Sustainability Commons^™

Sustainable Wastewater Treatment In The American South, Caroline Miles

Master's Theses

Aging infrastructure and changing social and environmental conditions are two factors that are currently pushing wastewater treatment towards more sustainable methods. This thesis investigates what sustainable treatment technologies are being used in the American South through a focused sample of six cities across the region: Austin, Texas; Fayetteville, Arkansas; Hattiesburg, Mississippi; Memphis, Tennessee; Ocean Springs, Mississippi; and Tuscaloosa, Alabama. The study assesses the types of sustainable treatment technology utilized at each facility, the perspectives of wastewater professionals about the technology, and the economic and environmental sustainability of each facility. Data was collected through direct observations on tours of the facilities, …

An Assessment Of Renewable Energy Technology Implementation In Storrs, Connecticut: Emissions Reduction And Feasibility Of A Microgrid System At Uconn, Sophie Macdonald

Honors Scholar Theses

The purpose of this project is to design a clean energy-sourced microgrid for UConn’s main campus that would reduce the university’s energy emissions while remaining within the geographic boundaries of viable UConn-owned land. Economic cost was not considered in this analysis; instead, emissions and space constraints were the optimized measures of value and feasibility. Sources of energy that were considered include photovoltaics (PV), wind turbines, hydrokinetic systems, and fuel cells. Energy storage capacity was included in the analysis as well. The overall system was optimized first by ignoring space constraints and for a minimum of 10% reduction from the current …

Applications Of Digital Remote Sensing To Quantify Glacier Change In Glacier And Mount Rainier National Parks, Brianna Clark

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Digital remote sensing and geographic information systems were employed in performing area and volume calculations on glacial landscapes. Characteristics of glaciers from two geographic regions, the Intermountain Region (between the Rocky Mountain and Cascade Ranges) and the Pacific Northwest, were estimated for the years 1985, 2000, and 2015. Glacier National Park was studied for the Intermountain Region whereas Mount Rainier National Park was representative of the glaciers in the Pacific Northwest. Within the thirty year period of the study, the glaciers in Glacier National Park decreased in area by 27.5 percent while those on Mount Rainier only decreased by 5.7 …

Efficiency Analysis Of Harvesting Solar Energy To Perform Mechanical Work, Haden S. Bragg

Undergraduate Theses and Capstone Projects

The majority of the world’s electricity is generated using fossil fuels; in fact, the United States Energy Information Administration (EIA) states that the U.S. used fossil fuels to generate 62.7 % of its electricity in 2019 [1]. The goal of this research was to create a system that could perform mechanical work using only renewable resources. We built a solar charging station that uses two solar panels to generate electricity and an electric bicycle whose battery can be charged using the charging station. The efficiency for the type of solar cell used in this project is well established. Therefore, in …

Quantifying Greenhouse Gas Emissions And Ammonia Volatilization From Soil Amended With Excreta From Ruminants Fed Alternative Forage-Based Diets, Samuel Park

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Forage-based ruminant diets supplemented with condensed tannins or polyphenolic-containing legumes may alter nitrogen (N) metabolism in the animal and reduce gas emissions from soil receiving excreta. The objective of the study was to determine if soil receiving urine or manure from sheep fed forage diets supplemented with condensed tannin or polyphenolic-containing legumes would decrease N gas emissions. Two field trials were conducted: in the first trial, sheep were fed alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) silage diets supplemented with 0, 9, 18, or 27% sericea lespedeza (Lespedeza cuneate [Dumont de Courset] G. Don) (n = 4). In the second trial sheep were …

The Research And Analysis Of Potential Gray Wolf (Canis Lupus) Habitats And Gray Wolf Management In The U.S., Youhan Mei

Department of Environmental Studies: Undergraduate Student Theses

The Gray Wolf (Canis lupus) is a keystone species that have significant impacts on the ecosystem where they belong. They used to have a wide range of habitat across the whole of North America. In 1960, the wolves were treated as threats to the safety of humans and livestock. They were wiped out by the government of the day and only had few populations left in Minnesota and Michigan. Today, there are identified in the “Red List) of International Union for Conservation of Nature as endangered species all around the U.S. This shows the urgent need for conservation, …

Chefs' Perceptions Of Zero Waste Cooking In Restaurants, Josephine Reardon

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to examine chefs’ perceptions and practices relative to current and potentially future efforts to decrease food waste. Through qualitative inquiry, this research aims to identify food waste reduction practices in Northwest Arkansas restaurants; chef’s perceptions of these practices and zero waste cooking; the impact these practices have on successfully implementing sustainability; and the biggest challenges in reducing food waste in restaurants. The results of this study will assist chefs and restaurant owners by providing guidance on practices easily utilized in restaurants currently.

