Bioresource and Agricultural Engineering Commons^™

Flow Measurement Options For Canal Turnouts, Kyle Feist, Charles M. Burt

BioResource and Agricultural Engineering

Volumetric record-keeping, billing, and allocations at irrigation district delivery points (turnouts) are the norm, rather than the exception for most California irrigation districts. However, many older districts are just beginning these efforts, and other districts are trying to improve existing hardware and procedures. Volumetric accounting with high accuracy and a reasonable price presents unique engineering challenges for irrigation districts because of the variety of existing structures and configurations at irrigation delivery points. Because it is likely that irrigation districts will attempt to utilize existing devices, or slightly modify them, there is a need for standardized installation and/or calibration. This paper …

Irrigation System Regulating (Buffer) Reservoirs, Charles M. Burt

BioResource and Agricultural Engineering

Regulating reservoirs (also known as "balancing" or "buffer" reservoirs) are very commonly used in western US irrigation district modernization projects with canal systems. Some districts have a dozen or more reservoirs within total service areas of 20,000 – 40,000 ha. This paper presents details of sizing and control of flows into and out of the reservoirs.

Flash Hydrolysis Of Microalgae Biomass For Biofuels Intermediates Production, Protein Extraction, And Nutrients Recycle, Jose Luis Garcia Moscoso

Civil & Environmental Engineering Theses & Dissertations

Microalgae have shown much higher growth rates and productivity when compared to conventional agricultural crops, aquatic plants and tree species, requiring much less land area than other biodiesel feedstock. To harness that potential the hydrothermal liquefaction of algae biomass was studied and a new process called "Flash Hydrolysis" was developed to use water under subcritical conditions, this process capitalizes on the difference in reaction kinetics of algae polymeric components and fractionates proteins in liquid phase in seconds of residence time.

The main objectives for this study are: Analyze the effect of temperature in FH process to maximize the extraction of …

Soybean Yield, Evapotranspiration, Water Productivity, And Soil Water Extraction Response To Subsurface Drip Irrigation And Fertigation, Suat Irmak, James E. Specht, Lameck O. Odhiambo, J. M. Rees, K. G. Cassman

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] yield, irrigation water use efficiency (IWUE), crop water use efficiency (CWUE), evapotranspiration water use efficiency (ETWUE), and soil water extraction response to eleven treatments of full, limited, or delayed irrigation versus a rainfed control were investigated using a subsurface drip irrigation (SDI) system at a research site in south-central Nebraska. The SDI system laterals were 0.40 m deep in every other row middle of 0.76 m spaced plant rows. Actual evapotranspiration (ET_a) was quantified in all treatments and used to schedule irrigation events on a 100% ET_a replacement basis in all but …

Combined Qcm-D/Ge As A Tool To Characterize Stimuli-Responsive Swelling Of And Protein Adsorption On Polymer Brushes Grafted Onto 3d-Nanostructures, Meike Koenig, Tadas Kasputis, Daniel Schmidt, Keith B. Rodenhausen Jr., Klaus-Jochen Eichhorn, Angela K. Pannier, Mathias Schubert, Manfred Stamm, Petra Uhlmann

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

A combined setup of quartz crystal microbalance and generalized ellipsometry can be used to comprehensively investigate complex functional coatings comprising stimuli-responsive polymer brushes and 3D nanostructures in a dynamic, noninvasive in situ measurement. While the quartz crystal microbalance detects the overall change in areal mass, for instance, during a swelling or adsorption process, the generalized ellipsometry data can be evaluated in terms of a layered model to distinguish between processes occurring within the intercolumnar space or on top of the anisotropic nanocolumns. Silicon films with anisotropic nanocolumnar morphology were prepared by the glancing angle deposition technique and further functionalized by …

Parallel Synthesis Of Poly(Amino Ether)-Templated Plasmonic Nanoparticles For Transgene Delivery, James Ramos, Thrimoorthy Potta, Olivia Scheideler, Kaushal Rege

