Engineering Commons^™

Extruded Aquafeeds Containing Distillers Dried Grains With Solubles: Effects On Extrudate Properties And Processing Behaviour, Kamal Mjoun, Kurt A. Rosentrater

Kurt A. Rosentrater

BACKGROUND: The tremendous supply and low cost of distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS) make it an attractive feedstuff for aquaculture diets. Also, several studies have shown that DDGS can be successfully fed to various finfish. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of inclusion rate of DDGS (0, 250, 500 g kg−1), feed moisture content (350, 450 g kg−1) and die opening area (die A = 18.85 mm2, die B = 3988.45 mm2) on the properties of the extrudates and on processing behaviour using a single-screw extruder.

RESULTS: Increasing the inclusion rate of DDGS resulted in …

The Economics And Logistics Of The Dual Harvest Of Grain And Biomass In A Single-Pass, Matthew T. Wold

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Significant interest has developed in using cellulosic resources, especially crop residues, to create biofuels. Collecting these residues in a single-pass of the harvester across the field has the potential to be a low cost option. Two models have been developed; the first characterizes the in-field logistics of single-pass crop residue collection, the second the economics. These models allow the user to easily examine a wide variety of both grain-only and single-pass residue collection harvest cases. A variety of possible residue collection cases have been examined, and their effects both on harvester field capacity and harvest cost compared to grain-only harvest …

Velocity Contour Weighting Method. Ii: Evaluation In Trapezoidal Channels And Roughness Sensitivity, Daniel Howes, Brett F. Sanders

BioResource and Agricultural Engineering

The Velocity Contour Weighting Method (VCWM) was developed in Part I to accurately estimate the cross-sectional average velocity of a prismatic channel flow using acoustic Doppler velocity meter (ADVM) measurements of centerline velocity. Here, the VCWM is validated by its successful application to 25 different concrete-lined trapezoidal channels used for irrigation water delivery. At each site, the cross-sectional distribution of velocity is measured by an acoustic Doppler velocimeter (ADV), which is moved horizontally and vertically through a sampling grid. Multiple tests at some sites led to a total of 51 sets of cross-sectional measurements. ADVM measurements are simulated by interpolating …

Velocity Contour Weighting Method. I: Algorithm Development And Laboratory Testing, Daniel J. Howes, Brett F. Sanders

BioResource and Agricultural Engineering

An algorithm is developed for real-time estimation of the cross-sectional average velocity of a channel flow by using an upward-looking pulsed wave acoustic Doppler velocity meters (ADVM). The Velocity Contour Weighting Method (VCWM) is applicable to gradually varied flows in prismatic channels and requires little to no calibration. VCWM estimates the average velocity as a weighted average of ADVM bin velocities. Weights are based on the velocity distribution sampled by the ADVM. Collectively, the VCWM is able to adapt to a wide range of channel geometry and roughness features. Expressions for the velocity weights are developed by first applying a …

Irrigation Engineering In Seismic Zones - Mexicali Valley, Mexico, Alan Dennis Gracia, Charles M. Burt, Mario Paredes Vallejo

BioResource and Agricultural Engineering

On April 4, 2010 an earthquake of Richter magnitude 7.2 occurred with an epicenter south of Mexicali within the irrigated zone of Mexicali Valley. Extensive damage occurred to main and lateral canal structures, plus to field irrigation systems and the main drainage network. This paper describes the engineering for a new major irrigation water conveyance system to service the most heavily impacted zone of 80,000 acres. Considerations included identification of the causes of the damage, selection of canal versus pipeline, relocation costs of people along new routes, and improved flexibility of water delivery. Major investigations regarding soils, topography, etc. were …

Agricultural Irrigation Using Municipal Effluent, Charles M. Burt

BioResource and Agricultural Engineering

The paper describes the development of a design and management plan for disposing of secondary effluent originating in the urban communities. It highlights the differences in approach that a public utility must take, versus a typical agricultural irrigation application. Costs and requirements for municipal effluent irrigation are many times greater. The complexity of regulations and agency procurement procedures relegates the actual irrigation system design to a relatively small role in the total project.

