Bioresource and Agricultural Engineering Commons^™

Economic Impacts Of Increased Corporate Average Fuel Economy (Cafe) Standards, Ann K. Hunter-Pirtle

Department of Agricultural Economics: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) mandates that U.S. transportation fuel producers blend specific volumes of ethanol and other biofuels with fossil fuels to spur U.S. biofuel production and to minimize foreign oil imports. Ethanol is more corrosive to auto engines than gasoline, and although vehicles manufactured since 2001 are approved to use up to a 15% ethanol blend (E15) (Naylor & Falcon, 2011), E10 is much more widely available. Ethanol producers therefore face a so-called blend wall at 10 percent—a maximum amount of ethanol that is usable domestically based on the demand for gasoline.

Meanwhile, gasoline demand in the U.S. …

Irrigation Demand In A Changing Climate: Using Disaggregate Data To Predict Future Groundwater Use, Calvin R. Shaneyfelt

Department of Agricultural Economics: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The paper estimates an irrigation water demand function using disaggregate climate and well data over a 33 year time period. Aggregating climate information over long periods, like a year, causes a loss of detail on temporal climatic variation, while aggregating climate information over space causes a loss of detail on spatial variation. This analysis uses disaggregate climate variation at a temporospatial level to determine the effects of climate on groundwater use. Results show that increased heat, measured in cooling degree-days, correlates with increased water use, while increased precipitation correlates with decreased water use. However, the effects are generally magnified for …

Estimating Potential Water Pump Reductions Based On Soil Water Content, Geospatial Data Layers, And Variable Rate Irrigation (Vri) Pivot Control Resolution, Keith A. Miller

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Increasing concern for sustainable water use has the agriculture industry working toward higher efficiency use of irrigation water. The average irrigation water use efficiency throughout the United States is 45%, which is extremely poor. Advancements in crop management have continued to allow producers to know more about the conditions in their field from nutrient management and pest control, to understanding yield spatially.

Recent mechanical advancements have improved the capabilities of center pivot irrigation systems to water various depths throughout the field. This technology is known as variable rate irrigation (VRI). With VRI comes a whole new strategy for irrigation. Advancements …

Infiltration And Runoff Parameters For Tilled And No-Till Row Crops, Andrew J. Volkmer

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Infiltration and runoff are hydrologic processes that effect the amount of water available to plants, for groundwater recharge, and for stream flow. No-till planting (NT) is a management practice used to reduce soil erosion, increase water infiltration, and reduce soil water evaporation, and can have great impact on infiltration and runoff. An investigation was conducted to determine the impact of NT on infiltration and runoff when compared to tilled conditions.

Runoff and precipitation data was gathered from sites at Fillmore County, NE, Phelps County, NE, the USDA-ARS North Appalachian Experimental Watersheds (NAEW) near Coshocton, OH, and the Lennoxville Research Station …

A Case Study Of Changing Cropping Diversity And Agricultural Risk In The Doulthabad Mandal Of Telangana State In India, Srikanth Kondabolu

School of Natural Resources: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The Doulthabad^[1] Mandal is a hot semi-arid agro-ecological sub-region (Rao et al. 2006) located in Mahbubnagar District on the North Telangana Plateau in the state of Telangana. Agriculture is the main occupation in this region, which is populated mostly with small and marginal farmers. This study uses the time period from 1971 to 2004 to study the variation in cropping pattern diversity and distribution of rainfall during the monsoons and understand the implications on production risk in agriculture. Quantitative methods were used in determining the changes in rainfall while qualitative methods were used to study cropping system changes. The …

Feeding Condensed Distillers’ Solubles To Feedlot Finishing Steers And The Effects Of Feed Additives In Adaptation Diets, Marie Elizabeth Harris

Department of Animal Science: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

By-products from the dry-milling ethanol process can be used in cattle diets to replace corn. There is a significant interaction between corn processing methods as CCDS concentration increases in the diet. Improvements are observed for SFC in final BW, ADG, and G:F over DRC. An experiment was conducted to determine if greater concentrations of CCDS could be fed in SFC based diets and maintain or improve performance. Performance and carcass characteristics were evaluated with increasing concentrations of CCDS at 0, 9, 18, 27, or 36% in place of SFC in feedlot finishing diets. As CCDS concentration increased, DMI decreased quadratically. …

