scholarly journals Predicting Field Efficiency of Round-Baling Operations in High-Yielding Biomass Crops

2020 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 447-457
Author(s):  
Robert “Bobby” Grisso ◽  
John S. Cundiff ◽  
Erin G. Webb

Model simulations for bioenergy harvest planning need to utilize equipment-capacity relationships for equipment operating under the high-yield conditions typical of a biomass crop. These performance assumptions have a direct bearing on the estimates of machine capacity, the number of machines required, and, therefore, the cost to fulfill the biorefinery plant demands for a given harvest window. Typically, two major issues in these models have been poorly understood: the available time required to complete the harvest operation (often called probability of workdays) and the capacity of the harvest equipment as impacted by yield. Simulations use annual yield estimates, which incorporate weather events, to demonstrate year-to-year effects. Some simulations also incorporate potential yield increases from genetically modified energy crops. There are limited field performance data for most current forage equipment used for harvesting high-yield biomass crops. Analysis shows that the impact of wrap/eject time for round balers resulted in a 50% reduction in achieved throughput capacity (Mg/h). After the maximum throughput is reached, the cost of the round bale operation (3.23 USD/Mg) is double that of the large-square baler (1.63 USD/Mg). The round baler achieved throughput capacity is 50% less (32.7 Mg/h compared to 71.0 Mg/h) than the large-square baler.

Plant Disease ◽  
2007 ◽  
Vol 91 (2) ◽  
pp. 191-194 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. E. del Río ◽  
C. A. Bradley ◽  
R. A. Henson ◽  
G. J. Endres ◽  
B. K. Hanson ◽  
...  

Sclerotinia sclerotiorum is the causal agent of Sclerotinia stem rot (SSR) of canola (Brassica napus). In North Dakota, the leading canola producer in the United States, SSR is an endemic disease. In order to estimate the impact of this disease on canola yield, field experiments were conducted from 2000 to 2004 at several locations in North Dakota and Minnesota. Experimental plots were either inoculated with laboratory-produced ascospores or infected by naturally occurring inoculum in commercial fields. Applying fungicides at different concentrations and timings during the flowering period created epiphytotics of diverse intensities. Disease incidence was measured once prior to harvesting the crop on 50 to 100 plants per plot. Results of the study indicated that 0.5% of the potential yield (equivalent to 12.75 kg/ha) was lost for every unit percentage of SSR incidence (range of 0.18 to 0.96%). Considering the current cost of fungicide applications and the market value of this commodity, a 17% SSR incidence could cause losses similar to the cost of a fungicide application. Additional efforts are required to improve current levels of tolerance of canola plants to this pathogen.


2020 ◽  
Vol 38 (29_suppl) ◽  
pp. 56-56
Author(s):  
Gregory Bociek ◽  
Mary Huerter Wells ◽  
Teri Schuldt ◽  
Tracy Farrell ◽  
Duncan Phillips

56 Background: Burnout is a syndrome whose manifestations include pervasive emotional and physical exhaustion, depersonalization, a lack of motivation and an inability to complete tasks efficiently. We sought to use quality improvement (QI) methodology to approach problems contributing to burnout and workplace stress in our oncology care team. Methods: Through a broad survey of cancer center team members, we identified the coordination of same-day outpatient visits for acutely ill oncology patients as a source of excessive stress for team members across various disciplines including case managers, infusion clinic nurses, advanced practice providers, and physicians. We used the Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) framework to identify a feasible, appropriate intervention to reduce the time required to coordinate visits with the specific aim of reducing the time to schedule an ill patients by 25%. We generated a cause and effect diagram to map the elements involved in the ill call scheduling process, and used a priority/payoff matrix to evaluate possible countermeasures that could streamline the process by re-designing/improving the efficiency of the workflow for scheduling ill calls. Our initial workflow involved paging individual practitioners at three locations. The process led us to the creation of a HIPPA-compliant group text to simultaneously coordinate scheduling of an ill call among/between three campuses in a more collaborative/efficient manner. We tracked time from patient call to time of scheduled appointment pre- and post-test of change (Voalte group text). We also tracked quantity of phone calls required to arrange a visit and perceived frustration with the process. Results: After one PDSA cycle, we found case manager time required to arrange a visit had decreased by 21%, number of calls required by 59% and frustration with the process by 41%. Conclusions: While we did not meet our specific aim of decreasing scheduling time by 25%, we feel use of a QI approach led to an easily implemented, yet effective modification to streamline a previously inefficient and disruptive workflow. The use of QI methodology ensured we understood the baseline process and involved all stakeholders before implementing a change and also ensured we followed data to understand the impact of our intervention on team members. Viewing sources of burnout and workplace frustration through the lens of QI may lead to more consistently high-yield interventions than traditional wellness-based, administrative approaches.


