Master of Science / Department of Grain Science and Industry / Leland McKinney / The current forage handling equipment in the cellulosic ethanol industry is severely limited by the low bulk densities of baled and ground biomass. Low bulk densities contribute to flowability problems and lack of maximizing trailer capacities. By pelleting we can increase the bulk density and flowability characteristics of forages. The objectives of this research were to evaluate (1) the energy requirements of grinding sorghum stalks, corn stover, wheat straw and big bluestem through two different screen sizes, (2) the energy requirements of pelleting forages from the two grind sizes, and (3) the physical properties of our various end products. The two screen types were found to have significantly different energy consumptions from each other (P<.0001). The majority of the four forage types were also found to have significantly different energy consumptions for grinding from each other (P<.0001). The exception was big bluestem vs. corn (P=.2329). All of the 1/8” vs. 1/8” and 1/8” vs. 3/8” grinds were significantly different from each other (Most P<.0001 and all at least P<.05). 3/8” sorghum was significant against all other 3/8” forage types. No other comparisons were significant for 3/8” vs. 3/8” (All 3/8” sorghum P<.0001). Production rate through the 3/8” screen was almost 3 times that of the 1/8” screen (Average of 400 lb/hr vs. 150 lb/hr). The two screen types were found to have significantly different energy consumptions for pelleting from each other (P<.0001). The four forage types were also found to have significantly different energy consumptions from each other (P<.0001) while the big blue vs. wheat did not. (P=.1192). Particle length for the 1/8” grind ranged from .06 inches to .07 inches, while the 3/8” grind ranged from .08 inches to .12 inches. Pelleting increased bulk density from 6.24 lb/ft3 to 9.99 lb/ft3 for biomass grinds to 31.17 lb/ft3 to 43.77 lb/ft3 for pelleted biomass. Pellet quality ranged from 93% to 98%. A cost analysis indicated that it would take roughly $20 extra per ton for the transportation, pre-processing and storage of pelleted cellulosic biomass than whole corn. This cost is still almost half that of the cost for baled biomass.

There is a demand to reestablish a healthy coastal ecosystem by rebuilding wetlands with river diversion or dredged sediments in coastal Louisiana. Land building projects using dredged sediments from adjacent canals and river beds, can be used to protect the coastal properties and infrastructure systems from flood and storm surges. To predict the sediment’s long term behavior, math models require input parameters based on sediment engineering properties and material characteristics. Proper characterization is critical for accurate design of coastal restoration projects. The dredge material sedimentation characteristics and their effects on the settlement rate of suspended solid particles and underlying foundation soil depend, among other factors, on the grain size distribution of the dredged material, salinity of the composite slurry, and slurry solid particles concentration. This research evaluated the effects of grain size distribution, salinity, and initial solids concentration on the sedimentation characteristics of fine grained dredged sediments in Coastal Louisiana.

