Digital Commons Network^™

Evaluation And Forecast Of Energy Consumption In Different Sectors Of The United States Using Artificial Neural Networks, Arash Kialashaki

Theses and Dissertations

The United States is a country which consumes a vast amount of energy. In order to keep the development of the United States sustainable (diverse and productive over the time) energy planning should be carried out comprehensively and precisely. This dissertation presents a specific mathematical modeling approach towards energy demand modeling of the United States and forecast future energy demand. To generate more detailed and accurate results, this dissertation investigates the energy demand of each sector separately using the analysis of trend for unique set of independent parameters which affect the energy demand in that sector.

In solving a forecast …

Molecular Dynamics (Md) Study On The Electrochemical Properties Of Electrolytes In Lithium-Ion Battery (Lib) Applications, Negin Salami

Theses and Dissertations

While the high energy density and the power along with longer cycle life and less requirements of maintenance distinguish the rechargeable lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) from other energy storage devices, development of an electrolyte of LIBs with optimized properties still constitutes a challenge towards next-generation LIB systems with robust electrochemical performance. The electrolytes serve as the medium to provide ionic conduction path between the electrodes as their basic function. Conductivity of the solutions are mainly affected by their transport properties and the electrolyte electrode/separator interfacial phenomena. Although many contributions on thermodynamic properties of the electrolytes consist of alkyl carbonates mixed with …

A Decision Support System To Analyze, Predict, And Evaluate Solar Energy System Performance: Pvsysco (Photovoltaic System Comparison), Lisa Bosman

Theses and Dissertations

In 2010, the U.S. Department of Energy announced the SunShot Initiative, which aims to reduce the total installation cost of solar technologies by 75% between 2010 and 2020. This implies that solar energy is a top priority in the U.S. and many other countries. The purpose of this dissertation research is focused on creating a model to better understand the performance and reliability of photovoltaic (PV) energy systems over time. The model will be used to analyze, predict, and evaluate the performance of PV systems, taking into consideration technological and geographical location attributes. The overall research goal is to build …

Urban River Restoration And Environmental Justice: Addressing Flood Risk Along Milwaukee's Kinnickinnic River, Nicholas Joel Schuelke

Theses and Dissertations

Flood risk has only recently received attention in environmental justice research. Few `flood justice' studies in the US have focused on urban inland flooding or flood control efforts. I develop a conceptual framework of a paradigm shift from a technocratic, utilitarian approach to river engineering to that of bioengineering and public participation. Qualitative analysis of a combination of archival, interview, and observational data is conducted using the Kinnickinnic River in Milwaukee as a case study. I demonstrate that the channelization of the river in the early 1960s was largely the result of political pressures following significant flood events, rather than …

Evaluation Of Alternative Culling Strategies For Maintenance Of Genetic Variaton In Bison (Bison Bison), Rachael Marie Toldness

Theses and Dissertations

Bison (Bison bison) once numbered in the millions and roamed across much of the lower 48 states. By the late 1800s, overhunting had reduced the population to around 1,000 individuals. Strong efforts to establish managed herds have resulted in a steady bison population increase. Currently, six herds are maintained by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) at National Wildlife Refuges (NWRs) and are intensively managed through annual culling to keep herd size at targeted levels. Although various criteria have historically been used to select individuals for culling, the FWS currently employs an allele frequency based strategy that we have …

The Occurrence, Fate, Environmental Impact, And Management Implications Of Pharmaceutical And Personal Care Products In Wastewater And The Environment, Benjamin Donald Blair

Theses and Dissertations

Pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) are a critical part of modern life. However, there is growing evidence that the levels of PPCPs detected in wastewater effluent and in the environment have the potential to cause damage to aquatic organisms. These pollutants enter the aquatic environment primarily through human use, disposal in the drain or toilet, land application of biosolids, and veterinary sources. Numerous questions remain regarding the occurrence, fate, and impacts of PPCPs in wastewater, along with limited feasible management recommendations that would adequately mitigate the risk from these pollutants. This dissertation will present three advances in the field …

Impacts Of Spatial, Environmental, And Compositional Differences On Community-Level Flowering Phenology, Isaac William Park

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation investigates three important topics related to flowering phenology throughout the United States. First, this work evaluates the utility of herbarium records for estimating historical variation in community-level flowering phenology, and evaluate the relationship of such estimates to satellite-derived greenup timing at regional scales. This dissertation then reconstructs historical variations in flowering phenology throughout the spring, summer, and autumn across South Carolina for the years 1951 through 2009. These estimates will then be compared to seasonal temperature variations throughout this period. Finally, this dissertation develops novel herbarium-based methods to separate intraspecific phenological variations over space from changes in flowering …

Tap Versus Bottle: A Mixed Methods Analysis Of Public Water Supply And The Bottled Water Industry In The United States, Catherine Simons

Theses and Dissertations

Discrepancies exist between the regulation of public tap water by the EPA and bottled water by the FDA. The Safe Drinking Water Act mandates the EPA to set national contaminant standards for drinking water as well as regulations to ensure source water protection, treatment, monitoring, compliance, enforcement, waste water, and public access to water quality information. Bottled water is subject to a differing mandate. As a food product regulated by the FDA, bottled water is required to comply with FDA food regulations as well as specific bottled water regulation regarding standards of identity, quality and cGMP. As a result of …

Three Essays On The Role Of It In Environmental Sustainability: Motivating Individuals To Use Green It, Enhancing Their User Experience, And Promoting Electricity Conservation, Abdullah Al Bizri

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation focuses on the role of IT in environmental sustainability and electricity conservation through three research essays. The first essay makes a case for behavior research, with the focus on individuals' use of Green IT. Moreover, environmental studies lack a coherent theory that could identify the motivators of Green-IT beliefs. We develop the hedonic motivation theory, which synthesizes theoretical and philosophical thoughts on hedonism with concepts from environmental research. Using this theory, we develop a conceptual model that identifies the motivators of context-specific beliefs, attitudes, and uses of Green IT. We theorize that there are significant generational differences in …

A Mathematical Model Of Moisture Movement And Bacterial Growth In Two-Dimensional Porous Medium, Rachel Elizabeth Tewinkel

Theses and Dissertations

Bacterial growth in sand is of concern in regard to the health of beaches. A mathematical model is presented that represents the movement of moisture and the growth of bacteria through a beach. Simulations were run by numerically solving Richards Equation using a Finite Volume Method in order to track moisture movement. A model of moisture-dependent bacterial growth was then implemented. These simulations show that elevated bacteria counts following rain events do not necessarily result from bacteria in the body of water, but can also be sourced from the sand. Additionally, four different moisture-dependent bacterial growth models are compared to …