An interview protocol, with five sections, was conducted with ten chefs at …

Analyzing The Effects Of Of Seasonal Land Cover And Precipitation On The Sediment Delivery Ratio Of An Agriculture Dominated Watershed., Jonah Liebman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Soil erosion is of escalating importance as increasing population and climate change have put increasing pressures on agricultural food production. Vegetation and precipitation are two factors that control the amount of soil erosion extant within a region. Sediment delivery ratios (SDRs) assess the ratio of soil eroded from a watershed system that is permanently removed from the system through stream sediment discharge. Using 1) river discharge and sediment concentration data and 2) the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE), this thesis analyzes fluctuations in monthly SDRs for an average hydroclimatological crop-harvest season for the Senachwine Creek watershed, IL. Through calculating …

Tree Removal Analysis Of The 2018-2019 Gambles Mill Eco-Corridor Restoration, Zach Harrell

Environmental Studies Senior Seminar Projects

Trees have been extensively researched, and it has been concluded that they are useful not only useful tools in enhancing biofiltration, as well as managing stormwater and retaining sediment, but they also benefit the health of the ecosystem as a whole. But as the University of Richmond’s Gambles Mill Eco-corridor was restored between 2018 and 2019 in order limit to the amount of phosphorus, nitrogen, and other sediment flowing into the Little Westham Creek; many of the trees that combat these problems were removed. The following research intends to analyze the number of trees actually removed throughout the restoration, as …

Step Pools: Examining The Flow Resistance And Stability Of Artificial Step Pools In Comparison With Their Natural Counterparts, Quinn Kirkpatrick

Environmental Studies Senior Seminar Projects

This study looked at step pool stream studies, reports, and field data in five catchment areas. The areas of interest include the Rio Cordon catchment area in Italy, the Cascade Mountain Range in Washington, the Siuslaw National Forest in Oregon, various areas in California, the University of Richmond in Virginia, and the Arkansas River Basin in Colorado. The purpose of this study was to compare the flow resistance and stability after large flooding events of artificial and natural step pool sequences to potentially provide information to improve monitoring of newly installed step pools and the design of future step pool …

Stream Restoration As A Method Of Improving Local Water Quality, Emily George

Environmental Studies Senior Seminar Projects

Projects of stream restoration are a known Best Management Practice (BMP) to approach stormwater management, and have been adopted globally as a means of improving local hydrology. Urbanization has led to an increase in impervious surfaces, resulting in deteriorated streams, many of which are subject to stream restoration. Stormwater control measures (SCM), such as stream restoration, are considered to be a subset of green infrastructure as a method to reconnect streams with surrounding riparian areas, revitalize original hydrology, and support the local ecosystems. This paper looks into the viability of stream restoration as a way of improving water quality, focusing …

Exploring Options For Mussel Restoration, Henry Hurt

Environmental Studies Senior Seminar Projects

This paper seeks to explore the feasibility and possible procedures of restoring freshwater mussels to the Little Westham Creek (LWC) as a way to reduce excess organic pollutants such as nitrogen and phosphorus coming from upstream. To this end, the use of mussels in bioremediation and restoration procedures found in scientific literature were reviewed with the goal of creating a guideline of how such a project would be carried out at the Gambles Mill Eco- Corridor. Based on the results of past literature, water data collected by students in this seminar, and data from RES, it was estimated that a …

Cost Benefit Analysis And Beyond: Stream Restoration In Richmond, Virginia, Claire Powell

