Biological Systems Engineering

John V. Perumpral, Head

H.E. and Elizabeth F. Alpin Professor: S. Mostaghimi

William S. Cross, Jr. Professor: J. V. Perumpral

Professors: J. S. Cundiff; T. A. Dillaha; R. D. Grisso; C. G. Haugh; B. B. Ross; D. H. Vaughan; J. H. Wilson; F. E. Woeste

Associate Professors: F. A. Agblevor; C. D. Heatwole; L. S. Marsh; M. L. Wolfe

Assistant Professors: B. L. Benham; S. W. Gay; K. Mallikarjunan; C. Zhang

Career Advisor: F. A. Agblevor

Teaching Coordinator: D. H. Vaughan

The Biological Systems Engineering program integrates biology, chemistry, and physics with engineering to solve engineering problems associated with the environmentally sound production, processing, and utilization of renewable resources. The curriculum differs from other engineering programs in that it focuses on the sustainable production and management of natural resources and biological materials. The curriculum includes a minimum of 13 to 20 hours of biology and chemistry and prepares graduates for a variety of engineering careers. Biological systems engineering graduates are typically employed by environmental consulting firms, state and federal agencies, universities, and food processing, pharmaceutical, and biotechnology industries.

The overall educational goal of the Biological Systems Engineering (BSE) program is to graduate biological systems engineers to support sustainable production, processing, and utilization of biological materials and to protect natural resources. The specific educational objectives of the BSE program are to:

• Ensure that graduates possess a strong basis in the fundamentals of Biological Systems Engineering;
• Provide the opportunity for students to focus in either land and water resources engineering or bioprocess engineering;
• Ensure that graduates have the ability to design systems, components, and processes to meet engineering needs of the industries we serve; and
• Ensure that graduates have the knowledge and skills to function in a professional manner.

The Biological Systems Engineering program at Virginia Tech is designed to provide a strong, broad-based engineering education with opportunity for limited specialization utilizing the 33 credits of electives available in the curriculum. Using these electives, BSE students may specialize in one of the two formal options offered by the department: Land and Water Resources Engineering or Bioprocess Engineering. Electives may also be used to obtain limited specialization in other areas such as structural engineering with wood products. In addition, the program may also be used as a pre-med or pre-vet program.

The Land and Water Resources Engineering Option is designed for students interested in a career in environmental protection and natural resources management. Biological, chemical, and engineering principles are applied to the wise use, conservation, and management of natural resources, particularly land and water. The option is unique in that it addresses nonpoint sources of pollution (pollution from land disturbing activities such as agriculture, construction sites, mining, etc.) that are now responsible for more than half of the water quality problems in the United States. To pursue the Land and Water Resources Engineering Option, students must have junior standing and have completed BSE 2105, 2106. Students must receive a grade of C- or better in each course comprising the required 19 hours of the Land and Water Resources Engineering Option and an overall average of 2.0 or better in these courses. The required courses for the Land and Water Resources Engineering Option include:

BSE 3305: Land & Water Resources Engineering
BSE 3306: Land & Water Resources Engineering
BSE 4304: NPS Pollution Modeling & Management
BSE 4344: Geographic Information Systems for Engineers
CEE 3104: Introduction to Environmental Engineering
CSES 3114: Soils
CSES 3124: Soils Lab

Those who complete the requirements of this option will have Land and Water Resources Engineering Option noted on their transcript.

The Bioprocess Engineering Option is tailored for students interested in the design and development of equipment and processes for environmentally responsible manufacturing of value-added products such as food, feed, pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals, chemicals, polymers, and other biological products from renewable biological materials. To pursue the Bioprocess Engineering Option, students must have junior standing and have completed BSE 2105, 2106. Students must receive a grade of C- or better in each course comprising the required 25 hours of the Bioprocess Engineering Option and an overall average of 2.0 or better in these courses. The required courses for the Bioprocess Engineering Option include:

BIOL 2604: General Microbiology
BIOL 2614: General Microbiology Lab
BSE 3514: Physical Properties of Biological Materials
BSE 3524: Unit Operations in Biological Systems Engineering
BSE 4524: Biological Process Plant Design
BSE 4504: Bioprocess Engineering
BSE 4514: Industrial Processing of Biological Materials
BSE 4604: Food Process Engineering
CHEM 3615: Physical Chemistry

Those who complete the requirements of this option will have Bioprocess Engineering Option noted on their transcript.

