldered into place and sealed using epoxy, including the wire to the remote switch.
Costs and Time
The initial time for all the parts to ship is expected to take roughly 1 month. After parts arrive, finished products will be available for distribution within a week. The material costs per unit are $46.49, which excludes the cost of logistics. The full breakdown and BOM is available in Appendix A, Table A1. Labor costs are a function of skilled worker compensation, tooling costs, and worker fees. Given a wage of $15 per hour, combined with $5 of combined tooling costs and fees, the total cost to produce one unit is $66.49.
The cost of labor can be reduced with two options. Conventionally, manufacturers will turn to mass production, which will cut labor costs to about half. However, open sourcing the design and encouraging the makerspace community to donate their time and resources to manufacture this product will eliminate all labor costs. One community, Make4Covid, has already distributed over 30,000 pieces of PPE with thousands of volunteers (Miller, 2020), making this a viable short-term option.
Design Process
Our group, the COVID Fighters, agreed that it would be appropriate to create an innovation with a focus on the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. We began with a brainstorming activity in which we listed innovations that piqued our interest. An early idea was a UV respirator which relied on passing air through an intense UV light. However, the issue with this design is that UV light needed to be high-intensity to properly sterilize the air, which would cause skin cancer if skin is exposed for extended periods of time. Iterations on the design relied on other mechanisms of sterilization, such as rapid heating and cooling, but that proved to be too large and bulky and energy-inefficient. Eventually, we noticed that essential workers, especially healthcare staff, were storing their respirator masks in paper bags between shifts. There was a photo recently published on social media showing numerous paper bags, holding the masks of nurses, tacked to a wall (see Appendix B for photo). This inspired us to create an innovation to supplement this current storage solution to sterilize respirator masks. Our design constraints were:
- Must sterilize the mask in under 5 minutes
- Must be a portable and personal solution
- Must be deployable immediately by medical personnel
- Must be affordable
The UV Pill Sterilizer satisfies all these criteria. We conducted research on different UV LEDs and settled on one made by Seoul Viosys. This particular LED has already been proven to kill 99.9% of coronaviruses after 30 seconds of exposure in lab testing (Moore, 2020). Thus, the LED will be able to effectively sterilize a face shield in the field in under 5 minutes. The design for portability and deployability led us to add microUSB charging as a feature and keep it as small and minimal as possible. This also helped with affordability.
After the design was settled, the parts were created in the 3D modeling software Autodesk Inventor 2020. Each part in the BOM was modeled separately. After the individual parts were modeled, they were brought together into an assembly and connected together. This allows for rapid prototyping of the design and lets us verify that everything fits together. It also has many options to render video and images of the product.
Conclusion
The UV Pill Sterilizer can offer anyone who uses face masks a means to mitigate the amount of crucial supplies being used. It is a cost effective product that can be manufactured in bulk to be provided to the public in a matter of days. Thousands of the UV Pill Sterilizers can be created through volunteer collaboration or mass production. Its rechargeable battery, portability, and high disinfection rate helps to keep respirators safe for reuse. There are other products that also use ultraviolet light for cleansing but none can match the convenience, efficiency and economy of the UV Pill Sterilizer. It has the fastest cleansing time for its type and will help to keep essential workers safe from infection by COVID-19 and thus, will contribute to the eradication of the pandemic.
