Portfolio
The following projects are a reflection of my relevant technical and leadership skills.
Relevant Projects
Rutgers Energy Institute- Energy Innovation Contest: Sept. 2017- May 2018
Coffee is one of the largest agricultural commodities in the world. As such, spent coffee
grains are one of the largest sources of agricultural waste. After consulting with the dining hall administration, we discovered that the Rutgers dining halls use approximately 22,460
pounds of coffee annually. We proposed that Rutgers use a machine that implements existing
techniques for extracting oils from these spent coffee grains and processes it into useful bio-diesel.
We believe that the most advantageous application for this proposal would be in the
Rutgers dining hall kitchens. They have the necessary equipment for processing coffee grains
into bio-diesel and they have a significant demand for fuel. Advantages of implementing this
proposal would not only include a reduction in the energy costs required for operation, but it
would also include a decrease in the amount of fuel used for waste removal. Furthermore, this alternative fuel source is especially beneficial for use in the dining halls as it is biodegradable and less toxic than conventional fuels. This proposal includes an economic analysis that highlights the savings on energy costs that would be gained, a comprehensive guide for implementation, a technical explanation of the chemical process, and computer generated designs of a device that can be manufactured to execute this
chemical process.
Collaborators: Jonathan Burnley and Kevin Do
Senior Capstone Design Project: Sept. 2017- May 2018
The purpose of this senior project is to design a composite reinforced cylindrical pressure vessel, and to manufacture it to be stronger and lighter than a steel pressure vessel of similar dimensions.
To successfully complete this project, I collaborated with five of my peers to design and manufacture a carbon-fiber epoxy composite reinforced cylindrical pressure vessel. To create the cylindrical mold to form the shape of the vessel, we poured liquid paraffin wax into a PVC pipe with two (2) hemispherical caps. We then inserted the nozzle with an attached hemispherical skirt to the end of the wax mold. The purpose of the hemispherical skirt on the nozzle was to distribute the internal forces away from the nozzle to prevent stress concentrations from causing fracture on that vulnerable area. This hemispherical skirt is made of a carbon steel frame and was supported to the nozzle with a spherical washer of the same material. Following this process, we wrapped the mold and the nozzle-skirt with multiple layers of an optimally woven carbon fiber mesh that had been pre-impregnated with epoxy resin. The carbon fiber woven mesh was angled at 45° , -45° , 0° to optimize its strength. We cured the vessel in an oven at approximately two-hundred fifty-five degrees Fahrenheit (255 F) while dispensing the liquefied wax contents into a dispense container. Finally, we attached a hydraulic valve to the nozzle. After we successfully assembled our vessel, we tested to failure with hydro-static pressure. The cost of our project amounted to $412.44.
5th Annual Mark Conference: Oct. 2016-March 2017
The Mark Conference is a student run leadership conference organized through the Rutgers department of leadership and experiential learning. The conference hosts Ted styled talks from both VIP’s and student speakers and operates various engaging activities for guests in-between these talks. As logistics captain, I was responsible for collaborating with the other seven (7) captains to ensure that all aspects of the conference were seamlessly connected. I was also responsible for designing and constructing various structures such as decorations and giveaways for the conference. Moreover, I was responsible for the award ceremony from the nomination process to obtaining the physical awards themselves. Following the conference, I designed and created two awards for our advisors that had given us their time and wisdom to help make this conference a success. I created these awards by 3D printing the base, laser cutting acrylic, and using a CNC machine to shape the wooden inner frame.
Twin Horizontal Steam Engine: April 2017 -May 2017
For this project, I partnered with two of my classmates to design and assemble a dual horizontal steam engine in SolidWorks. This projected consisted of forty-one (41) individual unique parts. In our model, both of the pistons and all attached parts moved by moving the flywheel. In retrospect, if more time were allotted for this project, we likely could have created a simulation on the entire model and conducted a comprehensive analysis of the internal and external forces on this model. Moreover, we could have calculated its efficiency of the engine.
MIT Clean Energy Prize 2015 Competition: Jan. 2015- April 2015
The purpose of this competition was to model a business around renewable technology innovation. I collaborated with five of my peers to design and prototype a hydrogen fuel cell unit that capable of being retrofitted with the majority of automotive vehicles. We focused our design on making the unit economically affordable and to optimize hydrogen production. Unfortunately -when tested- our product failed to produce a significant gain in energy. Failure is the best teacher. From this experience, I developed a deeper understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of hydrogen fuel cells. I grew to understand that expending electricity to obtain hydrogen from water to burn as an additional fuel was wasteful, since the same electricity could have been utilized to directly power the vehicle. This would have reduced the fuel required to operate the vehicle, thus accomplishing our same goal.
Eagle Scout Project: Aug. 2013- Jul. 2014
For my Eagle Scout Project, I created a memorial garden for the First United Methodist Church of Keansburg with the help of student and scout volunteers. This project also consisted of the construction of a pergola. I was responsible for designing the project, acquiring donations and permits, and orchestrating volunteers. My project consisted of about 1443 total volunteer hours and is estimated to be worth $3752.67.
