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Senior Capstone Design
Find past student examples of Senior Capstone Design projects in the following emphasis areas:
Biomedical Engineering
Environmental and Water Resources Engineering
Food and Bioproducts Engineering
Biomedical Engineering
A Novel Device for Remote Differentiation of Tissue Types
Faculty Advisor: Dr. Shadi Othman
Client: Dr. Greg Bashford
Year: Fall 2011
Differentiation between tissues can be useful in certain applications where they cannot be identified by sight or touch, such as automated food product quality control, tissue research applications, or minimally invasive surgery. Without the possibility of sensory differentiation, different tissues must be identified according to characteristic properties. We hypothesize that vibrations will propagate through tissues differently according to their characteristic mechanical properties. A system of two piezoelectric actuators was employed, one sending a pulsing signal through the tissue and one receiving the propagated vibration of the tissue a short distance away, and the amplitude and frequency spectra of the received signals were analyzed and compared. We found statistically significant differences in the amplitudes and low frequency to high frequency ratios of the signals received from materials with varying stiffnesses; therefore, this device is suitable for remote differentiation of various tissues. TOP
Placement Guide for Internal Fracture Stabilization
Faculty Consultant: Dr. Shadi Othman
Client: Dr. Jennifer Melander, UMKC School of Dentistry
Year: Spring 2011
Open fracture stabilization is an important concern with traumatic limb injury. Research efforts involving a novel material have shown promise which surpasses the performance of current stabilization methods and materials for open fracture stabilization. Testing of this novel material using mouse femur models has given rise to the need for a placement guide for the uniform application of the material around a fracture site. Uniformity of the material at the fracture site is necessary to ensure repeatability, reproducibility and equal distribution of mechanical strength. The objective of this project is to design and test a removable placement guide that will contain the novel material and allow for the formation of a uniform, polymerized layer of the material around a fractured mouse femur. TOP
Automated Tissue Location and Acquisition System (ATLAS)
Faculty Consultant: Dr. Jeyam Subbiah
Client: Dr. George Casale, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Lied Transplant Center
Year: Spring 2011
The goal of this project was to design an automated process for locating and acquiring images of muscle tissue biopsy samples mounted on microscope slides. The samples are used to better characterize and stage peripheral arterial disease. Utilizing ImagePro Plus software, an automated system was developed to locate and acquire hematoxylin and eosin-stained tissue samples at 10X magnification with brightfield microscopy across eight slides. The implementation of this system will save the client both time and hard drive storage space. TOP
Refining a Neck Model for Ultrasound-Guided Fine Needle Biopsy
Faculty Consultant: Dr. Greg Bashford
Client: Dr. Russell Smith, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Department of Surgery
Year: Spring 2011
Ultrasound-guided fine needle biopsy (UGFNB) is a procedure by which a physician directs a needle to the tissue of interest using a real-time ultrasound image. This procedure requires high technical ability and practicing physicians should have access to useful training models. Our project is to design and produce an affordable model that accurately mimics a human neck in an ultrasound image to train physicians for UGFNB. This training will aid the efforts of physicians for early detection of thyroid and lymph node cancers. TOP
Monitoring Respiration Rate of Stringed Instrument Musicians
Faculty Consultant: Dr. Greg Bashford
Client: Clark Potter, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, School of Music
Year: Spring 2011
The design objective is to develop a system that will record physiological responses of respiration and heart rate in real time for string instrument musicians. This system is nonintrusive and does not interfere with the musician’s performance. A hot-wire anemometer and ear lobe pulse oximeter were used in a head apparatus which displays the information in a LabVIEW program. TOP
Maintaining a Sterile Environment in the Operating Room
Faculty Consultant: Dr. Jennifer Wagner, Veterans’ Administration