Emission Of Volatile Organic Compounds After Land Application Of Cattle Manure, Bryan Woodbury, John E. Gilley, David B. Parker, David B. Marx, Daniel N. Miller, Roger A. Eigenberg

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Beef cattle manure can serve as a valuable source of nutrients for crop production. However, emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) after land application may pose an odor nuisance to downwind populations. This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of land application method, diet, soil moisture content, and time since manure application on VOC emissions. Manure was collected from feedlot pens where cattle were fed diets containing 0, 10, or 30% wet distillers grains with solubles (WDGS). Land application methods included surface-applying manure (i.e., no-tillage) or incorporating manure using disk tillage. The effects of soil moisture content on VOC …

Sustainable Development Of Biogas Resources In East Africa Using Transdisciplinary Design Models, Christopher M. Limiac

Open Access Theses

Installation of anaerobic digestion systems in urban developing communities has the potential to address multiple problems related to energy and sanitation in a combined systems approach. Anaerobic digesters are used to generate a relatively clean and rich source of energy in the form of biogas to address energy poverty issues. The design resources available for anaerobic digestion projects must be improved to provide greater technical support and project transparency. In order to develop holistic solutions to grand challenges like energy poverty, engineers must be prepared to operate with the complexities of diverse environments. Globalization and the improvement of transdisciplinary project …

Development Of A Public Education Website: Building Bridges Over Water, Angelina Mckee

Agricultural Education and Communication

Website created by Angelina McKee to educate the public about water resource issues. Water is the basic unit of life, water resources are the basis for what societies and ecosystems are founded upon. Water shortages and droughts are more prevalent in our ever-changing world. It is no shock that there are discrepancies between various stockholders on either sides of the dry riverbed. This senior project resulted in the development of a website that addresses global water resources, water use in California, water conservation, and water allocation. The website informs the public on water resources and related issues and will hopefully …

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 …

Combining Site Specific Data With Geospatial Analysis To Identify Variable Rate Irrigation Opportunities In Irrigated Agricultural Fields., K. A. Miller, T. H. Lo, J. D. Luck, D. M. Heeren

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Increasing demand for improving irrigation water use efficiency (IWUE) across irrigated croplands has producers looking for new opportunities to conserve water and maintain their crop production levels. Variable Rate Irrigation (VRI) technology may provide opportunities to enhance IWUE, but as with site-specific crop management of other crop inputs, all fields may not benefit from an approach which utilizes VRI. To consider the potential benefits of VRI, it will be necessary to examine multiple site-specific spatial data layers (e.g., crop yield, soil type/texture, and terrain) as well as the current conditions within a field using geospatial analysis techniques.

The goal of …

Tillamook County Waste Disposal Technology Assessment, Arvind Kumar, Ryan Menze, Joe Smith, Jerrod Thomas

Engineering and Technology Management Student Projects

Tillamook County is a rural county straddling the Northern Oregon Coast Range with the majority of the local economy based around agriculture, timber, tourism, and fishing. As part of Tillamook County’s mission statement, they strive“to enhance the quality of life for its citizens by promoting and preserving public health and safety, maintaining a stable economy, encouraging wise use of resources, and providing services in the most efficient and cost-effective manner possible.” To that end, Tillamook County, Tillamook County Economic Development Council (TCEDC), Portland State University, Oregon State University, and Tetra Tech have undergone an evaluation and technology assessment process to …

Affluent Populations And Their Effect On Biological Diversity Through The Consumption Of Meat, Electronics, And Motor Vehicles, Melody Flores

Honors College Theses

The human has caused a far greater impact on the planet's biodiversity than any other species in existence, due to the impact of population, afflluence, and technology. This thesis will argue the importance of biological diversity and how affluent populations are reducing biodiversity through the consumption of meat, electronics, and motor vehicles. Aldo Leopold's "The Land Ethic" and Herman Daly's "The Impossibility Theorem", among others, create a rubric evaluating human activities and provide alternative views on economic impossibilities. Consumption is reviewed from an ecocentric perspective, a holistic outlook placing emphasis on the ecosystem. The reader will become cognizant of their …

