Bioresource and Agricultural Engineering Commons^™

Strengthening Black Cotton Soil With Fly Ash And Moorum: An Investigation Of The Role Of Subgrade And Subbase Layers, Gourav Saxena, Nikhlesh Chaurasia

Coal Combustion and Gasification Products Journal Archive

One of the most effective and economical methods to strengthen clayey soils is addition of stabilizing agents such as fly ash to the soil. In this study, highly plastic clay was stabilized using fly ash. Geotechnical properties such as Atterberg limits, unconfined compressive strength (UCS), and the California bearing ratio (CBR) value of virgin black cotton soil and soil treated with fly ash were evaluated. Soil was stabilized with various proportions of fly ash, i.e., at 0%, 10%, 15%, 20%, and 30%. The UCS of black cotton soil–fly ash mixes is found to be at its maximum at 20% fly …

Using Coal Fly Ash In Agriculture: Combination Of Fly Ash And Poultry Litter As Soil Amendments For Bioenergy Feedstock Production, E. Kudjo Dzantor, Ekundayo Adeleke, Vanaha Kankarla, Oluwatosin Ogunmayowa, Dafeng Hui

Coal Combustion and Gasification Products Journal Archive

Increasing fiscal, human, and environmental costs of coal fly ash (FA) management are leading to advocacy for greater beneficial uses of the by-products as soil amendments in agriculture. Greenhouse experiments were conducted in Armour silt loam (ASL) soil that was amended with FA (10%, wt/wt) with and without poultry litter (PL 5 75 mg N/kg). Biomass productivity of eastern gamagrass (GG), a warm-season perennial grass, was measured to serve as complementary biofuel feedstock to switchgrass (SG). FA was obtained from a site at the 2008 ash spill in Kingston, TN. GG and SG were grown individually in 15-cm-wide 3 41-cm-high …

Sediment Organic Carbon Fate And Transport In A Fluviokarst Watershed In The Bluegrass Region, Admin Husic

Theses and Dissertations--Civil Engineering

Mature karst topography is well recognized within the hydrology and geology communities to include subterranean fluid pathways that act as turbulent conduits conveying fluid from surface stream sinks called swallets to sources called springs. However, we find that little knowledge has been reported with regards to the transport and fate of terrestrially-derived sediment organic carbon (SOC) within karst watersheds. This study investigated the hypothesis that karst pathways could act as biologically active conveyors of SOC that temporarily store sediment, turnover carbon at higher rates than otherwise considered, and recharge depleted SOC back to the surface stream within the fluvial system. …

Stored Grain Pack Factors For Wheat: Comparison Of Three Methods To Field Measurements, Josephine M. Boac, Rumela Bhadra, Mark E. Casada, Sidney A. Thompson, Aaron P. Turner, Michael D. Montross, Samuel G. Mcneill, Ronaldo G. Maghirang

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

Storing grain in bulk storage units results in grain packing from overbearing pressure, which increases grain bulk density and storage unit capacity. This study compared pack factors of hard red winter (HRW) wheat in vertical storage bins using different methods: the existing packing model (WPACKING), the USDA Risk Management Agency (RMA) method, and the USDA Farm Service Agency Warehouse Licensing and Examination Division (FSA-W) method. Grain bins containing HRW wheat were measured in Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas. Packing was measured in corrugated steel bins and reinforced concrete bins with diameters ranging from 4.6 to 31.9 m (15.0 to 104.6 ft) …

Control System Development And Response Analysis Of An Electronically Actuated Variable-Orifice Nozzle For Agricultural Pesticide Applications, Joe D. Luck, Scott A. Shearer, Michael P. Sama, Santosh K. Pitla

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

The goal of this research project was to further the development of an electromechanically controlled variable-orifice nozzle by creating an electronic control system and then evaluating that system based on step and ramp inputs. The control system was developed in a programming environment that combined an electronic data acquisition system and actuator with pressure and flow sensors. A proportional, variable-gain (based on system pressure) control system was developed to adjust nozzle flow rates to meet target application rates. The constraints were to achieve settling time of less than 1.0 s, overshoot of less than 10% of maximum flow (or minimum …

An Optical Sprayer Nozzle Flow Rate Sensor, Joseph S. Dvorak, Luke E. Bryant

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

Ensuring proper flow rates from each nozzle on an agricultural sprayer has become even more important as advances continue to be made in precision application technology. In this article, we describe the structure and testing of a sensor technology based on optical cross-correlation to determine the flow rate of individual sprayer nozzles. An advantage of this technology is that it does not require that impellers or other components be placed in the flow, which could cause plugging. The only moving part in the entire system is a solenoid used to inject a tracer dye. The objective of this study was …