Client: Dr. Jason M. Johanning, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Department of Surgery
Year: Spring 2011
Surgeons are unable to interact with surgical screens directly due to risk of compromising the sterile field. To circumvent this problem, work was done to develop a single device that a surgeon uses to interact with non-sterile surgical screens and sterile patients. The device is used as a marker and a stylus while maintaining sterility of the device as well as the operating room. TOP
Minimally Invasive Mitral Valve Surgical Heart Retractor
Faculty Advisors: Dr. Susan Hallbeck and Dr. Greg Bashford
Client: Dr. Edward Raines, Bryan LGH, Lincoln, NE
Year: Fall 2010
Heart Surgery has been transformed from the conventional sternum-splitting method to a minimally invasive process. This practice is very appealing to patients and surgeons, due to decreased recovery time and scarring. Surgical technology has not kept pace with these contemporary techniques. Minimally Invasive Mitral Valve Surgery (MIMVS) uses a simple, but outdated instrument that manipulates heart tissue in one range of motion. A novel device was developed that allows the surgeon to have a greater range of motion while maintaining stability and an uncompromised viewing space. This device was designed to fit adult MIMVS patients and to be reusable via autoclave sterilization. TOP
Pediatric Breathing Circuit Improvement
Faculty Advisors: Dr. Greg Bashford, Dr. George Meyer
Client: Dr. David Miller, Product Development Engineer, King Systems
Year: Fall 2010
The challenge for this team was to improve an audible airflow by-product in the Universal Pediatric F2 Breathing Circuit, an anesthesia device produced by King Systems, by identifying the source producing the high-pitched by-product and to develop a practical solution to eliminate, or reduce, the noise in the breathing circuit. A protocol for the measurement of sound output was developed for this purpose. Generated data suggested that tubing with a smooth interior surface could greatly reduce sound output, and that the implementation of a coiled configuration into the physical setup of the tubing could help filter the high-frequency waveforms. The final design used comparative analysis of the existing King Systems circuit to purchased samples of corrugated tubing of varying lengths, diameters, patterns, and physical configurations. Based on these findings, we recommended that King Systems manufacture a polyethylene inspiratory tube with exterior corrugation and a smooth interior surface, and that King Systems incorporate a coiled configuration into the practical use of the product in hospital settings. TOP
Pilot Scale Purification of Plasmid DNA for Vaccines
Faculty Advisors: Dr. Angela Pannier and Dr. Curt Weller
Client: Mr. Aaron Carnes, Nature Technology Corporation
Year: Fall 2010
Plasmid DNA (pDNA) is a potential alternative for vaccine media, as opposed to using dead or weakened viruses, in order to remove any risk of the virus harming the individual. Plasmids have been shown to induce immunity in animals with no adverse responses. As a result there has been a push to begin human clinical trials of DNA plasmid vaccines. A method for manufacturing large quantities of high-quality plasmid needs to be developed. Nature Technology Corporation (NTC) has developed fermentation and autolytic extraction processes that produce high-quality DNA at a bench top scale (10 L fermentation). The project goal was to scale up their plasmid DNA harvest and purification process to pilot plant scale (100 L fermentation) and increase the quality of plasmid to meet Food and Drug Administration standards. The design uses tangential flow filtration to harvest the fermentation broth and extract the plasmid. Following harvest and lysis, the plasmid is purified by anion exchange and hydrophobic interaction chromatography. Finally, plasmid is suspended in a phosphate buffered saline solution using another tangential flow filtration to remove the elution buffer from chromatography. TOP
Method for Quantifying Stiffness of Lingual Muscles
Faculty Advisor: Dr. Shadi Othman
Client: Jordan R. Green, Ph.D., Corwin Moore Chair in Communication Disorders, Barkley Center, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Year: Spring 2010