Environmental Studies Senior Seminar Projects

This research assessed the costs and benefits of six recent stream restoration projects in Richmond, Virginia within the context of the Chesapeake Bay Total Maximum Daily Load (CB TMDL) pollutant reduction requirements. In order to meet these requirements, state and local governments promoted stream restoration as an important way to reduce Bay-wide inputs of nitrogen, phosphorus, and total suspended solids. The overall intention of this paper was to holistically evaluate the risks and positive impacts associated with stream restoration, with a focus on Little Westham Creek, a stream restoration project located on the University of Richmond campus. I hypothesized that …

Sediment Outflow Under Simulated Rainfall Conditions With Varying Geotechnical Properties, Pranjay Joshi, Akhilesh Kumar, P. V. Singh, Jahangeer Jahangeer

Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute: Faculty Publications

The vulnerability of soil toward erosion might be reduced by having a good vegetative cover over the soil surface, slope improvement, and improving soil properties so that it is not easily detached and transported. However, the establishment of proper vegetative cover is a long process because it takes time for seeds to germinate and attain maturity. As an alternative approach, if soil resistance was increased by increasing the shear strength of soil against erosive forces offered by eroding agents, the soil system would become capable of withstanding the detachment of its particles on the application of shear stress. To achieve …

Updating Wcu’S Climate Action Plan: Creating A Version 2 For Our Community Of Learners, Bradley Flamm

Sustainability Research & Practice Seminar Presentations

No abstract provided.

Earth Observation And Cloud Computing In Support Of Two Sustainable Development Goals For The River Nile Watershed Countries, Wenzhao Li, Hesham El-Askary, Venkat Lakshmi, Thomas Piechota, Daniele Struppa

Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Faculty Articles and Research

In September 2015, the members of United Nations adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development with universal applicability of 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and 169 targets. The SDGs are consequential for the development of the countries in the Nile watershed, which are affected by water scarcity and experiencing rapid urbanization associated with population growth. Earth Observation (EO) has become an important tool to monitor the progress and implementation of specific SDG targets through its wide accessibility and global coverage. In addition, the advancement of algorithms and tools deployed in cloud computing platforms provide an equal opportunity to use EO …

Sea Level Rise Vulnerability Analysis Of Mangrove Ecosystems Using Gis, Kayla Caldwell

HCNSO Student Theses and Dissertations

Climate change is accelerating beyond what is natural due to excessive emissions from human activities. The sea level has been rising for many years and is currently at a rate of 3.6 mm/yr. Mangroves are known to only keep pace with a sea level rate of less than 1.2 mm/yr. Mangroves are particularly vulnerable to rising sea levels if they are not able to keep pace through vertical sediment accretion or inland migration. To test the vulnerability of the south Florida mangrove ecosystems to sea level rise, this study analyzed changes in the mangrove forest coverage of the Oleta River …

Key Technology For Rapidly Drilling Large Diameter Destressing-Drillhole In Rockburst Coal Seam, Wei Hongchao, Wang Yi, Wang Bo

Coal Geology & Exploration

In order to improve the hole forming rate and construction efficiency of large diameter destressing-drillhole in rockburst mine, based on the analysis of the stress characteristics of coal rock in rockburst coal mine, the dynamic instability characteristics of destressing-drillhole and the construction features, the key points for drilling large diameter destressing-drillhole, the efficient discharge of cuttings and fast drilling/lifting were proposed. Combining with the discharge of cuttings method by dual-power, the technology and equipment for rapidly drilling large diameter destressing-drillhole in rockburst coal seam were formed finally after the design and optimization of key equipment, drilling tools, technology and drilling …

Foam Drilling Technology And Application For Broken Soft Coal Seam In Underground Coal Mine, Ji Qianhui, Dong Mengmeng, Liu Jianlin, Shi Lei

Coal Geology & Exploration

Aiming at the limitation of middle pressure air drilling for gas drainage in soft and broken coal seam, such as limited drill cutting removal capacity, and dust pollution, foam drilling technique research in underground coal mines was carried out. CFD simulation of the flow field during the drilling process was conducted to obtain the optimized drilling tool structure parameters for efficient drill cutting transportation. Optimal structural parameters of wide-blade milled auger drill rod with the number of heads 3, the groove width 26 mm, and the pitch 110 mm were determined. A foam perfusion system suitable for underground coal mining …

