Engineering Commons^™

Performance Of Seedigated And Conventionally Planted Crops, W. S. Leander Jr., Derrel L. Martin, James R. Gilley

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Seedigation is the use of a moving sprinkler irrigation system to broadcast seeds on the soil surface. Seed germination, plant characteristics and yield for grain sorghum, winter wheat and soybeans that were seedigated and conventionally planted are compared. When the seeding rates for seedigation were increased above that for conventional planting, and adequate moisture was available for germination, grain sorghum and wheat seedigated on tilled surfaces produced yields similar to conventionally planted crops. Seedigation of soybeans into fallow conditions, or when used as a relay crop, was unsuccessful. Shallow disking following seedigation did not improve germination or yield of grain …

Mechanical And Barrier Properties Of Edible Corn And Wheat Protein Films, T. P. Aydt, Curtis Weller, R. F. Testin

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Published methods for production of homogeneous edible films from com and wheat proteins were adapted. Barrier and mechanical properties of the edible films were evaluated with procedures commonly used on polymeric films. Mechanical property data included thickness, elongation, tensile strength, tear strength, and burst strength measurements. Barrier property data included water vapor, oxygen, and carbon dioxide gas transmission rate measurements. Homogeneous com and wheat protein films were found to have low tensile strengths, far less than cellophane. Com films were brittle while wheat films were elastic in comparison to cellophane. All three types of film had low permeabilities for dry …

A Cooperative Educational Program To Reduce Soil Erosion, David P. Shelton, Elbert C. Dickey, Paul J. Jasa, David A. Biere, Susan Smydra Krotz

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Eastern Nebraska, especially the northeastern portion, has a history of severe soil erosion, due in part to a predominance of steep slopes and highly erodible soils (12). While the average annual allowable soil loss ("T" value) for most of these soils is five tons per acre, some fields have annual soil erosion rates that exceed 100 tons per acre. The loss of topsoil is critical, of course, but erosion from cropland also results in the removal of fertilizers and pesticides, which degrades water quality.

Even though farmers are generally aware that soil erosion is a national problem, many …

Estimating Percent Residue Cover Using The Line-Transect Method, David P. Shelton, Elbert C. Dickey, Roger Kanable, Stewart W. Melvin, Charles A. Burr

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Estimating Percent Residue Cover Using the Line-Transect Method

The line-transect method is one of the easiest method to use in the field to determine the percent residue cover on the surface. Accurate measurement is necessary to determine if enough cover is present to comply with the conservation plan.

The following is a step-by-step procedure for using the line-transect method to measure the percentage of residue cover.

Step 1

Use a 100-foot or 50-foot measuring tape for measuring residue cover. Other measuring length or even knotted ropes can be used if the appropriate multiplication factor is used to calculate the percentage. …

Residue Management To Control Soil Erosion By Water, Elbert C. Dickey, David P. Shelton, Paul J. Jasa, Michael C. Hirschi

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

The Erosion Process

Erosion of topsoil begins when water detaches individual soil particles from clod and other soil aggregates. A single raindrop may seem insignificant, yet collectively, raindrops strike the ground with surprising force. During an intense storm, rainfall can loosen and detach up to 100 tons of soil per acre and can be especially erosive when residue mulch or vegetation are not present to absorb their impact.

Two problems often occur during rainstorms. The rate of rainfall can exceed the rate at which water can enter the soil and raindrop impact forces can partially seal the soil surface. In …

Study Of Ingaas-Based Modulation Doped Field Effect Transistor Structures Using Variable-Angle Spectroscopic Ellipsometry, S. A. Alterovitz, R. M. Sieg, H. D. Yao, Paul G. Snyder, John A. Woollam, J. Pamulapati, P. K. Bhattacharya, P. A. P. A. Sekula-Moise

John A. Woollam Publications

Variable-angle spectroscopic ellipsometry was used to estimate the thicknesses of all layers within the optical penetration depth of InCaAs-based modulation doped field effect transistor structures. Strained and unstrained InGaAs channels were made by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) on InP substrates and by metal-organic chemical vapor deposition on GaAs substrates. In most cases. ellipsometrically determined thicknesses were within 10% of the growth-calibration results. The MBE-made InCaAs strained layers showed large strain effects, indicating a probable shift in the critical points of their dielectric function toward the InP lattice-matched concentration.

