Texas A&M University Undergraduate Catalog

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Course Descriptions

Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering

Professors M. E. Castell-Perez, C. R.Engler, J. R.Gilley, E. A. Hiler, A. L. Kenimer, R. E. Lacey, M. R. McLellan, B. P. Mohanty, R.G.Moreira, C.L. Munster, Z. Nikolov, C.B.Parnell, Jr., G. L. Riskowski (Head), S. W. Searcy, R. Srinivasan, J. A. Thomasson; Associate Professors C.L.Darcey, P. K. Haan, B. W. Shaw; Assistant Professors S. C. Capareda, R. Karthikeyan; Lecturer G.L.Stark

Biological and Agricultural Engineering
(BAEN)

150. Introduction to Biological and Agricultural Engineering Design. (0-2). Credit 1. I

Introduction to the engineering design process using design problems presented by biological and agricultural engineers from industry; problem definition, information search, idea generation and development of design concepts. Prerequisite: Engineering major or approval of department head.

265. Investigative Techniques for Biological and Agricultural Engineers. (1-6). Credit 3. II

Use of field and laboratory techniques to reinforce fundamental engineering concepts; applications of techniques for data collection and analysis to problems in biological and agricultural engineering; design of experiments and communication of experimental results. Prerequisite: MEEN 221 or registration therein.

285. Directed Studies. Credit 1 to 4.

Selected problems in any phase of agricultural engineering; credit and specific content dependent upon background, interest, ability and needs of student enrolled; individual consultations and reports required. Prerequisites: Freshman or sophomore classification; approval of department head.

289. Special Topics in... Credit 1 to 4.

Selected topics in an identified area of agricultural engineering. May be repeated for credit. Prerequisite: Approval of instructor.

291. Research. Credit 1 to 3.

Research conducted under the direction of faculty member in biological and agricultural engineering. Prerequisites: Freshman or sophomore classification and approval of instructor.

320. Engineering Thermodynamics. (2-2). Credit 3.

First and second laws of thermodynamics; properties of pure substances; analysis of closed and open systems; applications to steady-flow and non-flow processes; power and refrigeration cycles; psychrometrics. Prerequisites: MEEN 221, MATH 251 or registration therein; junior or senior classification.

340. Fluid Mechanics. (3-0). Credit 3.

Fundamentals of fluid properties; basic conservation principles of momentum, energy and continuity; flow through closed conduits; open channel flow; principles of turbomachines and compressible flow. Prerequisites: MEEN 221; BAEN 320; junior classification.

354. Engineering Properties of Biological Materials. (2-3). Credit 3. I

Relationships between composition, structure and properties of biological materials; definition and measurement of mechanical, physical, thermal and other material properties; variability of properties; application of properties to engineering analysis and design of biological and agricultural processes and systems. Prerequisite: MEEN 222.

360. Systems Engineering in Food and Agriculture. (3-0). Credit 3. II

Tools of operations research applied to food and agricultural industries; linear programming, queuing theory and simulation; techniques for optimizing design of materials handling, processing and irrigation systems; techniques for improving management decisions. Prerequisites: CVEN 305; MATH 251.

365. Unit Operations for Biological and Agricultural Engineering. (2-3). Credit 3. II

Theoretical and practical understanding of basic unit operations required to design processes and equipment in the agricultural, biological, environmental, and food industries, with unique constraints presented by biological and agricultural systems considered in design of all units. Prerequisites: BAEN 340; BAEN 366 or registration therein; CVEN 305 or registration therein; junior or senior classification.

366. Transport Processes in Biological Systems. (3-0). Credit 3. II

Basic principles governing transport of energy and mass; application of these principles to analysis and design of processes involving biological, environmental and agricultural systems. Prerequisites: BAEN 340; BAEN 354; BAEN 365 or registration therein; MATH 308; junior or senior classification.

370. Measurement and Control of Biological Systems and Agricultural Processes. (2-2). Credit 3. II Theory and application of sensors and techniques in the design of systems for automatic control in biological systems and agricultural production and processing; sensor operation; signal processing,; control techniques; automation and robotics. Prerequisite: ECEN 215.

375. Design Fundamentals for Agricultural Machines and Structures. (3-0). Credit 3. I

Applications of stress/strain relationships and failure theory to the design of agricultural machines and structures; structural properties of engineering materials; finite element analysis and computer aided engineering design. Prerequisite: CVEN 305.

412. Hydraulic Power. (2-2). Credit 3.

Hydraulic power systems; energy and power relationships; hydraulic fluid properties; frictional loses in pipelines; hydraulic pumps, cylinders, valves and motors; servo and proportional valves; circuit design and analysis; conductors, fittings and ancillary devices; maintenance of hydraulic systems; pneumatic components and circuits; electrical controls and fluid logic; electro-hydraulic systems. Prerequisites: BAEN 340 and 375.

