Engineering Commons^™

Water Conservation's Role In California Water Transfers, Charles M. Burt

BioResource and Agricultural Engineering

This paper describes various irrigation district water transfer projects. Water transfers have been of many types, including agriculture to agriculture, agriculture to urban, and agriculture to environment. In each case that will be described, the unique circumstances of each district will be described. Typical actions include developing a water balance to determine if “wet water” truly exists for conservation, then identifying the sources of that wet water. Subsequent actions include developing designs that will conserve the water, achieving board approval, and constructing and implementing the conservation measures.

Increasing Productivity In Irrigated Agriculture: Agronomic Constraints And Hydrological Realities, Chris Perry, Pasquale Steduto, Richard C. Allen, Charles M. Burt

BioResource and Agricultural Engineering

Irrigation is widely criticised as a profligate and wasteful user of water, especially in watershort areas. Improvements to irrigation management are proposed as a way of increasing agricultural production and reducing the demand for water. The terminology for this debate is often flawed, failing to clarify the actual disposition of water used in irrigation into evaporation, transpiration, and return flows that may, depending on local conditions, be recoverable. Once the various flows are properly identified, the existing literature suggests that the scope for saving consumptive use of water through advanced irrigation technologies is often limited. Further, the interactions between evaporation …

Next Generation Biofuels And Advanced Engines For Tomorrow’S Transportation Needs, Sandia National Laboratories, Doe Combustion Research Facility, Doe Joint Bioenergy Institute

US Department of Energy Publications

In November 2009, Sandia National Laboratories hosted the Next Generation Biofuels and Advanced Engines for Tomorrow’s Transportation Needs Workshop. The event focused on the combined opportunities in biofuels and engines in the transportation sector. The workshop brought together the DOE Combustion Research Facility and the DOE Joint BioEnergy Institute along with oil companies, biofuel developers, engine manufacturers, suppliers, and experts from the university, regulatory, finance, and national laboratory communities. The intersection of biofuels and engines, if properly scaled, can meet a triad of national goals:

• Reduced climate impact

• Economic development

• Energy security through energy diversity

The workshop …

Nutrient And Bacterial Transport In Runoff From Soil And Pond Ash Amended Feedlot Surfaces, John E. Gilley, Jason R. Vogel, Elaine D. Berry, Roger Eigenberg, David B. Marx, Brian L. Woodbury

Department of Biological Systems Engineering: Papers and Publications

The addition of pond ash (fly ash that has been placed in evaporative ponds and subsequently dewatered) to feedlot surfaces provides a healthier environment for livestock and economic advantages for the feedlot operator. However, the water quality effects of pond ash amended surfaces are not well understood. The objectives of this field investigation were to: (1) compare feedlot soil properties, and nutrient and bacterial transport in runoff, from pond ash amended surfaces and soil surfaces; (2) compare the effects of unconsolidated surface materials (USM) (loose manure pack) and consolidated subsurface materials (CSM) (compacted manure and underlying layers) on nutrient and …

Identification Of The [Fefe]-Hydrogenase Responsible For Hydrogen Generation In Thermoanaerobacterium Saccharolyticum And Demonstration Of Increased Ethanol Yield Via Hydrogenase Knockout, A. Joe Shaw, David A. Hogsett, Lee R. Lynd

Dartmouth Scholarship

Three putative hydrogenase enzyme systems in Thermoanaerobacterium saccharolyticum were investigated at the genetic, mRNA, enzymatic, and phenotypic levels. A four-gene operon containing two [FeFe]-hydrogenase genes, provisionally termed hfs (hydrogenase-Fe-S), was found to be the main enzymatic catalyst of hydrogen production. hfsB, perhaps the most interesting gene of the operon, contains an [FeFe]-hydrogenase and a PAS sensory domain and has several conserved homologues among clostridial saccharolytic, cellulolytic, and pathogenic bacteria. A second hydrogenase gene cluster, hyd, exhibited methyl viologen-linked hydrogenase enzymatic activity, but hyd gene knockouts did not influence the hydrogen yield of …

Variability Within Irrigated Fields, Charles M. Burt, Byron Clark

BioResource and Agricultural Engineering

In agricultural production and research, it is common to represent fields as uniform areas. For example, fertilizers, soil amendments, and other inputs have traditionally been applied uniformly (or as uniformly as possible) based on estimated needs for the field as a whole (or as an “average”).