References
Air science stainless steel uv-box sterilization chamber—Uv-15. (n.d.). Retrieved May 3, 2020, from https://www.sustainablesupply.com/air-science-uv-box-sterilization-chamber-uv-15-c1324735
Deeplocal. (2020, April 9). Build a diy uv-c sterilization cabinet to fight covid-19. Make: Projects. Retrieved May 3, 2020, from https://makezine.com/projects/build-a-diy-uv-c-sterilization-cabinet-to-fight-covid-19
EARU. (n.d.). 12mm Flat High Head Waterproof Metal Push Button Switch LED Light Momentary Latching Car Engine Computer PC Power Switch 3-380V. AliExpress. Retrieved May 2, 2020, from www.aliexpress.com/item/4000516861224.html
Goodnough, A. (2020, March 9). Some hospitals are close to running out of crucial masks for coronavirus. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/09/health/coronavirus-n95-face-masks.html
McMaster-Carr. (n.d.). Multipurpose 6061 Aluminum Sheets and Bars. Retrieved May 2, 2020, from https://www.mcmaster.com/aluminum-alloy-6061/multipurpose-6061-aluminum-sh
Eets-and-bars-7
Miller, F. (2020, April 7). Make4Covid initiative unites 3D printing pros to make PPE. Colorado Springs Independent. https://www.csindy.com/TheWire/archives/2020/04/07/make4covid-initiative-unites-3d-printing-pros-to-make-ppe
Moore, S. K. (2020, April 16). Ultraviolet-LED Maker Demonstrates 30-Second Coronavirus Kill. IEEE Spectrum. https://spectrum.ieee.org/tech-talk/semiconductors/optoelectronics/ultravioletled-maker-demonstrates-30second-coronavirus-kill
Nugent, B. (n.d.). UV disinfection technology: is it worth the cost?. Retrieved May 1, 2020, from https://soriantsolutions.com/uv-disinfection-worth-cost
PhilosophizingPanda. (2020, April 8). From a nurse in NYC…paper bags for mask storage so they can reuse them [Digital Photo]. reddit. Retrieved 1 May, 2020, from https://www.reddit.com/r/nyc/comments/fx4z2x
Puluz. (n.d.). Puluz 30cm uv light germicidal sterilizer disinfection tent box. Retrieved May 3, 2020, from http://www.puluz.com/product/default!view.do?id=3207710
Rechargeable portable led uv disinfection and sterilization bag. (n.d.). OkWoah. Retrieved May 1, 2020, from https://okwoah.com/products/rechargeable-portable-led-uv-sanitizer-
Disinfection-sterilizer-bag
Samsung SDI Co., Ltd. (2014). Introduction of INR18650-30Q. https://eu.nkon.nl/sk/k/30q.pdf
Seoul Viosys. (n.d.). Disinfection module. Seoul Viosys. Retrieved May 3, 2020, from http://www.seoulviosys.com/en/product/module
Stainless steel uv-box sterilization chamber. (n.d.). Grainger. Retrieved May 1, 2020, from https://www.grainger.com/product/AIR-SCIENCE-Stainless-Steel-UV-Box-Sterilization-18AX46
Systèmes, D. (n.d.). Charge module. DS 3DContentCentral. Retrieved May 1, 2020, from https://www.3dcontentcentral.com/Download-Model.aspx?catalogid=171&id=604235
Undergraduate laboratories | the city college of new york. (n.d.). Retrieved May 2, 2020, from https://www.ccny.cuny.edu/mecheng/undergradlaboratories
Appendix A
Table A1 Bill of Materials. Ng, J. (n.d.). BOM.
Figure A1 Dimensioned orthographic views. Ng, J. (n.d.). Dimensioned views.
Figure B1Paper bags for storing N95 masks to be reused. PhilosophizingPanda. (2020). From a nurse in NYC…paper bags for mask storage so they can reuse them.
Presentation Link
Lab Analysis
On 17, May 2020 | No Comments | In Work Done | By Miguel Infante
Analysis of Two Lab Reports
Miguel Infante
The City College of New York
3/8/20
Across numerous databases and in many parts of the world, scientists are always conducting different studies in the pursuit of an answer to a question. The undisclosed product of those studies are the lab reports written by the many who worked on the different experiments that present their valuable information. The two lab reports that are to be analysed on this paper are scientific reports that each pertain to a different background of science. One lab report chosen involves the life science of achieving a more optimal sustainability in farming crops to make it produce a healthier nutritional value. This article is titled “The enhancement of plant secondary metabolites content in Lactuca sativa L. by encapsulated bioactive agents” by Slaven Jurić, Katarina Sopko Stracenski, and several other researchers at the University of Zagreb. The other lab report, “Imaging active faulting in the western Taiwan Strait” by Yifeng Zahng, Hao Kuo-Chen, and others at the Institute of Earth Sciences, involves the study of Earth’s physical science of plate tectonics. The scientists on that paper are working to analyze the kinematics of a fault in the Earth’s oceanic plates. In these lab reports are a set of elements commonly used by scientists around the world in order to present their data to an audience. These elements include and are not limited to the title, abstract, introduction, materials and methods, results, discussion, conclusion, and references. They also structure their lab report in different ways in order to get the information across better by introducing data at specific times so that the audience can better understand what they are doing in that lab report and how the information connects to each other. The analysis of these two lab reports will attempt to show these ideas for how a lab report can look like.
