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PHYS 3387 PHYSICS FINAL YEAR PROJECTS

2011 – 2012

BOOK OF ABSTRACTS

FACULTY OF SCIENCE AND AGRICULTURE

THE UNIVERSITY OF THE WEST INDIES

ST. AUGUSTINE CAMPUS

DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICS

UNIVERSITY OF THE WEST INDIES

PHYS 3387

FINAL YEAR PROJECTS

2011-2012

BOOK OF ABSTRACTS

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction

Program

Abstract No. Title Page No.

587 Energy and Buildings I – Thermal Comfort in the Library 1

588 Energy and Buildings II – Thermal Comfort in UWI SPEC Gym 3

589 Energy and Buildings III – Thermal Comfort 5

590 Energy and Buildings II - Photovoltiacs 6

591 Simple Prediction Models of Solar Radiation Data for a Horizontal Surface in Trinidad

7

592 Energy and Buildings I – Air Contamination 8

593 Sizing of Photovoltiac Systems for Residential Buildings via Solar Radiation Analysis

10

594 Geomagnetic Field variations in the Caribbean during current solar cycle

11

595 Popularization of Astronomy – Astronomy Themed Peace Park 13

596 Astrobiology at the Pitch Lake and Mud Volcanoes 14

597 Suite of Demoes, Simulations and Experiments for revised CSEC Physics syllabus

15

598 Blueshift in Quasars 16

599 Microstructure/Properties study of Steatite porcelains incorporating local clays

18

600 Geophysical survey at the Devil’s Woodyard Mud Volcano 19

601 Geophysical survey at Piparo Mud Volcano 21

602 An investigation into the effects of temperature of the glazing cover and thickness on the rate of solar distillation

22

603 Utilization of Photovoltaics to provide lighting in the Solar Energy Laboratory located on the roof-top of the Natural Sciences building at UWI, St. Augustine

24

604 Investigation of the Characteristics of the Fracture Wall of a Geothermal Energy System

25

605 Physics of Cricket at Night vs. Day 27

606 Investigating the effect of El Niño/ La Niña on the climate of Trinidad and Tobago using MODIS data

28

607 The Mechanisms used by animals to adhere to and travel on walls 29

608 Solar Timber Drying 31

609 Radiation Levels at the Doppler Radar site at Tabaquite 32

610 Effect of Alcohol on EEG Brain Maps 33

611 Health & Safety Issues associated with the use of Infra-red Radiation in Physiotherapy

35

612 An investigation of the Health and Safety Issues associated with the use of Therapeutic Diathermy

37

613 Investigating Occupational Exposures to Physical Therapists II: Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulators

39

614 Investigating Occupational Exposures to Physical Therapists I : Ultrasound

40

615 An assessment of Traumatic Shoulder Instability 42

616 Modeling the Behaviour of the Polymer Electrolyte Membrane within a Fuel Cell using COMSOL

44

617 Development of Low Cost Function Generator for CAPE students of Caribbean Countries

46

618 Design of data Scramblers for 4G Communication Systems 47

619 Design of Matlab based models for Control Theory and its applications

48

620 Nanocomposite Acid-Base polymer Electrolyte Membranes for Fuel Cell Applications

49

621 Investigating and calculating methanol cross-over for various membranes in a direct methanol fuel cell

50

622 Development of Acid-base Ionic liquids as Proton Conductors for Fuel Cell Applications

51

623 Development of a novel dye-polymer for a DSSC 52

624 Development of a sodium ion solid state electrolyte for Supercapacitors

53

UNIVERSITY OF WEST INDIES

ST. AUGUSTINE

DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICS

PHYS 3387FINAL YEAR PROJECTS

INTRODUCTION

In addition to standard laboratory work, Final Year students of the Physics Department of The

University of West Indies, St. Augustine are required to do a Research Projects which ideally spans over

one semester and has a weighting of 4 credits. The projects are designed not only to acquaint students

with rigorous research methods and independent work, but also to introduce the student to the work

environment to which he/she may be confronted after graduation.

There are two aspects of the submission: a formal report and an oral presentation. The oral

presentation is a significant aspect of each project since the academic community and the public are

sensitized about the research work done by the students and its significance in terms of the potential for

postgraduate study. The entire procedure, even when results may be negative, can be useful to the

academic community and provides significant learning experience for students. Another very positive

aspect of the research projects is the incorporation of outside personnel and organizations in varying

fields of work and also the business community.

Final year projects are a vital part of University students training and we, the Academic Staff of

the Physics Department, truly appreciate the hard work, dedication and importance that so many students

attach to this course.

Good luck to all of the students.

Dr. Davinder Sharma

Projects Coordinator

THE UNIVERSITY OF WEST INDIES

ST. AUGUSTINE

Department of Physics

PHYS 3387 ORAL PRESENTATION

Day 1 – Wednesday 23rd November 2011

TIME

NAME TITLE SUPERVISOR(S) CHAIRMAN

8.25 AM Opening remarks - Head of Department

8.30 AM

Tamara Malcolm Ricky Boodram

Energy and Buildings I –Thermal Comfort in the Library

Dr. R. Andrews Dr. K. De Souza

Dr. R. Andrews

9.00 AM Mickhel Mano Shivani Bhola

Energy and Buildings II – Thermal Comfort in the Gym

9.30 AM Sheetal Sirjudeen Wahid Terry Hosein

Energy and Buildings III– Thermal Comfort

10.00 AM COFFEE BREAK

10.30AM Shiva Ballyram Tishawna Donatien

Energy and Buildings II - Photovoltiacs

Dr. R. Andrews Dr. K. De Souza

Dr. K. De Souza

11.00AM Judith Balkisoon

Simple Prediction Models of Solar Radiation Data for a Horizontal Surface in Trinidad

11.15AM Nigel Chin Sang Energy and Buildings I – Air Contamination

11.30AM Vasan Sahatoo

Sizing of Photovoltaic (PV) Systems for Residential Buildings via Solar Radiation Analysis and Determination of Load Demand

11.45 AM

END

Day 2 – Thursday 24th November 2011

TIME


8.00 AM Shanaaz Mohamid Vijay Nanan

Geomagnetic Field variations in the Caribbean during current solar cycle.

Dr. S. Haque

Dr. S. Haque

8.30 AM Ashley Ramdhan Ravi Ramdoolar Anthony Michael Ramnath

Popularization of Astronomy – Astronomy Themed Peace Park

9.15 AM Jerod David Cooper Katerina S. Marcano Saleem Mondol

Astrobiology at the Pitch Lake and Mud Volcanoes

10.00 AM -10.15AM

COFFEE BREAK

10.15 AM Kapil Ramcharan Riaz Mondol

Suite of Demos, simulations and experiments for revised CSEC Physics syllabus

Dr. S. Haque

Dr. S. Haque 10.45 AM Djertsen Jone

Reon Morris

Blueshift in Quasars

11.15 AM Jabari St.Paul Keeron J. Steverson Vidya Amarsingh

Microstructure/Properties study of Steatite porcelains incorporating local clays.

