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Environmental Sciences

2009

Air Force Institute of Technology

Articles 1 - 11 of 11

Full-Text Articles in Physical Sciences and Mathematics

Analysis Of Expedient Field Decontamination Methods For The Xmx/2l-Mil High-Volume Aerosol Sampler, Brandon C. Laroche Dec 2009

Analysis Of Expedient Field Decontamination Methods For The Xmx/2l-Mil High-Volume Aerosol Sampler, Brandon C. Laroche

Theses and Dissertations

The XMX/2L-MIL is a high volume air sampler used by the Air Force Bioenvironmental Engineering community to collect biological aerosols. Without a verified decontamination technique, however, the XMX cannot be used effectively. The objective of this study was to evaluate several proposed methods for expedient field decontamination of the XMX. This study centered on the inactivation of Bacillus atrophaeus spores and vegetative Erwinia herbicola organisms from the XMX inner canister. The goals in this investigation were twofold: 1) to verify the antimicrobial efficacy of a 10% bleach solution and 2) to determine if wiping the components with a bleach-soaked paper …

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Forecasting Usaf Jp-8 Fuel Needs, Omer Saglam Mar 2009

Forecasting Usaf Jp-8 Fuel Needs, Omer Saglam

Theses and Dissertations

Oil is still one of the strategic energy resources for both the U.S. and the USAF today. Accurate oil prediction is important for the U.S. in order to improve the national strategy and the related budget concerns. Today, the U.S. is roughly importing 58% of its petroleum products. Moreover, in Fiscal Year (FY) 2007 the USAF total energy costs exceeded $6.9 billion. Aviation fuel accounted for approximately 81% of the total AF energy costs. Fluctuations in oil prices have huge impacts on the USAF’s JP-8 budgetary calculations. In order to handle this problem, the need for accurate forecasts arises. In …

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The Economic Impact Of A Radiological Dispersal Device (Rde), Michael T. Lebrun Mar 2009

The Economic Impact Of A Radiological Dispersal Device (Rde), Michael T. Lebrun

Theses and Dissertations

While it will not cause the devastation of a nuclear weapon, the radiological dispersal event (RDE) is particularly dangerous in that it has the potential to cause major economic disruptions. The purpose of this research was to develop a generalized methodology that can be used to assess economic impacts, resulting from a (RDE), occurring in any location and across any industry. Currently, there is no universal approach for measuring the costs or economic impacts on businesses, or a common framework for conducting an economic impact for a RDE. The objective of this research was to aid in the RDE response …

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An Evaluation Of Solar Air Heating At United States Air Force Installations, David S. Brown Mar 2009

An Evaluation Of Solar Air Heating At United States Air Force Installations, David S. Brown

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to evaluate the use of solar air heating at U.S. Air Force installations. Specifically, this thesis analyzed Unglazed Transpired Collector (UTC) technology, more commonly known as SolarWalls®. This thesis sought to determine if UTC systems are an economically and environmentally viable technology which Air Force energy managers should include in their portfolio of alternative energy options. This research question was answered through the use of case studies and life-cycle cost analysis. Case studies were performed at various U.S. military installations which have already utilized UTC systems to provide a consolidated source of lessons learned. …

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Modeling Of Aircraft Deicing Fluid Induced Biochemical Oxygen Demand In Subsurface-Flow Constructed Treatment Wetlands, William J. Mclaughlin Mar 2009

Modeling Of Aircraft Deicing Fluid Induced Biochemical Oxygen Demand In Subsurface-Flow Constructed Treatment Wetlands, William J. Mclaughlin

Theses and Dissertations

Aircraft deicing is vital to safe operation in cold weather environments. Unfortunately, release of glycol-based aircraft deicing fluids (ADF) to waterways adjacent to airfields poses a significant environmental threat. The deicing fluids used at DoD airfields impart a high biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) when they enter waterways. The currently accepted conventional treatment is collection and transport of ADF-laden storm water to a publicly owned treatment works. The volume and BOD concentrations in the storm water often make this type of treatment impractical. Subsurface flow constructed treatment wetlands have been demonstrated to be effective in attenuating ADF-induced BOD. The models currently …

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Evaluation Of An Innovative Technology For Treatment Of Water Contaminated With Perchlorate And Organic Compunds, Maureen A. Downen Mar 2009

Evaluation Of An Innovative Technology For Treatment Of Water Contaminated With Perchlorate And Organic Compunds, Maureen A. Downen