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Plasmonic nanoparticles have been increasingly investigated for numerous applications in medicine, sensing, and catalysis. In particular, gold nanoparticles have been investigated for separations, sensing, drug/nucleic acid delivery, and bioimaging. In addition, silver nanoparticles demonstrate antibacterial activity, resulting in potential application in treatments against microbial infections, burns, diabetic skin ulcers, and medical devices. Here, we describe the facile, parallel synthesis of both gold and silver nanoparticles using a small set of poly(amino ethers), or PAEs, derived from linear polyamines, under ambient conditions and in absence of additional reagents. The kinetics of nanoparticle formation were dependent on PAE concentration and chemical composition. …

Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectral Biomarkers Correlate With Ankle Brachial Index And Characterize Leg Muscle Biochemical Composition Of Patients With Peripheral Arterial Disease, Kim Cluff, Abby M. Kelly, Panagiotis Koutakis, Xiang N. He, Xi Huang, Yongfeng Lu, Iraklis I. Pipinos, George P. Casale, Jeyamkondan Subbiah

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is characterized by atherosclerotic blockages of the arteries supplying the lower extremities, which cause a progressive accumulation of ischemic injury to the skeletal muscles of the lower limbs. This injury includes altered metabolic processes, damaged organelles, and compromised bioenergetics in the affected muscles. The objective of this study was to explore the association of Raman spectral signatures of muscle biochemistry with the severity of atherosclerosis in the legs as determined by the Ankle Brachial Index (ABI) and clinical presentation. We collected muscle biopsies from the gastrocnemius (calf muscle) of five patients with clinically diagnosed claudication, five …

The Biophysical Link Between Climate, Water, And Vegetation In Bioenergy Agro-Ecosystems, Justin E. Bagley, Sarah C. Davis, Matei Georgesu, Mir Zaman Hussain, Jesse Miller, Stephen W. Nesbitt, Andy Vanloocke, Carl J. Bernacchi

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

Land use change for bioenergy feedstocks is likely to intensify as energy demand rises simultaneously with increased pressure to minimize greenhouse gas emissions. Initial assessments of the impact of adopting bioenergy crops as a significant energy source have largely focused on the potential for bioenergy agroecosystems to provide global-scale climate regulating ecosystem services via biogeochemical processes. Such as those processes associated with carbon uptake, conversion, and storage that have the potential to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions (GHG). However, the expansion of bioenergy crops can also lead to direct biophysical impacts on climate through water regulating services. Perturbations of processes …

Divergence And Flow Direction As Indicators Of Subsurface Heterogeneity And Stage-Dependent Storage In Alluvial Floodplains, Derek M. Heeren, Garey A. Fox, A. K. Fox, Daniel E. Storm, Ronald B. Miller, Aaron R. Mittelstet

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Assuming homogeneity in alluvial aquifers is convenient, but limits our ability to accurately predict stream-aquifer interactions. Research is needed on (i) identifying the presence of focused, as opposed to diffuse, groundwater discharge/recharge to streams and (ii) the magnitude and role of large-scale bank and transient storage in alluvial floodplains relative to changes in stream stage. The objective of this research was to document and quantify the effect of stage-dependent aquifer heterogeneity and bank storage relative to changes in stream stage using groundwater flow divergence and direction. Monitoring was performed in alluvial floodplains adjacent to the Barren Fork Creek and Honey …

Use Of Controller Area Network (Can) Data To Determine Field Efficiencies Of Agricultural Machinery, Santosh Pitla, N. Lin, Joe D. Luck, Scott A. Shearer

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Controller Area Network (CAN) bus is used on current agricultural equipment for in-vehicle communication among multiple microcontrollers. In this study, CAN data was collected from the tractor diagnostic port during three field operations: anhydrous ammonia (NH₃) application, field cultivation, and planting. Specifically, CAN messages corresponding to engine fuel use rate were filtered, decoded, and analyzed. High fuel use rates were recorded from the tractor when implements were engaged in the soil compared to when the implements were lifted out of the ground at the end of the passes or, when the tractor was turning and idling. Threshold fuel …

Implementing Green Roofs On Movie Theaters And Shopping Centers: Business Cases In Profitable Sustainability, Ryan J. Miller

Pomona Senior Theses

This thesis presents the business case for installing green roofs on movie theaters and shopping centers. These businesses can then derive increased profits from the environmental benefits of reduced energy use and increased stormwater retention. After presenting the basic design and benefits of a green roof, the thesis develops stand-alone business plans for a movie theater and shopping center. The author finds that green roofs are a profitable sustainability solution for the commercial enterprise.

