Bioresource and Agricultural Engineering Commons^™

A Survey Of Electronic Environmental Controllers, Richard S. Gates, Douglas G. Overhults, Larry W. Turner

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

Sixteen commercially available electronic environmental controllers were evaluated. The units were classified according to enclosure type, analog versus microprocessor based control, power supply, sensors, alarms, control relays and triac output, interval timers, outside temperature feedback, and retail price. An assessment of these controllers indicated several critical limitations in the application of this technology.

The use of integrated controllers for animal production has the potential for substantial improvements in production efficiencies. If the limitations observed in the present controller technology, as represented by this sample, are addressed, industry acceptance of the technology can be accelerated. A uniform standard to address this …

Transient Overvoltage Testing Of Environmental Controllers, Richard S. Gates, Larry W. Turner, Douglas G. Overhults

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

The integrated electronic control system will provide a new method for the day-to-day management of environmental control of animal production systems. No standards are currently accepted for transient overvoltage protection of these controllers. To assess the adequacy of existing designs, a test circuit was designed and used for a transient open circuit over-voltage waveform (ANSI/IEEE C62.41-1980) of 16 environmental control units: a maximum spike of 770 V was applied to the power supplies, and a spike up to 100 V was applied to temperature sensor lines. For these relatively mild tests, no failures were noted due to power supply transients, …

Compact – A Reclamation Soil Compaction Model Part I. Model Development, Ronald L. Bingner, Larry G. Wells

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

A physically based, event oriented soil compaction model, known as COMPACT, was developed as a management or research tool to evaluate the effect of surface mining systems on compaction of soil material during reclamation. Simulation of compaction throughout the soil profile at a surface mining reclamation site requires information describing how equipment moves on the site. The compaction processes that are caused by vehicles throughout the soil profile are described by applying the pressure distribution of the surface contact area of a tire or track to determine stresses in the soil profile. A virgin compression curve is then used to …

Compact – A Reclamation Soil Compaction Model Part Ii. Sensitivity Analysis And Applications, Ronald L. Bingner, Larry G. Wells

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

COMPACT, a physically based, event-oriented compaction model, was developed as a management or research tool to evaluate the influence of a surface mining system on compaction of soil material during reclamation. Two systems of area mining reclamation operations were simulated by COMPACT. The first system involved scrapers and bulldozers and the second also included trucks. Scrapers or trucks were used to pick up and deposit the soil material. Bulldozers were then used to shape the site for reclamation. The simulated results were compared with measured results and show how equipment patterns and soil parameters can affect overall soil compaction. This …

Evaluation Of Gamma Ray Attenuation For Measuring Soil Bulk Density Part I. Laboratory Investigation, Xiwen Luo, Larry G. Wells

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

Gamma ray attenuation was evaluated as a means of determining soil bulk density. Experiments were conducted using clay, silt, and sandy loam soils wherein samples were compacted to uniform densities at various moisture contents. We determined the attenuation characteristics of dry soil to be independent of soil texture while being significantly different from that of water. Comparison of gamma density measurements with known soil sample densities indicated that the gamma gauge provided reliable measurement of soil bulk density, provided that the effect of soil moisture on attenuation was accounted for and the manufacturer-prescribed calibration procedure was followed daily. Further, we …

Evaluation Of Gamma Ray Attenuation For Measuring Soil Bulk Density Part Ii. Field Investigation, Larry G. Wells, Xiwen Luo

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

A field investigation was conducted at sites near Lexington and Central City, Kentucky, to evaluate the use of gamma ray attenuation for measuring soil bulk density. Experiments were conducted whereby the gamma gauge was calibrated by various means and compared with volumetric cores collected from the field soils. Calibration by the manufacturer’s recommended procedure was determined to be as accurate as more rigorous laboratory calibration or calibration via regression of soil bulk density data, provided that the effect of soil water on gamma attenuation is correctly considered. We also developed a linear regression equation to correct for the occurrence of …

An Aeration Duct Design Model For Flat Grain Storage, Thomas C. Bridges, Douglas G. Overhults, Samuel G. Mcneill, G. M. White

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

Traditionally most grain is stored in circular type bins which provide a convenient means for handling and management. With the excess grain production and government loan programs of the past few years, some producers have used rectangular structures and covered piles to complement their round storages. The recommended management practices used with round bins are still required in those alternative storages and may be more critical in obtaining a quality end product.