Using Optimization And Simulation Techniques To Estimate Initial Weevil Populations, Kunter S. Akbay

Mechanical Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

In this paper, a mathematical programming and simulation method is used to estimate the number of weevils (Neochetina bruchi Hustache, and N. eichhorniae Warner) necessary to initialize the INSECT model which simulates the biological control of waterhyacinth by the weevils. The objective is to estimate the initial input values for the adult population so that the sum of the absolute differences between the observed and the simulated numbers of weevils is minimized. In general, the simulated values using the initial values obtained from the mathematical programming problem were within the 95% confidence intervals of the actual field observations. Also, in …

A Mathematical Model Of Electrochemical Reactions Coupled With Homogeneous Chemical Reactions, Ken-Ming Yen, Taewhan Yeu, Ralph E. White

Faculty Publications

The zinc/bromine (Zn/Br2) flow battery has received considerable
attention in recent years [e.g., (2-4)]. Although it
is agreed that the solution chemistry is important in the
system, most of the work that has been done is concentrated
on the design variables. In this note the basic mass
transfer-solution and surface kinetics are studied to furnish
a better understanding of the system.

Current Distribution In A Horizon® Lead-Acid Battery During Discharge, Z. Mao, Ralph E. White, B. Jay

Faculty Publications

A simple mathematical model is presented and used to analyze the potential and current distributions in a HORIZON® sealed lead-acid battery. It was found that an increase in the thickness of an electrode would not enhance the discharge rate of that electrode; instead, it causes the transfer current distribution to be less uniform in the electrode. Also, the ohmic drop across the separator would decrease with a decrease in the thickness of the separator more rapidly when the thickness is small than when it is large. In addition, it was found that efficient high-capacity, high-rate electrodes must consider the electrode …

Impedance Analysis For Oxygen Reduction In A Lithium Carbonate Melt, Bhasker B. Davé, Ralph E. White, Supramaniam Srinivasan, A. John Appleby

Faculty Publications

Oxygen reduction on a smooth gold electrode in a pure lithium carbonate melt was investigated by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and cyclic voltammetry. The impedance data were analyzed using the Randles-Ershler equivalent circuit to determine parameters such as the charge-transfer resistance, Warburg coefficient, double-layer capacity, and uncompensated electrolyte resistance. The parameters estimated by complex plane plots and a complex nonlinear least squares method are in good agreement. Cyclic voltammetric measurements showed that oxygen reduction in a lithium carbonate melt is very rapid. A mass transfer parameter, DC₀, estimated by the cyclic voltammetry concurred withthat calculated by the electrochemical …

Electrochemical Characterization Of Electronically Conductive Polypyrrole On Cyclic Voltammograms, Taewhan Yeu, Ken-Ming Yin, Jose Carbajal, Ralph E. White

Faculty Publications

Experimental and theoretical cyclic voltammograms for electronically conducting polypyrrole film are obtained from the identical conditions and compared to each other to characterize electrochemical behavior of the polymer. A comparison of the simulated and experimental cyclic yoltammograms shows quantitative agreement. The profiles of the dependent variables show that the switching process is governed by the availability of the counter ion to the polypyrrole electrode and the amount of electroactive sites. Sensitivity analysis shows that the double layer effects have more influence in the cyclic voltammograms than the electrokinetic effects.