Fabrication And Testing Of Low-Energy Calcium Sulfoaluminate-Belite Cements That Utilize Circulating Fluidized Bed Combustion By-Products, Robert Jewell, Robert Rathbone, Tristana Duvallet, Thomas Robl, Kamyar Mahboub

Coal Combustion and Gasification Products Journal Archive

The utilization of circulating fluidized bed combustion (CFBC) ash to make cement products that provide added value and offset CO2 production is the objective of this research. CFBC burns coal in the presence of a bed of slaked limestone, which effectively absorbs sulfur dioxide (SO2) to form anhydrite (CaSO4). CFBC produces two kinds of spent bed materials, coarse bottom ash and a much finer fly ash. Both of these products are very high in calcium. When properly conditioned, these materials are capable of acting as hydraulic cements, forming both calcium aluminosulfate minerals, most importantly ettringite, as well as calcium-alumina-silica gels, …

Prediction Of The Unburned Carbon Content Of Fly Ash In Coal-Fired Power Plants, Saeid R. Dindarloo, James C. Hower

Coal Combustion and Gasification Products Journal Archive

Prediction of carbon content in fly ash is a valuable index in both designing and optimizing coal-fired boilers. In this study, methods of multiple regression (MR), decision trees (DT), and support vector regression (SVR) were used for prediction of unburned carbon content of fly ash in a 300-MW power plant with a tangentially fired furnace using a low-NOx concentric firing system. Twenty-one boiler operational and coal petrological variables from 21 experiments in a previous benchmark study were used. A variables correlation matrix was used for feature (independent variables) selection in order to reduce the dimensions (number) of input variables from …

Recycling Of Lignite Coal Fly Ash By Its Conversion Into Zeolites, Silviya Boycheva, Denitza Zgureva, Annie Shoumkova

Coal Combustion and Gasification Products Journal Archive

The present study emphasized the conversion of fly ash from lignite coals into zeolites by a double-stage fusion-hydrothermal synthesis. The raw and the converted fly ashes were characterized with respect to their morphology, composition, and crystallinity. The effects of process parameters such as fusion temperature, concentration of the alkaline activator, and the duration of the hydrothermal incubation on the zeolitization process were studied. The experimental results indicate that the fusion temperature does not influence the process mechanism in the range 550–850uC, but it has an acceleration effect. The elevation of the sodium hydroxide/fly ash ratio from 1.6 to 2.0 enhances …

Flow, Spray Pattern, And Droplet Spectra Characteristics Of An Electronically Actuated Variable-Orifice Nozzle, Joe D. Luck, Santosh K. Pitla, Michael P. Sama, Scott A. Shearer

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

The purpose of this study was to develop and evaluate the flow rate, spray pattern, and droplet spectra characteristics of an actively controlled variable-orifice nozzle at constant carrier pressures. A commercially available variable-orifice nozzle (VariTarget) was modified to allow for direct electromechanical control of the metering stem. The modified system was tested at five carrier pressures ranging from 138 to 414 kPa and five metering stem (and thus orifice) positions. The metering stem position range was chosen because it provided a linear response in flow rate at each carrier pressure. Flow rate testing indicated a turndown ratio of 2.4:1 at …

Pack Factor Measurements For Corn In Grain Storage Bins, Rumela Bhadra, Aaron P. Turner, Mark E. Casada, Michael D. Montross, Sidney A. Thompson, Josephine M. Boac, Samuel G. Mcneill, Ronaldo G. Maghirang

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

Shelled yellow corn is commonly stored in concrete or corrugated steel bins. Granular materials compact under their own weight, primarily due to particle rearrangement, leading to an increase in bulk density and a change in volume when stored. Reliable grain pack factors are needed to estimate storage capacities and to accurately monitor grain inventories. A science-based model (WPACKING) of pack factors is available that uses the differential form of Janssen's equation and takes into account the variation in density caused by pressure variation with height and moisture content of the grain and accounts for the effects of grain type, test …

Determining Soil Erosion With Varying Corn Stover Cover Factors, Nicole K. Koeninger

Theses and Dissertations--Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering

Since the Dust Bowl, conservation agriculture has become a common practice globally. Because of the rising interest in the use of corn biomass as a feedstock for biofuel production, the effects of corn stover removal on soil erosion were explored. It was hypothesized that selective harvesting strategies would impact soil erosion differently across a variety of slopes. Soil erosion boxes were constructed, and a rainfall simulator with an intensity of 30 mm hr^-1 for 46 min was used to create runoff from slopes of 1, 5, and 10% and three cover factor treatments (no removal and two simulated corn …

