scholarly journals An Innovative System for Maize Cob and Wheat Chaff Harvesting: Simultaneous Grain and Residues Collection

Energies ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (5) ◽  
pp. 1265 ◽  
Author(s):  
Simone Bergonzoli ◽  
Alessandro Suardi ◽  
Negar Rezaie ◽  
Vincenzo Alfano ◽  
Luigi Pari
Keyword(s):  
Economic Benefits ◽  
High Yield ◽  
Production Chain ◽  
Bioenergy Production ◽  
Livestock Feed ◽  
Innovative System ◽  
Maize Cob ◽  
Reduction Of Co2 ◽  
Wheat Chaff ◽  
By Products

Maize and wheat are two of the most widespread crops worldwide because of their high yield and importance for food, chemical purposes and livestock feed. Some of the residues of these crops (i.e., maize cob and wheat chaff) remain in the field after grain harvesting. In Europe, just maize cob and grain chaff could provide an annual potential biomass of 9.6 Mt and 54.8 Mt, respectively. Collecting such a biomass could be of interest for bioenergy production and could increase farmers’ income. Progress in harvest technology plays a key role in turning untapped by-products into valuable feedstocks. This article presents a study of the performance and the quality of the work of Harcob, an innovative system developed for maize cob collection. Furthermore, the feasibility of using the Harcob system to also harvest wheat chaff during wheat harvesting was also verified. The results showed that it was possible to harvest 1.72 t ha−1 and 0.67 t ha−1 of cob and chaff, respectively, without affecting the harvesting performance of the combine. The profit achievable from harvesting the corn cob was around 4%, while no significant economic benefits were observed during the harvesting of wheat chaff with the Harcob system. The use of cereal by-products for energy purposes may allow the reduction of CO2 from fossil fuel between 0.7 to 2.2 t CO2 ha−1. The Harcob system resulted suitable to harvest such different and high potential crop by-products and may represent a solution for farmers investing in the bioenergy production chain.

Application of a ‘Recycling Exchange’ instrument to compensate waste pickers in Brazil via a first payment for urban environmental services programme

2021 ◽  
pp. 0734242X2110612
Author(s):  
Alice Libânia S Dias ◽  
Lisete Celina Lange ◽  
Aline Souza Magalhães
Keyword(s):  
Social Inclusion ◽  
Solid Waste Management ◽  
Economic Benefits ◽  
Environmental Services ◽  
Production Chain ◽  
The Public ◽  
Positive Externalities ◽  
The Social ◽  
Minas Gerais State ◽  
Waste Pickers

This article presents an approach to compensate waste pickers in the informal sector of Minas Gerais state, Brazil, via a Payment for Urban Environmental Services (PUES) instrument, called ‘Recycling Exchange’. The aim is to evaluate the effects of this instrument on the amount of waste diverted from landfill and reintroduced into the production chain, and to increase recognition of waste pickers’ contributions to the state’s economy. It was found that the ‘Recycling Exchange’ met the fundamental objectives of a PUES: the double social and economic benefits of the social inclusion of waste pickers in the execution of the public policy for solid waste management, and inducing (in the case of glass), ensuring and stabilising (plastic and paper) continuity of the activity of selling recyclables in times of wide price fluctuations for these recyclables. The instrument enhanced the provision of this environmental service and the positive externalities associated with recycling.

scholarly journals Feed biomass production may not be sufficient to support emerging livestock demand: Model projections to 2050 in Southern Africa

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dolapo Enahoro ◽  
Jason Sircely ◽  
Randall B. Boone ◽  
Stephen Oloo ◽  
Adam M. Komarek ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Biomass Production ◽  
Southern Africa ◽  
Simulated Data ◽  
Biomass Productivity ◽  
Livestock Production ◽  
Human Populations ◽  
Demand Model ◽  
Livestock Feed ◽  
By Products

The demand for livestock-derived foods has steadily grown over the past decades and rising incomes and human populations are expected to see demand further increase. It is unclear if current livestock feed resources are adequately prepared to meet future demand especially given the looming challenges of climate change. Many feeds such as grasses, crop by-products, and other biomass may not be widely grown commercially or sold in formal markets but are critical sources of livestock feed in many low-resource settings in which ruminant livestock production is important. The availability of these feed types can determine the extent to which the livestock sector can expand to meet growing, and sometimes critical, demand for animal-source foods. In this paper, we compare country-level projections of livestock demand from a global economic model to simulated data on feed biomass production. Our comparisons account separately for beef, lamb, and dairy demand. The data allow us to assess the future sufficiency of key sources of feed biomass, and hence aspects of the expansion capacity of livestock production in selected countries in Southern Africa. Our simulation results project that given the interacting effects of projected climate change and changes in income and population in the region, there will not be enough feed biomass produced domestically to meet growing demand for livestock products. For three types of feed biomass (feed crops including grains, grasses, and crop by-products) for which future livestock feed sufficiency was examined, our results showed feed sufficiency declines for all three feed types in Malawi and Mozambique, for two out of three in South Africa and for one of three in Zambia, under intermediate and extreme scenarios of climate change in 2050. Our results suggest an urgent need to improve feed biomass productivity to support future supply of animal protein in the study countries.