A Modified Electrochemical Process For The Decomposition Of Hydrogen Sulfide In An Aqueous Alkaline Solution, Z. Mao, A. Anani, Ralph E. White, S. Srinivasan, A. J. Appleby

Faculty Publications

An electrochemical process for the decomposition of hydrogen sulfide into its constituents in an aqueous alkaline solution is presented. It essentially consists of presaturation of an alkaline scrubber solution with H₂S. Thereafter, partial neutralization of the presaturated solution provides not only the necessary mass balance for electrolysis, but also creates the optimum conditions under which passivation of the anode, as well as side chemical and electrochemical reactions, are minimized. Finally, the electrolysis stage of the process leads to precipitation of crystalline sulfur at the anode and evolution of hydrogen at the cathode. Regeneration of the alkaline solution via …

A Mathematical Model Of The Self-Discharge Of A Ni-H2 Battery, Z. Mao, Ralph E. White

Faculty Publications

A simple mathematical model is presented and used to characterize the self-discharge of a nickel oxyhydroxide(NiOOH) electrode in a hydrogen environment. This model includes diffusion of dissolved hydrogen in an electrolyte film which covers a flooded electrode, electrochemical oxidation of hydrogen, reduction of nickel oxyhydroxide, and changes of surface area and of porosity of the electrode during the self-discharge process. Although the self-discharge process is complicated, the predictions of the model are consistent with experimental results reported in the literature, which include linear relationships between the logarithm of hydrogen pressure and time and between the logarithm of the capacity remaining …

In Situ Degradation Of Polyhalogenated Aromatic Hydrocarbons By Electrochemically Generated Superoxide Ions, E. E. Kalu, Ralph E. White

Faculty Publications

The reduction of dioxygen in aprotic media yields superoxide ions which react with polyhalogenated aromatic hydrocarbons by nucleophilic substitution. The degradation of hexachlorobenzene to bicarbonates and chlorides using in situ generated superoxide ions was carried out at room temperature in a flow cell system equipped with a gas fed, porous electrode. The effects of current, electrolyte flow, and aprotic media on the extent of degradation of hexachlorobenzene are presented.

A Mathematical Model Of A Hydrogen/Oxygen Alkaline Fuel Cell, Michael C. Kimble, Ralph E. White

Faculty Publications

A mathematical model of a hydrogen/oxygen alkaline fuel cell is presented that can be used to predict polarization behavior under various potential loads. The model describes the phenomena occurring in the solid, liquid, and gaseous phases of the anode, separator, and cathode regions, assuming a macrohomogeneous, three-phase porous electrode structure. The model calculates the spatial variation of the partial pressures of oxygen, hydrogen, and water vapor, dissolved oxygen and hydrogen concentrations, electrolyte concentration, and the solid- and solution-phase potential drops. By developing a complete model of the alkaline fuel cell, the interaction of the various transport and kinetic resistances can …

Mathematical Modeling Of A Nickel-Cadmium Battery: Effects Of Intercalation And Oxygen Reactions, Deyuan Fan, Ralph E. White

Faculty Publications

Extensions are presented for a previously published (1) mathematical model of a nickel-cadmium (Ni-Cd) cell. These extensions consist of intercalation thermodynamics for the nickel electrode and oxygen generation and reduction reactions during charge and overcharge. The simulated results indicate that intercalation may be important in the nickel electrode and that including the oxygen reactions provides a means of predicting the efficiency of the cell on charge and discharge.

Effect Of Ohmic, Mass-Transfer, And Kinetic Resistances On Linear-Sweep Voltammetry In A Cylindrical-Pore Electrode, John W. Weidner, Peter S. Fedkiw

Faculty Publications

Extracting quantitative kinetic information from linear-sweep voltammograms (LSV) on porous electrodes is more difficult than on planar electrodes since the electrode surface is not uniformly accessible to the bulk supply of reactant or the counterelectrode. We present here a means to account for the effect of ohmic, mass-transfer, and kinetic resistances on LSV by modeling a pore in a porous matrix as a cylindrical-pore electrode, and solving the mass and charge conservation equations in the context of this geometry for the simply redox reaction O + ne^– <=> R where both O and R are soluble species. Both analytical …

Equipment For Ridge Planting, Elbert C. Dickey, Paul J. Jasa

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

In ridge plant systems, crops are planted into ridges formed during cultivation of the previous crop.

