2021 Senior Design Conference Project Abstracts - Texas ...

2021 Senior Design Conference Project Abstracts

Architectural Engineering

AE1 - The Design of Kingsville Civic Center
Team Members: Maria Garcia Torres, Richard Rowland, Roger Disney, Diana Briseño
         Can Kingsville become a great city to live in? Kingsville, Texas is a small town with a population
of nearly 25,000 residents. This historic town is home to the famed King Ranch, Texas A&M University
Kingsville, and the Naval Air Station (NAS). These three entities, along with US highway 77, make
Kingsville a thoroughfare city. Like the students at the university, many of the residents in Kingsville are
here for a few short years before moving on to a more permanent location or a larger city. The transient
nature of the population has dramatically affected the economic and cultural landscape in Kingsville. We
believe the city of Kingsville needs a cultural and civic center, strategically located, attracting residents
of all socio-economic backgrounds, which will facilitate community involvement. Our proposed civic
center includes two separate facilities to meet two great needs in Kingsville. The central building is
designed to meet the great need for social development; and our education facility is designed to make
continued education available to meet the need for economic development within the community.

AE2 - Redesign Fire Station #3 - Corpus Christi
Team Members: Jacob Tenison, Daquiri Nunez, Kimberly Delgado, Gerardo Rodriguez
          Corpus Christi’s Fire Station 3, located on 1401 Morgan Ave, was built over 60 years ago. It is
gradually becoming dilapidated and unfit for modern firefighting requirements. The team's objective is
to redesign the station so that it is up to date with today’s codes and specs providing a safer and more
comfortable working environment for the fire fighters. It has been determined that the construction of
a new fire station would be more cost effective than having the current fire station undergo continual
maintenance and renovation. The foundation has become inadequate and has started showing signs of
failure and there are also many features of the fire station that need to be upsized and replaced. Today’s
fire trucks are being built slightly larger than fire trucks in the past, therefore entrance and egress
apparatus bay doors need to be upsized. Mechanical and electrical systems require constant
maintenance and also need to be replaced. Our team has resolved these issues and has additionally
provided more up to date design solutions appropriate for modern firefighting use which can assure that
this fire station will operate at optimal efficiency and comfort.

AE3 - New Texas A&M University - Kingsville Jernigan Library
Team Members: Jonathan Gonzalez, Juan Ordonez, Virginia Costilla, Jose Gutierrez, Edward Garces
          The Jernigan Library at Texas A&M University - Kingsville was built in 1968 as a two-story
building. Currently, the library is out of date and many of our peers have mentioned that they have a
hard time focusing or studying with the layout of the library. The objective of this project is to design the
structural, architectural, mechanical, electrical/lighting system of the library by using more eco-friendly
materials. One of the main objectives of this project is to provide more natural light and views for the
students, staff and guests of the university. Many students have mentioned that the studying
environment is too enclosed and dark. Offering multiple study locations and environments that are
geared to optimize focus and retention of information would be strategically placed throughout the
building and design. Another objective of the project would be to allow for more of a multi-functional
facility. We would also like to design space in the library for events or conferences to be held. Also
included in the design would be a gallery to show artwork and photography from current students, local
artists or former alumni. Some advantages of our project is to make the library more eco-friendly,

energy efficient and multi-functional. By designing a new mechanical system and electrical/lighting
system the cost of energy consumption will be significantly reduced.

Chemical Engineering

CH1 - Adipic Acid from Cyclohexane
Team Members: David England, Heston Hoyle, Jacob Morgan, Ulises Solano
         The objective of our chemical process is to produce adipic acid from cyclohexane in a two-step
oxidation process. Adipic acid is a dicarboxylic acid used primarily in the production of nylon-6,6, but
may also be used as a food additive or plasticizers. Adipic acid is produced from two main reactions: the
oxidation of cyclohexane in air to form a ketone-alcohol mixture (KA oil), and the oxidation of KA oil
using nitric acid to produce the desired adipic acid product. The initial oxidation takes place in a series of
CSTRs, each operating at a temperature of 167°C and 9.5 atm of pressure. The resulting KA oil is then
distilled and fed into the second half of the process. The secondary oxidation takes place in a PFR
operating adiabatically at a pressure just slightly below 1 atm (1 bar to allow for venting). This second
oxidation is highly exothermic, so an excess of nitric acid is used to act as a heat sink. The resulting
adipic acid is then crystallized and centrifuged to purify and separate it from the rest of the processing
stream. The target production of our process is 220,000 metric tons per year of adipic acid.

CH2 - Synthesis of Formalin from Methanol
Team Members: Joshua Gallegos, Maegan Oleson, Kailey Fuchs, Kyle Kovarek
         Our objective in this project is to produce an aqueous solution of 37% weight formaldehyde by
reacting methanol with oxygen via the mixed oxide catalyst process. Formalin is used as a preservative
to embalm bodies in mortuaries and medical labs. It also has its uses in the food industry as a
preservative, as well as in common household chemical products such as medicines, cosmetics, and
cleaning chemicals. Our annual target production rate is 85,000 tons of product. The heterogenous
catalysis reaction follows Langmuir-Hinshelwood Hougan Watson kinetics and will happen inside a
packed bed reactor at 2.41 bar and 325 °C utilizing a mixed metal-oxide catalyst. The oxide catalyst
contains molybdenum and iron oxide in a 1:2 ratio. After the reactor, the formaldehyde will enter an
absorber operated in counter current mode where the bottoms stream will be an aqueous
formaldehyde solution. To achieve a satisfactory conversion rate, we will be feeding the process with
methanol at a rate of 24,000 tons per year. Our conversion of methanol to formaldehyde is close to
100%.

