Engineering Commons^™

Purification Of Sodium Sulfate By Crystallization, Perla Teresita Torres

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Sodium sulfate can be recovered from a dilute solution by concentrating it by conventional water treatment techniques like reverse osmosis and electrodialysis; however, those processes also concentrate impurities like arsenic. The sodium sulfate would have commercial use if it can be recovered in an arsenic-free form. This study demonstrated that sodium sulfate could be separated from impurities using slow cooling crystallization in a novel apparatus developed and designed during the experimentation. This device is called a heat exchanger crystallizer and allows slow cooling crystallization in order to grow pure crystals of sodium sulfate decahydrate. Crystals grown in the heat exchanger …

Classification Of Irish Beaches To Determine Their Potential For Erosion, Aidan O'Connell

Theses

The objective of this literature review is to gather the relevant information regarding beach characteristics and beach erosion in order to undertake the project development stage of the thesis project. The background information that was reviewed was the different zones that are located on a beach; the functions of a beach and what most beaches are commonly used for; how beaches were formed; the legislation that is related to the beach or any work that is required to be carried out on a beach and some background information on the erosion of beaches.

The most relevant beach characteristics that impact …

Determinants Of Neighborhood Exposure To Extreme Heat: A Spatial Examination Of El Paso And Juárez, 2010, Faraj Mohamad Aboargob

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Numerous studies have been conducted on the modification of local weather by the urban environment. In studying urban environmental effects on the urban heat island (UHI), researchers have investigated influences such as land use, vegetation density, topography, population density, and neighborhood socioeconomic status. Many studies have used data collected from field observations, while other studies relied solely on computer modeling. This Dissertation research used a spatial analysis approach, which has been less widely employed, to investigate neighborhood level biophysical, built environmental and socio-demographic determinants of the El Paso and Juárez UHI. The research utilized inexpensive data obtained from US and …

An Evaluation Of The Cerro Process As An Efficient Ro Concentrate Management System, Guillermo Guadalupe Delgado

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The Concentrate Enhanced Recovery Reverse Osmosis (CERRO) Process is a new method to treat RO concentrate and brackish water with high concentrations of silica and calcium sulfate. Prior investigations have shown that the CERRO process can treat this kind of water without fouling or scaling the membranes, but the main factors that allow the system to operate in such conditions were not studied. The research presented here is an evaluation of the CERRO process as an efficient RO concentrate management system. The parameters of operation of the system were evaluated and improved. The precipitation of calcium sulfate was identified as …

Urban Impact Of Dissolved Metals In The Paso Del Norte Segment Of The Rio Grande, Sumayeh Ahmad Freiwan

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The Paso del Norte segment of the Rio Grande experiences two seasons per year; the (wet) irrigation season and the (dry) non-irrigation season. The goal of this study was to improve the understanding of occurrence and contribution of dissolved metals in this region during the non-irrigation season. The objectives of this study were to (1) evaluate the impact of anthropogenic sources of metals on the Rio Grande water quality during the non-irrigation season, and (2) estimate the metal loads carried by the flow to the downstream region of El Paso. In order to evaluate the surface water quality of the …

Method Development For A Chemical And Biological Analysis Of Glucocorticoids In Wastewater, Maria Carmen Lozano

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Glucocorticoids are a class of steroid hormones that can either be produced synthetically or naturally by the adrenal glands. The synthetic glucocorticoids are highly prescribed in the United States for their anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive properties to treat a variety of ailments and diseases; however, these have been implicated in a number of adverse human conditions such as obesity, metabolic syndrome, immune-suppression, delayed puberty, adrenal insufficiency and Cushing Syndrome, among others. Ongoing research has shown that synthetic and natural hormones are transported to aquatic environments via mammalian excretion or wastewater effluent, and as a result, the release of glucocorticoids into the …

Experimental Study On The Fabrication Of Advanced Materials For Energy Applications Using High Energy Mechanical Milling, Ashvin Kumar Narayana Swamy

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The reaction of aluminum (Al) powder with water has the potential for on demand hydrogen generation. Conventional Al powders, however, react with water slowly due to a highly protective oxide layer on the particle surface. Current methods for Al activation involve harmful and expensive materials. The nano-scale Al powders also remain very expensive and have problems such as a large amount of oxide on the surface. The use of aluminum in an energy generation cycle is also hindered by the fact that, although Al is the most abundant metal in the Earth's crust, its recovery from ore consumes a lot …