Of course, it is also recognized that fields are not truly uniform with respect to soil characteristics, uniformity of applied water, pest pressures, fertility needs, crop growth and yield, and other characteristics. With the emergence and refinement of variable rate application technology, many growers now attempt to maximize returns by “prescribing” variable amounts of …

Estimating Water Application Efficiency For Drip Irrigation Emitter Patterns On Banana, Alisson Jadavi Pereira Da Silva, Eugênio Ferreira Coelho, Jarbas Honorio De Miranda, Stephen Ray Workman

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

The objective of this work was to evaluate root and water distribution in irrigated banana (Musa sp.), in order to determine the water application efficiency for different drip irrigation emitter patterns. Three drip emitter patterns were studied: two 4-L h^-1 emitters per plant (T1), four 4-L h^-1 emitters per plant (T2), and five 4-L h^-1 emitters per plant (T3). The emitters were placed in a lateral line. In the treatment T3, the emitters formed a continuous strip. The cultivated area used was planted with banana cultivar BRS Tropical, with a 3-m spacing between rows and a …

Use Of Co2 Concentration Difference Or Co2 Balance To Assess Ventilation Rate Of Broiler Houses, Hongwei Xin, Hong Li, Robert T. Burns, Richard S. Gates, Douglas G. Overhults, John W. Earnest

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

Ventilation rate (VR) is one of the two key elements for quantifying aerial emissions from animal production facilities. Direct, continuous measurement of building VR can be challenging and impractical under certain circumstances,e.g., naturally ventilated animal housing or a large number of ventilation fans in the building. This study examined the suitability of estimating VR of broiler houses with built‐up litter (mixture of manure and bedding), when supplemental heating was not in use, through either carbon dioxide (CO₂) balance or the relationship of VR to CO₂ concentration difference between exhaust and inlet air. The reference VR was based …

Final Report For The Link Energy Fellowship, A. Joe Shaw

Link Foundation Energy Fellowship Reports

A sustainable energy future is critical for environmental and strategic reasons. Fossil fuel use has increased greenhouse gas emissions, and continued consumption could adversely change global climate. In addition, the United States must rely on foreign petroleum suppliers, leading to unfavorable trade deficits, instability, and conflict.1 One leading alternative to petroleum used for transportation is ethanol derived from cellulosic biomass.2 A major barrier for biological-based biomass conversion is a cost effective method of releasing sugars from recalcitrant cellulosic biomass by enzymatic hydrolysis. Thermophilic, anaerobic bacteria offer a potential solution, as they produce efficient native hydrolytic enzymes.3 However, all thermophilic bacteria …

Cut Crop Edge Detection Using A Laser Sensor, Santosh Pitla, Joe D. Luck, Scott A. Shearer

Department of Biological Systems Engineering: Conference Presentations and White Papers

An off-the-shelf low cost laser sensor was tested and evaluated both in laboratory and field conditions. The sensor identified the angular and straight edges of the laboratory test surface and replicated the straight edge profile with an error of 4%. In field conditions, the sensor identified three types of cut crop edges (wheat, alfalfa and corn) and replicated distinct shapes (triangle, curved and rectangular edges). The sensor was tested at two sensor path offset distances and three tractor/sensor speeds (3.2, 6.4 and 9.6 km/h). In all test runs the sensor detected the cut-crop edges. Standard deviations and RMSE values in …

Development Of Gis-Based Chemical Distribution Maps From Sprayer Performance Data, Joe D. Luck, Santosh Pitla, Rodrigo S. Zandonadi, Scott A. Shearer

Department of Biological Systems Engineering: Conference Presentations and White Papers

Pesticide application is an essential practice on farms in Kentucky where glyphosate resistant crops and no-till farming strategies are becoming more popular. Off-rate pesticide application errors are the result of incorrect concentrations applied to an area of the field and may result from velocity changes along the spray boom while the sprayer is turning, pressure changes across the width of the spray boom, and changes in effective boom height due to undulating terrain. In an attempt to estimate potential errors resulting from sprayer turning movements, a method was developed to compare the differences in application areas between control sections across …

Guidance Directrix Generation Using Laser Sensors, Santosh Pitla, Joe D. Luck, Scott A. Shearer

Department of Biological Systems Engineering: Conference Presentations and White Papers

A sensor array consisting of two laser sensors was utilized to determine the guidance directrix (offset distance-d, heading angle-ø) that are required as reference inputs for an automated guidance system. The sensor array was evaluated in both laboratory and field conditions. Under laboratory conditions the sensor array replicated the physical profile of the target surface with a 4% error in determining the heading angle. Field tests were conducted in two types of crops; corn and alfalfa. The sensor array identified the cut-crop edge profile ahead of the tractor and replicated distinct shapes of the cut-crop edge. RMSE values in determining …

