Bioresource and Agricultural Engineering Commons^™

Certified Water Well Drillers, College Of Agriculture, University Of Kentucky

Agricultural Engineering Extension Updates

Kentucky statute and regulations now require water well drillers to be certified. Farmstead wells and stock wells are exempt except when a farmstead well is used for irrigation or domestic water supply. Since animal consumption wells are covered there is some confusion regarding stock wells. The Kentucky Division of Water strongly recommends that all wells, regardless of use, be drilled and constructed by a certified driller.

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..

Cultivating Attachment For Crop Harvester Support Vehicle, Larry D. Swetnam, James H. Casada, Linus R. Walton

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Patents

A cultivator for attachment to a crop harvester including at least one tool frame member with soil tilling tools adjustably mounted relative thereto. A shaft is provided rotatably mounted relative to a support frame of the crop harvester. An actuating member is operatively connected to the shaft and the support frame for selectively imparting rotation to the shaft. A link is operatively, pivotally connected between the tool frame member and the support frame for guiding the frame member and the soil tilling tools between a raised position out of engagement with a ground surface and a lowered position into engagement …

Biomass Gasifier Combustor, Frederick A. Payne

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Patents

The present invention is directed to a biomass gasifier combustor which operates by gasification and combustion of the biomass to produce a clean effluent gas which can be used directly for grain drying or other applications where thermal energy is required. The biomass gasifier combustor burns crop residue clean enough so that the combustion gases can be used directly for grain drying without the need for a heat exchanger to isolate the combustion gases from the drying air. The biomass gasifier combustor includes a screw feeder tube having a screw feeder disposed therein. The screw feeder forces the biomass into …

Storage Of Burley Tobacco In Bales And Bundles, Linus R. Walton, M. E. Casada, Joseph L. Taraba, James H. Casada, W. H. Henson Jr., Larry D. Swetnam

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

Bales and bundles of burley tobacco were stored for seven months from spring to fall. Leaves darkened during storage at all moisture levels and stalk positions with the exception of the bottom stalk position, which darkened only slightly. There was no difference in color change and dry weight loss between burley tobacco in bales and bundles. Normal and high moisture bales and bundles were often graded as unsound because of a deviant odor caused by bacterial activity. A bale weight loss of about 8% occurred at normal moisture with the loss being divided evenly between moisture and dry weight losse.

Method And Apparatus For Harvesting Tobacco, George A. Duncan

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Patents

A support beam is formed of two wooden members held in spaced relation to each other by spaced blocks to provide openings to receive tobacco sticks with tobacco stalks thereon. Each end of the support beam has a longitudinal slot extending therethrough to enable a cable, which is attached to a rafter in the upper end of the barn, to extend therethrough. The lower end of each cable has a loop for attachment to a drum of a hoist mechanism, which has a portion bearing against the bottom surface of the support beam. The support beam has a depending projection …

Equilibrium Moisture Properties Of Corn Cobs, G. M. White, Thomas C. Bridges, Samuel G. Mcneill, Douglas G. Overhults

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

Equilibrium moisture content-equilibrium relative humidity data for broken corn cobs have been determined for both desorption and adsorption conditions for three temperature levels and five moisture levels. The Modified Henderson and Chung equilibrium moisture equations have been fitted to these data by using non-linear regression procedures to estimate equation parameters. Both equations adequately represented the experimental data. A test of varietal differences indicated no significant difference in cob desorption ERH values for three selected corn varieties.

Farm Accidents - How To Respond, Larry R. Piercy

Agricultural Engineering Extension Updates

Human nature leads us to believe that accidents always happen to the "other guy". Yet farming along with mining are the two most hazardous occupations in the Nation. If an accident struck your farm, would all family members know how to respond?

Two Row Crop Harvester, Larry D. Swetnam, James H. Casada, Linus R. Walton

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Patents

A two row harvesting aid including an easily adjustable, semi-floating, self-steering primary cutter head and an auxiliary second row attachment for harvesting row crops. Self-steering capabilities, a cut-off mechanism and a quick-adjustment are combined into a single integral unit on the primary harvester. Direction sensing is accomplished by utilizing a feeler arm or a set of feeler arms which follow the plant stock row or other protrusions or indentations. Forces detected by the guidance sensors are transmitted to a ring which is a part of the housing and/or shielding of the cut-off device. The steering forces may be transmitted to …

Wood Burning And Creosote Buildup, S. S. Holland, L. R. Piercy, Donald G. Colliver, E. S. Holmes