Submitted by DEISE CRISTINA SANTOS NOGUEIRA null (deise17nogueira@hotmail.com) on 2017-03-08T13:15:38Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertação.pdf: 858288 bytes, checksum: 84d43bc8161733904a29be8fd6a0e023 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by LUIZA DE MENEZES ROMANETTO (luizamenezes@reitoria.unesp.br) on 2017-03-13T13:13:26Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 nogueira_dcs_me_jabo.pdf: 858288 bytes, checksum: 84d43bc8161733904a29be8fd6a0e023 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-03-13T13:13:26Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 nogueira_dcs_me_jabo.pdf: 858288 bytes, checksum: 84d43bc8161733904a29be8fd6a0e023 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2017-02-17 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) / Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) / Nos solos brasileiros, a caulinita, os óxidos de ferro e os hidróxidos de alumínio são alguns dos minerais encontrados na fração argila influenciando o comportamento dos atributos físicos do solo. O objetivo do presente trabalho foi avaliar a influência dos minerais da fração argila nos atributos físicos de um Argissolo Amarelo, submetido a dois tipos de preparo e cultivado com cana-de-açúcar. As amostras deformadas e indeformadas de solo foram coletadas após oito meses do plantio da cana-de-açúcar, em quatro camadas (0,00-0,10, 0,10-0,20, 0,20-0,40 e 0,40-0,60 m) na linha e entrelinha de plantio nas áreas submetidas à escarificação em área total e escarificação na linha da cultura. Através das amostras deformadas determinou-se a textura do solo, ferro extraído por ditionito-citrato-bicarbonato (FeDCB), ferro extraído por oxalato ácido de amônio (FeOAA) e razão caulinita/(caulinita+gibbsita) [(Ct/(Ct+Gb)]. Com as amostras indeformadas determinou-se a densidade do solo (Ds) e a resistência do solo à penetração (RP). Os resultados apresentados pela estatística descritiva demostraram que houve uma separação das áreas de estudo devido à diferença mineralógica encontrada nessas áreas, sendo a primeira área caracterizada pela maior razão Ct/(Ct+Gb) e a segunda área caracterizada pelos maiores teores de ferro extraído por ditionito-citrato-bicarbonato (FeDCB). Pela análise de componentes principais foi possível observar que o FeDCB apresentou correlação inversa com a Ds e a RP, a razão Ct/(Ct+Gb) apresentou correlação direta com os atributos físicos Ds e RP. A mineralogia influenciou o comportamento da densidade do solo e resistência do solo à penetração. A área com maior razão caulinita apresentou maiores valores de densidade do solo e de resistência do solo à penetração e a área com maiores teores de óxidos de ferro apresentou menores valores de densidade do solo e de resistência do solo á penetração. O preparo do solo não influenciou o comportamento da densidade do solo e da resistência do solo à penetração. / In Brazilian soils, kaolinite, iron oxides and aluminium hydroxides are some of the minerals found in the clay fraction influencing the behavior of the soil physical attributes. The objective of the present work was to evaluate the influence of minerals of the clay fraction on the physical attributes of a yellow Ultisol under two tillage and sugar cane cultivation. The disturbed and undisturbed samples of soil were collected in the row and interrow in the areas with chiselling in the total area and chiselling in the planting row in four layers (0,00-0,10, 010-0,20, 0,20-0,40, 0,40-0,60 m) eight months later the sugar cane cultivation. The soil texture, citrate/bicarbonate/dithionite extractable Fe, oxalate/acid/ammonium extractable Fe (FeOAA) and Ct / (Ct+ Gb) ratio were evaluated from disturbed samples and bulk density (Bd) and soil penetration resistance (SPR) were evaluated from undisturbed samples. The results presented by the descriptive statistics showed that there was a separation of the study areas due to the mineralogical difference found in these areas, being the first area characterized by the higher ratio Ct / (Ct + Gb) and the second area characterized by the higher citrate/bicarbonate/dithionite extractable Fe (FeDCB). In the principal component analysis, it was observed that the FeDCB showed an inverse correlation between Bd and SPR. It was also observed that the Ct / (Ct + Gb) ratio showed a direct correlation with the physical attributes Bd and SRP. The mineralogy influenced the behavior of the Bd and SPR. The area with higher Ct/ (Ct+Gb) ratio, showed higher values of Bd and SRP and The area with higher content of iron oxides had lower values of Bd and SRP. The soil tillage didn’t influence the behavior of Bd and SPR. / FAPESP: 2014/14490-2

The influence of bulk density on saturated, unsaturated hydraulic conductivity , diffusivity and water con tent was measured on undisturbed and disturbed soil samples of Vernal sandy loam and Nibley silty clay loam. Bulk density was changed by artificially compacting the samples. There was a very large decrease in hydraulic conductivity and diffusivity as water content decreased as has been noted by many others . For the disturbed and compacted samples of the Vernal sandy loam, the water content was higher at .33 and 1.0 bar suction than for the disturbed- uncompacted samples. The same general effect was noted for the undisturbed samples, but differences due to treatment were small . The reverse was true at .05 bars. In the Nibley silty clay loam samples , water content was higher for the uncompacted than for the compacted samples at all suctions applied. The effect of compaction on unsaturated hydraulic conductivity and diffusivity was not consistent. At the same value of water content , both diffusivity and unsatura ted hydraulic conductivity were sometimes higher in the compacted samples, others lower than in the uncompacted.