2018 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. 441-448
Author(s):  
Ragesh K. T. ◽  
S. V. Jogdand ◽  
V. M. Victor

Weeds are the main significant constraints in paddy production. Weed eradication by using herbicides and weedicides pronounced simple and fast method but is restricted due to its adverse effects on both environment as well as human beings. To overcome these limitations, mechanical weeding can be selected as appropriate weed control measure.Based on this, a modified power weeder was tested for weed control in upland paddy at 20 and 45 days after sowing (DAS) andthe performance was compared with traditional hand weeding and manual operated mechanical weeder (Ambika paddy weeder). The modified power weeder show well prominence in weeding for upland paddy at 20 and 45 DAS and fuel efficient (0.63 to 073 l/h).The power weeder was found at par with the Ambika paddy weeder with a weeding efficiencyof 74.22 % and 86% at 20 and 45 DAS respectively. There was no significant variation in field efficiency for Ambika paddy weeder at 20 & 45 DAS, but the highest field efficiency was shown by paddy power weeder as 70% for 45 DAS.The energy consumption was more in paddy power weeder than Ambikapaddy weeder as 493.64 and 452.40 MJ/ha at20 and 45DAS respectively. The cost of operation per hectare with power weeder amounted to ₹928/-and₹850/-against Ambika paddy weeder as₹2,617/- and₹2,346/- for 20 and 45 DAS respectively. The machine also depicted the energy-cost as 1.88 and 1.87 at 20 and 45 DAS respectively. Whereas the hand weeding showed the highest values in weeding efficiency and field efficiency at 20 and 45 DAS as it was an ideal method of weed control exceptforthe cost of operation.


Water Policy ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  
pp. 371-390 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kei Kajisa

This paper investigates the impact of the replacement of traditional communal irrigation systems called tanks by modern irrigation systems, that is, private wells with pumps, using a village and household data set collected in Tamil Nadu, India. Our statistical analyses find that, once the tanks deteriorate, the rice yield of farmers who have no access to wells and thus rely solely on traditional irrigation systems will decrease, whereas those of farmers with well access will not be affected. Since compensation for yield loss by income diversification is difficult, the reduction of income is so large that poverty among farmers without well access increases. Our analyses also find that, even among farmers with well access, the dissemination of private wells results in no significant increase in net return or profit of rice cultivation, presumably because the overexploitation of groundwater increases the cost of irrigation and cancels out the well users' high revenue from high yield. In this way, the replacement process creates a double tragedy: increased poverty among farmers without well access and overexploitation and profit reduction among farmers with well access. Policy options to avoid the tragedy are discussed in the concluding section.


2021 ◽  
pp. 24-31
Author(s):  
V. V. Eremin ◽  
S. B. Reshetnikov ◽  
D. V. Firsov

The article considers the application of methods that make it possible to determine the need for deeper standardization of processes within the framework of the implementation of national programs, based on the influence of the degree of standardization on the time and resource intensity of the implementation of national programs. To determine the impact of the degree of standardization on the implementation time of national programs implementation, it is proposed to use network-planning methods, taking into account the influence of the time required for the development and implementation of additional standards on the implementation of the national program. The impact of standardization on the resource intensity indicators of the implementation of national programs is proposed to be taken into account through the analysis of the dynamics of the amount of finance required for the implementation of the program. For this purpose, it is proposed to use business planning methods, namely: calculation of the costs associated with the development and implementation of additional standards and calculation of the financial benefits from deepening standardization, based on the calculation of the amount of reduction in the cost of financial resources per unit of the result of the national program implementation. 


2015 ◽  
Vol 2015 (DPC) ◽  
pp. 000401-000418 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amy Palesko ◽  
Chet Palesko

When a product requires the bonding of two die or wafers, there are a number of methods that may be used. Not only does the type of bonding process itself have to be selected, but it must also be determined whether the items being bonded will be in wafer or die form. This paper will focus on wafer-to-wafer bonding, which has the highest throughput compared to die-to-wafer and die-to-die bonding; it also has the potential to be the lowest cost option if proper yields are achieved. This paper will introduce the background and general pros and cons of wafer-to-wafer, die-to-wafer, and die-to-die bonding. Activity based cost modeling will be used to construct a generic flow of a wafer-to-wafer bonding process. The process flow will be divided into a series of activities, and the total cost of each activity will be identified. The cost of each activity will be determined by analyzing the following attributes: time required, amount of labor required, cost of material required (consumable and permanent), tooling cost, depreciation cost of the equipment, and yield loss associated with the activity. The model will be used to explore multiple variables that affect the total cost of the wafer-to-wafer bonding process, including: incoming wafer cost, incoming wafer defect density, time required for the dicing process, time required for the bonding process, cost of the equipment for the bonding process, and the yield of the bonding process. First, a sensitivity analysis will be conducted to determine the impact each variable has on the total cost. Then scenarios will be created to conduct trade-offs between multiple variables. Only one, generic wafer-to-wafer bonding model will be created, but there will be enough variables to accurately reflect different bonding methods in use by the industry today. Methods for bonding two wafers together will also be discussed in the paper, as well as the cost and yield issues associated with each. An example of these methods are thermo compression bonding and direct bonding. The goal of this analysis will be to understand the cost and yield drivers associated with wafer-to-wafer bonding, and to determine scenarios in which wafer-to-wafer bonding is a suitable, cost effective technology selection.