427. Engineering Aspects of Packaging. (3-0). Credit 3.

Introduction to properties and engineering aspects of materials for use as components of a package and/or packaging system; principles of design and development of packages; evaluation of product-package-environment interaction mechanisms; testing methods; environmental concerns; regulations. Prerequisite: Senior classification or approval of instructor.

458. Environmental Control for Biological Systems. (3-0). Credit 3.

Analysis of physical and biological factors affecting living organisms in controlled environment systems; air quality, gas exchange, water use, radiant energy, energetics of living systems; design of environmental control systems for greenhouses, livestock housing and closed environment life support systems. Prerequisites: BAEN 365; BAEN 366.

460. Principles of Environmental Hydrology. (3-0). Credit 3. I

Hydrologic cycle; precipitation, evaporation, evapotranspiration, infiltration, percolation, runoff, streamflow; groundwater and surface water flow; transport of contaminants in surface water; measurement and analysis of hydrologic data for engineering design. Prerequisites: BAEN 340; senior classification.

464. Irrigation and Drainage Engineering. (2-2). Credit 3. I

Engineering principles and design of both surface and pressurized irrigation systems; introduction to the design of surface and subsurface drainage systems including crop water requirements, soil moisture, irrigation scheduling, surface irrigation, sprinkler irrigation, trickle irrigation, pumps, pipelines, irrigation canals, irrigation wells, and surface and subsurface drainage. Prerequisite: BAEN 340.

465. Design of Biological Waste Treatment Systems. (3-0). Credit 3. I

Management and treatment of high organic content wastes, with emphasis on agricultural and food processing wastes; engineering design of biological waste treatment processes; regulatory aspects affecting management of agricultural wastes. Prerequisites: BAEN 365; junior or senior classification.

468. Soil and Water Conservation Engineering. (2-2). Credit 3. II

Engineering principles of soil and water conservation; open channel flow principles, hydraulic grade stabilization, erosion control, storm water management, design of structures for floodwater routing, culvert design, design of waterways and agricultural reservoirs, stream bank protection, water quality assessment, groundwater flow, surface water modeling. Prerequisites: BAEN 340; CVEN 305.

469. Water Quality Engineering. (3-0). Credit 3. II

Nonpoint source pollution processes including transport mechanisms and contaminant fate; design of best management practices for abating nonpoint source pollution. Prerequisites: BAEN 340 or equivalent; CVEN 305.

471. Introduction to Biochemical Engineering. (3-0). Credit 3. I, II

Fundamentals of microbial and enzyme processes; application of biochemical reaction kinetics, transport phenomena and chemical reactor design principles to design and analysis of enzyme reactors and fermentation systems. Prerequisite: Senior classification in engineering or approval of instructor. Cross-listed with CHEN 471.

474. Unit Operations in Food Processing. (2-2). Credit 3. I

Design of food process engineering systems; basic concepts of rheology and physical properties of foods; fundamentals of heat and mass transfer and process control. Prerequisites: CHEN 205 and 304, or CVEN 305. Cross-listed with CHEN 474.

477. Air Pollution Engineering. (3-0). Credit 3. I

Design of air pollution abatement equipment and systems to include cyclones, bag filters and scrubbers; air pollution regulations; permitting; dispersion modeling; National Ambient Air Quality Standards. Prerequisite: CVEN 305 or equivalent. Cross-listed with MEEN 477 and SENG 477.

479. Biological and Agricultural Engineering Design I. (1-2). Credit 2. I

Capstone design project selection from problems posed by biological and agricultural engineers in industrial practice; project to be completed in BAEN 480; completion of project feasibility study and outline; design philosophy, teamwork and communication; economics; product liability and reliability; use of standards and codes; goal setting and time management. Prerequisites: BAEN 365 ; BAEN 370 and 375; senior classification.

480. Biological and Agricultural Engineering Design II. (0-6). Credit 3. II

Continuation of engineering design experience through team solution of design problem developed in BAEN 479; preparation of design solution under supervision of biological and agricultural engineering staff and clients; critical evaluation of results by students; staff and industrial consultants. Prerequisites: BAEN 479; senior classification.

481. Seminar. (1-0). Credit 1. II

Review of current literature dealing with agricultural engineering problems presented by staff members and students. Prerequisite: Senior classification.

485. Directed Studies. Credit 1 to 4 each semester. I, II, S

Selected problems in any phase of agricultural engineering. Credit and specific content dependent upon background, interest, ability and needs of student enrolled. Individual consultations and reports required. Prerequisites: Junior or senior classification and approval of department head.

489. Special Topics in... Credit 1 to 4. I, II, S

Special topics in an identified area of agricultural engineering. May be repeated for credit. Prerequisite: Approval of department head.

491. Research. Credit 1 to 3.

Research conducted under the direction of faculty member in biological and agricultural engineering. May be repeated 2 times for credit. Prerequisites: Junior or senior classification and approval of instructor.