CH3 - Urea from Carbon Dioxide and Ammonia
Team Members: Victoria Carrion, Karla De la Cruz, Kattie Norment, Mario Olguin, Rubelin Torres
         Urea from Carbon Dioxide and Ammonia is a very common production method that is widely
used around the world. The main use of urea is in fertilizers, plastics, and various medical drugs. Our
senior design group was tasked with developing a conceptual manufacturing plant to produce urea in a
cost-efficient and realistic manner. We had set goals in terms of production and purity. We aimed to
operate a manufacturing plant 363 days out of the year to produce 453,750 tons per year of urea, and a
purity target of 99%, which we were able to reach. Thus, by using various subjects and techniques
taught in our previous and current courses, our group was able to develop an Aspen Plus model to meet
the technical aspect of our targets without any errors. In addition, by using knowledge in engineering
economics and process safety theories we were able to perform an engineering cost analysis and a
process safety analysis of our overall process design.

CH4 - Production of Ethylene Oxide from Ethylene and Oxygen
Team Members: Tuan Nguyen, Luis Escobar, Jose Lopez, Raul Fuentes Jr
        The commercial production of t-butanol by the oxidation of isobutane in a two-step reaction
process was designed utilizing Aspen. Isobutane and oxygen were fed into a RCSTR to produce water
and isobutylene as reaction intermediates, followed by a second RCSTR to produce t-butanol and C4
alkane/alkene by-products. T-butanol was separated from by-products with a flash separator for higher
purity and vapor separation. The target production rate is 1 million pounds per year, an operating factor
of 91.78%, and a 30-day shut down. Kinetic parameters were determined through linear regression from
Microsoft Excel and UNIQUAC method was used in Aspen. The total bare module cost for the process is
$13,586,600 and $6,479,200 for utilities. Through a fifteen year evaluation, the commercial production
of t-butanol from isobutane is financially feasible.

CH5 - Removal of Elemental Sulfur from Hydrogen Sulfide
Team Members: Matthew Treesh, Jenna Phillips, Gabriela Flores, Hailey Farias
         Our objective for this project is to remove elemental sulfur from a hydrogen sulfide tail gas line
utilizing the Claus process. Hydrogen sulfide is a by-product of processing natural gas and refining crude
oils. Working with the Claus process, which is a chemical process which allows gaseous hydrogen sulfide
to produce liquid sulfur, we can recover 92 to 98% of sulfur in the hydrogen sulfide to satisfy
environmental requirements. This sulfur recovery unit begins with oxidizing the hydrogen sulfide to
form sulfur dioxide, then hydrogen sulfide and sulfur dioxide react and produce elemental sulfur. After
the sulfur is condensed, the remaining hydrogen sulfide and sulfur dioxide go on to the next step, where
the catalytic reactors take place and more of the sulfur is recovered. This catalytic step takes place twice
to ensure the 92 to 98% recovery. On average 200 MMSCFD of hydrogen sulfide is worked, resulting in
173928.65 kg/year of sulfur per year from a claus plant. We plan on running the Claus plant with an
operating factor of 0.89 to account for maintenance required throughout the year.

CH6 - Production of Acetone from Dehydrogenation of Isopropyl Alcohol
Team Members: Edgar Olivares, Nick Sanchez, Michael Martinez, Dalton Palmer
        The objective of this senior design project is to create a chemical process to produce high purity
acetone from the dehydrogenation reaction of isopropyl alcohol (IPA). Dehydrogenation reaction
consists of the separation of hydrogen from a molecule, in this case isopropyl alcohol, yielding two
products in the reaction, acetone and hydrogen. The feed is an aqueous solution consisting of 0.65 mole
fraction IPA and 0.35 mole fraction water with a mass flow rate of 111 million kilogram per year. The
reactor being used is a plug flow reactor working as a shell and tube heat exchanger being heated by a
molten salt stream with inside conditions of 500˚C and 3.3 bar. The effluent of the reaction shows
99.99% convergence of the IPA. The final product stream coming out of the fractional distillation column
shows a product with 99.95% purity and a mass flow rate of 91.92 million kilograms per year.

CH7 - Styrene Production Process from Ethylbenzene
Team Members: Giselle Martinez, Juan Hernandez, Kevin Carmona, Oscar Gonzalez
        The process of dehydrogenation of ethylbenzene to produce styrene has been one of the most
important processes in the world. Styrene is the largest thermoplastic, allowing the chemical product to
be in such high demand. It is used in applications for the following major markets: packaging,
consumer/institutional goods, electrical/electronic goods, building/construction, furniture,
industrial/machinery, and transportation. Furthermore, Aspen HYSYS V11 was utilized for the design
project to generate, optimize, and perform the production of styrene. The feed consists of fresh
ethylbenzene mixed with recycled ethylbenzene, water, then it is all mixed with superheated steam. The
reaction is carried out through the steam reactor containing a catalyst, iron oxide. Wastewater,

hydrogen, benzene, toluene, and other impurities are leaving the plant along with our final product,
styrene. The purity average of styrene is 99.90%, with this in mind it was decided to surpass the average
purity rate to compete with the current market. As a result, the end goal was a success, and the design
reached a production rate of approximately 103,000 metric tons per year of styrene with a 99.99%
purity after various trials. Discussions will be made about other aspects throughout the project such as:
sizing, project economics, safety hazards, sustainability, waste, and environmental control.

CH8 - Synthesis of Ethylene Glycol from Ethylene Oxide and Water
Team Members: Ruben Sanchez, Sidney Lopez, Rafael Solis, Gabriel Presas
         Ethylene glycol is produced by a hydrolysis process. Before the final reaction can occur two
other reactions must be performed that will work in series, one will form ethylene oxide from ethylene
and oxygen while the other will take the ethylene oxide and react it with carbon dioxide forming
ethylene carbonate. Finally the hydrolysis of ethylene carbonate will produce ethylene glycol. After the
final reaction occurs and the desired products are formed, we use a series of flash separators to
separate the components. The end result of the process yields 99.998 percent pure ethylene glycol.
Throughout the process there are recycle streams that return unused material to a position to where it
can be used to promote efficiency.