The Genome Portal Of The Department Of Energy Joint Genome Institute, Igor V. Grigoriev, Henrik Nordberg, Igor Shabalov, Andrea Aerts, Mike Cantor, David Goodstein, Alan Kuo, Simon Minovitsky, Roman Nikitin, Robin A. Ohm, Robert Otillar, Alex Poliakov, Igor Ratnere, Robert Riley, Tatyana Smirnova, Daniel Rokhsar, Inna Dubchak

US Department of Energy Publications

The Department of Energy (DOE) Joint Genome Institute (JGI) is a national user facility with massive-scale DNA sequencing and analysis capabilities dedicated to advancing genomics for bioenergy and environmental applications. Beyond generating tens of trillions of DNA bases annually, the Institute develops and maintains data management systems and specialized analytical capabilities to manage and interpret complex genomic data sets, and to enable an expanding community of users around the world to analyze these data in different contexts over the web. The JGI Genome Portal (http://genome.jgi.doe.gov) provides a unified access point to all JGI genomic databases and analytical tools. A user …

Determining Nutrient And Sediment Critical Source Areas With Swat: Effect Of Lumped Calibration, Ruoyu Wang

Ruoyu Wang

History Of The Biological Systems Engineering Program In Nebraska, University Of Nebraska-Lincoln, William E. Splinter

Tractor Testing Development and Research Documents

The Farm Machinery/Agricultural Engineering/Biological Systems Engineering program current and former faculty members at the University of Nebraska, as demonstrated here, has made a statewide, national, and worldwide impact on the efficient production of food. The quality of this recognition is evidenced best by peer professionals through recognized ASABE awards received by Nebraska alumni or professors. Since its inception in 1909 and until 2010, there have been 10 national presidents, 19 gold medal recipients and 33 named national award recipients. Currently there are 31 ASABE Fellows and two members of the National Academy of Engineering. This national recognition comes as a …

The Irrigation Sector Shift From Construction To Modernization: What Is Required For Success?, Charles M. Burt

BioResource and Agricultural Engineering

External pressures related to environmental protection, commodity prices, energy availability, larger populations, and climate change have combined to require an immediate and substantial improvement in agricultural irrigation performance. Worldwide progression towards modernized irrigation projects has been uneven and slower than desired, but decades of irrigation modernization development have clarified certain requirements for success, as well as illuminated indicators of project failure. Of particular importance are required shifts within the state and national irrigation bureaucracies, as well as universities.

High Ethanol Titers From Cellulose By Using Metabolically Engineered Thermophilic, Anaerobic Microbes, D. Aaron Argyros, Shital A. Tripathi, Trisha F. Barrett, Stephen R. Rogers, Lawrence F. Feinberg, Daniel G. Olson, Justin M. Foden, Bethany B. Miller, Lee R. Lynd, David A. Hogsett, Nicky C. Caiazza

Dartmouth Scholarship

This work describes novel genetic tools for use in Clostridium thermocellum that allow creation of unmarked mutations while using a replicating plasmid. The strategy employed counter-selections developed from the native C. thermocellum hpt gene and the Thermoanaerobacterium saccharolyticum tdk gene and was used to delete the genes for both lactate dehydrogenase (Ldh) and phosphotransacetylase (Pta). The Δldh Δpta mutant was evolved for 2,000 h, resulting in a stable strain with 40:1 ethanol selectivity and a 4.2-fold increase in ethanol yield over the wild-type strain. Ethanol production from cellulose was investigated with an engineered coculture of organic acid-deficient engineered strains of …

Stage-Dependent Transient Storage Of Phosphorus In Alluvial Floodplains, Derek M. Heeren, Garey A. Fox, Ronald B. Miller, Daniel E. Storm, Amanda K. Fox, Chad J. Penn, Todd Halihan, Aaron R. Mittelstet

Biological Systems Engineering: Papers and Publications

Models for contaminant transport in streams commonly idealize transient storage as a well-mixed but immobile system. These transient storage models capture rapid (near-stream) hyporheic storage and transport, but do not account for large-scale, stage-dependent interaction with the alluvial aquifer. The objective of this research was to document transient storage of phosphorus (P) in coarse gravel alluvium potentially influenced by large-scale, stage-dependent preferential flow pathways (PFPs). Long-term monitoring was performed at floodplain sites adjacent to the Barren Fork Creek and Honey Creek in northeastern Oklahoma. Based on results from subsurface electrical resistivity mapping which was correlated to hydraulic conductivity data, observation …

