Bioresource and Agricultural Engineering Commons^™

Development Of An Angular Scanning System For Sensing Vertical Profiles Of Soil Electrical Conductivity, Viacheslav Adamchuk, Ahmad S. Mat Su, Roger A. Eigenberg, Richard B. Ferguson

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Apparent soil electrical conductivity (EC_a) is typically mapped to define soil spatial variability within an agricultural field. Knowledge of the vertical variability of EC_a is desired to define the site‐specific behavior of the soil profile. A pneumatic angular scanning system (PASS) was developed to sense horizontal and vertical changes of EC_a on‐the‐go with an electromagnetic induction (EMI) instrument using an angular scanning method. This sensor system consists of a sled with a rotating mechanism, an EMI sensor, an inclinometer, and a pneumatic actuator. The system was evaluated at the University of Nebraska‐Lincoln Agricultural Research and Development …

Identification Of Holocarboxylase Synthetase Chromatin Binding Sites In Human Mammary Cell Lines Using The Damid Technology, Dipika Singh, Angela K. Pannier, Janos Zempleni

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Holocarboxylase synthetase (HCS) is a chromatin protein that is essential for mediating the covalent binding of biotin to histones. Biotinylation of histones plays crucial roles in the repression of genes and repeats in the human genome. We tested the feasibility of DNA adenine methyltransferase identification (DamID) technology to map HCS binding sites in human mammary cell lines. Full-length HCS was fused to Dam for subsequent transfection into breast cancer (MCF-7) and normal breast (MCF-10A) cells. HCS docking sites in chromatin were identified by using the unique adenine methylation sites established by Dam in the fusion construct; docking sites were unambiguously …

Cellular Arrays For Large-Scale Analysis Of Transcription Factor Activity, Abigail D. Bellis, Beatriz Peňalver-Bernabé, Michael S. Weiss, Michael E. Yarrington, Maria V. Barbolina, Angela K. Pannier, Jacqueline S. Jeruss, Linda J. Broadbelt, Lonnie D. Shea

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Identifying molecular mechanisms or therapeutic targets is typically based on large-scale cellular analysis that measures the abundance of mRNA or protein; however, abundance does not necessarily correlate with activity. We report a method for direct large-scale quantification of active pathways that employs a cellular array with parallel gene delivery of constructs that report pathway activity. The reporter constructs encode luciferase, whose expression is influenced by binding of transcription factors (TFs), which are the downstream targets of signaling pathways. Luciferase levels are quantified by bioluminescence imaging (BLI), which allows for rapid, noninvasive measurements. Activity profiles by BLI of 32 TFs were …

Microarray Analysis Of Gene Expression Profiles In Cells Transfected With Nonviral Vectors, Sarah A. Plautz, Gina Boanca, Jean-Jack M. Riethoven, Angela K. Pannier

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Inefficient gene delivery is a critical factor limiting the use of nonviral methods in therapeutic applications including gene therapy and tissue engineering. There have been few efforts to understand or engineer the molecular signaling pathways that dictate the efficacy of gene transfer. Microarray analysis was used to determine endogenous gene expression profiles modulated during nonviral gene transfer. Nonviral DNA lipoplexes were delivered to HEK 293T cells. Flow cytometry was used to isolate a population of transfected cells. Expression patterns were compared between transfected and nontransfected samples, which revealed three genes that were significantly upregulated in transfected cells, including RAP1A, …

Flocculation Of Wall-Deficient Cells Of Chlamydomonas Reinhardtii Mutant Cw15 By Calcium And Methanol, Matt Scholz, Takanori Hoshino, Mark R. Riley, Joel Cuello

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Flocculation is a common and inexpensive method for harvesting algae from solution. After nitrogen starvation, it was shown that 83 + 3% of the wall-deficient cells of the cw 15 mutant of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii flocculated from 12 mL samples within 15 min after the addition of 15 mM calcium chloride at pH 8.4. Only 24 2% of the wildtype strain flocculated under these conditions, thus demonstrating how a simple mutation might facilitate process design. The data suggested that algae grown in waters with similar calcium concentrations (e.g. certain wastewaters) might be harvested through simple pH adjustment. It was also discovered …