Characterization Of Genetically Modified High Biomass Producing Tobacco Plant, Pankaj Singh Kuhar

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Global warming and peak oil has clouded our energy security. In light of this situation, bioethanol as emerged as one of the most amenable solutions to the problem. However bioethanol has its own shortcomings and transgenics seem imperative to exploit its full potential. A high biomass producing line in transgenic tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum cv. Xanthi) was identified during a routine genetic transformation, termed giant recombinant (GR). To characterize the phenotype of the giant line, growth rate and lignocellulosic composition was analyzed relative to the non-transgenic control line. The GR line accounted for 240% more biomass than the untransformed line …

Physical And Chemical Attributes Of A Genetically Modified Fruit Pectin, Carl Patrick Littrell

Open Access Theses

Pectin is an important polymer used in the food industry as a thickening and gelling agent. Though pectin is ubiquitous in plants, chemical and structural differences among pectin molecules prevent most from being viable for industrial use. Enzymes found naturally in fruit cell walls during the ripening process impair many desirable attributes of fruit pectins, rendering them unsuitable for industrial applications. Pectin methylesterase (PME) is one such enzyme whose expression can be altered during ripening through the use of recombinant genetic engineering. Reduction in levels of PME results in increased degree of methylation and molecular size of pectin, greatly increasing …

Differences In Carbon Dioxide Evolution From Samples Of Shelled Corn Subjected To Various Storage Treatments, Cininta Alp Pertiwi

Open Access Theses

Shelled corn was collected from two sources - commercial grain elevators and corn harvested from Purdue University farms and then frozen until tested. Using a carbon dioxide (CO₂) test kit manufactured by Woods End Laboratories, CO₂ evolution measurements were conducted on shelled corn from both sources, after the samples were re-wetted to approximately 21% moisture content, placed in a 473 ml glass jar, and incubated at room temperature for 72 hours. The CO₂ test kit uses a gel that changes color in response to a change in the level of CO₂ in the surrounding air. …

Design And Development Of A Novel Test Method To Measure The Slipper / Swashplate Interface Fluid Film In A Positive Displacement Machine, Natalie A. Spencer

Open Access Theses

Although robust models of fluid film behavior between the slipper / swashplate lubricating interface in positive displacement machines have been developed, measuring this same fluid film thickness to a highly accurate degree inside a relatively unaltered axial piston unit has never been accomplished until now. A test method was created to close this gap in available data by measuring fluid film thickness between the slipper and swashplate in a 130cc axial piston pump. Precise knowledge of the gap height between the slipper and swashplate at various shaft angle locations during operation provides critical insight into machine behavior. The design, validation, …

Solvent System Selection For Xylooligosaccharides Separation By Centrifugal Partition Chromatography Using Conductor-Like Screening Model For Real Solvents, He Zhang

Open Access Theses

The production of value-added, bio-based industrial commodity chemicals is an important area in science right now and this study provides an initial step in the recovery of bio-based chemicals from hemicellulose. Hemicellulose is a long chain polymer mostly consisting of xylose, which is a five-carbon sugar, and a variety of other compounds that are ubiquitous in plant life. The hemicellulose polymer chain can be depolymerized into smaller components, called xylooligosaccharides (XOS) with different chain lengths of xylose linked by beta-1-4 glycosidic bonds, using either hot water, or dilute sulfuric acid. The xylooligosaccharides can then be purified from one another from …

Feeding Alkaline Treated And Processed Crop Residue To Feedlot Cattle, Sarah Jean Peterson

Department of Animal Science: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Chemical treatment and decreased particle size are methods used to improve digestibility and utilization of the available nutrients in low quality forages. Previous research has indicated that chemically treated corn residue can take the place of corn when included in finishing rations containing distillers grains. Also, decreasing particle size utilizing methods such as pelleting has been shown to improve DMI and ADG. However, limited research has been completed on use of chemical treatment and pelleting in growing and receiving rations. Also, an ideal distillers inclusion has not yet been identified when including alkaline treated stalks in finishing rations. Therefore, a …