Bankfull Hydraulic Geometry Relationships For The Inner And Outer Bluegrass Regions Of Kentucky, Carmen Agouridis, Ruth Roseann Brockman, Stephen R. Workman, Lindell E. Ormsbee, Alex Fogle

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

Bankfull hydraulic geometry relationships relate bankfull stream dimensions, such as cross-sectional area, width, mean depth, mean velocity, width to depth ratio, and slope to bankfull discharge. These relationships can assist in determining a design discharge for stream restoration and management projects. This study assessed 27 stable streams located in the Inner Bluegrass and Outer Bluegrass regions of Kentucky. Reaches were selected based on the presence of a U.S. Geological Survey gage, as well as other conditions such as presence of readily identifiable bankfull indicators, stability indices, and site accessibility. Bankfull channel dimensions and discharges were determined, and hydraulic geometry relationships …

A Light Transmission Model For Biological Materials, R. A. Cavaletto, Shrinivasa Upadhyaya, Michael O'Brien

Richard Cavaletto

This paper describes a model to predict light transmission in biological materials. The model can be used for any shaped sample. Scattering and absorption coefficients are used in the model and may be varied throughout the sample, thus allowing both uniformly distributed and concentrated defects to be modelled.

Evaluation Of Two Models For Light Transmission In Biological Materials, R. A. Cavaletto, S. Upadhyaya, M. O'Brien, T. Cahill

Richard Cavaletto

Two light transmission models for biological materials are developed and evaluated. The energy balance model showed promise. It's developed as a 3 coefficient model permitting varied sample absorption and scattering properties. The second model performed unsatisfactorily.

Method For Stemming Tomatoes, Henry F. Studer, R. A. Cavaletto, Gene Giacomelli

Richard Cavaletto

Method and apparatus for de-stemming picked tomatoes. Each tomato is introduced into the upper end of a generally vertically disposed, open-ended, resilient, open-mesh fabric tube, a substantial portion of which approximates but is larger than the diameter of the tomato. The stem penetrates into and through the open mesh at some point, the open areas being somewhat larger than the stem, while the tomato continues to fall, thereby exerting a bending moment on the stem that snaps the stem from the fruit. The tomato, free from its stem, is discharged from a lower end of the tube.

Spray Drift Reduction With Shrouded Boom Sprayers, Ronald J. Fehringer, Richard Cavaletto

Richard Cavaletto

Downwind drift was measured from a standard boom sprayer and a shrouded boom sprayer. Using 8002 flat fan nozzles, the hooded sprayer provided a 180 to 275% reduction in drift. The effectiveness of the shroud is dependent upon the spray droplet spectrum.

Evaluating Strength & Energy Requirements For Workers Picking Vegetables, R. A. Cavaletto, J. Miles, J. Meyers, J. Mehlschau

Richard Cavaletto

The paper discusses the need to obtain field data to evaluate the strength and energy requirements for workers picking a variety of vegetables. This information is central to the evaluation of hazards related to repetitive motion, excessive stress, and fatigue. Results can be used to select activities which should be targeted for future engineering design projects. Preliminary data from a commercial broccoli harvesting operation is included.

Guarding Of Table Saws With Light Beams: The Light Guard Concept, R. A. Cavaletto, M. S. Kaminaka, C. M. Zahner

Richard Cavaletto

This paper describes a unique type of psychological safety guard for hazardous tools such as table saws, presses. and other tools with areas and components which are dangerous to human fingers, hands, and limbs. It is not a piece of hardware but rather a shalt of light which defines a danger zone around the saw blade or cutting area.