Dr. J. C. Knight Dr. J. C. Knight

12.00 – 1.00 PM

LUNCH

1.00 PM Chitra R. Jagmohan Darnell Bereaux

Geophysical Survey at the Devil’s Woodyard Mud Volcano

Dr. R. Clarke / Dr. J. C. Knight

Dr. J. C. Knight

Sean Ashby Melissa De Freitas Satesh Lalloo Anthony S Khan

2.30 PM Anthony Ragbir Saleem Mohammed Tracy Gooptar Rajesh Rattan Hemawatie Seelochan Christopher Roopnarine

Geophysical Survey at Piparo Mud Volcano

Dr. R. Clarke / Dr. J. C. Knight

Dr. R. Clarke

4.00 PM -4.15 PM

BREAK

4.15 PM Narindra Nandlal Shavani Ramnarine

An investigation into the effects of temperature of the glazing cover and thickness on the rate of solar distillation

Dr. Indra Haraksingh

Dr. Indra Haraksingh

4.45PM Paul Kassie Ronnie Partapsingh

Utilization of Photovoltaics to provide lighting in the Solar Energy Laboratory located on the roof-top of the Natural Sciences building at UWI, St. Augustine

5.15 PM

Sarah Khan Cherisse Lashley

Investigation of the Characteristics of the Fracture Wall of a Geothermal Energy System

5.45 PM Aleem Gaffoor Michael Boodram

Physics of Cricket at Night vs. Day

6.15 PM END

Day 3 – Friday 25th November 2011

TIME


8.00 AM Allister Bandoo Nikolai Mohammed Varun Maharaj Melissa Gayadeen

Investigating the effect of El Niño/ La Niña on the climate of Trinidad and Tobago using MODIS data

Dr. Ricardo Clarke Dr. Ricardo Clarke

9.00 AM Annacia Jeffers

The Mechanisms used by animals to adhere to and travel on walls

Prof. Saunders Professor Saunders 9.15 AM Daniella J

Sudarsan Tseli Hutchinson

Solar Timber Drying Professor Saunders Dr. R Clarke

9.45AM-10.00 AM

COFFEE BREAK

10.00 AM Aleea Hosein Don-Leon Powder

Radiation Levels at the Doppler Radar site at Tabaquite.

Prof. Ramsay Saunders

Prof. Ramsay Saunders

10.30AM Amanda Nanansingh Josanne Forestine

Effect of Alcohol on EEG Brain Maps

11.00AM Praveen Rampersad Raadiyah Mohammed

Health & Safety Issues Associated with the Use of Infra-red Radiation in Physiotherapy

Dr. Sybele Williams

Dr. Sybele Williams

11.30AM Kerwyn Bahadur Raiisa Naipaul

An Investigation of the Health and Safety Issues Associated with the Use of Therapeutic Diathermy

12.00 – 1.00 PM

LUNCH

1.00AM Sursatee Maraj Matthew O. Dabrell

Investigating Occupational Exposures to Physical Therapists II: Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulators

Dr. Sybele Williams

Dr. Sybele Williams

1.30PM Fawwaaz A Abdool

Investigating Occupational Exposures to Physical

Melissa I Heeralal

Therapists I: Ultrasound

2.00PM Samantha Sangster

An Assessment of Traumatic Shoulder Instability

2.15 PM Stefan Beharry Ruqayyah Hosein Anthony Lee Fai

Modeling the Behavior of the Polymer Electrolyte Membrane within a Fuel Cell Using COMSOL

Dr. Davinder Sharma

Dr. Davinder Sharma

3.00 PM Narrin Jonas

Development of Low Cost Function Generator for CAPE Students of Caribbean Countries

3.00 – 3.15PM

BREAK

3.15 PM Kirlon Peters

Design of Data Scramblers for 4G Communication Systems

Dr. Davinder Sharma

Dr. Davinder Sharma

3.30 PM

Jimmy Elvis Kevin Devenish

Design of Matlab based models for control theory and its applications.

4.00 PM

Mekelea Ashe

Nanocomposite Acid-Base Polymer Electrolyte Membranes for Fuel Cell Applications

Dr. Harinder Missan

Ms. Kerrilee Stewart

4.15 PM

Neil Dattadeen

Investigating and calculating methanol cross-over for various membranes in a direct methanol fuel cell

4.30 PM

Steffi Hanuman

Development of Acid-base Ionic liquids as Proton Conductors for Fuel Cell Applications

Ms. Marisa Singh

4.45 PM

Tushara Maharaj

Development of a novel dye-polymer for a DSSC

5.00 PM

Nikolai Assam-Paul

Development of a sodium ion solid state electrolyte for Supercapacitors

5.15PM END

Book of Abstracts (2011‐2012)

Department of Physics, The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine 1

ABSTRACT No.: 587

TITLE: Thermal Comfort

AUTHOR: Ricky Boodram (808010586)

Tamara Malcom (808000024)

SUPERVISORS: Dr. R. Andrews and Dr. K. De Souza

An accepted international definition for thermal comfort is ‘that condition of mind which expresses satisfaction with the thermal environment. The environmental factors which affect human being thermal comfort are air temperature, radiant temperature, relative humidity, air velocity, and the two personal factors are activity and metabolic rate. When these factors are known the thermal sensation for the body can be predicted using Fanger’s equation. Although knowing the thermal sensation for the body it is impossible to develop a thermal environment that will satisfy everyone. To determine the thermal comfort conditions the ASHRAE standard 55 is used which define temperature ranges that should result in thermal satisfaction for at least 80% of occupants in a space.

The body is normally in thermo-equilibrium. The heat produced by the body is due to metabolism and physical exercise. The body losses and gain heat by three processes conduction, convection and radiation. Heat is loss by the body through evaporation when the body temperature is increasing and eat is also loss through respiratory.

The experiment will perform using equipments to measure the different environmental parameters. The equipment have probes which would be used probes to take reading of dry bulb temperature, wet bulb temperature, radiant temperature, relative humidity and air velocity. A lap top would be used to record the measurements because this experiment would take 5 days to complete; it would be done from a specific time in the morning to the evening. at time period of six hours. The probes have to be placed at a specific height above the floor level; this is to represent the height of the occupants’ body level, the height can be adjusted depending on the occupants in the room.



From the results, it can be used to find the sensible heat loss from the skin which is the heat loss by radiation, conduction and convection. When this is done it can be used to determine if the room was thermally comfortable foe occupants.



ABSTRACT No.: 588

TITLE: Investigating thermal comfort in UWI SPEC gym

AUTHORS: Shivani Bhola (808000142) Mickhel Mano (808010135)

SUPERVISORS: Dr. Andrews and Dr. De Souza

In this investigation the thermal comfort, of the University of the West Indies St

Augustine Campus, Sports and Physical Education Centre (SPEC) gym was

investigated using the INNOVA 1221 thermal comfort data logger. On the first

day of the investigation, twenty random individuals who were in the process of

using the gym’s equipment was asked about the clothing which they found most

comfortable to wear to exercise. From this sample the majority indicated that their

preference was a sweat pants and a sweat shirt. Therefore, in the data logger the

value entered for clothing insulation of sweat pants and a sweat shirt was 0.74 clo

and the value for metabolic rate for exercising was 3.5 met (Parsons 2005). These

values had to be entered before the equipment began taking measurements. In this

case the equipment was set up in one particular location and left it for the entire

day to measure the operative temperature, humidity and the air velocity. During

the day however, every thirty minutes the number of people in the gym was also

recorded. The equipment was placed in three different locations and left an entire

day in each location to measure the parameters important for thermal comfort.

The gym’s dimensions were also measured and found to be approximately twenty

feet by sixty feet, and its height was approximately fifteen feet. The gyms peak

hours were twelve to two in the afternoon and four to six in the evening during

which time the fact that the gym was air conditioned was not prominent. The

(PMV) Predicted mean vote and (PPD) predicted percent of dissatisfied people



was investigated using the data collected and then the thermal comfort of the gym

was fairly represented.



ABSTRACT No.: 589

TITLE: Energy & Buildings

AUTHORS: Sheetal Sirjudeen (808014657) Wahid Hosein (808012274)

SUPERVISORS: Dr. K. De Souza and Dr. R. Andrews

This research paper presents and investigates the thermal comfort requirements

for students in campus classrooms through field experimental procedures.

Universities offer an ideal location for this study because of their huge power

consuming expenses. Three classrooms: JFK Lecture theatre, C1 and Room 413

were selected to conduct physical measurements in the University of the West

Indies, St. Augustine campus. Data was measured and collected for the

environmental parameters affecting thermal comfort: air temperature, mean

radiant temperature, relative air velocity and humidity; using the thermal comfort

data logger INNOVA 1221. The plots were done and analyzed using the thermal

comfort manager software INNOVA 7701. Questionnaires were also

administered to students in the classrooms to assess the personal factors affecting

the students’ thermal comfort. The comfort criteria was examined and compared

with the ASHRAE Standard 55. The goal of this research was to provide

improved air quality and a thermally acceptable environment for the students to

increase their productivity in the classroom; while simultaneously reducing the

rate of energy consumption at the University of the West Indies.