Performance Of Extended Shuttleworth‐Wallace Model For Estimating And Partitioning Of Evapotranspiration In A Partial Residue‐Covered Subsurface Drip‐Irrigated Soybean Field, Lameck O. Odhiambo, Suat Irmak

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Estimation of actual evapotranspiration (ET), especially its partitioning into plant transpiration (T) and soil evaporation (E), in agricultural fields is important for effective soil water management and conservation and for understanding the interactions between ET, T, and E with the management practices. Direct field measurements of ET, T, and E rates are difficult and costly; hence, mathematical models are used for estimating them. The objective of this study was to evaluate the practical applicability of the Shuttleworth‐Wallace (S‐W) model to estimate and partition ET in a subsurface drip‐irrigated soybean (Glycine max L. Merr.) field with partial residue cover. While its …

Zinc Speciation In Power Plant Burning Mixtures Of Coal And Tires, Luis F.O. Silva, Marcos L.S. Oliveira, Carmen Serra, James C. Hower

Coal Combustion and Gasification Products Journal Archive

Fly ash from the cyclone-boiler co-combustion of high-S, high volatile bituminous coal and tire-derived fuel (tdf) was studied using a variety of chemical, optical, and microbeam techniques. Fly ash, dominated by Al-Si glass with lesser amounts of coalderived carbons, Fe-spinels, and tire-derived carbons, has Zn concentrations ranging from 2200 ppm (1st ESP row) to 6900 ppm Zn (3rd ESP row). Zinc occurs in Zn-rich nanoparticles in the Al-Si glass phases and as ZnO in amorphous and crystalline nanominerals, Fe- and Zn-sulfides, Pb-Al-Fe sulfates, and Zn sulfates. Iron-rich, Al- and Ti-bearing spinels contain accessory Zn2+,Cr3+,Mn2+, and Pb2+. Fe-sulfates and phosphates nanoparticles …

Co-Disposal Of Dry Fgd By-Product With Coal Gasification Ash And Inorganic Brines, Jabulani S. Mahlaba, P.C. Pretorius, Subal Maharajh, M.P. Augustyn

Coal Combustion and Gasification Products Journal Archive

There is a growing pressure from the environmental authorities and public bodies to reduce anthropogenic pollution. Stringent environmental legislation is being implemented for industries around the world, even more so for coal consuming industries. Control of gaseous emissions is one of the areas that are receiving considerable attention towards sustainable development. Coal combustion in coal-fired power utilities emits SO~x~ to the atmosphere. Dry flue gas desulphurisation (FGD) is a well known technology often used to mitigate sulphur emissions in coal-fired power utilities. It traditionally uses lime to neutralise SO~x~, and forms a mixture of anhydrite (CaSO~4~), and calcium sulphite (CaSO~3~). …

A Multi-Analytical Approach To Understand The Chemistry Of Fe-Minerals In Feed Coals And Ashes, Marcos L.S. Oliveira, Frans Waanders, Luis F.O. Silva, Andre Jasper, Carlos H. Sampaio, Dursman Mchabe, Rachel S. Hatch, James C. Hower

Coal Combustion and Gasification Products Journal Archive

Seven feed coals used in the Brazilian power generation industry were obtained and subsequently analysed together with fly ash and bottom ash from a major Brazilian power plant. The samples were investigated by means of room temperature FeMo¨ssbauer analyses, X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscope and petrographic analysis. In addition, nanometer-sized crystalline phases in coals and ashes were characterised using an energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometer and a high-resolution transmission electron microscope. The major identified Fe-bearing minerals in the coals were found to be actinolite, ankerite, chalcopyrite, chlorite, goethite, illite, ilmenite, magnesioferrite, natrojarosite, pyrite, pyrrhotite, and siderite; whilst in the fly …

Compositional Variations In Pilot Gasifier And Laboratory-Produced Slags And Their Impacts On Slag Viscosity And Coal Assessment, Alexander Ilyushechkin, Daniel Roberts, David Harris

