Coastal Bend College

Coastal Bend College Research Activities

A COMPREHENSIVE BIO-FUEL SYSTEM UTILIZING ALGAL LIPIDS AND FERMENTATION

By: Coastal Bend College

Supervisor: Mark L. Secord

Researcher (students):                 1. Emily Hinojosa, Female, Hispanic

                                                2. Fermin “Fred” Olivares, Male, Hispanic

Coastal Bend College are conducting an experiment to maximize algal production by defining and enhancing the elements that control algal growth. Enhance algal lipid production are investigated to determine the feasibility of using algal debris to produce ethanol. Open aquariums were utilized in this trial to grow algal and manipulated dilute levels of Miracle-Gro. Spring water and Miracle grow yielded best results. The next level of testing was using the open system with spring water with different level activated charcoal. The open system with 2g of activated charcoal produced the best results. Future research will examine the effects of sodium bicarbonate by manipulating light and temperature levels. Incorporating the use color variation acrylic tubes to block light spectrums in order for algal debris to produce ethanol.

 

A Portable, Solar-Powered, Self-Contained Water Treatment System

By: Coastal Bend College

Supervisor: Jack Young

Researcher (students): 1. Patricia King, Female, Caucasian

                                                2. Bruce Culpepper II, Male, Caucasian

                                                3. Jesus Garza II, Male, Hispanic

                                                4. Royce Pargmann, Male, Caucasian

                                                5. Martin Cortez, Male, Hispanic

                                                6. Justin Green, Male, Caucasian

                                                7. David Torres, Male, Hispanic

                                                8. Ramiro Gomez, Male, Hispanic

9. Gary Arnold, Male, Caucasian

Coastal Bend College are conducting an experiment using a High-Pressure Aeration and Oxidation of Contaminants System to compare the effectiveness to using Low-Pressure Mechanical and Biological Filtration System. Compare the effectiveness of water spray aeration versus forced air aeration and the pre and post treatment samples of well, pond, and rain water. Also introducing known contaminants to define the system’s range of effectiveness. Progress as of September 2015 are the tanks, pumps, fittings, and water testing equipment purchased and modification are made to the tank and access ports installed. Aeration system is constructed and slow sand filter designed and built. The work remaining are to conduct the experiment of comparing the pre-treatment, post-treatment, and control samples. Collect data at different elevations to profile contaminant levels and define the effectiveness of the system for different contaminants. The Self-contained solar system to power aeration and circulation pumps still needs to be purchased.

 

Robotics/Hydrogen Fuel Cell/Oculus

By: Coastal Bend College

Supervisor: Ken Nagel

Researcher (students): 1. John Loya, Male, Hispanic

2. Tristan Rojas, Male, Hispanic

3. Anthony Jimenez, Male, Hispanic

4. Charlie Payne, Male, Caucasian

5. Martha Hernandez, Female, Hispanic

6. Alexis Alvarado, Female, Hispanic

7. Joshua Crouch, Male, Caucasian

8. Kevin Gillett, Male, Caucasian

9. Isiah Longoria, Male, Hispanic

10. Breanna Sanchez, Female, Hispanic

11. Michael Snyder, Male, Caucasian

 

• Thermoelectric/Heat Pump

Coastal Bend College is working on a refrigeration produced from solar panel heat waste, Propane or natural gas and Hydrogen. As an electric current through a thermoelectric material causes heating at one end and cooling at the other. Evaporating coolers using saltwater or freshwater sprays to improve the heat pump thermoelectric efficiency and improved cooling effect. The absorption of refrigerator that also creates electricity or remove heat from solar panels.

 

• Fuel Cells

Coastal Bend College is working on protons exchange membrane fuel cells that generates electrical current, improved battery life, and incorporation in robotic applications. The fuel cells require storage of hydrogen that compresses the gas at 5000 psi to 10000 psi, in a liquid at cryogenic temperatures of -423.4 °F, or as a solid in metal hydrides. Coastal Bend College includes educational safe system the incorporation of fuel cells in robotic application producing and storing hydrogen safely. The deliverables are the observations and maintenance on the cooling and cleaning systems.

 

• Augmented Virtual Reality

Coastal Bend College is working on Augmented Virtual Reality applications for the iPhone, Android, Oculus Rift and Windows Phone. Using development platforms like Unity, Autodesk and Vuforia to design explore the augmented virtual reality.

 

 

Statistics of Students
Institution	Minority		Non-Minority		Total No.	Female Minority	Total Minority
Name	Male	Female	Male	Female	Students	(%)	(%)
Coastal Bend College	9	4	8	1	22	18%	59%