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), most commonly referred to as “Lou Gehrig’s disease,” is the most common motor neuron disorder in the world. A side effect of ALS is different degrees of stiffness in the lingual muscles of the patient. Determining the stiffness of the muscle is critical to diagnose ALS, but has not been quantitatively determined. This design presents an innovative method to determine the stiffness (shear modulus) of the tongue for more accurate diagnosis of ALS. Stiffness is intrinsically found as a ratio of the input frequency and the resonant frequency. From this design, the resonant frequency data of different representations of the tongue is obtained and interpreted. TOP
MEG Compatible Bicycle
Faculty Advisor: Dr. Greg Bashford
Client: Max Kurz, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Motion Analysis Laboratory, Munroe-Meyer Institute for Genetics and Rehabilitation, University of Nebraska Medical Center
Year: Spring 2010
Learning to walk is a major challenge for many cerebral palsy patients. Providing effective therapy, which results in improvements in motor-controlled brain activity, is vital to the treatment of the disease. Current methods for measuring brain activity, such as the use of magnetoencephalography (MEG), lack the ability to measure neural activity while walking due to geometric constraints of the chair and gantry. A stationary MEG compatible bicycle was proposed to provide an analog to walking. The apparatus is unique in that the patient’s upper body can be relatively stationary while their legs move. A wooden frame to support the chair, a wooden wheel base, and wheel attached to a polyvinyl chloride (PVC) axle and pedal assembly enable lower body movement through pedaling. Researchers will be able to observe the brain activity produced by pedaling, and determine if the therapy is resulting in the desired progress. TOP
Neck Model for Ultrasound-guided Fine Needle Biopsy
Faculty Advisor: Dr. Greg Bashford
Client: Russell Smith, MD, FACS, Associate Professor, Division of Head and Neck Surgical Oncology, Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University of Nebraska Medical Center
Year: Spring 2010
Physicians use ultrasound-guided, fine-needle biopsy to diagnose over 30,000 cases of lymph node and thyroid cancer annually. A need exists for a responsive training tool that accurately simulates the human neck on an ultrasound machine. For this project, material selection, with properties for attenuation, impedance, and scatter, was the most important criteria. The final model employed alginate, a hydrogel made of over 99% water, which closely mimics human tissue. When different concentrations of alginate are cross linked with a calcium solution, hydrogels of varying stiffness are produced. This allowed alginate to be used for both the internal structures (lymph nodes, thyroid, and blood vessels) and the filler material, and improved the ultrasound image. Graphite powder added to the raw alginate gave the material a brighter appearance on the ultrasound. Through image analysis using MatlabTM, the images obtained a similar brightness ratio to images of real necks. Attenuation and impedance from the model was compared to native tissue and were found to be very similar. TOP
Radiation Shielding for the Hepatic Artery
Faculty Advisor: Dr. Angela Pannier
Client: David F. Mercer, M.D., Ph.D., Director, Intestinal Rehabilitation Program, Assistant Professor of Surgery Liver/Small Bowel Transplant Program, University of Nebraska Medical Center
Year: Fall 2009
Klatskin tumors, described by Dr. Klatskin in 1965, are types of cholangiocarcinoma located at the bifurcation of the common bile duct. When the tumor involves both sides of the liver and/or bile duct, surgery is usually not possible. The current treatment requires radiation therapy to reduce the size of the tumor, followed by a liver transplant. Radiation damages the hepatic artery, which increases the likelihood of a surgical splice of the hepatic artery that does not heal properly, leading to internal bleeding and death. The design an implantable shielding device to effectively attenuate the radiation delivered to the hepatic artery during external beam radiation treatment. The proposed implantable radiation device can be implanted in the body for up to six months and reduce 25% of the X-ray radiation exposure. The device, made of two half hollow cylinders, can easily be positioned and fixed around the hepatic artery. In addition, it can be fabricated from one of the three suitable metals for implants: rhenium, platinum, or tantalum. Tantalum was recommended as the optimum choice since it is the most biocompatible and has excellent corrosion resistance. TOP
Power Mobility with Supportive Seating for Developmentally Disabled Toddlers
Faculty Advisor: Carl Nelson, Ph.D.