Fate Of Antimicrobials And Antimicrobial Resistance Genes In Simulated Swine Manure Storage, Stacey R. Joy, Xu Li, Daniel D. Snow, John Gilley, Bryan L. Woodbury, Shannon L. Bartelt-Hunt

School of Natural Resources: Faculty Publications

The behavior of three antibiotics (bacitracin, chlortetracycline, and tylosin) and two classes of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), tet and erm, were monitored in swine manure slurry under anaerobic conditions. First-order decay rates were determined for each antibiotic with half-lives ranging from1 day (chlortetracycline) to 10 days (tylosin). ARGs were monitored in the swine manure slurry, and losses of approximately 1 to 3 orders of magnitude in relative abundance were observed during the 40 day storage period. First-order degradation profiles were observed for chlortetracycline and its corresponding resistance genes, tet(X) and tet(Q). Tylosin was degraded to approximately 10% …

Cfx Analysis Of The Heat And Mass Transfer During The Chilling Of A Lamb Carcass Using A 3d Model, Joseph Hannon, Garrett Keane, Micheal O'Flaherty

Presentations

Lamb meat is a popular red meat which must go through a complex refrigeration process before being served at the dinner table to reduce bacterial growth and retain meat quality. A major disadvantage of chilling is the drip losses which are losses in weight by evaporation of water contained within the meat. The aim of this work is to simulate the conventional chilling process of a lamb carcass using a three dimensional model.

Comparison Of Finite Difference And Finite Element (Telemac) Models Of Dublin Bay, Garrett Keane, Zeinab Bedri, John O'Sullivan

Presentations

A number of hydrodynamic and solute mathematical models of Dublin Bay have been developed in the Centre for Water Resources Research in University College Dublin. One of these was an Eulerian-Langrangian finite difference Extended Dublin Bay model named SW2D which was developed by Hussey (1996). It was used in various studies such as the Dublin Bay Water Quality Management Plan and the Howth Outfall Study to predict the effect of the proposed upgrades at the sewage treatment plants on the water quality in these areas. The finite element TELEMAC modelling system developed by the French EDF group was used in …

Immobilization Of Lead In Contaminated Firing Range Soil Using Biochar, Deok Hyun Moon, Jae-Woo Park, Yoon-Young Chang, Yong Sik Ok, Sang Soo Lee, Mahtab Ahmad, Agamemnon Koutsospyros, Jeong Hun Park, Kitae Baek

Civil Engineering Faculty Publications

Soybean stover-derived biochar was used to immobilize lead (Pb) in military firing range soil at a mass application rate of 0 to 20 wt.% and a curing period of 7 days. The toxicity characteristic leaching procedure (TCLP) was performed to evaluate the effectiveness of the treatment. The mechanism responsible for Pb immobilization in military firing range soil was evaluated by scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDX) and x-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS) spectroscopy analyses. The treatment results showed that TCLP Pb leachability decreased with increasing biochar content. A reduction of over 90 % in Pb leachability was achieved upon …

Design And Construction Of A Portable Gantry Hoist, Sam Hutcheson

BioResource and Agricultural Engineering

This report covers the design of a portable gantry hoist with a custom frame design. The design was based off of the materials that were available and practical for this project to save money. The portable gantry hoist will be rated for a 2 ton capacity. The casters, trolley, and hoist were the only parts purchased.

Improvements In The Process Of Biohydrogen Production By Thermotoga Neapolitana, Louis Hill

All Theses

The production of biological hydrogen is an important process for the future of sustainability and alternative energies. Thermotoga neapolitana is a hyperthermophilic bacterium that produces H ₂ , CO₂ and acetate via fermentation. The goal of the research was to investigate the sustainable production of H₂ gas using waste agricultural feedstocks, recycled water and a simplified N₂ sparging method technique. A limited sparging method was developed which includes 1 minute of N₂ gas sparging of the reactor headspace and 90 minutes of idle reaction time for cysteine-HCl to react with dissolved oxygen prior to inoculation. This …

Development And Testing Of An Impact Plate Yield Monitor For Peanuts, Jacob Fravel