Development Of Barnyard Millet Puffed Product Using Hot Air Puffing And Optimization Of Process Parameters, Raghunath Vyankatrao Jaybhaye, Dinesh Nandkumar Kshirsagar, Premprakash Srivastav

Raghunath Vyankatrao Jaybhaye

Abstract A ready-to-eat (RTE) puffed product was developed from barnyard millet using high temperature short time (HTST) puffing process. Cold extruded dough sheet pieces prepared from barnyard millet flour, potato mash and tapioca powder in the proportion 60:37:3 were steam cooked and then puffed in hot air puffing setup. The effect of process parameters viz. steaming pressure (SP), steaming time (St), hot air temperature (AT) and puffing time (Pt) on the product quality was investigated by conducting experiments using the central composite rotatable design (CCRD). Linear and quadratic models were developed using response surface methodology (RSM) to study the synergy …

Bioenergy Feedstock-Specific Enrichment Of Microbial Populations During High-Solids Thermophilic Deconstruction, Amitha P. Reddy, Martin Allgaier, Steven W. Singer, Terry C. Hazen, Blake A. Simmons, Philip Hugenholtz, Jean S. Vandergheynst

US Department of Energy Publications

Thermophilic microbial communities that are active in a high-solids environment offer great potential for the discovery of industrially relevant enzymes that efficiently deconstruct bioenergy feedstocks. In this study, finished green waste compost was used as an inoculum source to enrich microbial communities and associated enzymes that hydrolyze cellulose and hemicellulose during thermophilic high-solids fermentation of the bioenergy feedstocks switchgrass and corn stover. Methods involving the disruption of enzyme and plant cell wall polysaccharide interactions were developed to recover xylanase and endoglucanase activity from deconstructed solids. Xylanase and endoglucanase activity increased by more than a factor of 5, upon four successive …

Effects Of Sprinkler, Partial Sprinkler/Drip, And Drip Only Irrigation On Strawberry Transplants 2010-2011, Stuart Styles

BioResource and Agricultural Engineering

The purpose of the project is to develop an analysis of the current irrigation practices of the strawberry growers on the Central Coast of California. The primary research evaluation is during the establishment of transplants where sprinklers are typically used even though drip irrigation is available. Growers have been selected from Oxnard, Santa Maria, and Watsonville to provide a good cross section of the different strawberry growing areas.

The specific objectives of the project are to: (1) set up a research areas and control plots on a demonstration scale, (2) determine the key factors that affect the problems in early …

Design, Construction And Evaluation Of Seven Shank, Three Point Ripper, Daniel Degraaf

BioResource and Agricultural Engineering

This senior project discusses the design, construction, and testing of a seven shank, three point ripper built for de Graaf Ranch. This ripper will replace older equipment that was not built to withstand the horsepower developed by more modern tractors that are used by de Graaf Ranch. This tillage device is designed to meet ASABE standards for horsepower requirements of farm equipment. This implement incorporates a shear pin design that will protect the frame from damage in the event that the ripper encounters a subsoil obstacle that would significantly damage the equipment. The shank was designed to reduce the disturbance …

Artificial Neural Network Modeling Of Ddgs Flowability With Varying Process And Storage Parameters, Rumela Bhadra, K. Muthukumarappan, Kurt A. Rosentrater

Kurt A. Rosentrater

Neural Network (NN) modeling techniques were used to predict flowability behavior of distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS) prepared with varying condensed distillers soluble (10, 15, and 20%, wb), drying temperature (100, 200, and 300°C), cooling temperature (-12, 0, and 35°C) and cooling time (0 and 1 month) levels. Response variables were selected based on our previous research results, and included aerated bulk density, Hausner Ratio, angle of repose, Total Flowability Index, and Jenike Flow Function. Various neural network models were developed using multiple input variables in order to predict single response variables or multiple response variables simultaneously. The NN …

Effects Of Conditioner Steam, Extruder Water And Screw Speed On Physical Properties Of Ddgs-Based Extrudates In Twin-Screw Extrusion, Parisa Fallahi, Kurt A. Rosentrater, Kasiviswanathan Muthukumarappan, Mehmet Tulbek

Kurt A. Rosentrater

A fractional factorial design with a replicated central composite point was used to investigate the effects of extrusion processing on physical properties of DDGS–based aquafeeds using a twin screw extruder. Extrusion cooking trials were performed using an ingredient blend for Nile tilapia, with 2 levels of screw speed (350 and 450 rpm), 2 levels of extruder water (0.236 and 0.302 kg/min) and 2 levels of conditioner steam (0.1 and 0.15 kg/min). The central point was 400 rpm screw speed, 0.271 kg/min extruder water, and 0.12 kg/min conditioner steam. Effects of these processing conditions on extrudate characteristics were extensively analyzed, and …