Agricultural Engineering Energy Series

For many years,wood was the prime source of heating the house and continues to be so in some parts of the world. In this country, we are beginning to see many individuals returning to wood burning--using it as an alternate heat source and even occasionally as a primary heat source. Heating with wood, however, is not for everyone. It is not as simple as heating with gas, oil or electricity. It is not as convenient to use because it requires a considerable amount of labor, a large storage area for the wood, more cleaning of the home, many more safety …

Retention Of Gasification-Combustion Products By Corn, S. W. Sizemore, Otto J. Loewer, Joseph L. Taraba, I. J. Ross, G. M. White

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

Shelled corn was dried in layers of 5.1 cm (2 in.) 10.2 cm (4 in.), and 15.2 cm (6 in.) using air heated with the exhaust from a corn-cob fueled gasification-combustion updraft furnace. The drying air entering and leaving the grain layers was sampled for particulate content to determine the percentage of total particulates trapped by the grain during drying. It was determined that an average of 25% of the total particulates in the drying air were retained by the grain. The large majority of those particulates retained were found in the bottom 5.1 cm (2 in.) of the grain …

Kerosene Heaters, L. R. Piercy, S. S. Holland, E. S. Holmes, Donald G. Colliver

Agricultural Engineering Energy Series

Many families are buying supplemental space heating units in an attempt to use heat only where it is needed and thus lower the total heating bill. lf you turn down your central heat thermostat and place such a unit in a room where the family spends most of their waking hours, heating bills may be reduced. Such savings appear to be significant, but each family first needs to carefully consider the safety risks and their energy savings potential as well as the lifestyle changes that might be necessary.

Energy In Agriculture: Planning A House With An Energy Future, Clifford A. Flood, Blaine F. Parker, Donald G. Colliver

Agricultural Engineering Energy Series

If you are planning a new house, consider the following. Suppose the price of energy for residential space heating and domestic water heating doubles or triples during the next 10 years. Will your new house be prepared for such a future? Have you given the energy required to operate your home equal importance to building site, style, floor plans and construction materials?

Biomass Gasifier Combustor, Frederick A. Payne, Ira J. Ross

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Patents

The present invention is directed to a biomass gasifier combustor which operates by gasification and combustion of the biomass to produce a clean effluent gas which can be used directly for grain drying or other applications where thermal energy is required. This biomass gasifier combustor burns crop residue clean enough so that the combustion gases can be used directly for grain drying without the need for a heat exchanger to isolate the combustion gases from the drying air. The biomass gasifier combustor includes a screw feeder tube having a screw feeder disposed therein. The screw feeder forces the biomass into …

Crop Harvester Including A Quickly Adjustable Semi-Floating, Self-Steering Cutter Head, Larry D. Swetnam, James H. Casada, Linus R. Walton

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Patents

The present invention is directed to an easily adjustable, semi-floating, self-steering cutter head for row crops. The present invention incorporates self-steering capabilities, a cut-off mechanism and a quick-adjustment into a single integral unit. Direction sensing is accomplished by utilizing a feeler arm or a set of feeler arms which follow the plant stock row or other protrusions or indentations. Forces detected by the guidance sensors are transmitted to a ring which is a part of the housing and/or shielding of the cut-off device. The steering forces may be transmitted to a steering system through a single connection. The present invention …

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.

A Dairy Cow Housing System Featuring Motel Free Stalls, Robert L. Fehr, William L. Crist

Agricultural Engineering Extension Updates

The term motel free stalls describes a milking cow housing system that utilizes roof area which protects only the free stalls. Alleys are only partially protected by the roof overhang. This system provides little protection from extreme temperatures but can provide some summer protection if properly constructed. Motel free stall systems reduce the initial cost of constructing lactating cow housing. Motel free stall system described in this paper should be used with caution in climatic regions colder than Kentucky because of limited protection from extreme cold temperatures. This paper describes the application of motel free stall housing systems and a …

File Editing On The Hp3000 For The Sedimot Ii Computer Model, David S. Logsdon, Richard C. Warner

Agricultural Engineering Extension Updates

Since the release of the SEDIMOT II model, the Agricultural Engineering Department has taught approximately 300 consulting and mining engineers, reclamation specialists, government agency personnel, and academia. The program is being used on all types of computer systems, company owned as well as time sharing vendors. Over 50 firms are using the HP3000 system of the College of Agriculture at the University of Kentucky under arrangements with the Institute for Mining and Minerals Research, Office of Informational Services and Technical Liaison.

Some Recommended Tobacco Barn Construction Features, George A. Duncan

Agricultural Engineering Extension Updates

Following are several recommendations concerning tobacco barn construction or remodeling. These recommendations are included in newly revised blueprints available through the Agricultural Engineering Plan Service (see separate plans list).