Clients: Ann Kruger, Physical Therapist, and Max Kurz, Ph.D., Assistant Professor Motion Analysis Lab, University of Nebraska Medical Center
Year: Fall 2009
Children with developmental disabilities often have a lack of muscle tone and postural control, and power mobility allows these children to discover their environment independently. Controlling a power wheelchair is a learned skill and health insurance companies will not pay for a power wheelchair unless the ability to use the wheelchair is demonstrated. The client currently uses a powered cart from Enabling Devices, a company that creates assistive technologies for the disabled, to teach children the concepts of power mobility. The purpose of the project was to solve several problems with this cart. A Solid Works model of the ideal cart design incorporated functional requirements and included reduced cost, ease of transport, lower weight, and improved access to the control panel. The modifications to the current cart included a supportive car seat, (attached to be stable, yet easy to remove), moving the seat position back to maintain stability while providing easier access to the power panel, and adding a stable, removable tray. TOP
A Flow Chamber for Imaging and Analyzing Hepatocytes in Real Time
Faculty Advisor: Dr. Angela Pannier
Client: Dr. David F. Mercer, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE
Year: Spring 2009
Research on Hepatitis C has long been hindered by the lack of appropriate biological models in which to grow and culture infected hepatocytes. The team developed a parallel plate flow chamber and accompanying circuit to create an environment which more closely mimics physiological conditions. The circuit was designed around the use of a peristaltic pump and a custom-built parallel plate flow chamber (PPFC). The flow chamber circuit induced a laminar flow of media across a microscope slide seeded with hepatocytes, while allowing real-time monitoring of the cell’s condition through the use of light and fluorescence microscopy. By controlling the flow, the media, and the temperature of the environment, the flow circuit and chamber will help culture and sustain liver cells for the continuation of our client’s research. TOP
Elliptical Trainer Footplate Redesign
Faculty Advisor: Dr. Greg Bashford
Client: Dr. Judy Burnfield, Madonna Rehabilitation Hospital, Lincoln, NE
Year: Spring 2009
Using stationary exercising equipment for rehabilitation purposes is a common practice. Kinematic and electromyography data indicate that many of these machines do not accurately simulate the motion of over-ground walking. For example, elliptical training machines do not correctly simulate the joint angles created in a standard gait cycle. This project developed external pedals to more accurately simulate over-ground walking when using an elliptical trainer. The factors of stride length and ankle angle were the primary foci for modification to the elliptical trainer’s original movement. TOP
A New Design for Intubation: Modify the Laryngeal Tube to Accommodate an Endotracheal Tube and/or Video Stylet
Faculty Advisor: Dr. Carl Nelson, Mechanical Engineering faculty
Client: Dr. David Miller, Karl Storz Endoscopy – America, Culver City, CA
Year: Spring 2009
Intubation devices, such as the Endotracheal Tube (ETT), Laryngeal Mask Airway (LMA), and the Laryngeal Tube (LT), are used to protect the patient’s airway and provide a means of mechanical ventilation. Currently, the LT cannot be used in long surgical procedures and the ETT does not block the esophagus. The project objective was to modify the existing LT to accommodate an ETT and/or/ video stylet. The new LT design is larger in diameter to allow the ETT to be inserted and removed as needed. It is also compatible with current existing video technology. This LT design simultaneously provides esophageal blockage and tracheal intubation. TOP
Device Design for Monitoring Breathing During Stringed Instrument Use
Faculty Advisor: Dr. Greg Bashford
Client: Clark Potter, UNL School of Music faculty, Lincoln, NE
Year: Spring 2009
In an attempt to enhance string musicians performance, this team developed a device for the purpose of measuring breathing during playing. The device functions under the principles of hot-wire anemometry. After reviewing existing technology and identifying the shortcomings, they formulated a novel design that met the functional requirements. The design employs a thermal-convection flow meter, which consists of a temperature sensitive tungsten filament and corresponding circuitry. The analog signal from the sensor is converted to a digital signal via a data acquisition card and is manipulated, displayed, and stored on a computer using a G program. TOP
Sumani Suture Passer II
Faculty Advisors: Dr. Greg Bashford and Dr. Carl Nelson
Client: Dr. David Samani, M.D., Bryan LGH West, Lincoln, NE
Year: Fall 2008
Current orthopedic instruments used to pass sutures in minimally invasive surgeries lack a flexible distal end and therefore severely decrease maneuverability in a small surgical opening. Surgeons desire to retrieve loose ends of suture from within the body through an instrument cannula. Unfortunately, the small operating area and limited orientations of current instruments frequently lengthen operation time and even prevent a minimally invasive approach. The Samani Suture Passer is an articulating and suture-grasping orthopedic instrument that allows surgeons to manipulate the angle of the distal end of the tool from outside the body, while the distal end remains in the surgical opening via a cannula. A continuation of a previous Capstone Design project, this project improved ergonomics of the Samani Suture Passer allowing surgeons to operate the tool with comfort. The Samani Suture Passer is anticipated to increase efficiency during surgery and at the same time reduce operation and recovery time. TOP
Development of an Ultrasound Neck Phantom for Medical Training
Faculty Advisors: Dr. Greg Bashford
Client: Dr. Russell Smith, M.D., Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE
Year: Fall 2008
With the projection of 300,000 expected cases of thyroid and lymph node cancer in 2008 comes a need for skilled surgeons who can detect and treat the cancer. One method for early detection is ultrasound guided fine needle biopsy. Today’s surgeons need to hone their skills on a training platform before performing biopsies on patients.