Theses and Dissertations

Drinking water sources contaminated with both perchlorate and organic compounds have frequently been found in the U.S. Tailored granular activated carbon (T-GAC) is an innovative technology that is being evaluated to determine if it can more cost effectively remove perchlorate than conventional technologies. A question that has been raised is whether T-GAC can economically treat perchlorate-contaminated water that also has organic co-contaminants present. During a field study, trichloroethylene, an organic compound, and perchlorate were successfully removed by adsorption using a T-GAC/GAC system. These results motivated development of a model that could be applied to predict the cost and performance of …

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Jet Fuel Hedging Strategies For The Department Of Defense Through Use Of Financial Derivatives, William T. Gibson Mar 2009

Jet Fuel Hedging Strategies For The Department Of Defense Through Use Of Financial Derivatives, William T. Gibson

Theses and Dissertations

The primary purpose of this research is to assess the practicality of utilizing some of the financial derivative products available on the market today in an effort to mitigate monetary losses due to the increasing price of jet fuel, thereby increasing stability in the DOD budget. The scope of this research will focus on the use of futures and call option contracts. Domestic jet fuel expenditure data was collected for Fiscal Years 1996 to 2007 and cross-referenced with the contract process of the previously mentioned financial hedging instruments during the same period of time. Results from the ex post facto …

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Waste Vegetable Oil As An Alternative Fuel For Diesel Vehicles, Harvey S. Gaber Mar 2009

Waste Vegetable Oil As An Alternative Fuel For Diesel Vehicles, Harvey S. Gaber

Theses and Dissertations

Alternative fuels have become a hot topic in the news as the cost of oil remains volatile. Questions of whether acquiring alternative fuels are worth the cost, logistics, and political implications are being asked. A possible solution may be currently thrown away by Wright Patterson Air Force Base’s (WPAFB) dining establishments in the form of Waste Vegetable Oil (WVO). This study researched the benefits and costs of pursuing the installation of a WVO to Straight Vegetable Oil fuel processing center and using the fuel to power some of the base’s diesel vehicles. A pilot program was fielded utilizing the Wright …

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A Metagenomic Analysis Of Microbial Contamination In Aviation Fuels, Jerrod P. Mccomb Mar 2009

A Metagenomic Analysis Of Microbial Contamination In Aviation Fuels, Jerrod P. Mccomb

Theses and Dissertations

Microbial contamination in aviation fuel arises due to the impracticality of keeping fuel tanks sterile and the inevitable presence of water from condensation. Microbial contaminants in aviation fuels are a concern because of their potential to degrade the fuel, accelerate corrosion within the fuel tank, and threaten flight safety. This research aids in mitigating those problems by comprehensively characterizing the microbial communities affecting aviation fuels. Advances in molecular biological techniques have allowed for the identification of microorganisms which were not identified by the traditional culture-based methodologies used in previous studies. This study employed a molecular method known as 16S rDNA …

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Heterogeneity Effects In Plutonium Contaminated Soil, Orlando M. Chaparro Mar 2009

Heterogeneity Effects In Plutonium Contaminated Soil, Orlando M. Chaparro

Theses and Dissertations

In 1960 at the McGuire Air Force Base, New Egypt, New Jersey a helium tank ruptured causing a fire to ignite a nearby nuclear tipped Boeing Michigan Aeronautical Research Center (BOMARC) missile. During the fire the weapons grade plutonium (Pu- 239, Pu-240, and Pu-241) ignited and was released into the surrounding area, due to both firefighting efforts, where high pressure water was used to put out the fire, as well as smoke that deposited plutonium as oxidized particles in the surrounding area (Cicotte, 2007). This study investigates the heterogeneity of the distributed plutonium contamination in the McGuire Air Force Base …

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Ohio River Denial As A Transportation Corridor And Its Economic Impacts On The Energy Industry, Caglar Utku Guler Mar 2009

Ohio River Denial As A Transportation Corridor And Its Economic Impacts On The Energy Industry, Caglar Utku Guler

Theses and Dissertations

What if the Ohio River is disrupted or denied partially or completely as a transportation corridor? A disruption may be either a natural or man-made disaster or a planned outage on the river’s lock and dam structures. Recent history is full of water transport disruption events having significant economic effects on the waterside industries. To assess coal-based economic impacts, we developed a network flow model to represent waterside coal-fired power plants situated along the Ohio River, their respective coal supplying mines, and the various transportation modes that connect them. We show that significant transportation-centric insights can be derived by using …

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