Evaluation Of A Terrain Attribute Model For Locating Areas Suitable For Grassed Waterways In Agricultural Settings, Joe D. Luck, Adam C. Pike, Santosh Pitla, Tom Mueller, Scott A. Shearer

Department of Biological Systems Engineering: Conference Presentations and White Papers

Grassed waterways placed in high water flow zones substantially reduce erosion in agricultural fields. A recent study proposed a statistical model for waterway planning for a farm in the Outer Bluegrass physiographic region of Kentucky. The logistic regression model identified where channel erosion was likely to occur based on elevation-derived terrain attributes. The objective of this study was to test their model in fields located in the Western Coal Fields physiographic region where soils differ substantially. Model predictions corresponded well with known areas of concentrated flow (i.e., maps of existing waterways, surface drains, and observations of erosion). The geographic inference …

Preferential Flow Path Effects On Subsurface Contaminant Transport In Alluvial Floodplains, Derek M. Heeren, Ronald B. Miller, Gary A. Fox, Daniel E. Storm, Chad J. Penn, Todd Halihan

Department of Biological Systems Engineering: Papers and Publications

For strongly sorbing contaminants, transport from upland areas to surface water systems is typically considered to be due to surface runoff with subsurface transport assumed negligible. However, certain local conditions can lead to an environment where subsurface transport to streams may be significant, a source of contamination not alleviated by current best management practices (e.g. riparian buffers). The Ozark region, including parts of Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Missouri, is characterized by cherty, gravelly soils and gravel bed streams. Previous research identified a preferential flow path (PFP) at a field site along the Barren Fork Creek in northeastern Oklahoma. With the subsoils …

Local Head Loss Of Non-Coaxial Emitters Inserted In Polyethylene Pipe, Osvaldo Rettore Neto, Jarbas Honorio De Miranda, José Antonio Frizzone, Stephen R. Workman

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

The design of a lateral line for drip irrigation requires accurate evaluation of head losses in not only the pipe but in the emitters as well. A procedure was developed to determine localized head losses within the emitters by the formulation of a mathematical model that accounts for the obstruction caused by the insertion point. These localized losses can be significant when compared with the total head losses within the system due to the large number of emitters typically installed along the lateral line. An experiment was carried out by altering flow characteristics to create Reynolds numbers (R) from 7,480 …

Effects Of Growth Media Ph And Reaction Water Activity On The Conversion Of Acetophenone To (S)-1-Phenylethanol By Saccharomyces Cerevisiae Immobilized On Celite 635 And In Calcium Alginate, Nicholas P. Coleman, Czarena Crofcheck, Sue E. Nokes, Barbara L. Knutson

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

Biologically catalyzed reactions often produce enantiomers of the product; however, only one configuration is desired. Reaction conditions are known to affect enantiomer ratios and reaction kinetics, but little is known regarding the effect of processing conditions on whole-cell biocatalysis. Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells were grown in batch on glucose at pH = 4, 5, and 7, and then immobilized on Celite beads or in calcium alginate beads and used as the biocatalyst for the conversion of acetophenone in hexane to (S)-1-phenylethanol at water activities of 0.37, 0.61, and 0.80. S. cerevisiae was used as a model microorganism for the whole-cell catalyzed …

Perspectives On Energy Policy: Security, Economics, And The Environment, Sandia National Laboratories

US Department of Energy Publications

On March 18 and 19, 2009, Sandia National Labo­ratories and the University of California San Diego (UCSD) Sustainability Solutions Institute (SSI) brought together 27 leaders from academia, govern­ment, and the private sector to discuss key energy policy issues and proposed values- and outcomes-based approaches to energy policy. The goal of the workshop was to bring together leaders from diverse backgrounds to identify promising areas for energy policy, based on the understanding of intersecting issues, assumptions, and priorities from the national security, economic, and environmental perspectives.

Participants: Charles Kennel, University of California, San Diego; Les Shephard, Sandia National Laboratories; Michael Aimone, …

Adsorption And Desorption Of Phosphorus And Nitrogen By Immersed Stalks, John E. Gilley, Bahman Eghball, David B. Marx

Department of Biological Systems Engineering: Papers and Publications

Adsorption and desorption of phosphorus (P) and nitrogen (N) by stalk residues may influence the concentrations of P and N in runoff. A laboratory study was conducted to measure the effects of P and N constituents in solution on adsorption and desorption of P and N by corn, soybean, and wheat stalk residues. Experimental variables included type of stalk material (corn, soybean, and wheat), inorganic nutrients in solution (PO₄-P and NO₃-N; PO₄-P and NH₄-N; NO₃-N and NH₄-N; and PO₄-P, NO₃-N, and NH₄-N), …

90-Billion Gallon Biofuel Deployment Study -- Executive Summary, Sandia National Laboratories

US Department of Energy Publications

This study concludes that 90 billion gallons per year of biomass-derived ethanol can be produced and distributed with enduring government commitment and continued technological progress. Specifically, the model projects that 90 billion gallons of ethanol can be produced per year in the U.S.: 15 billion gallons per year from corn ethanol, with the balance from cellulosic ethanol.