Quantification Of Physical And Chemical Properties, And Identification Of Potentially Valuable Components From Fuel Ethanol Process Streams, Christine Wood, Kurt A. Rosentrater, Zhengrong Gu, Kasiviswanathan Muthukumarappan

Kurt A. Rosentrater

Wider exploration of ethanol coproducts is required as the ethanol industry continues to expand. Currently, process streams such as thin stillage and condensed distillers solubles (CDS) are processed into DDGS and used as animal feeds, but other higher value opportunities may exist. The objective of this study was to identify chemical components in CDS and thin stillage and to quantify physical properties. Analysis of protein, organic acid, and sugar profiles was explored. Physical properties including density, thermal conductivity, thermal diffusivity, and moisture were also examined. CDS had an average density of 1.02 g/cm 3 , while thin stillage had 1.08 …

Single-Screw Extrusion Modeling Effects On Extrusion Processing Parameters And Physical Properties Of Ddgs-Based Nile Tilapia ( Oreochromis Niloticus ) Feeds, Ferouz Y. Ayadi, Parisa Fallahi, Kurt A. Rosentrater, Kasiviswanathan Muthukumarappan

Kurt A. Rosentrater

A single-screw laboratory extruder was used to conduct an L 18 (2 2 X 3 6 ) Taguchi fractional factorial study of aquafeed processing. The ingredients were based on a formulation for nutritionally-balanced Nile tilapia diets containing distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS) and soybean meal as the main protein sources, in addition to constant amounts of corn flour, whey, and fish meal. The effects of three levels of DDGS (20, 30 and 40%), soybean meal (30, 40 and 50%), ingredient moisture content (20, 30 and 40% db), screw speed (100, 150 and 200 rpm), barrel temperatures (80-100-100°C, 80-120-120°C and …

Using Alternative Flours As Partial Replacement In Barbari Bread (Traditional Iranian Bread) Formulation, Shirin Pourafshar, Padmanaban G. Krishnan, Kurt A. Rosentrater

Kurt A. Rosentrater

Since cereals and cereal-based products are a cheap source of energy, they are highly consumed in all of countries. Wheat is the major cereal, consumed in different food products, especially bread. Today, whole wheat flour is being consumed in most of the breads because of its nutrient components but still different problems are associated with this flour, such as allergies and loss of nutrient components due to milling and refining. Thus, to find different sources to fortify products made with wheat flour as their major ingredient, especially bread is important. In this study, five different flours (20% of each flour …

Overview Of Corn-Based Fuel Ethanol Coproducts: Production And Use, Kurt A. Rosentrater

Kurt A. Rosentrater

Modern societies face many challenges, including growing populations, increased demands for food, clothing, housing, consumer goods, and the raw materials required to produce all of these. Additionally, there is a growing need for energy, which is most easily met by use of fossil fuels (e.g., coal, natural gas, petroleum). For example, in 2008, the overall U.S. demand for energy was 99.3 x 1015 Btu (1.05 x 1014 MJ); 84% of this was supplied by fossil sources. Transportation fuels accounted for 28% of all energy consumed during this time, and nearly 97% of this came from fossil sources. Domestic production of …

Extrusion And Alkali Extrusion Of Corn Stover To Improve Enzyme Saccharification, Shujing Zhang

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Biomass pretreatment constitutes an important part in the whole process of bioethanol production. The main goals of pretreatment include improving cellulose accessibility to enzyme, enhancing sugar yields from hemicellulose, achieving low capital and energy costs, as well as low sugar degradation and low chemical requirements. Extrusion, as a continuous and high throughput pretreatment method, requires much less chemical compared to traditional alkali pretreatment. In this research, twin-screw extrusion was evaluated for its effect with regard to promoting sugar yields from corn stover. Also, the underlying factors contributing to this improvement were examined. It was found that extrusion with no chemicals …