Row cleaning devices on the planter push weed seed and residue lying on the soil surface from the ridge to the area between the rows, or row middles. The crop seed is planted into the old row in a cleanly tilled strip at a higher elevation than the row middles. A band application of herbicide behind the planter typically is used in the row for weed control. Crop cultivation controls weeds between the row and rebuilds ridges for the following year.

Ridge plant systems …

A Mathematical Model For Outgassing And Contamination, W. Fang, M. Shillor, E. Stahel, E. Epstein, C. Ly, J. Mcniel, Edward D. Zaron

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

A model for the mathematical description of the processes of outgassing and contamination in a vacuum system is proposed. The underlying assumptions are diffusion in the source, convection and diffusion in the cavity, mass transfer across the source-cavity interface, and a generalization of the Langmuir isotherm for the sorption kinetics on the target. Three approximations are considered where the asymptotic behavior of the model for large time is shown as well as the dependence and sensitivity of the model on some of the parameters. Some numerical examples of the full model are then presented together with a proof of the …

Observation Of The Visible Absorption Spectrum Of H2o+, Biswajit Das, John W. Farley

Electrical & Computer Engineering Faculty Research

The Ã ² Ã₁–X̃ ² B̃₁ system of H₂O⁺ has been observed, using laser absorption spectroscopy in a velocity‐modulated discharge. A total of 78 transitions between 14 794 and 15 475 cm⁻¹ have been observed with an uncertainty (1 SD) of 0.02 cm⁻¹, including 76 transitions in the (0,7,0)–(0,0,0) band and 2 in the (0,8,0)–(0,0,0) band. This species is important for cometary astronomy, and intriguing for molecular physics because of its prominent Renner–Teller interaction. Careful measurements were made of the relative intensities of the absorption lines, …

In-Situ Film Thickness Measurements For Real-Time Monitoring And Control Of Advanced Photoresist Track Coating Systems, Richard N. Savage, Thomas E. Metz, Horace O. Simmons

Materials Engineering

This paper explores the methodologies of real-time measurement of photoresist film thickness on silicon wafers using multi-wavelength reflection interferometry. Reflected light from the wafer's surface, containing the interference profile, is collected in-situ via a fiber optic cable and film thickness is determined in real-time via a pattern recognition algorithm. The instrumentation used to make this measurement and its application toward optimizing track performance during spin-coating and back are discussed. Data demonstrating basic thickness versus spin-time and thickness versus bake-time profiles acquired on-line without process disruption are presented along with its utilization toward minimizing process set-up and machine qualification. Moreover, the …

The Production Data-Based Similarity Coefficient Versus Jaccard's Similarity Coefficient, Hamid Seifoddini, Manocher Djassemi

Industrial Technology and Packaging

This paper compares the performance of Jaccard's similarity coefficient with the production data-based similarity coefficient. A number of machine-component charts taken from the literature or randomly generated are used to form machine-component groups. Then, the sum of intercellular and intracellular material handling costs for each machine-component group is calculated and used as a basis for performance evaluation of the two similarity coefficients.

Methods Of Measuring The Solubility And Viscosity Of Lubricating Oil/Refrigerant Mixtures At High Discharge Pressures And Temperatures, Nolan Van Gaalen

Faculty Work Comprehensive List

The design and construction of a test facility and methodology for measuring the solubility and viscosity of lubricating oil/refrigerant mixtures at high pressures and temperatures are described. An auxiliary charging system, developed to provide precisely measured quantities of oil and refrigerant to the test facility, is also presented. The test facility was developed under the sponsorship and supervision of ASHRAE which funded this research project (RP-580);The solubility, viscosity and density of mixtures of R-22 and of R-502 with commonly used 150 SUS lubricants have been measured by using this facility. Specifically, results for liquid mixtures of 10% to 40% refrigerant …

A Computer Simulation Model Of Waterhyacinth And Weevil Interactions, Kunter S. Akbay, F. G. Howell, J. W. Wooten