Recovery Of Biodiesel Precursors From Heterotrophic Microalga Chlorella Protothecoides, Peter B. Merkle

US Department of Energy Publications

This working paper describes an experimental program to assess the suitability of largescale separation processing of algal biomass in aqueous culture. It assumes the possibility of successful large-scale growth of heterotrophic Chlorella protothecoides to produce algal lipid/free fatty acid (FFA) biodiesel precursors.

Reduction And Long-Term Immobilization Of Technetium By Fe(Ii) Associated With Clay Mineral Nontronite, Deb Jaisi, Hailiang Dong, Andrew Plymale, James K. Fredrickson, John M. Zachara, Steve Heald, Chongxuan Liu

US Department of Energy Publications

⁹⁹Tc is formed mostly during nuclear reactions and is released into the environment during weapons testing and inadvertent waste disposal. The long half-life, high environmental mobility (as Tc(VII)O₄⁻) and its possible uptake into the food chain cause ⁹⁹Tc to be a significant environmental contaminant. In this study, we evaluated the role of Fe(II) in biologically reduced clay mineral, nontronite (NAu-2), in reducing Tc(VII) O₄⁻ to poorly soluble Tc(IV) species as a function of pH and Fe(II) concentration. The rate of Tc(VII) reduction by Fe(II) in NAu-2 was higher at neutral pH (pH 7.0) …

Uranium Speciation As A Function Of Depth In Contaminated Hanford Sediments - A Micro-Xrf, Micro-Xrd, And Micro- And Bulk-Xafs Study, David Singer, John M. Zachara, Gordon Brown

US Department of Energy Publications

The distribution and speciation of U and Cu in contaminated vadose zone and aquifer sediments from the U.S. DOE Hanford site (300 Area) were determined using a combination of synchrotron-based micro-X-ray fluorescence (μXRF) imaging, micro-X-ray absorption near edge structure (μXANES) spectroscopy, and micro-X-ray diffraction (μXRD) techniques combined with bulk U L_III-edge X-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS) spectroscopy. Samples were collected from within the inactive North Process Pond (NPP2) at 8 ft (2.4 m, NPP2-8) depth and 12 ft (3.7 m, NPP2-12) depth in the vadose zone, and fines were isolated from turbid groundwater just below the water Table …

Evaluation Of Magnetic Meters For Irrigation Pipeline Measurement, Stuart Styles, Bryan Busch

BioResource and Agricultural Engineering

Magnetic flow meters are used to measure the flow rate of a liquid in a closed pipeline. This type of meter is becoming increasingly popular for measurement with agriculture applications. Electromagnetic meters were tested by the Irrigation Training and Research Center in pipelines located less than the 10 diameters upstream of disturbances with good results. Results show that location guidelines for placing a magnetic meter can be decreased even for turbulent conditions. This paper will discuss how a magnetic flow meter works, advantages and disadvantages of this type of meter, test results, and new guidelines for field applications.

Asymmetry Of Model Bin Wall Loads And Lateral Pressure Induced From Two- And Three-Dimensional Obstructions Attached To The Wall, Marek Molenda, Michael D. Montross, Sidney A. Thompson, Jozef Horabik

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

An obstruction attached to the wall of a bin produced by cohesive, moldy grain has been reported as a source of failure in steel bins. A study was conducted to estimate the effect of two-dimensional (plane) and three-dimensional (block) obstructions attached to the corrugated wall in a flat-floor model bin where the lateral wall pressure and vertical wall loads were measured. The model bin was 1.83 m in diameter, 5.75 m high, and filled with soft red winter wheat to a depth of 5.0 m (height-to-diameter ratio h/d of 2.75). The plane obstruction had the form of an annulus segment …

Retrofitting Tractors With Rollover Protective Structures: Perspective Of Equipment Dealers, Shalome M. Tonelli, Kelley J. Donham, Kerry Leedom-Larson, Wayne Sanderson, Mark A. Purschwitz

