Engineering Commons^™

Ventilation And Recirculation Airway Design For An Autonomous, Climate Controlled, Hydroponic Demonstration Unit, Nicholas Cross

Biological and Agricultural Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

For this Honors Thesis project, I designed and fabricated a ventilation and recirculation airway sub-system prototype for a hydroponic demonstration unit to be used as an educational demonstration for prospective students, illustrating the capabilities of biological engineers. This thesis focuses on the design of an autonomous air system that toggles between ventilation and recirculation modes based upon sensor output. In the literature review I discuss how ventilation can be used to achieve a targeted climate, the benefits of hands-on projects for education, and the optimum parameters for growing herbs in a hydroponic system.

In the design and fabrication process, every …

Phylogenetics And Association Analyses Illustrate Substantial Cryptic Diversity Of A Newly Isolated Collection Of Cenococcum Geophilum, Jessica Velez

Doctoral Dissertations

The ectomycorrhizal fungus Cenococcum geophilum is distributed worldwide across multiple climates and soil types and is known to positively associate with a multitude of plant genera, possibly contributing to plant ability to tolerate inorganic contaminants in a soil environment. New C. geophilum isolates are easily cultured from soils in a laboratory setting, making this an ideal candidate for a model species with which to study multiple plant-fungal effects across a collection of novel isolates. However, C. geophilum is also genetically complex and, at 178Mbp, features one of the largest fungal genomes, necessitating the use of the novel restriction-associated DNA sequencing …

Approaches To Studying Bacterial Biofilms In The Bioeconomy With Nanofabrication Techniques And Engineered Platforms., Michelle Caroline Halsted

Doctoral Dissertations

Studies that estimate more than 90% of bacteria subsist in a biofilm state to survive environmental stressors. These biofilms persist on man-made and natural surfaces, and examples of the rich biofilm diversity extends from the roots of bioenergy crops to electroactive biofilms in bioelectrochemical reactors. Efforts to optimize microbial systems in the bioeconomy will benefit from an improved fundamental understanding of bacterial biofilms. An understanding of these microbial systems shows promise to increase crop yields with precision agriculture (e.g. biosynthetic fertilizer, microbial pesticides, and soil remediation) and increase commodity production yields in bioreactors. Yet conventional laboratory methods investigate these micron-scale …

A Comparison Of Methods To Measure Crop Water Use In South Carolina, Andrew C. Ewing

All Theses

The objective of this thesis was to compare cost-effective methods of measuring crop water use, known as evapotranspiration (ET), in South Carolina’s humid climate. The methods analyzed were the surface renewal method (SR), the Eddy Covariance method (EC), large in-field weighing lysimeters, a newly developed pressure differential device (PDD), a Class A Evaporation pan, and the Penman-Monteith equation. In the first chapter, ET measurements obtained by SR were compared to ET measured by EC and weighing lysimeters. For reference, EC and SR track the energy budget to estimate ET, while the weighing lysimeters used in this study are box-like containers …

Waste Hemp Fibers (Hfs) Derived Porous Carbons: Preparation, Characterization, And Potential Applications, Manju Gurung

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The main objective of the present research was to develop environmentally friendly and cost-effective porous carbon materials of improved properties from waste hemp fibers. Two different types/categories of porous carbons were prepared from hemp fibers. In one type, porous carbon materials were developed by a simple one-step method of carbonization and activation. The other type of carbon materials developed in this study were nitrogen-containing activated carbons, which were developed by introduction of nitrogen-containing functional groups on the surface of hemp fibers followed by activation and carbonization. The pore structure/distribution and surface chemistry of the prepared carbons were investigated through the …

Design And Testing Of A Multi-Depth Soil Temperature Sensor Array Intended As A Candidate Irrigation Scheduling Tool, Lillian Glaeser

Biological and Agricultural Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

A crucial measure in the advancement of water conservation and sustainable agricultural strategies is increasing efficiencies of irrigation systems. Because of the lack of availability of affordable, durable, and scalable soil moisture monitoring devices, this thesis proposes a low-cost, multi-depth soil temperature sensor array as a candidate for monitoring soil moisture content and guiding farmer’s irrigation scheduling. Propagation of diurnal temperature waves through soil is dependent on the thermal diffusivity of the soil, which can be determined by examining temperature waves at different soil depths. Thermal diffusivity is dependent on several factors, though, in undisturbed soil, water has the largest …