Synthetic Asphaltene As A Novel Dye In Dye Sensitized Solar Cells Dsscs, Hassan Sharif

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

This dissertation approves the possibility of the first time use of synthetic asphaltene as new dye in dye sensitized solar cells. In which the conversion efficiency of synthetic asphaltene DSSC has improved up to 2.0 %. Synthetic asphaltene sample was prepared from the starting material as in literature and applied for various solar cell parameters of TiO2 based dyesensitized solar cell DSSC. DSSCs were fabricated using the synthetic asphaltene as dye. Different variables and parameters were carried out to test the photovoltaic performance of the cells, these parameters include open-circuit voltage, short-circuit current; fill factor. The first result was obtained …

Adsorption Of Arsenic, Chromium, And Uranium From Saline Water On Clinoptilolite And The Treatment Of The Spent Regenerant By Duffusion Dialysis, Mutiu Olaitan Tanimola

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Among various water purification and recycling technologies, adsorption is a fast, inexpensive and universal method. The development of low-cost adsorbents has led to the rapid growth of research interests in this field. The objective of this present study is the optimization of process parameters in adsorption of arsenic, chromium and uranium ions. The adsorption behavior of natural zeolite (clinoptilolite) has been studied in order to determine its applicability in treating water containing arsenic, chromium and uranium. The multiple adsorption of arsenic As (V), trivalent chromium Cr (III)] and uranium (VI) on natural zeolite (clinoptilolite) in single component and multiple component …

The Investigation Of The Practice Of Frugal Innovation Across Cultures And The Introduction Of An Instructional Model For Streamlining The Design Process, Andres Efren Bolanos

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The central objectives of this dissertation are to analyze frugal innovation, apply foundational methodologies that contribute to product design, and discover the important contextual information for successful development. This dissertation describes a systematic procedure in designing frugally innovated products. The institutional design will encompass environmental, social, and economic impacts into the entire products' life cycle. Also, a comparison is made between two developing nations' contextual factors to reveal the formulation of frugal innovation.

Evaluation Of Novel Backwashable Cartridge Filters: Efficacy And Sustainability, Michelle Brown

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

One of the important aspects of desalination pre–treatment is the removal of particles from feedwater. This is typically accomplished using a combination of gross filtration and cartridge filtration. Cartridge filters are typically single–use products, and their replacement can represent a significant portion of a desalination plant's operating budget. This research evaluated the performance of a new type of cartridge filter that is backwashable and aims to reduce the overall cost to desalination facilities and provide cleaner water. Two sets of filters were evaluated (in triplicate) with respect to particle removal efficiency and hydraulic efficiency. The initial set included four types …

Geochemical Characterization Of Mineral Dust Sources In The Chihuahuan Desert And Southern High Plains Regions, Porfirio Peinado

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The Chihuahuan Desert (northern Chihuahua, southern New Mexico, and far west Texas) and the southern High Plains (west Texas and eastern New Mexico) regions have been identified as one of the most persistent dust producing regions of North America. Regional-scale dust storms have been observed by satellite imagery to identify sources of dust, resulting in collection and examination of physical soil samples to better understand the source signatures (geochemical characteristics) of dust origins in these two regions.

The soil characteristics were examined through several techniques: Particle Size Distribution, X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometry (ICP-OES), and Total …

Recovering Magnesium Hydroxide And Sodium Chloride From Zero Discharge Desalination Concentrate Streams, Alemayehu Asfaw Yetayew

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

UTEP and Veolia Water Solutions & Technologies have been demonstrating and commercializing the Zero Discharge Desalination (ZDD) technology as part of a three year project sponsored by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. ZDD is able to achieve up to 98% recovery by desalinating brackish groundwater. ZDD is typically comprised of a reverse osmosis (RO) or nanofiltration (NF) system and a unique variation of electrodialysis called electrodialysis metathesis (EDM). The ZDD technology increases the yield of fresh water from water supplies that contain enough CaSO4 to cause precipitation problems when the water is treated with RO or NF alone. The EDM …