Civil Engineering

CE1 - Mitlaa Road in Kuwait
Team Members: Fahad Alenezi, Mohammad Aldhufairi, Salman Haidar, Fatma Hussain, Mariam Sheer
         Kuwait is one of the countries where there is a low precipitation. However, there were roadway
damages in 2018 causing from a very high precipitation that required a drainage system. This is the
reason why Mitlaa road is chosen to include a new structural drainage network, because its surrounding
area is under development without an old infrastructures built under it. The cost of building new storm
runoff structures will be estimated.

CE2 - New King’s Clinic
Team Members: Julie Adams, Cydney Rodriguez, Danny Rodriguez, Diego Valdez, Joshua Wyland
         For our group project we have decided to demolish the existing abandon hospital located at
Cesar and 14th street in Kingsville, Texas. Replace it with our own clinic that will be named King’s Clinic.
There will be 2 Floors and a basement. The 2nd floor will consist of ophthalmology, physical therapy,
dental, and birthing classes. The 1st floor will be for general practice and the basement is where there
will be storage units, ultra-sounds, x rays, etc. Reasoning for this project, to provide better health
services to the public and university health care system while taking away an abandon location to
improve the appearance and environmental safety of Kingsville.

CE3 - 1853 Movie & Entertainment Plaza
Team Members: Paul Fullen, Alejandro Manzano, Jacob Perez, Trey Rice
         The overall intention of this project is to construct the structure we have been observing and
planning to the finest detail to be completed within a timely manner and within the projected budget.
We want to bring entertainment and economic growth within the city of Kingsville by constructing a
movie & entertainment center for citizens of all ages. The year 1853 is the year that the King Ranch was
founded and we thought it would be a great suit for the name since there is a lot of history within the
City of Kingsville and the King Ranch. We are determined and prepared to fulfill the duties of the
engineers and to make sure we create the structure within the parameters and above all make sure it is
safe for customers to enjoy and have a fantastic time!

CE4 - TAMUK Baseball Field
Team Members: Marco Estrada, Alyssa Guerrero, Cassandra Medina, Helue Patino, Johnathan Ramirez
         The Nolan Ryan Field has had an ongoing problem with the drainage of water, creating a hazard
to the athletes and their safety. Our goal is to provide a safer, more efficient field for the athletes. This
will be done by installing a new drainage system and replacing the natural grass with artificial grass. To
achieve the best results we will analyze the geotechnical properties of the field and the drainage pipes;
to come to the best conclusion of what is causing the lack of drainage. In addition to fixing the drainage,
we will also be rebuilding the commentary box as it is outdated and we would like to make it more
inviting and attractive. The dugouts will also be rebuilt, the originals have been an ongoing problem
because there is no restroom for the players. This issue has the players leaving the dugout to walk to the
public restrooms. With this being said, a new dugout will be built with a private restroom inside. This will
help with player efficiency; with not having to leave the dugout and miss parts of the game. Lastly we
will also replace the scoreboard with an updated one to improve the visibility.

CE5 - TAMUK Daycare Center
Team Members: Devon Tiemann, Humberto Gutiérrez, Saad M. Almee, Eid Alazemi
         Our group seeks to present a project which will benefit both the comfort and safety of the
public in the Kleberg county area. Our team of engineers propose the demolition, design, and
reconstruction of the increasingly unsafe and quickly deteriorating Marc Cisneros Center for Young
Children. Group M5 will provide engineering services for the design for a new childcare facility named
after civil rights leader Bayard Rustin. The design will be one which has the efficacy to meet the needs of
the public, cost-effective, and above all else safe.

CE6 - Tecolote Trail Project
Team Members: David Laurel, Joseph Lopez, Esteban Palacios, Evan Randolph, Sierra Tagle
        Our major goal in this project is to design a walking trail inside of a park in the city of Alice,
Texas. The drainage pattern of the land will be analyzed, and we will discuss any changes that may need
to be made to address the issue. We will also have to analyze if the ground needs any earthwork done.
Within the boundaries of the walking trail a playground and workout station will be designed. Specific
locations for the construction of a trail, playground, workout station, grilling area, and restrooms will be
determined. The park, including restrooms will be wheelchair accessible.

CE7 - Improvement of Armstrong Street
Team Members: Mohammad Alazemi, Zayed Almartaa, Naser Almee, Othmaan Alsaed, Salman
Alshammari, Leanna Cavazos
        This project aims to evaluate N. Armstrong Street by conducting a visual survey to determine
the existing problems, as well as the street quality. The survey indicates that the street has many
problems, those being cracks, deterioration, inadequate drainage systems, and the lack of signs,
illuminations, shoulders, and sidewalks.
        Throughout the duration of the project, our team proceeded to demonstrate the effects of each
issue that the street faces, which is followed by the potential exacerbation to cause hazards and
accidents. Throughout the project, we were able to indicated recommended solutions for each street
problem in order to improve N. Armstrong Street. The runoff calculation and hydraulic design were
found which would lead to solving the inadequate drainage issue; a trapezoidal gutter was designed
with the dimensions of 15 inches by 20 inches by 5 inches along the street to accommodate the specific
discharge rate. Finally, the proposed street cross section was composed using AutoCAD, which exhibits

all street components. The finalized projection of cost for the renovation of N. Armstrong Street was a
total of $716, 272.72.

CE8 - Housing Project
Team Members: Cesar Bejar, Claire Chernosky, Isiah Collins, Israel Garcia, Natalie Rodriguez,
Yousef Salem
         This project reviews a proposal for a duplex complex project that would take place in the city of
Kingsville, Texas. The aim is to illustrate the grounds of why the project would benefit the city of
Kingsville and mostly students looking to forward their education at the university of Texas A&M
Kingsville as the location of the project is stationed close to campus. Nonetheless it would also benefit
citizens of the city of Kingsville interested to move, the site takes place in a private street where they are
provided with privacy as the residence acts as a small gated community. The establishment has zero
environmental issues and its design includes a drainage system to prevent any water to harm the
structure of the projects in any way. The proposal includes all-in material rate and a projection of
labor cost. The design of the project benefits its residents with a comfortable and modern place to live
at an affordable price.

