Calibration Procedure For Fuel Flow Meters At The Nebraska Tractor Test Lab,
2016
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Calibration Procedure For Fuel Flow Meters At The Nebraska Tractor Test Lab, Michael F. Kocher, Matthew T. Wold, Roger M. Hoy, Austin Lammers, Erin E. Blankenship
Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications
Reports in the literature indicated several factors that can influence the accuracy of Coriolis Effect mass flow meters. A Coriolis Effect mass flow meter is used to verify tractor manufacturer’s fuel consumption claims at the Nebraska Tractor Test Laboratory (NTTL). The accuracy requirement placed on the flow meter by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in the Code 2 tractor performance test procedure is not clear, but in the most conservative interpretation is ±0.5% of each flow rate measured. Results showed a dynamic weighing calibration method was not accurate enough to obtain a calibration of the flow meter …
Preliminary Investigation Into The Rate Of Carbonation Of Concrete Blocks Under Normal Production Yard Conditions,
2016
Technological University Dublin
Preliminary Investigation Into The Rate Of Carbonation Of Concrete Blocks Under Normal Production Yard Conditions, Aimee Byrne, Eanna Nolan
Conference papers
The release of CO2 from calcination during the manufacture of cement can be partially or fully offset by the CO2 it naturally absorbs during its lifetime. This paper reports results from a preliminary investigation into the rate of carbonation in concrete blocks stacked in a production yard over a period of 6 months. The blocks were stacked in a normal manner under natural exposure conditions. Carbonation progress was determined by splitting the blocks and spraying the freshly exposed surface with a phenolphthalein solution at intervals over the test period. It was found that the rate of the carbonation front progression …
Long-Term Patterns Of Air Temperatures, Daily Temperature Range, Precipitation, Grass-Reference Evapotranspiration And Aridity Index In The Usa Great Plains: Part I. Spatial Trends,
2016
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Long-Term Patterns Of Air Temperatures, Daily Temperature Range, Precipitation, Grass-Reference Evapotranspiration And Aridity Index In The Usa Great Plains: Part I. Spatial Trends, Meetpal S. Kukal, Suat Irmak
Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications
Due to their substantial spatio-temporal behavior, long-term quantification and analyses of important hydrological variables are essential for practical applications in water resources planning, evaluating the water use of agricultural crop production and quantifying crop evapotranspiration patterns and irrigation management vs. hydrologic balance relationships. Observed data at over 800 sites across the Great Plains of USA, comprising of 9 states and 2,307,410 km2 of surface area, which is about 30% of the terrestrial area of the USA, were used to quantify and map large-scale and long-term (1968-2013) spatial trends of air temperatures, daily temperature range (DTR), precipitation, grass-reference evapotranspiration (ET …
A Generalized Spatial Measure For
Resilience Of Microbial Systems,
2016
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
A Generalized Spatial Measure For Resilience Of Microbial Systems, Ryan S. Renslow, Stephen R. Lindemann, Hyun-Seob Song
Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications
The emergent property of resilience is the ability of a system to return to an original state after a disturbance. Resilience may be used as an early warning system for significant or irreversible community transition; that is, a community with diminishing or low resilience may be close to catastrophic shift in function or an irreversible collapse. Typically, resilience is quantified using recovery time, which may be difficult or impossible to directly measure in microbial systems. A recent study in the literature showed that under certain conditions, a set of spatial-based metrics termed recovery length, can be correlated to recovery time, …
The Next Billion: Lessons In Off-Grid Electricity Development From The Global South,
2016
University of Montana
The Next Billion: Lessons In Off-Grid Electricity Development From The Global South, Peter Mcdonough
Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers
Today about a third of the world’s population has no access to electricity, and another third has only limited access. Driven by the push for development on one hand and the reality of climate change on the other, a combination of for-profit companies, NGOs, missions, and aid organizations is looking for the silver bullet to sustainable electricity development. In order to understand the challenges facing off-grid electricity projects I used recent literature in the form of peer-reviewed journals, agency reports, news articles, and technical documents; stakeholder interviews; and on-site observations in selected case studies in Nepal, India, and Tanzania. In …
Control Architecture For Multi-Robot System,
2016
Ephrata, PA
Control Architecture For Multi-Robot System, John H. Posselius, Christopher A. Foster, Santosh K. Pitla, Scott A. Shearer, Joe D. Luck, Michael P. Sama, Rodrigo S. Zandonadi
Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications
A multiple robot control architecture including a plurality of robotic agricultural machines including a first and second robotic agricultural machine. Each robotic agricultural machine including at least one controller configured to implement a plurality of finite state machines within an individual robot control architecture (IRCA) and a global information module (GIM) communicatively coupled to the IRCA. The GIMs of the first and second robotic agricultural machines being configured to cooperate to cause said first robotic agricultural machine and said second agricultural machine to perform at least one agricultural task.
