Bioresource and Agricultural Engineering Commons^™

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?

Water Supplies : Dams And Roaded Catchments, W J. Burdass, T. R. Negus, A. L. Prout, I. A. F. Laing

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

Western Australia's Upper and Lower Great Southern statistical areas include most of the broad-scale agricultural land south of a line from Perth to Hyden. Much of the area is well-developed and carries 13.4 million sheep, 203 00 cattle and 95 000 pigs, almost half the State's livestock.

There are few natural rivers and lakes to water livestock in summer and much of the bore water is salty. On-farm waterr conservation, therefore, consits mainly of excavated earth tanks (dams) which are filled by surface runoff or shallow seepage. In the drier areas and in the sandplain roaded catchments have neen built …

A Light Transmission Model For Biological Materials, R. A. Cavaletto, Shrinivasa Upadhyaya, Michael O'Brien

BioResource and Agricultural Engineering

This paper describes a model to predict light transmission in biological materials. The model can be used for any shaped sample. Scattering and absorption coefficients are used in the model and may be varied throughout the sample, thus allowing both uniformly distributed and concentrated defects to be modelled.

Guarding Of Table Saws With Light Beams: The Light Guard Concept, R. A. Cavaletto, M. S. Kaminaka, C. M. Zahner

BioResource and Agricultural Engineering

This paper describes a unique type of psychological safety guard for hazardous tools such as table saws, presses. and other tools with areas and components which are dangerous to human fingers, hands, and limbs. It is not a piece of hardware but rather a shalt of light which defines a danger zone around the saw blade or cutting area.

Method For Stemming Tomatoes, Henry F. Studer, R. A. Cavaletto, Gene Giacomelli

BioResource and Agricultural Engineering

Method and apparatus for de-stemming picked tomatoes. Each tomato is introduced into the upper end of a generally vertically disposed, open-ended, resilient, open-mesh fabric tube, a substantial portion of which approximates but is larger than the diameter of the tomato. The stem penetrates into and through the open mesh at some point, the open areas being somewhat larger than the stem, while the tomato continues to fall, thereby exerting a bending moment on the stem that snaps the stem from the fruit. The tomato, free from its stem, is discharged from a lower end of the tube.

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.

Improved Crop Coefficients For Irrigation Scheduling, Steve E. Hinkle, James R. Gilley, Darrell G. Watts

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Presentations and White Papers

The use of water for irrigation is receiving more scrutiny as supplies are reduced, competing demands emerge, and application costs increase. Improved water management in irrigation requires an accurate scheduling of irrigations. In areas experiencing limited water supplies, this may involve scheduling irrigations to obtain maximum return per unit of water applied. Other areas may require scheduling to limit deep percolation of water and other valuable nutrients.

The adoption of irrigation scheduling programs such as those described by Kincaid and Heermann (1974) has resulted in reduced application of water. These programs provide estimates of when and how much to irrigate …

Sol Probe And Method Of Obtaining Moisture,Temperature And Root Distribution Of A Soil Profile, Marvin Twersky, William E. Splinter, Bruce C. Sandhorst

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

To provide a profile of simultaneous moisture, temperature and root density characteristics at different depths of soil, a soil probe is inserted in the soil with a viewing and camera section extending above the soil. Similarly, the probe provides a profile of simultaneous moisture, temperature and presence of molds, insects or other foreign matter in grain or similar media including liquid as well as solid granulated material. The portion of the probe that is in the soil or other media includes a source of light or light conveyance and windows which transmit an image of the soil at various depths …

The Application And Effectiveness Of Slow Sand Filtration In The United States, L. A. Slezak, Ronald C. Sims

Biological Engineering Faculty Publications

A survey of 27 slow sand filtration plants in the United States indicated that most of these plants are currently serving communities of fewer than 10 000 persons, are more than 50 years old, and are effective and inexpensive to operate. A slow sand filtration research facility in Logan, Utah, was compared with the operating plants to determine if locally available, unsieved sand achieved similar results. The 75‐m³/d research facility performed well in removing turbidity, coliform bacteria, and particles of a size representative of Giardia cysts.

An Inventory Of Geothermal Resources In Nebraska, William D. Gosnold, Duane A. Eversoll

United States Department of Energy: Publications

The goal of the State Coupled Resource Assessment Program is to identify and evaluate geothermal resources in the state, particularly low-temperature potential. Eight tasks were identified and documented in this report as follows:
TASK ONE: Bottom-hole Temperature Survey
TASK TWO: Heat Flow and Temperature Gradient Survey
TASK THREE: Data Translation studies
TASK FOUR: Gravity Data
TASK FIVE: Substate Regions
TASK SIX: Information Dissemination
Heat Flow and Temperature Gradient Survey
TASK SEVEN: State Geothermal Map
TASK EIGHT: Reports
The project had three major products; (1) a map "Geothermal Resources of Nebraska,” (2) a significant amount of thermal data collected and documented …

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. …

Bioassays- Procedures And Results, A. F. Maciorowski, L. W. Little, L. F. Raynor, Ronald C. Sims, J. L. Sims

Biological Engineering Faculty Publications

Bioassay procedures to describe, evaluate, and predict the potential hazard of toxic materials to organisms and ecosystems, and the health-related aspects of polluted waters continue to receive widespread attention. Symposium proceedings and books pertinent to toxic substances management and test procedures have appeared, as have several literature reviews pertinent to specific pollutants. The proceedings of the fifth annual ASTM symposium on aquatic toxicology presented a collection of papers directed to research needs in aquatic toxicology and hazard assessment, new concepts in aquatic toxicology, biological availability and sediment toxicity, and hazard assessment and water quality criteria.¹ A state-of-the-art overview pertinent …

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 …

Seasat-Satellite Investigation Of The Structure Of Western Nebraska And Its Application To The Evaluation Of Geothermal Resources, John Stix

United States Department of Energy: Publications

Seasat synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellite imagery was used to interpret the structural framework and, indirectly, the geothermal potential of an area in western Nebraska. Lineaments were mapped from the imagery and then compared to known structure. It was found that Seasat does record surface manifestations of subtle basement structures, particularly faults and joints. Furthermore, two areas with hot dry rock geothermal potential were delineated using Seasat and other data. It is stressed that more subsurface geology and geophysical data are needed before a final evaluation of the geothermal potential can be made. Seasat imagery is a useful reconnaissance exploration …

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.