A Gis-Based Watershed Impact Management Model, Chioma Nneamaka Udeze

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Assessment of land use changes on hydrological processes is essential for the planning and development of sustainable land management practices and water resources. Understanding how land management practices influence hydrological components is essential for the prediction of hydrological consequences of changes in land use. Given the plethora of hydrological models, digital data sources, and the limited availability of observed data, it is difficult to quantify the impacts of land use changes on hydrology. In this study, a Watershed Impact Management (WIM) model framework was conceptualized. A case study of the Yocona River basin, Mississippi, was implemented with the soil and …

Use Of A Surrogate To Evaluate The Impact Of Tillage On The Transport Of Steroid Hormones From Manure-Amended Agricultural Fields, Sagor Biswas, William L. Kranz, Charles A. Shapiro, Mitiku Mamo, Shannon L. Bartelt-Hunt, Daniel D. Snow, David P. Shelton, David D. Tarkalson, Terry L. Mader, Simon J. Van Donk, Tian C. Zhang

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Beef feedlot manure distributed to row crop production areas is a potential surface water contaminant source of the steroid hormones commonly used in beef cattle production. This article reports on research conducted at the University of Nebraska Haskell Agricultural Laboratory near Concord, Nebraska, in July 2009. Manure, collected from beef feedlot pens, was stockpiled for ten months prior to application to a row crop field. Previous research identified that the detection frequency of steroid hormones in beef manure varies greatly. Thus, a surrogate (17α-ethynylestradiol, EE2) was applied at a rate of 75 g ha^-1 to ensure detectable concentrations in …

Runoff Nutrient Transport As Affected By Land Application Method, Swine Growth Stage, And Runoff Rate, J. E. Gilley, Shannon L. Bartelt-Hunt, S. J. Lamb, X. Li, D. B. Marx, D. D. Snow, D. B. Parker, B. L. Woodbury

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

This study was conducted to measure the effects of slurry application method, swine growth stage, and flow rate on runoff nutrient transport. Swine slurry was obtained from production units containing grower pigs, finisher pigs, or sows and gilts. The swine slurry was applied using broadcast, disk, or injection methods at a rate required to meet annual nitrogen requirements for corn. Three 30 min simulated rainfall events, separated by 24 h intervals, were applied to the experimental plots at an intensity of 70 mm h^-1. Inflow was applied at the top of each plot in four successive increments after …

Hourly And Daily Single And Basal Evapotranspiration Crop Coefficients As A Function Of Growing Degree Days, Days After Emergence, Leaf Area Index, Fractional Green Canopy Cover, And Plant Phenology For Soybean, Suat Irmak, Lameck O. Odhiambo, James Specht, Koffi Djaman

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Hourly evapotranspiration (ET) crop coefficients (K_c) are needed to optimize the effectiveness and efficiency of high-frequency micro- and sprinkler irrigation practices involving the application of water multiple times a day. However, not much is known about the daily and seasonal patterns and magnitudes in hourly K_c values for soybean. In addition, locally developed K_c values are necessary for more robust within-season irrigation management, crop ET estimation, and water balance analyses. Hourly and daily Kc functions were developed for soybean in south-central Nebraska through extensive field research. Actual crop evapotranspiration (ET_a) was measured using a …

Maize Evapotranspiration, Yield Production Functions, Biomass, Grain Yield, Harvest Index, And Yield Response Factors Under Full And Limited Irrigation, Koffi Djaman, Suat Irmak, William R. Rathje, Derrel L. Martin, Dean E. Eisenhauer

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

South-central Nebraska is one of the most extensively irrigated areas in the U.S., with over 65,000 active irrigation wells, and maize is the major agronomical crop produced. Maize production in this region requires supplementary irrigation for maximum productivity. Effective on-farm implementation of full and limited irrigation practices for potential improvements of crop productivity requires knowledge of locally developed crop yield response to water functions. In this study, the effects of full and limited irrigation practices on maize (Zea mays L.) plant height, leaf area index (LAI), grain yield and biomass production, actual crop evapotranspiration (ET_a), yield production functions, …

Use Of A Surrogate To Evaluate The Impact Of Tillage On The Transport Of Steroid Hormones From Manure-Amended Agricultural Fields, Sagor Biswas, William Kranz, Charles A. Shapiro, Mitiku Mamo, Shannon L. Bartelt-Hunt, Daniel D. Snow, David P. Shelton, David D. Tarkalson, Terry L. Mader, Simon J. Van Donk, Tian C. Zhang