Coal Combustion and Gasification Products Journal Archive

The flow behaviour of coal mineral matter at high temperatures is an important parameter for coal use in entrained-flow gasification technologies. Recently, gasification performance data was obtained from a series of pilot-scale gasification tests on a suite of well-characterised Australian black coals. Evaluation of the results of the pilot tests and the detailed laboratory investigations provided the opportunity for evaluation of the practical applicability of different laboratory and modelling techniques for coal assessment in terms of mineral matter behaviour in entrained flow gasification. A series of viscosity measurements was made over the range 1200–1600uC using slags produced in a pilot …

Compaction Of High-Ca Fly Ash-Al- And Al-Alloy-Composites: Evaluation Of Their Microstructure And Tribological Performance, Grigorios Itskos, Angeliki Moutsatsou, Pradeep K. Rohatgi, Nikolaos Koukouzas, Charalampos Vasilatos, Eleni Katsika

Coal Combustion and Gasification Products Journal Archive

In this study, highly calcareous and siliceous fly ash particles were utilized for the fabrication of Al- and Al-alloy-based MetalMatrix Composites (MMCs) by means of powder metallurgy. After compacting and sintering Al and Al/Si powders containing 10, 15, and 20wt. % ash particles, the homogenous (and with minimal amount of voids) microstructure of the produced composites was verified by means of Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). The composites were tested for their dry sliding wear behavior using a pin-on-disc machine against spheres of alumina. The worn surfaces of composites were then examined by using SEM and Energy Dispersive X-Ray Spectroscopy (EDS). …

Influence Of Chemical Reagents On Rheological Properties Of Fly Ash-Water Slurry At Varying Temperature Environment, H.K. Nail, M.K. Mishra, Karanam U.M. Rao

Coal Combustion and Gasification Products Journal Archive

About 70% of total electrical energy is generated from thermal power plants in India which in turn release about 160 Mt of fly ash as solid waste annually. Transportation and disposal of such a huge amount of fly ash is a major problem faced by the power plants. Presently fly ash is transported as lean slurry in pipe lines requiring about 80 to 85% of water with high energy input. A major impediment in high volume transportation of fly ash is its high specific gravity as compared to that of water. The objective of the present study was to evaluate …

Impact Of Manufactured Coal Ash Aggregates On Water Quality During Open Pit Restoration: 1. A Statistical Screening Test, Sangchul Hwang, Isomar Latorre

Coal Combustion and Gasification Products Journal Archive

Utilization of manufactured coal ash aggregates (MAs) as a subsoil substitute during restoration of an open pit was assessed in a three-factor, two-level factorial analysis. The factors of interest were the MA application rate (2:1 or 1:2 topsoil/MA volume ratio), rainfall intensity (high or low), and aggregate size (2.36–4.75 mm or 4.75–9.53 mm). Among the water quality parameters examined (pH, turbidity, heavy metal content (lead and cadmium), conductivity, and hardness), the last two parameters were significantly higher (p,0.05) in soil amended with MAs than in a control reactor using sand. A low rainfall intensity and larger aggregate size resulted in …

The Leachability Of Major Elements At Different Stages Of Weathering In Dry Disposed Coal Fly Ash, S.A. Akinyemi, A. Akinlua, W.M. Gitari, R.O. Akinyeye, L.F. Petrik

Coal Combustion and Gasification Products Journal Archive

Large quantities of solid residue are generated by coal-fired power stations in many parts of the World. The disposal and management of the unused fly ash remains a major problem to the environment. The weathered dry disposed ash cores comprise of major element constituents such as Al, Si, Ca, Mg, Fe, Mn, Na+ and K+. The mobility patterns and mineralogical associations of major elements in weathered dry disposed ash dumps aged 1-year-old, 8-year-old and 20-year-old from a coalfired power station in South Africa were investigated using a modified sequential extraction scheme. The extraction sequence was as follows: (1) water soluble, …

Long Term, Continuous Temperature Monitoring Of A Simple Anaerobic Digester And Open Manure Storage Pond In Eastern South Dakota, J. Darrington, E. Cortus

The Journal of Undergraduate Research

A two-cell manure storage system with a cover on the first cell was constructed in the late summer of 2009 in Eastern South Dakota. The covered cell acts as a simple anaerobic digester. Continuous temperature monitoring for 8 months shows the winter effluent temperature equilibrated to around 6°C, and that the effluent temperature trend lagged the ambient temperature trend by a month. Manure composition was also analyzed and was found to be relatively steady throughout the system. Volatile solids were the only component that dropped appreciably across the treatment cell, with an observed maximum of 50% reduction.