2014 ◽  
Vol 84 (5-6) ◽  
pp. 244-251 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert J. Karp ◽  
Gary Wong ◽  
Marguerite Orsi

Abstract. Introduction: Foods dense in micronutrients are generally more expensive than those with higher energy content. These cost-differentials may put low-income families at risk of diminished micronutrient intake. Objectives: We sought to determine differences in the cost for iron, folate, and choline in foods available for purchase in a low-income community when assessed for energy content and serving size. Methods: Sixty-nine foods listed in the menu plans provided by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) for low-income families were considered, in 10 domains. The cost and micronutrient content for-energy and per-serving of these foods were determined for the three micronutrients. Exact Kruskal-Wallis tests were used for comparisons of energy costs; Spearman rho tests for comparisons of micronutrient content. Ninety families were interviewed in a pediatric clinic to assess the impact of food cost on food selection. Results: Significant differences between domains were shown for energy density with both cost-for-energy (p < 0.001) and cost-per-serving (p < 0.05) comparisons. All three micronutrient contents were significantly correlated with cost-for-energy (p < 0.01). Both iron and choline contents were significantly correlated with cost-per-serving (p < 0.05). Of the 90 families, 38 (42 %) worried about food costs; 40 (44 %) had chosen foods of high caloric density in response to that fear, and 29 of 40 families experiencing both worry and making such food selection. Conclusion: Adjustments to USDA meal plans using cost-for-energy analysis showed differentials for both energy and micronutrients. These differentials were reduced using cost-per-serving analysis, but were not eliminated. A substantial proportion of low-income families are vulnerable to micronutrient deficiencies.


TAPPI Journal ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 11 (7) ◽  
pp. 29-35 ◽  
Author(s):  
PETER W. HART ◽  
DALE E. NUTTER

During the last several years, the increasing cost and decreasing availability of mixed southern hardwoods have resulted in financial and production difficulties for southern U.S. mills that use a significant percentage of hardwood kraft pulp. Traditionally, in the United States, hardwoods are not plantation grown because of the growth time required to produce a quality tree suitable for pulping. One potential method of mitigating the cost and supply issues associated with the use of native hardwoods is to grow eucalyptus in plantations for the sole purpose of producing hardwood pulp. However, most of the eucalyptus species used in pulping elsewhere in the world are not capable of surviving in the southern U.S. climate. This study examines the potential of seven different cold-tolerant eucalyptus species to be used as replacements for, or supplements to, mixed southern hardwoods. The laboratory pulping and bleaching aspects of these seven species are discussed, along with pertinent mill operational data. Selected mill trial data also are reviewed.


2014 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 187
Author(s):  
Serdar KUZU

The size of international trade continues to extend rapidly from day to day as a result of the globalization process. This situation causes an increase in the economic activities of businesses in the trading area. One of the main objectives of the cost system applied in businesses is to be able to monitor the competitors and the changes that can be occured as a result of the developments in the sector. Thus, making cost accounting that is proper according to IAS / IFRS and tax legislation has become one of the strategic targets of the companies in most countries. In this respect, businesses should form their cost and pricing systems according to new regulations. Transfer pricing practice is usefull in setting the most proper price for goods that are subject to the transaction, in evaluating the performance of the responsibility centers of business, and in determining if the inter-departmental pricing system is consistent with targets of the business. The taxing powers of different countries and also the taxing powers of different institutions in a country did not overlap. Because of this reason, bringing new regulations to the tax system has become essential. The transfer pricing practice that has been incorporated into the Turkish Tax System is one of the these regulations. The transfer pricing practice which includes national and international transactions has been included in the Corporate Tax Law and Income Tax Law. The aim of this study is to analyse the impact of goods and services transfer that will occur between departments of businesses on the responsibility center and business performance, and also the impact of transfer pricing practice on the business performance on the basis of tax-related matters. As a result of the study, it can be said that transfer pricing practice has an impact on business performance in terms of both price and tax-related matters.


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