Hydraulic Effects Of Perpendicular Water Approach Velocity On Meter Gate Flow Measurement, John M. Thorburn

Master's Theses

Accurate flow measurement is required to effectively manage water resources. California Senate Bill X7-7 (SB X7-7), legislates this need by requiring agricultural water providers serving areas greater than 25,000 acres to develop an Agricultural Water Management Plan (AWMP) and adopt pricing based at least partly on volumetric water deliveries (DWR, 2009). This study focused on two of the most common flow measurement/flow control devices used in California open channel water conveyance systems: the circular meter gate and the rectangular meter gate. Testing was conducted on three Armco-type (round gates over round discharge pipe) gates measuring 12”, 18”, and 24” and …

Improved Fermentation Design And Screening Devices For Biobutanol Production, Garret Christopher Munch

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

A worldwide increase in demand for renewable fuels has revived interest in fermentatively produced butanol. However, butanol fermentation suffers from low product yields and productivity. The work presented in this thesis addresses part of these research and development needs at three levels: innovative fermentation process design; genetic manipulation for strain enhancement; and the development of a new tool for anaerobic process characterization and optimization.

Product yield could be increased through traditional fermentation engineering. Co-fermentation of butyric acid with glycerol increased the butanol yield from 0.45 mol/mol (mols C in butanol / mol C in substrates) to 0.51 mol/mol. In building …

Gestión De Datos De Susceptibilidad Antimicrobiana De Bacterias Aisladas A Nivel Ocular, Mauro Estefan Ramirez Aranguren

Ingeniería en Automatización

El presente proyecto analizó, diseñó y puso en marcha un software web para consulta y respectiva gestión de datos. Este software tiene como finalidad promover y suministrar información en tiempo real a estudiantes y profesionales del programa de optometría, acerca del patrón de susceptibilidad antimicrobiana presentes a nivel ocular. Adicionalmente, brinda información acerca de las cepas presentes y si es posible la generación de multiresistencia a medicamentos. Cabe mencionar, que la información de campo en la que se fundamenta este trabajo fue proporcionada por las profesionales del programa de optometría de la Universidad de la Salle: Viviane Geraldine Rondón Correa …

Providing Sustainable Power Through Renewable Energy For Developing Communities In Central America, Elizabeth Topping

Biological and Agricultural Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

Rural electrification through an expansion of the power grid into remote villages in Central America is a development that is still years away. Using renewable energy technology, access to electricity is available even in the most remote areas of the world. These individual power grids are also called “microgrids.” Creating microgrids in rural areas provides the people living there with access to power they did not have before. With this newfound access to power, these communities can expand their access to education, using computers or mobile devices. They can power lights, refrigerators, and other devices to continue development.

The design …

Simulating Soybean-Rice Crop Rotation And Irrigation Strategies In Arkansas Using Apex, Sam Carroll

Biological and Agricultural Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

Rice is one of the most prevalent and relied upon resources around the world. Despite such prominence, cultivation techniques for this crop are not perfect. Precise irrigation amounts and optimal crop rotations are still not completely understood. As the global population continues to grow and resources are depleted, maximizing the efficiency of cropping systems becomes more urgent. The goal of this study was to shed light on these questions using the Agricultural Policy/Environmental eXtender (APEX) model to simulate five fields in soybean-rice rotation in Arkansas. First, the model was calibrated to accurately represent the observed yields in the area. Then, …

Design Of A Deep Flow Technique Hydroponic System And An Elementary Education Module For Tri Cycle Farms, Cady Rosenbaum

Biological and Agricultural Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

Hydroponics is an agricultural technique in which plants are grown without soil and are instead grown in water systems that include nutrients and other growth-supporting media. Hydroponic systems typically reside inside, so that the system can be fully controlled by the grower by manipulating the temperature and amount of light the plants receive. The benefits of growing plants using hydroponics include: the amount of water used is reduced, it is less labor to grow organic produce with an indoor system, less space used, and it allows for growing food anywhere. Tri Cycle Farms is planning for the construction of a …

Reducing Dissolved Phosphorus In Stream Water May Not Influence Estimation Of Sediment Equilibrium Phosphorus Concentrations, Eleanor Henson

Biological and Agricultural Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

The potential for stream sediments to adsorb or release phosphorus (P) depends on the equilibrium P concentration (EPC), which is the water column P concentration where P is neither (net) adsorbed nor released from the sediments. Current methods of measuring EPC in streams include adding known P concentrations to stream water, mixing with fresh sediments, and allowing the mixture to reach equilibrium through P sorption. Sediment EPC is usually calculated as the x-intercept of the linear relationship between initial P concentrations and P absorbed by the sediments. However, the x-intercept is often an extrapolation past the known data set (i.e. …

