Harvest maturity, pre-cutting wash and post-processing dip to improve quality of fresh-cut carambola fruit

Science.gov (United States)

‘Arkin’ carambola (Averrhoa carambola L.) fruit harvested at color break or full yellow stage were washed with or without an alkaline solution (pH 12), cut to 10 mm slices, dipped in calcium ascorbate (Ca ASA), ascorbic acid (ASA) or water, and packaged in perforated clamshells for up to 14 days sto...

Accumulation and connectivity of coarse woody debris in partial harvest and unmanaged relict forests.

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Robert C Morrissey

Full Text Available When a tree dies, it continues to play an important ecological role within forests. Coarse woody debris (CWD, including standing deadwood (SDW and downed deadwood (DDW, is an important functional component of forest ecosystems, particularly for many dispersal-limited saproxylic taxa and for metapopulation dynamics across landscapes. Processes, such as natural disturbance or management, modify forest composition and structure, thereby influencing CWD abundance and distribution. Many studies have compared older forests to forests managed with even-aged silvicultural systems and observed a prolonged period of low CWD occurrence after harvesting. With fine-scale spatial data, our study compares the long-term impacts of light partial harvesting on the CWD structure of eastern deciduous hardwood forests. We mapped and inventoried DDW and SDW using variable radius plots based on a 10 m × 10 m grid throughout an unmanaged, structurally-complex relict forest and two nearby forests that were partially harvested over 46 years ago. The relict stand had significantly larger individual pieces and higher accumulations of DDW and SDW than both of the partially harvested stands. Connectivity of CWD was much higher in the relict stand, which had fewer, larger patches. Larger pieces and higher proportion of decay-resistant species (e.g. Quercus spp. in the relict forest resulted in slower decomposition, greater accumulation and increased connectivity of CWD. Partial harvests, such that occur with selection forestry, are generally considered less disruptive of ecosystem services, but this study highlights the long-term impacts of even light partial harvests on CWD stocks and distribution. When planning harvesting events, forest managers should also consider alternative methods to ensure the sustainability of deadwood resources and function.

Post harvest controlling of orchid thrips on cut flowers by irradiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bansiddhi, K.; Siriphontangmun, S.

1999-01-01

Post-harvest controlling of orchid thrips, Thrips palmi Karny on cut flowers by irradiation was conducted during October 1992 to September 1997 at the Thai Irradiation Centre (TIC) and Division of Entomology and Zoology, Department of Agriculture, Thailand. The studies were carried out by conducting experiments on irradiation of cut flowers for controlling thrips with doses ranging from 0.1 to 1 kGy. The vase-life of radiated cut flowers was evaluated. Colonies of thrips were established in the laboratory in order to determine radiation sensitivity of various development stages of thrips and also to assess the occurrence of natural infestations by examining commercial market quality flowers from growers where management practices can be identified. Results from five years of research on post harvest control of thrips on orchids and cut flowers by irradiation showed that despite intensive investigation, difficulty in permanent establishment of a laboratory colony of Thrips palmi Karny for bioassays continued. The snap bean rearing method for rearing large number of thrips has bean developed, although it is less satisfactory than desirable. It has given sufficient numbers for testing in the 6th experiment. The maximum dose tolerated by Dendrobium orchid flowers at ambient temperature (25-30 deg. C) was below 0.5 kGy, but at a pre- and post irradiation temperature 15-18 deg. C, the maximum dose tolerated approached 0.75-0.8 kGy. The effective dose for control Thrips palmi Karny, however, was higher than 0.75 kGy. (author)

Foraging behavior of pileated woodpeckers in partial cut and uncut bottomland hardwood forest

Science.gov (United States)

Newell, P.; King, Sammy L.; Kaller, Michael D.

2009-01-01

In bottomland hardwood forests, partial cutting techniques are increasingly advocated and used to create habitat for priority wildlife like Louisiana black bear (Ursus americanus luteolus), white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus), and Neotropical migrants. Although partial cutting may be beneficial to some species, those that use dead wood may be negatively affected since large diameter and poor quality trees (deformed, moribund, or dead) are rare, but normally targeted for removal. On the other hand, partial cutting can create dead wood if logging slash is left on-site. We studied foraging behavior of pileated woodpeckers (Dryocopus pileatus) in one- and two-year-old partial cuts designed to benefit priority species and in uncut forest during winter, spring, and summer of 2006 and 2007 in Louisiana. Males and females did not differ in their use of tree species, dbh class, decay class, foraging height, use of foraging tactics or substrate types; however, males foraged on larger substrates than females. In both partial cut and uncut forest, standing live trees were most frequently used (83% compared to 14% for standing dead trees and 3% for coarse woody debris); however, dead trees were selected (i.e. used out of proportion to availability). Overcup oak (Quercus lyrata) and bitter pecan (Carya aquatica) were also selected and sugarberry (Celtis laevigata) avoided. Pileated woodpeckers selected trees >= 50 cm dbh and avoided trees in smaller dbh classes (10-20 cm). Density of selected foraging substrates was the same in partial cut and uncut forest. Of the foraging substrates, woodpeckers spent 54% of foraging time on live branches and boles, 37% on dead branches and boles, and 9% on vines. Of the foraging tactics, the highest proportion of foraging time was spent excavating (58%), followed by pecking (14%), gleaning (14%), scaling (7%), berry-eating (4%), and probing (3%). Woodpecker use of foraging tactics and substrates, and foraging height and substrate

Improving the Keeping Quality and Vase Life of Cut Alstroemeria Flowers by Pre and Post-harvest Salicylic Acid Treatments

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Elnaz SOLEIMANY-FARD

2013-08-01

Full Text Available Keeping quality and length of vase life are important factors for evaluation of cut flowers quality, for both domestic and export markets. Studding the effect of pre- and post-harvest salicylic acid applications on keeping quality and vase life of cut alstroemeria flowers during vase period is the approach taken. Aqueous solutions of salicylic acid at 0.0 (with distilled water, 1, 2 and 3 mM were sprayed to run-off (approximately 500 mL per plant, about two weeks before flowers harvest. The cut flowers were harvested in the early morning and both of cut flowers treated (sprayed and untreated were kept in vase solutions containing salicylic acid at 0.0 (with distilled water, 1, 2 and 3 mM. Sucrose at 4% was added to all treatments as a base solution. The changes in relative fresh weight, water uptake, water loss, water balance, total chlorophyll content and vase life were estimated during vase period. The results showed that the relative fresh weight, water uptake, water balance, total chlorophyll content and vase life decreased significantly while the water loss increased significantly during experiment for all treatments. A significant difference between salicylic acid and control treatments in all measured parameters is observed. During vase period, the salicylic acid treatments maintained significantly a more favourable relative fresh weight, water uptake, water balance, total chlorophyll content and supressed significantly water loss, as compared to control treatment. Also, the results showed that the using salicylic acid increased significantly the vase life cut alstroemeria flowers, over control. The highest values of measured parameters were found when plants were treated by pre + post-harvest application of salicylic acid at 3 mM. The result revealed that the quality attributes and vase life of cut alstroemeria flowers were improved by the use of salicylic acid treatment.

Partial Cutting of Sternothyroid Muscle during Total Thyroidectomy: Impact on Postoperative Vocal Outcomes

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Hyoung Shin Lee

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Background. Cutting the sternothyroid (ST muscle is a useful technique to expose the superior pole of thyroid gland during thyroidectomy. In this study, we evaluated the impact of partial cutting of the ST muscle on postoperative vocal outcomes after total thyroidectomy. Methods. A retrospective review of 57 patients who underwent total thyroidectomy with central neck dissection for micropapillary thyroid carcinoma was conducted. Group A (n=26 included those without cutting the ST muscle, while group B (n=31 included patients whose muscle was partially cut at the superior pole. All patients underwent voice analysis before the operation and 2 weeks and 1 month after the surgery, and the outcomes were compared between the two groups. Results. There were no differences between the two groups regarding the outcomes at each time of voice analysis. Group A showed a decrease of maximum frequency 2 weeks after surgery but showed no difference after 1 month. Group B showed a mild decrease in maximum frequency 2 weeks after surgery, but the difference was not significant. Conclusion. Partial cutting of ST muscle during thyroidectomy is useful to expose the superior pole without significant negative impact on postoperative outcomes of vocal analysis.

Harvest maturity and post-processing dip to improve quality of fresh-cut carambola fruit

Science.gov (United States)

'Arkin' carambola (Averrhoa carambola L.) fruit harvested at color break or full yellow stage were washed with or without an alkaline solution (pH 13.5), cut to 1 cm thick slices, dipped in calcium ascorbate (Ca ASA), ascorbic acid (ASA) or water, and packaged in perforated clamshells for up to 14 d...

Stand, Harvest, and Equipment Interactions in Simulated Harvesting Prescriptions

Science.gov (United States)

Jingxin Wang; W. Dale Greene; Bryce J. Stokes

1998-01-01

We evaluated potential interactions of stand type, harvesting method, and equipment in an experiment using interactive simulation. We examined three felling methods (chain saw, feller-buncher, harvester) and two extraction methods (grapple skidder and forwarder) performing clearcuts, sheltenvood cuts, and single-tree selection cuts in both an uneven-aged natural stand...

The Role of Forest Tent Caterpillar Defoliations and Partial Harvest in the Decline and Death of Sugar Maple

Science.gov (United States)

Hartmann, Henrik; Messier, Christian

2008-01-01

Background and Aims Natural and anthropogenic disturbances can act as stresses on tree vigour. According to Manion's conceptual model of tree disease, the initial vigour of trees decreases as a result of predisposing factors that render these trees more vulnerable to severe inciting stresses, stresses that can then cause final vigour decline and subsequent tree death. This tree disease model was tested in sugar maple (Acer saccharum) by assessing the roles of natural and anthropogenic disturbances in tree decline and death. Methods Radial growth data from 377 sugar maple trees that had undergone both defoliations by insects and partial harvest were used to estimate longitudinal survival probabilities as a proxy for tree vigour. Radial growth rates and survival probabilities were compared among trees subjected to different levels of above- and below-ground disturbances, between periods of defoliation and harvest, and between live and dead trees. Key Results Manion's tree disease model correctly accounts for vigour decline and tree death in sugar maple; tree growth and vigour were negatively affected by a first defoliation, predisposing these trees to death later during the study period due to a second insect outbreak that initiated a final vigour decline. This decline was accelerated by the partial harvest disturbance in 1993. Even the most severe anthropogenic disturbances from partial harvest did not cause, unlike insect defoliation, any growth or vigour declines in live sugar maple. Conclusions Natural disturbances acted as predisposing and inciting stresses in tree sugar maple decline and death. Anthropogenic disturbances from a partial harvest at worst accelerated a decline in trees that were already weakened by predisposing and inciting stresses (i.e. repeated insect defoliations). Favourable climatic conditions just before and after the partial harvest may have alleviated possible negative effects on growth resulting from harvesting. PMID:18660493

Productivity and cost of harvesting a stemwood biomass product from integrated cut-to-length harvest operations in Australian Pinus radiata plantations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Walsh, D.; Strandgard, M.

2014-01-01

Significant quantities of woody biomass from the tops of trees and larger woody ‘waste’ pieces that fall outside existing sawlog and pulpwood specifications are left on site post final harvest in Australian radiata Pinus radiata (D. Don) (radiata pine) plantations. Woody biomass is a potential product for pulp making or energy generation. Commercial use of woody biomass from radiata pine plantations would add extra value to the Australian plantation estate through improved resource utilisation, and potentially reduced post-harvesting silvicultural costs. This study investigated the productivity and cost impact of the harvest and extraction to roadside of woody biomass in an integrated harvest operation in a typical Australian two machine (harvester/processor and forwarder), cut-to-length, clearfall operation in a mature, thinned radiata pine plantation. The harvest operation yielded 23 GMt/ha (5% of the total yield) of woody biomass (known as ‘fibreplus’), 443 GMt/ha of sawlogs and 28 GMt/ha of pulpwood. The mean quantity of biomass left on site was 128 GMt/ha, mainly consisting of branches and needles, sufficient to minimise nutrient loss and protect the soil from erosion. Woodchips derived from the fibreplus product were suitable for kraft pulp making, (when blended in small amounts with clean de-barked roundwood woodchips), and for energy generation. The method trialed with the fibreplus product being produced did not impact harvesting and processing productivity and costs, but extraction was 14% less productive. Through analysis of the productivities of each phase and development of a cost model the harvest and extraction of the fibreplus product was estimated to increase total unit costs by ∼4.9%. - Highlights: • Study of the productivity and cost impact of producing a woody biomass product. • We compared two scenarios – harvesting with and without the biomass product. • An additional 23 GMt/ha (5% of the total yield) of woody biomass

Logging residues under different stand and harvesting conditions, Rocky Mountains

Science.gov (United States)

Robert E. Benson; Cameron M. Johnston

1976-01-01

Volume and characteristics of logging residues from 34 harvest areas are presented. Clearcuts and partial cuts logged to conventional utilization levels and to close utilization levels are included. Residue volumes ranged from almost 3, 600 ft3 /acre of wood 3-inches-plus down to about 550 ft3 /acre, depending on treatment. More than 60 percent of the residues were...

Logging damage to residual trees following commercial harvesting to different overstory retention levels in a mature hardwood stand in Tennessee

Science.gov (United States)

Wayne K. Clatterbuck

2006-01-01

Partial cutting in mature hardwood stands often causes physical damage to residual stems through felling and skidding resulting in a decline in bole quality and subsequent loss of tree value. This study assessed the logging damage to residual trees following commercial harvesting in a fully stocked, mature oak-hickory stand cut to three overstory basal area retention...

Production economics of harvesting young hardwood stands in central Appalachia

Science.gov (United States)

Yaoxiang Li; Jingxin Wang; Gary W. Miller; Joe McNeel

2004-01-01

Three harvesting systems of chainsaw/cable skidder, fell-buncher/grapple skidder, and harvester/forwarder were simulated in harvesting three hardwood stands of 30 to 50 years old in central Appalachia. Stands were generated by using a stand generator and harvesting prescriptions included clearcut, shelterwood cut, selective cut, diameter limit cut, and crop tree...

Forest harvesting effects on soil temperature, moisture, and respiration in a bottomland hardwood forest

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Londo, A.J.; Messina, M.G.; Schoenholtz, S.H.

1999-01-01

The effect of forest disturbance on C cycling has become an issue, given concerns about escalating atmospheric C content. The authors examined the effects of harvest intensity on in situ and laboratory mineral soil respiration in an East Texas bottomland hardwood forest between 6 and 22 mo after harvesting. Treatments included a clearcut, a partial cut wherein approximately 58% of the basal area was removed, and an unharvested control. The soda-lime absorption technique was used for in situ respiration (CO 2 efflux) and the wet alkali method (NaOH) was used for laboratory mineral soil respiration. Soil temperature and moisture content were also measured. Harvesting significantly increased in situ respiration during most sampling periods. This effect was attributed to an increase in live root and microflora activity associated with postharvesting revegetation. In situ respiration increased exponentially (Q 10 relationship) as treatment soil temperatures increased, but followed a parabolic-type pattern through the range of soil moisture measured (mean range 10.4--31.5%). Mean rates of laboratory mineral soil respiration measured during the study were unaffected by cutting treatment for most sampling sessions. Overall, the mean rate of CO 2 efflux in the clearcuts was significantly higher than that in the partial cuts, which in turn was significantly higher than that in the controls. Mass balance estimates indicate that these treatment differences will have little or no long-term effect on C sequestration of these managed forests

Production economics of harvesting small-diameter hardwood stands in central Appalachia

Science.gov (United States)

Yaoxiang Li; Jingxin Wang; Gary Miller; Joe McNeel

2006-01-01

Three harvesting systems of chainsaw/cable skidder, feller-buncher/grapple skidder, and harvester/forwarder were simulated in harvesting three hardwood stands 30 to 50 years old in central Appalachia. Stands were generated by using a 3D stand generator. Harvesting prescriptions included clearcut, shelterwood cut, selective cut, diameter limit cut, and crop tree release...

Harvesting options of small-diameter wood from early thinnings

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kaerhae, K.; Petty, A. (Metsaeteho Oy, Helsinki (Finland)), e-mail: kalle.karha@metsateho.fi; Mutikainen, A. (TTS Research, Rajamaeki (Finland)), e-mail: arto.mutikainen@tts.fi

2010-07-01

The integrated harvesting of industrial roundwood and energy wood by the so-called 'two-pile cutting method' has increased steadily in young forests in Finland during the last three years. The studies carried out by Metsaeteho Oy and TTS Research (i) determined the time consumption and productivity in cutting work when using the integrated cutting of first-thinning wood, (ii) clarified the development of the total removal in integrated harvesting operation, and (iii) investigated the quality of pulpwood poles when using integrated cutting with multi-tree handling. The studies indicated that the total removal in integrated wood harvesting increase significantly compared to that of conventional, separate roundwood harvesting. When the total removal from the harvesting site increased considerable, there was a significant increase in the productivity of cutting work in integrated wood harvesting compared to the situation in separate pulpwood harvesting. In addition, the delimbing quality and bucking accuracy of the pulpwood poles obtained in multi-tree processing were comparable to those produced in single-tree handling. There were no problems with measuring the work output by a weight scale attached to the crane of the forwarder. As the studies indicated very promising results with integrated wood cutting, integrated harvesting is likely to continue to increase in both first and later thinnings in Finland. (orig.)

Development of Northern White-Cedar Regeneration Following Partial Cutting, with and without Deer Browsing

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Catherine Larouche

2015-02-01

Full Text Available Northern white-cedar (Thuja occidentalis L. is an important commercial species with a high wildlife value, both as a food source and habitat for many bird and mammal species. Concerns have been expressed about its decreasing abundance across its range, and especially in mixedwood stands, where it has to compete with several other species and can suffer from heavy browsing. In this study, we quantified the development of natural northern white-cedar seedlings and saplings under various partial cutting regimes, with and without white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virgianus Zimmerman browsing, in three selected sites in Quebec (Canada and in Maine (USA. Our data show that northern white-cedar regeneration was present in all studied stands, but that only a few stems were taller than 30 cm on the two sites with high densities of deer. In the absence of heavy browsing, stems reached a height of 30 cm in 11 years, and 130 cm in 28 years. Height growth of northern white-cedar regeneration increased with canopy light transmittance, while ground-level diameter increment increased after partial cutting. This suggests that partial cutting can be used in mixedwood stands to release natural northern white-cedar regeneration, but also that the recruitment of northern white-cedar seedlings to larger size classes constitutes a major challenge in stands subject to heavy deer browsing.

EVALUATION OF COSTS OF HARVESTER IN CUT AND PROCESSING OF EUCALYPTUS WOOD1

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Larissa Nunes dos Santos

2017-11-01

Full Text Available ABSTRACT Before performing any financial analysis costs must be calculated. These costs should allow the planning and control over the use of the machines as well as the comparison between different investments alternatives since this is easily calculated. Generally the operating costs of forest harvesting machines are estimated until the maximum of 25,000 hours of work, and it is not possible to know whether the activity remains profitable thereafter or not. For this reason the objective of this study was to evaluate the costs from cutting activities and wood processing carried out by a forestry tractor harvester up to approximately 30,000 hours of work. Ten forest machines composed of two models of harvester (John Deere, model 1270D and 1470D were used. A spreadsheet provided by a forestry company located in the state of Minas Gerais, containing the necessary data to estimate the operating cost of the machines and subsequent achievement of the sensitivity analysis was used. The operating cost was obtained by the sum of the fixed and variable costs. For sensitivity analysis the variation ± 20% of the most representative elements of the total cost of the machine was performed. The results for the operating cost of the harvester and forwarder was U.S. $ 190.85 h-1. Costs for repairs and maintenance, labor, fuel, and depreciation represented approximately 90% of the total cost of the machine. Despite the fact that the age of the machine has a direct influence on its operating cost, the costs did not behave in a linear fashion over the years.

Production method and cost of commercial-scale offshore cultivation of kelp in the Faroe Islands using multiple partial harvesting

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Grandorf Bak, Urd; Mols-Mortensen, Agnes; Gregersen, Olavur

2018-01-01

was conducted. The total cost per kg dw of cultivated S. latissima decreased when the number of possible harvests without re-seeding was increased (from € 36.73 to € 9.27). This work has demonstrated that large-scale kelp cultivation is possible using multiple partial harvesting in the Faroe Islands...