Crop Waste to Livestock Feed and Livestock Waste to Soil

2019 ◽  
pp. 131-164
Keyword(s):  
Economies Of Scale ◽  
Raw Materials ◽  
National Level ◽  
Farming System ◽  
Economic Benefits ◽  
Small Island ◽  
Livestock Waste ◽  
Livestock Feed ◽  
Set Up ◽  
Crop Waste

Significant waste but edible biomass and fuel that can be utilized as raw materials are available locally. With internal efficiencies of recycling of nutrients in an integrated farming system and appropriate technologies, such waste can be optimized for the production of livestock feed and potting soil. These items are pivotal to the productivity and efficiency of sustainable farming. Once the initial set up cost can be laid out, the operation can be self-propelled to larger scales with economic benefits at the farm level as well as at the national level. There has been the argument that livestock feed requires large acreages under grain production which is not feasible in small economies of scale and in the context of small island developing states. The paradox is that there is high cost to produce waste which is not utilized and is a loss to the enterprise.

scholarly journals Analysis of an application possibility of geopolymer materials as thermal backfill for underground power cable system

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paweł Ocłoń ◽  
Piotr Cisek ◽  
Marcelina Matysiak
Keyword(s):  
Thermal Conductivity ◽  
Economic Benefits ◽  
Environmental Benefits ◽  
Power Cable ◽  
Closed Cycle ◽  
Cable System ◽  
Material Costs ◽  
Cable Systems ◽  
Underground Power Cable ◽  
By Products

Abstract The circular economy is a closed cycle that allows one to reuse the industrial waste, as well as minimize the energy and resources losses during the production process. This paper presents an innovative idea of the application of a geopolymer cable backfill for underground power cable system installation. The closed cycle, in this case, is formulated as follows: the primary resource is the waste from the combustion of fossil fuels, i.e., fly ash that is utilized to form the geopolymer matrix. The geopolymer then is used as thermal backfill in underground power cable systems. Utilization of combustion by-products in the form of a geopolymer is a highly profitable solution since landfill waste disposal, in this case, generates considerable costs for the electrical energy producers. In typical applications, geopolymers are used as insulators. By adding individual components, the thermal conductivity of 2.0 W/(m K), higher than of typical thermal backfills (Fluidized Thermal Backfill), which value is close to 1.5 W/(m K), is reached. What is very important, geopolymers can absorb water better than typical sand–cement mixtures. As a result, a high thermal conductivity with the temperature increase is maintained. The application of geopolymers as thermal backfills has the potential to improve the flexibility of underground power cable systems, as well as to minimize the material costs of installation. The case study is presented to show the economic benefits of using the combustion by-products as a geopolymer thermal backfill. The finite element method model of an underground power cable system is developed, and optimization of backfill dimensions is provided to minimize the material costs using the geopolymer thermal backfill and to maximize the underground power cable system performance. The main result of this paper is that the application of geopolymers leads to a decrease in underground power cable system costs, compared to traditional backfill (sand–cement mixture). The reason is the higher value of thermal conductivity, which allows selecting a cable with a smaller cross-sectional area. Also, the environmental benefits of geopolymer application for cable bedding are discussed. Graphic abstract

scholarly journals Crop Modeling Application to Improve Irrigation Efficiency in Year-Round Vegetable Production in the Texas Winter Garden Region

Agronomy ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (10) ◽  
pp. 1525
Author(s):  
Sumin Kim ◽  
Manyowa N. Meki ◽  
Sojung Kim ◽  
James R. Kiniry
Keyword(s):  
Field Research ◽  
Weather Conditions ◽  
Economic Benefits ◽  
Irrigation Efficiency ◽  
High Yield ◽  
Vegetable Production ◽  
Crop Modeling ◽  
Vegetable Crops ◽  
Irrigation Water Demand ◽  
Irrigation Regimes

Given a rising demand for quality assurance, rather than solely yield, supplemental irrigation plays an important role to ensure the viability and profitability of vegetable crops from unpredictable changes in weather. However, under drought conditions, agricultural irrigation is often given low priority for water allocation. This reduced water availability for agriculture calls for techniques with greater irrigation efficiency, that do not compromise crop quality and yield, and that provide economic benefit for producers. This study developed vegetable growing models for eight different vegetable crops (bush bean, green bean, cabbage, peppermint, spearmint, yellow straight neck squash, zucchini, and bell pepper) based on data from several years of field research. The ALMANAC model accurately simulated yields and water use efficiency (WUE) of all eight vegetables. The developed vegetable models were used to evaluate the effects of various irrigation regimes on vegetable growth and production in several locations in the Winter Garden Region of Texas, under variable weather conditions. Based on our simulation results from 960 scenarios, optimal irrigation amounts that produce high yield as well as reasonable economic profit to producers were determined for each vegetable crop. Overall, yields for all vegetables increased as irrigation amounts increased. However, irrigation amounts did not have a sustainable impact on vegetable yield at high irrigation treatments, and the WUEs of most vegetables were not significantly different among various irrigation regimes. When vegetable yields were compared with water cost, the rate decreased as irrigation amounts increased. Thus, producers will not receive economic benefits when vegetable irrigation water demand is too high.