Recognizing the importance of "hands-on" experience in engineering education, instructional laboratories are included in over half the courses in Biological Systems Engineering. These laboratory courses are designed to enhance understanding of theoretical concepts through hands-on activities. In addition to providing a strong and broad-based engineering education, the program emphasizes computer, communication, and team work skills and design experience. The department participates in the Cooperative Education Program, which gives qualified students valuable work experience while pursuing an undergraduate degree.

Design and teamwork experiences are integral parts of the program. In the second year, students are required to complete a yearlong design project. Students work in teams to design, build, and test a solution to an assigned design problem. Throughout the junior year, students acquire knowledge and analysis skills required for successful and professional engineering design through course assignments. The senior year design sequence gives students a comprehensive design experience in which they utilize much of the knowledge they have acquired through their other courses. Students work in teams to solve "real-life" engineering problems. The department participates in the Cooperative Education Program, which gives qualified students valuable work experience while pursuing an undergraduate degree.

The relatively small classes in Biological Systems Engineering promote excellent interaction between faculty and students. Mentoring begins early in the second year when each student is assigned a faculty advisor who follows the student's progress through graduation.

The bachelor of science in biological systems engineering is offered through the College of Engineering and accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission (EAC) of the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET). The department has 11 endowed scholarships for students enrolled in Biological Systems, and students are also eligible for College of Engineering and other university scholarships.

In addition to the undergraduate degree program, programs of study leading to master of engineering, master of science, and Ph.D. are available in the department. The BSE department also participates in the Five-Year Bachelor/Master's Degree program. Through this program, undergraduate students with a GPA of 3.5 or above can apply for admission to the Graduate School upon completion of 75 hours of undergraduate study. If admitted, students may apply up to twelve hours of graduate coursework to both their graduate and undergraduate degree requirements. This program provides students an opportunity to complete both a bachelors and master's degree in BSE within five years. Details of the graduate program are available in the Graduate Catalog.

Biological Systems Engineering Program (BSE)

(This program applies to students graduating in 2004.)

¹ These electives must include six credits each from Core Areas 2 and 3; one credit from Core Area 6; and three credits from Core Area 7 (the Area 7 course may double count with Area 2 or Area 3, or with a qualifying technical elective).

In addition to university policy, for graduation, a student must obtain an overall GPA of 2.0 or better in all BSE courses and a C- or better in all required BSE courses including BSE 2105, 2106, 3134, 3154, 3305 (if taken), 3306 or 3524, 3504, 4004, 4125, 4126, 4404 and the 6 hours of required BSE electives.

Eligibility for continued enrollment: upon having attempted 72 hours (including transfer, advanced placement, advanced standing, and credit by examination), "satisfactory progress" toward a B.S. will include the following minimum criteria: having a grade point average of at least 2.0; passing the following: BSE 2106, Phys 2306, Math 2224, 2214.

Undergraduate Courses (BSE)

Courses for Engineering Students
(See College of Agriculture for courses for non-engineering students.)

2105-2106: INTRODUCTION TO BIOLOGICAL SYSTEMS ENGINEERING

Introduction to the Biological Systems Engineering profession, overall goals and components of the undergraduate degree program, engineering design process, engineering problem-solving tools and techniques, development of oral and written communication skills, and the importance of professionalism and ethics in Biological Systems Engineering. Pre: EF 1016. Co: BIOL 1105 for 2105; BIOL 1106 for 2106. (1H,3L,2C). I, II.

2984: SPECIAL STUDY

Variable credit course.

3134: BIOLOGICAL SYSTEMS ENGINEERING SEMINAR

Critical review of technical and professional articles on current topics in Biological Systems Engineering. Development of oral presentation and technical writing skills. Contemporary ethical, professional, and global issues in Biological Systems Engineering. Pre: 2106. (2L,1C). I.

3154: THERMODYNAMICS OF BIOLOGICAL SYSTEMS

Fundamental concepts, first and second laws, psychrometrics applied to plant and animal environments, introduction to Gibbs energy, and application of calorimetry to gain basic understanding of energy flow in a biological system. Pre: MATH 2214. (3H,3C). I.