The first element of any lab report is the title – a vital piece of identifying it for others to research and remember it. The first lab report is titled “The enhancement of plant secondary metabolites content in Lactuca sativa L. by encapsulated bioactive agents” by Jurić, et al. The short meaning of the title is “make lettuce yield more nutrients with biological supplements”. There are complex terms in the title and “encapsulated bioactive agents” refers to an unspecified set of materials, meaning that this lab report may involve different experimental variables. At first glance, this title can be for an audience of people interested in agricultural matters since it involves botanical studies. The second labs title, “Imaging active faulting in the western Taiwan Strait” by Zahng et al is a short and straightforward title. Researchers have collected images of a tectonic fault line in order to analyze its kinematics in the lab report. From looking at the title, it may appear that there are not too many variables involved in this lab and a single task is performed. Both titles in each lab report are precise and get straight to what the study will conduct. The titles are different in that they give off different ideas of what is being studied in the lab – for instance the first lab title involves a plural set of bioactive agents while the second title is just referring to the analysis of a single object.
The next element of a lab report is the abstract. It is a short summary that may not sum up all of the other elements of a lab report. The abstract of “The enhancement of plant secondary metabolites…” is a descriptive abstract. The first sentence states: “Encapsulated bioactive agents… present an innovative approach to stimulate the production of plant secondary metabolites…” (Jurić et al, 2020, p. 1). The abstract then continues with the results of the experiment and how microparticles increase the nutritional value of lettuce (Jurić et al, 2020, p. 1). Here, it can be seen that the authors are just summarizing the lab to the audience. Unlike the abstract of the first lab report, the abstract of “Imaging active faulting in the western Taiwan Strait” is an informative abstract. They bring up the history behind what has been done in the western Taiwan Strait and relate it to what they are currently investigating. Zhang and the others state that “…earthquakes off the coast of China’s Fujian province point to important tectonic activity… that, until recently, has received little attention” (Zhang et al, 2020, p. 1). It is brought up that earthquakes in the past are their motives behind imaging the Taiwanese fault. Both abstract fulfill their purpose of summarizing the main points of the lab reports. There are other similarities in how the abstracts of both lab reports present their data and the only difference is whether or not they are descriptive or informative abstracts.
A lab report element that comes right after the abstract is the introduction, which is present in all scholarly articles. The introduction of “The enhancement of plant secondary metabolites…” by Jurić et al spans for a few pages and is moderately lengthy. It may seem long, but in it, the authors fully introduce and break down why the lab is carried out and what their materials are to the readers. One of the sentences states “Plants require these compounds for pigmentation, growth,… and for many other functions…” (Jurić et al, 2020, p. 2). The authors explain the importance of the bioactive agents. They also introduce plant secondary metabolites as compounds used for a healthy human diet (Jurić et al, 2020, p. 1). Since they’re making things simpler to be read, it suggests that this lab report is directed to a broad spectrum of audience including the public and agricultural entities, not just the scientific community. The intro of the second lab report “Imaging active faulting in the western Taiwan Strait” by Zhang et al is not so long in contrast to the report by Jurić et al with it consisting of just four paragraphs. It includes a graphic representation of where the Taiwan fault is and its history. In this intro, the authors do not fully explain some scientific terms in the context of the fault. It is stated that the history of the fault “…began with rifting during the Early to Late Eocene and, by the late Early Oligocene…” (Zhang et al, 2020, p. 2). Words like Oligocene and Eocene used to describe time periods on Earth are not defined. The target audience would be the scientific community for this lab report since the authors expect the reader to know what both terms mean. The introductions differ in how effective each topic is introduced for whoever is reading it.
