Engineering Commons^™

Effect Of Waste Covid-19 Masks On Compaction Characteristics Of Silty-Clay Soil, Sydney K. Lawson

Honors College Theses

The present study aims to explore the effect of adding shredded waste Covid-19 masks to silty-clay soil on the soil’s compaction characteristics for beneficial use in embankment, the subgrade of roadways, or backfill. This was accomplished by using two different types of masks: blue surgical masks and KN95 masks. Both mask types were hand shredded into half-inch sections using safety-scissors. The maximum dry density (MDD) and optimum moisture content (OMC) are the two most important compaction characteristics, and they were determined by the Standard Proctor Compaction Test (ASTM D698 / AASHTO T99). The change of both the MDD and OMC …

Optimizing Anaerobic Digestion Of Food Waste And Industrial Sludge For Biogas Production, Emma R. Murray

Honors College Theses

Food waste is a major contributor to municipal solid waste, and its disposal at landfills has significant environmental and economic impacts. Opportunities need to be identified for the sustainable management of food waste at large scales. Pulp and paper mills throughout the country commonly use anaerobic digestion to treat their waste sludge; however, this sludge can consist of over 50% lignin, which is slowly or negligibly digested. This research aims to explore the sustainability of co-digestion of food waste and paper mill sludge. Lab-scale studies were used to assess the feasibility of anaerobic digestion by measuring treatment efficiencies and biogas …

Innovative Research For Phosphorus Recovery In Freshwater Sediments, An Experimental Framework, John D. Collins

Honors College Theses

Phosphorus, a finite element, is necessary for all living organisms and directly impacts biota growth as well as productivity in freshwaters. The demand for phosphorus is continually increasing, but the supply of phosphorus is continually decreasing. In response to depleting resources, phosphorus in surface water sediments is being explored as a sustainable solution to the forecasted phosphorus shortage. Phosphorus in sediments is generally bound to oxidized iron (Fe3+) forming iron phosphate complexes. This form of phosphorus is released when iron reduces to Fe2+ in anaerobic environments. Under such conditions, soluble phosphorus (i.e., orthophosphate) may then be recovered using compounds that …

Assessing The Ability Of Arduino-Based Sensor Systems To Monitor Changes In Water Quality, Josiah Hacker

Honors College Theses

Access to safe water is vital to public health. While developed countries like the United States are recognized as having reliable and safe water, many small water utilities struggle with supplying consistent water quality. Technicians of these utilities will periodically test water samples from the influent and throughout the distribution system. However, this laborious and costly process does not capture sudden changes in influent water quality due to environmental conditions or pipes breaking in the distribution system. Here I show how an Arduino-based sensor can be used as a real-time, low-cost monitor of water quality parameters. Specifically, I developed a …

Sustainable Water Treatment Systems: A Direct Potable Proposal, Kayla Alsup, Kayla E. Alsup

Honors College Theses

A common need among all people is water—we cannot survive without it. And yet, all around the world, achieving a high quality of drinking water is a constant struggle. This water crisis is brought on by many different factors. Some are natural, such as droughts and flooding, but as the effects of climate change continue to reveal themselves, some areas are becoming drier, while other areas are experiencing less predictable and harsher weather patterns.

Our current approach towards water is not sustainable, and we are starting to see that in both under-developed and developed countries alike. Indiscriminate use of water …

Nze Residential Test Facility Analysis Throughout Summer/Winter Peak Months For Thermal Comfort Prediction, Yearim Yang

Honors College Theses

The present study evaluates the thermal comfort in the east bedroom of the Net-Zero Energy Residential Test Facility (NZERTF) in a mixed-humid climate. This unit was constructed by the National Institute of Standards and Technology for scholars to analyze its energy performance and indoor environmental quality. The thermal comfort is investigated in a designated bedroom space by analyzing 27 dry-bulb temperature, 4 airspeed, 6 globe temperature, and 6 relative humidity sensors in a 3x3x3 array and a center sensor stand during two opposite seasonal months (July and December). The conventionally ducted heat pump, small duct high velocity, and heat recovery …