This design created a reusable ultrasound phantom of the neck with inexpensive materials and contains realistic anatomy structures with biopsy sites for fine needle biopsy training. TOP
Regaining Surface ECG Signal During Defibrillation Testing
Faculty Advisor: Dr. Greg Bashford
Client: Dr. Andy Merliss, Bryan LGH East
Year: Spring 2008
When implanting an ICD (Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator), the physician tests the ICD operation by inducting cardiac arrest. The ICD then delivers an electrical shock, which overloads the ECG (electrocardiogram) monitoring system, so that monitoring is unavailable for 1 – 3 seconds. During this short time, the physician remains unaware of whether the test was successful and if the patient has recovered normal cardiac rhythm. While typical ECG signal is on the order of 1mV, the system is equipped to handle up to 110mV. A defibrillation signal that originates in the ICD will be on the order of 100V on the skin surface. The goal of this project was to provide a solution that would reduce the time delay between the defibrillation shock and the physician’s ability to monitor the patient’s status. The team introduced a simple design of a serial electrical circuit, placed between the patient and the ECG monitoring system, which would protect it from overload, while not interacting with the process of defibrillation. TOP
Environmental and Water Resources Engineering
Prairie Pines Water Retention Structure
Faculty Consultant: Dr. Dennis Schulte
Client: Dr. Jim Brandle, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, School of Natural Resources
Year: Spring 2011
Prairie Pines, a 145-acre property, has been transformed from farmland to an area of diverse woodland and grassland habitats. The purpose of Prairie Pines is to provide an environmental refuge, enhanced arboretum, and horticultural study area northeast of Lincoln, as well as to eventually integrate county extension services, community recreation, and wildlife research and education. The design objective is to specify a water retention structure, such as a pond or wetland, which will be used primarily for educational purposes, such as university research or field trips. It also needs to attract wildlife in addition to being cost effective. Constraints considered include the amount and quality of water available for the structure, soil types, and accessibility to the site. TOP
Camp-A-Way Stream Restoration
Faculty Consultant: Dr. Dean Eisenhauer
Client: Marc Groff, The Flatwater Group, Lincoln, NE
Year: Spring 2011
A conceptual design was developed for a small channel running through Camp-A-Way Park in northwest Lincoln. This stream has eroded beyond acceptable limits, and Lincoln Parks and Recreation has contracted with the Flatwater Group to correct the problem with assistance from Senior Design students. The conceptual design is based upon the research of historical and current hydrological data, current stream stabilization methods, and other alternative solutions. Several possible channel designs, from natural to hard armoring, were evaluated with the consideration of the constraints, criteria, and client’s wants and needs. TOP
Small Scale Backflow and Cross-contamination Educational Model
Faculty Advisors: Dr. David Admiraal, Dr. Bruce Dvorak, Dr. Dennis Schulte
Client: Nebraska Health and Human Services: Mike Wentink (Training and Certification Officer) and Rick Koenig (Water Supply Specialist)
Year: Fall 2010
In order to make a compelling argument and explain the detrimental health effects of backflow and cross-contamination on a community, Nebraska Health and Human Services (NHHS) needed a visual representation of the most common backflow scenarios occurring in small towns across Nebraska. The models depict scenarios that include: private wells, boilers, water main breaks, fire-fighting, truck fill stations, and lawn chemigation. Four scenarios are illustrated in each of the four models. The model is designed to accommodate easy demonstrating, cleaning, repairing, and transporting. Water pressure in the model is supplied by a pump which obtains water from a basin. Scenarios in the model are represented and visualized with a series of valves, tubing, food coloring, and pressurized vessels. Documentation includes an operating manual, construction documents and a parts manual. TOP
Hell Creek Stream Restoration
Faculty Advisor: Dr. Tom Franti
Client: Darren Jack, P.E., WLA Consulting, Inc.