Objective Climatological Analysis Of Extreme Weather Events In Arizona During The North American Monsoon,
2016
Embry–Riddle Aeronautical University & The University of Arizona
Objective Climatological Analysis Of Extreme Weather Events In Arizona During The North American Monsoon, Jeremy J. Mazon, Christopher L. Castro, David K. Adams, Hsin-I Chang, Carlos M. Carrillo, John J. Brost
Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications
Almost one-half of the annual precipitation in the southwestern United States occurs during the North American monsoon (NAM). Given favorable synoptic-scale conditions, organized monsoon thunderstorms may affect relatively large geographic areas. Through an objective analysis of atmospheric reanalysis and observational data, the dominant synoptic patterns associated with NAM extreme events are determined for the period from 1993 to 2010. Thermodynamically favorable extreme-weather-event days are selected on the basis of atmospheric instability and precipitable water vapor from Tucson, Arizona, rawinsonde data. The atmospheric circulation patterns at 500 hPa associated with the extreme events are objectively characterized using principal component analysis. The …
Designing A Permeable Reactive Barrier For The Remediation Of Copper Contaminated Groundwater.,
2016
Michigan Technological University
Designing A Permeable Reactive Barrier For The Remediation Of Copper Contaminated Groundwater., Christopher Walkons
Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports
This project details the design of a sorption based pilot-scale permeable reactive barrier (PRB) for the removal of copper from groundwater. The reactive material for the barrier is the residual of coagulants used in drinking water treatment operations. Physical and chemical properties of these water treatment residuals (WTR) have been studied to optimize PRB design. Batch reactor tests have shown that equilibrium sorption of copper can be fit to a Langmuir type isotherm. Kinetic and column experiments have been conducted to understand the significance of chemical and physical mass transfer limitations. A leaching test indicated the concentrations of hazardous elements …
A Sustainability-Based Project Selection Algorithm: Socio-Technical-Economic Project Selection (Steps) Algorithm,
2016
Michigan Technological University
A Sustainability-Based Project Selection Algorithm: Socio-Technical-Economic Project Selection (Steps) Algorithm, Bharathi Bhattu
Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports
Multi-dimensional aspects play a vital role in the task of project-decision making. Environmental effects are to be considered in addition to other technical and non-technical aspects in order to avoid undue environmental damage. This current work introduces a new decision-making algorithm (Socio-Technical-Economic Project Selection or STEPS) that is demonstrated with the use of RCA (recycled concrete aggregate) as riprap for slope stabilization and erosion control which leaches chemical arsenic when in contact with water. Arsenic has long been recognized for its lethal properties. The main intention of introducing this new algorithm is to use sustainability concepts of social, technical, and …
Temporal Dynamics Of Maize Plant Growth, Water Use, And Leaf Water Content Using Automated High Throughput Rgb And Hyperspectral Imaging,
2016
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Temporal Dynamics Of Maize Plant Growth, Water Use, And Leaf Water Content Using Automated High Throughput Rgb And Hyperspectral Imaging, Yufeng Ge, Geng Bai, Vincent Stoerger, James C. Schnable
Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications
Automated collection of large scale plant phenotype datasets using high throughput imaging systems has the potential to alleviate current bottlenecks in data-driven plant breeding and crop improvement. In this study, we demonstrate the characterization of temporal dynamics of plant growth and water use, and leaf water content of two maize genotypes under two different water treatments. RGB (Red Green Blue) images are processed to estimate projected plant area, which are correlated with destructively measured plant shoot fresh weight (FW), dry weight (DW) and leaf area. Estimated plant FW and DW, along with pot weights, are used to derive daily plant …
Analytical Solution For Speed To Achieve A
Desired Operating Point For A Given Fan Or Pump,
2016
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Analytical Solution For Speed To Achieve A Desired Operating Point For A Given Fan Or Pump, Michael F. Kocher, Jeyamkondan Subbiah
Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications
