DCU Expo 2024 - Final Year Projects

99 207. Carbon Auditing Toolkit for the Agriculture Sector For this project, a toolkit has been developed aimed at calculating farmers’ greenhouse gas emissions. Through the creation of an Excel program, farmers can receive personalised strategies tomitigate their emissions. This initiative addresses the critical need for sustainable agricultural practices by providing farmers with essential insights into their environmental impact. Student Programme Mechanical and Sustainability Engineering Project Area Data Analytics, Educational, Life Cycle Assessment, Agriculture Project Technology Excel/VB Student Name(s) Hugo Valentine Email hugo.valentine3@mail.dcu.ie Supervisor Dr GregMcNamara 208. Feasibility of UsingWaste Heat FromData Centres for District Heating Systems This project investigates the feasibility of utilising waste heat fromdata centres to power district heating systems, aiming to bridge the gap between the abundant waste heat fromdata centres and the societal need for more efficient heating solutions. The study assesses the potential advantages and practicality of extracting and using waste heat, focusing on technical requirements, economic considerations, and environmental impacts. It investigates the quality of waste heat by conducting quantitative simulations across diverse scenarios. This analysis assesses cost-effectiveness and the ability tominimise carbon emissions and operational expenses, aiming to advance sustainable urban energy frameworks. Student Programme Mechanical andManufacturing Engineering (Year 5) Project Area Energy Conservation, Environmental Mapping, Finite Element Analysis, Renewable Energy Technology, Simulation, Thermodynamics, Life Cycle Assessment Project Technology ANSYSWorkbench, Excel/VB, Gabi Student Name(s) Barry Heneghan Email barry.heneghan4@mail.dcu.ie Supervisor Dr GregMcNamara 209. Investigation into theMaterial Degradation of EPDM in Pharmaceutical Process Lines fromSteam-In-Place Cleaning Process This project investigates the degradation of EPDMmaterial in pharmaceutical process lines as a result of exposure to Steam-in-Place cleaning. Both EPDMO-rings and valve diaphragms are crucial for maintaining the seals of process lines and preventing contamination and loss of integrity of a product. A replace-all policy is the industry trend where after a fixed period, each diaphragmand O-ring are replaced, regardless of the Remaining Useful Life. This is expensive and could be improved with knowledge of in-situ material conditions. A CIP Skid rig was commissioned to expose EPDMO-rings to SIP cycles in intervals up to 300 hours to accelerate the degradation. After exposure, a Profilometer and Nanoindenter were used to analyse the O-rings and understand their condition while in-situ. Student Programme Mechatronic Engineering (Year 5) Project Area Automation, Data Analytics, LeanManufacturing, Materials Testing, Machine Commissioning Project Technology PLC Programming, Solidworks Student Name(s) Cillian Byrnes Email cillian.byrnes4@mail.dcu.ie Supervisor Prof Brian Corcoran