CE9 - The Rehabilitation and Improvement of South Sage Road
Team Members: Fahad Alazemi, Salam Alhadiah, Abdulla Alazemi, Abdulla Alenezi, Khaled Alenezi
          This study outlines the number of reasons associated with the pavement distresses and lack of
maintenance of the South Sage Road, under the jurisdiction of City of Kingsville, Texas. A pavement
condition survey is performed to evaluate and to assess existing flexible asphalt pavement. It is observed
and highlighted that fatigue cracking, alligator cracking and potholes are major distresses on the existing
pavement. During visual inspection it is noticed that these major distresses due to excessive and repeated
traffic loading, inadequate drainage and road safety furniture and lack of road maintenance. By keeping
in view, the existing and future traffic loadings and existing pavement condition, an overlay of mix asphalt
(HMA), which is strongly interlinked with the repair of surface cracks is recommended with a thickness of
2.5 Inches over an existing pavement structure. Curb Gutter should be constructed on both sides of road
for proper surface water drainage and Pipe Culverts placed at built-areas should be properly cleaned and
maintained on regular basis. Sufficient road safety furniture such as pavement marking, traffic signs and
street lights should be installed for safety and proper guidance of road users.

CE10 - Rehabilitation Proposal for Santa Gertrudis Street
Team Members: Abdulwahab Alghurbah, Abdullah Alkteety, Abdulraman Alhadiah, Mohammad
Almedej, Mohamad Alenezi
         The rapid urban and population growth leads to an increase in the number of vehicles in the
rural or suburban areas. The rural streets are designed based on a cutting-edge engineering prediction
based on climate, hydrology, topography, and future traffic loading, but, the rainfall anomaly due to
climate changes and urbanization creates pavement distresses after certain time; this is why checking
the drainage efficacy is necessary.
         The aim of this study is to evaluate the performance of a portion of Santa Gertrudis Street.
Therefore, the methodology started by field inception to categorize distress and evaluate the street
condition. The second step was checking the drainage efficiency using rational method to estimate the
runoff. The third step was Flexible pavement design based the 1993 AASHTO Guide. And the final step
was cost estimation based on the proposed solutions. The data in this study was collected from
Kingsville, Texas, city-data website, Google Earth, and field inspection.

To sum up, this study recommends upgrading the gutter and fixing the current inlets, and
adopting a new Pavement Thickness Design as following: the Base is 3”, Sub-base is 6’’; and Surface is
2’’. Consequently, the project estimated cost, based on the suggested solutions is $1,073,013.26.

CE11 - Rehabilitation Proposal for West Avenue A Street
Team Members: Awadh Alrashidi, Salem Alozainah, Abdulaziz Alqasaba, Basel Althafiri
        The City of Kingsville is putting many efforts to promote walking for the residential areas;
therefore it works on improving the walking conditions in terms of mobility and safety. Thus, this study
aims to assess the current condition of West Avenue A Street, as well as to propose solutions to improve
road performance based on an assessment of the current road condition in term of walkability, existing
pavement, and drainage condition, which will result in extending the life of the pavement in addition to
improving passenger mobility. In this study, data were obtained from different sources, including field
inspection, Google Earth, and Kingsville, Texas, city-data website. Furthermore, the methodology
involved several steps; the first step is on-site inspection, followed by identification of the disaster and
possible solutions, finally the estimation of the maintenance cost. The proposed rehabilitation plan
involved the following actions based on the aforementioned problems: Permeable Interlocking Concrete
Pavers (PICP), Pavement marking & signing, lighting, as well as adding a walk and bike lanes,
consequently, the total cost for this proposed plan is approximately $2,193,107.

CE12 - Improvement of Kleberg Park
Team Members: Mariana Tommasi Correa, Doc Loiselle, Kristina Gutierrez, Zane Charbula, Nicole
Easley, Larissa Sanchez Gonzalez
         The main purpose of the project is to develop improvements to Kleberg Park, in Kingsville, TX.
The major aspects of it are to add a walking trail on the surroundings of the park, design parking lots for
the different facilities, and re-design the layout of the fields to better accommodate the community
needs. The soccer, baseball, and softball fields will be renovated, and new football fields, basketball, and
beach volleyball courts will be implemented. The park will also be made accessible for people with
disabilities, as per request of the community. Moreover, the group will be running drainage, foundation,
geotechnical, and structural calculations to keep the park sustainable.

CE13 - Boat Dealership
Team Members: Christian Buruato, Adolfo Aguilar, Crystal Herrera, Alan Montemayor-Garza, Jose
Ramirez, Juan Villatoro
         Our team will begin designing a boat dealership in Kingsville Texas. We will need approximately
five acres of land that is near Highway 77 that has good visibility and that is easily accessible to the
public. We will design a drainage system that will benefit our property as well as neighboring lands to
avoid conflict. This team will calculate the cost estimation to design and construct the boats facilities,
offices, and parking lot. Kingsville is located between two areas where fishing is a great attraction so
having the idea of a Boat Dealership will excel in Kingsville.

Computer Science

CS1 - Space Launch Tracker: A Mobile Application
Team Members: Chitrang Desai, Diego Reyes
         Space launches are becoming more popular, however launch information resources are very
limited. The current resources are relatively new, organization specific or inform the user once the
launch is happening or after it has happened. This multi-platform mobile application will solve these
problems through an intuitive user interface (UI) design that keeps the user informed with the latest

organization launches, while retaining native application performance. Flutter, a cross-platform
development tool, facilitated the development of this multi-platform application with a single code
base, for Android and iOS, while maintaining native performance. Three Firebase services, which is a
mobile application development platform, were used; Firebase’s Authentication provided user account
functionality, Cloud Firestore Database provided launch information storage, with real-time updates and
Cloud Messaging provided push notification capabilities. Material Design, a design language, allowed for
a simple yet informative and expressive UI that does not overwhelm the user. The combination of these
technologies resulted in a responsive, easy to use application that informs the user about current space
launches and keeps them updated with relative and up to date launch information.