Integrated energy wood and pulpwood harvesting in first-thinning stands

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kaerhae, K.; Pajuoja, H. (Metsaeteho Oy, Helsinki (Finland)), Email: kalle.karha@metsateho.fi, Email: heikki.pajuoja@metsateho.fi; Hoegnaes, T. (Metsaehallitus, Kajaani (Finland)), Email: tore.hognas@metsa.fi; Mutikainen, A. (TTS Research, Rajamaeki (Finland)), Email: arto.mutikainen@tts.fi

2009-07-01

The integrated harvesting of industrial roundwood and energy wood by the so-called 'two-pile cutting method' has increased strongly in young forests in Finland during the last two years. The studies carried out by Metsaeteho Oy, Metsaehallitus and TTS Research (I) determined the time consumption and productivity in cutting work when using the integrated cutting of first-thinning wood, (II) clarified the development of the total removal in integrated harvesting operation, and (III) investigated the quality of pulpwood poles when using integrated the quality of pulpwood poles when using integrated cutting with multi-tree handling. The studies indicated that the total removal in integrated wood harvesting increases significantly compared to that of conventional, separate roundwood harvesting. When the total removal from the harvesting site increased considerably, there was a significant increase in the productivity of cutting work in integrated wood harvesting compared to the situation in separate pulpwood harvesting. In addition, the delimbing quality and bucking accuracy of the pulpwood poles obtained in multi-tree processing were comparable to those produced in single-tree handling. There were no problems with measuring the work output by a grapple scale attached to the boom of the forwarder. As the studies indicated very promising experiences in integrated wood cutting, integrated harvesting is likely to continue to increase in both first and later thinning in Finland. (orig.)

Recruitment of lianas into logging gaps and the effects of pre-harvest climber cutting in a lowland forest in Cameroon

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Schnitzer, S.A.; Parren, M.P.E.; Bongers, F.J.J.M.

2004-01-01

The abundance of lianas (woody vines) and the detrimental impact that they have on tropical rain forest trees is widely recognized. Lianas are particularly abundant in disturbed areas of the forest, such as logging gaps, and pre-harvest liana cutting has been widely recommended throughout the

Application of two regression-based methods to estimate the effects of partial harvest on forest structure using Landsat data.

Science.gov (United States)

S.P. Healey; Z. Yang; W.B. Cohen; D.J. Pierce

2006-01-01

Although partial harvests are common in many forest types globally, there has been little assessment of the potential to map the intensity of these harvests using Landsat data. We modeled basal area removal and percentage cover change in a study area in central Washington (northwestern USA) using biennial Landsat imagery and reference data from historical aerial photos...

Potential Propagation by Seed and Cuttings of the Azorean Native Calluna vulgaris (L. Hull

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Maria João Pereira

2014-01-01

Full Text Available This work investigates the potential propagation by seed and cuttings of the Azorean native Calluna vulgaris (L. Hull. for landscape conservation. With that purpose we have performed several germination and cuttings trials, using plant material from wild populations of this species. In the germination trials, we tested the effects of photoperiod length (8 and 16 h, temperature (10, 15, 20, and 20–10°C, seed age (6, 108, and 270 days, temperature of seed storage (4°C and room temperature, and seed surface sterilization on the germination characteristics. In the cuttings trials, we tested the effects of stem cutting type, cultural conditions, cuttings’ harvest month, and rooting substrates on the rooting percentages. The best percentages of germination, 93 and 90%, were obtained with fresh seeds and surface sterilized and sown under an 8 h photoperiod and with temperatures of 10°C or 15°C, respectively; germination after seed storage during 270 days is significantly superior (71% when seeds are stored at 4°C. The best percentages of rooting were achieved for straight (96% or heel cuttings (90% harvested in March, planted on soil from natural stands of C. vulgaris and Erica azorica Hochst., outdoors in half shade, and partially covered with transparent polyethylene film.

Wood harvesting as chunkwood chips and multi-stage chipping; Puun korjuu palahakkeena ja monivaiheinen lastuaminen

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kaipainen, H; Seppaenen, V

1997-12-31

The task for the year 1995 was to define the preliminary results of the previous years, to measure the productivity of a harvester, designed for production of chunkwood, and the properties of the chunks. The costs of the PALAPUU method from the felling site to pulpwood chips were to be examined on this basis. Because the prototype of the harvester was not yet available for field tests, the costs were partially calculated on the basis of previous measurements, completed by productivity data obtained from the time-consumption measurements of a multi-tree harvester, applied with minor alteration for this purpose. According to the calculations the PALAPUU method cannot compete with partial-tree or shortwood methods. The profitability of the method could be improved by adding the transportation density and the productivity of the harvester. It is also possible to procure timber to the mill as partial-trees and to chunk it while feeding it into the drum. Chipping tests were made using the steel-frame-chipper owned by VTT Construction Technology. The blade construction of the chipper was changed so, that it was possible to adjust the cutting thickness of the chips to 4 mm, while in the previous mill-tests it had been 6 mm. The chips were used for cooking tests in the Department of Chemistry of the University of Jyvaeskylae. The results showed that the thinner chips were cooked further under the same cooking conditions. By using the chunkwood method it is possible to harvest 10-70 more biomass for the mills, than it is possible in the pulpwood harvesting

Wood harvesting as chunkwood chips and multi-stage chipping; Puun korjuu palahakkeena ja monivaiheinen lastuaminen

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kaipainen, H.; Seppaenen, V.

1996-12-31

The task for the year 1995 was to define the preliminary results of the previous years, to measure the productivity of a harvester, designed for production of chunkwood, and the properties of the chunks. The costs of the PALAPUU method from the felling site to pulpwood chips were to be examined on this basis. Because the prototype of the harvester was not yet available for field tests, the costs were partially calculated on the basis of previous measurements, completed by productivity data obtained from the time-consumption measurements of a multi-tree harvester, applied with minor alteration for this purpose. According to the calculations the PALAPUU method cannot compete with partial-tree or shortwood methods. The profitability of the method could be improved by adding the transportation density and the productivity of the harvester. It is also possible to procure timber to the mill as partial-trees and to chunk it while feeding it into the drum. Chipping tests were made using the steel-frame-chipper owned by VTT Construction Technology. The blade construction of the chipper was changed so, that it was possible to adjust the cutting thickness of the chips to 4 mm, while in the previous mill-tests it had been 6 mm. The chips were used for cooking tests in the Department of Chemistry of the University of Jyvaeskylae. The results showed that the thinner chips were cooked further under the same cooking conditions. By using the chunkwood method it is possible to harvest 10-70 more biomass for the mills, than it is possible in the pulpwood harvesting

Chemical composition and methane yield of reed canary grass as influenced by harvesting time and harvest frequency

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kandel, Tanka Prasad; Sutaryo, Sutaryo; Møller, Henrik Bjarne

2013-01-01

This study examined the influence of harvest time on biomass yield, dry matter partitioning, biochemical composition and biological methane potential of reed canary grass harvested twice a month in one-cut (OC) management. The regrowth of biomass harvested in summer was also harvested in autumn...... as a two-cut management with (TC-F) or without (TC-U) fertilization after summer harvest. The specific methane yields decreased significantly with crop maturity that ranged from 384 to 315 and from 412 to 283 NL (normal litre) (kg VS)-1 for leaf and stem, respectively. Approximately 45% more methane...... was produced by the TC-F management (5430 Nm3 ha-1) as by the OC management (3735 Nm3 ha-1). Specific methane yield was moderately correlated with the concentrations of fibre components in the biomass. Larger quantity of biogas produced at the beginning of the biogas assay from early harvested biomass...

Evaluation of Partial Cut-out of Sacroiliac Screws From the Sacral Ala Slope via Pelvic Inlet and Outlet View.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Jingwei; Hamilton, Ryan; Li, Ming; Ebraheim, Nabil A; He, Xianfeng; Liu, Jiayong; Zhu, Limei

2015-12-01

An anatomic and radiographic study of placement of sacroiliac screws. The aim of this study was to quantitatively assess the risk of partial cut-out of sacroiliac screws from the sacral ala slope via inlet and outlet view. The partial cut-out of sacroiliac screws from the superior surface of sacral ala can jeopardize the L5 nerve root, which is difficult to identify on the pelvic inlet and outlet views. Computed tomography images of 60 patients without pelvic ring deformity or injury were used to measure the width (on inlet view) and height (on outlet view) of the sacral ala. The angle of the sacral ala slope was measured on lateral view. According to the measured parameters, the theoretical safe trajectories of screw placement were calculated using inverse trigonometric functions. Under fluoroscopic guidance, a sacroiliac screw was placed close to the midline on both inlet and outlet views, including posterosuperior, posteroinferior, anterosuperior, and anteroinferior regions to the midline. The incidence of screw partial cut-out from the superior surface of sacral ala was identified. The measured widths and heights of the sacral alas were 28.1 ± 2.8 and 29.8 ± 3.1 mm, respectively. The average angle between the superior aspect of the S1 vertebral body and the superior aspect of the sacral ala was 37.2 ± 2.5 degrees. The rate of partial cut-out of the screws from the superior surface of sacral ala slope was 12.5% (5/40) in posterosuperior, 0% (0/40) in posteroinferior, 70% (28/40) in anterosuperior, and 20% (8/40) in anteroinferior. To avoid the risk of partial cut-out from sacroiliac screw placement, more precise description should be added to the conventional description: the sacroiliac screws should be placed at the inferior half portion on outlet view and at the posterior half portion on inlet view. 4.

Engineering, nutrient removal, and feedstock conversion evaluations of four corn stover harvest scenarios

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hoskinson, Reed L.; Radtke, Corey W. [Idaho National Laboratory, P.O Box 1625, Idaho Falls, ID 83415-2210 (United States); Karlen, Douglas L. [USDA-ARS, National Soil Tilth Laboratory, Ames, IA 50011-3120 (United States); Birrell, Stuart J. [Iowa State University, Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering Department, Ames, IA 50011 (United States); Wilhelm, W.W. [USDA-ARS, Soil and Water Conservation Research Unit, Lincoln, NE 68583-0934 (United States)

2007-02-15

Crop residue has been identified as a near-term source of biomass for renewable fuel, heat, power, chemicals and other bio-materials. A prototype one-pass harvest system was used to collect residue samples from a corn (Zea mays L.) field near Ames, IA. Four harvest scenarios (low cut, high-cut top, high-cut bottom, and normal cut) were evaluated and are expressed as collected stover harvest indices (CSHI). High-cut top and high-cut bottom samples were obtained from the same plot in separate operations. Chemical composition, dilute acid pretreatment response, ethanol conversion yield and efficiency, and thermochemical conversion for each scenario were determined. Mean grain yield in this study (10.1 Mg ha{sup -1} dry weight) was representative of the average yield (10.0 Mg ha{sup -1}) for the area (Story County, IA) and year (2005). The four harvest scenarios removed 6.7, 4.9, 1.7, and 5.1 Mg ha{sup -1} of dry matter, respectively, or 0.60 for low cut, 0.66 for normal cut, and 0.61 for the total high-cut (top+bottom) scenarios when expressed as CSHI values. The macro-nutrient replacement value for the normal harvest scenario was $57.36 ha{sup -1} or $11.27 Mg{sup -1}. Harvesting stalk bottoms increased stover water content, risk of combine damage, estimated transportation costs, and left insufficient soil cover, while also producing a problematic feedstock. These preliminary results indicate harvesting stover (including the cobs) at a height of approximately 40 cm would be best for farmers and ethanol producers because of faster harvest speed and higher quality ethanol feedstock. (author)

Effects of cutting and maturity on antioxidant activity of fresh-cut tomatoes

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Moreira Lana, M.; Tijskens, L.M.M.; Kooten, van O.

2005-01-01

To investigate the changes in total antioxidant activity of fresh-cut tomato during storage, tomato fruits harvested at three different stages of maturity were cut into 7-mm thick slices and stored at 5°C. Intact (control) fruits were stored in the same conditions. The antioxidant activity was

Influence of timber harvesting costs on the layout of cuttings and economic return in forest planning based on dynamic treatment units

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Adrián Pascual

2018-05-01

Full Text Available Aim of study: To analyze the influence of harvesting costs on the distribution and type of cuttings when forest management planning is based on the dynamic treatment units (DTUs approach. Area of study: A Mediterranean pine forest in Central Spain. Materials and methods: Airborne laser scanning data were used in area-based approach to predict stand attributes and delineate segments that were used as calculation units. Predicted stand attributes and existing models for diameter distribution and individual-tree growth were used to simulate alternative management schedules for each segment for a 60-year planning horizon divided into three 20-year periods. Three alternative forest planning problems were formulated. They aimed to maximize or minimize net income, or maximize timber production with a constant flow of harvested timber. Spatial goals were used in all cases to enhance the clustering of treatments. Main results: Maxizing timber production without considering harvesting costs can be costly, even close to the plan that minimized net incomes. Maximizing net incomes led to frequent use of final felling instead of thinnings, placing cuttings near forest roads and creating more compact DTUs than obtained in the plan that maximized timber production. Research highlights: Compared to previous studies on DTUs, this study integrated felling and forwarding costs, which depended on distance to road and stand attributes, in the process of creating DTUs by means of spatial optimization.

Effects of cutting and maturity on antioxidant activity of fresh-cut tomatoes

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Moreira Lana, M.; Tijskens, L.M.M.

2006-01-01

To investigate the changes in total antioxidant activity of fresh-cut tomato during storage, tomato fruits harvested at three different stages of maturity were cut into 7-mm thick slices and stored at 5 °C. Intact fruits were stored in the same conditions as a control. The antioxidant activity was

Growth Response of Northern White-Cedar (Thuja occidentalis to Natural Disturbances and Partial Cuts in Mixedwood Stands of Quebec, Canada

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jean-Claude Ruel

2014-05-01

Full Text Available Northern white-cedar (Thuja occidentalis is a species of high commercial and ecological value, the abundance of which has been declining since the middle of the 19th century. Very little information regarding its silviculture in mixedwood stands is currently available, even though a significant portion of wood resources comes from these stands. The present study is a retrospective analysis of white-cedar growth in partially harvested mixedwood stands of western Quebec, Canada. Eight stands distributed across two regions were analyzed. Dendrochronological approaches examined long-term diameter growth for sample white-cedar trees and stems of associated species. These approaches were used to reconstruct stand characteristics at the time of harvesting, together with local harvesting intensity. The study demonstrated white-cedar’s capacity to maintain good growth for long periods of time and at large tree sizes. Accession to the upper canopy positions occurs through repeated episodes of suppression/release, most of which seem to be associated with spruce budworm (Choristoneura fumiferana outbreaks. White-cedar response to partial harvesting varies with tree size, residual basal area and species composition. Growth response was generally stronger for small trees, even though large trees still maintained the best diameter growth. Growth of white-cedar was negatively affected by an increase in softwood proportion in basal area. Growth responses to harvesting could be sustained for a period of 20 years.

Recent Rates of Forest Harvest and Conversion in North America

Science.gov (United States)

Masek, Jeffrey G.; Cohen, Warren B.; Leckie, Donald; Wulder, Michael A.; Vargas, Rodrigo; de Jong, Ben; Healey, Sean; Law, Beverly; Birdsey, Richard; Houghton, R. A.;

Chemical composition and methane yield of reed canary grass as influenced by harvesting time and harvest frequency.

Science.gov (United States)

Kandel, Tanka P; Sutaryo, Sutaryo; Møller, Henrik B; Jørgensen, Uffe; Lærke, Poul E

2013-02-01

This study examined the influence of harvest time on biomass yield, dry matter partitioning, biochemical composition and biological methane potential of reed canary grass harvested twice a month in one-cut (OC) management. The regrowth of biomass harvested in summer was also harvested in autumn as a two-cut management with (TC-F) or without (TC-U) fertilization after summer harvest. The specific methane yields decreased significantly with crop maturity that ranged from 384 to 315 and from 412 to 283 NL (normal litre) (kgVS)(-1) for leaf and stem, respectively. Approximately 45% more methane was produced by the TC-F management (5430Nm(3)ha(-1)) as by the OC management (3735Nm(3)ha(-1)). Specific methane yield was moderately correlated with the concentrations of fibre components in the biomass. Larger quantity of biogas produced at the beginning of the biogas assay from early harvested biomass was to some extent off-set by lower concentration of methane. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Energy and industrial wood harvesting from young forests; Energia- ja ainespuun korjuu nuorista metsistae

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rieppo, K.; Mutikainen, A.; Jouhiaho, A. (eds.)

2011-07-01

In the METKA Forest Energy Profitably project TTS (Work Efficiency Institute) compared methods suitable for the harvesting of energy wood and industrial wood. During the thinning of a young forest by a forest worker, the whole-tree logging method was one-third less expensive than the pulpwood method, including terrain transport. In harvesting whole trees as part of the thinning of young forests, methods based on combinations of manual and mechanized workproved to be several dozen per cent less expensive than the entirely mechanized method. When cutting energy wood with a Harveri small harwarder productivity was slightly higher when using 40-metre distances two cutting trails than when using 20-metre distances. When using a Tehojaetkae small harvester, creating two cutting trails in addition to the standard four-metre-wide cutting trail resulted in slightly higher productivity than creating three narrow cutting trails. A Risutec L3A energy head was used in tests involving both clearing and energy wood cutting. This method proved to be very promising, and it seems highly proable that advance clearing will no longer be needed in energy wood harvesting under all circumstances. When using traditional harvester-forwarder chains and a harvarder for first thinning in pine stands, the harvesting of entirely or partly non-delimbed trees was 20 to 40 per cent less expensive per harvested cubic meter than the harvesting of delimbed trees. In tests carried out using the Naarva RS25 harvester head for first thinning in pine stands, the integrated method resulted in approximately one-third productivity than the traditional cutting of industrial wood. In a spruce-dominant site with delayed first thinning, the unit costs of harvesting delimbed energy wood were 16 per cent lower than those of the harvesting of pulpwood. In the future development of machinery, it will be important to aim at continuous motion, at least in terms of cutting small trees. (orig.)

Subwavelength resonant antennas enhancing electromagnetic energy harvesting

Science.gov (United States)

Oumbe Tekam, Gabin; Ginis, Vincent; Seetharamdoo, Divitha; Danckaert, Jan

2016-04-01

In this work, an electromagnetic energy harvester operating at microwave frequencies is designed based on a cut- wire metasurface. This metamaterial is known to contain a quasistatic electric dipole resonator leading to a strong resonant electric response when illuminated by electromagnetic fields.1 Starting from an equivalent electrical circuit, we analytically design the parameters of the system to tune the resonance frequency of the harvester at the desired frequency band. Subsequently, we compare these results with numerical simulations, which have been obtained using finite elements numerical simulations. Finally, we optimize the design by investigating the best arrangement for energy harvesting by coupling in parallel and in series many single layers of cut-wire metasurfaces. We also discuss the implementation of different geometries and sizes of the cut-wire metasurface for achieving different center frequencies and bandwidths.

Auxin transport in leafy pea stem cuttings is partially driven by photosynthesis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kumpula, C.L.; Potter, J.R.

1987-01-01

When 14 C-IAA was applied to the apex of disbudded leafy pea stem cuttings (15 cm long), the movement of 14 C-IAA to the base of the cuttings after 24 h was influenced by the photosynthetic rate. In the absence of photosynthesis, light did not influence 14 C-IAA movement. Photosynthesis was altered by varying light, CO 2 concentration, or stomatal aperature (blocked with an antitranspirant). Radioactivity (identified by co-chromatography) was 25, 60, and 5% IAA, IAA-aspartate, and indolealdehyde respectively regardless of treatment. Adventitious root formation was reduced 50 to 95% and movement of IAA was inhibited 50 to 70% by decreasing gross photosynthesis 90 to 100%. Apparently, photosynthesis partially drives the movement of IAA from the apex to the base where roots arise. This gives a probably role of photosynthesis in rooting, because in this system virtually no rooting will take place without exogenous auxin and at least a low level of gross photosynthesis

Spring harvest of corn stover

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lizotte, P.L. [Laval Univ., Quebec City, PQ (Canada). Dept. des sols et de genie agroalimentaire; Savoie, P. [Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Quebec City, PQ (Canada)

2010-07-01

Corn stover is typically left behind in the field after grain harvest. Although part of the stover should remain in the field for soil organic matter renewal and erosion protection, half of the stover could be removed sustainably. This represents about one million t dry matter (DM) of stover per year in the province of Quebec. Stover harvested in the fall is very wet. While there are applications for wet stover, the available markets currently require a dry product. Preliminary measurements have shown that stover left in the field throughout the winter becomes very dry, and a considerable amount would still be harvestable in the spring. In the spring of 2009, corn stover was harvested at 2 sites, each subdivided into 2 parcels. The first parcel was cut and raked in the fall of 2008 (fall parcel), while the second parcel was cut and raked in spring 2009. Fibre from both parcels was baled in the spring 2009. At the first site, a large square baler was used in late April to produce bales measuring 0.8 m x 0.9 m x 1.8 m. On the second site a round baler was used in late May to produce bales of 1.2 m in width by 1.45 m in diameter. On the second site, a small square baler was also used to produce bales of 0.35 m x 0.45 m x 0.60 m (spring cutting only). With the large square baler, an average of 3.9 t DM/ha was harvested equally on the fall parcel and the spring parcel, representing a 48 per cent recovery of biomass based on stover yields.

