Bioresource and Agricultural Engineering Commons^™

Design And Use Of An Adjustable Clearance Flailing Knife Biomass Shredder To Mechanically Increase Particle Surface Area, Shawn Gregory Ehlers

Open Access Theses

A flailing knife shredder was designed and tested as an alternative to a hammermill for processing biomass. The machine was comprised of two cylinders with four rungs, each with five free-swinging blades. Each of the two cylinders had adjustable clearance hoods and variable speed drives. Energy usage, output characteristics and device capacities were compared with corn stover processed at moisture contents (MC) of 10%, 35% and 50% wet basis (WB). The hammermill produced a more uniform particle size distribution in comparison to the shredder. Accessibility, indicated by conductivity index, to plant constituents, revealed that the method of treatment was not-significant …

Techno-Economic And Fluid Dynamics Analysis For Growing Microalgae With The Intent Of Producing Biofuel Using A System Model, Leah R. Raffaeli

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Techno-economic and systems studies on microalgal growth scenarios to date are abbreviated and missing a number of important variables. By including these variables in a detailed model integrating biology, chemistry, engineering, and financial aspects, a more defined systems analysis is possible. Through optimizing the model productivity based on the resulting net profit, the system analysis results in a more accurate assessment of environmental and economic sustainability of specific algal growth scenarios. Photobioreactor algal growth scenario optimization in the system model has resulted in realistic engineering design requirements based on algal growth requirements and fluid dynamics analysis. Results show feasibility for …

The John Zink Hamworthy Combustion Handbook, 2nd Edition, Volume 1: Fundamentals, Edited By Charles E. Baukal, Jr., Crc Press, Boca Raton, Fl, 2013., Payal A. Chandan

Coal Combustion and Gasification Products Journal Archive

No abstract provided.

Pipeline And Canal Downstream Control System For Recirculation - Patterson Id Case Study, John Sweigard, Charles M. Burt, Peter Rietkerk

BioResource and Agricultural Engineering

Patterson ID in Central California has five long, along-the-contour lateral canals that flow northward from a main canal. The main canal operates on downstream control, providing excellent flexibility to heads of the laterals. The lateral canals operate with manual upstream control and have little storage. The classic tail-ender problem existed; spill from the tail end was necessary to avoid under-supplying tail-end customers.

To eliminate the spill and to provide better flexibility, a system was designed and constructed to tie the ends of the five laterals together with pipes and pumps, with one central regulating reservoir. The automatic control system allows …

Evapotranspiration And Surface Energy Balance Of A Common Reed-Dominated Riparian System In The Platte River Basin, Central Nebraska, Isa Kabenge, Suat Irmak, John E. Gilley, George E. Meyer, Stevan Z. Knezevic, Timothy J. Arkebauer, Duane Woodward, Milton Moravek

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Quantifying actual evapotranspiration (ET_a) of riparian zones is important for more robust water balance analyses that will enable better planning, managing, and allocating of water resources as well as developing strategies to protect delicate riparian ecosystem functions. The ET_a, sensible heat flux (H), net radiation (R_n), soil heat flux (G), meteorological variables (air temperature, T_a; incoming shortwave radiation, R_s; wind speed, u₃; relative humidity, RH; vapor pressure deficit, VPD; precipitation, etc.), and albedo were measured on an hourly time step, and leaf area index (LAI) and plant height …

Structure And Properties Of Cocoons And Silk Fibers Produced By Attacus Atlas, Narendra Reddy, Yi Zhao, Yiqi Yang

Department of Textiles, Merchandising and Fashion Design: Faculty Publications

Silk fibers in the three layers of Attacus atlas (A. atlas) cocoons have morphological structure and tensile properties similar to that of Bombyx mori silk. Attempts are being made to produce silk for commercial applications from cocoons of relatively unknown wild insects due to the unique properties of the fibers and as a source of income and employment. In this research, A. atlas cocoons were used to study the chemical composition, morphology, physical structure and tensile properties of the silk fibers in the cocoons and ability of the fibers to support the attachment and proliferation of mouse fibroblast cells. It …

Location Of Cerium In Coal-Combustion Fly Ashes: Implications For Recovery Of Lanthanides, James C. Hower, John G. Groppo, Prakash Joshi, Shifeng Dai, David P. Moecher, Michelle N. Johnston

Coal Combustion and Gasification Products Journal Archive

Given the worldwide demand for rare earth elements (REEs) in modern electronics, all potential sources of the REEs should be investigated. Coal-combustion fly ash represents a potential source of REEs. Fly ashes, derived from the combustion of coals from Kentucky in the United States and Jungar in China, were examined by wavelength-dispersive spectrometry electron microprobe analysis of epoxy-bound polished pellets. From previous studies, it was known that the REEs did not show any enrichment relative to flue gas temperature at the point of collection or to the particle size, that is, external surface area, of the particles. Cerium, the most …