CS2 - Checkin: Animal Care App
Team Members: Abraham Solis, Daniel Rodriguez, Genaro Cantu
          Checkin: Animal Care App aims to increase the quality of life of pets by providing pet owners a
hub that centralizes various pet care responsibilities. The app uses Google Cloud’s Firebase to power its
back-end services, allowing users to see changes done to the database in real-time. Checkin presents a
list of the user’s pets, updatable tasks, and a completed tasks log, all displayed on a dashboard. Another
significant feature of Checkin consists of the ability to manage and track pet-care responsibilities
collaboratively with friends or family via Groups. To promote usability for a broad user base, ease of use
was prioritized in designing the app’s graphical interface. Checkin was built using the React Native
framework, enabling for its release on both Android and iOS platforms while maintaining only one
codebase.

CS3 - Virtual Reality/Computer Vision for Occupational Therapy
Team Members: Rafael Amaro, Jacob Carrillo, Tyler Hennig, Kora Lopez
        The objective of this project is to alleviate occupational therapists from performing one of their
routine evaluations on patients. This evaluation traditionally uses a goniometer to measure the patients’
range of motion for various body parts. The scope of this project includes utilizing the motion control
and computer vision features of the Oculus Quest 2, along with HTC base stations and trackers, and
Unity. Our team has created a virtual environment where the evaluation can be performed, with
modifications for disabled patients. The project’s result grants patients the ability to perform the
evaluation without constant medical supervision, allowing occupational therapists to oversee other
responsibilities.

CS4 - LMS Connect: An Ease of Life Discord Bot for Everyday Canvas Use
Team Members: Nickolas Rodriguez, Adam Pena, Jeremiah Garcia, Alec Villarreal, Ricky Okwara
        Today’s educational institutes have greatly grown their influence online to engage with their
students. This trend will continue as distance learning becomes more necessary as we’ve seen during
this pandemic. We want to help them connect. Learning Management System Connect or LMS Connect
for short, is a collaboration tool that utilizes the popular communication software Discord to interface
with a Learning Management System. The purpose of this product is to fill a role left vacant by many
LMS services, with an ease-of-life tool that integrates with modern day products. LMS services such as
Canvas and Blackboard rely on users to become accustomed to their tools and methods of collaboration
rather than utilizing other specialty-made software many have been introduced to and already have in
place such as Skype, Line Chat, Discord, etc… We, Team NAJAR, plan to solve this issue by integrating a
bridge between Discord and Canvas with our own bot, LMS Connect. Using LMS Connect within the
Discord environment allows students the ability to download posted homework, assignments, and
lecture notes as well as receive notifications. Discord’s built in video calls, screen share, VoIP, instant
messaging, and digital distribution allows for quick and easy group sessions. By connecting both of these

elements together, we see an opportunity to create an environment for students that keeps them
engaged and encourages collaboration.

CS5 - Nucky’s Progressive Web Application
Team Members: Daniel Navarro, David Posada, Yliana Gonzalez
         The purpose of this project is to design and maintain a progressive web application for the local
business, Nucky’s Cocktail Bar. A progressive web application is a website that acts as a native
application and provides functionality not available to normal websites. This application allows Nucky’s
to engage directly with customers in the digital space as well as increase the advertisement and sales of
the business. Our team has designed a cross-platform application that is supported on IOS, Android, and
the Web and will include features such as mobile ordering, reward tracking, and event notifications.
Customers can access the website — www.nuckyskingville.com — and use the application within their
web browser or choose to download it directly to their device. Through the application, the user can log
in or sign up via email, explore the menu options, and add items to the cart. Once the order is
satisfactory, the user will enter their credit card information and place the order. An order confirmation
will then be given with an estimated pick-up time. This application is built to increase the sales and
productivity of Nucky’s Cocktail Bar and will be used immensely for years to come.

CS6 - FindMyCart
Team Members: Sergio Salazar, Fernando Varela, Manuel Navarro
          Shopping at a big retail store can be a hassle when a desired item cannot be found, or it can get
tiring going through the same aisle three times to get other items that weren’t grabbed the first two
times. The main purpose of our mobile Android application – FindMyCart - is to calculate the shortest
route and display the shortest path through a supermarket. This app will ensure that a customer will get
to the wanted products faster and shop more efficiently. Current retail store applications label in which
aisle an item is, but this information will have to be looked up for each item. FindMyCart works to help
relieve some of these issues by allowing a customer to create a shopping cart with all the items he/she
wishes to pick up. Once a customer's cart has been created, all items are sorted by aisle allowing them
to grab all of their items from each aisle the first time around. It will also provide customers with a
general location of the item to better guide them in finding it quickly. The main goal behind FindMyCart
is to allow customers to quickly and efficiently get into a store, locate and pick up all of their items, and
leave.

Electrical Engineering

EE1 - Complete Face Mask with Bluetooth Capabilities
Team Members: Devin Shrier, Xavier Hernandez, Jakob Guerrero
         With the rise of the COVID 19 pandemic over the past year, it was obvious that reusable personal
protective equipment (PPE) would be essential in the ongoing fight against all easily transmitted diseases.
Knowing that viruses can be contracted through eyes-nose, hands-eyes, fecal-oral, and eyes-oral contact,
a smart face mask that covered the whole face is the solution we decided to work on. This mask would
incorporate three Sharp GP2Y0A02YK0F IR sensors to detect people to the sides and behind the user and
alert them with dimming LED lights. To avoid potential communication issues, it will also be equipped with
an electret condenser microphone and an A38K ½” Mylar Cone Full-range speaker in the mouth area to
enhance the user’s voice. The microphone will also have the option of being toggled to a detachable
earpiece speaker that will be connected to the Bluetooth on the Raspberry Pi Model 4B microcontroller
that will power and control all electrical components on the mask.