Distribution And Resource Prospect Of Metal Ore Spots(Deposits) In Coal Of Different Coal-Forming Ages In Northern China, Ning Shuzheng, Huang Shaoqing, Zhang Li, Huang Wenhui, Cao Daiyong, Yuan Jianjiang, Zhang Jianqiang, Zhu Shifei, Yan Deyu, Liu Kang

Coal Geology & Exploration

In some cases, metals such as germanium, gallium, lithium and rare earth elements can be enriched in coal, which is an important potential source of these metals. There are abundant coal resources in northern China, and a large number of coal-metal ore spots(deposits) have been found, and the distribution of these ore spots(deposits) shows certain temporal and spatial characteristics: Metals in Permo-Carboniferous coal occur mainly as gallium and lithium-enriched ore spots, mainly are distributed in the northern coalfields of North China coal bearing regions and mining areas such as Pingshuo and Jincheng in Shanxi Province; the metal enrichment in Early-Middle …

Causes Of Anomaly Of Rare Earth Elements Of Seam 2 Of Yan’An Formation In The Northern Margin Of Ordos Basin And Its Geological Significance, Yang Yi, Lyu Dawei, Zhang Jianqiang, Wu Dun

Coal Geology & Exploration

The cause of rare earth elements(REE) anomalies in No.2 coal seam of the Yan’an Formation in the northern margin of the Ordos basin has been controversial. This paper takes Dahaize coal mine, Yulin area with well developed No.2 coal as an example to analyze REE, mineralogical characteristics of coal and partings, and to reveal the causes of anomaly of REE by Inductive Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry(ICP-MS) and Scanning Electron Microscopy(SEM). The results show that the total rare earth element(∑REE) concentration in the coal samples ranges from 3.71 to 46.21 μg/g. Light rare earths elements(LREE, La-Eu) are more abundant than heavy …

Influencing Factors Of The Dynamic Permeability Of Cbm Reservoir And Cbm Well Drainage Control Measures, Wang Qing, Yang Fei, Gong Weicheng, Xu Tianxin, Li Yichao

Coal Geology & Exploration

The drainage and production control method has significant impact on the permeability of coalbed methane reservoir. Based on the main control factors of the permeability at different stages of drainage and production of coalbed methane wells, this paper puts forward targeted drainage and production countermeasures with the goal of improving the permeability. When the bottom-hole flow pressure was greater than the original reservoir pressure, the step-down velocity was between 0.08 and 0.1 MPa/d to reduce fracturing fluid and velocity-sensitive damage. When the bottom hole flow pressure was between reservoir pressure and desorption pressure, the pressure could be reduced at a …

Dynamic Evolution Law Of Water Accumulation Range In Coal Mining Subsidence Area With High-Level Groundwater, Chen Xiaoxie, Zhang Wentao, Zhu Xiaojun, Liu Hui, Zhang Min, Sun Aiguo, Yang Xiaoyu

Coal Geology & Exploration

In order to study the dynamic evolution law of the water accumulation range with high-level groundwater, the working face 1031 of Wugou coal mine was taken as the research area. Based on Landsat-8 remote sensing data, the evolution law of water accumulation range above working face 1031 during 2013-2017 was summarized and the influence of factors such as net rainfall, groundwater depth and working surface propulsion distance on the evolution of water accumulation range was analyzed. The concept of the boundary angle of the water accumulation range was proposed, and the functional relationship between the angle and the mining time …

Preparation Of Underwater Quick-Set And Expansion Polyurethane Grouting Material And Its Properties, Yang Zhu, Xue Ren, Wang Jun, Lan Zhili

Coal Geology & Exploration

Quick plugging and dynamic grouting technology under complex geologic conditions in mines is a technical problem in the field of grouting and one of the effective solutions is to develop new chemical grouting materials. Based on the reaction principle of polyurethane materials, we carried out the research and development on production formula of polyurethane grouting materials. By analyzing the polyurethane synthesis reaction temperature and the way of adding reagents as well as conducting contrast experiments on various auxiliaries and additives the best formula for the material was determined. It was found that the grouting material prepared by 4% nano silica …

Classification Of Hidden Faults In Coal Seam Floor And Measures For Water Inrush Prevention, Liu Zewei, Liu Qisheng, Liu Yang