Chemical Partitioning And Mobility Of Trace Elements In Dry Disposed Weathered Ash Conditioned With High-Saline Effluents, S.A. Akinyemi, A. Akinlua, W.M. Gitari, R.O. Akinyeye, L.F. Petrik

Coal Combustion and Gasification Products Journal Archive

Weinvestigated the mobility of inorganic elements in the ash dump due to chemical interaction of weathered dry disposed ash conditioned with high-saline effluents and ingressed CO2 from atmosphere and percolating rainwater. Drilled ash core samples collected from dry disposed ash dump at a South African coal-burning power station were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analyses. A modified sequential extraction procedure was selected to determine the mineralogical association of the investigated elements in the 1-year-old drilled ash cores. Major mineral phases are quartz and mullite and other minor phases included hematite, lime, calcite, anorthite, mica, and enstatite. …

Effects Of Coal Combustion By-Product–Encapsulated Ammonium Nitrate On Wheat Yield And Uptake Of Nitrogen And Metals, Eton E. Codling

Coal Combustion and Gasification Products Journal Archive

Ammonium nitrate (AN) is an essential plant nutrient for plant growth. Ammonium nitrate is also an ingredient in explosives. Research is being conducted on reducing the explosiveness of AN by encapsulating it with the use of coal by-products. The objective of this greenhouse pot study was to determine the effects of class C and F fly ash and flue gas desulfurization-gypsum-encapsulated AN on biomass, grain, and straw yield and nitrogen and metals uptake by wheat. Encapsulated AN was mixed with a low-nitrogen soil at 56 and 112 kg N ha^-1^, as well as unencapsulated AN as a control, and planted …

Geotechnical Characterization Of Clinker-Stabilized Fly Ash–Coal Mine Overburden Mixes For Subbase Of Mine Haul Road, Soumya Ranjan Mallick, Manoj Kumar Mishra

Coal Combustion and Gasification Products Journal Archive

Fly ash is a major by-product of thermal power plants that adversely affects land, water, and air. Its gainful utilization in many areas is being continuously explored. Use of fly ash in opencast coal mine haul road construction is one such option. This article reports detailed laboratory investigations carried out on clinker-stabilized fly ash–mine overburden mixes to evaluate their suitability for subbase of mine haul roads. Composite materials were prepared from fly ash, mine overburden, and clinker at different proportions. Proctor compaction test, unconfined compressive strength (UCS), and ultrasonic pulse velocity tests were carried out at different curing periods. UCS …

Increases In Rops Pricing From 2006-2012 And The Impact On Rops Demand, Julie A. Sorensen, Paul L. Jenkins, Barbara Bayes, Erin Madden, Mark Purschwitz, John J. May

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

In 2006, a social marketing campaign was developed to increase the installation of rollover protective structures (ROPS) on unprotected New York tractors. Using data gathered from the program's hotline, the impact of price increases on farmers' interest in ROPS is examined. Pricing data were obtained for all rigid ROPS kits commercially available in the U.S. since 2006. These data were stratified into two groups of ROPS suppliers: (1) tractor manufacturers that sell ROPS for their own tractors, referred to in this study as original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), and (2) aftermarket (AM) ROPS suppliers. The trend in price increases was contrasted …

Development Of A Semi-Automated Tobacco Stripping Machine Utilizing String Trimmers, Robert George Sperry, John H. Wilhoit, George A. Duncan

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

Conventional stripping of burley tobacco is labor intensive and typically requires 50 to 75 worker hours per acre (wkr•h/acre). The goal of the project was to reduce labor by optimizing leaf removal by string trimmer heads using combinations of strings lengths and motor speeds. In tests conducted on a single grade, all leaves outside the grade were removed by hand. Plants were run through the machine for string lengths of 13, 18, and 23 cm (5, 7, and 9 in.) and associated motor speeds which were monitored and recorded. Stripping efficiencies were calculated for each plant and collectively for each …

Designing Contour Weep Berms To Reduce Agricultural Nonpoint Source Pollution, Richard C. Warner, Carmen T. Agouridis, Ross L. Guffey

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

Nonpoint source pollution (NPS) of surface waters is a significant issue in agricultural lands, and best management practices (BMPs) are often used to reduce these impacts. Since the effectiveness of a BMP depends on a large number of widely varying factors, it is important to continue to develop BMPs in order to provide designers with more tools to use to maximize NPS removal. The contour weep berm is a new structural BMP constructed out of earth and subsequently vegetated. It is a linear BMP that is used in combination with a down-gradient vegetated filter strip or forested riparian buffer. Preliminary …

Influence Of Flue Gas Components On The Growth Rate Of Chlorella Vulgaris And Scenedesmus Acutus, Czarena Crofcheck, Aubrey Shea, Michael D. Montross, Mark Crocker, Rodney Andrews