EE2 - Solar-Powered Golf Cart
Team Members: Carlos Gutierrez, Adam Foust, Michael Martinez
         This senior project converts a 48-volt DC-powered golf cart into a solar-powered alternative.
This decision was made to strengthen our knowledge in the renewable energy sector of electrical
engineering as well as to gain an overall deeper understanding of important principles within the field.
We will be using various software programs such as MATLAB for controller, power, and wiring design
along with studying our solar grid under different levels of solar radiation and at different weather
conditions, and AutoCAD models for clearer visualization and preplanning, both of which leading to the
final conversion of the golf cart’s electrical system. The intended results are the complete conversion of
the golf cart into a solar-powered golf cart, from software design to physical implementation. These
types of results will be verified by analyzing how well the new system responds to various types of solar
conditions, charge rate, and overall system efficiency.

EE3 - Solar-Powered Charging Station
Team Members: Christian Puente, David Barajas, James Inkster
         This project is intended to explore and analyze potential renewable energy solutions for use on
college campuses and universities by using solar energy to charge mobile devices for students and
faculty. The first element that was designed was a custom adjustable stand on which the solar panels
and electrical configuration could rest. The stand needed to accommodate four solar panels, one facing
north, one south, one east, and one west. Since the angle of the sun varies depending on the time of
year and the geographical location, the stand also needed to be adjustable for testing and gathering
data in order to determine which angles were most efficient for a particular time and place. Once the
stand was built, data was gathered from the solar panels for analysis. Further recommendations were
then considered for any future iteration of such a project.

EE4 - Smart Dog Kennel
Team Members: Joseph Mirabal, Mathew Hernandez, Matthew Vega, Zacharias Davis
         The purpose of this project is to provide dog owners a simpler way of releasing their dog from
its kennel and locking the dog back up. Using solar panels to charge a rechargeable battery that powers
the system, the dog kennel can be automatically opened from a distance using a button clicker or from
the keypad on the kennel. The clicker allows for the owner to be anywhere in their house and with the
click of a button, able to release their dog from its cage without having to go to the cage and manually
do it. The keypad provides a manual override in the event that the clicker fails. Once opened, the cage
will remain open and automatically close after either the sensors that have been placed within the
kennel sense the dog has returned, or the other button on the clicker has been pressed. With these
tools, a dog owner will no longer have to use their time walking to a kennel to release their dog and can
rather do it from the comfort of their couch or wherever else they may be within their home.

EE5 - Mobile Smart Toolbox
Team Members: Albert Bear, Alberto Martinez, Erich Monjaras, Jesse Flores, Jacob Martinez
          The Mobile Smart Toolbox’s purpose is to increase the efficiency of people. This will be
accomplished by reducing the need of another set of hands. Now, instead of having to physically look
through a toolbox or asking another person to look for the desired tool, the worker is now able to push
an icon on a screen to retrieve the desired tool. The Mobile Smart Toolbox will then send an electrical
signal that will cause a motor to spin and mechanically release the tool to be dropped into a receptacle
where the worker will then retrieve the tool. After the tool is no longer needed, the worker could put
the tool back into another receptacle that will return the tool to the proper location where it will wait
until it is requested for use again. This process will reduce the probability of a tool being misplaced while

also promoting safety. Additionally, this will also reduce the number of tools that will be left lying
around which could potentially cause someone harm or injury.

EE6 - Smart Grid Technology Showcase Design
Team Members: Travis Roell, Jerry Neal
         The smart grid technology showcase design models a grid that uses renewable power and smart
grid technologies. Many operations of smart grid technologies go unnoticed by the public and this
demonstration aims to inform and model how the smart technologies operate. Renewable power, such
as solar, is another technology that is not commonly understood. By creating an interactive model these
technologies can be explored in different scenarios. Scenarios that are possible are changing the angle
of incidence of the solar panel, controlling the placement of light, and increasing power demand on the
load. The project is on a custom-built rolling table that holds all the parts of the system. This portable
model hopefully increases further adoption of these efficient grid-stabilization technologies.

EE7 - Smart Parking Lot
Team Members: Paul Isibor, Ruben Casas, Victor Campos
         The purpose of this project is to provide a solution to the inconvenience of finding a parking
space. Most vehicle owners can relate to not having enough time to find a parking space and ending up
being late to a meeting, event, etc. Our system would provide a solution to this perplexing circumstance
that has been getting worse as the number of cars on the road continues to increase. This will be
achieved by using sensors to tell where, and if, a parking space is available. As consumers/users
approach the parking lot entrance they are made aware of the spaces available, if any, and our system
will adjust in real time. Driving around a parking lot hoping to find a parking space is a waste of time and
is clearly inefficient. People continue to do so believing there is no alternative, with our system there
would be a functioning alternative to save people time in a parking lot.

Environmental Engineering

EV1 - Banquete Wastewater Treatment Plant Improvement Project
Team Members: Jodi Swaenepoel, Alberto Aguirre, Andrea Gonzales, Brett Perez
         The Banquete Wastewater Treatment Plant is facing severe infiltration and inflow (I/I) issues in
its sewer system. This is caused by the outdated, cracking pipes and lack of storage at the plant.
As Banquete’s population grows, the outdated plant has experienced problems with their old
machinery and violations as regulations update throughout the years. The plant treats 50,000 to
100,000 gallons per day (GPD), but during rain events the plant must treat roughly 300,000 GPD
exceeding their capacity of 100,000 GPD. When the plant reaches capacity, it shuts down. This
project focused on design alternatives to improve the wastewater treatment plant and its sewer
line system performance. The team conducted a smoke test on different manholes throughout the
city to detect the locations along the sewer lines where smoke came out, indicating either the
sewer pipes would need to be replaced or the manholes need to be repaired to eliminate the I/I
issue. The design work focused on the replacement or rehabilitate the sewer lines and creating a
new retention pond to allow additional storage capacity and regulate the plant outflow to the
receiving creek between wet and dry periods. A five-year two-phase capital improvement plan to
Outline the design options and cost estimation for construction and maintenance is recommended
for the city to consider.