Techno-Economic Analysis And Engineering Design Consideration Of Algal Biofuel In Southern Nevada, Jian Ma

Mechanical Engineering Faculty Research

As the biological and chemical technologies in algae biofuels production, engineering design, siting and resources are playing some dominant role in successfully developing and scaling locally. The southwest region in U.S. has been identified by DoE and the USDA as the most suitable area for developing algal biofuel production due to several merits like the high level of solar radiation, large arid land not good for food production. Among this region, Southern Nevada has unique advantage to grow microalgae biomass, which is the large amount of CO2 emission from about 16 power plants in Clark County to support the world …

Focused Ion Beam Patterned Fe Thin Films: A Study By Selective Area Stokes Polarimetry And Soft X-Ray Microscopy, P. J. Cook, T. H. Shen, P. J. Grundy, M.-Y. Im, P. Fischer, S. A. Morton, A. L. D. Kilcoyne

United States Department of Energy: Publications

A combination of analytical techniques, with special emphasis on selective area Stokes polarimetry, has been used to explore the structural properties and magnetic behavior of focused ion beam patterned Fe thin films under controlled Ga⁺ ion irradiation. Ion irradiation at doses ranging from 7.7×10¹⁵ to 5.2×10¹⁶ Ga ions cm^-2 did not noticeably alter the chemical properties of the Fe, but changes to the film structure and increased coercivity were observed even after the lowest doses. Magnetic transmission x-ray microscopy provided detailed information about the magnetization reversal process occurring within a patterned area of film comprising both …

Error Analysis Of Large-Eddy Simulation Of The Turbulent Non-Premixed Sydney Bluff-Body Flame, A. M. Kempf, B. J. Geurts, J. C, Oefelein

United States Department of Energy: Publications

A computational error analysis is applied to the large-eddy simulation of the turbulent non-premixed Sydney bluff-body flame, where the error is defined with respect to experimental data. The errorlandscape approach is extended to heterogeneous compressible turbulence, which is coupled to combustion as described by a flamelet model. The Smagorinsky model formulation is used to model the unknown turbulent stresses. We introduce several measures to quantify the total simulation error and observe a striking ‘valley-structure’ in the error that arises as function of the spatial resolution and the Smagorinsky length parameter. The optimal refinement strategy that can be extracted from this …

Combining Power Plant Water Needs And Carbon Dioxide Storage Using Saline Formations: Implications For Carbon Dioxide And Water Management Policies, Peter Kobos, Malynda Cappelle, Jim Krumhansl, Thomas Dewers, Andrea Mcnemar, David Borns

United States Department of Energy: Publications

Research involving management of carbon dioxide has increased markedly over the last decade as it relates to concerns over climate change. Capturing and storing carbon dioxide (CO₂) in geological formations is one of many proposed methods to manage, and likely reduce, CO₂ emissions from burning fossil fuels in the electricity sector. Saline formations represent a vast storage resource, and the waters they contain could be managed for beneficial use. To address this issue, a methodology was developed to test the feasibility of linking coal-fired power plants, deep saline formations for CO₂ storage, and extracting and treating …

Solubility Of Fe2(Oh)3cl (Pure-Iron End-Member Of Hibbingite) In Nacl And Na2so4 Brines, Martin Nemer, Yongliang Xiong, Ahmed Ismail, Je-Hun Jang

United States Department of Energy: Publications

Pure-iron end-member hibbingite, Fe₂(OH)₃Cl(s), may be important to geological repositories in salt formations, as it may be a dominant corrosion product of steel waste canisters in an anoxic environment in Na–Cl- and Na–Mg–Cl-dominated brines. In this study, the solubility of Fe₂(OH)₃Cl(s), the pure-iron endmember of hibbingite (Fe^II, Mg)₂(OH)₃Cl(s), and Fe(OH)₂(s) in 0.04 m to 6 m NaCl brines has been determined. For the reaction