All Theses

Advancements in precision agriculture technologies such as yield monitors have allowed for improved management capabilities and reduced input costs for a number of crops. Most commercialized developments in yield monitoring systems and technologies to date have been directed for use with the major grain crops such as corn, soybeans and cereal grains. This research focuses on development and testing of an impact plate yield monitor system for the peanut harvest. Using a four row peanut combine in virginia type peanuts, 4.8 ha (12 ac) of simultaneous yield data were recorded from an Ag Leader® grain (impact plate) yield monitor and …

Thermodynamic Efficiency Evaluation For Distillation Of Ethanol, Joe A. Cavaletto

BioResource and Agricultural Engineering

Energy will always be a consideration when distilling any product. Fog’s End Distillery in Gonzales, CA is a small scale micro distillery for ethanol. For Fog’s End, efficiency is key to staying competitive. In this project the efficiency of energy in vs product out will be calculated. While collecting this data the price/bottle for energy will be determined and used for an assembly cost. To determine the efficiency the fuel usage will be recorded for several distillation trials. The mash contents and product contents will all be measured and calculations will be performed to find the theoretical amount of energy …

Elementary Implantable Force Sensor For Smart Orthopaedic Implants, Rebecca A. Wachs, David Ellstein, John Drazan, Colleen P. Healey, Richard L. Uhl, Kenneth A. Connor, Eric H. Ledet

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Implementing implantable sensors which are robust enough to maintain long term functionality inside the body remains a significant challenge. The ideal implantable sensing system is one which is simple and robust; free from batteries, telemetry, and complex electronics. We have developed an elementary implantable sensor for orthopaedic smart implants. The sensor requires no telemetry and no batteries to communicate wirelessly. It has no on-board signal conditioning electronics. The sensor itself has no electrical connections and thus does not require a hermetic package. The sensor is an elementary L-C resonator which can function as a simple force transducer by using a …

Heat Of Combustion Of Algae For Use In A Diesel Engine, Cassia Diane Davis

Masters Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

With nearly a quarter of the world’s population living without any access to electricity or modern energy, strategies for providing energy are very important. While the use of fossil fuels can bring the much needed energy to these areas they come with a host of problems. Fossil fuel use contributes to greenhouse gas emissions, air pollution and ocean acidification. In many areas fossil fuels have to be transported in. The subsequent transmission and distribution can be difficult especially in rural areas. Dependence on fossil fuels also leaves the user vulnerable to disruption in deliveries and price fluctuations. While there are …

Improving Data Quality For A Dairy Pollutant Emissions Study, Ian K. Hahus, Albert J. Heber

The Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Symposium

The National Air Emissions Monitoring Study (NAEMS) was sanctioned by the EPA to determine the characteristics of airborne pollutant emissions from confined broiler, egg, pork, and dairy housing. Fifteen representative monitoring sites were selected around the U.S., at which influent and effluent pollutant concentrations were measured in conjunction with airflow and climatic data. Due to the monumental nature of this study and the potential ramifications of its findings, it is of vital importance that the data collected by the researchers and utilized by the EPA be as complete and accurate as possible. To improve the validity of the data collected …

Detection Of Foodborne Pathogens By Micro-Filtration Using A Continuous Cell Concentrator Device, Klaire E. Jeffries, Eduardo Ximenes, Michael R. Ladisch

The Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Symposium

Protecting consumers from foodborne illness is an important health concern facing the food industry today. An important deficiency exposed by foodborne illness is the inability to track contaminated food back to the source in a timely manner. Although there are established methods that detect bacterial pathogen contamination, they are limited in distinguishing viable bacteria reliably and quickly. Currently, food pathogen testing requires lengthy culture steps, which many times are delayed even longer due to the lack of in-house testing labs. Typically, two to three days elapses between when the food is sampled and the test results are available. This study …

Computer Simulation Study Of Slipper Lubrication In Hydraulic Machines, Jordyn B. Miller, Monika Ivantysynova

The Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Symposium

Hydraulic pumps and motors are vital components used in many applications today. Specifically, the axial piston pump is important because it is reliable, relatively compact, and has a high horsepower-to-weight ratio. These features make this type of pump very advantageous in hydraulic systems. Maintaining proper lubrication between surfaces in an axial pump, such as the slipper and swashplate, is imperative in order to have smooth operation of the system and prevent metal-to-metal contact. The aim of this research is to find the optimal slipper design and fluid film thickness to simultaneously maintain a balanced pressure and decrease power loss in …

Driftwatch Pollinator Mapping Application, Shreyas G. Sundararaman, Larry Theller, Bernard Engel

The Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Symposium

Over 65% percent of food consumed in the United States is pollinated by bees. Unfortunately, due to poor farming practices, pesticides are sprayed in bee sensitive areas unknowingly and as a result, the bee population is dwindling at an alarming rate. With lesser bees to pollinate crops, produce is compromised on a very large scale and this could have disastrous impacts on the nation's needs for food. Apiarists and beehive owners face the major responsibility of ensuring that their hives aren't affected by dangerous insecticides and pesticides from the farming areas that they might visit during their crop pollination cycles …

Design Of A Novel Actuation System For Variable Displacement Gear Machine, Mark W. Mahuren, Andrea Vacca

The Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Symposium

External spur gear pumps are exceedingly useful components in common hydraulic systems. The main issue with external gear pumps is that all current models are limited to only fixed-displacement. This means that for every revolution of the gears inside the pump, a set amount of fluid will always be displaced. Consequently, external gear pumps are limited in their use because they can only operate at full throttle causing inefficiencies when reduced displacement is needed. The successful procurement of a variable displacement gear pump will allow a more efficient use of hydraulic systems, such as in the displacement controlled systems used …

Crane Shaking Platform Design, Bixing Yan, Andrea Vacca

The Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Symposium

Most of the control methodology of Mobile hydraulic crane is not as energy efficient as people think or want, and the desire to innovate novel, energy-efficient control strategy is the target of most hydraulic experts. To develop or test the control method under real road and off-road conditions, a platform that could simulate the movement and vibration of the crane truck is desired. To design and build the multi-operation platform, a design process includes brain storming, design selection, FEA (Fundamental Element Analysis), mechanical sizing, hydraulic sizing and Bill of Material is required and preferred. After going through all the steps …

Optimization Of Oil Extraction Of Soy Flour Using Mini Extrusion Technology, Alisha Chess, Martin Okos

The Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Symposium

Mini extrusion technology is a relatively new technology that offers fast timing and processing of food products. This technology paired with the advantageous properties and growing demand for soybeans can lead to a larger span of uses for the extruder that have not yet been explored, including NASA space missions and incorporation of soybeans into developing countries. During past research on parameters of operation, it was discovered that a significant amount of oil was being separated from the soy meal at the die of the mini extruder. Maximum removal of this oil allows use of the soy meal and soy …

Estimation Of Two-Stage Ditch Excavation Volume Using Lidar Data Full Paper, Kirsten E. Paff, Jane Frankenberger, Naime Celik

The Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Symposium

Drainage ditches are a major pathway for sediment, nutrients, and pesticides to enter stream systems, which threaten environmental and human health. Unlike trapezoidal ditches, two-stage ditches have a vegetated bench that acts as a floodplain, which helps to prevent erosion and to increase the processing of nutrients to improve water quality. Converting a trapezoidal ditch to a two-stage ditch is expensive, due to the large volumes of soil that need to be excavated. Since ditch geometries vary significantly and surveying each potential site by hand would be time consuming and expensive, a tool based upon online Light Detection and Ranging …

Grass Referenced Based Vegetation Coefficients For Estimating Evapostranspiration For A Variery Of Natural Vegetation, Daniel J. Howes, Mariana Pasquet

BioResource and Agricultural Engineering

In arid and semi-arid regions, evapotranspiration from vegetation results in the significant utilization of available water. Accurate estimates of evapotranspiration are required for surface and subsurface hydrologic evaluations as well as irrigation district water balance studies. A significant amount of transferable information exists for irrigated agricultural crops through past and current research in the form of grass or alfalfa reference based crop coefficients (Kc) and basal crop coefficients (Kcb). However, transferable evapotranspiration information on natural vegetation is limited. Much of the work was conducted in the early to mid-1900’s and is presented as actual evapotranspiration from the vegetation at the …