Mechanical Engineering

ME1 - New HVAC System for J.K. Northway Event Center
Team Members: Cyle Hubbard, Melva Castillo, George Lazaro, Esteban Lopez, Philip Kolodziejczyk,
Eduardo Pena
         The purpose of this PowerPoint is to present and discuss the type of project performed by
the senior engineering design team. A complete analysis of the Heating, Ventilation, and Air
Conditioning (HVAC) System was implemented to determine the necessary improvements that
were required to upgrade the existing HVAC system to meet current health and industry code
requirements. The design methodology will be discussed, beginning with the design problem related to
the existing conditions of the building envelope as it relates to the environment of the building
including the resistance to air, heat, light and noise transfer. A comprehensive study and
calculations were conducted by the senior engineering students on the JK Northway building
structure with the goal to improve the energy efficiency of the facility and identify the most
appropriate energy conservation measures and HVAC equipment. The study was completed by
utilizing design guidelines set forth by ASHRAE while complying with local municipality
approved code standards. The senior design team will illustrate how these techniques were utilized
to improve the teams’ understanding of different airflows, duct designs, temperature and humidity
distribution within the building envelope and HVAC systems.

ME2 - Boiler Design for Process Steam
Team Members: Talal Alshehri, Sidney Freeborn, Mariah Jimenez, Jose Gonzalez, Alec Lewis, Clark
Underwood
        Saturated steam created by a water-tube boiler may be used as an energy source for typical
chemical processes as well as other industrial heating needs. Boilers provide the means to create steam
energy from condensate by radiant, conductive, and convective heat transfer. The steam property
requirements are essential for the particular chemical or industrial process. Our boiler design will be
able to deliver a steam output of 400 boiler horsepower at 10 atm and 184°C, equivalent to 6-ton steam
per hour capacity. Our design will focus on the furnace materials, configuration of steam riser tubes
(mud drum, steam drum, etc.) to maximize efficiency. The optimal design will be confirmed with the
following calculations: A mass and thermal analysis of the fluid flow through the boiler system and
selection of appurtenances such as feedwater pump, burner, insulation, controls, etc.

ME3 - Continuously Variable Transmission for Electric Valve Actuator (Masterflo Inc.)
Team Members: Reymundo Chapa, Jeremiah Davila, Garrett Hill, Johan Martinez, Jeffrey Smith,
William Smith
         In the petrochemical industry, valves often require additional torque to open and close as they
age. In collaboration with Master Flo Inc., Houston, Texas, we designed and prototyped a continuously
variable transmission (CVT) for an electric valve actuator to remediate this problem. The actuator
provided (by Master Flo Inc., courtesy Mr. Jason Wipf) for the CVT is a TorquePlus electric actuator. With
a CVT, rather than a fixed geared system, the operator will be able to easily adjust the gear ratio without
having to shut down the system to replace or adjust the gear pack. A big benefit of our CVT is that it
allows the operator to adjust the torque and speed outputs as the power input changes. We considered
several CVT arrangements and decided on a belt and pulley type. Our CVT has a maximum output torque
of 910 in-lbs, a maximum output speed of 4.22 RPM,and has the same lifetime expectancy as the control
valve. After deciding the CVT type, design calculations, finite element analyses, and optimization
ensued. Each part was selected by size constraints and factor of safety (stress) calculations. After sizes
were selected, SolidWorks models were made and a rapid prototype was 3D printed.

ME4 - Design and Fabrication of a Jet Turbine
Team Members: Gunner Chapa, Anthony Alvarez, Dante Cantu, Juarez Medina, Heet Joshi, Jassim
Alrashidi
         Turbojet engines are the pinnacle of successful engineering design work; they have
revolutionized air travel and made way for future aircraft advancement. We propose to design and
fabricate a jet engine capable of 70 net pounds of thrust. Our project is based on the Brayton
Thermodynamic Cycle; therefore, calculations and simulations will build upon that foundation. It states
that turbojet/piston engines work by mixing compressed air with fuel creating combustion, which
results in expanding gases doing useful work. Typical jet engines have a turbine section that drives a
compressor section thereby creating the pressure ratio necessary for the efficient operation of any heat
engine. However, in our system, we replace these two primary sections with an integral “turbocharger”
(compressor and turbine in one system) from a diesel engine. Our focus will then be to design and
optimize the combustion chamber, fuel delivery system, and other appurtenances.

ME5 - Active Sweeping Wings
Team Members: Caleb Nash, Josephine Portier, Cameron Melcher, Adolfo Martinez, Kevin Morin
         This project seeks to build on the existing research done by TAMUK graduate MEEN student Ms.
Velda Soydas [1] by developing an active sweeping wing that can sweep backwards during flight. The
purpose of the sweep is to increase the effectiveness of the wing by decreasing the drag force present
on the wing. Fixed swept wings increase the speed of aircraft but sacrifice lift in the process,
necessitating the need for high liftoff speeds and fuel inefficiency. Actively sweeping the wings allows
the aircraft to increase lift during liftoff and then increase speed during flight. This is done through two
processes: the onset of the waves in front of the wings are delayed and so the critical Mach number is
increased, and the surface area of the wing is decreased. This allows the aircraft to reap the benefits of
the swept wings without the cons. This project covers the selection and modeling of a wing that is then
submitted to flow simulations. A prototype will then be constructed to show the sweeping motion and
the unique pivoting structure.