scholarly journals Extrudability and Consolidation of Blends between CGM and DDGS

2016 ◽  
Vol 2016 ◽  
pp. 1-11
Author(s):  
C. J. R. Verbeek ◽  
Kurt A. Rosentrater
Keyword(s):  
Dissipative Heating ◽  
Glass Transitions ◽  
Livestock Feed ◽  
Single Screw Extruder ◽  
Transmission Electron ◽  
Corn Gluten ◽  
High Fibre ◽  
High Fibre Content ◽  
Future Work ◽  
By Products

During the last decade, the global biofuels industry has experienced exponential growth. By-products such as high protein corn gluten meal (CGM) and high fibre distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS) have grown in parallel. CGM has been shown to be suitable as a biopolymer; the high fibre content of DDGS reduces its effectiveness, although it is considerably cheaper. In this study, the processing behaviour of CGM and DDGS blends was evaluated and resulting extrudate properties were determined. Prior to processing, urea was used as a denaturant. DDGS : CGM ratios of 0, 33, 50, 66, and 100% were processed in a single screw extruder, which solely used dissipative heating. Blends containing DDGS were less uniformly consolidated and resulted in more dissipative heating. Blends showed multiple glass transitions, which is characteristic of mechanically compatible blends. Transmission electron microscopy revealed phase separation on a microscale, although distinct CGM or DDGS phases could not be identified. On a macroscale, optical microscopy suggested that CGM-rich blends were better consolidated, supported by visual observations of a more continuous extrudate formed during extrusion. Future work should aim to also characterize the mechanical properties of these blends to assess their suitability as either bioplastic feedstock or pelletized livestock feed.

scholarly journals Full N,N-Methylation of 4,4′-Methylenedianiline with Dimethyl Carbonate: A Feasible Access to 4,4′-Methylene bis(N,N-Dimethylaniline)

2018 ◽  
Vol 2018 ◽  
pp. 1-10
Author(s):  
Zegang Qiu ◽  
Kunjie Wang ◽  
Zhiqin Li ◽  
Tao Li ◽  
Jinhao Bai ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Zinc Acetate ◽  
Dimethyl Carbonate ◽  
Reaction Pathway ◽  
Major Product ◽  
High Yield ◽  
Synthetic Route ◽  
Reaction Conditions ◽  
High Yields ◽  
By Products

The full N,N-methylation of 4,4′-methylenedianiline (MDA) with dimethyl carbonate (DMC) was investigated. The yield of the major product 4,4′-methylene bis(N,N-dimethylaniline) (MBDMA) reached as high as 97% over NaY catalyst at 190°C for 6 h. The catalyst could be used for two more times with acceptable MBDMA yields higher than 90%. The main by-products were identified as three N-methylated derivatives. Surprisingly, the formation of the N-methoxycarbonylation product was extremely restrained, which could be produced in high yields of 98% on zinc acetate catalyst. Furthermore, the reaction pathway to the major product MBDMA was proposed. Finally, a feasible synthetic route of 4,4′-methylene bis(N,N-dimethylaniline) (MBDMA) was established, featuring a high yield, mild reaction conditions, and simple operations.

scholarly journals Influence of the fly ash and the prior freezing and thawing on the sulphate resistance of cement mortars

2018 ◽  
Vol 174 ◽  
pp. 02004
Author(s):  
Julia Marczewska
Keyword(s):  
Fly Ash ◽  
Cement Composites ◽  
Sulphate Attack ◽  
Freezing And Thawing ◽  
Natural Conditions ◽  
Air Voids ◽  
Cement Mortars ◽  
Reduction Of Energy Consumption ◽  
Reduction Of Co2 ◽  
By Products

The use of fly ash for the production of cement is a typical example of the utilization of by-products (waste) from various fields of production in construction, a significant reduction of CO2 emissions and reduction of energy consumption. However, in order to be able to determine the suitability of this additive in construction, it is necessary to examine the durability of cement composites with fly ash in various, often complicated, destructive environments. There are known publications regarding the durability of concretes with fly ash in individual environments. However, in natural conditions, several destructive environments are common at the same time. The article presents an attempt to reproduce natural conditions. This paper presents the results of sulphate expansion tests of air-entrained (AE) and non-air-entrained (nAE) Portland and fly ash cement mortars subjected to prior freezing and thawing. Despite significant strains experienced during freeze-thaw cycles, unlike the non-air-entrained Portland cement mortars, the non-air-entrained mortars made of fly ash cement did not exhibit any significant expansion when exposed to Na2SO4. For 17 months no expansion was found in the air-entrained mortars made of either of the cement types when immersed in Na2SO4solution after freezethaw cycles. The results of the SEM and EDS analyses showed that gypsum and ettringite were the sulphate attack products in all the mortars. The highest amounts of ettringite were found in air voids.

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