One such recommended practice used with round bins is aeration. This practice is used to maintain a uniform temperature in the grain mass, preventing condensation and "hot" spots …

Comparison Of Four Infiltration Models In Characterizing Infiltration Through Surface Mine Profiles, Larry G. Wells, A. D. Ward, I. D. Moore, R. E. Phillips

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

A laboratory infiltrometer system was used to evaluate the infiltration process through reconstructed surface mine profiles. Six different profiles were subjected to constant simulated rainfall intensities for selected test conditions. Surface runoff rates were monitored and transient soil moisture contents in the profiles were measured with a gamma density gauge. Unsaturated hydraulic conductivity relationships were determined using Campbelfs method and the "zero-flux" procedure. The infiltration process was modeled by the SCS curve number method, a form of Holtan's equation, the Green-Ampt model and Richards' equation. SCS curve numbers were determined by fitting the method to the observed results. Richards' equation …

Traction Characteristics Of Prepared Traffic Lanes, Eddie C. Burt, James H. Taylor, Larry G. Wells

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

Traction characteristics of lugged and smooth tires were compared on prepared traffic lanes and on conventional seedbed conditions. Results indicated that elevated traffic lanes offer important traction advantages over seedbeds in wet soil conditions. In dry soil conditions, traction on elevated traffic lanes was sometimes less than on the seedbed conditions. A timeliness advantage in mobility for the elevated traffic lanes was found to be up to 2 days in extremely wet conditions. A non-elevated traffic lane showed no traction advantage in wet conditions.

Characterizing Soil Deformation By Direct Measurement Within The Profile, Randall K. Wood, Larry G. Wells

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

A unique feature of the University of Kentucky soil bin enables deformation to be characterized by studying a cross-sectional soil profile grid pattern. Modular sections of the bin are laterally removed to expose the cross-section after passes of a pneumatic tire.

The measured displacements of the grid points were converted to values of volumetric strain and then compared to soil density as measured by a dual probe gamma-ray density gauge following tests at various soil conditions. Final soil bulk density determinations using the two methods were not statistically different..

Salinity Control In Northern China, G A. Robertson

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

China has vast areas of saline land, perhaps as much as six million hectares. Some of this saline land is a result of marine influence in coastal areas and some is the resultof soil formation in areas with saline geological deposits and inadequate rainfall to leach out the salts at that time.

However, most saline soils in China are as a result of secondary salinisation processess induced by a hydrological imbalance resulting from over-clearing of the land or irrigation. This imbalance has produced rising watertables bringing the salt closer to the soil surface.

In this article, G..A. Robertson, Commissioner …

Dam Site Selection In The North-Eastern Wheatbelt, J L. Frith

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

Western Australia's wheatbelt farm dams are dug three to eight metres deep and are generally sited in soils which either are inherently impermeable or can be made so during construction.

In the eastern and north-eastern wheatbelt, however, only a small proportion of the soils meets these criteria. Dam site selection in these areas therefore depends on a good knowledge ofwhich soils aresuitable and on our being able to locate them efficiently by using surface indications such as surface soil, natural vegetation or topographic features.

Drought Proofing The Farm : Case Studies, J L. Frith

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

For many years, Western Australia's north-eastern wheatbelthas suffered chronic shortages of water for stock and domestic use. The area's averageannual rainfall is generally low - less than 300 millimetres - and droughts in the 1970s caused futher problems. manydams in the area leak or have inadequate catchmentsand groundwater is scarce ormofmpoor quality.