Fe₂ (OH)₃Cl(s) + 3H⁺↔ 3H₂O + 2Fe²⁺ + Cl⁻,

the …

Nonlocal Instability Analysis Of Fcc Bulk And (100) Surfaces Under Uniaxial Stretching, Geng Yun, Penghui Cao, Jonathan Zimmerman, Terry Delph, Harold Park

United States Department of Energy: Publications

The objective of this paper is to examine the instability characteristics of both a bulk FCC crystal and a (100) surface of an FCC crystal under uniaxial stretching along a h100i direction using an atomisticbased nonlocal instability criterion. By comparison to benchmark atomistic simulations, we demonstrate that for both the FCC bulk and (100) surface, about 5000–10,000 atoms are required in order to obtain an accurate converged value for the instability strain and a converged instability mode. The instability modes are fundamentally different at the surface as compared to the bulk, but in both cases a strong dependence of the …

Evidence For Multiple Modes Of Uranium Immobilization By An Anaerobic Bacterium, Allison E. Ray, John R. Bargar, Vaideeswaran Sivaswamy, Alice C. Dohnalkova, Yoshiko Fujita, Brent M. Peyton, Timothy S. Magnuson

United States Department of Energy: Publications

Microbial reduction of hexavalent uranium has been studied widely for its potential role in bioremediation and immobilization of soluble U(VI) in contaminated groundwater. More recently, some microorganisms have been examined for their role in immobilization of U(VI) via precipitation of uranyl phosphate minerals mediated by microbial phosphate release, alleviating the requirement for long-term redox control. Here, we investigated the mechanism of U(VI) removal mediated by an environmental isolate, strain UFO1, that is indigenous to the Field Research Center (FRC) in Oak Ridge, TN and has been detected in U(VI)- contaminated sediments. Changes in U(VI) speciation were examined in the presence …

Quantifying Differences In The Impact Of Variable Chemistry On Equilibrium Uranium(Vi) Adsorption Properties Of Aquifer Sediments, Deborah Stoliker, Douglas Kent, John M. Zachara

United States Department of Energy: Publications

Uranium adsorption − desorption on sediment samples collected from the Hanford 300-Area, Richland, WA varied extensively over a range of field-relevant chemical conditions, complicating assessment of possible differences in equilibrium adsorption properties. Adsorption equilibrium was achieved in 500−1000 h although dissolved uranium concentrations increased over thousands of hours owing to changes in aqueous chemical composition driven by sediment-water reactions. A nonelectrostatic surface complexation reaction, >SOH + UO₂²⁺ + 2CO₃^2- = >SOUO₂(CO₃HCO₃)^2- , provided the best fit to experimental data for each sediment sample resulting in a range of conditional …

River-Induced Flow Dynamics In Long-Screen Wells And Impact On Aqueous Samples, Vince R. Vermeul, James Mckinley, Darrell R. Newcomer, Robert D. Mackley, John M. Zachara

United States Department of Energy: Publications

Previously published field investigations and modeling studies have demonstrated the potential for sample bias associated with vertical wellbore flow in conventional monitoring wells constructed with long-screened intervals. This article builds on the existing body of literature by (1) demonstrating the utility of continuous (i.e., hourly measurements for ∼1 month) ambient wellbore flow monitoring and (2) presenting results from a field experiment where relatively large wellbore flows (up to 4 L/min) were induced by aquifer hydrodynamics associated with a fluctuating river boundary located approximately 250 m from the test well. The observed vertical wellbore flows were strongly correlated with fluctuations in …