Year: Spring 2010
Hell Creek in Douglas County, Nebraska, is an incised urban stream being degraded by high erosive storm flow rates. The team proposed a holistic, green design to restore 2,100 feet of the creek to a more natural stream morphology. The design included modifying the channel geometry to create a more stable cross-sectional area (modeled in the hydraulic simulation program HEC-RAS), utilize soil bioengineering techniques to stabilize the stream banks, and protect stream infrastructure using in-line structures and pier collars. Some of the solutions included Rosgen A6 stream converted to B6 through excavation of 77,330 cubic yards of soil to create a two-stage Rosgen priority 3 cross section, Y-Street bridge pier protection through pier collar placement, and bioengineering all slopes using coir fiber rolls, biodegradable erosion control mats, and permanent native vegetation. TOP
Prairie Pines Water Source
Faculty Advisor: Dr. Dennis Schulte
Client: Dr. James Brandle, School of Natural Resources, UNL
Year: Spring 2010
A former University of Nebraska-Lincoln faculty member donated an 144-acre tract of land, Prairie Pines, to UNL to be used as an environmental education center, particularly by the College of Agricultural Science and Natural Resources (CASNR). The client requested design options for a constructed water source to attract wildlife for course observation. These options included financial estimates, installation and maintenance specifics, and a variety of project scales. SWAT (Soil and Water Assessment Tool) was used to predict water yield and water quality. Current rainfall data and water quality data were utilized, and included groundwater availability, location, and topography. Prairie Pines does not receive a large amount of precipitation; the water yield is expected to be approximately seven inches a year. This is not sufficient to sustain a large water source nor is it sufficient to keep a wetland wet all year. The high cost of the initial option, installing a half-acre, subsurface flow constructed wetland, led to the idea of construction of a fifteen-meter berm perpendicular to the channel and excavating a catchment area above the berm. Successful implementation of the water source design would result in an aesthetically pleasing site with seasonal wildlife appeal and the potential to foster environmental education for future Lincoln inhabitants. TOP
2010 ASABE ¼ Scale Tractor Design Team
Faculty Advisor: Dr. Roger Hoy
Client: American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers
Year: Spring 2010
The American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE) hosts an annual competition in Peoria, Illinois, for student teams that design, test, and build a quarter-scale sized pulling tractor. Students gain real world experience in designing, building, marketing, and managing a team. This year’s design is a 2-wheel drive tractor, powered by four engines with a Continuously Variable Transmission. One of the more innovative parts of the tractor is the front axle which provides suspension without the added weight of springs by use of a rubber torsion axle. The project includes marketing information and engineering analysis. The end product is a reliable, powerful, easy-to –use, operator friendly tractor. TOP
Roger’s Memorial Farm Runoff Monitoring Stations
Faculty Advisor: Dr. Dean Eisenhauer
Client: Alan Boldt, Research Engineer, Biological Systems Engineering
Year: Spring 2010
Sediment and chemical runoff in agricultural systems is a multi-billion dollar problem in the United States. The Rogers Memorial Research Farm, located ten miles east of Lincoln, and owned by the University of Nebraska, is used by faculty and students to study the effects of agricultural practices on various agronomic and environmental parameters. The objective was to design installations for measuring runoff and rainfall, collecting runoff samples, and to provide flexibility for data access and other research applications. These designs were to be installed in each of two locations serving two watersheds of approximately 13 acres each. The project defined watershed parameters, including peak flow rate and probable chemical constituents in runoff. Cost and benefit analysis of different materials and equipment were performed. The final design used 3 foot H-flumes and Teledyne-ISCO 6700 series samplers. This setup will accommodate the 50-year, 24-hour design period storm for the watershed, and allows production of hydrographs, hyetographs, and mass flow rate “pollutographs” for the watersheds. TOP
Vegetative Treatment System Design
Faculty Advisor: Christopher Henry, P.E., UNL Extension Engineer
Client: Brian Andreasen
Year: Fall 2009