The next element of a lab report is the methods and materials. In the lab done by Zhang and his colleagues, the element is called Methodology instead of methods and materials. However, the materials are still mentioned in how they created an image of the Taiwan Strait fault. The methodology states “A 1350 meter-long Sentinel streamer containing 108 hydrophones spaced at 12.5m was towed…” (Zheng et al, 2020, p. 10). There is no description of a Sentinel streamer or what a hydrophone is adding onto the idea that this paper is meant for the scientific community – complex terms aren’t broken down. The materials and methods of the lab done by Jurić and his team include the lab’s methods and also how the materials are made. Microparticles are formed by “…cross-linking solution under mechanical stirring, then washed several times with distilled water and filtered through Buncher funnel” (Juric et al, 2020, p.4). In fully revealing how they’re made, this lab can be easily replicated by others. The lab “Imaging Active Faulting in the Western Taiwan Strait” can also be replicated but at a different fault line since the authors of this lab report highlight their methodology and not what equipment they used. Each team of scientists have their own specific approach in the field of physical sciences unlike the first lab which shows a precise set of directions.
Following the materials and methods of a lab report are the results which contribute to the hypothesis in some way. In “The enhancement of plant secondary metabolites…”, since different variables of the lab are tested, the authors decide to categorize the results of introducing microparticles to the plants. The chlorophyll content of lettuce has increased, polyphenolic contents have gone up, antioxidants have increased in numbers, and microparticles have proven their value in modifying lettuce for the better (Juric et al, 2020, p. 8). There is so much information to present that each category is represented individually. The results for the second lab are structured differently. All that is done is analysis after having acquired an image of the Taiwan Strait fault. One of the results state “In all profiles, the top of the basement coincides with a high-amplitude reflection below which the crust is overall acoustically transparent” (Zhang et al, 2020, p. 5) and several images of the fault follow. Since the plant-based lab report is trying to prove an idea, the results are an absolute culmination of work as mostly having nothing to add onto them. However, when it comes to the results of the Taiwan Fault imaging, analysis is what is mainly done by the authors which means that more data is needed by others so the fault can be further examined. The results of both articles are presented in different manners so that their audience can conclude things differently about the information given to them.
After the results comes the discussion which is somewhat of a reflection of the lab so it can be put up for debate to be improved in some way. In the lab report written by Zhang et al, the authors discuss their theories of the kinematics of the Taiwan Strait after having analyzed the image of it. In the first paragraph of the discussion they present fault imaging data and say “Seismicity suggests that certain parts of the fault system are active to depths of greater than 20km…” (Zhang et al, 2020, p. 9). They are suggestive in their kinematics theory of the plate and can’t determine the precise depth of the active areas in the fault. Yet again, this adds onto the idea that this paper is meant for the scientific community to look upon and add on ideas in some way. There is no discussion in the lab report written by Juric et al. Ways of improving the lab are not mentioned and their motive for agricultural use of microparticles has already been stated in their introduction.
To finish the bulk text of the lab report, the conclusion comes last as the element of it. In “The enhancement of plant secondary metabolites…”, they conclude with how their research has improved the nutritional value of lettuce as said in their title. Encapsulating particles “…proved to be an efficient way to deliver both chemical and biological agents for plant nutrition / protection and the production of functional foods” (Juric et al, 2020, p. 12). In “Imaging active faulting in the western Taiwan Strait”, there is no conclusion. The lab is mainly full of analysis and theory which can be seen as the reason why there is no conclusion as more research is needed. After the conclusions come the lab report element of references. Both the references of the articles include scientific books, peer-reviewed journals, and other scientific reports. They add onto the information of the work and extend the understanding of their research.
In the two lab reports that were analyzed, most of the elements required to define it as a lab report were present. The discussions element was left out of the lab report done by Juric et al and a conclusion was not found in the lab regarding the Taiwan Strait. Each team of writers even structured the elements differently. The results came right after the introduction of “Imaging active faulting in the western Taiwan Strait” instead of after the materials and methods. Zhang and his colleagues did this since their methodology was of a second priority since readers among the scientific community may already have an idea of how they acquired the image. The frist lab report followed the element format due to the fact that it is a classic experiment procedure of having controlled variables to test. Both lab reports had their different manners in presenting the information to increase the effectiveness of doing so.
Lab reports contain a number of elements that are structured in a way that defines their objective and flow. The lab reports “The enhancement of plant secondary metabolites content in Lactuca sativa L. by encapsulated bioactive agents” by Slaven Jurić, Katarina Sopko Stracenski, et al and “Imaging active faulting in the western Taiwan Strait” by Yifeng Zahng, Hao Kuo-Chen, et al both contain these elements. The authors of each lab report structure their lab report elements in a way that gets their information across to their audience most efficiently. The elements in both lab reports explain how their experiments are carried out and the information about them that explains what they are.