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. …

Stick Holder And Deposition Device, Larry D. Swetnam, James H. Casada, Linus R. Walton

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Patents

The present invention is directed to a device for positioning a stick relative to a harvesting aid. The stick holder mounts a stick relative to an operator positioned on a harvesting aid. The stick holder is designed to adjust the height and angle of the stick relative to the operator. In addition, a plant holding trough is provided adjacent to the stick holder to retain the harvested crops prior to a loaded stick being discharged from the stick holder.

Hotbeds For Transplant Production, George A. Duncan, C. R. Roberts

Agriculture and Natural Resources Publications

High-dollar-per-acre vegetable crops such as tomatoes, cabbage, and peppers can be an income booster for many Kentuckians.

To be successful on the early market, vegetable seed must be sown from mid-January to mid-March. But, Kentucky weather is too cold for the plants' survival then. Until recently, growers either had to ship plants in from the south or grow their own locally in some type of heated greenhouse.

Unfortunately, finding high-quality, disease-free plants of the desired quantity and variety at the proper time in the south has proven difficult. Likewise, all growers do not have the capital to invest in greenhouse …

Biomass Gasifier Combustor, Frederick A. Payne, Ira J. Ross

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Patents

The present invention is directed to a biomass gasifier combustor which operates by gasification and combustion of the biomass to produce a clean effluent gas which can be used directly for grain drying or other applications where thermal energy is required. This biomass gasifier combustor burns crop residue clean enough so that the combustion gases can be used directly for grain drying without the need for a heat exchanger to isolate the combustion gases from the drying air. The biomass gasifier combustor includes a screw feeder tube having a screw feeder disposed therein. The screw feeder forces the biomass into …

Energy In Agriculture: Requirements For Farm Use Of Solar Energy In Kentucky, Richard S. Hiatt

Agricultural Engineering Energy Series

There is increasing interest in utilizing solar energy to supplement heating and grain drying energy needs on the farm, Many Kentucky farmers realize that their demands for heat and the orientation of certain buildings on their farms suggest solar heating potential. But most farmers are not familiar with the requirements and limitations of solar heating.

This publication discusses those factors a farmer must consider when evaluating the solar potential of agricultural structures on the farm. Solar requirements are divided into two main areas: (1) site requirements associated with the building and its surroundings and (2) load requirements associated with the …

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 …

Vertical Wall Loads In A Model Grain Bin, S. A. Thompson, I. J. Ross, John N. Walker, Larry G. Wells

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Fire Escape Planning Guide - A Blueprint To Save Your Life, Larry R. Piercy

Agricultural Engineering Extension Updates

First Step - Basic Floor Layout:

1. Make a separate outline of the entire floor area for each level in the home, dimensions and details need not be exact.
2. Now add rooms and label them.
3. Locate windows, doors and stairway. If upper floor, shade in any rooftops that could be used as a fire escape.

Salt Buildup In Flush Recycle Systems, Joseph L. Taraba

Agricultural Engineering Extension Updates

A major operating problem that has occurred in recycle flush lagoon systems is the buildup of a crystalline solid in the recycle pipelines, pump, flush devices, and concrete gutters. The major crystalline solid has been identified as magnesium ammonium phosphate -- Mg(NH₄)PO₄. There have been a couple of reports of other types of phosphate salts of calcium and magnesium. All the cases of salt buildup in the recycle lines of swine flushing systems that have been investigated in Kentucky were found to be magnesium ammonium phosphate.

Effects Of Manure Handling Systems On Swine Health, Joseph L. Taraba

Agricultural Engineering Extension Updates

Modern swine production confinement systems have brought about significant improvements in the quantity and quality of meat products for human consumption. This has been achieved because of the ability to maintain good environmental conditions and to apply sound management techniques, therefore, allowing the animals to achieve maximum performance. These intensive production systems have animals in close proximity to each which results in the large quantities of manure that must be handled. Thus the manure system becomes an integral part of the total production system. If the manure is not handled in a sanitary manner, if the gases and odors from …

Summary Of Farming And Energy In The 80'S, Richard S. Hiatt

Agricultural Engineering Extension Updates

This report is intended to summarize the results of a survey taken in the fall of 1981 entitled "Farming and Energy in the '80s". The purpose of the survey was to evaluate the use of energy conservation measures and alternate energy sources by Kentucky agricultural land owners. Specifically, the objectives were to determine:

1. the size and type of farming operations of those surveyed,
2. the type of energy conservation techniques being implemented
3. the use or interest in alternate agricultural energy sources,
4. the type of media and information sources used to obtain energy conservation information, and
5. miscellaneous background information on attitude, income, …