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

Atmospheric carbon dioxide levels have increased since the industrial revolution due to the increase in combustion of fossil fuels. One possible alternative strategy is the use of microalgae for CO₂ capture and recycling. Major components in coal-derived flue gas that may accumulate and effect algae growth include both sulfur oxides and fly ash. However, in practical application, sulfur oxides will be converted quickly to the acid product (H₂SO₄) in the aerobic aqueous conditions of algae cultivation. In this article, the influence of elevated H₂SO₄ levels and the presence of coal-derived fly ash …

A Correlation-Based Optical Flowmeter For Enclosed Flows, Naiqian Zhang, Joseph S. Dvorak, Yali Zhang

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

A low-cost flowmeter would be very useful in a wide variety of monitoring situations. This article discusses the development of such a flowmeter based on optical components and its testing with water in an enclosed flow system. The sensor consisted of two sets of LEDs and phototransistors spaced 4 cm apart, monitoring the optical properties of the fluid at upstream and downstream locations, respectively. A small amount of dye was injected into the flow, which caused a change in the optical properties of the fluid at both locations. The time required for this change to move from the upstream to …

Variability Of Extreme Precipitation In Coastal River Basins Of The Southern Mexican Pacific Region, Nancy Perez-Morga, Thomas Kretzschmar, Tereza Cavazos, Stephen V. Smith, Francisco Munoz-Arriola

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Extreme wet and dry years (± 1 standard deviation, respectively), as well as the top 95 percentile (P95) of daily precipitation events, derived from tropical cyclone (TC) and nontropical cyclone (NTC) rainfall, were analyzed in coastal river basins in Southern Oaxaca, Mexico (Río Verde, Río Tehuantepec, and the Southern Coast). The study is based on daily precipitation records from 47 quality-controlled stations for the 1961 to 1990 period and TC data for the Eastern Tropical Pacific (EPAC). The aim of this study was to evaluate extreme (dry and wet) trends in the annual contribution of daily P95 precipitation events and …

2013-2014 Kentucky & Tennessee Tobacco Production Guide, Kenneth W. Seebold, Robert C. Pearce, William A. Bailey, Lowell P. Bush, Jonathan D. Green, Robert D. Miller, Laura A. Powers, William M. Snell, Lee H. Townsend, Mark Purschwitz, Larry G. Wells, John H. Wilhoit, Margarita Velandia, Steve Bost, Gene Burgess, Frank Hale, Darrell Hensley, Paul Denton, Neil Rhodes

Agriculture and Natural Resources Publications

Tobacco growers in Kentucky and Tennessee have faced many challenges during the past two years, including weather, labor availability, and rising production costs. However, there have been opportunities as well. Some buying stations have closed or moved, but new buyers have come into the market and contract volumes have been stable overall. Good quality burley tobacco is in relatively short supply, and this has offered opportunities to those who have been able to overcome weather and labor challenges and produce good crops. These changes have had different impacts in different regions of both states, based largely on where buying stations …

A Note On The Occurrence Of Yttrium And Rare Earth Elements In Coal Combustion Products, James C. Hower, Shifeng Dai, Vladimir V. Seredin, Lei Zhao, Irena J. Kostova, Luis F.O. Silva, Sarah M. Mardon, Gulbin Gurdal

Coal Combustion and Gasification Products Journal Archive

There is an international need for a variety of lanthanide elements (rare earth elements, or REEs) in modern electronic and related components. This has led to a desire to broaden production from both previously productive locations and to expand production to new sources, possibly including coal-derived fly ash. The concentration of lanthanides in coal-combustion fly ash depends on a number of factors, one of the most important being the concentration of the elements in the feed coal. Unlike some elements, such as Zn and As, the REE concentration is largely not a function of element volatility. In this study, we …

Fouling Intensity Of Three Indian Coals, S. Balakrishnan, R. Nagarajan

Coal Combustion and Gasification Products Journal Archive

Ash particles can arrive at heat-transfer surfaces either in solid (solidified) state or in molten state, depending on the factors such as location inside the boiler, temperature, and residence time. In this study, arrival of ash particles in solid state, which can occur in the convective section of the boiler, was considered. Apart from the inertial force that drives particles .10 mmto the surface, the low-melting inorganic alkali vapors play a vital role in deposit formation by promoting sticking. Chemical equilibrium calculations were performed to calculate the equilibrium composition of flue gas, as well as the amount of condensable inorganic …

Effect Of Anaerobic Dairy Manure Co-Digestion And Effluent Solid Separation On Volatile Fatty Acids During Manure Storage, Laura Page

Open Access Theses

Volatile fatty acids (VFA) are among the most abundant organic compounds found in animal manure and act as important intermediates in the production of methane under anaerobic digestion (AD). However, VFA also contribute to odor emissions from manure. Anaerobic digestion and separation of solids may help to reduce odor pollution during manure storage and subsequent land application by reducing VFA concentrations.

Little information about the characteristics and concentrations of VFA in dairy manure related to AD is available. This thesis presents the results of VFA production during two three-month storage studies of dairy manure collected from four different sources on …