Evaluation Of Different Sources Of Hydroxyl On Biomass Pretreatment And Hydrolysis, Carla Ines Soares Rodrigues

Theses and Dissertations--Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering

Lignocellulosic biomass pretreatment is a fundamental step in the production of renewable fuels and chemicals. It is responsible for the disruption and removal of lignin and hemicellulose from the lignocellulosic matrix, improving the enzymatic hydrolysis of cellulose. Alkaline pretreatment has been shown to be successful on agricultural residues and dedicated energy crops. The objective of this study was to evaluate the pretreatment of switchgrass, wheat straw, corn stover, and miscanthus using calcium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, and sodium hydroxide at the same hydroxyl concentration, 60% moisture content, and two temperatures for seven days. Enzymatic hydrolysis was also performed and the glucose …

The Effects Of Inoculum Size, Airflow Rate, Bulk Density And Particle Size On The Scale-Up Of Phanerochaete Chrysosporium Pretreatment, Amanda N. Hickman

Theses and Dissertations--Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering

The following full-factorial study compared fungal activity on lignocellulosic biomass that was inoculated with three different amounts of fungus, and grown using three different airflow rates. These treatments were compared to a control which consisted of biomass that was not inoculated but was exposed to the same growth conditions in the environmental chamber. The objectives of the following experiment were to determine the inoculum density and airflow rate required to optimize Phanerochaete chrysosporium lignin degradation. Additionally, this study quantifies the saccharification yield from the pretreated switchgrass.

The impact of substrate bulk density and substrate particle size on fungal growth were …

Development Of A Method For In-Situ Testing Of Oxygen Concentrations In Compost Bedded Pack Barns, John T. Evans Iv

Theses and Dissertations--Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering

Compost bedded pack barns are a relatively new type of dairy housing system that is being implemented in Kentucky. Extensive research has been done on the composting of animal manure, however, little has been done on composting animal manure in place. One of the most concerning challenges is aeration. Improper aeration can cause system failure. The ability to quickly and accurately measure the oxygen concentration would allow researchers the ability to determine which methods of tillage/aeration are most effective in compost bedded pack barns. The research in this thesis focused on the development of a method for simultaneously testing oxygen …

Life Cycle Assessment Of Biomass Harvesting For On-Farm Biofuel Production, Michael A. Hagan

Theses and Dissertations--Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering

Understanding the energy input and emissions resulting from the development of biofuels is important to quantify the overall benefit of the biofuel. As part of the On-Farm Biomass Processing project, a life cycle assessment (LCA) was conducted on the process to harvest and transport agricultural crop residues ready for processing into biofuel. A Microsoft Excel model was developed that inventories the entire life cycle of the process, including incorporation of stochastic analysis within the model. The LCA results of the agricultural equipment manufacture are presented, along with the results of each step of the process, including fertilizer addition, single …

Evaluation Of The Performance Of Flocculation To Enhance Sediment Trap Efficiency, Derek Scott

Theses and Dissertations--Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering

Weathered sandstone materials have seen increased use in reclamation due to the wide-spread adoption of the Forest Reclamation Approach (FRA) in Appalachia. Runoff from these newly FRA reclaimed sites has the potential to adversely impact aquatic environments without fine sediment retention. To reduce the size and capital investment of settling ponds, flocculant utilization was investigated. Preliminary jar tests were conducted using composite weathered mine spoil samples acquired from a surface coal mine in eastern Kentucky. Four flocculants from the Magnafloc family of products were investigated during the initial screening-level testing. Experiments were conducted at three initial sediment concentrations (500 mg/L, …

Investigation Of Phanerochaete Chrysosporium And Clostridium Thermocellum For Improved Saccharification Of Lignocellulose Under Nonsterile Conditions, William E. Simon

Theses and Dissertations--Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering

Current research efforts are directed at developing competitive processes that can utilize lignocellulose as a feedstock for biorefineries. The purpose of this study was to investigate methods of processing lignocellulosic material so that its monosacharides can be more easily accessed for fermentation, the lack of which is hindering the economics and widescale adoption of lignocellulosic biorefining. The monosaccharides are of interest because they can be used by Clostridium beijerinckii downstream of P. chrysosporium and C. thermocellum in a sequential bioprocess to produce butanol. Butanol is an attractive biofuel because it can be utilized without modifying current transportation infrastructure. Butanol is …

The Influence Of Media Ingredients And Ph On The Growth Of Chloromonas Rosae Var. Psychrophila, Caoli Zheng

Theses and Dissertations--Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering

In order to utilize algae to fix CO2 and reduce Greenhouse gas emissions, large-scale, year-round algae cultivation will be required. This will require alga species that thrive in colder weather with media recipes based on commercially available fertilizers. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the effect of using commercial based media and the effect of pH when growing the cold-temperature algae Chloromonas rosae var. psychrophila. Commercial grade media ingredients urea, potash, triple superphosphate, and Sprint 330® were used to provide nitrogen, potassium, phosphorus, and EDTA with iron, respectively. The commercial grade media supported growth similar to the growth …

Testing The Efficiency Of A Series Hybrid Drivetrain For Agricultural Applications, Joseph W. Jackson

Theses and Dissertations--Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering

Because of high fuel costs and rising concern over controlling motor vehicle emissions, there has been a surge in the number of hybrid passenger vehicles on roads in recent years. This transition has not yet been seen with agricultural vehicles. With this in mind, this study created a test scheme to characterize and replicate agricultural loads, and design of a hybrid drivetrain that is suitable for agricultural purposes.

Torque and power data were recorded from the controller area network of a tractor performing a baling operation. The recorded data was characterized using statistical and time series analyses, and converted into …

Development Of Techniques For Assessing And Restoring Streams On Surface Mined Lands, Whitney Cole Blackburn-Lynch

Theses and Dissertations--Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering

Surface mining is a commonly used method for extracting coal in the Appalachian Coalfields of the U.S. This mining practice produces excess spoil or overburden, which is often placed in adjacent valleys resulting in the creation of valley fills. These valley fills bury headwater streams, which in turn can negatively impact downstream ecosystems. In 2008, the University of Kentucky designed and constructed 1,020 m of ephemeral, intermittent and headwater streams on an existing valley fill (Guy Cove) as a proof-of-concept. The goal of the project was to evaluate whether or not a stream recreation could occur on mined lands, particularly …

Optimal Uses Of Biomass Resources In Distributed Applications, Joshua J. Jackson

Theses and Dissertations--Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering

Biomass production is spatially distributed resulting in high transportation costs when moving dedicated biomass crops and crop residues. A multifaceted approach was taken to address this issue as the low bulk and energy density of biomass limits transportation efficiency. Two systems were analyzed for the conversion of biomass into a denser feedstock applicable to on-farm use. Pelletization was able to densify the material into a solid fuel. Using a pilot scale flat ring pellet mill, the density of the material was able to be increased to at least 4.4 times that of uncompressed material. Pellet durability was found to be …

Characterization Of Two Biochars Derived From Horse Muck And Their Ability To Reduce Pathogen Transport In Soil, David Griffith

Theses and Dissertations--Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering

Biochars have been created and characterized from a variety livestock manure biomass including poultry, dairy, and swine. However, no research has been conducted on the physical and chemical makeup of biochar pyrolyzed from horse muck. Two horse muck derived biochars containing either straw (HS) or woodchip (HW) bedding were pyrolyzed at 700°C and characterized for their physical and chemical properties. Tests revealed both biochars had high alkalinity, moderate specific conductivity, and low surface area as compared to other biochars in the literature. HS contained more mineral structures than HW. Scanning electron microscopy presented differences in particle shape, size, and presence …

First Proof Of Concept Of Sustainable Metabolite Production From High Solids Fermentation Of Lignocellulosic Biomass Using A Bacterial Co-Culture And Cycling Flush System, Wanying Yao, Sue E. Nokes

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

To improve the lignocellulose conversion for ABE in high solids fermentation, this study explored the feasibility of cycling the process through the cellulolytic or/and solventogenic phases via intermittent flushing of the fermentation media. Five different flushing strategies (varying medium ingredients, inoculum supplement and cycling through phases) were investigated. Flushing regularly throughout the cellulolytic phase is necessary because re-incubation at 65 °C significantly improved glucose availability by at least 6-fold. The solvents accumulation was increased by 4-fold using corn stover (3-fold using miscanthus) over that produced by flushing only through the solventogenic phase. In addition, cycling process was simplified by re-incubating …

Effect Of Soil Sampling Density And Landscape Features On Soil Test Phosphorus, Donald J. Stamper, Carmen T. Agouridis, Dwayne R. Edwards, Mark A. Purschwitz

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

Organic and/or inorganic fertilizers are used to promote crop growth yet the rate of fertilizer application is often based on the nitrogen needs of the crop and not the phosphorus needs, especially when utilizing animal manures with low N-to-P ratios as compared to plant N:P uptake. Because of this, soil phosphorus levels in many areas of the world are in excess of crop needs. Excessive levels of phosphorus in water bodies such as streams and lakes can result in a condition known as eutrophication. With eutrophication, nutrients promote algal growth which in turn decreases dissolved oxygen levels in receiving water …