A Vegetative Treatment System (VTS) is meant to consume the excessive nutrients in the contaminated feedlot runoff for small to medium open lot feeding operations. The main components of a VTS are the sediment basin, vegetative treatment area (VTA), and water distribution system. The client operates an open feedlot feeding operation that does not comply with the regulations established by the Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality (NDEQ), because the untreated feedlot runoff drains into the northwest branch of Papio Creek. The client chose to install a VTS to meet the regulations. The final design consists of west and east sediment basins that hold volumes of 58,000 ft3 and 62,400 ft3, respectively. The VTA will be approximately 8.5 acres and will be planted with a perennial vegetation mixture of grasses and smooth brome to reach proper nutrient removal of the contaminated water. The VTA water table is eight feet or lower and is more than 100 feet from the northwest branch of Papio Creek, and requires a natural slope for an applied flow rate from a sprinkler system. The pipeline that connects the pump at the sediment basins to the VTA crosses the creek. Two options for the pipeline were proposed to the client. The first option is the installation of a bridge to carry the pipe over the creek. The second option is to bury the pipe under the creek. A more in-depth site analysis in the creek area was recommended before actual construction of the pipeline in this zone with adjustments made in the field as necessary. TOP
Wetland Restoration in Broken Bow, Nebraska
Faculty Advisor: Dr. Dean Eisenhauer
Client: Darren Jack, WLA Consulting, Lincoln, NE
Year: Spring 2009
A commercial development is planned for a 25-acre tract near Broken Bow. This property contains a one-acre linear forested wetland that will be disturbed during construction and development. Since wetlands are protected by the Clean Water Act of 1972, it is necessary to develop a mitigation plan to offset the impacts to the wetland. The final proposal included a wetland mitigation plan, hydrologic analysis of the design, vegetation plan, and a site grading plan for the development site. TOP
Orthman Manufacturing Narrow Transport Toolbar
Faculty Advisor: Dr. Roger Hoy
Client: Curt Rickerson, Orthman Manufacturing Company, Lexington, NE
Year: Spring 2009
Agricultural equipment that is too wide and large for rural roadways poses a severe risk to road users. A new stacking planter toolbar design that allows producers to achieve efficient and desired ground coverage that also adheres to state transport regulations was needed. A stacking planter toolbar is an agricultural implement with wing sections; when folded for transport, the wings are stacked side-by-side above the center section. This design implements a new linkage configuration to lift the wings above the center section, as well as new rotation points for the wing-lift system that have been newly developed. The toolbar was configured to be adaptable for different manufacturer’s systems. The project included economic analysis and marketing information. The end product is a complete toolbar design that will be built, tested, and eventually put into full-scale production by Orthman Manufacturing. The first prototype was on display at the 2009 Husker Harvest Days. TOP
Achieving Compliance for Plant Water Discharge
Faculty Advisor: Dr. Dennis Schulte
Client: John Miriovsky, Lincoln Water System, Lincoln, NE
Year: Spring 2009
In order to discharge to public water, every Nebraska business must apply for a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit with the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ). The Lincoln Water System (LWS) needed renew their NPDES permit and implement new regulations in order to obtain the permit. This team assisted LWS in meeting regulation criteria in all areas of the NPDES permit. The primary contaminants focused on were iron, manganese, and chlorine at the Ashland facility. TOP
Constructing an Eco-Machine for Classroom Teaching
Faculty Advisors: Dr. Dennis Schulte
Client: Dr. Thomas Franti, Department of Biological Systems Engineering
Year: Fall 2008
The project objective was to design and construct a small-scale teaching wetland. The wetland demonstrates the biological nutrient removal processes of plants and bacteria. Nitrogen, phosphorus, and carbon removal rates were calculated for this system. A theoretical uptake of 20% of contaminants was found using first-order batch reactor equations. Details describing layout, lighting, plant populations, capacity, portability, and storage of the Eco-Machine were specified. Estimates of nutrient uptake were made. The final prototype included accommodations for water flow, filtering, plant establishment, and lighting. TOP
Design for the 2008 Quarter-scale Tractor
Faculty Advisors: Dr. Roger Hoy
Client: American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE)