Works Cited
Jurić, S., Stracenski, K. S., Król-Kilińska, Ż., Žutić, I., Uher, S. F., Đermić, E., … Vinceković, M. (2020, February 28). The enhancement of plant secondary metabolites content in Lactuca sativa L. by encapsulated bioactive agents. Retrieved March 5, 2020, from https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-020-60690-3?proof=trueMay
Zhang, Y., Kuo-Chen, H., Alvarez-Marron, J., Brown, D., Lin, A. T.-S., Xie, Z., & Jin, X. (2020, February 28). Imaging active faulting in the western Taiwan Strait. Retrieved March 5, 2020, from https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-020-60666-3
Technical Description
On 16, May 2020 | No Comments | In Work Done | By Commons Admin
The Steam Engine
Miguel Infante
The City College of New York
3/19/20
Contents
Physical Shape and History_______________________________________________________
The Steam Engine
General Structure
Components___________________________________________________________________
The Firebox
Heat Rods and the Water Tank
Steam Pipe and Steam Chambers
Slide Valve, Drive Piston, Piston Rod, and Valve Rod
How it Works__________________________________________________________________
The Engine Process
Steam Engine Mechanisms
______________________________________________________________________________
Conclusion
The Steam Engine
Simple steam engine with flywheel attached.
https://www.livescience.com/44186-who-invented-the-steam-engine.html
Over the course of human history, human labor has become more and more mechanized allowing for heavier and faster work to be done. One outstanding invention that has accelerated the advancement of the human race is the steam engine. It was engineered by Thomas Savery and Edward Somerset around the year 1698. Its main function was to draw out water from a mine by using steam to perform mechanical pumping (Woodford 2019). The steam engine uses flammable fuel in order to boil water so steam can be produced to which it then creates pressure in order to move a series of components for mechanical work. Throughout the steam engine’s history, there have been different variations of how it is built and they range in size and the number of components. This technical description targets a generalized and simplified outline for the processes and mechanisms of a steam engine.
General Structure
The steam engine is made up of several components. The firebox, chimney, heat rods, a water tank, a steam pipe, a steam chamber, a slide valve, a drive piston, piston rod, and a valve piston. The firebox is a closed chamber system that has several heat rods extended from it. The heat rods lead to a separate component – the water tank. In it, the heat rods are suspended in the tank. Connected to the water tank is a steam pipe that leads into a steam chamber. Inside the steam chamber is a piston and valve mechanism that has rods extending outwards. Those rods are a part of a feedback system in the motion of the slide valve and the drive piston. A piston rod is connected to a valve piston that controls these said motions. The drive piston can be connected to whatever mechanism is used – for instance, train wheels, a conveyer belt, or a pump. As said earlier, steam engines come in different sizes so specific dimensions cannot be mentioned in this technical description.
General layout of a steam engine. Original Content – drawn by Miguel I
The Firebox and Chimney
The firebox, also known as a furnace, is an enclosed chamber where fuel is burned to create a fire for heat energy. Fireboxes are mainly cubic structures with a grilled hatch door to contain a fire whilst allowing oxygen to aid in the combustion process of fuel. In the top section of the firebox is a cylindrical piece referred to as the chimney that allows combustion products like carbon dioxide to move out of the firebox for continuous fuel burning. Chimneys are hollow, tubular structures involved in the exhaust of a system.
Heat Rods and the Water Tank
A water tank is any storage unit for water that comes in different volumes. Heat rods are primarily metal rods that allow the transfer of heat energy through conduction. The heat rods are connected to the firebox in a circular pattern. They then extend into the water tank but do not connect to the walls of a water tank to allow full heating of the water stored in the tank.
Steam Pipe and Steam Chambers
A steam pipe is any metal pipe that allows whatever pressure of steam to travel through it. The steam pipe is connected to both the water tank and the steam chamber. A steam chamber is a contained compartment that captures steam. The steam chamber consists of two compartments in different sizes. These two compartments are connected by two small valve cylinders. The upper part of the steam chamber is smaller compared to the lower half. The lower half of the steam chamber is in the shape of a cylinder to accommodate the drive piston.