3305-3306: LAND & WATER RESOURCES ENGINEERING

3305: Surface and groundwater hydrology, soil physics, irrigation principles, nonpoint source pollution control, land surveying. 3306: Erosion and sediment transport; transport and fate of nutrients, pesticides and pathogenes; design of wetlands, detention facilities and other management practices for rural and urban nonpoint source pollution control; design of small dams and reservoirs. Pre: 2106 for 3305; Co: CSES 3114, ESM 3024 for 3305. (2H,3L,3C). I,II.

3414 (CEE 3414): DESIGN OF WOOD STRUCTURES

Wood as an engineering material, loads, structural lumber, glulam, plywood, design of single structural elements, combined stress design, fastener design, truss design, pole and post-frame structures, shear wall, and diaphram design. Pre: CEE 3404. (3H,3C) I,II.

3494: ADVANCED WELDING TECHNOLOGY

Techniques in welding that include gas, submerged metal arc, metal inert gas, pulsed arc, and tungsten inert gas welding. Design of welding structures, fundamentals of heat treatment, and plasma arc cutting. Consent required. Pre: ESM 2004, ISE 2214. (3L,1C) I.

3504: TRANSPORT PROCESSES IN BIOLOGICAL SYSTEMS

Introduction to material and energy balances in biological systems. Fundamentals of heat and mass transfer in biological systems. One and two dimensional conduction, convection, and diffusion of thermal energy and mass. Heat and mass transfer rates, steady and unsteady state conduction, convection, diffusion; design of simple heat exchangers. Application of these topics and fluid mechanics to fluid handling, bacterial growth, plant nutrient uptake, enzymatic reactions. Pre: 3154, ESM 3024. (3H,3C). II.

3514: PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF BIOLOGICAL MATERIALS

Physical characteristics and physical properties to include mechanical, thermal, and electromagnetic properties of whole and processed biological products are studied. Laboratory methods for measuring physical properties are included. Pre: ESM 2004, ESM 3024. (2H,3L,3C) II (odd years).

3524: UNIT OPERATIONS IN BIOLOGICAL SYSTEMS ENGINEERING

Unit operations for processing biological materials including heat exchangers, evaporation, drying, mixing, homogenization, extrusion, phase and multi-phase separation, and size reduction. Laboratory hands-on experience in various unit operations. Co: 3504. (2H,3L,3C). II.

4004 (ESM 4004): INSTRUMENTATION & EXPERIMENTAL MECHANICS

Introduction to instrumentation. Data analysis: uncertainty, error and statistical concepts. Devices: digital multi-meters, oscilloscopes, power supplies, and function generators. Circuits: ballast circuits, wheatstone bridges, operational amplifiers, and transistors. Principles of data acquisition. Fourier analysis. Measurements of velocity, pressure, strain, displacement, forces and accelerations. Laboratory and design projects. Pre: ECE 3054, ESM 2204, ESM 2304, ESM 3015 or ESM 3024. (2H,2L,3C). II.

4125-4126: COMPREHENSIVE DESIGN PROJECT

4125: Identify and develop and engineering design project using the team approach; use of literature resources to define project objectives and approach; present project proposal in a professional written and oral manner; engineering ethics, professionalism and contemporary issues. 4126: Complete a comprehensive design project using the team approach and make professional presentations of the final design. Completion of 96 hours and overall GPA of 2.0 or better. Pre: 3306 or 3414 or 3524 for 4125. 4125: (1H,3L,2C) I. 4126: (6L,2C) II.

4144: BIOLOGICAL SYSTEMS SIMULATION

Study of modeling techniques and application of these techniques to reaction kinetics, crop growth, and systems analysis. Emphasis is on development of basic understanding of methods for defining and evaluating interrelationships between parameters in a biological system. Pre: 3504. (3H,3C) I.

4304: NONPOINT SOURCE POLLUTION MODELING & MANAGEMENT

Concepts, principles and application of modeling and monitoring for assessment and management of nonpoint source pollution. Design and implementation of monitoring systems. Concepts of modeling agroecosystems and land use impacts on hydrologic/water quality response of upland catchments. Model selection, calibration, validation, and application for comparative analysis. Screening models using Geographic Information Systems. Case studies in current watershed management issues, with a focus on agricultural waste and nutrient management, using existing field and watershed models. Pre: 3306. (2H,3L,3C) II.