An evaluation of harvesting machinery for short rotation coppice willow in Denmark

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kofman, P.D.; Spinelli, R.

1997-12-31

During the harvesting seasons 1994-1995 and 1995-1996 several harvesting trials were carried out within the EU project on harvesting and storage of Short Rotation Crops and within a national project. During this period the following machines were investigated: Diemelstadt poplar harvester, cut and chip; Claas forage harvester with SRF header, cut and chip; Austoft sugarcane harvester, adapted to SRF, cut and chip; Bender II, cut and chip; Hvidsted Energy Allrounder, whole shoot harvester; Dansalix whole shoot harvester. In the 1994-1995 season the intention was to harvest 300 tonnes of whole shoots, chunks and chips for a storage trial. The main conclusions of the 1994-1995 harvesting season must be that harvesting willow with the existing machines in wet winters without frozen ground is very difficult. The machines will have to be developed further and special interest should be given to developing shuttle vehicles with the same flotation as the tracked harvester. Several of the problems encountered with the machines in Denmark were confirmed by the experience in the other trials. Road transportation of chips from SRF plantations is just as expensive as transporting energy chips from the forest at about Dkr 50 per tonne over 48 km. Transporting whole shoots is very expensive due to the low bulk density. Transportation of whole shoots over 48 km costs on the average Dkr 133 per tonne fresh. A very short pilot study into chipping of whole shoots from a three metre high pile indicated that this comminution with a normal forest chipper has a low productivity (8.9 tonnes fresh per work place hour) and is very expensive at Dkr 157 per tonne. This productivity can be improved by equipping the chipper with a special feeding table and better feed rollers for the SRF crop. (EG)

Effect of anhydrous magnesium sulphate fertilizer and cutting ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Effect of anhydrous magnesium sulphate fertilizer on Panicum maximum yield and chemical composition of the resultant herbage harvested at 3, 4 and 5 weeks of age was investigated. The treatments were labeled T1 to T6. T1 was fertilized and harvested at 3 weeks cutting interval, T2 was fertilized and harvested at 4 ...

Feed intake, gastrointestinal system and body composition in reindeer calves fed early harvested first cut timothy silage (Phleum pratense

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Harri J. Norberg

1998-02-01

Full Text Available Early harvested first cut (EFC timothy silage was fed to five reindeer calves (Rangifer tarandus tarandus L. taken from their natural summer pasture and brought to Tromsø for feeding trial. The calves were housed indoors in metabolism cages and fed EFC timothy silage ad lib. during the trial, which lasted from late November 1994 until the end of February 1995, when animals subsequently were slaughtered. Daily feed intake, gastrointestinal (GI anatomy, body weight and body composition of the animals were examined. Timothy silage {Phleum praténse was harvested 21 June, 1994 in Tromsø, prewilted and stored as round bales containing 97% leaves. The EFC silage contained 42.1% dry matter (DM, and 18.1% crude protein, 20.7% cellulose, 16.9% hemicellulose and 28.0% water soluble carbohydrates (WSC of DM. Mean feed intake (DM 24 hours after the trial started (day 1 was 9-4 g/kg body mass (BM (S.D.+ 3-9, while the mean daily DM intake during days 15-74 comprised 24.2 g/kg BM (S.D.+ 6.1. All animals except one gained body weight during the trial. The median (range BM at start and at slaughter was 48.5 kg (34.5¬58.0 kg and 50.0 kg (42.0-53.5 kg, respectively. Median (range carcass weight % of BM was 58.0% (51.2-58.7% and muscle index value 0.0132 (0.0106-0.0176. The median reticulo-rumen (RR content wet weight (WW was 4601 g (range 2697-5000 g comprising 9.3% of the BM, and 85.1% of the total gastrointestinal wet weight content. The median (range gastrointestinal tract weight was 14.1% of BM (10.7-16.4%. Based on feed intake during the trial and body composition at slaughtet we conclude that first cut timothy silage is suitable as emergency feed to reindeer, as long as it is harvested in early growth stage with high proportion of leaves.

Comparison of Fixed Diameter-Limit and Selection Cutting in Northern Conifers

Science.gov (United States)

Laura S. Kenefic; Paul E. Sendak; John C. Brissette

2005-01-01

Diameter-limit cutting is a common type of harvest in which all merchantable trees above specific size thresholds are removed. Despite a long history of application, controlled experiments of these harvests are rare and the cumulative effects of repeated diameter-limit cuts are largely unknown. The Penobscot Experimental Forest in Maine is the location of a long-term...

Methodology for choice of harvesting system for energy wood from early thinning

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Laitila, J

2012-11-01

The primary aim of the present study was to develop a methodology for estimating the procurement cost of forest chips from early thinnings. The most common logging systems and supply chains of forest chips used in early thinnings in Finland were compared at stand and regional level using productivity models and cost parameters obtained mainly from the substudies of this thesis. Furthermore, a decision tree was constructed for selecting harvesting method for energy wood originating from early thinnings. Forwarding productivity following mechanised cutting was significantly higher compared to productivity after motor-manual cutting. Mechanised cutting by the harvester enables felling and bunching of whole trees into large grapple loads close to strip roads, which facilitates increasing forwarding output and reducing costs. The two-machine system comprised of a harvester and a forwarder was the most cost-efficient logging system due to higher efficiency in cutting and especially in the forwarding phase. The cost of motor-manual whole-tree cutting was equal to mechanised whole-tree cutting, while forwarding cost after motor-manual cutting was almost double that after mechanised cutting. Using a forwarderbased harwarder resulted in the highest logging costs. However, with large tree volumes and removals its costs were almost equal to those of motor-manual-based logging. In order to achieve a breakthrough for the harwarder system, costs must be reduced by improving both machine technology and working techniques. Available volumes and procurement costs of fuel chips made of small-diameter trees were compared at regional level. The trees were harvested either by the multi-stem delimbed shortwood or whole-tree method and chipped by a truck-mounted drum chipper at the roadside. Based on the availability analysis, delimbing reduced regional cutting recovery by 42% compared to whole tree harvesting, when the minimum concentration of energy wood was set at 25 m{sup 3} ha{sup -1

Rooting of hybrid clones of Populus tremula L. x P. tremuloides Michx. by stem cuttings derived from micropropagated plants

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Qibin Yu [Univ. of Helsinki (Finland). Dept. of Plant Biology; Maentylae, N. [Univ. of Turku (Finland). Dept. of Biology, Plant Physiology and Molecular Biology; Salonen, M. [Finnish Forest Research Inst., Laeyliaeinen (Finland). Haapastensyrjae Breeding Station

2001-07-01

Propagation costs could be cut by replacing part of the micropropagation process with steps involving more traditional techniques. This study explored possibilities for improving existing vegetative propagation techniques for aspen using stem cuttings obtained from micropropagated plants. Vegetative propagation through stem cuttings was studied in 10 micropropagated hybrid aspen clones (Populus tremula L. x P. tremuloides Michx). Cuttings containing one axillary bud were harvested from the same donor plants twice during the growing season: the first harvest in May and the second harvest in July. Rooting percentage was correlated positively with root length, number of roots and height of cutting plant but negatively with length of rooting. The average rooting percentage was 53% in the first harvest and 27% in second harvest. Indole-3-butyric acid treatments (1.2 mM) significantly improved rooting in the second harvest, but not in the first harvest, suggesting different endogenous auxin levels in the cuttings. A significant variation for most traits related to rooting ability was found among the clones, indicating that clonal effects play an important role in the propagation of aspen. Thus, clones with a good response in shoot growth and rooting could be exploited in large-scale propagation using stem cuttings.

Development of a machine combination for harvesting of small wood first thinnings; Yhdistelmaekoneen kehittaeminen pienpuun korjuuseen sekae ensi- harvennukseen

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nevalainen, P [Outokummun Metalli Oy, Outokumpu (Finland)

1997-12-01

The aim of the project is to build combined machine for the harvesting of the first thinning, which makes both harvesting and forwarding. Original purpose has been extended to concern also the harvesting head itself, which is connected to the base machine and which is able to perform cutting, delimbing and transportation. This method is only meant to be used to harvest energy wood. It should be developed the crown cutting method for this device. The basic idea of this harvesting head is usable, but technical solutions of functions should be reconstructed. The `guillotine-cutting` is usable. The diameter of cut stem should be 250-300 mm. In the future we will try to develop a device, which is able to make also delimbing if needed. This head is proper for first thinning harvesting. (orig.)

Data of continuous harvest of stem cells via partial detachment from thermoresponsive nanobrush surfaces

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chin-Chen Yeh

2016-03-01

Full Text Available This data article contains two figures and one table supporting the research article entitled: “Continuous harvest of stem cells via partial detachment from thermoresponsive nanobrush surface” [1]. The table shows coating conditions of three copolymers, poly(styrene-co-acrylic acid grafted with oligovitronectin, poly(styrene-co-N-isopropylacrylamide and poly(styrene-co-polyethylene glycol methacrylate to prepare thermoresponsive surface. XPS spectra show the nitrogen peak of the polystyrene surface coated with poly(styrene-co-acrylic acid grafted with oligovitronectin. The surface coating density analyzed from sorption of poly(styrene-co-acrylic acid grafted with oligovitronectin by UV–vis spectroscopy is also presented.

Data of continuous harvest of stem cells via partial detachment from thermoresponsive nanobrush surfaces

Science.gov (United States)

Yeh, Chin-Chen; Muduli, Saradaprasan; Peng, I-Chia; Lu, Yi-Tung; Ling, Qing-Dong; Alarfaj, Abdullah A.; Munusamy, Murugan A.; Kumar, S. Suresh; Murugan, Kadarkarai; Chen, Da-Chung; Lee, Hsin-chung; Chang, Yung; Higuchi, Akon

2016-01-01

This data article contains two figures and one table supporting the research article entitled: “Continuous harvest of stem cells via partial detachment from thermoresponsive nanobrush surface” [1]. The table shows coating conditions of three copolymers, poly(styrene-co-acrylic acid) grafted with oligovitronectin, poly(styrene-co-N-isopropylacrylamide) and poly(styrene-co-polyethylene glycol methacrylate) to prepare thermoresponsive surface. XPS spectra show the nitrogen peak of the polystyrene surface coated with poly(styrene-co-acrylic acid) grafted with oligovitronectin. The surface coating density analyzed from sorption of poly(styrene-co-acrylic acid) grafted with oligovitronectin by UV–vis spectroscopy is also presented. PMID:26909373

Chondrocyte survival in osteochondral transplant cylinders depends on the harvesting technique.

Science.gov (United States)

Hafke, Benedikt; Petri, Maximilian; Suero, Eduardo; Neunaber, Claudia; Kwisda, Sebastian; Krettek, Christian; Jagodzinski, Michael; Omar, Mohamed

2016-07-01

In autologous osteochondral transplantation, the edges of the harvested plug are particularly susceptible to mechanical or thermal damage to the chondrocytes. We hypothesised that the applied harvesting device has an impact on chondrocyte vitality. Both knees of five blackhead sheep (ten knees) underwent open osteochondral plug harvesting with three different circular harvesting devices (osteoarticular transfer system harvester [OATS; diameter 8 mm; Arthrex, Munich, Germany], diamond cutter [DC; diameter 8.35 mm; Karl Storz, Tuttlingen, Germany] and hollow reamer with cutting crown [HRCC; diameter 7 mm; Dannoritzer, Tuttlingen, Germany]) from distinctly assigned anatomical sites of the knee joint. The rotary cutters (DC and HRCC) were either used with (+) or without cooling (-). Surgical cuts of the cartilage with a scalpel blade were chosen as control method. After cryotomy cutting, chondrocyte vitality was assessed using fluorescence microscopy and a Live/Dead assay. There were distinct patterns of chondrocyte vitality, with reproducible accumulations of dead chondrocytes along the harvesting edge. No statistical difference in chondrocyte survivorship was seen between the OATS technique and the control method, or between the HRCC+ technique and the control method (P > 0.05). The DC+, HRCC- and DC- techniques yielded significantly lower chondrocyte survival rates compared with the control method (P vitality.

Post-harvest decay in fresh-cut lettuce

Science.gov (United States)

Shelf-life of fresh-cut lettuce was assessed in two mapping population (Salinas 88 x La Brillante, and Pavane x Parade. The most significant QTL was detected in both populations on linkage group 4. This QTL was detected in seven experiments grown in different environments. Molecular markers are bein...

Load modeling for sharp V-cutter cutting litchi ( Litchi chinensis Sonn ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

harvesting. Cutting load is a key parameter for 'hand-held auto-picker' operation. However, there is still no suitable model for cutting load setting. Hence, a model describing the relationship among cutting load, blade angle and friction coefficient was developed for cutting operation by sharp V-cutters. The model was based ...

DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT OF SPECIAL CUTTING SYSTEM FOR SWEET SORGHUM HARVESTER

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

OMID GHAHRAE

2009-03-01

Full Text Available Sweet Sorghum is similar to racemose maize with about 3m height and 0.5-3cm thickness of stalk. Sweet Sorghum has sweet flavor stalk, which is used for sugar production. Developed cutting mechanism in this research has a rotary disk with 50 cm diameter and four cutting blades that spin clockwise. The stalks are cut with the impact and inertia forces at the linear velocity of 27 m/s, by cutting blades. This system has a simple bar mechanism guiding the whole-stalk to one side. The cutting quality tests were achieved by two series of blades with 30°and 45° blade angles on the stalk. The results showed that the stalk cutting surface with 30° blade angle was smooth and without fracture on filaments and vasculums, compared to that of 45° blade angle. Blade penetration was accomplished very well with 30° blade angle.

Cost, energy use and GHG emissions for forest biomass harvesting operations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, Fengli; Johnson, Dana M.; Wang, Jinjiang; Yu, Chunxia

2016-01-01

For forest-based biomass to become a significant contribution to the United States' energy portfolio, harvesting operations must be physically feasible and economically viable. An assessment of cost, energy and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of forest biomass harvesting was conducted. The assessment differentiates harvesting systems by cut-to-length and whole tree; harvest types of 30%, 70%, and 100% cut; and forest types of hardwoods, softwoods, mixed hardwood/softwood, and softwood plantations. Harvesting cost models were developed for economic assessment and life cycle energy and emission assessment was applied to calculate energy and emissions for different harvesting scenarios, considering material and energy inputs (machinery, diesel, etc.) and outputs (GHG emissions) for each harvesting process (felling, forwarding/skidding, etc.). The developed harvesting cost models and the life cycle energy and emission assessment method were applied in Michigan, U.S. using information collected from different sources. A sensitivity analysis was performed for selected input variables for the harvesting operations in order to explore their relative importance. The results indicated that productivity had the largest impact on harvesting cost followed by machinery purchase price, yearly scheduled hours, and expected utilization. Productivity and fuel use, as well as fuel factors, are the most influential environmental impacts of harvesting operations. - Highlights: • Life cycle energy and emissions for forest biomass harvesting operations. • Harvesting cost models were developed for economic assessment. • Productivity had the largest impact on harvesting cost. • Fuel use contributes the most emissions while lubricants contribute the least.

Logging Damage to Residual Trees Following Partial Cutting in a Green Ash-Sugarberry Stand in the Mississippi Delta

Science.gov (United States)

James S. Meadows

1993-01-01

Partial cutting in bottomland hardwoods to control stand density and species composition sometimes results in logging damage to the lower bole and/or roots of residual trees. If severe, logging damage may lead to a decline in tree vigor, which may subsequently stimulate the production of epicormic branches, causing a decrease in bole quality and an eventual loss in...

77 FR 71825 - Notice of Temporary Restriction of Vehicle Use and Temporary Closure to Tree Cutting and Wood...

Science.gov (United States)

2012-12-04

... to Tree Cutting and Wood Harvesting on Public Land in Douglas County, NV AGENCY: Bureau of Land... a temporary closure to wood harvesting and/or tree cutting on public land within the Topaz Ranch... temporary restriction of cross-country vehicle travel and a temporary closure to tree cutting and wood...

Forest harvesting systems friendly to the environment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Waesterlund, I [Swedish Univ. of Agricultural Sciences, Garpenberg (Sweden); Hassan, A E [North Carolina State Univ. Col. of Forest Resources, Raleigh, NC (United States)

1995-09-01

The trend in forestry practices today in Europe and U.S.A. in general and Scandinavian countries in particular, is towards adapting systems based on landscape planning. Thus common harvesting equipment available on the market will have to be replaced to meet these tough demands. Environmentalists recommend that wood fiber should be harvested either by selection cutting or commercial thinning thus leaving the site undisturbed with no sign of machine traffic. This mandate will preserve ground water quality and assist in soil conservation. However, to meet the pulp and paper as well as saw mill industries demand for wood from this method of cutting (selection or commercial thinning), requires a thorough examination of our harvesting systems and techniques. This paper will discuss present and future machines that are friendly to the environment. Hypothetical designs and improvements of existing machine systems will be addressed and recommendations will be made for future research activities. 75 refs, 8 figs, 1 tab

Forest harvesting systems friendly to the environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Waesterlund, I.; Hassan, A.E.

1995-01-01

The trend in forestry practices today in Europe and U.S.A. in general and Scandinavian countries in particular, is towards adapting systems based on landscape planning. Thus common harvesting equipment available on the market will have to be replaced to meet these tough demands. Environmentalists recommend that wood fiber should be harvested either by selection cutting or commercial thinning thus leaving the site undisturbed with no sign of machine traffic. This mandate will preserve ground water quality and assist in soil conservation. However, to meet the pulp and paper as well as saw mill industries demand for wood from this method of cutting (selection or commercial thinning), requires a thorough examination of our harvesting systems and techniques. This paper will discuss present and future machines that are friendly to the environment. Hypothetical designs and improvements of existing machine systems will be addressed and recommendations will be made for future research activities. 75 refs, 8 figs, 1 tab

Diameter sensors for tree-length harvesting systems

Science.gov (United States)

T.P. McDonald; Robert B. Rummer; T.E. Grift

2003-01-01

Most cut-to-length (CTL) harvesters provide sensors for measuring diameter of trees as they are cut and processed. Among other uses, this capability provides a data collection tool for marketing of logs in real time. Logs can be sorted and stacked based on up-to-date market information, then transportation systems optimized to route wood to proper destinations at...

Effect of Mowing Cotton Stalks and Preventing Plant Re-Growth on Post-Harvest Reproduction of Meloidogyne incognita

Science.gov (United States)

Davis, Richard F.; Kemerait, Robert C.

2010-01-01

The southern root-knot nematode (Meloidogyne incognita) is a major parasite of cotton in the U.S., and management tactics for this nematode attempt to minimize population levels. We compared three post-harvest practices for their ability to reduce nematode population levels in the field, thereby reducing initial nematode population for the next year's crop. The three practices tested were: 1) chemical defoliation before harvest plus cutting cotton stalks after harvest, 2) chemical defoliation plus applying a herbicide to kill plants prior to cutting the stalks, and 3) chemical defoliation without cutting stalks. Experiments were conducted in both the greenhouse and in the field. The greenhouse experiments demonstrated that M. incognita reproduction (measured as egg counts and root gall rating indices) was significantly greater when stalks were not cut. Cutting stalks plus applying herbicide to kill cotton roots did not significantly reduce nematode reproduction compared to cutting stalks alone. In field experiments, cutting stalks reduced egg populations and root galling compared to defoliation without stalk cutting. In a greenhouse bioassay which used soil from the field plots, plants grown in soil from the defoliation only treatment had greater root gall ratings and egg counts than in the stalk cutting plus herbicide treatment. Therefore, we conclude that cutting cotton stalks immediately after harvest effectively reduces M. incognita reproduction, and may lead to a lower initial population density of this nematode in the following year. PMID:22736845

A modified airfoil-based piezoaeroelastic energy harvester with double plunge degrees of freedom

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yining Wu

2016-09-01

Full Text Available In this letter, a piezoaeroelastic energy harvester based on an airfoil with double plunge degrees of freedom is proposed to additionally take advantage of the vibrational energy of the airfoil pitch motion. An analytical model of the proposed energy harvesting system is built and compared with an equivalent model using the well-explored pitch-plunge configuration. The dynamic response and average power output of the harvester are numerically studied as the flow velocity exceeds the cut-in speed (flutter speed. It is found that the harvester with double-plunge configuration generates 4%–10% more power with varying flow velocities while reducing 6% of the cut-in speed than its counterpart.