ABSTRACT No.: 590

TITLE: Energy and Buildings II

Photovoltaics – Efficiencies Investigating the Efficiency of Solar Cells

AUTHORS: Tishawna Donatien (808000187) Shiva Ballyram (807000883)

SUPERVISORS: Dr. R. Andrews and Dr. K De Souza

A Solar Cell is used to produce electricity from sunlight or visible light by using

the Photovoltaic Effect. Efficiency is the ratio of the useful output to the total

input of a system. It is the ratio of the energy delivered by to the energy supplied

to a system in order for it to function properly. Third Generation Solar Cells are

most ideal since these cells are most efficient and least costly. As a result,

research is continuously being done to develop different types of solar cells that

would fit into the Third Generation bracket of high efficiency and low cost

because the uses of solar cells are becoming more popular in everyday lives.

This paper discusses several popular types of solar cells, how they are made and

their functions. With reference to the paper; Detailed balance Limit of Efficiency

of p-n Junction Solar Cells by Willaim Shockley and Hans J. Queisser, it also

discusses the calculation of the efficiency including the relationship between the

voltage and current for a solar cell, nominal efficiency and the detailed balance

limit. Solar cells and their relative efficiencies are compared together with their

limitations and factors that affect it. Looking at the past and present of solar cells,

an aim also includes future improvements to the efficiency of Solar Cells since

there is a growing need for new, clean sources of solar energy.



ABSTRACT No.: 591

TITLE: Simple Prediction Models of Solar Radiation Data for a

Horizontal Surface in Trinidad

AUTHOR: Judith Balkissoon (808000132)

SUPERVISORS: Dr. K. De Souza and Dr. R. Andrews

Solar radiation data plays an important role in the sizing, design and performance

evaluation of solar energy systems. This paper presents two methodsto estimate

solar radiationon a horizontal surface in Trinidad. Firstly, the Angström-Prescott

model is used to estimate monthly average global solar radiation values. The

second method is by using a parabolic model to predict the monthly average

hourly global and diffuse solar radiation on a horizontal surface. These methods

are carried out by using solar radiation and sunshine duration data, which was

obtained, from the Trinidad and Tobago Meteorological Service for the period of

2007 to 2009. The model parameters of both methods are determined using least

squares regression techniques and are verified by applying statistical error tests.



ABSTRACT No.: 592

TITLE: Energy and building (Air Contamination)

AUTHOR: Nigel Chin Sang (808010259)

SUPERVISORS: Dr. R. Andrews and Dr. K. De Souza

Air is all around us and we need air to carry out one of life’s basic processes

‘metabolism’. It is important that we consider the quality of air with regards to the

amount of air contaminants and the amount of pollutants that compose the air we

breathe. Contaminates of the air can be either be gaseous or particulate. In this

project we set out to investigate the amount of air contamination (particulate

matter) present in an indoor work environment. Almost 90% of an individual’s

live is spent in an office or work area (WHO, 2005) therefore it is necessary to

find out whether the air in a work environment is suitable for a productive,

healthy individual. Contaminants that pose the most problems in an indoor work

environment are allergens (dust mites or cat antigens) tobacco smoke, radon, and

formaldehyde. Work will be done in various places, investigating in each, the

amount of aerosols present in each location. Aerosols are basically suspended

particles in the air or in other gaseous environment. This will be done by using

particle scan equipment so as to measure/count the amount of suspended air

particulates of various particle sizes present in the surrounding air over a period of

time, usually ranging from 1-3 hours. This equipment gives both cumulative and

differential data. Analysis will be done using the cumulative data, so as to obtain

the amount of each particle size contained in that environment. The equipment

measures particles ranging from greater than or equal to 0.3µm to greater than or

equal to 5µm. Determination of the type of contaminant within our range will



require more test and chemical analysis, however for this investigation one can

only assume based on the relative particle size detected and the environment

under investigation.



ABSTRACT No.: 593

TITLE: Sizing of Photovoltaic (PV) Systems for Residential

Buildings via Solar Radiation Analysis and

Determination of Load Demand

AUTHOR: Vasan Sahatoo (809002497)

SUPERVISOR: Dr. K. De Souza and Dr. R. Andrews

The objective is the sizing of the PV system by determining the designed

electrical load of the building for which the system is to be implemented and the

design of a sizing curve. Solar radiation and sunshine duration information is

obtained from the Trinidad and Tobago Meteorological Services and is used to

help determine the size of the PV array by forming a sizing curve so as to

consider the fluctuation in the amount of sunshine received by the region. The

sizing curve also allows for determination of the size of the battery bank by

calculating the longest climatic cycle for which the solar radiation received is

below the average value for that period (i.e. the longest period for which the

battery is used to supply the load of the structure). The load demand of the

structure is obtained from the Trinidad and Tobago Electricity Commission. The

information is then used to determine the load size of the PV array and its

components.



ABSTRACT No.: 594

TITLE: Geomagnetic Field variations in the Caribbean during current solar cycle

AUTHORS: Shanaaz Mohamid (808012213)

Vijay Nanan (808011423)

SUPERVISORS: Dr. Shirin Haque

Dr. P. Pilly

�

The geomagnetic field variation in the Caribbean, and the effects of suchon the circulation at different latitudes during the current solar cycle, does not begin suddenly but it is a chain of processes causing different effects and changes in the atmosphere.Despite technological advances in modern society; results are still inconclusive on the subject matter. The effects of geomagnetic activity on troposphere circulation have been demonstrated experimentally by Bochnicek et.al and theoretically by Arnold and Robinson in 2001. It is a continuum as this project embodied an attempt to understand the geomagnetic field variations in the Caribbean during the current solar cycle. The first solar cycle occurred in 1859; roughly every eleven years the sun goes through a cycle of peak solar activity and sun spots; the next one is due by May 2013. The national oceanic and atmospheric administration says that cycle could produce fewer than average solar storms; but warns the earth is still vulnerable to a single devastating storm.

Based on results obtained the region studied for the Caribbean lying between 5˚ and 30˚ latitude.Data obtained wasextensively used throughout this project through the National Hurricane Center (NHC), the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Papers also done and published on related topics are also being analyzed and noted. The most feasible data, and reviews was also considered, with regards to the solar cycles, and how it impacts on geomagnetic activity not forgetting the variation of the magnetic and geomagnetic field, space activities affects the climate and causes changes in the weather. Future



expectation and prediction of the next solar cycle from the patterns obtained in the previous and current solar cycles will also be considered. Even though weather is also linked to hurricanes and tropical cyclones, this project is designed to understand how the solar cycle affects the hurricane and the weather in the Caribbean and by extension the Caribbean sea and Atlantic ocean, bearing in mind that there are other causes and effects of the solar cycle that affects the Caribbean, example;the negative effects on the ozone and the results of solar fleers, and how this can cause change in the Caribbean climate and circulation at different latitudes.�



ABSTRACT No.: 595

TITLE: Popularization of Astronomy

AUTHORS: Anthony Michael Ramnath (808000457)

Ashley Ramdhan (808011252) Ravi Ramdoolar (807007244)

SUPERVISOR: Dr. Shirin Haque

This project seeks to popularize and bring awareness of astronomy. This is accomplished by dividing it into two components: the construction of an “Astronomy Themed Peace Park” located on the University of The West Indies St Augustine Campus, and a feasibility study of a planetarium for Trinidad. The peace park is geared towards relaxation and contemplation of astronomy related thoughts and the universe in general. The feasibility study for the planetarium will include a design, size, location and the cost of the planetarium. To aid in this a study was conducted based on a questionnaire to determine the basic educational level and interest of Trinidadians towards astronomy. This is to determine the best suited planetarium for Trinidad to aid the public on astronomy and the universe.

The design for the peace park will include six peace poles, a sundial/shadow dial, two flags, peace rocks and 3 pyramids. These items play a large role in the history of astronomy and promote the curiosity of visitors as to how they relate to astronomy. There will be 3-4 benches and flower plants which help to create a relaxing ambience with the accompaniment of fresh air as well as sunlight. These items will be infused into the traditional peace symbol design. From the results of the questionnaire it has shown that the citizens of Trinidad have a generally low level of knowledge in relation to astronomy and the significance of a planetarium. Despite this, the results also showed that there is a high interest of citizens towards learning about “the heavens”. From this the planetarium was designed with a 12.19m tilted dome capable of seating 55 persons at a time. A centralised location was determined to be the most effective.