In March 982, the Western Australian Government provided $100 000 for the Department of agriculture to demonstrate the potential of establishing permanent, drought-proof water supplies on farms in the north-eastern wheatbelt. The methods were to use exixting techniques to build dams and catchments. In a year of low …

Water Supplies : Dams And Roaded Catchments, W J. Burdass, T. R. Negus, A. L. Prout, I. A. F. Laing

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

Western Australia's Upper and Lower Great Southern statistical areas include most of the broad-scale agricultural land south of a line from Perth to Hyden. Much of the area is well-developed and carries 13.4 million sheep, 203 00 cattle and 95 000 pigs, almost half the State's livestock.

There are few natural rivers and lakes to water livestock in summer and much of the bore water is salty. On-farm waterr conservation, therefore, consits mainly of excavated earth tanks (dams) which are filled by surface runoff or shallow seepage. In the drier areas and in the sandplain roaded catchments have neen built …

Limiting Swine Stress With Evaporative Cooling In The Southeast, Robert L. Fehr, K. T. Priddy, Samuel G. Mcneill, Douglas G. Overhults

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

Three-hourly weather data for 7 locations in the Southeast and Central United States were used to evaluate the feasibility of evaporative cooling for reducing swine stress. Stress was defined as a relationship between dry and wet bulb temperatures which exceeded a stress index of 85. This analysis indicates that properly installed evaporative coolers could reduce the number of hours that stress would occur in swine facilities from 89.6 to 96.4% depending on location.

Infiltration Through Reconstructed Surface Mined Spoils And Soils, A. D. Ward, Larry G. Wells, R. E. Phillips

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

An extensive series of tests involving reconstructed profiles of spoil and topsoil material from a Western Kentucky surface mine site was conducted with a laboratory infiltrometer system. Infiltration through the reconstructed spoil profiles was very slow despite the coarse nature of the material. Low infiltration rates could be attributed to the material having a well-graded texture and to the high densities of the profiles. Infiltration through topsoil horizons was controlled, for the most part, by conditions at the surface. Following wetting, infiltration rates were primarily controlled by the hydraulic characteristics of the less permeable sub horizon of the spoil material. …

Effect Of Herbicides On Performance Of Aerobic Dairy Lagoons, John D. Bottom, Joseph L. Taraba

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

The herbicides glyphosate, bromacil, and dalapon were assessed for their affect on the oxygen uptake of microorganisms from an aerated dairy lagoon at 20 °C. The maximum recommended addition of herbicide active ingerdient to a lagoon is: glyphosate (isopropyl amino salt)—0.42 mg/L; bromacil—3.70 mg/L; and dalapon (85.8 percent Na salt and 14.2 percent Mg salt)—1.95 mg/L. In addition, microorganism isolates from the aerobic dairy lagoon were incubated under aerobic and anerobic conditions at room temperature to assess the effects of the herbicides. Under aerobic incubation, it was found that neither herbicide type nor herbicide concentration affected isolate growth. Under anaerobic …

Simulation Of Burley Tobacco Harvesting-Housing Systems, Ronald L. Bingner, Larry G. Wells, Thomas C. Bridges, George A. Duncan

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

A computer model has been developed using systems analysis techniques to simulate the labor and equipment aspects of harvesting burley tobacco. By varying the parameters of the model the user can determine a harvesting and housing strategy based on labor and equipment availability.

A Simulation Model For Assessing Alternate Strategies For Beef Production With Land, Energy And Economic Constraints, Otto J. Loewer, E. M. Smith, G. Benock, Thomas C. Bridges, Larry G. Wells, Nelson Gay, S. Burgess, L. Springate, David L. Debertin

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

A computer model has been developed to analyze alternate management strategies and energy and economic constraints. Daily production of beef animals and growing crops is simulated in response to prevailing conditions and system interactions using the GASP IV simulation language. Complete inventories of plant dry matter, animal status, production resources and economic net worth are maintained over the simulation period.