Design Of A Shallow-Aero Ebb And Flow Hydroponics System And Associated Educational Module For Tri Cycle Farms, Julie Halveland

Biological and Agricultural Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

Tri Cycle Farms, whose main mission is to reduce food insecurity in their community, is a non- profit urban farm in Fayetteville, Arkansas. The “Tri” in their name refers to the three parts of their foundation: giving a third of their yield to volunteers, giving a third to local food pantries, and selling a third to sustain the farm and demonstrate the economy of local food production. They want to expand on the third part and have a vision of building a hydroponic greenhouse with the intention that it will create more crops to sell and give, as well as …

Removal Of Fluoride From Mine Water Via Adsorption For Land-Applied Soil Amendment, Ethan Phan, Adrian Damian, Kevin Le, Mary Johnson, Courtney Golman, Michelle Dopp, Jacqueline Payne

Chemical Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

The process of mining minerals and elements from ores and rocks creates acid rock drainage (ARD). This drainage is water that contains heavy metals and minerals that can be dangerous for human consumption or damaging to the environment. The mining industry has employed various water treatment methods to prevent these metals and minerals from being discharged into water sources such as ponds, lakes, and streams. Currently, the most used treatment process in the mining industry is a cost-effective high-density sludge (HDS) process. This method reduces the concentration of metals and elements with the use of lime/limestone. However, the concentration of …

The Release, Transport, And Utilization Of Phosphorus From Bed-Sediments: A Study Of A Eutrophic Littoral Cove On Beaver Lake In Northwest Arkansas, James A. Mccarty

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Eutrophication of surface waters not only impacts the environment but also water treatment processes, the most significant of which is from the effects of algae. During peak algal growth in many southern U.S. reservoirs, inflows that bring nutrients are at an annual minimum, and phosphorus released from bed-sediments is trapped in the hypolimnion. Littoral areas, described as the most productive zone of the lake, may be a possible source of phosphorus that fuels algal growth in the reservoir. I studied an isolated shallow cove in the War Eagle Creek arm of Beaver Lake in Northwest Arkansas to measure, quantify, and …

Elucidating Basis Of Rice Discoloration And Developing Prevention Strategies, Zeinab Mohammadi Shad

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Economically, discolored rice kernels have less market value, which can seriously impact farm net profit. The reasons for rice discoloration during storage have not been studied extensively and many questions remain. Therefore, the primary goal of this study was to improve understanding of the role and contributions of storage practices on rice quality degradation and discoloration. In this study, three rice cultivars including XL753 (hybrid), Roy J (pureline), and Titan were assessed for changes in quality and microbial kinetics. The rice samples at a high moisture content (MC) of 21% w.b. and a low MC of 16% were stored at …

Implementación De Un Cultivo De Cilantro (Coriandrum Sativum) Variedad Patimorado Como Una Alternativa De Fortalecimiento Agrícola En El Resguardo Indígena De Guachicono, La Vega Cauca, Julián Danilo Muñoz Imbachí

Ingeniería Agronómica

El proyecto productivo titulado “Implementación del cultivo de cilantro (Coriandrum Sativum) variedad Patimorado como alternativa de fortalecimiento agrícola en el Resguardo Indígena de Guachicono, La Vega-Cauca”, permitió el acercamiento a agricultores de dicha zona a adaptarse a nuevas estrategias de cultivo, demostrándose que la comunidad está abierta a nuevas ideas y, por ende, a nuevos conocimientos teórico-prácticos enfocados a la producción y comercialización de productos propios del lugar. El cultivo de cilantro (Coriandrum sativum) mostró ser un buen potencial de agronegocio en la región; se efectuaron dos ciclos productivos y se está ejecutando un tercer ciclo el cual ya está …

Integrated Techno-Economic And Life Cycle Analyses Of Biomass Utilization For Value-Added Bioproducts In The Northeastern United States, Yuxi Wang