Coal Geology & Exploration

The floor hidden faults with mine water bursting coefficient between 0.06 and 0.1 MPa/m have not been classified scientifically in combination with mining. Based on the characteristics of hidden faults in coal seam floor and the vertical relationship between the location of the top interface of the hidden fault and the " Three Underlying Belts", the hidden faults in coal seam floor are classified into three types: high, middle, and low from the perspective of mine water prevention of the floor. Through theoretical analysis and case analysis of water inrush, it is pointed out that the high hidden fault with …

Application Of Mjs Construction Method In Gravel Layer And Pile Forming Difference, Zhang Yan, Tian Zenglin, Cao Haidong, Dang Yakun, Wang Hai, Li Heping, Han Qiang

Coal Geology & Exploration

During the construction of water cutoff curtain in an open-pit coal mine in China, parts of the grouting groove couldnot be constructed due to many obstacles such as overhead high-voltage wire, buried optical cable and buried drainage pipe, and MJS construction method was chosen instead to build the cutoff curtain. The results of MJS pile tests show that the quality of piles formed by this method was obviously different in the construction area of gravel layer on the east and west sides. By the methods of geological exploration, gravity penetration test and pumping test, this paper makes a comparative analysis …

Mineralogical Characteristics And Genesis Of The Illite In Jurassic Coal Of The Jingxi Coalfield, North China, Huang Bo, Zheng Qiming, Shi Songlin

Coal Geology & Exploration

In order to study the indicating effect of illite for coalification and sedimentary environments, the Jurassic coal seam gangue in Jingxi coalfield of North China was taken as the research object. X-ray diffraction(XRD) and X-ray fluorescence(XRF) were used to determine the mineral composition and chemical composition of the gangue sandwiched in the coal seam gangue. The mineralogical characteristics and genesis of illite in the gangue were studied. The results indicated that the intra-seam partings are mainly composed of illite, chlorite and quartz, followed by small amount of calcite and albite. The illite has an average proportion of 62.92%. According to …

Changes Of Petrographic Characteristics And Quality Of Contact-Metamorphosed Coals In The Datong Coalfield, Ma Hongtao, Song Xiaoxia, Li Kaijie, Zhao Jingui, Zhang Tianguang, Liu Jianping

Coal Geology & Exploration

Igneous intrusions in the Datong coalfield caused a considerable amount of contact metamorphosed coal, reducing the industrial value of coal. The effect of a dike in roadway 5222 in Tashan coal mine was determined from analysis of 16 samples collected near the intrusive body. Microscopic and macroscopic observation, proximate and ultimate analysis were used to determine the petrographic characteristics. The results demonstrate that contact-metamorphosed coal experienced significant thermal alteration during intrusive event. Microscopically, various natural coke microstructures, such as mosaic structure, flow structure and pyrolytic carbon were formed under excess heat; instant heating for coals resulted in the elevation of …

Creep Acoustic Emission And Fractal Characteristics Of Coal Rock Under High Temperature Pre-Damage, Shi Hongcai

Coal Geology & Exploration

The thermal damage and triaxial creep acoustic emission experiments of coal samples at different temperatures were carried out to investigate and analyze the mechanical characteristics of coal and rock after high temperature pre-damage. The results show that the thermal damage of coal and rock increases exponentially with the increase of temperature; the brittle-ductile failure characteristics of coal and rock appear at lower temperature(≤200℃) and the accelerated creep characteristics are not obvious; the brittle-brittle failure characteristics of coal and rock appear at higher temperature(＞200℃) and the accelerated creep characteristics are more obvious; the value of steady creep rate is between pre-damage …

Directional Drilling Technology And Equipment Of Pneumatic Screw Motor In Soft Seam, Zhang Jie, Wang Yi, Huang Hanjing

Coal Geology & Exploration

Aiming at the drilling problems of shallow depth, uncontrollable trajectory and blind area of extraction in soft coal seam, the directional drilling technology of pneumatic screw motor was invented, and the directional drilling equipment consisting of pneumatic screw motor, narrow structure directional drilling rig and MWD system were formed. The air directional drilling technology and hole-completion technology were studied and developed. The technology of drilling and hole-completion solves the problem of long-distance safe drilling and hole protection of directional drilling along soft coal seam. The technology has been successfully tested in a coal mine, Huainan, with 30 test boreholes with …