The Applicability Of Vri For Managing Variability In Infiltration Capacity And Plant-Available Water: A Preliminary Discussion And Gis Study, Tsz Him Lo, Luciano Mateos, Derek M. Heeren, Joe D. Luck

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Although variable rate irrigation (VRI) has been researched and marketed for a number of years, research that quantifies the magnitude of VRI’s potential benefits and that are translatable to unmonitored fields is lacking. The potential reduction in seasonal irrigation is proposed as the criterion for beginning to evaluate the use of VRI to improve agricultural water management when infiltration capacity and plant-available water are spatially variable inside a field. An initial geographic information system study using publicly available geospatial data was conducted to examine soil and topographic properties associated with such variability within 1100 center pivots across 11 counties. The …

Finite Element Modeling Of Long-Term Phosphorus Leaching Through Macropores In The Ozark Ecoregion, Ryan P. Freiberger, Derek M. Heeren, Garey A. Fox, Chad J. Penn, Dean E. Eisenhauer

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Phosphorus (P) is a critical nutrient for plant growth in agriculture, but is also responsible for surface water enrichment that leads to toxic algal growth. While P loading to surface waters has traditionally been thought to occur from surface runoff, contributions from subsurface transport can also be significant. While P transport through many soil types is well-documented, the presence of highly conductive gravel outcrops and macropore networks can have a significant, yet poorly-documented effect on P movement to the aquifer. Floodplain soils in the Ozark ecoregion generally contain coarse chert gravel layers that exhibit macropore behavior. Previous research has evaluated …

Vehicle Multi-Pass Rut Volume And Mobility Power Study, William W. Barbour

Pursuit - The Journal of Undergraduate Research at The University of Tennessee

This paper presents the relationship between applied power by a wheeled vehicle to soil and the rutting effects. Specifically, a strong positive relationship was found between cumulative applied power and total rut volume across multiple passes by the vehicle over the same tracks. Field-testing was conducted using a high-mobility multi-purpose wheeled vehicle (HMMWV) and two distinct soil types. Sensors on the vehicle measured torque and angular velocity of each of the four wheels, from which applied power was calculated. A rut profile meter was used to document the shape of the rut after set numbers of passes and this profile …

Micro-Irrigation Design For Avocado Orchard In California, Michael C. Meyer

BioResource and Agricultural Engineering

This project encompasses the design and recommendations for a micro-irrigation system on an avocado orchard owned by Underwood Family Farms in Somis, California. The main objective of this report is to improve the existing irrigation system’s efficiency and uniformity with the new design and recommendations. The analysis includes information about good irrigation practices, irrigation system design and all the processes herein. Although there are many opinions on growing, irrigating and maintaining an avocado orchard, all of the methods, procedures and suggestions must be based on accurate data to provide reliable information to the grower. Evaluating the irrigation system and suggesting …

Redesign And Evaluation Of The Irrigation System For The Cal Poly Radio Hill Avocado Grove, Rob Hillebrecht

BioResource and Agricultural Engineering

No abstract provided.

Design, Construction And Analysis Of An Ag Equipment Trailer, Connor Mckean

BioResource and Agricultural Engineering

No abstract provided.

Analysis Of Crop Dryer Recirculation And Heat Recuperation, Ross Ribeiro

BioResource and Agricultural Engineering

No abstract provided.

Evaluation, Installation, And Documentation Of Adcon Telemetry Stations Connected At Cal Poly, Shelsie Kloepper

BioResource and Agricultural Engineering

No abstract provided.

Design And Fabrication Of An Electric Aircraft Dolly, Kyler Zike

BioResource and Agricultural Engineering

No abstract provided.

Analysis Of Flap Gate Design And Implementations For Water Delivery Systems In California And Nevada, Kerilyn Ambrosini

BioResource and Agricultural Engineering

No abstract provided.

Pump Station Calculations And Irrigation System Evaluation For Trestle Vineyard, Linda Bushey

BioResource and Agricultural Engineering

No abstract provided.