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Beef feedlot manure distributed to row crop production areas is a potential surface water contaminant source of the steroid hormones commonly used in beef cattle production. This article reports on research conducted at the University of Nebraska Haskell Agricultural Laboratory near Concord, Nebraska, in July 2009. Manure, collected from beef feedlot pens, was stockpiled for ten months prior to application to a row crop field. Previous research identified that the detection frequency of steroid hormones in beef manure varies greatly. Thus, a surrogate (17α-ethynylestradiol, EE2) was applied at a rate of 75 g ha^-1 to ensure detectable concentrations in …

Transport Of Steroid Hormones In The Vadose Zone After Land Application Of Beef Cattle Manure, Simon Van Donk, Sagor Biswas, William L. Kranz, Daniel D. Snow, Shannon L. Bartelt-Hunt, Terry L. Mader, Charles A. Shapiro, David P. Shelton, David D. Tarkalson, Tian .. Zhang, Steve Ensley

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Few studies have been conducted to investigate the potential contamination of groundwater from manureborne steroid hormones. The objective of this study was to monitor leaching of steroid hormones at the bottom of 2.4 m deep percolation lysimeters installed in plots treated with beef cattle manure. Soil samples were also collected from surrounding field plots. Treatments consisted of application of manure from two treatment methods (stockpiling and composting) or no manure application. Laboratory analyses of manure, soil, and leachate samples used liquid chromatography and tandem mass spectrometry to identify 17 steroid hormones and metabolites. Progesterone, estrone, β-zearalenol, and 4-androstenedione were detected …

Development And Evaluation Of Ordinary Least Squares Regression Models For Predicting Irrigated And Rainfed Maize And Soybean Yields, Vivek Sharma, Daran R. Rudnick, Suat Irmak

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Understanding the relationships between climatic variables and soil physical and chemical properties with crop yields on large scales is critical for evaluating crop productivity to make better assessments of local and regional food security, policy, land and water resource allocation, and management decisions. In this study, ordinary least squares(OLS) regression models were developed to predict irrigated and rainfed maize and soybean yields at the county level as a

function of explanatory variables [precipitation (P), actual crop evapotranspiration (ETa), organic matter content (OMC), cation exchange capacity (CEC), clay content (CC), and available soil water capacity (ASW)] of the dominant soil type …

Water Productivity Of Corn And Dry Bean Rotation On Very Fine Sandy Loam Soil In Western Nebraska, William E. Spurgeon, C. Dean Yonts

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Subsurface drip irrigation (SDI) was used to irrigate corn and dry beans in a crop rotation study for four years from 2005 to 2008 to evaluate the accumulative effect of irrigation amount on yield and irrigation water use efficiency (I_WUE). This study was conducted on a very fine sandy loam soil using a short season corn hybrid typical for the area. Four irrigation treatments based on providing a fraction of the estimated crop evapotranspiration (ET_c) were evaluated. The treatments were designed to replace a certain percentage of ET_c and were denoted as I₁₂₅, …

Implementation Of A ”Rapid Design Challenge” In A Cross-Disciplinary Senior Capstone Course And Evaluation Of Device Performance, Abby M. Kelly, Austin Lammers, David D. Jones, Richard Stowell, Roger Hoy, Evan Curtis, Angela K. Pannier

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

The senior capstone experience within the Department of Biological Systems Engineering at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln is a two-semester, two-course sequence intended to give senior students realistic design experience, working with real projects, real clients, faculty consultants, and teammates to produce a deliverable that meets the client’s needs. Students within this course sequence come from two different degree programs (agricultural engineering and biological systems engineering) and within each degree program from a variety of “emphasis areas”, e.g. biomedical engineering, environmental engineering, machine design. While the goal of this course is for students to experience a “real” design project, we felt …

Acetyl-Coa Carboxylases Are Checkpoints In Adipocyte Differentiation, Elizabeth Lyn Cordonier, Daniel Camara Teixeira, Zhonghi Han, Angela K. Pannier, Janos Zempleni

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Network Analysis Of Endogenous Gene Expression Profiles After Polyethyleneimine-Mediated Dna Delivery, Timothy M. Martin, Sarah A. Plautz, Angela K. Pannier

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Background—DNA delivery systems, which transport exogenous DNA to cells, have applications that include gene therapy, tissue engineering and medical devices. Although the cationic nonviral DNA carrier polyethyleneimine (PEI) has been widely studied, the molecular factors and pathways underlying PEI-mediated DNA transfer remain largely unknown, preventing the design of more efficient delivery systems.