The Affinity Laws for fans (and pumps) provide a way of determining new fan or pump speed given fan or pump performance curve data and a desired operating point (combination of flow rate and pressure) that does not fall on the curve. However, the affinity law calculations require using a point on the curve (hereafter referred to as the “basic point”) to determine the new speed. Most references regarding the Affinity Laws do not give a clear description of the method for determining the “basic point”, and improper selection of this point can affect the results considerably. This article describes …
In-Field Fuel Use And Load States Of Agricultural Field Machinery,
2016
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
In-Field Fuel Use And Load States Of Agricultural Field Machinery, Santosh Pitla, Joe D. Luck, Jared Werner, Nannan Lin, Scott A. Shearer
Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications
The ability to define in-field tractor load states offers the potential to better specify and characterize fuel consumption rate for various field operations. For the same field operation, the tractor experiences diverse load demands and corresponding fuel use rates as it maneuvers through straight passes, turns, suspended operation for adjustments, repair and maintenance, and biomass or other material transfer operations. It is challenging to determine the actual fuel rate and load states of agricultural machinery using force prediction models, and hence, some form of in-field data acquisition capability is required. Controller Area Networks (CAN) available on the current model tractors …
Inter-Row Robot Navigation Using 1d Ranging Sensors,
2016
University of Nebraska–Lincoln
Inter-Row Robot Navigation Using 1d Ranging Sensors, Tyler A. Troyer, Santosh Pitla, Ethan Nutter
Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications
In this paper a fuzzy logic navigation controller for an inter-row agricultural robot is developed and evaluated in laboratory settings. The controller receives input from one-dimensional (1D) ranging sensors on the robotic platform, and operated on ten fuzzy rules for basic row-following behavior. The control system was implemented on basic hardware for proof of concept and operated on a commonly available microcontroller development platform and open source software libraries. The robot platform used for experimentation was a small tracked vehicle with differential steering control. Fuzzy inferencing and defuzzification, step response and cross track error were obtained from the test conducted …
Tractor Hydraulic Power Data Acquisition System,
2016
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Tractor Hydraulic Power Data Acquisition System, J. B.W. Roeber, Santosh Pitla, Michael F. Kocher, Joe D. Luck, Roger M. Hoy
Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications
Tractor hydraulic power is used on a wide range of agricultural implements; however, the availability of operational hydraulic data at points other than full engine throttle position is limited. Operators could utilize this hydraulic data to maximize field efficiency and minimize machinery costs when determining suitable machinery for field operations. A field usable hydraulic test apparatus capable of measuring tractor hydraulic pressure and flow rate data was developed. The goal of this study was to determine if a hydraulic flow and pressure measurement device could be installed on the rear of a tractor to provide implement hydraulic power consumption at …
Quantifying The Fate Of Agricultural Nitrogen In An Unconfined
Aquifer: Stream-Based Observations At Three Measurement
Scales,
2016
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Quantifying The Fate Of Agricultural Nitrogen In An Unconfined Aquifer: Stream-Based Observations At Three Measurement Scales, Troy E. Gilmore, David P. Genereux, D. Kip Solomon, John E. Solder, Briant A. Kimball, Helena Mitasova, Francois Birgand
Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications
We compared three stream-based sampling methods to study the fate of nitrate in groundwater in a coastal plain watershed: point measurements beneath the streambed, seepage blankets (novel seepage-meter design), and reach mass-balance. The methods gave similar mean groundwater seepage rates into the stream (0.3–0.6 m/d) during two 3–4 day field campaigns despite an order of magnitude difference in stream discharge between the campaigns. At low flow, estimates of flowweighted mean nitrate concentrations in groundwater discharge ([NO-3 ]FWM) and nitrate flux from groundwater to the stream decreased with increasing degree of channel influence and measurement scale, i.e., …
Groundwater Transit Time Distribution And Mean From
Streambed Sampling In An Agricultural Coastal Plain Watershed, North Carolina, Usa,
2016
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Groundwater Transit Time Distribution And Mean From Streambed Sampling In An Agricultural Coastal Plain Watershed, North Carolina, Usa, Troy E. Gilmore, David P. Genereux, D. Kip Solomon, John E. Solder
Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications
We measured groundwater apparent age (s) and seepage rate (v) in a sandy streambed using point-scale sampling and seepage blankets (a novel seepage meter). We found very similar MTT estimates from streambed point sampling in a 58 m reach (29 years) and a 2.5 km reach (31 years). The TTD for groundwater discharging to the stream was best fit by a gamma distribution model and was very similar for streambed point sampling in both reaches. Between adjacent point-scale and seepage blanket samples, water from the seepage blankets was generally younger, largely because blanket samples contained a fraction of ‘‘young’’ stream …
Comparing Various Hardware/Software Solutions And Conversion Methods For Controller Area Network (Can) Bus Data Collection,
2016
University of Nebraska–Lincoln
Comparing Various Hardware/Software Solutions And Conversion Methods For Controller Area Network (Can) Bus Data Collection, Samuel E. Marx, Joe D. Luck, Santosh Pitla, Roger M. Hoy
Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications
Various hardware and software solutions exist for collecting Controller Area Network (CAN) bus data. Digital data accuracy could vary based upon different data logging methods (e.g., hardware/software timing, processor timing, etc.). CAN bus data were collected from agricultural tractors using multiple data acquisition solutions to quantify differences among collection methods and demonstrate potential data accumulation rates. Two types of data were observed for this study. The first, CAN bus frame data, represents data collected for each line of hex data sent from an ECU. One issue with frame data is the resulting large file sizes, therefore a second logging format …
Removal Of Cattle Manure Constituents In Runoff From No-Till Cropland As Affected By Setback Distance,
2016
Adjunct Professor, Biological Systems Engineering
Removal Of Cattle Manure Constituents In Runoff From No-Till Cropland As Affected By Setback Distance, John E. Gilley, Aaron J. Sindelar, Brian L. Woodbury
Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications
Vegetative filter strips located at the bottom of a hillslope have been shown to substantially reduce nutrients and sediment in runoff. Cropland areas could serve a similar function. However, little scientifically derived information is available to help identify the setback distances required to effectively reduce the transport of contaminants in runoff. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of setback distance and runoff rate on the concentrations and mass transport rates of selected constituents following land application of beef cattle manure to a no-till cropland area. The study site had a residue cover of 8.84 Mg ha-1 …
Impact Of Scale/Resolution On Evapotranspiration
From Landsat And Modis Images,
2016
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Impact Of Scale/Resolution On Evapotranspiration From Landsat And Modis Images, Vivek Sharma, Ayse Kilic, Suat Irmak
Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications
Understanding the role of landscape heterogeneity and its influence on the scaling behavior of surface fluxes as observed by satellite sensors with different spatial resolutions is a critical need to investigate. In this study, the effects of pixel scales on ETc estimation and other parameters that are used to calculate ETc were investigated over different vegetation surfaces in south central Nebraska, USA. Surface Energy Balance System (SEBS) was used to estimate spatially distributed ETc by combining ground-based meteorological data for Landsat and MODIS imagery. The estimated surface energy fluxes were compared and validated to the measured Bowen Ratio Energy Balance …
Removal Of Cattle Manure Constituents In Runoff From No-Till Cropland As Affected By Setback Distance,
2016
USDA, Agricultural Research Service
Removal Of Cattle Manure Constituents In Runoff From No-Till Cropland As Affected By Setback Distance, John E. Gilley, Aaron J. Sindelar, Bryan L. Woodbury
Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications
Vegetative filter strips located at the bottom of a hillslope have been shown to substantially reduce nutrients and sediment in runoff. Cropland areas could serve a similar function. However, little scientifically derived information is available to help identify the setback distances required to effectively reduce the transport of contaminants in runoff. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of setback distance and runoff rate on the concentrations and mass transport rates of selected constituents following land application of beef cattle manure to a no-till cropland area. The study site had a residue cover of 8.84 Mg ha …