Modeling of airflow resistance in grain bulk requires knowledge of the tortuosity and velocity of the air flow through the grain bulk. In this study, experiments were carried out to determine these characteristics of airflow paths by analyzing digital images of smoke-visualized airflow paths inside a grain bulk obtained with a high speed camera. Colored smoke with approximately the same density as air was introduced into the test box for the visualization of the airflow through the grain bulk. Soybeans with a moisture content of 8.82% on wet basis were used in this study. The high quality videos obtained by recoding the fast movement of the smoke through the grain bulk was first separated into frames using a commercial software, VirtualDub (CRIM, Montreal, Québec, Canada), and the 512× 384 pixel RGB image files (frames) extracted from the recorded videos and read into ImageJ an image processing Java-based software developed by the United State National institute of Health, to track the movement of the smoke in the images, frame by frame to determine lengths, tortuosities of the different flow paths, as well as their velocities.

No description available.

Modeling of airflow resistance in grain bulk requires knowledge of the tortuosity and velocity of the air flow through the grain bulk. In this study, experiments were carried out to determine these characteristics of airflow paths by analyzing digital images of smoke-visualized airflow paths inside a grain bulk obtained with a high speed camera. Colored smoke with approximately the same density as air was introduced into the test box for the visualization of the airflow through the grain bulk. Soybeans with a moisture content of 8.82% on wet basis were used in this study. The high quality videos obtained by recoding the fast movement of the smoke through the grain bulk was first separated into frames using a commercial software, VirtualDub (CRIM, Montreal, Québec, Canada), and the 512× 384 pixel RGB image files (frames) extracted from the recorded videos and read into ImageJ an image processing Java-based software developed by the United State National institute of Health, to track the movement of the smoke in the images, frame by frame to determine lengths, tortuosities of the different flow paths, as well as their velocities.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:33:37Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2011-12-21Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T19:04:48Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 almeida_cx_dr_jabo.pdf: 641425 bytes, checksum: 8ee6de028f930932e687bf840fa7cec8 (MD5) / Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) / Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) / O estudo de indicadores de qualidade dos solos é fundamental para avaliar o nível de degradação imposta pelo uso agrícola e para estabelecer estratégias de manejo sustentáveis. O objetivo geral deste trabalho foi avaliar a qualidade de um Latossolo Vermelho distrófico típico sob cultivo convencional (CC) e sistema de semeadura direta (PD), por meio de indicadores físicos e da avaliação da produção das culturas da soja e do milho. Os objetivos específicos foram: i) comparar a eficiência de funções de pedotransferência para a curva de resistência do solo à penetração presentes na literatura, por meio do ajuste de dados obtidos com o penetrômetro de impacto e também com o penetrômetro eletrônico; ii) determinar a resistência do solo à penetração (RP) durante o ciclo das culturas relacionando-a ao conteúdo de água no solo (Ug); e, iii) determinar alguns indicadores de qualidade física do solo, relacionando-os com as características agronômicas das culturas. Os sistemas de uso e manejo do solo foram: CC e PD por sete e oito anos consecutivos (solo de textura média) e CC e PD por nove e dez anos consecutivos (solo de textura argilosa). Foram determinadas a RP, a porosidade total, a macroporosidade, a microporosidade, a retenção de água no solo, o índice S, a densidade, a densidade do solo máxima e também a densidade do solo relativa. Nas culturas da soja e do milho foram avaliadas: massa seca das raízes, altura das plantas, altura de inserção da primeira vagem/espiga, número de vagens por planta de soja, massa seca da parte aérea do milho e produtividade. As Equações ; ; e não diferiram e foram as mais precisas e acuradas na predição da RP. Dentre os sistemas de manejo, embora o CC tenha apresentado melhores resultados em relação aos indicadores de qualidade física do solo, o PD foi o que proporcionou maior produção de milho / The study of indicators of soil quality is essential to assess the level of degradation imposed by agricultural use and to establish sustainable management strategies. The aim of this study was to evaluate the quality of an Oxisol under conventional (CC) and no-tillage (NT), through soil physical indicators and assessing the soybeans and