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

A multi-stage spatial analysis was first conducted to select locations for lignocellulosic biomass-based bioproduct facility, using Geographical Information System (GIS) spatial analysis, multi-criteria analysis ranking algorithm, and social-economic assessment. A case study was developed to determine locations for lignocellulosic biorefineries using feedstocks including forest residue biomass and three energy crops for 13 states in the northeastern United States. In the entire study area, 11.1% of the counties are high-suitable, 48.8% are medium-suitable for biorefinery siting locations. A non-parametric analysis of cross-group surveys showed that preferences on biorefinery siting are homogeneous for experts in academia and industry groups, but people in …

Characterizing And Predicting The Antimicrobial Properties Of Lignin Derivatives, Ryan Kalinoski

Theses and Dissertations--Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering

Due to the overuse of antibiotics in our society, there has been a steady rise in highly antimicrobial-resistant bacteria in the last decade. This has created a renewed interest in natural phenolic compounds for antimicrobial discovery amongst the scientific community. To this end, lignin is the most abundant naturally occurring phenolic polymer on earth and has already been known to have antimicrobial properties due to its polyphenolic structure. In addition, lignin is considered a major waste product for lignocellulosic biorefineries, and its valorization into value-added products will generate extra profit for a biorefinery, making biofuels less expensive, increasing their marketability …

Monitoring Methods And Performance Assessment For Implementation Of Low Impact Development Practices In South Dakota, Farhana Akhter

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Urbanization increases impervious surface area, which changes the hydrology of a watershed. Impervious surfaces prevent the infiltration of stormwater water into the ground surface which results in a higher volume of stormwater runoff and higher peak flow. Low Impact Development (LID) practices help to restore pre-development hydrology by increasing infiltration, evaporation, and transpiration. While the hydrologic performance of LID practices has been studied extensively and continues to be an area of active research, there has been very limited monitoring or demonstration of LID practices in South Dakota. In addition, municipalities in South Dakota and elsewhere that implement new LID practices …

Internet Of Things Based Wireless Sensor Network And Advanced Machine Learning Models For Precision Agriculture, Ahmed El-Magrous

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Recent studies assumed that the world population would reach 10.3 billion by 2070. This will require more land for housing; simultaneously resulting in a loss of land for agricultural purposes. However, the new generations also need food, and the lack of new agrarian land is a critical reason that leads researchers and producers to improve daily agriculture practices by using precision agriculture concepts and technologies to increase yield and crop quality. This work represents the design, development, and testing of a customizable and cost-effective Weather-Soil Sensor Station (W-SSS) for use in Precision Agriculture based on high accuracy sensors, wireless communication, …

Using Computational Fluid Dynamics To Accurately Model Agricultural Spray Nozzles, Zachary Chapman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) is a tool used by engineers in many industries to study fluid flow. A relatively new industry to adopt the use of CFD is the agricultural industry. The present work seeks to understand whether CFD can be used to accurately model spray nozzles. A spray nozzle commonly used in agricultural spraying was simulated. First, the impact of factors such as mesh size, mesh type, and physics models have on the solution were investigated. Next, a method to pulse the spray was determined. This was required to compare simulation results with experimental data. A user-defined function was …

Producción De Ensilaje De Maíz (Zea Mays L.) Hibrido Atl 200 Como Actividad Socioeconómica En El Municipio De Puerto Concordia (Meta), Jhon Fredy Gonzalez Mora

Ingeniería Agronómica

La ganadería es una de las principales actividades económicas del municipio de Puerto Concordia (Meta). Debido a la presencia de un clima bimodal está actividad se ve altamente afectada en la época de sequía, pues el alimento para el ganado escasea, lo que provoca una disminución en los sistemas de producción. Por tal motivo, se optó por implementar un cultivo de maíz ATL 200 para la fabricación de ensilaje. El cultivo tuvo un manejo integrado de arvenses, plagas y enfermedades. La producción fue 9.000 kg de ensilaje y 937,5 kg de grano. La inversión económica fue de $ 8.025.100. El …

Proyecto Productivo De Maíz (Zea Mays) Variedad Ica V109 Como Alternativa Económica En El Municipio De La Primavera, Departamento De Vichada, Raúl Andrés Aldana Andueza

Ingeniería Agronómica

Se realizó el establecimiento de un proyecto productivo agrícola de maíz (Zea mays) variedad ICA V109 en el resguardo La Pascua, municipio de La Primavera, departamento del Vichada, en un área de 15.000 m2, teniendo en cuenta todos los requerimientos técnicos necesarios en este sistema de producción agrícola, buscando así una alternativa económica para los habitantes del resguardo. Dentro del proyecto productivo se realizó un plan de manejo técnico que incluyó un plan de fertilización basado en un análisis de suelo, se efectúo un plan de manejo integrado de plagas, enfermedades y arvenses con los controles y umbrales de acción …