Lipid Extraction From Scenedesmus Sp. Microalgae For Biodiesel Production Using Hot Compressed Hexane, Hee-Yong Shin, Jae-Hun Ryu, Seong-Youl Bae, Czarena L. Crofcheck, Mark Crocker

Center for Applied Energy Research Faculty and Staff Publications

Lipid extraction from Scenedesmus sp. microalgae using hot compressed hexane (HCH) was investigated. Extraction performance was evaluated near the critical point of hexane and was compared with that of hexane extraction performed at room temperature and pressure, and the Bligh and Dyer extraction method. Experimental data showed that HCH significantly improves the lipid yield and rate of lipid extraction compared to the use of hexane at ambient conditions. High yields of biodiesel-convertible lipid fractions were rapidly achieved at the critical point of hexane, at a level comparable to that of the Bligh and Dyer method.

Performance Evaluation Of A Tracking Total Station As A Position Reference Fordynamic Gnss Accuracy Testing, Michael P. Sama, Timothy S. Stombaugh

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

The dynamic accuracy of a tracking total station (TTS) was evaluated using a rotary test fixture to determine the viability of using a TTS as a position reference for dynamic global navigation satellite-based system (GNSS) accuracy testing. Tests were performed at angular velocities ranging from 0 to 3.72 rad/s at a radius of 0.635 m. A technique was developed to determine the average latency of the TTS measurement serial data output. TTS measurements were interpolated at a GNSS sampling interval to provide a method for direct comparison between TTS and GNSS position measurements. The estimated latency from the TTS serial …

Co2 Recycling Using Microalgae For The Production Of Fuels, Michael H. Wilson, John Groppo, Andrew Placido, S. Graham, S. A. Morton Iii, Eduardo Santillan-Jimenez, Aubrey Shea, Mark Crocker, Czarena Crofcheck, Rodney Andrews

Center for Applied Energy Research Faculty and Staff Publications

CO₂ capture and recycle using microalgae was demonstrated at a coal-fired power plant (Duke Energy’s East Bend Station, Kentucky). Using an in-house designed closed loop, vertical tube photobioreactor, Scenedesmus acutus was cultured using flue gas as the CO₂ source. Algae productivity of 39 g/(m² day) in June–July was achieved at significant scale (18,000 L), while average daily productivity slightly in excess of 10 g/(m² day) was demonstrated in the month of December. A protocol for low-cost algae harvesting and dewatering was developed, and the conversion of algal lipids—extracted from the harvested biomass—to diesel-range hydrocarbons via catalytic …

Phanerochaete Chrysosporium Pretreatment Of Biomass To Enhance Solvent Production In Subsequent Bacterial Solid-Substrate Cultivation, Wanying Yao, Sue E. Nokes

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

This study investigated pretreatment of corn stover using solid substrate cultivation (SSC) of Phanerochaete chrysosporium (P. chrysosporium) to improve subsequent accessibility to cellulose. Thereafter, Clostridium thermocellum (C. thermocellum) was directly inoculated onto the pretreated biomass to accomplish hydrolysis, followed by solventogenesis by introducing Clostridium beijerinckii (C. beijerinckii).

An enzyme suite containing laccase, lignin peroxidase and manganese peroxidase activity was detected during the cultivation of P. chrysosporium on corn stover within 288 h at an initial moisture content 𝓌_H2O = 80% (mass of water/total mass). Incubation factors, such as substrate moisture content and cultivation …

Synthesis And Characterization Of High-Iron Alite-Calcium Sulfoaluminate-Ferrite Cements Produced From Industrial By-Products, Tristana Y. Duvallet, Youngmin Zhou, Thomas L. Robl, Rodney Andrews

Coal Combustion and Gasification Products Journal Archive

Ordinary Portland cement (OPC) and calcium sulfoaluminate cement (CSAC) are well-known and commonly used construction materials. The clinker phases mainly responsible for their strength development are C3S (alite) in OPC, which hydrates to form a calcium silicate gel phase; and C4A3S ´ (calcium sulfoaluminate) in CSAC, which hydrates to rapidly form ettringite. The purpose of this work was to produce high-iron alite-calcium sulfoaluminate-ferrite cements, by combining C4AF (ferrite), from 5% to 50% by weight, to the C3S and C4A3S ´ clinker phases. Producing this alite-calcium sulfoaluminate-ferrite cement would decrease the requirement of bauxite in the raw materials, which would consequently …