ABSTRACT No.: 596

TITLE: Astrobiology at the Pitch Lake and Mud Volcanoes

AUTHORS: Saleem Mondol (808010832)

Kate Marcano (808010527) Jerod Cooper (808011047)


Astrobiology is the investigation of the origin, evolution, distribution and fate of

life in the Universe with no tangible evidence that life exists anywhere else other

than on Earth (Schulze-Makuch 2008). The intent of this research project is to

present an updated examination on previous work in this area of astrobiology. The

comprehension and requirements for the existence of life as well as its

sustainability in hostile environments on planet Earth provides useful analogues

for life in the Universe. The probability of life in the Solar System has been

referenced with the previous and latest developments in the study of Titan and

Mars being addressed.

The methodology utilized for this project comprised the completion of field work

with sampling at the mud volcanic sites and at the pitch lake in Trinidad. The

water activity levels, pH measurements and concentrations of methane at these

sample sites were assessed. X-ray diffraction tests were also conducted on the

samples. The results obtained from these experiments are discussed with the

primary vision being that the theoretical considerations can further establish the

importance of locating other habitable planets in the Universe.



ABSTRACT No.: 597

TITLE: Suite of demos, simulations and experiments for revised

CSEC Physics Syllabus

AUTHORS: Kapil Ramcharan (808000426) Riaz Mondol (808000365)


The Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) is the governing body responsible

for carrying out examinations throughout the English speaking Commonwealth

Caribbean Countries and Territories. Every five years the syllabuses are revised as

a measure to help enhance students’ performance and overall understanding of its

contents. Critical thinking on the part of students is seen as a major factor in

revising such syllabuses. As a result, this project was done to address such

concerns by developing a suite of demos, simulations and experiments for a

revised CSEC Physics syllabus. Also, with the advancements in technology, there

are improvements for existing experiments and the development of new

experiments for practical purposes.

Results from questionnaires directed towards both students and teachers of

random schools across the country shows that over 95% of students share the

view that support material via demos and simulations would help in

bothunderstanding and attract greater interest in the subject. Furthermore, most

teachers agreed that a greater effort for students to understand the principles of

physics should be considered developing such syllabus.



ABSTRACT No.: 598

TITLE: Blueshift in Quasars

AUTHORS: Djertsen Jones (809100003)

Reon Morris (807002323)


Quasi Stellar Objects are peculiar celestial objects which display a high redshift of

their emission lines and have star-like properties. The redshift associated with

these QSOs have been the centre of controversy since they were first discovered

as they suggest these objects are quite far away and are moving at enormous

speeds. The redshifts identified in some of these objects cannot fully explain the

characteristics of these objects as well as there some inconsistencies in the

determination of the redshift. As such new theories had to be considered by

scientist to account for the issues previously encountered. The blueshift scenario

is considered as a possible explanation for the results obtained as it suggests that

these objects may be blueshifted instead of redshifted

In this project, four QSOs displaying weak emission lines, namely,

SDSSJ130216.13+003032, SDSSJ144231.72+0111055.26,

SDSSJ133550.81+353315.8 and SDSSJ140850.9+020522.7 were re-examined

under the blueshift scenario. This was done by examining the observed lines, in

their emission spectrum, and calculating the blueshift with standard search lines.

Thus far out of the four objects, desirable and suitable results were obtained for

three of them. These include SDSSJ130216.13+003032,

SDSSJ144231.72+0111055.26 and SDSSJ140850.9+020522.7. The blueshift of



the last object, SDSSJ133550.81+353315.8 is still to be determined but it may be

difficult to do so as this object does not show any easily detectable emission lines.

These results show that the blueshift scenario can be a suitable candidate to

explain the features of these objects as it provides a blueshift spread of less than

0.01 ( the standard) in the three cases.



ABSTRACT No.: 599

TITLE: Microstructure/Properties study of Steatite porcelains

incorporating local clays.

AUTHORS: Jabari St.Paul (808100283)

Keeron J. Steverson (808013315)

Vidya Amarsingh (808013009)

SUPERVISOR: Dr. J.C.Knight

In this research project the main objective was to investigate the potential of local

clays as possibly clay component in steatite porcelains based on fired properties

and microstructure. Steatite porcelains are used as electrical insulators for high

frequency power transmissions and are of MgOAl2O3SiO2 ternary compositions

and are processed industrially at high temperatures, starting with talc and clay as

raw materials.

Two local clays (one from Valencia and the other from Longdonville) and an

imported commercial clay were involved in the study. Fabrication of the test

sample (comprised of 90% talc and 10% clay) was done by the “dry” pressing

technique and firing was done in the temperature range 1300oC to 1375oC. X-Ray

diffraction was used to characterize the mineralogy of the raw materials and to

identify the thermochemical change and reactions, which occurred during firing.

After firing, standard physical and mechanical testing techniques were used to

determine physical and mechanical properties of the sample as a function of firing

temperatures while Scanning Electron Microscopy was used to investigate

microstructure.



ABSTRACT No.: 600

TITLE: The ongoing investigation of the Devil’s Woodyard Mud

Volcano

AUTHORS: Sean Ashby (809001412) Melissa De Frietas (809100010) Chitra Jagmohan (808010069) Satesh Lalloo (807004175) Anthony Khan (808013664) Darnell Bereaux (808013233)

SUPERVISORS: Dr. R. Clarke

Dr. J.C. Knight

The Department of Physics at the University of the West Indies, St. Augustine campus has been involved in the monitoring of the activities of the mud volcanoes of Trinidad, particularly the two most active; the Devil’s Woodyard and Piparo Mud volcanoes with Devil’s Woodyard being the focus of our group. Employing the Geophysical techniques of seismic refraction, electrical resistivity, magnetometry, and analysis of surface indicators, and the non-geophysical technique of x-ray diffraction, information on the characteristics and features of the subsurface was obtained.

The seismic refraction technique provided information on subsurface stratification. The schlumberger array was employed to probe subsurface details in terms of electrical resistivity. Complementary to this, magnetometry was done as part of the comprehensive study. Surface indicators comprise of location of major and minor vents, vegetation, and aesthetics of the surface, these gave us an



idea of how active the site is. The mineralogy of the extruded mud was determined using the x-ray powder diffraction technique.

The velocities from seismic refraction and resistivities from electrical resistivity were well within the values expected for clay. The main minerals present were Kaolinite, Quartz, and Mica. The subsurface of the mud volcano is heavily truncated and the mineralogy has remained the same over the past few years. The surface indicators show that the site is not as active as it was in previous years.



ABSTRACT No.: 601

TITLE: Geophysical Survey at the Piparo Mud Volcano

AUTHORS: Anthony Ragbir (808011647) Christopher Roopnarine (807001150) Hemawatie Seelochan (806003004) Rajesh Rattan (01725871) Saleem Mohammed (808014554) Tracy Gooptar (807000805)

SUPERVISORS: Dr. R. Clarke

Dr. J. C. Knight

Geophysics explores the fundamental structure and evolution of our planet by applying physical theories and various measurements. Each geophysical technique evaluates a different property of the earth’s subsurface. Mud Volcanism and diapirism are well known phenomena which occur predominantly in collisional plate tectonic areas. The location of the Piparo Mud Volcano is 10º33’99” north latitude and 61º34’53” west longitude on the island of Trinidad which is located on the boundary of the South American and Caribbean plates. The Naparima Hill thrust fault passes through the centre of the Piparo mud volcano making it one of the most active volcanoes in Trinidad. The main objective of this project is to further annual, ongoing geophysical monitoring, initiated by the Department of Physics since the last main eruption in 1997. The geophysical techniques used in this study were Seismic Refraction, Magnetometry and Electrical Resistivity. In addition, mapping the number and configuration of current vents was done as surface indicators of subsurface activity. X- Ray diffraction was used to characterize the mineralogy of the effluent.