Desarrollo Y Diversificación Agrícola En Dos Municipios Al Noroccidente Del Departamento Del Meta, Oscar Fabián Maya Chacón

Ingeniería Agronómica

El proyecto se desarrolló en los municipios de Guamal y Castilla La Nueva, en el departamento del Meta. Se realizaron 4 componentes: agronómico, emprendimiento, social e investigativo. El componente agronómico se llevó a cabo en Castilla La Nueva, estableciendo un sistema productivo de habichuela (Phaseolus vulgaris) con un área de 3.000 m2, teniendo como base un plan de manejo técnico, contemplando la preparación del terreno, la siembra, la fertilización, el manejo del recurso hídrico, el manejo integrado de plagas, enfermedades, arvenses, la cosecha y poscosecha. Superando los factores limitantes y obteniendo un producto de calidad. En cuanto al componente de …

Implementación De Un Sistema Productivo De Cholupa (Passiflora Maliformis L.), En El Municipio De Algeciras (Huila) Para Fortalecer El Conocimiento Técnico Y Empresarial En La Región, Juan Camilo Andrade Daza

Ingeniería Agronómica

El proyecto productivo se llevó a cabo en la zona rural del municipio de Algeciras, específicamente en la vereda Bajo Vilaco, donde se realizó la siembra de 1.000 plantas de Cholupa (Passiflora maliformis L.) a las que se les efectuó, en lo posible, un manejo integrado de plagas, enfermedades y arvenses, teniendo en cuenta la dinámica de los monitoreados realizados y condiciones ambientales para tomar decisiones sobre el tipo de manejo a realizar; de igual manera se lleva a cabo la estructuración de un plan de fertilización que se encarga de suplir las necesidades nutricionales en cada una de las …

El Cultivo De Papa Parda Pastusa Como Iniciativa De Fortalecimiento Agrícola En Bolívar-Cauca, Yucely Velasco Samboni

Ingeniería Agronómica

Se implementaron 2.500 m2 de un cultivo de papa (Solanum tuberosum) variedad Parda Pastusa como componente agronómico, con el objetivo de fortalecer las actividades de manejo del cultivo como la fertilización, el manejo de arvenses, plagas y enfermedades y labores culturales como la preparación del terreno, aporque y selección del producto. El componente investigativo estuvo dirigido a evaluar la eficiencia y el costo económico de la utilización de productos con base en hongos entomopatógenos (Beauveria bassiana y Metarhizium anisopliae) y un producto de síntesis química para el control del gusano blanco de la papa (Premnotrypes vorax). Entretanto, el componente social …

El Ensilaje Como Modelo Productivo Y De Aprendizaje Para Familias Campesinas En San José Del Guaviare, Jesús Daniel García Bocanegra

Ingeniería Agronómica

El proyecto fue desarrollado en los municipios de San José y El Retorno, en el departamento del Guaviare. Se trabajó un componente de ingeniería agronómica a través de un sistema productivo de maíz (Zea mays), destinado a la preparación de silo como alimento suplementario para ganado bovino. La plaga más limitante del cultivo fue el gusano cogollero (Spodoptera frugiperda), que estuvo presente en todo el ciclo productivo. La producción obtenida fue de 14,1 toneladas de silo, con una pérdida de 2,4 toneladas, como consecuencia del ataque de roedores en almacenamiento. El componente de liderazgo social, político y productivo se enfocó …

Establecimiento De Dos Cultivos (Frijol Y Arracacha) Como Modelo De Diversificación De La Producción Agrícola Familiar En El Municipio De Guavatá Santander, Brayan Orlando Ariza Velasco

Ingeniería Agronómica

El proyecto Productivo se llevó a cabo en el municipio de Guavatá Santander mediante el apoyo de Universidad de La Salle proyecto Utopía. El componente de ingeniería agronómica para el cual se establecieron dos cultivos, Fríjol (Phaseolus Vulgaris) y Arracacha (Arracacia xanthorrhiza) como modelo de diversificación de la producción agrícola familiar en el municipio; este componente fue exitoso ya que se realizó un manejo técnico adecuado se dio a conocer esta alternativa en la región y se obtuvieron altos rendimientos. El componente de investigación el cual tuvo como objetivo analizar los sistemas actuales de producción de guayaba del municipio de …