Pine Harvest Impact on Soil Structure of a Dystric Cambisol (Humic

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Adriano da Costa

2016-01-01

Full Text Available ABSTRACT Traffic of heavy machinery at harvest and log extraction causes structural degradation of the soil, but studies on the effects of forest harvesting on soils with high organic matter content and exchangeable Al are scarce. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of mechanized forest harvesting operations on a Dystric Cambisol (Humic with high organic matter (more 50 g kg1 content and exchangeable Al (more 6,0 cmolc kg-1, reforested with Pinus taeda L. The evaluated harvesting system were the whole-tree, in which the feller-buncher cuts and lays the trees down in bundles; the skidder drags the tree bundles up near a road; and the harvester delimbs and cuts the trees into short logs, stacking them on the roadside to be loaded onto trucks. The areas were evaluated for soil conditions at pre-harvest, prior to harvest, and at post-harvest, consisting of areas of low disturbance, high disturbance, forest residues and log yards. The effects of compaction after forest harvesting are observed by the decrease in total porosity (especially biopores and macropores, soil saturated hydraulic conductivity, and stability of aggregates. After forest harvesting, soil compaction was observed in all evaluated situations, but with different depths depending on operation type and the intensity of traffic carried in each area.

STUDY REGARDING THE OPERATING SPEED OF FORAGE HARVESTING MACHINERY IN ORDER TO OPTIMIZE THE WORKING CAPACITY AND FUEL CONSUME

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V. MOISE

2007-10-01

Full Text Available The efficiency of forage production machinery system is partially reflected in someclassical economical indices, because the real efficiency of mechanical tillageutilization at forage harvesting and preparation must be reflected in the foragequality increasing and feed superior valorization by the farm livestock. An area of7.8 alfalfa ha was harvested with U-650M tractor and ROTO 165 rotary mower andwith U-650M tractor and Zakaz rotary mower at different speeds in field work.Average values of the speed in parcel work, work effective capacity, work capacityduring shift, specific work capacity on cutter width, fuel consume per land unit, andspecific fuel consume per mass unit were determined for each speed in field work.Power matching between the tractor and the mower do not always meet therequirements when forming harvesting mechanized systems. Classical mowers withcommon cutting units do not sufficiently load the U-650M tractor existing inmany Romanian farms, which determines an unfavorable functioning regime ofthe tractor engine correlated with increased fuel consumes.

The Effect of Plant Cultivar, Growth Media, Harvest Method and Post Harvest Treatment on the Microbiology of Edible Crops

Science.gov (United States)

Hummerick, Mary P.; Gates, Justin R.; Nguyen, Bao-Thang; Massa, Gioia D.; Wheeler, Raymond M.

2011-01-01

Systems for the growth of crops in closed environments are being developed and tested for potential use in space applications to provide a source of fresh food. Plant growth conditions, growth media composition and harvest methods can have an effect on the microbial population of the plant, and therefore should be considered along with the optimization of plant growth and harvest yields to ensure a safe and palatable food crop. This work examines the effect of plant cultivar, growth media, and harvest method on plant microbial populations. Twelve varieties of leafy greens and herbs were grown on a mixture of Fafard #2 and Arcillite in the pillow root containment system currently being considered for the VEGGIE plant growth unit developed by Orbitec. In addition, ,Sierra and Outredgeous lettuce varieties were grown in three different mixtures (Fafard #2, Ardllite, and Perlite/Vermiculite). The plants were analyzed for microbial density. Two harvest methods, "cut and come again" (CACA) and terminal harvest were also compared. In one set ofexpe'riments red leaf lettuce and mizuna were grown in pots in a Biomass Production System for education. Plants were harvested every two weeks by either method. Another set of experiments was performed using the rooting pillows to grow 5 varieties of leafy greens and cut harvesting at different intervals. Radishes were harvested and replanted at two-week intervals. Results indicate up to a 3 IOglO difference in microbial counts between some varieties of plants. Rooting medium resulted in an approximately 2 IOglO lower count in the lettuce grown in arscillite then those grown in the other mixtures. Harvest method and frequency had less impact on microbial counts only showing a significant increase in one variety of plant. Post harvest methods to decrease the bacterial counts on edible crops were investigated in these and other experiments. The effectiveness of PRO-SAN and UV-C radiation is compared.

Long-term effects of clear-cutting and selective cutting on soil methane fluxes in a temperate spruce forest in southern Germany

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wu Xing; Brueggemann, Nicolas; Gasche, Rainer; Papen, Hans; Willibald, Georg; Butterbach-Bahl, Klaus

2011-01-01

Based on multi-year measurements of CH 4 exchange in sub-daily resolution we show that clear-cutting of a forest in Southern Germany increased soil temperature and moisture and decreased CH 4 uptake. CH 4 uptake in the first year after clear-cutting (-4.5 ± 0.2 μg C m -2 h -1 ) was three times lower than during the pre-harvest period (-14.2 ± 1.3 μg C m -2 h -1 ). In contrast, selective cutting did not significantly reduce CH 4 uptake. Annual mean uptake rates were -1.18 kg C ha -1 yr -1 (spruce control), -1.16 kg C ha -1 yr -1 (selective cut site) and -0.44 kg C ha -1 yr -1 (clear-cut site), respectively. Substantial seasonal and inter-annual variations in CH 4 fluxes were observed as a result of significant variability of weather conditions, demonstrating the need for long-term measurements. Our findings imply that a stepwise selective cutting instead of clear-cutting may contribute to mitigating global warming by maintaining a high CH 4 uptake capacity of the soil. - Highlights: → Long-term, sub-daily measurements of CH 4 exchange at differently managed forest sites. → Inter-annual variability in CH 4 uptake is affected by annual precipitation. → Clear-cutting reduces the CH 4 sink strength of forest soils, whereas thinning has no significant effect. → Sink strength changes due to clear cutting are long-term and were still present approx. nine years following forest harvest. - Forest management affects the soil CH 4 sink strength, with clear-cutting reducing uptake rates for at least eight years.

Multimodal piezoelectric devices optimization for energy harvesting

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G Acciani

2016-09-01

Full Text Available The use of the piezoelectric effect to convert ambient vibration into useful electrical energy constitutes one of the most studied areas in Energy Harvesting (EH research. This paper presents a typical cantilevered Energy Harvester device, which relates the electrical outputs to the vibration mode shape easily. The dynamic strain induced in the piezoceramic layer results in an alternating voltage output. The first six modes of frequencies and the deformation pattern of the beam are carried out basing on an eigenfrequency analysis conducted by the MEMS modules of the COMSOL Multiphysic® v3.5a to perform the Finite Element Analysis of the model. Subsequently, the piezoelectric material is cut around the inflection points to minimize the voltage cancellation effect occurring when the sign changes in the material. This study shows that the voltage produced by the device, increases in as the dimensions of the cuts vary in the piezoelectric layer. Such voltage reaches the optimum amount of piezoelectric material and cuts positioning. This proves that the optimized piezoelectric layer is 16% more efficient than the whole piezoelectric layer.

Design and development of an Integrated Slasher (Pulverizer) for Sweet Potato Harvester: A Review

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kakahy, Amer N N; Ahmad, D; Akhir, M D; Ishak, A; Sulaiman, S

2012-01-01

In this study information on the development of combined sweet potato harvester is presented. The study focuses on the design, manufacture and choice of the best slasher for cutting and fragmentation of stems and leaves (vegetative portion) for the crop to facilitate the process of harvesting and extraction of tubers. A survey on various types and forms of cutters (mowers) and knives normally used for cutting vines and leaves was conducted and concluded that the vertical type and flail type mowers are the most effective in removing of the vegetative growth. In addition there is a need to design an integrated harvester, which combines both the cutting and digging in a single pass in order to reduce the time taken for harvesting, the fuel consumption and the number of machines used since this will give some economical advantages. In addition to the design requirements, it is recommended that number of tests should be conducted to select the suitable speed for the tractor, the velocity for cutters and the length of knives for both sides of the ridges to avoid damage to the tubers.

Nonlinear analysis and characteristics of inductive galloping energy harvesters

Science.gov (United States)

Dai, H. L.; Yang, Y. W.; Abdelkefi, A.; Wang, L.

2018-06-01

This paper presents an investigation on analysis and characteristics of aerodynamic electromagnetic energy harvesters. The source of aeroelastic oscillations results from galloping of a prismatic structure. A nonlinear distributed-parameter model is developed representing the dynamics of the transverse degree of freedom and the electric current induced in the coil. Firstly, we perform a linear analysis to study the impacts of the external electrical resistance, magnet placement, electromagnetic coupling coefficient, and internal resistance in the coil on the cut-in speed of instability of the coupled electroaeroelastic system. It is demonstrated that these parameters have significant impacts on cut-in speed of instability of the harvester system. Subsequently, a nonlinear analysis is implemented to explore the influences of these parameters on the output property of the energy harvester. The results show that there exists an optimal external electrical resistance which maximizes the output power of the harvester, and this optimal value varies with the magnet's placement, wind speed, electromagnetic coupling coefficient and internal resistance of the coil. It is also demonstrated that an increase in the distance between the clamped end and the magnet, an increase in the electromagnetic coupling coefficient, and/or a decrease in the internal resistance of the coil are accompanied by an increase in the level of the harvested power and a decrease in the tip displacement of the bluff body which is associated with a resistive-shunt damping effect in the harvester. The implemented studies give a constructive guidance to design and enhance the output performance of aerodynamic electromagnetic energy harvesters.

First rotation Eucalyptus macarthurii cut stump control in KwaZulu ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Many cold tolerant eucalypts, E. macarthurii in particular, coppice vigorously following harvesting, and in contrast to E. grandis are proving difficult to kill by existing cut stump control methods. Based on past research, selected cut stump treatments were tested on single stem E. macarthurii trees, that had not been coppiced, ...

Avaliação do desempenho de dispositivo de corte de base de colhedora de cana-de-açúcar Evaluation of the performance of a base cutting device of a sugar cane harvester

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José V. Salvi

2007-04-01

Full Text Available A utilização da colheita mecanizada na cana-de-açúcar faz surgir preocupações quanto à qualidade do corte e à perda de matéria-prima; para minimizar esses problemas, os fabricantes de colhedoras têm desenvolvido dispositivos para auxiliar o operador no controle da altura de corte. Em vista disso, o objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o desempenho qualitativo de um dispositivo semi-automático de controle de altura de corte basal, instalado em uma colhedora de cana picada. Analisou-se em duas situações, com e sem o uso do dispositivo, a variabilidade da altura de corte, tocos arrancados e impureza mineral, por meio de estatística descritiva. Para as condições analisadas, o corte de base não está sob controle estatístico, não sendo possível manter a altura de corte determinada pela usina. O uso do dispositivo pode ser útil para a manutenção de altura de corte menor, mas é influenciado pelo estado do canavial e não mostrou vantagens quanto à impureza mineral; no entanto, apresentou menor freqüência de tocos arrancados. Existem diferenças na altura do toco e na impureza mineral quando se considera o período de trabalho (manhã/tarde.The use of mechanized harvesting in sugar cane brings up some concerns related to cut quality and raw material losses. In order to minimize this problem, harvester producers have developed devices that help the operator to control the cutting height. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the performance of a semi-automatic cutting control device at the base, fitted onto a chopped sugar cane harvester. The variability of the cutting height, removed stems' base and mineral impurities were analyzed. Under the studied conditions, the height of the base cut, with or without the use of the control device is not under statistical control, and the process can not meet the cutting height specification determined by the sugar mill. The use of the control device can be helpful to maintain a lower cutting

Tree Diamter Effects on Cost and Productivity of Cut-to-Length Systems

Science.gov (United States)

Matthew A. Holtzscher; Bobby L. Lanford

1997-01-01

Currently, there is a lack of economic information concerning cut-to-length harvesting systems. This study examined and measured the different costs of operating cut-to-length logging equipment over a range of average stand diameters at breast height. Three different cut-to-length logging systems were examined in this study. Systems included: 1) felier-buncher/manual/...

Impact of harvesting time on ultimate methane yield of switchgrass grown in eastern Canada

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gilbert, Y.; Masse, D. [Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Sherbrooke, PQ (Canada). Dairy and Swine Research and Development Centre; Savoie, P.; Belanger, G.; Parent, G. [Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Quebec City, PQ (Canada). Soils and Crops Research and Development Centre; Babineau, D.L. [Groupe EBI, Berthierville, PQ (Canada)

2010-07-01

European research in green energy production from crops has resulted in the development of full scale bioreactors that use energy crops as feedstock. Switchgrass has been touted as one of the most promising crops for energy production among several perennial grass species grown under moderate to hot climates. However, few studies have been conducted in colder climate conditions. This study examined the mesophilic methane yield of switchgrass grown under the cooler growing conditions that exist in northeastern North America. In 2007, switchgrass was harvested in late July, August and September and conserved as silage. The regrowth of plots harvested in late July was also harvested in late September as a two-cut strategy. A 30 L small-scale laboratory digester was used to anaerobically digest the switchgrass silage samples. Specific methane yield decreased considerably with advancing plant development, but was similar between the first harvest in late July and the regrowth in late September. Nearly 25 per cent more methane could be produced by hectare for the two-cut strategy compared to harvesting once in late August. It was concluded that additional studies are needed to determine the effect of cutting times and strategies on the long term yield of switchgrass and to establish the production cost of this renewable energy.

Ergonomic evaluation and comparison of wood harvesting systems in Northwest Russia.

Science.gov (United States)

Gerasimov, Yuri; Sokolov, Anton

2014-03-01

A comparison of 14 currently applicable wood harvesting systems was assessed with respect to ergonomic point of view. For this purpose, the research method, based on the Hodges-Lehmann rule and the integrated work-severity rate of single machinery, was developed for ergonomic evaluation of cut-to-length, tree-length and full-tree harvesting systems. Altogether, about 130 different parameters of 36 units of equipment that impact on the ergonomics and work conditions were measured and estimated in interviews undertaken directly at forestry harvesting workplaces in 15 logging companies in the Republic of Karelia, Northwest Russia. Then the results were compared to the effective norms, and the degree of compliance with the stipulated values was determined. The estimates obtained for the degree of compliance were combined. This permits a direct comparison of the workload on forestry harvesting workers such as operators, lumberjacks and choker setters. In many respects, the current ergonomic standard is standard, except for the operators of cable skidders, chainsaws and choker settings. Visibility and work postures were considered to be the most critical features influencing the operator's performance. Problems still exist, despite the extensive development of cabs. The best working conditions in terms of harvesting systems were provided by "harvester + forwarder" in cut-to-length harvesting, and "feller-buncher + grapple skidder" in full-tree harvesting. The motor-manual tree-length harvesting performed with cable skidders showed the worst results in terms of ergonomics. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd and The Ergonomics Society. All rights reserved.

Effect of growth conditions on post harvest rehydration ability of cut chrysanthemum flowers

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Meeteren, van U.; Gelder, van H.; Ieperen, van W.

2005-01-01

Different batches of cut chrysanthemum flowers showed substantial variability in restoring their fresh weight after a moderate water loss. Cutting height strongly affected the rehydration ability of cut flowers, and the hydraulic conductance of the stem and its restoration after air aspiration.

Natural seedlings and sprouts after regeneration cuttings in old-growth redwood

Science.gov (United States)

Kenneth N. Boe

1975-01-01

Natural regeneration of harvested old-growth stands of redwood (Sequoia sempervirens) is one way to start a new forest that is needed quickly for continuous timber production. Natural seedlings and sprouts developing after stands were cut were studied on the Redwood Experimental Forest, northern California. Three types of regeneration cuttings were...

Development project of contraction, semi-contraction and owner`s-line firewood harvesting; Urakointi-, puoliurakointi- ja isaennaenlinjan polttopuunkorjuun kehittaemisprojekti

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Reponen, K [Tume Oy, Muurame (Finland)

1997-12-31

The objective of the project was to develop a chopwood production method, in which the long length trees are felled, delimbed, cut and if necessary also chopped within the same processing stage. If the conditions so require, the chain has to be possible to change so, that cutting and chopping of stems are centralized and made in the same place, as done usually. A part of the project was focused on transportation and storage of chopwood at drying and utilization site. Available methods and equipment were surveyed in the beginning of the project. The machine and equipment needs of the project were listed. Following machines and equipment were needed: a grapple-loader, a forest trailer, a firewood harvester, a chopwood harvester, and drying, transportation and storage containers. The grapple-loader was designed, constructed in 1994, and testing started at the end of 1994. Testing of the loader continued in 1995. The chopwood harvester, based either on squeeze-cutting or spiral cutting, were tested and appeared to be operational. The operation of the chopwood harvester is based on pulsed feeding. The operation of the harvester can be changed, if needed, to suit for felling of the stem and delimbing, or a device cutting the stems into desired length or a splitting device can be mounted to it. The implementation of the pulsed feeding and delimbing are made traditionally. The construction of the pulsed chopwood harvester was done by a forest owner/inventor entrepreneur. The prototype was ready for testing in summer 1995. Felling and delimbing tests were started immediately. Splitting action has not been constructed yet. Drying/transportation/storage contained will be constructed later

Development project of contraction, semi-contraction and owner`s-line firewood harvesting; Urakointi-, puoliurakointi- ja isaennaenlinjan polttopuunkorjuun kehittaemisprojekti

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Reponen, K. [Tume Oy, Muurame (Finland)

1996-12-31

The objective of the project was to develop a chopwood production method, in which the long length trees are felled, delimbed, cut and if necessary also chopped within the same processing stage. If the conditions so require, the chain has to be possible to change so, that cutting and chopping of stems are centralized and made in the same place, as done usually. A part of the project was focused on transportation and storage of chopwood at drying and utilization site. Available methods and equipment were surveyed in the beginning of the project. The machine and equipment needs of the project were listed. Following machines and equipment were needed: a grapple-loader, a forest trailer, a firewood harvester, a chopwood harvester, and drying, transportation and storage containers. The grapple-loader was designed, constructed in 1994, and testing started at the end of 1994. Testing of the loader continued in 1995. The chopwood harvester, based either on squeeze-cutting or spiral cutting, were tested and appeared to be operational. The operation of the chopwood harvester is based on pulsed feeding. The operation of the harvester can be changed, if needed, to suit for felling of the stem and delimbing, or a device cutting the stems into desired length or a splitting device can be mounted to it. The implementation of the pulsed feeding and delimbing are made traditionally. The construction of the pulsed chopwood harvester was done by a forest owner/inventor entrepreneur. The prototype was ready for testing in summer 1995. Felling and delimbing tests were started immediately. Splitting action has not been constructed yet. Drying/transportation/storage contained will be constructed later

TOC and TRIZ: using a dual-methodological approach to solve a forest harvesting problem

Science.gov (United States)

Ian Conradie

2005-01-01

Although cut-to-length forest harvesting with harvesters and forwarders is hardly used in some parts of the world, it has many advantages over conventional harvesting systems. Research has shown that the core reason for the low adoption of CTL in the southeastern USA is the complexity of the equipment to optimize value recovery. In this paper we delve deeper into this...

Radial Growth Response of Black Spruce Stands Ten Years after Experimental Shelterwoods and Seed-Tree Cuttings in Boreal Forest

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Miguel Montoro Girona

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Partial cutting is thought to be an alternative to achieve sustainable management in boreal forests. However, the effects of intermediate harvest intensity (45%–80% on growth remain unknown in black spruce (Picea mariana (Mill. B.S.P. stands, one of the most widely distributed boreal species with great commercial interest. In this study, we analysed the effect of three experimental shelterwood and one seed-tree treatments on tree radial growth in even-aged black spruce stands, 10 years after intervention. Our results show that radial growth response 8–10 years after cutting was 41% to 62% higher than in untreated plots, with stand structure, treatment, tree position relative to skidding trails, growth before cutting and time having significant interactions. The stand structure conditioned tree growth after cutting, being doubled in younger and denser stands. Tree spatial position had a pronounced effect on radial growth; trees at the edge of the skidding trails showed twice the increase in growth compared to interior trees. Dominant trees before cutting located close to the skidding trails manifested the highest growth response after cutting. This research suggests that the studied treatments are effective to enhance radial wood production of black spruce especially in younger stands, and that the edge effect must be considered in silvicultural management planning.

