Yilmaz, E., & Harding, G. (2020, June), Design and Construction of a Soil Sterilizer - A Student Design Project  Paper presented at 2020 ASEE Virtual Annual Conference Content Access, Virtual On line . 10.18260/1-2--34387

\bibitem{asee_peer_34387}
  Yilmaz, E., \& Harding, G. (2020, June), \emph{Design and Construction of a Soil Sterilizer - A Student Design Project}
  Paper presented at 2020 ASEE Virtual Annual Conference Content Access, Virtual On line .
  10.18260/1-2--34387

Emin Yilmaz P.E. and Gary Harding.  "Design and Construction of a Soil Sterilizer - A Student Design Project".  2020 ASEE Virtual Annual Conference Content Access, Virtual On line , 2020, June.  ASEE Conferences, 2020.  https://peer.asee.org/34387 Internet.  17 Apr, 2024

\bibitem{asee_peer_34387}
  Emin Yilmaz P.E. and Gary Harding.
  "Design and Construction of a Soil Sterilizer - A Student Design Project".
  \emph{2020 ASEE Virtual Annual Conference Content Access, Virtual On line , 2020, June}.
  ASEE Conferences, 2020.
  https://peer.asee.org/34387 Internet.  17 Apr, 2024

@INPROCEEDINGS{asee_peer_34387
author = "Emin Yilmaz P.E. and Gary Harding"
title = "Design and Construction of a Soil Sterilizer - A Student Design Project"
booktitle = "2020 ASEE Virtual Annual Conference Content Access"
year = "2020"
month = "June"
address = "Virtual On line "
publisher = "ASEE Conferences"
note = {https://peer.asee.org/34387}
number = {10.18260/1-2--34387}
}

TY  - CPAPER
AB  - Root-knot nematodes are microscopic worms that live in soil and feed on the roots of many common garden crops. Many species can develop from egg to egg-laying adult in as little as 21 to 28 days during warm summer months. Root damage causes formation of galls and galls damage the water-and nutrient-conducting abilities of the roots. Plants heavily infested early in the season can die.

Students’ task was to design, construct and test a soil sterilizer to kill nematodes. Sterilizer should be capable of raising sandy soil temperature by 70oF (from 60oF to130oF) in less than half an hour. Targeted soil volume was 1.5-ft in diameter and 1-ft deep and targeted materials cost of the unit was $300. The design project was assigned to two Mechanical Engineering Technology students as their second design project for the senior level "ETME 475-Mechanical Systems Design" course. As final designs, one student used steam; the other one used hot water to heat soil. A canister steam system was purchased and used as steam generator and an available 20-gal electric heater was used as water heater. 

Limited soil temperature measurements were done with steam sterilizer, in a trash can filled with soil. Steam was injected into soil in four locations and soil temperatures, at five locations, were recorded by the student. Field testing was done by the first author and it was found quite effective in growing root-damage-free tomatoes. Both students enjoyed working on this good engineering applications project. 

                                              
Both students enjoyed working on this good engineering applications project. This project forced them to use their machine design, strength of materials, thermodynamics and heat transfer knowledge.                                 

This paper shall convey our experiences with the design project; share my experiences in how to guide students towards a common goal in a Systems Design course and how to lead them to finish the project on time.

AU  - Emin Yilmaz P.E.
AU  - Gary Harding
CY  - Virtual On line 
DA  - 2020/06/22
PB  - ASEE Conferences
TI  - Design and Construction of a Soil Sterilizer - A Student Design Project
UR  - https://peer.asee.org/34387
DO  - 10.18260/1-2--34387
ER  -