corn crops yield. The specific objectives were: i) compare the efficiency of pedotransfer functions due to soil resistance to penetration curve in the literature, by adjusting the data obtained with the impact penetrometer and also with the electronic penetrometer), ii) monitoring the soil resistance to penetration (PR) during the crop cycle relating it to the soil water content (Wc), and iii) determine some soil physical indicators, relating them to the agronomic characteristics of crops. The management systems were: CC and NT to seven and eight years consecutives (sandy loam soil) and CC and NT to nine and ten years consecutives (clayey soil). The PR, total porosity, macroporosity and microporosity, soil water retention, index S, soil bulk density, maximum dry bulk density, and also the relative bulk density were determined. The agronomic characteristics of soybean and corn crops have been evaluated: roots dry mass, height plant, insertion of the first spike height/pod, pods per soybean plant number, corn shoot dry mass and yield. The equations ; ; e did not differ and were the most precise and accurate in prediction of soil resistance to penetration. Among the management systems, although the CC has shown better results in relation to soil physical indicators, the NT was that the highest corn yield

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:23:24Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2008-04-28Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T18:50:29Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 almeida_cx_me_jabo.pdf: 1204259 bytes, checksum: 236a0af5f42cb1b639ed5de10c3cc693 (MD5) / Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) / A estimativa da curva de resistência do solo à penetração (CRP), a partir de variáveis de fácil obtenção, como o conteúdo de água (Ug), representa uma medida muito útil não só para a quantificação do estado de compactação, mas também para facilitar a interpretação da resistência do solo à penetração (RP), obtida em diferentes condições de campo. O objetivo foi estimar a CRP em solos de diferentes granulometrias e densidades, a partir de dados obtidos com o penetrômetro de impacto. O experimento foi realizado em laboratório, na Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias (UNESP), Jaboticabal, SP. Foram utilizadas quatro classes de solos: Neossolo Quartzarênico, Argissolo Vermelho-Amarelo, Latossolo Vermelho Distrófico e Latossolo Vermelho Acriférrico, os quais foram amostrados na camada de 0-0,20 m. Colunas de PVC foram preenchidas de forma a se obter diferentes condições de densidade: solo não compactado e compactado. O Ug, inicialmente elevado até o ponto de saturação, foi monitorado diariamente através de um medidor eletrônico composto pelo Profile Probe PR2 acoplado ao Moisture Meter HH2. A RP foi mensurada através de um penetrômetro de impacto adaptado para vaso. Os pares de dados entre a RP e o Ug foram ajustados e as CRP submetidas ao teste de significância. A relação entre a RP e o Ug foi descrita pelo modelo exponencial decrescente, representado pela seguinte equação: RP = a+be Ug/c em que: RP representa a resistência do solo à penetração (MPa); Ug o conteúdo gravimétrico de água (kg kg-1) e a, b e c são os parâmetros da equação. Foram obtidos coeficientes de determinação que variaram de 0,57 a 0,96. / The estimate of soil resistance to penetration curve (RPC) from easy attainment variables, like the water content (Wc), represents a very useful measure not only in the evaluation of soil compaction, but also to simplify the interpretation of the soil resistance to penetration (SR) obtained in different field conditions. The objective was to estimate the RPC in soils of different textures and bulk densities, from data obtained with the impact penetrometer. The experiment was carried out in Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias (UNESP), Jaboticabal, SP, and four classes of soil were used: Entissol, Alfissol, Oxisol medium texture and clayey Oxisol, which were collected at 0-0.20 m soil depth. The PVC columns filled in manner to obtain a condition of non compacted and compacted soil. The Wc, initially elevated to the saturation point, was daily monitored through an electronic measurer composed by Profile Probe (PR2) connected to a Moisture Meter HH2. The SR was measured by an impact penetrometer adapted to the vase. The pairs of data between SR and Wc were adjusted and the RPC submitted to the significance test. The equation that best described the relationship between the SR and Wc was the exponentially decreasing, as follows: SR = a+be Wc/c where SR is the soil resistance to penetration (MPa), Wc soil water content (kg kg-1) and a, b and c are the parameters of the equation. There was a significant relation between soil resistance to penetration and water content and the equations fit the data with coefficients of determination ranging from 0.57 to 0.96.