ABSTRACT No.: 602

TITLE: An investigation into the effects of temperature of the

glazing cover and thickness on the rate of solar

distillation

AUTHORS: Narindra Nandlal (809002201) Shavani Ramnarine (808014294)

SUPERVISORS: Dr. Indra Haraksingh

Ms. Monica Boodhan

The lack of potable water for consumption has been linked to increasing rates of illnesses and deaths worldwide. With the increasing global population, the quantity of potable water needed on a daily basis continues to rise daily. Purifying water through distillation is a simple, cost-effective and efficient means of providing drinking water. Solar distillation eliminates all salts, minerals, heavy metals and water borne pathogens. The productivity of the still is dependent on parameters such as brine depth, atmospheric temperature, solar radiation intensity, thickness and type of glazing, inclination, wind velocity and heat capacity of the still.

Theoretically, for a higher efficiency, the temperature gradient between the brine and the condensing surface needs to be high. Also it is necessary to have no vapor leakage and adequatesolar insolation.In most cases, when calculations are done to determine the efficiency of solar stills, the temperature used for the condensing surface is the outer glass temperature and not the condensing surface temperature. This is done on the assumption that there is little or no drop in temperature across the thickness of the glazing and the fact that the outer glass temperature is a bit easier to measure. This practice leaves room for misleading results owing to temperature losses across the glazing thickness. This project seeks to determine the variation of temperature across the glazing surface and to



determinethe best suited glazing thickness that may be used for solar stills located in Trinidad, West Indies.

Three solar stills were constructed using 2mm thick Aluzinc sheets with a black painted basin andfitted with glass covers of varying thicknesses. Three thermocouples were attached to each still and used to measure the outer and inner glass temperatures and the brine temperature. Readings were recorded for solar insulation,temperatures for the ambient, outer glass, inner glass and brine; and volume and massofthe distillate for various weather conditions over the course of several days. The temperature variation across the thicknesses of the glazing was then examined and the efficiencies of the stillscalculated.



ABSTRACT No.: 603

TITLE: Utilization of Photovoltaics to provide lighting in the

Solar Energy Laboratory located on the roof-top of the

Natural Sciences building at UWI, St. Augustine.

AUTHORS: Ronnie Partapsingh (807005990) Paul Kassie (807004157)

SUPERVISOR: Dr. Indra Haraksingh

Photovoltaics are solid state semi-conductors that convert solar energy directly

into electricity. Presently, photovoltaic technology usage is rapidly increasing

worldwide as the search for a sustainable form of energy continues. It is the

feasible to utilize available solar energy as an alternative source of energy over

the conventional fossil fuel sources. The objectives of this study are to utilize an

existing rigid array of photovoltaic panels to power the lighting system in the

Solar Energy Laboratory located on the roof-top of the Natural Sciences building

at UWI, St. Augustine and to determine the characteristics of the array. The array

was connected through an electricity control panel to a Prostar-30 photovoltaic

controller which was used to charge a 12 volts DC car battery via another

household electricity control panel with a 30 Amp breaker. The car battery was

connected by a separate household electricity control panel to a 160 Watts Stinger

DC-AC inverter with four 14W household energy savings bulbs. One limitation

encountered was the inability to utilize the recommended deep cycle photovoltaic

batteries as the storage component. As an alternative, a 12 volts car battery was

used. The characteristics of the array was determined by recording the irradiance,

time of day, battery voltage, array current, load current and the array voltage and

plotting suitable graphs to determine the efficiency and the fill factor.



ABSTRACT No.: 604

TITLE: Investigation of the Characteristics of the

Fracture Wall of a Geothermal Energy System

AUTHORS: Cherisse Lashley (808011668)

Sarah Khan (808000253)


Geothermal energy is the thermal energy bounded within the sub surfaces of the

Earth. This heat can be extracted using a selection of engineering techniques.

However, all geothermal fields are not ready for immediate harnessing of this

energy and therefore factors to increase the flow of heat via liquid or vapour

mediums are considered. The characteristic of fractures present within the earth’s

crust is a major feature, which can promote or hinder the heat flow towards the

surface.

The type of rocks present also influences the flow and so therefore the pore scale

flow characteristic was understood. The crustal region of the Earth was the main

focus of investigation. Within the crustal region it is mainly composed of Quartz

and Feldspar, hence the characteristic of the fracture can be mirrored to those

these known materials.

Through the use of COMSOL, characteristics of the fracture wall can be

investigated.

As the geofluid flows through the open channel (fracture pathway) this

supercritical fluid generates thermal stress that is distributed onto the upper and



lower plates of the fracture wall. Appreciation of the fluid flow and its behaviour

can be described and modelled for ideal conditions.



ABSTRACT No.: 605

TITLE: Physics of Cricket at Night vs. Day

AUTHORS: Michael Boodram (8006009057)

AleemGaffoor (806002773)


The aim of this project is to determine the difference in performance in cricket for night vs.day by examining the Physics parameters. Several experiments were performed to help illustrate this.The ball was dropped from a set height and the difference in carry in the pitch under both circumstances, the difference in range of the ball and the drop speed of the cricket ball at night vs. the daywere measured. A simple eye test for both conditions of play was also carried out and a specialcricketswing bowler was used to try to observe the differencein swing with bothcolourballs (white for night and red for day).It was observed that eyesight is harder in the night lights and the white ball swung more in the night.

Aquestionnairewas given to cricketers and the results showed most people enjoyed night cricket more than day cricket. For the drop in ball speed the results were quite amazing as it was found that the speed of the ball dropping at night wasfaster. After getting such results,it wasassumed that the night range of the ball using a constant speed would be greater. Howeverfor the range test, to our surprise the results were very similar and it was concluded there was no significant change in the range of the balls. The range of the balls was calculated manually and further verified using projectile motion equation. The cricket pitch, which is highly critical to the outcome of a game, showed that there is in fact a difference based on conditions.It was found that there was more carry in the night and this was largely due to the environment conditions inthe dew point andsaturationpoint being greater at night.



ABSTRACT No.: 606

TITLE: Investigating the effect of El Niño/ La Niña on

the climate of Trinidad and Tobago using

MODIS data.

AUTHORS: Melissa Gayadeen (808012044)

Varune Maharaj (808012779)

Nikolai Mohammed (808014547) Allister Bandoo (806000183)

SUPERVISOR: Dr. Ricardo Clarke

There are various climatic factors that affect Trinidad and Tobago. One of these is

El Niño/ La Niña. The effects that El Niño/ La Niña have on the rainfall of

Trinidad can be investigated using sea surface temperature (SST) and sea surface

temperature anomalies (SSTA). This investigation was carried out using daily

daytime and nighttime MODIS sea surface temperature data for the period of

2008 to 2010. MODIS is Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer and it

is a key instrument aboard the Terra and Aqua satellites measuring SSTs. These

data sets were used to produce sea surface temperature maps as well as sea

surface temperature anomaly maps for each month of the time period under

investigation, for a spatial resolution of 9km. These maps were produced for

waters around Trinidad bounded by 9.5° to 11.5° North Latitude and 60° to 62°

West Longitude. Furthermore, a correlation between the Oceanic Nino Index and

rainfall as well as sea surface temperature anomaly maps and rainfall were

investigated.



ABSTRACT No.: 607

TITLE: The Mechanisms used by animals to adhere to and

travel on walls

AUTHOR: Annacia Jeffers (808011886)

SUPERVISOR: Professor Ramsey Saunders

For years organisms have been observed to possess the unique ability to travel on

erect surfaces such as walls and ceilings. Studies dating back to as far as the 19th

century have shown that these organisms have peaked the interest of many

scientists and researchers. Yet, it is not only arthropods and myriapods that

possess such abilities but also the tree frog (Litoria Caerulea) and the house lizard

(Hemidactylus frenatus).

Within the period of September 19th to October 21st 2011, a study was conducted

on the campus of the University of the West Indies, St. Augustine, Trinidad, W.I.

as well as on the Mt. Hope campus, Champ Fleur, Trinidad, W.I on the

mechanisms by which these organisms are able to accomplish such feats. A

collection of insects namely, the Long Horn Beetle (Acrocinus longimanus L.),

the brown beetle (Cerambycidae sp.), the black beetle (Passalus sp.), the mole

cricket (Scapteriscus sp.), the yellow grasshopper (Neuconocephalus fratellus)

and the brown grasshopper (Acrididae sp.) was obtained and their legs were

amputated, dehydrated and coated with gold dust and observed under a Scanning

Electron microscope.