Year: Fall 2008
Team members spent the fall semester on the conceptual design of the tractor. The goal was to have a fully designed tractor on paper before any construction began. The spring semester involved the actual construction of a garden-sized pulling tractor. ASABE sponsors an international design competition held in Peoria, IL, in which the tractor team competes against teams from other universities. This competition gives members a chance to incorporate their engineering skills into practical design experience. It also allows members to learn machining and fabricating skills as they construct their design. The experience from the Quarter-scale Tractor Design Competition is invaluable as members move into the engineering workplace. TOP
Food and Bioproducts Engineering
Logistics of Biomass Transport to Make Alternative Energy
Faculty Consultant: Dr. Mike Kocher
Client: Confidential
Year: Spring 2011
Biomass is considered to be any type of organic material that can be utilized as an energy source. Some common biomass materials are switchgrass, corn stover, wood, and corn cobs. Corn cobs have been used as a biomass feedstock over the past 30 years, but on a very limited scale. The large available quantities and feasibility of transporting corn cobs makes them an attractive option for biomass energy. The design includes a redevelopment of a system based upon a proprietary equipment platform. A prototype of the design was constructed and tested. TOP
Microbial Fuel Cell
Faculty Consultant: Dr. David Jones
Client: Crystal Powers, Biological Systems Engineering, and Ashley Schmidt, World Energy Project
Year: Spring 2011
Microbial fuels cells (MFC) are novel, low-technology alternatives for electrical energy generation. MFC’s generate electricity by oxidizing organic matter using exoelectrogenic microorganisms which produce electrons that are ultimately captured and stored or routed through circuits. The goal of this project is to develop a MFC design and prototype that is low cost and transportable around Mali, West Africa, to charge small electrical devices in rural hospitals and clinics. This project will be completed in conjunction with the World Energy Project. The target cost is $300 and the target output is 950 mAh. TOP
Integrated Energy and Production Design
Faculty Consultant: Dr. Curt Weller
Client: Loren Isom, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Industrial Agricultural Products Center
Year: Spring 2011
The team completed a feasibility study and initial design steps for an integrated energy and production system incorporating a swine finishing operation, anaerobic digesters, and energy conversion facility, as well as a soybean crush facility and a biodiesel processing plant. The primary constraints were to limit interference with the existing 55,000-head hog facility located by Wolbach, Nebraska, and size all components to function together efficiently. The team proposed constructing six anaerobic digesters and using a gas engine to burn biogas for electricity production, utilizing waste heat from the engine for heating the digesters. The electricity generated from this system would be sufficient to power the existing farm, and the soybean extraction/extrusion process, in addition to a 600,000 gallon/year biodiesel production facility. TOP
Biomass Pickup
Faculty Advisor: Dr. Michael Kocher
Client: Claas of America, Inc.
Year: Spring 2010
Corn cobs have been focused on recently as a source of feedstock for biomass energy production. The current low cost, availability, and minimal use of cobs makes their value-added agricultural potential more attractive. This team worked to design a machine that would transfer the cobs from the fields to energy plants in a feasible manner. Separating the cobs from the stover, and compressing the bulk to make them easy to collect for shipping efficiently were some of the aspects of this design challenge considered by this team. Details of the project are not available due to mutual confidentiality agreements. TOP
Economic Feasibility of Zein Extraction from Ethanol DDGS
Faculty Advisors: Dr. Curt Weller, Dr. Yiqi Yang
Client: Jake Johnson, UNL OTD, Dr. Yiqi Yang
Year: Spring 2008
Dry mill ethanol production leaves a by-product called Dry Distillers Grains with Solubles (DDGS). Zein, a protein in corn, is left in the DDGS. There are many applications for zein—from food coatings and films, to fibers—with the added bonus that zein is a natural and biodegradable alternative to synthetic materials. Removing the zein from DDGS, could increase the supply of this protein available for commercial uses. Dr. Yiqi Yang has developed an acidic extraction method of zein from DDGS. The project of this team was to scale up Dr. Yang’s process into a commercial-sized operation. TOP