Orientador: José Frederico Centurion / Banca: Elias Nascentes Borges / Banca: Ednaldo Carvalho Guimarães / Banca: Teresa Cristina Tarle Pissarra / Banca: Renato de Mello Prado / Resumo: O estudo de indicadores de qualidade dos solos é fundamental para avaliar o nível de degradação imposta pelo uso agrícola e para estabelecer estratégias de manejo sustentáveis. O objetivo geral deste trabalho foi avaliar a qualidade de um Latossolo Vermelho distrófico típico sob cultivo convencional (CC) e sistema de semeadura direta (PD), por meio de indicadores físicos e da avaliação da produção das culturas da soja e do milho. Os objetivos específicos foram: i) comparar a eficiência de funções de pedotransferência para a curva de resistência do solo à penetração presentes na literatura, por meio do ajuste de dados obtidos com o penetrômetro de impacto e também com o penetrômetro eletrônico; ii) determinar a resistência do solo à penetração (RP) durante o ciclo das culturas relacionando-a ao conteúdo de água no solo (Ug); e, iii) determinar alguns indicadores de qualidade física do solo, relacionando-os com as características agronômicas das culturas. Os sistemas de uso e manejo do solo foram: CC e PD por sete e oito anos consecutivos (solo de textura média) e CC e PD por nove e dez anos consecutivos (solo de textura argilosa). Foram determinadas a RP, a porosidade total, a macroporosidade, a microporosidade, a retenção de água no solo, o índice S, a densidade, a densidade do solo máxima e também a densidade do solo relativa. Nas culturas da soja e do milho foram avaliadas: massa seca das raízes, altura das plantas, altura de inserção da primeira vagem/espiga, número de vagens por planta de soja, massa seca da parte aérea do milho e produtividade. As Equações ; ; e não diferiram e foram as mais precisas e acuradas na predição da RP. Dentre os sistemas de manejo, embora o CC tenha apresentado melhores resultados em relação aos indicadores de qualidade física do solo, o PD foi o que proporcionou maior produção de milho / Abstract: The study of indicators of soil quality is essential to assess the level of degradation imposed by agricultural use and to establish sustainable management strategies. The aim of this study was to evaluate the quality of an Oxisol under conventional (CC) and no-tillage (NT), through soil physical indicators and assessing the soybeans and corn crops yield. The specific objectives were: i) compare the efficiency of pedotransfer functions due to soil resistance to penetration curve in the literature, by adjusting the data obtained with the impact penetrometer and also with the electronic penetrometer), ii) monitoring the soil resistance to penetration (PR) during the crop cycle relating it to the soil water content (Wc), and iii) determine some soil physical indicators, relating them to the agronomic characteristics of crops. The management systems were: CC and NT to seven and eight years consecutives (sandy loam soil) and CC and NT to nine and ten years consecutives (clayey soil). The PR, total porosity, macroporosity and microporosity, soil water retention, index S, soil bulk density, maximum dry bulk density, and also the relative bulk density were determined. The agronomic characteristics of soybean and corn crops have been evaluated: roots dry mass, height plant, insertion of the first spike height/pod, pods per soybean plant number, corn shoot dry mass and yield. The equations ; ; e did not differ and were the most precise and accurate in prediction of soil resistance to penetration. Among the management systems, although the CC has shown better results in relation to soil physical indicators, the NT was that the highest corn yield / Doutor