Physical and Mechanical Properties of Palm Oil Frond and Stem Bunch for Developing Pruner and Harvester Machinery Design

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Yazid Ismi Intara

2013-06-01

Full Text Available A development of oil palm pruner and harvester machinery design implemented in the field still faces a problem due to the lack of effective and efficient design which is need to be solved. It was noted that in order to develop the design, an early data and information of physical and mechanical properties of palm oil frond and stem fruits is critically important. The objective of the research was to obtain the physical and mechanical properties of palm oil frond and stem in order to develop the design of pruner and harvester machinery. The result showed that tool machinery was been advantageous by the physical properties of the plant i.e. the total weight of frond and leaf which enable to support the cutting process. The average of total weight of frond and leaf was 16.8 kg. The diagonal cutting trajectory was been more advantageous because of total weight and frond shape toward to the different of the plant tissue area. The measurement result shows that cutting curve follows the time required for cutting. The comparison among cutting curve shows differences in cutting thickness or length. In this case, the thickness is linear with cutting time. Besides, those curves show differences at the height which determine the maximum value of tested material cutting resistance. Alternative solution for machinery development design is pruner-harvester for height plant below 6 m and among 6 to 12 m. For below 6 m, pruner-harvester was designed by incorporating motor as power source and cutter-disc as the knife cutter. That condition was relied on that estate which was maintenance intensively commonly used cutter-disc. Pruner-harvester above 6 m and up to 12 m was improved based on manual egrek-designed by adding fresh fruit bunch alley supply glide in order to keep the fruits still in intact form. The consideration was based on affectivity and efficiency. It also considers homogenous ecological of palm oil plant which should be maintained to reduce global

Processes and xylem anatomical properties involved in rehydration dynamics of cut flowers

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Meeteren, van U.; Ieperen, van W.; Nijsse, J.; Scheenen, T.W.J.; As, van H.; Keijzer, C.J.

2001-01-01

In cut flowers, which are harvested in air and transported dry, all cut xylem vessels in the basal part of the stem contain air instead of water. These air-emboli initially block water transport at the start of vase life, but usually (partly) disappear during the first hours of vase life, resulting

Effects of cutting height and maturity on the nutritive value of corn silage for lactating cows.

Science.gov (United States)

Neylon, J M; Kung, L

2003-06-01

We studied the effect of increasing the cutting height of whole-plant corn at the time of harvest from 12.7 (NC) to 45.7 (HC) cm on yield and nutritive value of silage for dairy cows. Three leafy corn silage hybrids were harvested at NC and HC at about 34% dry matter (E) and 41% DM (L) and ensiled in laboratory silos. Increasing the height of cutting lowered yields of harvested DM/ha. In addition, the concentrations of DM and starch were higher but the concentrations of lactic acid, crude protein, neutral detergent fiber (NDF), and acid detergent fiber were lower in HC than in NC. The concentration of acid detergent lignin was also lower in HC, but only in corn harvested at E. In vitro digestion (30 h) of NDF was greater in HC (50.7%) than NC (48.3%). Calculated yield of milk per tonne of forage DM was greater for HC than for NC at E but not at L. In a lactation experiment, increasing the height of cutting of another leafy corn silage hybrid, TMF29400, in general also resulted in similar changes in nutrient composition as just described. When fed to lactating dairy cows, HC corn silage resulted in tendencies for greater NDF digestion in the total tract, higher milk production and improved feed efficiency, but there were no differences in 3.5% fat corrected milk between treatments. Results of this study suggest that increasing the cutting height of whole plant corn at harvest can improve the nutritive value of corn silage for lactating dairy cows.

CRITICAL INDICATORS IN MECHANIZED HARVEST GRAINS AND FIBER

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

E. Boeing

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Due to the growth in grain production and intensification of production systems losses are inevitable. The harvest as the last operation performed in the field requires better attention. Although the origins are varied and losses occur both before and during harvesting, approximately 80% of them occur by mechanisms of action of the harvester cutting platform. It is necessary to know the causes of losses, whether physical or physiological operational. Thus, the objective was to conduct a survey of potential losses and / or environmental factors that affect machinery and effectively and should be prioritized in a management program in order to raise the efficiency of harvesting. From the collected data determined if the potential of critical failures through the method of analysis and failure mode effects, using a questionnaire listed with the selected quality indicators. It was concluded that in the mechanical harvesting of cotton harvested product loss and impurity had insusceptible rates be prioritized goals in the management of the production process. While the grain crop (soybean / corn moisture grain and grain breaks are still the main causes in the loss of quality of the product, stressing the importance of harvesters in improving the characteristics at harvest in order to minimize qualitative grain losses.

Genetic consequences of selection cutting on sugar maple (Acer saccharum Marshall).

Science.gov (United States)

Graignic, Noémie; Tremblay, Francine; Bergeron, Yves

2016-07-01

Selection cutting is a treatment that emulates tree-by-tree replacement for forests with uneven-age structures. It creates small openings in large areas and often generates a more homogenous forest structure (fewer large leaving trees and defective trees) that differs from old-growth forest. In this study, we evaluated whether this type of harvesting has an impact on genetic diversity of sugar maple (Acer saccharum Marshall). Genetic diversity among seedlings, saplings, and mature trees was compared between selection cut and old-growth forest stands in Québec, Canada. We found higher observed heterozygosity and a lower inbreeding coefficient in mature trees than in younger regeneration cohorts of both forest types. We detected a recent bottleneck in all stands undergoing selection cutting. Other genetic indices of diversity (allelic richness, observed and expected heterozygosity, and rare alleles) were similar between forest types. We concluded that the effect of selection cutting on the genetic diversity of sugar maple was recent and no evidence of genetic erosion was detectable in Québec stands after one harvest. However, the cumulative effect of recurring applications of selection cutting in bottlenecked stands could lead to fixation of deleterious alleles, and this highlights the need for adopting better forest management practices.

Innovative Prototype for Separate Harvesting of Cynara Cardunculus Achenes and Stalks

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pari, L.; Fedrizzi, M.; Pansini, L. (Consiglio per la Ricerca e la Sperimentazione in Agricoltura, Unita di Ricerca per l' Ingegneria Agraria, Monterotondo, RM (Italy))

2008-10-15

The CRA-ING took part to the Cynara cardunculus harvesting tests organized in Spain in 2007, where UPM has experimental cultivations in the Instituto Madrileno de Investigacion y Desarrollo Rural, Agrario y Alimentario (IMIDRA) de la Consejeria de Economia y Innovacion Tecnologica de la Comunidad de Madrid in El Encin, near Alcala De Henarez. The harvesting tests were carried out in week 33 (August 13th-17th); the cultivation was found part in good condition of maturity, part still not ready for harvesting. The test was carried out on the dried part of the crops. The tests aimed at evaluating a new mechanical equipment (head) working connected to a selfpropelled combine for separated harvesting of the different fractions obtainable by the cultivation assigned to different transformation: oil extraction from seeds and energy production from epigeous biomass combustion. During the tests carried out in 2006 in Portugal and Spain, it was observed how a combine harvester with a maize head was able to separate the seed with good accuracy. Likewise the difficulty of collecting the lignocellulosic fraction after its passage was highlighted. A combine with a wheat head could cut the stalk in an appropriate height range, but could not separate the head from the stalk. A sunflower head cut the capitula, but not the stalk. The project concept, supplied to a Firm that already builds heads for maize, wheat, sunflowers, soybean and so on, included the upper devices of a maize head and a classic wheat head (without the paddle wheel) in the lower part, to obtain capitula detachment and effective threshing and, at the same time, the stalk cut. Some modifications were specified to allow the cut of the stalk next to the ground and its successive tier in the space between the front wheels, where the discharge system of the threshing device would then provide to drop the remains of the capitula threshing. The basic concept of the machine, to separate and thresh the capitula and to drop

Practicing uneven age management: does it pay? Some economic considerations

Science.gov (United States)

Gary W. Miller

1991-01-01

Unevenage silvicultural practices can be used to regenerate and manage many eastern hardwood stands. Single-tree cutting methods are feasible in stands where a desirable shade tolerant commercial species can be regenerated following periodic harvests. A variety of partial harvest practices, including single-tree selection and diameterlimit cutting have been used for 30...

Supply Chain Planning for a Timber Harvesting Plus Sale Tender

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Josef Holoubek

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Since 2010, the Czech State Forest Enterprise has been inviting timber-harvesting tenders while insisting on the forestry company purchasing the timber from the felled trees as well. To win, a tender must offer the greatest difference between the price of the timber purchased and the cost of the operations. Thus, the forest companies are now facing new problem: apart from minimizing the logging costs they are searching for a cross-cutting and mill-distribution strategy that maximizes the selling price of the harvested timber. The optimization model devised by the present paper provides support for finding an optimal timber selling strategy and, as an important contribution, include a detailed plan for cross-cutting the logs and assign them to the particular customers. We keep the support accessible via common office software and the cross-cutting and customer-assigning problem is formulated as a linear programming model for EXCEL, a particular real-world problem is solved and, using expert comparison, the model appears to provide very good results.

Digestibility, chemical compound and protein quality of amaranthus forage at two harvested cut

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

pooria ehsani

2016-04-01

technique for the in vitro digestion of forage crops (32. In a completely randomized experiment with factorial arrangement (2×2 the digestibility, chemical compound and protein quality of two varieties of amaranthus including: Kharkof (K, A. Spp.(S. which were planted as forage crops and harvested at two cuts, were studied. Data were subjected to analysis using the GLM procedure of SAS (26, using the statistical model: Yijk = µ + Vi + Dj + Vi Dj + eijk Results and Discussion Results of in vitro two stage digestibility (IVD for DM, OM and DOMD were 60.19, 58.16 and 49.09, respectively which were significantly (p>0.05 affected by cultivars and interaction between cultivars and cuts. Results indicated that the means of CP, ASH, NDF, ADF,ADL, NDIN, ADIN, Ca, P, Mg, and K were 14.72, 15.44, 40.85, 27.90,5.07,21.76,6.60, 1.55, 0.25, 0.28, 1.48, percent; respectively. Plant maturity was found to affect neutral detergent fiber (NDF, acid detergent fiber (ADF, lignin, CP and nitrate content of amaranth forage. Amaranth contains a high ash content due to its C4 metabolism and a very high carbon uptake per unit area (29. This high ash is in agreement with other researchers (1, 21 .Our amaranth accession had higher NDF (27 and lower ADF (22, 23 in comparison to A. Hypochondriacus reported by other researchers. Lignin content in amaranth is less than that reported by other researchers (27. With increased plant maturity, fraction B1 decreased, probably due to an increase in cell wall bound N (16. Researchers observed that Similar results in CP fraction of amaranthus hypochoderyacus (21(. We observed that a negative relationship between NDF and fraction B1. There was a tendency for fraction B2 to increase with advancing maturity, similar to other researchers (21. At the second harvest, fraction B3 was higher than that at first harvest, similar to reserchers with amaranthus hypochondriacus (1. Different changes in NDF concentration of plant parts with maturity may explain the

Variability after 15 Years of Vegetation Recovery in Natural Secondary Forest with Timber Harvesting at Different Intensities in Southeastern China: Community Diversity and Stability

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhilong Wu

2018-01-01

Full Text Available The mixed Cunninghamia lanceolata (Lamb. Hook., Pinus massoniana Lamb., and hardwood forest in southeastern China is a major assemblage in natural secondary forests, and of national and international importance in terms of both timber and ecosystem services. However, over-harvesting has threatened its long-term sustainability, and there is a knowledge gap relating to the effect of harvesting on the ecosystem. After conifer species were selected for harvesting, the mixed Chinese fir, pine, and hardwood forest was changed into mixed evergreen broadleaf forest. In this context, we observed the restoration dynamics of plant communities over a period of 15 years (1996 to 2011 with different levels of harvesting intensity, including selective harvesting at low (13.0% removal of growing stock volume, medium (29.1%, high (45.8%, and extra-high (67.1% intensities, as well as clear-cut harvesting (100.0%, with non-harvesting as the control, based on permanent sample plots established in a randomized block design in these forests in southeastern China. The impact on the richness, diversity, and evenness of plant species derived from descriptive statistical analyses was shown to initially increase, and then decrease, with an increase in harvesting intensity. The most critical impacts were on the richness, diversity, and evenness of shrub and herb species. Richness, diversity, and evenness of plant species recovered and increased under selective harvesting at low and medium intensities, while these parameters had not recovered and significantly decreased under selective harvesting at high and extra-high intensities, as well as with clear-cut harvesting. The impact on the plant community stability was derived from the stability test method of the improved Godron M. The plant community stability was closest to the point of stability (20/80 under selective harvesting at medium intensity, followed by selective harvesting at low intensity. The plant community

Harvesting budworm-damaged stands for fuel

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Henley, S.G. (York, Sunbury, Charlotte Wood Products Marketing Board, (Canada))

1985-01-01

This project was initiated to demonstrate the economics and logistics of harvesting budworm-damaged stands for use as fuel. Dead spruce and balsam fir were to be harvested from small private woodlots in southwestern New Brunswick, using an integrated, full-tree harvesting system to produce wood chip fuel and other forest products. The overall objectives of the study are listed. The harvesting equipment and the selection of sites are discussed. The most efficient methods of finding candidate woodlots was found to be by advertising and word of mouth. Contact was made with 85 woodlot owners, and 45 woodlots were visited and evaluated for their suitability. A further 150 management plans were screened and rejected for various reasons. Only 2 woodlots were initially recognized as potential sites; however, after showing some interest, the owners decided not to participate. The reasons for the rejection of the various woodlots are listed. The fact that a number of owners were against clearcutting, and, in some cases, against any cutting, and that others showed no interest in the study, is attributed to the high percentage of white-collar workers owning woodlots. Other strategies for harvesting dead or scrap wood are suggested. 1 ref., 1 tab.

Applying of whole-tree harvesting method; Kokopuujuontomenetelmaen soveltaminen aines- ja energiapuun hankintaan

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Vesisenaho, T [VTT Energy, Jyvaeskylae (Finland); Liukkonen, S [VTT Manufacturing Technology, Espoo (Finland)

1997-12-01

The objective of this project is to apply whole-tree harvesting method to Finnish timber harvesting conditions in order to lower the harvesting costs of energy wood and timber in spruce-dominant final cuttings. In Finnish conditions timber harvesting is normally based on the log-length method. Because of small landings and the high level of thinning cuttings, whole-tree skidding methods cannot be utilised extensively. The share of stands which could be harvested with whole-tree skidding method showed up to be about 10 % of the total harvesting amount of 50 mill. m{sup 3}. The corresponding harvesting potential of energy wood is 0,25 Mtoe. The aim of the structural measurements made in this project was to get information about the effect of different hauling methods into the structural response of the tractor, and thus reveal the possible special requirements that the new whole-tree skidding places forest tractor design. Altogether 7 strain gauge based sensors were mounted into the rear frame structures and drive shafts of the forest tractor. Five strain gauges measured local strains in some critical details and two sensors measured the torque moments of the front and rear bogie drive shafts. Also the revolution speed of the rear drive shaft was recorded. Signal time histories, maximum peaks, Time at Level distributions and Rainflow distributions were gathered in different hauling modes. From these, maximum values, average stress levels and fatigue life estimates were calculated for each mode, and a comparison of the different methods from the structural point of view was performed

Changes During Growth in Cell Wall Components of Berseem Clover Under Different Cutting Treatments in a Mediterranean Region

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Giuditta De Santis

2007-09-01

Full Text Available Forage digestibility of berseem clover (Trifolium Alexandrinum L. is influenced by plant cell wall composition. This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of different cutting treatments on cell-wall components of the herbage and plant fractions in two Mediterranean berseem genotypes during growth and to examine the relationship between digestibility and cell wall components in these plant fractions. Cutting treatments were initiated at sixth internode elongation (A and early flowering (B and there was an uncut control treatment (C. Spring growth of genotypes of Egyptian (cv. Giza 10 and Italian (cv. Sacromonte origins was harvested in each of two years beginning 196 days after sowing and thereafter every 6 days (twelve harvests in total to measure cell wall components. Neutral detergent fibre (NDF, acid detergent fibre (ADF and acid detergent lignin (ADL concentrations were determined for leaf, stem, and total forage of each cultivar at each harvest. Without defoliation, NDF, ADF and ADL concentrations of herbage increased linearly to a maximum of 528, 375 and 84 g kg-1 DM, respectively, by 220 days after planting, when plant height reached maximum values, then plateaued until 257 days after planting. Plant parts differed in cell-wall concentration, with stems being of higher fibre components than leaves, in the two cutting treatments. Herbage and plant fraction fibre concentrations were negatively correlated with digestibility for all cutting treatments. Defoliation induced a reduction in fibre concentrations and plant height, although a rapid regrowth was observed after cutting, in both treatments A and B. However, delaying defoliation to the early flowering stage (B increased fibre components concentrations both at cutting time and during the growing season and significantly reduced the regrowth height. Conversely, plants cut at the sixth internode elongation (treatment A showed lower concentrations of fibre fractions than initiating

Managing the forest for more than the trees: effects of experimental timber harvest on forest Lepidoptera.

Science.gov (United States)

Summerville, Keith S

2011-04-01

Studies of the effects of timber harvest on forest insect communities have rarely considered how disturbance from a range of harvest levels interacts with temporal variation in species diversity to affect community resistance to change. Here I report the results of a landscape-scale, before-and-after, treatment-control experiment designed to test how communities of forest Lepidoptera experience (1) changes in species richness and composition and (2) shifts in species dominance one year after logging. I sampled Lepidoptera from 20 forest stands allocated to three harvest treatments (control, even-aged shelterwood or clearcuts, and uneven-aged group selection cuts) within three watersheds at Morgan-Monroe State Forest, Indiana, USA. Moths were sampled from all forest stands one year prior to harvest in 2007 and immediately post-harvest in 2009. Species composition was most significantly affected by temporal variation between years, although uneven-aged management also caused significant changes in lepidopteran community structure. Furthermore, species richness of Lepidoptera was higher in 2007 compared to 2009 across all watersheds and forest stands. The decrease in species richness between years, however, was much larger in even-aged and uneven-aged management units compared to the control. Furthermore, matrix stands within the even-aged management unit demonstrated the highest resistance to species loss within any management unit. Species dominance was highly resistant to effects of timber harvest, with pre- and post-harvest values for Simpson diversity nearly invariant. Counter to prediction, however, the suite of dominant taxa differed dramatically among the three management units post-harvest. My results suggest that temporal variation may have strong interactions with timber harvest, precipitating loss of nearly 50% species richness from managed stands regardless of harvest level. Even-aged management, however, appeared to leave the smallest "footprint" on moth

Limited Effects of Variable-Retention Harvesting on Fungal Communities Decomposing Fine Roots in Coastal Temperate Rainforests.

Science.gov (United States)

Philpott, Timothy J; Barker, Jason S; Prescott, Cindy E; Grayston, Sue J

2018-02-01

Fine root litter is the principal source of carbon stored in forest soils and a dominant source of carbon for fungal decomposers. Differences in decomposer capacity between fungal species may be important determinants of fine-root decomposition rates. Variable-retention harvesting (VRH) provides refuge for ectomycorrhizal fungi, but its influence on fine-root decomposers is unknown, as are the effects of functional shifts in these fungal communities on carbon cycling. We compared fungal communities decomposing fine roots (in litter bags) under VRH, clear-cut, and uncut stands at two sites (6 and 13 years postharvest) and two decay stages (43 days and 1 year after burial) in Douglas fir forests in coastal British Columbia, Canada. Fungal species and guilds were identified from decomposed fine roots using high-throughput sequencing. Variable retention had short-term effects on β-diversity; harvest treatment modified the fungal community composition at the 6-year-postharvest site, but not at the 13-year-postharvest site. Ericoid and ectomycorrhizal guilds were not more abundant under VRH, but stand age significantly structured species composition. Guild composition varied by decay stage, with ruderal species later replaced by saprotrophs and ectomycorrhizae. Ectomycorrhizal abundance on decomposing fine roots may partially explain why fine roots typically decompose more slowly than surface litter. Our results indicate that stand age structures fine-root decomposers but that decay stage is more important in structuring the fungal community than shifts caused by harvesting. The rapid postharvest recovery of fungal communities decomposing fine roots suggests resiliency within this community, at least in these young regenerating stands in coastal British Columbia. IMPORTANCE Globally, fine roots are a dominant source of carbon in forest soils, yet the fungi that decompose this material and that drive the sequestration or respiration of this carbon remain largely

Post-harvesting silvicultural treatments in logging gaps: A comparison between enrichment planting and tending of natural regeneration

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Schwartz, G.; Lopes, J.C.A.; Mohren, G.M.J.; Peña-Claros, M.