Slide Valve, Drive Piston, Piston Rod, and Valve Rod
A slide valve is a rectilinear component used to regulate the flow of an input to a system. A drive piston is a linearly reciprocating cylindrical component of a mechanism that aids in any major movement to it. A piston rod is a metal rod joining two components together creating a feedback system in movement. A valve rod is an extension that connects the valve to other components. The slide valve is a flat, rectangular, metal piece connected to a valve rod placed on top of the inlets separating the two compartments of the steam chamber. It is held in place by geometrical confinement which only allows it to move horizontally. The drive piston is located in the lower compartment of a steam chamber. Connected to the opposite sections of the drive piston and the valve rod is the piston rod.
The Engine Process
The process that drives the mechanism of the steam engine is fairly simple to understand. Water is boiled by heat in order to create pressure from steam that drives a piston forward and backwards. The source of the heat energy in the steam engine comes from the fire box. Coal, wood, or whatever flammable fuel source creates the heat energy from combustion. The carbon dioxide that is produced from the burning of fuel travels out from the chimney allowing oxygen to come into the firebox. The heat energy travels through the heat rods via conduction and boils the water in the water tank. Steam is generated as a result. The steam is then funneled into a steam pipe that leads into the steam chamber containing the drive piston and slide valve. As a result of the steam pressure rising, the slide valve opens an inlet to let the steam travel into one side of the drive piston chamber. The closed inlet allows for steam to escape allowing for a low-pressure area on the other side of the drive piston. The high pressure causes the drive piston to move outwards in order to produce mechanical motion for whatever mechanism it’s supporting. As the drive piston moves out, one end of the piston rod moves with it while the other end moves the opposite direction. This causes the valve piston to move the slide valve into another position which closes off high pressure going into one side of the drive piston. The low-pressure side of the drive piston is then filled with high pressure which forces the piston to move inwards. The outwards and inwards motion repeats the mechanism involving the piston rod, valve piston, and slide valve to move high pressure steam into the low-pressure side of the steam chamber.
Steam chamber/piston setup and colored pressure flow. http://ecampus.matc.edu/mihalj/scitech/unit5/engines/engines.htm
Steam Engine Mechanisms
By popular iconography, the steam engine is most seen in rotating the wheels of a locomotive. In this scenario, the drive piston is connected to a crankshaft that translates its linear motion into circular motion to turn a train’s wheels.
Cross section of steam engine powered locomotive.
http://www.stuartmcmillen.com/blog/making-of-peak-oil-6-artistic-decisions/
The original use of the steam engine was a pump system. The drive piston would be connected to a lever system that reciprocates a pump up and down to draw water out of a mine. Instead of a slide valve being used to release steam pressure for linear motion, a valve at its bottom would open as the piston creates suction by moving up and releasing water. The pressurized steam would condense and drive the piston down, closing the water valve and opening chamber to new steam.
Original steam engine pump setup.
https://etc.usf.edu/clipart/15500/15597/steamengine_15597.htm
Conclusion
The process behind a steam engine has been used for a wide spectrum of mechanical activities. Whether it be to drive a locomotive forward or take water out from a source, the steam engine can be built to drive whatever mechanism it has to. Using a heat source to generate steam from boiling water, it can move a mechanism of pistons to create work. The power and work in its output has advanced the mechanization of human labor. The steam engine has even evolved into more advanced forms like gas turbines and piston engines, improving the energy and fuel ratios. It is even still in use today by factories using steam engines to move their work lines forward. The steam engine has been a technological marvel since it’s creation in 1698 by Savery and Somerset.
References
Whitney, W. D. (n.d.). Steam Engine. Retrieved March 17, 2020, from https://etc.usf.edu/clipart/15500/15597/steamengine_15597.htm
The making of Peak Oil comic #6: deliberate artistic decisions. (2017, May 16). Retrieved March 17, 2020, from http://www.stuartmcmillen.com/blog/making-of-peak-oil-6-artistic-decisions/
Mihal, J. (2016). Heat Engines. Retrieved March 17, 2020, from http://ecampus.matc.edu/mihalj/scitech/unit5/engines/engines.htm
Woodford, C. (2019, July 25). How do steam engines work?: Who invented steam engines? Retrieved March 17, 2020, from https://www.explainthatstuff.com/steamengines.html
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