4314: IRRIGATION ENGINEERING

Engineering principles involved in irrigation and drainage theory and practices are presented. Emphasis is placed on measurement of soil and water properties, techniques for estimating water requirements, irrigation scheduling and design, operation and management of various irrigation systems. Requirements of surface and subsurface drainage systems also will be studied in detail. Pre: 3304. (3H,3C) II (even years).

4324: NONPOINT SOURCE POLLUTION

Engineering aspects of the sources and magnitudes of nonpoint source pollution, major causative factors, and control techniques. Emphasis on hydrologic factors, erosion, atmospheric deposition, adsorption and degradation of pollutants in soil, disposal of agricultural wastes, and management for the control of urban and agricultural nonpoint source pollution. Pre: CEE 3104. (3H,3C) I.

4344: GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS FOR ENGINEERS

Conceptual, technical, and operational aspects of geographic information systems as a tool for storage, analysis, and presentation of spatial information. Focus on engineering applications in resource management, site selection, and network analysis. Laboratory work and senior standing required. (2H,3L,3C) II.

4394: WATER SUPPLY & SANITATION IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES

Social, economic and engineering principles of water supply and sanitation in developing countries as affected by climate, cultural and sociological factors, and material and financial resources. Pre: CEE 3104. (3H,3C) II.

4404: DESIGN OF MACHINERY SYSTEMS

Functional analysis and engineering design and selection of machinery components and systems for agricultural, food, and processing applications. Design, sizing, and selection of components, power units (internal combustion engines and electronic motors), transmission devices (belts, chains, gears, hydraulics, and drivelines), material handling devices, (pumps, fans, and conveyors), and agricultural equipment (tillage, planting and chemical applications). Pre: 3154, ESM 2204, ESM 3024. (2H,3L,3C) I.

4424 (MSE 4434): FLUID POWER SYSTEMS & CONTROLS

Design and analysis of industrial and mobile hydraulic systems. Hydrostatic transmissions. Electrohydraulic servovalve characteristics and use in precise position and speed control application. Characteristics of pumps, motors, valves, and activators illustrated in laboratory exercises. Pre: ESM 3024 or ME 3404. (2H,3L,3C) II.

4504: BIOPROCESS ENGINEERING

Study of the engineering concepts for biological conversion of raw materials to food, pharmaceuticals, fuels, and chemicals. Emphasis is placed on enzyme kinetics and technology, bioreaction kinetics, analysis, and control of bioreactors and fermenters, and downstream processing of bioreaction products. Pre: BIOL 2604, CHEM 2514 or CHEM 2535, CHEM 3615 or CHEM 4615. (3H,3C) I.

4514: INDUSTRIAL PROCESSING OF BIOLOGICAL MATERIALS

Principles of industrial processing of biological materials. Surveys the major food processing and biopharmaceutical industries and the major processing steps involved in the production of vegetable oils, starch, corn sweeteners, biofuels, protein, dairy products, meat and poultry, seafood, fruits and vegetables, and biopharmaceuticals. Economics, safety, environmental, and quality control factors involved in the processing of biological materials. Pre: 3524, 4604. (3H,3C) II.

4524: BIOLOGICAL PROCESS PLANT DESIGN

Engineering principles for design of systems for processing biological materials into primary and secondary products. Delivery, scheduling, storage requirements, economic analysis. Process control and instrumentation of bioprocessing plants. Pre: 4004, 4504, 4604. (3H,3C) II.

4604: FOOD PROCESS ENGINEERING

Analysis and design of food processing operations including thermal pasteurization and sterilization, freezing, extrusion, texturization, and mechanical separation. Pre: 3504, 3524. (3H,3C) I.

4974: INDEPENDENT STUDY

Variable credit course.

4984: SPECIAL STUDY

Variable credit course.

4994: UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH

Variable credit course.

Please see the Graduate Catalog for graduate course listings.

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Virginia Tech -- Undergraduate Catalog, 2002-2004
Last update: August 2002

URL: http://www.vt.edu/academics/ugcat/ucdBSEng.html