It was found that most of the insects with the exception of the Acrididae sp. had

sharp, bone-like hooks at the tips of their feet. The Acrididae sp. had what



appeared to be an adhesive pad located between two lateral hooks. Along with

these hook-like appendages, some of the animals (Acrocinus longimanus L.,

Neuconocephalus fratellus) also had hairs and micro hairs adorning the length of

their feet. It is suggested that they are used as extra support. These animals are

found mostly on rough surfaces and in local grasslands. Therefore, their legs are

so designed for them to be able to grasp unto the many grooves in the surface.

These findings correlate with the designs of grappler hooks that mountain-

climbers and rescuers use in their activities. However, further studies should be

conducted on animals like the mosquito and housefly which are able to walk on

smooth surfaces and the results of those studies could aid to improve the

efficiency of rescuers and window washers.



ABSTRACT No.: 608

TITLE: Solar Timber Drying

AUTHORS: Daniella J. Sudarsan (807005942) Tseli Hutchinson (808013914)

SUPERVISORS: Professor Ramsey Saunders

Dr. R. Clarke

Although solar kilns in general use flat plate collectors, the solar kiln at the

University Field Station in Mount Hope, Trinidad uses a slagbed as a roughened

absorber and heat storage. The drying process for this kiln was monitored for

approximately two months by means of measuring the moisture content for

selected pieces of Honduras mahogany wood at chosen intervals. Thereafter,

drying curves for this hardwood were determined.

In addition, designs for a solar dryer were developed by analyzing the energy

supply of such a solar kiln with the energy a given amount of wood requires in

order to be dried. An examination of the thermal analysis for a single cover

collector using a slagbed was made so that any size solar kiln can be created to

accommodate the desired timber for drying to predetermined final moisture

content. At the end of the assessment period it was found that the dryer was

capable of reducing more than 20% of the moisture content in nearly 3 weeks to a

final moisture content of 11.82% and the drying process for this type of solar kiln

was effective for timber drying.



ABSTRACT No.: 609

TITLE: Radiation Levels at the Doppler Radar site at

Tabaquite.

AUTHORS: Aleea Hosein (808000370)

Don-Leon Powder (05707806)

SUPERVISOR: Professor Ramsay Saunders

The Doppler weather radar site in Tabaquite was one of the first radar sites to be constructed in Trinidad which can provide early warnings of hurricanes, storms and other weather phenomenon. Trinidad, Guyana, Barbados and Belize were the four Caribbean countries to be selected to construct the radar facility which were funded from the European Union at a value of13.2 million Euros. The objective of this project is to determine the radiation intensity at the Doppler radar site in Tabaquite in accordance to the international and national health and safety standards.The Doppler Effect occurs when the radar beams microwave signals at a target and listens for the reflection, then evaluateif the strength of the returned signal was varied by the objects' motion.The Holaday HI 4460 attached to a probe was used to take microwave intensity readings.Electromagnetic field measurements around the SELEX-Gematronik METEOR 600S S-band Doppler Weather Radar will be taken in the Near-field (within 270 metres) which includes the interior of the building at all levels and the Far-field (beyond 270 metres). All measurements will be applied to the necessary equations to calculate the power density. Since this project was created by the Caribbean Meteorological Organization (CMO), the public exposure level should not exceed 10W/m2 as stipulated by the International Commission on Non Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP). Based on the location of the Doppler radar site, if the antenna was at zero elevation, the radiation beam and side lobes would not have any effect on the community since the beam will be above the housing level. Power densities at different heights below the tower as well as around the unit at ground level were recorded.The results gained will be fully discussed during the presentation and in the report.



ABSTRACT No.: 610

TITLE: Effect of Alcohol on EEG Brain Maps

AUTHORS: Josanne Forestine (808011676)

Amanda Nanansingh (807004290)

SUPERVISORS: Professor Ramsey Saunders

Mr. Oba Ranu

EEG is the acronym for Electroencephalography which is the recording of

electrical signals from the brain. EEG works under the concept that the brain’s

electrical charge is maintained by billions of neurons. These billions of neurons

produce very small electrical signals that forms patterns called brain waves.

During an EEG recording, small electrodes are attached to the person’s head and

the electrode detects the brain waves and the EEG machine amplifies the signals

and records them on wave patterns on the computer screen. Various regions of the

brain do not emit the same brain wave frequency simultaneously. Through this

fact, brain waves have been characterized in four different groups and they are

alpha, beta, theta and delta waves.

For this study, 10-20 EEG system was used to investigate the effects of alcohol on

EEG brain maps, by comparing the brain maps of alcoholics with non-alcoholics.

Twenty subjects were obtained, ten alcoholics and ten non-alcoholics. Following

the 10-20 system, electrodes were placed on the volunteers’ head and different

tests; counting, flashing and allowing the volunteer to rest at intervals, were

performed.



In this experiment differences were observed in theta, beta and alpha waves in the

alcoholics as compared to the non-alcoholics. From the topographic graphs it was

shown that the alcoholics had significantly lower alpha frequency than the non-

alcoholics in the frontal region of the brain. The alcoholics had higher theta and

beta power when compared to the non-alcoholics. Both theoretically and

experimentally, it is shown that brain maps are affected significantly through

alcohol abuse.



ABSTRACT No.: 611

TITLE: Health & Safety Issues Associated with the Use of Infra-

red Radiation in Physiotherapy

AUTHORS: Praveen Rampersad (808012357)

Raadiyah Mohammed (808011364)

SUPERVISOR: Dr. Sybele Williams

Over the years, it appears that physiotherapists who have worked in Trinidad have

contracted diseases, which may be associated with their workplace. Conditions or

factors associated with the use of infrared lamps in Physiotherapy were

investigated to determine if any harmful outcomes may arise so that procedures

and recommendations can be put in place to initiate prevention.

Data regarding infrared therapy as performed by physiotherapists in Trinidad

were collected at the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex for the period

October 2011. Levels of radiation were determined at different distances from the

infrared lamp for both the patient and the therapist. Additionally, the current

distance of the therapy room used for IR therapy relative to other therapy rooms,

the waiting room and the staff room as well as the dimensions of the therapy room

itself were determined.

Another data collection method used was a questionnaire, which was employed to

identify the types of long and short-term diseases experienced by the

physiotherapists. After critically evaluating the data obtained, it was seen that the

non-ionizing radiation emitted from the infrared lamp is not sufficient to be

harmful to the physiotherapist. Thus the disorders experienced by



the physiotherapists may be as a result of radiation exposure from other forms

of electrotherapy, in the vicinity of the Infrared Therapy Room. Based on the

above findings with respect to Trinidad, preventative measures should focus on

the health risks associated with other types of physiotherapy. Thus, it is

recommended that both the proximity of the Infrared Therapy Room to other

forms of electrotherapy should be increased as well as the protective environment

of the rooms themselves with respect to shielding, so that any existing danger may

be decreased.



ABSTRACT No.: 612

TITLE: An Investigation of the Health and Safety Issues

Associated with the Use of Therapeutic Diathermy

AUTHORS: Kerwyn Bahadur (808010064)

Raiisa Naipaul (808013264)


In the Physiotherapy Department at the Eric Williams Medical and Sciences Complex (EWMSC), therapeutic diathermy treatment is often used as a treatment option. However, number of physiotherapists who have worked with this equipment at the EWMSC over the years may have developed disorders associated with the use of such equipment. This project will focus on determining the level of risk to physiotherapists from the Physiotherapy Department so that procedures and recommendations can be developed to decrease any existing and future danger. This investigation will focus on the use of shortwave diathermy.

Shortwave therapy generates high frequency electric and magnetic fields in the form of non-ionising radiation. Radio frequency energy usually 27 MHz is applied to the body part to be treated so that part of the energy is absorbed in the tissue to treat acute and chronic conditions of joints, muscles, ligaments and tendons.