ME6 - Origami Inspired Solar Array for a Large Spacecraft
Team Members: David Balderas, Aaron Rocha, Ricardo Cuellar, Lesly Carreon, Mauricio Fernandez
         The main objective of this project is to design and construct a working scaled prototype of an
origami-inspired large solar array. The scope of this project is primarily based on the solar array
deployment mechanism. The large solar array is expected to produce 150 kW which will be achieved
through the array’s surface area of approximately 475 m^2. The array will be designed as a four-sided
origami flasher which will be deployed using a motor-driven truss. In addition, the solar array will be
designed to fit in the payload bay of a SpaceX Falcon Heavy Rocket; therefore, the team will ensure that
the retracted array including the kinematic structure are sized accordingly. The scaled prototype will
be mostly 3-D printed and used to test the deployment system's functionality. The components
discussed in this report include the array’s solar panels, flexible membrane, kinematic structure, and all
their respective components.

ME7 - Optimizing Drilling Efficiency and Reducing Connection Times by Combining the Slips and Lower
Tong
Team Members: Moaath Alenezi, Raymond Borjon, Hayley Cook, Christian Grimes, Johnathon Harper,
Samuel Longoria
         The oilwell drilling process has evolved over a period of 100+ years. Even though the drilling
efficiency has vastly improved over the years, more work in this regard can still be done. Because drilling

is such a costly venture, it has become imperative to improve efficiency and safety standards. We
propose to design a device whereby efficiency and safety are both improved. We studied different
aspects of the drilling process in depth and found that connecting drill pipe is an outdated process that
manifests itself in grueling manual labor and as a primary factor in drilling down time. Furthermore, by
studying existing robotics and the manual processes currently in the oilfield today, we propose to
develop a cost effective and efficient process that will save rig time and therefore money. Specifically,
we will be designing a singular device that will act as both the slips and the lower tongs. The tong/slips
combination will be integrated into the rotary table with the intent to minimize drill pipe connection
time.

ME8 - Ferrofluid Heat Exchanger for CPU Cooling
Team Members: Rodrigo Guerra, Ashjan Ghanem, Roberto Villanueva, Ahlam Ghanem
         Modern integrated circuits like central processing units (CPUs) convert electrical energy into
waste heat at a 1:1 ratio. A transistor junction of 5 nanometers is present in high end CPUs packing billions
of transistors onto a single chip. These create large heat flux spikes that can damage integrated circuits
and degrade them over the course of their operational lifetime. This project seeks to design a heat
exchanger that employs the inherent advantages present in nanofluids. By combining a body of
experimental research data on nanofluids, we conservatively approximate the operating parameters in a
proof of concept. Using ferro-magnetic nanoparticles in a base fluid, we can electromagnetically pump
our nanofluid improving reliability and cooling performance. An optimized prototype design based on
ferrofluid magnetic susceptibility as a function of temperature, flow rate, heat transfer, and
thermodynamic assumptions is drafted. We apply a factor of safety to provide additional operational
assurances.

Natural Gas Engineering

NG1 - How Drilling Directional Tools Help to Optimize Well Spacing in the Eagle Ford Shale
Team Members: Jose Davila III, Steven Flores, Ernesto Perez, Leonel Sarmiento-Castro
         When the first wells were drilled in the Eagle Ford area in 2008, optimal well spacing was not a
major concern. Operators at this time were trying to understand the geology and reservoir
characteristics of the rock. Especially focusing on the porosity, permeability and fracture characteristics.
As the area became more highly sought after, geologists, geophysicists and reservoir engineers were in a
race to quickly trying to understand core samples, seismic data and offset well log information.
         Well spacing design in unconventional plays such as the Eagle Ford mainly relies on two factors,
completion design and reservoir deliverability. Wellbore communication can lead to lower performance
of the hydraulic fracturing operation, lower recovery of hydrocarbons and cross flow contamination
between wells. Finding the ideal and most efficient well spacing to produce these wells has been an
ongoing process. Recent advancements in directional technology and completion designs have helped
the ability to produce reservoirs and maximize the production rate per unit area.

NG2 - Sizing of Horizontal Separators of Surface Facilities for Moderate Production Wells
Team Members: Benson Akingboye, Albert Alaniz, Bernabe Ibarra, Richard Lopez
         The activities of finding and producing petroleum can impact the environment we live
immensely with greatest risk imposed by waste release in high concentrations that are not naturally
found. The risk can be significantly reduced or eliminated through the implementation of proper waste
management and a clear understanding of the complex issues facing the upstream petroleum industry.
The safety aspect of surface facilities is of extreme importance. Removing hydrogen sulfide and
stabilizing the oil for storage and transportation are crucial in maintaining a safe environment. The

surface production facilities focus on separation of oil, gas, and water phases and uses several types of
separators to accomplish this requirement. This report will focus on the methodology, constraints, and
standards of the horizontal separator along with well facility data, such as flowrate that will help
determine the economic impacts and cost analysis. Further review will be investigated upon the
limitations and design of the horizontal separator since the design is one of the most crucial aspects to
continuous growth and success of the oil and gas industry. With engineering standards and data
received from Enverus, calculations will help to design the most efficient horizontal separator for the
facility.

NG3 - Vapor Recovery System on a Crude Oil Tank Battery
Team Members: Jose Hernandez Dominguez, Juan Ortiz, Carlos Rodarte, Marco Torres
         In the petroleum industry, crude oil storage tanks are used to stabilize oil quality and flow
between production wells and pipeline sites. As a result of change of pressure and temperature in the
tanks, the light hydrocarbons will vaporize and occupy the space between the liquid and the roof of the
tank. When these gases are released into the atmosphere by venting and flaring, they produce
emissions of greenhouse gases and some unburned liquid hydrocarbon particles. The main goal of this
project is to demonstrate the potential economic and environmental benefits of installing a vapor
recovery unit (VRU). The installation of a VRU system on a crude oil storage tank battery will reduce
venting and flaring significantly. Vapor recovery units are systems designed to collect about 95% of the
Btu-rich vapors released from the storage tanks to sell it or use it on site as fuel. The design problem is
performed manually with excel and with Aspen HYSYS software to compute the expected vapor volume
to be recovered from the storage tanks.