2013-01-01

Despite greatly improved forest management in recent decades, long-term assessments show that if current harvesting volumes and cutting cycles are maintained, future volume yields of commercial species will decrease. A possible solution is to apply post-harvesting silvicultural treatments to

Overstory cohort survival in an Appalachian hardwood deferment cutting: 35-year results

Science.gov (United States)

John P. Brown; Melissa A. Thomas-Van Gundy; Thomas M. Schuler

2018-01-01

Deferment cutting is a two-aged regeneration method in which the majority of the stand is harvested and a dispersed component of overstory trees—approximately 15–20% of the basal area – is retained for at least onehalf rotation and up one full rotation for reasons other than regeneration. Careful consideration of residual trees, in both characteristics and harvesting,...

Influence of harvest time and frequency on light interception and biomass yield of festulolium and tall fescue cultivated on a peatland

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kandel, Tanka; Elsgaard, Lars; Andersen, Mathias Neumann

2016-01-01

managements,which contributed to similar IPAR (908–919 MJ m−2), total biomass yield (16.4–18.8 Mg DM ha−1yr−1)and RUE (1.80–2.07 g MJ−1) for all managements. Whereas both crops were highly productive under both3C management and 2C management with first harvest after flowering (i.e., 2C-late), the 2C......tIn this study, we report efficiencies of light capture and biomass yield of festulolium and tall fescue cul-tivated on a riparian fen in Denmark under different harvesting managements. Green biomass targetedfor biogas production was harvested either as two cuts (2C) or three cuts (3C) in a year....... Three differenttimings of the first cut in the 2C systems were included as early (2C-early), middle (2C-mid) and late (2C-late) cuts corresponding to pre-heading, inflorescence emergence and flowering stages, respectively. Thefraction of intercepted photosynthetically active radiation (fPAR) was derived...

Effect of Harvesting Frequency, Variety and Leaf Maturity on Nutrient Composition, Hydrogen Cyanide Content and Cassava Foliage Yield

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Khuc Thi Hue

2012-12-01

Full Text Available The experiment studied the effect of harvesting frequencies and varieties on yield, chemical composition and hydrogen cyanide content in cassava foliage. Foliage from three cassava varieties, K94 (very bitter, K98-7 (medium bitter and a local (sweet, were harvested in three different cutting cycles, at 3, 6 and 9 months; 6 and 9 months and 9 months after planting, in a 2-yr experiment carried out in Hanoi, Vietnam. Increasing the harvesting frequency increased dry matter (DM and crude protein (CP production in cassava foliage. The K94 variety produced higher foliage yields than the other two varieties. Dry matter, neutral detergent fibre (NDF, acid detergent fibre (ADF and total tannin content increased with months to the first harvest, whereas CP content decreased. Hydrogen cyanide (HCN content was lower at the first harvest than at later harvests for all cutting cycles. At subsequent harvests the content of total tannins tended to decline, while HCN content increased (p<0.05. Chemical composition differed somewhat across varieties except for total tannins and ash. Dry matter, NDF, ADF and total tannins were higher in fully matured leaves, while CP and HCN were lower in developing leaves.

Pre-harvest calcium sulfate application improves postharvest quality ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The quality of cut rose flowers at the postharvest stage is affected by pre-harvest conditions. The present study was conducted to examine the possible involvement of calcium sulfate (CaSO4) in regulation of rose flower senescence. Roses (Rosa hybrida L.) cultivars 'Cool Water' and 'Pretty Blinda', were treated with either ...

Retention of seed trees fails to lifeboat ectomycorrhizal fungal diversity in harvested Scots pine forests.

Science.gov (United States)

Varenius, Kerstin; Lindahl, Björn D; Dahlberg, Anders

2017-09-01

Fennoscandian forestry has in the past decades changed from natural regeneration of forests towards replantation of clear-cuts, which negatively impacts ectomycorrhizal fungal (EMF) diversity. Retention of trees during harvesting enables EMF survival, and we therefore expected EMF communities to be more similar to those in old natural stands after forest regeneration using seed trees compared to full clear-cutting and replanting. We sequenced fungal internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) amplicons to assess EMF communities in 10- to 60-year-old Scots pine stands regenerated either using seed trees or through replanting of clear-cuts with old natural stands as reference. We also investigated local EMF communities around retained old trees. We found that retention of seed trees failed to mitigate the impact of harvesting on EMF community composition and diversity. With increasing stand age, EMF communities became increasingly similar to those in old natural stands and permanently retained trees maintained EMF locally. From our observations, we conclude that EMF communities, at least common species, post-harvest are more influenced by environmental filtering, resulting from environmental changes induced by harvest, than by the continuity of trees. These results suggest that retention of intact forest patches is a more efficient way to conserve EMF diversity than retaining dispersed single trees. © FEMS 2017. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Timber harvest as the predominant disturbance regime in northeastern U.S. forests: Effects of harvest intensification

Science.gov (United States)

Brown, Michelle L.; Canham, Charles D.; Murphy, Lora; Donovan, Therese M.

2018-01-01

Harvesting is the leading cause of adult tree mortality in forests of the northeastern United States. While current rates of timber harvest are generally sustainable, there is considerable pressure to increase the contribution of forest biomass to meet renewable energy goals. We estimated current harvest regimes for different forest types and regions across the U.S. states of New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine using data from the U.S. Forest Inventory and Analysis Program. We implemented the harvest regimes in SORTIE‐ND, an individual‐based model of forest dynamics, and simulated the effects of current harvest regimes and five additional harvest scenarios that varied by harvest frequency and intensity over 150 yr. The best statistical model for the harvest regime described the annual probability of harvest as a function of forest type/region, total plot basal area, and distance to the nearest improved road. Forests were predicted to increase in adult aboveground biomass in all harvest scenarios in all forest type and region combinations. The magnitude of the increase, however, varied dramatically—increasing from 3% to 120% above current landscape averages as harvest frequency and intensity decreased. The variation can be largely explained by the disproportionately high harvest rates estimated for Maine as compared with the rest of the region. Despite steady biomass accumulation across the landscape, stands that exhibited old‐growth characteristics (defined as ≥300 metric tons of biomass/hectare) were rare (8% or less of stands). Intensified harvest regimes had little effect on species composition due to widespread partial harvesting in all scenarios, resulting in dominance by late‐successional species over time. Our analyses indicate that forest biomass can represent a sustainable, if small, component of renewable energy portfolios in the region, although there are tradeoffs between carbon sequestration in forest biomass and sustainable

Identification of innovative potential quality markers in rocket and melon fresh-cut produce.

Science.gov (United States)

Cavaiuolo, Marina; Cocetta, Giacomo; Bulgari, Roberta; Spinardi, Anna; Ferrante, Antonio

2015-12-01

Ready-to-eat fresh cut produce are exposed to pre- and postharvest abiotic stresses during the production chain. Our work aimed to identify stress responsive genes as new molecular markers of quality that can be widely applied to leaves and fruits and easily determined at any stage of the production chain. Stress responsive genes associated with quality losses were isolated in rocket and melon fresh-cut produce and their expression levels analyzed by quantitative real time PCR (qRT-PCR) at different time points after harvest at 20 °C and 4 °C. qRT-PCR results were supported by correlation analysis with physiological and biochemical determinations evaluated at the same conditions such as chlorophyll a fluorescence indices, total, reducing sugars, sucrose, ethylene, ascorbic acid, lipid peroxidation and reactive oxygen species. In both species the putative molecular markers increased their expression soon after harvest suggesting a possible use as novel and objective quality markers of fresh-cut produces. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Impacts on soils and residual trees from cut-to-length thinning operations in California's redwood forests

Science.gov (United States)

Kyungrok Hwang; Han-sup Han; Susan E. Marshall; Deborah S. Page-Dumroese

2017-01-01

Cut-to-length (CTL) harvest systems have recently been introduced for thinning third-growth, young (<25 years old) redwood forests (Sequoia sempervirens (Lamb. ex D. Don) Endl.) in northern California. This type of harvesting can effective for thinning overstocked stands consisting of small-diameter trees. However, forestland managers and government agencies...

Energy Requirements for Biomass Harvest and Densification

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kevin Shinners

2018-03-01

Full Text Available This research quantified the unit and bulk density of several biomass crops across a variety of harvest and processing methods, as well as the energy and fuel requirements for these operations. A load density of approximately 240 kg·m−3 is needed to reach the legal weight limit of most transporters. Of the three types of balers studied, only the high density (HD large square baler achieved this target density. However, the specific energy and fuel requirements increased exponentially with bale density, and at the maximum densities for corn stover and switchgrass, the dry basis energy and fuel requirements ranged from 4.0 to 5.0 kW·h·Mg−1 and 1.2 to 1.4 L·Mg−1, respectively. Throughputs of tub grinders when grinding bales was less than any other harvesting or processing methods investigated, so specific energy and fuel requirements were high and ranged from 13 to 32 kW·h·Mg−1 and 5.0 to 11.3 L·Mg−1, respectively. Gross size-reduction by pre-cutting at baling increased bale density by less than 6% and increased baling energy requirements by 11% to 22%, but pre-cut bales increased the tub grinder throughput by 25% to 45% and reduced specific fuel consumption for grinding by 20% to 53%. Given the improvement in tub grinder operation, pre-cutting bales should be considered as a means to increase grinder throughput. Additional research is needed to determine the energy required to grind high density pre-cut bales at high throughputs so that better estimates of total energy required for a high density bale system can be made. An alternative bulk feedstock system was investigated that involved chopping moist biomass crops with a precision-cut forage harvester, compacting the bulk material in a silo bag, and then segmenting the densified material into modules optimized for efficient transport. The specific fuel use for chopping and then compacting biomass crops in the silo bag ranged from 1.6 to 3.0 L·Mg−1 and 0.5 to 1.3 L·Mg−1

Review of forestry practices in caribou habitat in southeastern British Columbia, Canada

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Susan K. Stevenson

1986-06-01

Full Text Available Woodland caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou in southeastern British Columbia feed mainly on arboreal lichens in winter. Some modified forestry practices that have been used or proposed for caribou ranges are reviewed. Partial cutting results in the retention of some forage lichens. Partial cutting and small patch harvesting may improve lichen growth on the remaining trees. Retention of advanced regeneration and some residual trees may improve lichen growth in the remaining stand. Extension of the rotation age increases the amount of harvestable forest useful to caribou at any one time. Progressive cutting minimizes road access to caribou ranges, and may be combined with partial cutting. Most forestry practices intended to maintain lichen production will result in increased human activity in caribou ranges, unless road access is controlled. The management strategy selected depends on site conditions and on the relative importance assigned to the impact of habitat alteration and human activity on caribou.

Harvesting Carbon from Eastern US Forests: Opportunities and Impacts of an Expanding Bioenergy Industry

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sarah C. Davis

2012-06-01

Full Text Available Eastern forests of the US are valued both as a carbon sink and a wood resource. The amount of biomass that can be harvested sustainably from this biome for bioenergy without compromising the carbon sink is uncertain. Using past literature and previously validated models, we assessed four scenarios of biomass harvest in the eastern US: partial harvests of mixed hardwood forests, pine plantation management, short-rotation woody cropping systems, and forest residue removal. We also estimated the amount and location of abandoned agricultural lands in the eastern US that could be used for biomass production. Greater carbon storage was estimated to result from partial harvests and residue removals than from plantation management and short-rotation cropping. If woody feedstocks were cultivated with a combination of intensive management on abandoned lands and partial harvests of standing forest, we estimate that roughly 176 Tg biomass y⁻¹ (~330,000 GWh or ~16 billion gallons of ethanol could be produced sustainably from the temperate forest biome of the eastern US. This biomass could offset up to ~63 Tg C y⁻¹ that are emitted from fossil fuels used for heat and power generation while maintaining a terrestrial C sink of ~8 Tg C y⁻¹.

Pre-Harvest light intensity affects shelf-Life of fresh-cut lettuce

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Witkowska, I.M.; Woltering, E.J.

2010-01-01

The industry of fresh-cut produce is continuously growing due to increasing demand for fresh, healthy and convenient foods. However, processing of vegetables accelerates quality deterioration due to structural, physiological and biochemical changes. Therefore, the value of the produce to the

Energy harvesting for microsystems

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ruichao Xu

2012-05-15

The purpose of this project is to design and fabricate piezoelectric energy harvesters based on integration of Pb(ZrxTi1-x)O3 (PZT) thick film technology and silicon microtechnology. The fabrication processes are carried out in close collaboration with Meggitt Sensing Systems (MSS) who has the unique expertise to screen print piezoelectric thick film layers, thus all screen printing steps are done by MSS while the silicon micromachining is carried out at Danchip facility at DTU. The presented energy harvesters are all based on using piezoelectric thick film operating in the 31-mode to generate power when strained. Three archetypes of the numerous fabricated energy harvesters will be presented in detail, they represent three major milestones in this project. The first energy harvester archetype has an unimorph cantilever beam, which consists of a 20 {mu}m silicon layer and 10-30 {mu}m screen printed PZT layer, anchored on a silicon frame at one end and attached to a silicon proof mass at the other. Electrodes will cover both side of the PZT layer, so the harvested energy can be collected electrically. The second archetype has a bimorph cantilever beam, which consists of two 15-35 {mu}m PZT layers, anchored on a silicon frame at the one end and attached to a silicon proof mass at the other. Electrodes are deposited below, between and above the two PZT layers. The root mean square (RMS) power output measured on this type of harvesters is as high as 37.1{mu}W at 1 g. The third archetype is similar to the first one, the screen printed PZT layer is replaced by a lead free piezoelectric material, (KxNa1-x)NbO3 (KNN). Some of the major challenges encountered during the development processes are bad adhesion, fragile structures and short circuiting through the PZT layer. All of which have being fully or partially solved in this project. The final energy harvesters are designed to be used in an energy harvester powered wireless sensing system. (Author)

Formation of Quenching Structures in the Steel 35 by Deform Cutting

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. G. Degtyareva

2014-01-01

Full Text Available In industry different methods of surface hardening are widely used to increase reliability and durability of friction unit parts. Among these methods are areas of focus based on deformcutting technology (DC i.e. method of chip-free mechanical treatment.It is shown that DC method allows us to produce through- or partial-hardening surface layers of a large thickness (0,4…1.5mm on steel with no additional heat sources. The standard metal-cutting equipment and common tools are used for deform-cutting process.The significant heat generation in the deform-cutting zone and mechanical effect from the tool allow us to heat undercut layers to the phase transformation point to have the hardening structure as a result of heat removal to the cold balk. The hardening structure formation occurs at significant heating and cooling rate (106C/c with large degrees and rates of strain.The deform-cutting modes and working face tool grinding determine the type and properties of the hardening structure. To produce the hardening structure would require the heat transfer and force action augmentation while treatment.These researches deal with through- and partial surface hardening samples produced by turning steel 35 shafts. While through hardening the phase transformation carry among the whole thickness of the undercut layer; while partial hardening the hardening interlayer formed on the side of the cutting tool contact.The depth of hardening zone of samples with through hardening layers is 0,5 mm; the depth of hardening zone of partial hardening samples is 0,8 mm. Micro-hardness of the through hardening layers is 653 HV0,1 and 485 HV0,1 for the partial hardening layers. The metallographic analysis shows that the hardening zone formed while deform cutting has disperse structure; there are ferrite ghosts in it.The tempering at temperatures of 200 – 700C showed that the micro-hardness of the hardening structures formed while deform cutting is larger than the micro

Occurrence of gum spots in black cherry after partial harvest cutting

Science.gov (United States)

Charles O. Rexrode; H. Clay Smith; H. Clay Smith

1990-01-01

Bark beetles, primarily the bark beetle Phlosotribus liminori (Harris), are the major cause of gum spots in sawtimber-size black cherry Prunus serotina Ehrh. Approximately 90 percent of all gum spots in the bole sections are caused by bark beetles. Gum spots were studied in 95 black cherry trees near Parsons, West Virginia. Over 50 percent of the bark beetle-caused gum...

Informatic System for Improve of Sugarcane Harvest in Cubans Sugar Factories

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Alejandro Álvarez-Navarro

2015-12-01

Full Text Available The restructure of the sugar industry, led to the implementation of efficient methods in order to enhance the sugar cane harvest in the agroindustrial process. The Information and Communications Technology (ICT, associated to optimization methods, may allow take the right decisions at different levels of the productive process. The organization of the sugar cane harvest is an important moment within this scheme. The objective of this  investigation is to determine the optimal cutting strategy considering the new changes existing that permit obtain higher amount of sugar using the same quantity of raw material. Has been implemented a new informatic system, supported by a new branch of the goal programming with lexicographic priorities. The experimental results show that there is an impact at the planning level, as the cutting out of date decreases until a 15 %, and the sugar production increases in 2 043,89 t. 

Harvesting contaminants from liquid

Science.gov (United States)

Simpson, John T.; Hunter, Scott R.

2016-05-31

Disclosed are examples of apparatuses for evaporative purification of a contaminated liquid. In each example, there is a vessel for storing the contaminated fluid. The vessel includes a surface coated with a layer of superhydrophobic material and the surface is at least partially in contact with the contaminated liquid. The contaminants do not adhere to the surface as the purified liquid evaporates, thus allowing the contaminants to be harvested.

Quantitative risk assessment of WSSV transmission through partial harvesting and transport practices for shrimp aquaculture in Mexico.

Science.gov (United States)

Sanchez-Zazueta, Edgar; Martínez-Cordero, Francisco Javier; Chávez-Sánchez, María Cristina; Montoya-Rodríguez, Leobardo

2017-10-01

This quantitative risk assessment provided an analytical framework to estimate white spot syndrome virus (WSSV) transmission risks in the following different scenarios: (1) partial harvest from rearing ponds and (2) post-harvest transportation, assuming that the introduction of contaminated water with viral particles into shrimp culture ponds is the main source of viral transmission risk. Probabilities of infecting shrimp with waterborne WSSV were obtained by approaching the functional form that best fits (likelihood ratio test) published data on the dose-response relationship for WSSV orally inoculated through water into shrimp. Expert opinion defined the ranges for the following uncertain factors: (1) the concentrations of WSSV in the water spilled from the vehicles transporting the infected shrimp, (2) the total volume of these spills, and (3) the dilution into culture ponds. Multiple scenarios were analysed, starting with a viral load (VL) of 1×10 2 mL -1 in the contaminated water spilled that reached the culture pond, whose probability of infection of an individual shrimp (P i ) was negligible (1.7×10 -7 ). Increasing the VL to 1×10 4.5 mL -1 and 1×10 7 mL -1 yielded results into very low (P i =5.3×10 -5 ) and high risk (P i =1.6×10 -2 ) categories, respectively. Furthermore, different pond stocking density (SD) scenarios (20 and 30 post-larvae [PL]/m 2 ) were evaluated, and the probability of infection of at least one out of the total number of shrimp exposed (P N ) was derived; for the scenarios with a low VL (1×10 2 mL -1 ), the P N remained at a negligible risk level (P N , 2.4×10 -7 to 1.8×10 -6 ). For most of the scenarios with the moderate VL (1×10 4.5 mL -1 ), the P N scaled up to a low risk category (P N , 1.1×10 -4 to 5.6×10 -4 ), whereas for the scenarios with a high VL (1×10 7 mL -1 ), the risk levels were high (P N , 2.3×10 -2 to 3.5×10 -2 ) or very high (P N , 1.1×10 -1 to 1.6×10 -1 ) depending on the volume of contaminated water

Chrysanthemum cutting productivity and rooting ability are improved by grafting.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Jing; Chen, Sumei; Liu, Ruixia; Jiang, Jiafu; Chen, Fadi; Fang, Weimin

2013-01-01

Chrysanthemum has been commercially propagated by rooting of cuttings, whereas the quality will decline over multiple collections from a single plant. Therefore, we compared the vigour, rooting ability, and some physiological parameters between cuttings harvested from nongrafted "Jinba" (non-grafted cuttings) with those collected from grafted "Jinba" plants onto Artemisia scoparia as a rootstock (grafted cuttings). The yield, length, node number, stem diameter, fresh weight, and dry weight of the grafted cuttings were superior to the non-grafted cuttings. Also grafted cuttings "Jinba" rooted 1 day earlier, but showing enhanced rooting quality including number, length, diameter, and dry weight of roots, where compared to the non-grafted. The physiological parameters that indicated contents of soluble protein, peroxidase activity, soluble sugar, and starch, ratios of soluble sugar/nitrogen ratio, and carbohydrate/nitrogen (C/N), as well as contents of indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) and abscisic acid (ABA), and IAA/ABA ratio were significantly increased in the grafted cuttings. This suggested their important parts in mediating rooting ability. Results from this study showed that grafting improved productivity and rooting ability related to an altered physiology, which provide a means to meet the increasing demand.