This investigation was performed in two distinct sections, qualitatively and quantitatively, and included semi-structured observational visits to the Physiotherapy Department and the administration of questionnaires to the relevant test groups. Measurements of both the cubicle and testing areas were made in addition to the existing electric and magnetic fields arising during use of the equipment.

The strength of the electric and magnetic fields is strongest at the electrodes and decreases with distance. Fields were observed 0.6096m outside of the cubicle



only in the vicinity of the curtain enclosure while no fields were present on the outside of the dry wall. These measurements were taken at these points because once the machine is in use the physiotherapist should be 2m away. Readings of approximately 26V/m were observed 0.3048m away from the curtain while readings of approximately 7V/m were observed 0.6069m away from the curtain. Beyond this point the readings were below 0V/m. Even though the physiotherapist take precaution by leaving the cubicle while the machine is in use; it is evident from the measurements that the patient was only 1m away from the curtain thus readings were obtained at distances outside of the cubicle. An extensive amount of research was done into this topic but there is no evidence to link health related problems to over exposure to the shortwave diathermy but precautions must be taken. The safe use of therapeutic diathermy requires practices and procedures that ensure compliance with professional guidelines and clinical evidence. Short-wave diathermy devices should be thoroughly examined at least yearly.



ABSTRACT No.: 613

TITLE: Occupational Exposure to Physical Therapists: TENS

AUTHORS: Matthew Dabrell (808012182)

Sursatee Maraj (808013768)


In this present study we investigated occupational exposures to physical therapists at the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex, Champs Fleurs, who use the transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulator (TENS). Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation uses an electric current produced by a device to stimulate the nerves for therapeutic purposes. The unit basically consists of one or more electrical-signal generators, a battery, and a set of electrodes. There have been numerous complaints in the past from physical therapists who work in the Physiotherapy department and thus this project seeks to assess whether the TENS unit is responsible for any of the illnesses these physical therapists are experiencing. A survey was conducted where all the physical therapists using TENS were interviewed and a questionnaire was constructed and submitted to these therapists. The TENS unit as well as the area in the hospital where the unit is being used was assessed. The physical therapists were also observed when operating the unit during therapy sessions. The findings of this study include the types of illness the therapists are experiencing in addition to all the equipment they use in the course of a typical workday. Some equipment used in the treatment of patients may cause certain types of illnesses. Therefore research was done in order to determine what illnesses are connected with which type of equipment. The protocols presently used and the degree to which they are followed were investigated. Additionally, international recommendations and protocols were identified which might further assist the physiotherapists.



ABSTRACT No.: 614

TITLE: Investigating Occupational Exposures to Physical

Therapists I: Ultrasound

AUTHORS: Fawwaaz Abdool (809000694) Melissa Heeralal (807004511)


Ultrasound therapy is the use of high-frequency sound waves with the ability to

travel deep into tissue with the intention of treating selected medical conditions.

Human hearing falls within the range of 20 Hz to 20 kHz. The sound waves used

in ultrasound therapy fall as low as 0.7 MHz, thus well out of the range of

hearing. While there are no cases of fatalities or lifelong negative effects of

diagnostic ultrasound waves, there are some short-term negative effects due to

over-exposure to high frequencies. This project therefore, investigates the usage

of the ultrasound machine by the physiotherapist. Proper and safe maintenance

and use of the equipment requires that procedures are followed in compliance to

standards and guidelines set by various health care governing bodies. Improper

operation of the machine may result in the exposure of ultrasound waves to the

physiotherapist and unnecessary exposure to the patient. The particular equipment

under study is the Sonicator 740. This machine can operate within the frequency

range of 1 MHz to 3 MHz. The method for data collection involved a survey

using a self-compiled questionnaire and short interview questioning done either

personally or via electronic mail. Since the area of study did not have a large

sampling group. From the data collected it was observed that the Sonicator 740

poses no direct risk to the therapist and general operation of the machine is in

compliance to the guidelines set by health authorities. It was observed, however,



that the area of operation did not meet manufacturer specifications which may

result in unnecessary risk to the physiotherapist, the patient and other nearby

persons.



ABSTRACT No.: 615

TITLE: An Assessment of Traumatic Shoulder Instability

AUTHOR: Samantha Sangster (807003079)


Mrs. Jacqueline Rouse RPT

Shoulder dislocation seems to be one of the most common recreational, sport

and/or work related injuries in orthopaedics. There is much literature and

documentation on the causes, effects and correction of shoulder dislocations,

however, not much research has been done in Trinidad and Tobago. This project

will focus on a case of recurrent traumatic shoulder instability arising from tissue

damaged from an initial dislocation and will address changes in movement

patterns and joint biomechanics.

Patients may develop shoulder instability due to the following reasons:

1) recurrent traumatic instabilty - a history of a traumatic shoulder injury or

dislocation which results in recurrent dislocation or instability

2) atraumatic or multidirectional instability – in individuals who are prone to be

ligamentously lax or "loose jointed". This is not specific to the shoulder, but for

all joints of the body

3) congenital instability – individuals with local anomalies e.g. mis-shaped glenoid

in the shoulder joint.

This project will focus on a case of recurrent traumatic shoulder instability

arising from tissue damaged from an initial dislocation. After initial investigations

no comprehensive source addressing shoulder problems locally could be found.



Using a case study an attempt was made to understand the pertinent anatomy and

biomechanics of the normal glenohumeral/shoulder joint, the progression of this

disorder, and the changes in joint biomechanics arising from shoulder instability

during the process of treatment.



ABSTRACT NO.: 616

TITLE: Modeling the Behavior of the Polymer Electrolyte Membrane within a Fuel Cell Using COMSOL

AUTHORS: Stefan Beharry (808011024) Ruqayyah Hosein (05788896)

Anthony Lee Fai (808013456)

SUPERVISOR: Dr. Davinder Pal Sharma

In recent years, scientists have taken great interest in the development of

renewable and alternative energy sources. One viable alternative to non-

renewable fossil fuels is the fuel cell, which produces electricity via a simple

chemical reaction using hydrogen and oxygen gases with little or no pollution as

the only by-products formed are heat and water.A special class of fuel cell i.e.

Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell (PEMFC) has been investigated during the

present study. Membrane is a very important part of a PEMFC as most ohmic

losses occurs here and limits the maximum operating temperature, causes fuel

cross over effect and increase electrochemical kinetics losses resulting in reduced

fuel efficiency and cathode catalyst poisoning. Therefore there is a need of an

accurate modeling of the membranes to study the overall physical and electrical

behavior of real Fuel Cells. In this project Poly (1-vinylimidazole) or PVIm

polymer membrane has been modeled and its performance has been investigated

by studying its conductivity, heat flow and weight loss at various temperatures

and compositions. Modeling has been done using simulation software, COMSOL

Multiphysics 4.0a., which allows the application of various physics interfaces to



the model and facilitates all the necessary steps needed to ensure that the model is

as realistic as possible.



ABSTRACT NO.: 617

TITLE: Development of a Low Cost Function Generator

for the CAPE Students of the Caribbean Countries

AUTHOR: Narrin Jonas (808012942) SUPERVISOR: Dr. Davinder Pal Sharma

Mr. Noel Charles

This project encompasses the design and construction of a low cost

function generator which CAPE students of the Caribbean countries can

use in their school laboratories to complement their experiments in

electronics. In conducting workshops with CAPE teachers on Electronics it

was observed that most of the schools don’t have electronics lab and even

basic test equipments. This is due to financial constraint, thus there is a

need to develop low cost test equipment such as a function generator. A

function generator is a piece of electronic test equipment used to generate

electrical waveforms of different shapes, amplitudes and frequencies. In

this project various circuits of analog function generator based on different

IC’s have been simulated using the MultiSim software. Circuits have been

compared based on the criteria of cost, frequency range, amplitude range

and distortion. The optimum circuit has been chosen and tested on a

breadboard. After the trouble shooting process a printed circuit board

(PCB) has been developed using UltiBoard software. Finally the function

generator has been designed on the PCB and its performance has been

checked.