Bulletin 3929 - Irrigation In Western Australia, K S. Cole

Bulletins - 3000 - 3999

Irrigation is essential in many parts of the world to produce essential food and profitable cash crops. Generally, those areas of land with less than 360 mm of rain spread over a distinct wet season of several months cannot grow crops for food or cash on rainfall alone. Then irrigation becomes necessary unless some peculiarity such as an oasis exists.

Ground Driven Powered Tillage, Larry G. Wells, E. M. Smith, D. E. Hammett, H. J. Thompson Jr.

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

A ground driven powered tillage device is described which utilizes a passive rolling coulter propelled through the soil by a prime mover. The reaction torque imparted by the soil to the coulter is delivered via a torque transfer unit to a powered tillage blade. The tillage blade rotates counter to the direction of the passive rolling coulter and prepares a tilled furrow of some predetermined depth for seed placement and coverage.

Analysis is presented in which the torque developed by a passive rolling coulter engaging the soil is predicted. A relationship is presented for determining the velocity ratio between the …

Economic Comparison Of Alternative Burley Tobacco Harvesting Practices By Computer, Thomas C. Bridges, Larry G. Wells, George A. Duncan, John N. Walker

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

The computer model CATCH (Computer Analysis of Tobacco Cutting and Housing) was developed to provide the individual tobacco producer with management information concerning alternative methods of harvesting burley tobacco. CATCH utilizes specific producer in-puts to analyze 24 alternative burley production systems and presents up to four economic rankings containing costs, equipment and labor for each system. The economic rankings aid the producer in decision making with regard to his own operation.

The Influence Of Harvest Rate And Drying Time On Grain Drying And Storage Facility Selection, Thomas C. Bridges, Otto J. Loewer Jr., Douglas G. Overhults

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

A Computer Model For Evaluating Corn Harvesting, Handling, Drying And Storage Systems, Thomas C. Bridges, Otto J. Loewer Jr., John N. Walker, Douglas G. Overhults

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

The Response Of Various Soil Strength Indices To Changing Water Content And Bulk Density, Larry G. Wells, O. Treesuwan

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

Various soil strength parameters were measured in the laboratory using a bevameter and a recording soil cone penetrometer. Measurements were made at various levels of soil bulk density and water content. Results were discussed in terms of similar published analyses. Two dissimilar methods of predicting vehicular tractive performance were compared and evaluated in terms of potential utility with respect to prediction of soil trafficability.

Predicted And Measured Drainable Porosities For Field Soils, R. W. Skaggs, Larry G. Wells, S. R. Ghate

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

Experiments were conducted on large field cores to determine the relationship between drainage volume and water table depth for five soils. The measured drainage volumes were less than predicted from the soil water characteristics for three soils, but were in good agreement for the other two. Drainable porosities were calculated from both theoretical and experimental drainage volume-water table depth relationships by assuming that the unsaturated zone is essentially 'drained to equilibrium, with the water table. The experimental drainable porosities thus obtained were less than predicted.

Drainable porosities for drainage in two-dimensions were calculated from experimental results for one-dimension by assuming …

Vertical Drainage In Field Cores, Larry G. Wells, R. W. Skaggs

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Computer Layout And Design Of Grain Storage Facilities, Otto J. Loewer Jr., Thomas C. Bridges, Douglas G. Overhults

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Facility Costs Of Centralized Grain Storage Systems Utilizing Computer Design, Otto J. Loewer Jr., Thomas C. Bridges, Douglas G. Overhults

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

The item considered most often when estimating the cost of a grain storage facility is capacity. Of equal or greater importance is daily harvest rate. Other important considerations include drying method, materials handling equipment, energy cost, facility arrangement, labor requirements, grain quality and management ability. Only through a comparison of facilities which offer similar capacity, capability and convenience can the purchaser obtain his best system.

Upward Water Movement In Field Cores, Larry G. Wells, R. W. Skaggs

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.