Information needs at the beginning of foraging: grass-cutting ants trade off load size for a faster return to the nest.

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Martin Bollazzi

2011-03-01

Full Text Available Acquisition of information about food sources is essential for animals that forage collectively like social insects. Foragers deliver two commodities to the nest, food and information, and they may favor the delivery of one at the expenses of the other. We predict that information needs should be particularly high at the beginning of foraging: the decision to return faster to the nest will motivate a grass-cutting ant worker to reduce its loading time, and so to leave the source with a partial load.Field results showed that at the initial foraging phase, most grass-cutting ant foragers (Acromyrmex heyeri returned unladen to the nest, and experienced head-on encounters with outgoing workers. Ant encounters were not simply collisions in a probabilistic sense: outgoing workers contacted in average 70% of the returning foragers at the initial foraging phase, and only 20% at the established phase. At the initial foraging phase, workers cut fragments that were shorter, narrower, lighter and tenderer than those harvested at the established one. Foragers walked at the initial phase significantly faster than expected for the observed temperatures, yet not at the established phase. Moreover, when controlling for differences in the fragment-size carried, workers still walked faster at the initial phase. Despite the higher speed, their individual transport rate of vegetable tissue was lower than that of similarly-sized workers foraging later at the same patch.At the initial foraging phase, workers compromised their individual transport rates of material in order to return faster to the colony. We suggest that the observed flexible cutting rules and the selection of partial loads at the beginning of foraging are driven by the need of information transfer, crucial for the establishment and maintenance of a foraging process to monopolize a discovered resource.

TECHNICAL AND ECONOMIC EVALUATION OF THE HARVEST OF EUCALYPTUS WITH FELLER-BUNCHER IN DIFFERENT OPERATING CONDITIONS

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Danilo Simões

2010-12-01

Full Text Available This study aimed to technically and economically evaluate the Feller-buncher in different conditions of harvest in eucalyptus forests of second cut. The technical analysis included a study of time and movements by the method of continuous time, and operational performance was determined by volume in cubic meters of harvested wood. The economic analysis included the parameters of operational cost, harvest cost and energy consumption. The analysis of the data showed that the composition of main line harvesting and the arrangement of bundles of trees influenced operational performance. The average operational cost was US$ 86.26 per hour of actual work, which resulted in an average cost of forest harvesting of US$ 1.09 m-³.

Electric arc, water jet cutting of metals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bruening, D.

1991-01-01

For thermal dismantling and cutting of metallic components, as electric arc, water jet cutting method was developed that can be used for underwater cutting work up to a depth of 20 m. Short-circuiting of a continuously fed electrode wire in contact with the metal generates an electric arc which induces partial melting of the metal, and the water jet surrounding the wire rinses away the molten material, thus making a continuous kerf in the material. The method was also tested and modified to allow larger area, surface cutting and removal of metallic surface coatings. This is achieved by melting parts of the surface with the electric arc and subsequent rinsing by the water jet. The cutting and melting depth for surface removal can be accurately controlled by the operating parameters chosen. (orig./DG) [de

Historical perspective on diameter-limit cutting in northeastern forests

Science.gov (United States)

Matthew J. Kelty; Anthony W. D' Amato; Anthony W. D' Amato

2006-01-01

The use of diameter-limit cutting and high-grading is currently a concern for long-term sustainability of forests in the Northeastern United States and surrounding areas. This paper reviews historical information about the kinds of harvesting used in this region from 1620 to 1950, to provide a context for current discussions. Throughout this period, most timber...

Effect of fertilization and harvest frequency on floristic composition and yields of meadow stand

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Josef Raus

2012-01-01

Full Text Available The effect of fertilization and the harvest frequency on production and floristic characteristics of a meadow stand were assessed in a small plot trial established in 2003 in Vatín, Vysočina Region, the Czech Republic. Four levels of fertilization (none; N0 + P30 + K60 kg∙ha−1; N90 + P30 + K60 kg∙ha−1; N180 + P30 + K60 kg∙ha−1 were combined with four treatments of exploitation intensity (4 cuts per year, first cut on 15th May, every next after 45 days; 3 cuts per year, first cut on 30th May, every next after 60 days; 2 cuts per year, first cut on 15th June, next after 90 days; 2 cuts per year, first cut on 30th June, next after 90 days. Production of dry matter and proportions of guilds (grasses, legumes, and other species were evaluated. Data from 2009–2011 were used in this paper. Yields of the dry matter increased along with increasing amounts of nutrients supplied and ranged from 3.8 t∙ha−1 (non-fertilized to 9.1 t∙ha−1 (N180PK. The nutrition level had a significant effect on spread of grasses, which reached maximal proportion of 52.3 % under N180PK fertilization compared to 42.1% on non-fertilized plots. On the contrary, legumes flourished well in treatments without N-supply, attaining proportion of 6.8 % and 5.1 % on PK-fertilized and non-fertilized plot, respectively. With regard to the exploitation intensity grasses profited from extensive management by contrast to the group of other species which reached its maximum in swards harvested four times a year. Proportions of legumes did not show significant dependence on the cutting frequency.

Flat Branch monitoring project: stream water temperature and sediment responses to forest cutting in the riparian zone

Science.gov (United States)

Barton D. Clinton; James M. Vose; Dick L. Fowler

2010-01-01

Stream water protection during timber-harvesting activities is of primary interest to forest managers. In this study, we examine the potential impacts of riparian zone tree cutting on water temperature and total suspended solids. We monitored stream water temperature and total suspended solids before and after timber harvesting along a second-order tributary of the...

Ultrasound as an intervention technology for the sanitation of lettuce harvesting knife

Science.gov (United States)

Lettuce field-coring and trimming practices are recent industry developments designed to improve fresh-cut processing yield and reduce shipping and waste disposal costs. Studies showed that the harvesting/coring knives used could be potentially contaminated with pathogens by contact with contaminat...

Natural regeneration of Douglas-fir and associated species using modified clear-cutting systems in the Oregon Cascades.

Science.gov (United States)

Jerry F. Franklin

1963-01-01

Clear cutting is the standard harvesting system in old-growth Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) forests in the Pacific Northwest. Usually these clear cuts are in "staggered settings" of 15 to 80 acres with the surrounding stand left uncut to provide seed and serve as a firebreak. However, satisfactory natural regeneration of Douglas-fir...

Local, Short-term Effects of Forest Harvesting on Breeding Waterfowl and Common Loon in Forest-Dominated Landscapes of Quebec

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Louis-Vincent Lemelin

2007-12-01

Full Text Available Northern forests are major breeding habitats for several waterfowl and other waterbird species. In Quebec, as in many other areas within the boreal region, clear-cut logging is an important human activity, and it is likely to affect ground- and cavity-nesting species differently. We used Black Duck Joint Venture/Canadian Wildlife Service aerial survey data, together with Quebec digital forest maps, to investigate local, i.e., within 2 km of clear-cut areas, short-term (~ 4 yr effects of forest harvesting on waterfowl and Common Loon. Our predictions were that clear-cut logging would not affect ground nesters, but would negatively affect pair settling patterns in cavity nesters through nesting habitat disturbance. Our study spanned a 540,000-km² territory in which we considered over 30,000 ha of clear-cut areas that were dispersed into 42 different locations. We controlled for interannual variation in population size by comparing the pre- and post-harvest percentages of potentially hospitable nesting cover disturbed by timber harvesting within a 1-km radius of indicated breeding pairs. Our results suggest that timber harvesting positively influenced local populations of Canada Goose and American Green-winged Teal. No other ground-nesting species showed a significant response. For the cavity-nesting guild and species, we detected no local, short-term effect of clear-cutting. This result was unexpected because many previous studies of nest-box provisioning reported increased breeding pair densities, indicating that availability of natural holes may limit cavity-nesting duck populations. Moreover, because cavity-nesting ducks are considered among the most vulnerable bird species to forest management, our results are consistent with the hypothesis that boreal bird populations exhibit some resilience to disturbance. This conclusion follows from a study in landscapes where forests were mostly first-growth. It is not evident that it will remain valid

Round-Bale Silage Harvesting and Processing Effects on Overwintering Ability, Dry Matter Yield, Fermentation Quality, and Palatability of Dwarf Napiergrass (Pennisetum purpureum Schumach

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Satoru Fukagawa

2017-02-01

Full Text Available Round-bale silage harvesting and processing methods were assessed to evaluate overwintering ability and dry matter (DM yield, fermentation quality and palatability of overwintered dwarf Napiergrass (Pennisetum purpureum Schumach in the two years following establishment in Nagasaki, Japan, in May 2013 using rooted tillers with a density of 2 plants/m2. In 2014, harvesting methods under no-wilting treatment were compared for flail-type harvesting with a round-baler (Flail/baler plot and mower conditioning with a round-baler (Mower/baler plot, which is common for beef-calf–producing farmers in the region. In 2015, the effect of ensilage with wilting was investigated only in the Mower/baler plot. Dwarf Napiergrass was cut twice, in early August (summer and late November (late autumn, each year. The winter survival rate was greater than 96% in May both years. The DM yield in the Mower/baler plot did not differ significantly for the first summer cutting or the annual total from the Flail/baler plot, but did show inferior yield for the second cutting. The fermentation quality of the second-cut plants, estimated using the V2-score, was higher in the Flail/baler plot than in the Mower/baler plot, possibly because of higher air-tightness, and the second-cut silage tended to have better fermentation quality than the first-cut silage in both harvesting plots. Wilting improved the fermentation quality of dwarf Napiergrass silage in summer, but not in autumn. The palatability of the silage, as estimated by alternative and voluntary intake trials using Japanese Black beef cattle, did not differ significantly between plots. The results suggest that dwarf Napiergrass can be better harvested using a mower conditioner with processing by a round-baler, an approach common to beef-calf–producing farmers, than with the flail/baler system, without reducing the persistence, yield, or palatability of the silage. Moreover, wilting treatment improved the fermentation

An assessment of mechanical vs manual harvesting of the sugarcane in Sudan – The case of Sennar Sugar Factory

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Adam E. Ahmed

2015-06-01

Full Text Available The rehabilitation works carried out in the Sennar sugarcane factory in Sudan, improved the rates of milling accompanied by the horizontal and vertical expansions of the farm compelled Sennar factory to go for mechanical harvesting to solve the problem of labor shortage. The aim of this paper is to evaluate the current sugarcane manual and mechanical harvesting systems with regard to production efficiency, cost effectiveness, cane loading efficiency, infield losses, and the effect of trash (extraneous matter in factory process. Different experiments were conducted to compare and contrast between the two harvesting systems. The results revealed that manual harvesting (8.98 SDG/ton is more expensive than mechanical harvesting (4.9.5 SDG/ton; the wages for the cane cutting labor represent 74.14% of the total cutting cost, 46% of the total manual harvesting cost, and 18.9% of the total harvesting cost. Infield cane losses represent 4.72% and 4.22% of the actual yield for the manual harvesting and mechanical harvesting systems, respectively. Moreover, the results showed a significant difference between the two harvesting systems with regard to the cane weight/trailer (ton/trailer and trash percent. On average the cane weight (ton/trailer is 6.88 for manual harvesting and 10.12 for mechanical harvesting. The trash percent is only 3.66% for manually harvested cane while it reached 9.49 for the mechanically harvested cane. A 1% increase in trash will lead to decrease in sugar recovery by 0.1%. It could recommended that Sennar Sugar Factory as well as other sugar factories in Sudan could go for increasing the mechanical harvesting system and reducing the manual harvesting to less than 10% of the total area. The specialized cane cutter labors should be employed in other agricultural operations during the off-season to insure their availability at the start of the season. A further research is needed to reduce the infield cane losses and trash percent

Nonlinear metamaterials for electromagnetic energy harvesting (Conference Presentation)

Science.gov (United States)

Oumbe Tekam, Gabin Thibaut; Ginis, Vincent; Seetharamdoo, Divitha; Danckaert, Jan

2016-09-01

Surrounded by electromagnetic radiation coming from wireless power transfer to consumer devices such as mobile phones, computers and television, our society is facing the scientific and technological challenge to recover energy that is otherwise lost to the environment. Energy harvesting is an emerging field of research focused on this largely unsolved problem, especially in the microwave regime. Metamaterials provide a very promising platform to meet this purpose. These artificial materials are made from subwavelength building blocks, and can be designed by resonate at particular frequencies, depending on their shape, geometry, size, and orientation. In this work, we show that an efficient electromagnetic energy harvester can be design by inserting a nonlinear element directly within the metamaterial unit cell, leading to the conversion of RF input power to DC charge accumulation. The electromagnetic energy harvester operating at microwave frequencies is built from a cut-wire metasurface, which operates as a quasistatic electric dipole resonator. Using the equivalent electrical circuit, we design the parameters to tune the resonance frequency of the harvester at the desired frequency, and we compare these results with numerical simulations. Finally, we discuss the efficiency of our metamaterial energy harvesters. This work potentially offers a variety of applications, for example in the telecommunications industry to charge phones, in robotics to power microrobots, and also in medicine to advance pacemakers or health monitoring sensors.

Reproduction following small group cuttings in virgin Douglas-fir.

Science.gov (United States)

Norman P. Worthington

1953-01-01

Quick and adequate regeneration of Douglas-fir forests as they are harvested is a major forest management problem in the Puget Sound region. Clear-cutting by staggered settings has not always resulted in adequate regeneration even where no part of the area is more than one-fourth mile from a seed source. Single tree selection, experimented with extensively, has many...

Influence of a Vertical Cutting Device on Brassica Napus Seed Loss in Direct Combining

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pari, L.; Fedrizzi, M.; Assirelli, A. (Consiglio per la Ricerca e la Sperimentazione in Agricoltura, Unita di Ricerca per l' Ingegneria Agraria, Monterotondo, RM (Italy))

2008-10-15

EU requires that by 2010 5.65% of diesel fuel must be of vegetable origin. To reduce Italian dependence from imported palm oil, it is necessary to increase national production of vegetable oils: together with sunflower and soybean, canola (Brassica napus or Brassica napus oleifera) is an interesting possibility to satisfy vegetable oil demand, that is rapidly increasing for its use in biodiesel production. In Italy potential areas are available for the cultivation in relation to adequate rainfall and mild winters, that are very promising factors for canola production. However, the long period of seed maturity, non uniform growth, natural dehiscent process and variable weather conditions, such as wind and rain, are some of the factors which can lead to large seed losses: this is the main problem limiting this specie diffusion. Amongst available harvesting techniques, direct harvest of canola is an hazardous practice because there are several important questions related to it. The success of canola may depend on research initiatives to reduce some of the obstacles associated with its growing. The objective of this study is to determine if different cropping heads in direct combining can reduce seed losses. In Northern Italy (Piedmont) the trials were conducted in a 16 ha canola cultivation, in which was seeded the -Lion variety of canola. In order to realize direct harvest, the combine cylinder speed was regulated as slow as possible (500 rpm), the concave was opened at 3/4 of the way (about 25 mm clearance) and the fan speed was set at 2/3 of small grain settings (800 rpm). Only one combine was used for the trials, a New Holland CX 9080, in order to avoid any influence on seed losses. The combine was equipped with two different cutting heads: a common wheat type (type 1) and another, similar to the first, but equipped with vertical cutting devices on both ends of the head (type 2), because the plants are very dense and entangled. The losses of seeds were measured

Simulating Harvest Schedule for Timber Management and Multipurpose Management in Teak Plantations

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Tatang Tiryana

2016-04-01

Full Text Available Sustainable management of teak plantations in Java requires an improvement of the existing yield regulation method to optimize multiple benefits of the plantations at risk of stand destruction. This study was therefore aimed to formulate an alternative harvest scheduling model that integrates risk of stand destruction for supporting multipurpose management of teak plantations. The proposed model used a state-space planning model to simulate the dynamic of plantations due to timber harvesting and stand destruction, and then sought optimal solutions for 2 management scenarios, i.e. timber management that optimized total harvest volume and multipurpose management that optimized net present value (NPV while increasing carbon stocks. Using a case study on a typical teak plantation, this study confirmed that increasing destruction rates reduced harvest volumes, NPV, carbon stocks, and resulted in imbalanced ending age-class structures. Reducing cutting-age limit increased harvest volumes and NPV, but it also reduced carbon stocks of the plantations. Although the multipurpose management generated lower financial benefit, it maintained carbon stocks and produced better ending age-class structures compared to timber management. The proposed harvest scheduling model provides a useful planning tool for managing teak plantations.

Extraction of Trees Stem Diameters at Breast Height by Terrestrial Laser Sensor for Selective Cutting

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Yili ZHENG

2014-02-01

Full Text Available In order to assist the operators of the logging harvester automatically and quickly select the appropriate trees for selective cutting, using two-dimensional laser scanner and inertial measurement system, the two-dimensional cloud points of the trunks at breast-height are obtained for several trees. After projection, clustering, linear transformation and fitting for the point clouds data, the parameters of the breast-height-diameters and center locations of the trees are obtained. The calculation is implemented in MATLAB by Polak-Ribiere-Polyak (PRP conjugate gradient algorithm and the result is shown in VC++ environment. Using this method, absolute errors of the breast-height- diameters and center locations are 2.3 cm and (12.4, 11.4 cm respectively, and meet the requirements on the automatically selective cutting of the logging harvester.

Energy harvesting from arterial blood pressure for powering embedded brain sensors

Science.gov (United States)

Nanda, Aditya; Karami, M. Amin

2016-04-01

This paper investigates energy harvesting from arterial blood pressure via the piezoelectric effect by using a novel streaked cylinder geometry for the purpose of powering embedded micro-sensors in the brain. Initially, we look at the energy harvested by a piezoelectric cylinder placed inside an artery acted upon by blood pressure. Such an arrangement would be tantamount to constructing a stent out of piezoelectric materials. A stent is a cylinder placed in veins and arteries to prevent obstruction in blood flow. The governing equations of a conductor coated piezoelectric cylinder are obtained using Hamilton's principle. Pressure acting in arteries is radially directed and this is used to simplify the modal analysis and obtain the transfer function relating pressure to the induced voltage across the surface of the harvester. The power harvested by the cylindrical harvester is obtained for different shunt resistances. Radially directed pressure occurs elsewhere and we also look at harvesting energy from oil flow in pipelines. Although the energy harvested by the cylindrical energy harvester is significant at resonance, the natural frequency of the system is found to be very high. To decrease the natural frequency, we propose a novel streaked stent design by cutting it along the length, transforming it to a curved plate and decreasing the natural frequency. The governing equations corresponding to the new geometry are derived using Hamilton's principle and modal analysis is used to obtain the transfer function.

Grading technologies for the manufacture of innovative cutting blades

Science.gov (United States)

Rostek, Tim; Homberg, Werner

2018-05-01

Cutting blades for harvesting applications are used in a variety of agricultural machines. These parts are in contact with highly abrasive lawn clippings and often wear out within hours which results in high expensive re-sharpening maintenance. This paper relates to manufacturing techniques enhancing the durability of cutting blades based on a structural analysis of the prevailing wear mechanisms containing chipping and abrasive wear. Each mechanism results in specific demands on the cutting edge's mechanical characteristics. The design of evaluation methods respectively is one issue of the paper. This is basis for approaches to improve the cutting edge performance on purpose. On option to improve abrasive wear resistance and, thus, service life is the application of locally graded steel materials as semi-finished products for self-sharpening cutting blades. These materials comprise a layered structure consisting of a hard, wear resistant layer and a relatively softer layer which is lesser wear resistant. As the cutting blade is subjected to wear conditions, the less wear resistant layer wears faster than the relatively more wear resistant harder layer revealing a durable cross section of the cutting edge and, thus, cutting performance. Anyways, chipping is another key issue on the cutting edge's lifetime. Here, the cutting edges cross section by means of geometry and grind respectively as well as its mechanical properties matter. FEM analysis reveal innovative options to optimize the cross section of the blade as well as thermomechanical strengthening add further strength to reduce chipping. This paper contains a comprehensive strategy to improve cutting blades with use of innovative manufacturing technologies which apply application-specific graded mechanical characteristics and, thus, significantly improved performance characteristics.