Methods—HEK 293 T cells were treated with polyplexes formed with PEI and pEGFPLuc encoding for green fluorescent protein (GFP). Transfected cells expressing GFP were flowseparated from treated, untransfected cells. Gene expression profiles were obtained using Affymetrix HG-U133 2.0 microarrays and differentially expressed genes were identified using R/ Bioconductor. …

Avhrr-Ndvi-Based Crop Coefficients For Analyzing Long-Term Trends In Evapotranspiration In Relation To Changing Climate In The U.S. High Plains, Denis Mutiibwa, Suat Irmak

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Studies in regions of extensive irrigation practices have revealed a significant influence of evaporative cooling on regional temperatures as a result of surface energy redistribution during evaporation. In the U.S. High Plains, maximum temperatures during the last quarter of the 20th century have been decreasing. We investigated the trends in evapotranspiration (ET or latent heat) fluxes originating from increasing irrigation practices in the High Plains region from 1981 to 2008. We estimated actual ET (ETc) over the entire High Plains from the spatial crop coefficients (Kc) and spatial reference (potential) ET (ETref). We proposed …

Fate And Transport Of Antimicrobials And Antimicrobial Resistance Genes In Soil And Runoff Following Land Application Of Swine Manure Slurry, Stacy R. Joy, Shannon L. Bartelt-Hunt, Daniel D. Snow, John Gilley, Brian L. Woodbury, David B. Parker, David B. Marx, Xu Li

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering: Faculty Publications

Due to the use of antimicrobials in livestock production, residual antimicrobials and antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs) could enter the environment following the land application of animal wastes and could further contaminate surface and groundwater. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of various manure land application methods on the fate and transport of antimicrobials and ARGs in soil and runoff following land application of swine manure slurry. Swine manure slurries were obtained from facilities housing pigs that were fed chlortetracyline, tylosin or bacitracin and were land applied via broadcast, incorporation, and injection methods. Three rainfall simulation tests …

Transferability Of Jarvis-Type Models Developed And Re-Parameterized For Maize To Estimate Stomatal Resistance Of Soybean: Analyses On Model Calibration, Validation, Performance, Sensitivity, And Elasticity, Denis Mutiibwa, Suat Irmak

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

In a previous study by the same authors, a new modified Jarvis model (NMJ-model) was developed, calibrated, and validated to estimate stomatal resistance (rs) for maize canopy on an hourly time step. The NMJ-model’s unique subfunctions, different from the original Jarvis model (J-model), include a photosynthetic photon flux density

(PPFD)-r_s response subfunction developed from field measurements and a new physical term, Aexp(1/LAI), where A is the minimum stomatal resistance and LAI is the green leaf area index, to account for the influence of canopy development on r_s, especially during partial canopy stage in the early season and …

Impact Of Water And Nitrogen Management Strategies On Maize Yield And Water Productivity Indices Under Linear-Move Sprinkler Irrigation, Daran Rudnick, Suat Irmak

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

With uncertainty in future irrigation water availability and regulations on nutrient application amounts, experimentally determined effects of “controllable” management strategies such as nitrogen (N), water, and their combination on crop water productivity (CWP, also known as crop water use efficiency) and actual evapotranspiration (ET_a) are essential. The effects of various N application rates (0, 84, 140, 196, and 252 kg ha^-1) under fully irrigated (FIT), limited irrigation (75% FIT), and rainfed conditions on maize (Zea mays L.) yield and various CWP indices were investigated in 2011 and 2012 growing seasons under linear-move sprinkler irrigation in south …

Assessing Climate Change Impacts On Water Balance, Runoff, And Water Quality At The Field Scale For Four Locations In The Heartland, Michael W. Van Liew, Song Feng, T. B. Pathak

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

This study employed the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) to evaluate the impacts of projected future climate change scenarios on water balance, runoff, sediment, total nitrogen (N), and total phosphorus (P) at the field scale for four locations in the Heartland region: Sioux City (Iowa) and Columbus, Mullen, and Harrison (Nebraska). A conventional two-year corn-soybean rotation was assumed to be grown on each field. All fields were simulated identically in terms of topographic and cover/land management conditions. Model inputs for the fields differed in only

three ways: the forcing conditions for existing and future climatic scenarios (SRES A2, A1B, …