Genome Sequence Of Victivallis Vadensis Atcc Baa-548, An Anaerobic Bacterium From The Phylum Lentisphaerae, Isolated From The Human Gastrointestinal Tract, Mark W. J. Van Passel, Ravi Kant, Airi Palva, Susan Lucas, Alex Copeland, Alla Lapidus, Tijana Glavina Del Rio, Eileen Dalin, Hope Tice, David Bruce, Lynne Goodwin, Sam Pitluck, Karen Walston Davenport, David Sims, Thomas Brettin, John Detter, Shunsheng Han, Frank Larimer, Miriam Land, Loren Hauser, Nikos C. Kyrpides, Galina Ovchinnikova, P. Paul Richardson, Willem M. De Vos, Hauke Smidt, Erwin G. Zoetendal

United States Department of Energy: Publications

Victivallis vadensis ATCC BAA-548 represents the first cultured representative from the novel phylum Lentisphaerae, a deep-branching bacterial lineage. Few cultured bacteria from this phylum are known, and V. vadensis therefore represents an important organism for evolutionary studies. V. vadensis is a strictly anaerobic sugar-fermenting isolate from the human gastrointestinal tract.

A Computational Tool For Estimating Off-Target Application Areas In Agricultural Fields, Rodrigo S. Zandonadi, Joe D. Luck, Timothy S. Stombaugh, Michael P. Sama, Scott A. Shearer

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Publications

A computational method for estimating off-target application areas based on the machine-controlled section width and the field shape was developed and implemented in software with a graphical user interface written in the MatLab environment. The program, which is called the Field Coverage Analysis Tool (FieldCAT), includes three modules: data import, data preparation, and coverage analysis. Nine field boundaries were evaluated to test the software using controlled section widths from 0.5 to 27 m and various swath orientations. The estimated off-target application area from the widest section width varied from 9% to 24% depending on the shape and size of the …

Design Of A Smart System For Monitoring Concrete Curing And Structural Health, William Quinn

Theses

Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) is a rapidly growing sector of the construction industry. Automated monitoring methods arc mainly limited to global monitoring and the application of local monitoring methods has not gained widespread application due to the fact that currently technology requires that the systems are wired to data acquisition devices. This thesis presents a fully embeddable wireless sensor node for the local monitoring of structural concrete. It presents the first reported wireless embedded system implementation of the electromechanical impedance method using both resonant and antiresonant sensors for this purpose.

The first section of this thesis examines the feasibility of …

Mathematical Modeling Of Clostridium Thermocellum’S Metabolic Responses To Environmental Perturbation, Bless Adotey

Theses and Dissertations--Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering

Clostridium thermocellum is a thermophilic anaerobe that is capable of producing ethanol directly from lignocellulosic compounds, however this organism suffers from low ethanol tolerance and low ethanol yields. In vivo mathematical modeling studies based on steady state traditional metabolic flux analysis, metabolic control analysis, transient and steady states’ flux spectrum analysis (FSA) were conducted on C. thermocellum’s central metabolism. The models were developed in Matrix Laboratory software ( MATLAB^® (The Language of Technical Computing), R2008b, Version 7.7.0.471)) based on known stoichiometry from C. thermocellum pathway and known physical constraints. Growth on cellobiose from Metabolic flux analysis (MFA) and Metabolic …

Evaluating Algal Growth At Different Temperatures, Keelin Owen Cassidy

Theses and Dissertations--Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering

In recent years, there has been a concern for the amount of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere and how it will be captured. One way to capture carbon dioxide is with algae. In this study, algae's growth was measured at different temperatures. The first part of the study was to grow Scenedesmus and Chlorella with M8 or urea growth media at a temperature of 25, 30 or 35ºC. It was found that 30ºC had the best growth rates for both algae. The second part studied Scenedesmus growth with urea, more in-depth, and found the optimum growth temperature to be …

Feasibility Of Wastewater Reuse For Fish Production In Small Communities In A Developing World Setting, Joshua James Girard

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Eradicating poverty, malnutrition, and the burden of disease have been included as three of the major issues facing the world. The United Nation member countries, having set forth the Millennium Development Goals, have committed themselves to solving these problems. Two major factors which affect solutions to these problems are increasing water stress and implementing improved sanitation. Integration of tilapia aquaculture and reuse of wastewater has been suggested as a solution which addresses both of these factors. The objective of this study is to examine the feasibility, and explore the benefits and drawbacks, to implementing small community wastewater fed (WWF) aquaculture …