Mechanical Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

A personal computer simulation model termed "INSECT" has been developed to evaluate biological control of waterhyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes (Mart.) Solms.) by two species of weevil (Neochetina eichhorniae Warner, and N. bruchi Hustache). The model results were compared with the data from three different locations. For each data set, the simulated plant biomass, adult and larva populations were plotted against the 95% confidence intervals of the actual field observations. In many cases, the simulation results were within the 95% confidence intervals, and especially during the growing season, they indicated trends similar to those seen in the field data. However, there were …

Calibration Of A Parametric-Stochastic Model, Zhida Song, L. Douglas James

Reports

Conceptually, stochastic parametric modeling offers a powerful tool to select a scale for expressing catchment variability for hydrologic simulation and relating model parameters to catchment characteristics. Practically, success depends on having an efficient method for model calibration. The calibration of a stochastic model is much more difficult than a deterministic one because simulation shifts from using fixed parameters to simulate of flows as deterministic values to taking multiple combinations of paramter values randomly from distributions to simulate flows as stochastic variables. The proposed method calibrates the first two moments of each parameter distribution to represent the average and the variability …

Studies Related To Nutrients Entering Groundwater From The Heber Valley Sewer Farm And Dairies, Roland W. Jeppson, Joan Mclean, Calvin G. Clyde, Scott Korom

Reports

Foreword: This report includes the results from a two year study in the Heber Valley to determine amounts of nutrients that are entering the groundwaters of the Heber Valley, and might ultimately enter Deer Creek Reservoir. Since Deer Creek Reservoir in Heber Valley, Utah supplies approximately 65 percent of the water distributed to Salt Lake County, the maintenance of its quality is of considerable importance. To maintain the quality of this reservoir and limit its eutrophication "best management" practices for surface water have been implemented gradually during the past decade in Heber Valley. These practices have significantly improved the qualities …

Sectar: Model For Economically Optimal Sustained Groundwater Yield Planning, Richard C. Peralta, K. Asghari, R. N. Shulstad

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications

This paper presents an approach for computing economically optimal sustained yield ground-water extract ion strategies and supportable irrigated crop acreages. Computed regional strategies maximize the present value of net economic return_ They are useful for long-term agricultural planning because they are sustainable even beyond the planning period considered within the economic optimization. The hybrid approach uses only steady-state flow equations and iterative simulation/optimization to reduce optimization memory requirements below that required by conventional models utilizing both steady and unsteady equations. SECTAR, a quadratic optimization planning model assumes heads will evolve toward optimal steady-state but does initially not know the nonlinear …

Assessing Pesticide Contamination To Groundwater: A Rapid Approach, Majid Ehteshami, Richard C. Peralta, Hubert Eisele, Howard M. Deer, Terry Tindall

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications

A methodology has been developed for identifying hazardous pesticides/site combinations threatening ground-water contamination. Screening methodologies are required to determine which locations and pesticides now in use should receive the greatest attention to safeguard the public health. The presented method uses a hazard to ground-water hydrogeological screening model (DRASTIC) and employs a one-dimensional pesticide transport model ( CMLS). The method is an efficient and practical technique to identify where particular combinations of pesticides, water management practices, soils, and geology result in the greatest potential hazard to ground-water contamination. Use of the presented approach can reduce sampling needs and expense.

Unreachable Roots For Global Homotopy Continuation Methods, Soo Hyoung Choi, Neil L. Book

Chemical and Biochemical Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

No abstract provided.

Hierarchical Neurocontroller Architecture For Intelligent Robotic Manipulation, Xavier J. R. Avula, Luis C. Rabelo

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

A hierarchical neurocontroller architecture consisting of two artificial neural network systems for the manipulation of a robotic arm is presented. The higher-level neural system participates in the delineation of the robot arm workspace and coordinates transformation and the motion decision-making process. The lower one provides the correct sequence of control actions. The capabilities, including speed, adaptability, and computational efficiency, of the developed architecture are illustrated by an example.