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

This study was one of a cluster of studies that originated via requests for proposals from the NIOSH National Agricultural Tractor Safety Initiative. The present study design consisted of several steps: (1) formation of an advisory group, (2) development and testing of a standard paper self-responding survey instrument, (3) sample selection of farm equipment dealers, (4) administration of the survey, (5) assessment and analysis of the survey, and (6) in-person response panel of dealers (n = 80) to review results of the questionnaire for further definition and sharpening of the recommendations from the survey. A key finding is that most …

Integration Of An Extended Octagonal Ring Transducer And Soil Coulterometer For Identifying Soil Compaction, Santosh K. Pitla, Larry G. Wells, Scott A. Shearer

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

The soil coulterometer is an "on-the-go" electro-mechanical system which collects impedance force data at multiple depths using an oscillating coulter. During the initial testing (summer 2006), only vertical soil impedance force data was collected using a pressure sensor. To improve the performance of the coulterometer, an extended octagonal ring transducer was integrated into the system to collect both the horizontal and vertical impedance forces given by the soil. In the summer of 2007, data was collected using the revised sensor from a typical central Kentucky field setting in a 0.8-ha (2-acre) plot. Four passes were made with the coulterometer. Seventy …

Electronic Inhomogeneity And Ag:Sb Imbalance Of Ag1−Ypb18sb1+Zte20 High-Performance Thermoelectrics Elucidated By 125te And 207pb Nmr, E. M. Levin, B. A. Cook, K. Ahn, M. G. Kanatzidis, Ames Laboratory Doe

US Department of Energy Publications

Using magic-angle spinning ¹²⁵Te and ²⁰⁷Pb NMR, we have discovered the presence of two phases of approximately tenfold different free-electron concentration, n, in high-performance thermoelectrics Ag_1−yPb₁₈Sb_1+zTe₂₀ (“LAST-18”), proven by pairs of Knight-shifted NMR peaks and biexponential spin-lattice relaxation. The ratio of the phases is typically 2:1 with n ≈ 2 × 10¹⁹ cm⁻³ and 0.2 × 10¹⁹ cm⁻³, respectively, determined from the spin-lattice relaxation times. ¹²⁵Te NMR spectra show that both phases contain similar concentrations of Sb. The low-n component is assigned to …

Gathering Cows Using Virtual Fencing Methodologies, Dean M. Anderson, Marek Doniec, Carrick Detweiler, Iuliu Vesilescu, Daniela Rus, Barbara Nolen, Roy Libeau

CSE Conference and Workshop Papers

Free-ranging livestock are classically controlled by herders. Holding, moving, or gathering free-ranging cattle requires flexible husbandry practices for efficient and effective lowstress animal management. Behavioral theory and practical experience indicates cattle can be taught to respond to auditory cues. Preliminary research has demonstrated that cows can be gathered autonomously using recorded audio cues associated with manual gathering. However, efficient gathering requires movement in the proper direction. Therefore, we believe using audio cues administered from directional virtual fencing (DVF™) equipment can facilitate proper animal orientation and facilitate the gathering of animals with minimal human intervention. Results from applying directional audio cues …

Farming Systems Education: Case Study Of Swedish Test Pilots, Lennart Salomonsson, Anna Nilsson, Sofia Palmer, Adam Roigart, Charles A. Francis

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

We describe and analyze a pedagogical experiment that introduced a broad and holistic perspective on complete farming systems, systemic learning tools, and a participatory learning strategy at an early stage in agronomy education. The paper describes the adventure of three students, who came from a conventional agronomy program at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), who were frustrated with the lack of integrated approaches to the study of agricultural systems and a strong focus on molecular-level processes in their first year of education. They encountered a narrow focus in most courses and the overall curricula of agricultural education that …

Biomineralization Associated With Microbial Reduction Of Fe3+ And Oxidation Of Fe2+ In Solid Minerals, Gengxin Zhang, Hailiang Dong, Hongchen Jiang, Ravi K. Kukkadapu, Jinwook Kim, Dennis Eberl, Zhiqin Xu

US Department of Energy Publications

Iron-reducing and oxidizing microorganisms gain energy through reduction or oxidation of iron, and by doing so play an important role in the geochemical cycling of iron. This study was undertaken to investigate mineral transformations associated with microbial reduction of Fe³⁺ and oxidation of Fe²⁺ in solid minerals. A fluid sample from the 2450 m depth of the Chinese Continental Scientific Drilling project was collected, and Fe³⁺-reducing and Fe²⁺-oxidizing microorganisms were enriched. The enrichment cultures displayed reduction of Fe³⁺ in nontronite and ferric citrate, and oxidation of Fe²⁺ in vivianite, siderite, and monosulfide …