ABSTRACT NO.: 618

TITLE: Design of Data Scramblers for 4G Communication Systems

AUTHOR: Kirlon Peters (808012247)

SUPERVISOR: Dr. Davinder Sharma

In digital communication system, it is a common practice to encounter long

strings of 1’s and 0’s (e.g. during typing some texts), within the transmitted data,

which results in constant output levels. Timing information for synchronization

cannot be retrieved from such transmitted data because there will be no state-

transition during constant output levels, which may result in transmission errors at

the receiver. A scrambler is a device that can eliminate such transmission errors in

communication systems by randomizing the transmitted data. It detects

undesirable sequences of bits and inserts state transitions in a pseudo random

manner e.g. if there is a long sequence of 1’s in the input data stream 0’s will be

pseudo randomly inserted in to the stream. This device basically encodes the data

generated by transmitter before it goes to a transmission channel and then

descrambler decodes the data back to its original form at the receiver end. The

main objective of this research project is to study the scramblers for various kind

of communication systems and to simulate a scrambler for future 4G

communication systems using Matlab. The generating polynomial for 4G

communication system have been researched and simulated. Finally

implementation of the 4G scrambler has been done on a Field Programmable Gate

Array (FPGA) in an attempt to aid the synchronization between data terminals.



ABSTRACT No.: 619

TITLE: Design of Matlab Based Models for Control Theory and its Applications

AUTHORS: Jimmy Elvis (808012946)

Kevin Devenish (05728156)

SUPERVISOR: Dr. Davinder Pal Sharma

Matlab is software developed for integrating computation, visualization,

simulation and programming in an easy to use environment. Simulation is a very

powerful environment using which every problem/system can be explained easily

and analyzed well before actual implementation. The main aim of this project is to

design models and programs for the course Electronics and Control Theory

(PHYS3382) with the aid of Matlab so that it can be made more interactive and

interesting for the students. The modeling of Control Systems and their analysis

have been done using Simulink, Control Systems Toolbox, Robust Control

toolbox and Data Acquisition toolbox available in Matlab. Several system

analysis tools such as Bode Plot, Nyquist Plot and Root Locus Plot, which are

difficult to explain in class can be easily reproduced by using models/programs

developed during this project. Various control systems like electrical systems,

mechanical systems and thermal systems have been modeled and analyzed using

Matlab.



ABSTRACT No.: 620

TITLE: Nanocomposite Acid-Base Polymer Electrolyte

Membranes for Fuel Cell Applications

AUTHOR: Mekelea Ashe (808000117)

SUPERVISOR: Dr. Harinder Pal Singh Missan

A fuel cell is a device that converts chemical energy into electrical energy using a

fuel such as hydrogen producing energy along with heat and water as by-products,

hence reducing pollutants and dependence on fossil fuels. Polymer electrolyte fuel

cells (PEMFC) are fuel cells which incorporate the use of a polymer proton

exchange membrane which allows proton conductivity from the anode to cathode.

The proton exchange membrane for a PEMFC was prepared with acid-base blend

polymer membranes to which an inorganic oxide was added. The synthesis of

acid-base blend proton-conducting polymer membrane prepared with poly

(vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropene) (PVDF-HFP), Oxalic acid and N,N

dimethylacetamide (DMA) incorporating either silicon dioxide (Si or titanium

(IV) oxide (Ti . The polymer electrolyte membranes synthesized were

characterized according to their morphology, thermal characteristics and proton

conductivity. Proton conductivity of the order of 10-4 was obtained for the

electrolytes prepared.



ABSTRACT No.: 621

TITLE: Investigating and calculating methanol cross-over for

various membranes in a direct methanol fuel cell

AUTHOR: Neil Dattadeen (808000229)


Methanol cross-over is a phenomenon that occurs when methanol is used as a fuel

in a fuel cell. Methanol cross-over occurs by two processes, diffusion, and

electro-osmotic drag. Diffusion occurs by the concentration gradient of the

methanol and electro-osmotic drag is caused when the protons are dragged across

the membrane by water molecules. Direct methanol fuel cells are attractive power

sources, however, methanol cross-over reduces their efficiency. One key aspect of

the fuel cell is the membrane which has been shown to reduce methanol cross-

over due to its structure. In this experiment various types of membranes are tested

for their effects on methanol cross-over. Membranes were placed in a simulated

fuel cell and tested for a period of 12-15 hours. To calculate the methanol cross-

over the carbon dioxide from both the anode and cathode was collected via

barium hydroxide and the barium carbonate precipitate was weighed.

Mathematical calculations were performed and the methanol cross-over was

determined for each of the membranes. Membranes that had low methanol cross-

over would be ideal for use in direct methanol fuel cells.



ABSTRACT No.: 622

TITLE: Development of Acid-base Ionic liquids as Proton

Conductors for Fuel Cell Applications.

AUTHOR: Steffi U. Hanuman (808011015)


In this research a Polymer Electrolyte Membrane (PEM) Fuel Cell was used. In a

fuel cell, the chemicals constantly flow into the cell so it never goes dead, as long

as there is a flow of chemicals into the cells, resulting in electricity flowing out.

One problem of the PEM fuel cell is the decomposition of the membranes. This

problem can be solved using an ionic liquid acid-base membrane. Ionic liquids are

salts that are liquid at low temperature. A series of acid- base ionic liquids were

derived by combining of the protonic acid with an organic base. Appropriate

amounts of solid acid (triflic acid/ methacrylic acid/ acrylic acid/ phosphoric acid/

urocanic acid) and solid imidazole (Im) were mixed at various mole ratios to have

compositions varying from an equimolar salt to acid-or –base rich conditions.

Similarly, for the solid acid (sulfoacetic acid) and solid 2methylimidazole were

mixed at various molar ratios. Cyclic voltammograms were obtained for the

various mole ratio of acid: base, ionic liquids and were analyzed to obtain their

properties.



ABSTRACT No.: 623

TITLE: Development of a novel dye-polymer electrolyte for a

dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC)

AUTHOR: Tushara Maharaj (808012169)


In recent times, the need for renewable sources of energy has become more and

more essential as the world’s crude supply runs low and the environment

deteriorates. Solar energy is one of these renewable energies that exhibit great

potential. The dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) is the device that utilizes this

renewable energy converting it into electrical energy via various electrochemical

processes. A major area of interest in DSSCs is that of its electrolyte which is

responsible for the cell’s conductivity and highly influences its overall

performance. As such, a novel dye-polymer electrolyte being a convenient

alternative to the usual liquid electrolytes used in DSSCs was developed. The use

of polymer electrolytes promises to improve cell integrity and performance

stability. A PS/dye/TiO2 electrolyte film showing conductivity of the order of 10-4

was studied morphologically using SEM and then utilized to complete a DSSC.

This DSSC was fabricated utilizing a Ruthenium dye-sensitized TiO2 photo-active

electrode and a carbon counter electrode with a 1cm2 active area. The cell was

then characterized in terms of fill factor (FF) and cell efficiency (η) under both

simulated and direct sunlight irradiation



ABSTRACT NO.: 624

TITLE: Development of a sodium ion solid state electrolyte for Supercapacitors

AUTHOR: Nikolai Assam-Paul (809002263)


Supercapacitors are devices that are gaining much attention as storage

devices as their development technology advances. New methods of fabrication

and materials have allowed for supercapacitors to obtain a higher power density

than that of rechargeable batteries and higher energy density than traditional

capacitors. This allows supercapacitors to be implemented in many applications

like electric vehicles. The three main types of supercapacitors are redox

supercapacitors, electric double layer capacitors (EDLCs) and a mixture of the

two. These types of supercapacitors could then be further categorized by the type

of electrolyte used as well as the electrodes. The electrolyte used is a solid state

polymer electrolyte thin film which is composed of sodium hydrogen sulfate

(NaHSO4) and polystyrene (PS). The conductivity of the electrolyte is found to be

of the order of 10-4 to 10-5 S/cm. This kind of conductivity is suitable for an

electrolyte in supercapacitors. The working voltage of the electrolyte is found

using steel electrodes and tested by cyclic voltammetry at a scan rate of 10 mV/s.

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