Automated rose cutting in greenhouses with 3D vision and robotics : analysis of 3D vision techniques for stem detection

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Noordam, J.C.; Hemming, J.; Heerde, van C.J.E.; Golbach, F.B.T.F.; Soest, van R.; Wekking, E.

2005-01-01

The reduction of labour cost is the major motivation to develop a system for robot harvesting of roses in greenhouses that at least can compete with manual harvesting. Due to overlapping leaves, one of the most complicated tasks in robotic rose cutting is to locate the stem and trace the stem down

Modeling the complex impacts of timber harvests to find optimal management regimes for Amazon tidal floodplain forests

Science.gov (United States)

Fortini, Lucas B.; Cropper, Wendell P.; Zarin, Daniel J.

2015-01-01

At the Amazon estuary, the oldest logging frontier in the Amazon, no studies have comprehensively explored the potential long-term population and yield consequences of multiple timber harvests over time. Matrix population modeling is one way to simulate long-term impacts of tree harvests, but this approach has often ignored common impacts of tree harvests including incidental damage, changes in post-harvest demography, shifts in the distribution of merchantable trees, and shifts in stand composition. We designed a matrix-based forest management model that incorporates these harvest-related impacts so resulting simulations reflect forest stand dynamics under repeated timber harvests as well as the realities of local smallholder timber management systems. Using a wide range of values for management criteria (e.g., length of cutting cycle, minimum cut diameter), we projected the long-term population dynamics and yields of hundreds of timber management regimes in the Amazon estuary, where small-scale, unmechanized logging is an important economic activity. These results were then compared to find optimal stand-level and species-specific sustainable timber management (STM) regimes using a set of timber yield and population growth indicators. Prospects for STM in Amazonian tidal floodplain forests are better than for many other tropical forests. However, generally high stock recovery rates between harvests are due to the comparatively high projected mean annualized yields from fast-growing species that effectively counterbalance the projected yield declines from other species. For Amazonian tidal floodplain forests, national management guidelines provide neither the highest yields nor the highest sustained population growth for species under management. Our research shows that management guidelines specific to a region’s ecological settings can be further refined to consider differences in species demographic responses to repeated harvests. In principle, such fine

Hydrologic and climatic changes in three small watersheds after timber harvest.

Science.gov (United States)

W.B. Fowler; J.D. Helvey; E.N. Felix

1987-01-01

No significant increases in annual water yield were shown for three small watersheds in northeastern Oregon after shelterwood cutting (30-percent canopy removal, 50-percent basal area removal) and clearcutting. Average maximum air temperature increased after harvest and average minimum air temperature decreased by up to 2.6 °C. Both maximum and minimum water...

Water relations in calla lily flower stems harvested at different opening stages(

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Thais Silva Sales

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Cut flowers are a well established product and require conservation techniques that help keep postharvest quality for marketing. In this context, the objective of this study was to evaluate different opening stages of calla lily (Zantedeschia aethiopica cut stems and their influence on posthaverst. Calla lily stems were harvested in the morning, according to the following opening stages: closed spathe, semi-closed spathe (1/3 open, semi-open spathe (2/3 open and fully open spathe. Once selected and standardized, stems were placed in a controlled room at 21 ± 2 °C and relative humidity of 75 ± 5%, for eight days. The evaluations were conducted daily, observing water pH, commercial quality analysis, width and length of the spathe, fresh weight of stem, water absorption and transpiration. The experimental design was completely randomized, with four treatments (opening stages, five replicates and two stems by plot. The model used was split plot in time, with harvest stages as plots, and evaluation days as subplots. Calla lily harvested at closed spathe and semi-closed spathe (1/3 open, showed spathe opening, although it did not achieve fully spathe expansion, had higher water uptake and hydration of flower stems, and increased water retention capacity by floral tissues until saturation, followed by a period of weight reduction caused by transpiration rates greater than absorption.

Experimental test of theory for the stability of partially saturated vertical cut slopes

Science.gov (United States)

Morse, Michael M.; Lu, N.; Wayllace, Alexandra; Godt, Jonathan W.; Take, W.A.

2014-01-01

This paper extends Culmann's vertical-cut analysis to unsaturated soils. To test the extended theory, unsaturated sand was compacted to a uniform porosity and moisture content in a laboratory apparatus. A sliding door that extended the height of the free face of the slope was lowered until the vertical cut failed. Digital images of the slope cross section and upper surface were acquired concurrently. A recently developed particle image velocimetry (PIV) tool was used to quantify soil displacement. The PIV analysis showed strain localization at varying distances from the sliding door prior to failure. The areas of localized strain were coincident with the location of the slope crest after failure. Shear-strength and soil-water-characteristic parameters of the sand were independently tested for use in extended analyses of the vertical-cut stability and of the failure plane angle. Experimental failure heights were within 22.3% of the heights predicted using the extended theory.

Piezosurgical osteotomy for harvesting intraoral block bone graft

Science.gov (United States)

Lakshmiganthan, Mahalingam; Gokulanathan, Subramanium; Shanmugasundaram, Natarajan; Daniel, Rajkumar; Ramesh, Sadashiva B.

2012-01-01

The use of ultrasonic vibrations for the cutting of bone was first introduced two decades ago. Piezoelectric surgery is a minimally invasive technique that lessens the risk of damage to surrounding soft tissues and important structures such as nerves, vessels, and mucosa. It also reduces damage to osteocytes and permits good survival of bony cells during harvesting of bone. Grafting with intraoral bone blocks is a good way to reconstruct severe horizontal and vertical bone resorption in future implants sites. The piezosurgery system creates an effective osteotomy with minimal or no trauma to soft tissue in contrast to conventional surgical burs or saws and minimizes a patient's psychological stress and fear during osteotomy under local anesthesia. The purpose of this article is to describe the harvesting of intraoral bone blocks using the piezoelectric surgery device. PMID:23066242

Piezosurgical osteotomy for harvesting intraoral block bone graft

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mahalingam Lakshmiganthan

2012-01-01

Full Text Available The use of ultrasonic vibrations for the cutting of bone was first introduced two decades ago. Piezoelectric surgery is a minimally invasive technique that lessens the risk of damage to surrounding soft tissues and important structures such as nerves, vessels, and mucosa. It also reduces damage to osteocytes and permits good survival of bony cells during harvesting of bone. Grafting with intraoral bone blocks is a good way to reconstruct severe horizontal and vertical bone resorption in future implants sites. The piezosurgery system creates an effective osteotomy with minimal or no trauma to soft tissue in contrast to conventional surgical burs or saws and minimizes a patient′s psychological stress and fear during osteotomy under local anesthesia. The purpose of this article is to describe the harvesting of intraoral bone blocks using the piezoelectric surgery device.

MORPHOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS AND FORAGE PRODUCTIVITY OF IRRIGATED CACTUS PEAR UNDER DIFFERENT CUTTING INTENSITIES

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GUILHERME FERREIRA DA COSTA LIMA

2016-01-01

Full Text Available This study evaluated the effect of different cutting intensities and years of harvesting on the morphological characteristics and production of fresh (FMP and dry matter (DMP of cactus pear cv. Gigante (Opuntia ficus-indica Mill under conditions of irrigation, high planting density and fertilization, with 12 months of regrowth. The experimental was completely randomized in a factorial design (3 × 2 with 12 replicates. The treatments were three cutting intensities (preserving the mother cladode (PMC, primary cladodes (PPC, or secondary cladodes (PSC, and two years of harvesting. The soil was classified as Cambisol Haplicum and the irrigation water was classified as C4S1 (EC 5.25 dS.m-1 density of 50,000 plants ha-1. The research evaluated plant height, number of cladodes per plant (NCP, length, width, perimeter and thickness of the cladodes, cladode area (CA, cladode area index (CAI, FMP and DMP. There was no significant interaction between treatments (P > 0.05 for the variables plant height, NCP, CAI and FMP. The variables related to cladode morphology showed a significant interaction (P < 0.05. The treatment PSC resulted in a greater DMP (P < 0.05 with a mean of 27.17 Mg ha-1 yr-1, compared to PPC (18.58 Mg ha-1 yr-1 or PMC (11.78 Mg ha-1 yr-1. The treatment PSC promoted greater NCP and forage productivity at harvest and can be considered as a management practice for the sustainability of cactus pear cv. Gigante under irrigation. The more important morphological characteristics were also influenced by the lower cutting intensities.

Threshold responses of songbirds to long-term timber management on an active industrial forest

Science.gov (United States)

Becker, Douglas A.; Wood, Petra Bohall; Keyser, Patrick D.; Wigley, T. Bently; Dellinger, Rachel; Weakland, Cathy A.

2011-01-01

Forest managers often seek to balance economic benefits from timber harvesting with maintenance of habitat for wildlife, ecosystem function, and human uses. Most research on the relationship between avian abundance and active timber management has been short-term, lasting one to two years, creating the need to investigate long-term avian responses and to identify harvest thresholds when a small change in habitat results in a disproportionate response in relative abundance and nest success. Our objectives were to identify trends in relative abundance and nest success and to identify landscape-scale disturbance thresholds for avian species and habitat guilds in response to a variety of harvest treatments (clear-cuts, heavy and light partial harvests) over 14 years. We conducted point counts and monitored nests at an industrial forest in the central Appalachians of West Virginia during 1996–1998, 2001–2003, and 2007–2009. Early successional species increased in relative abundance across all three time periods, whereas interior-edge and forest-interior guilds peaked in relative abundance mid-study after which the forest-interior guild declined. Of 41 species with >10 detections, four (10%) declined significantly, 13 (32%) increased significantly (only three species among all periods), and 9 (22%) peaked in abundance mid-study (over the entire study period, four species had no significant change in abundance, four declined, and one increased). Based on piecewise linear models, forest-interior and interior-edge guilds’ relative abundance harvest thresholds were 28% total harvests (all harvests combined), 10% clear-cut harvests, and 18% light partial harvests, after which abundances declined. Harvest thresholds for the early successional guild were 42% total harvests, 11% clear-cut harvest, and 10% light partial harvests, and relative abundances increased after surpassing thresholds albeit at a reduced rate of increase after the clear-cut threshold. Threshold

Influence of Water-jet Nozzle Geometry on Cutting Ability of Soft Material

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Irwansyah Irwansyah

2012-06-01

Full Text Available Hygiene is main reason for food processor to use waterjet cutting system. Traditionally food cutting process is low-quality, unsafe products, procedures and direct contact between product and labor. This paper introduced a low cost waterjet system for cutting soft material as identic food material. The low cost waterjet system has been developed by using a commercial pressure pump for cleaning purposes and modified nozzle. In order to enhance waterjet pressure for cutting products, a modified waterjet nozzle was designed. Paramater design of waterjet system was setup on nozzle orifice diameter 0.5 mm, standoff distance 15 mm, length of nozzle cylindrical tube 2.5 mm. Polycarbonate, polysterene, and polyethelene materials are used as sample product with thickness 2 mm, to represent similar properties with agriculture products. The experimental results indicate good possibilities of waterjet system to cut material in appropriate profile surface. The waterjet also can be used to improve cutting finished surface of food products. Therefore, utilizing a low cost commercial pump and modified nozzle for waterjet system reduces equipment price, operational cost and environmental hazards. It indicates viable technology applied to substitute traditional cutting technology in post harvest agriculture products. Keywords: cutting ability, modified nozzle, polymer material, water-jet system

Renewal of Collaborative Research: Economically Viable Forest Harvesting Practices That Increase Carbon Sequestration

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Davidson, E.A.; Dail, D.B., Hollinger, D.; Scott, N.; Richardson, A.

2012-08-02

Forests provide wildlife habitat, water and air purification, climate moderation, and timber and nontimber products. Concern about climate change has put forests in the limelight as sinks of atmospheric carbon. The C stored in the global vegetation, mostly in forests, is nearly equivalent to the amount present in atmospheric CO{sub 2}. Both voluntary and government-mandated carbon trading markets are being developed and debated, some of which include C sequestration resulting from forest management as a possible tradeable commodity. However, uncertainties regarding sources of variation in sequestration rates, validation, and leakage remain significant challenges for devising strategies to include forest management in C markets. Hence, the need for scientifically-based information on C sequestration by forest management has never been greater. The consequences of forest management on the US carbon budget are large, because about two-thirds of the {approx}300 million hectare US forest resource is classified as 'commercial forest.' In most C accounting budgets, forest harvesting is usually considered to cause a net release of C from the terrestrial biosphere to the atmosphere. However, forest management practices could be designed to meet the multiple goals of providing wood and paper products, creating economic returns from natural resources, while sequestering C from the atmosphere. The shelterwood harvest strategy, which removes about 30% of the basal area of the overstory trees in each of three successive harvests spread out over thirty years as part of a stand rotation of 60-100 years, may improve net C sequestration compared to clear-cutting because: (1) the average C stored on the land surface over a rotation increases, (2) harvesting only overstory trees means that a larger fraction of the harvested logs can be used for long-lived sawtimber products, compared to more pulp resulting from clearcutting, (3) the shelterwood cut encourages growth of

Promoting Approaches For Increasing The Cost-Efficiency Of Energy Wood And Pulpwood Harvesting In Young Stands

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Oikari, Markku; Palander, Teijo; Ovaskainen, Heikki (Univ. of Joensuu, Faculty of Forest Science FI-80101 Joensuu (Finland)); Kaerhae, Kalle (Metsaeteho Oy , FI-00171 Helsinki (Finland))

2008-10-15

Potential approaches for increasing the cost-efficiency of energy wood and industrial roundwood (i.e. pulpwood) harvesting from early thinnings in Finland were ranked in the survey carried out by Metsaeteho Oy and the University of Joensuu. The study was implemented by conducting personal interviews. Research data, based on a total of 40 interviews, were collected during January and February, 2008. In this study, employment, education, and operator issues proved to be of decisive importance for improving energy wood and industrial roundwood harvesting. In the opinion of the respondents, there is considerable potential for increasing the cost-efficiency of wood harvesting by improving harvesting conditions (i.e. effective tending of seedling stands, delaying harvesting operations, pre-clearance of undergrowth, and new wood production methods). The interviewees also stressed that harvesting methods can be rationalized, e.g. multiple-tree handling in industrial roundwood cuttings, integrated pulpwood and energy wood harvesting, and grapple scale measuring. If the most potential methods and techniques were utilized completely in wood harvesting, then there would be significant possibilities for cost savings in young stands. Based on the suggestions of this study, the most profitable guidelines should be utilized immediately

EPICORMIC SHOOTS INDUCTION AND ROOTING CUTTINGS OF Calophyllum brasiliense

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Dagma Kratz

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Calophyllum brasiliense is present in a wide natural distribution range in Brazil and its monopodial growth, with a rectilinear stem and a moderately dense timber has attracted the attention from the logging industry in recent decades. In the meantime, the lack of efficient rescue and vegetative propagation methods of adult plants has been a narrowing condition for the selection of superior genotypes in breeding programs of the species. Therefore, we evaluate epicormic shoots induction methods and the rooting cuttings of 14 year-old Calophyllum brasiliense trees. From this scope, three methods of epicormic shoots induction were evaluated: coppicing, girdling and partial girdling. We evaluate the number of produced sprouts and the percentage of sprouted trees at 06, 12 and 15 months’ after the experiment installation. Results have indicated the feasibility of Calophyllum brasiliense vegetative rescue by cuttings method using epicormic shoots induced by coppicing and girdling. In contrast, partial girdling was not effective in epicormic shoots emission. Concerning adventitious roots, the sprouting technique had no influence in the rooting of cuttings, showing variation among the different stock plants.

Harvesting pulpwood and firewood using a tractor-mounted single-grip harvester

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ihonen, M.

1998-01-01

The TTS-Institute's Department of Forestry conducted a work study on the AM 240 felling-delimbing-cross-cutting -device. The timber was prepared into pulp- and fuelwood. The tops of the pulpwood stems and stems smaller than pulpwood were made into fuelwood. The base machine used was an agricultural tractor. The study is part of a research project titled Forest Owners' Energy-Wood Harvesting Technology. The combined productivity of preparing pulpwood and fuelwood varied between 2.8-4.1 m 3 per effective hour. Thus, the productivity achieved was of the same order as that reported in an earlier TTS-Institute study on the devices AM 200 model. The outturns on the sample strips included a fair amount of crooked hardwood timber, which iced to reduced productivity. During the work study the felling device functioned reliably. (author) 3 refs

Comparison of growth rates in the tissues of primal cuts of Canadian ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Beef composites (C) have combined favourable traits of pure breeds. The objective was to compare the growth rates (GR) of muscle (M) and fat (F) in the primal cuts of serially harvested Beefbooster® C types (SM = C of small breeds, AH = C of Angus and Hereford and GLC = C with Gelbvieh, Limousin or Charolais terminal ...

Comparison of growth rates in the tissues of primal cuts of Canadian ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Information Technology

the growth rates (GR) of muscle (M) and fat (F) in the primal cuts of serially harvested Beefbooster® C ... There is a move to reduce saturated fats (such as beef fat) in human diets, ... primarily utilized to produce fat, which requires a higher energy input (McDonald et al., 1988). ..... will provide more M than fatter carcasses.

Improving the energy balance of grass-based anaerobic digestion through combined harvesting and pretreatment.

Science.gov (United States)

Tsapekos, P; Kougias, P G; Egelund, H; Larsen, U; Pedersen, J; Trénel, P; Angelidaki, I

2017-08-01

An important challenge that has to be addressed to achieve sustainable anaerobic digestion of lignocellulosic substrates is the development of energy and cost efficient pretreatment methods. Technologies orientated to simultaneously harvest and mechanically pretreat the biomass at the field could meet these criteria as they can potentially reduce the energy losses. The objective of this study was to elucidate the effect of two full-scale harvesting machines to enhance the biogas production and subsequently, improve energy balance. The performances of Disc-mower and Excoriator were assessed on meadow and cultivated grass silages. The results showed that relatively high methane production can be achieved from meadow and cultivated grass harvested in different seasons. The findings indicated that the bioenergy production can be improved based on the selection of the appropriate harvesting technology. More specifically, Excoriator, which cuts and subsequently applies shearing forces on harvested biomass, enhanced the methane production up to 10% and the overall energy budget was improved proportionally to the driving speed increase. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The effects of degree of dark cutting on tenderness and sensory attributes of beef

Science.gov (United States)

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of degree of dark cutting (DC) on the tenderness, juiciness, and flavor attributes of beef. During carcass grading at a large U.S. commercial beef harvesting facility, DC carcasses (n = 160) and matching normal control (NC) carcasses (n = 160)...

Economic considerations of uneven-age hardwood management

Science.gov (United States)

H. Clay Smith; Gary W. Miller

1987-01-01

Uneven-age management or partial cutting methods as described in this paper allow foresters to manage eastern hardwood stands and harvest forest products without clearcutting. These methods can involve regular periodic harvests, at least for the short term, based on stand conditions and growing-site capabilities. We are not going to make the decision as to which is the...

The effect of silage cutting height on the nutritive value of a normal corn silage hybrid compared with brown midrib corn silage fed to lactating cows.

Science.gov (United States)

Kung, L; Moulder, B M; Mulrooney, C M; Teller, R S; Schmidt, R J

2008-04-01

A brown midrib (BMR) hybrid and a silage-specific non-BMR (7511FQ) hybrid were harvested at a normal cut height leaving 10 to 15 cm of stalk in the field. The non-BMR hybrid was also cut at a greater height leaving 45 to 50 cm of stalk. Cutting high increased the concentrations of dry matter (+4%), crude protein (+5%), net energy for lactation (+3%), and starch (+7%), but decreased the concentrations of acid detergent fiber (-9%), neutral detergent fiber (-8%), and acid detergent lignin (-13%) for 7511FQ. As expected, the BMR corn silage was 30% lower in lignin concentration than 7511FQ. After 30 h of in vitro ruminal fermentation, the digestibility of neutral detergent fiber for normal cut 7511FQ, the same hybrid cut high, and the normal cut BMR hybrid were 51.7, 51.4, and 63.5%, respectively. Twenty-seven multiparous lactating cows were fed a total mixed ration composed of the respective silages (45% of dry matter) with alfalfa haylage (5%), alfalfa hay (5%), and concentrate (45%) (to make the TMR isocaloric and isonitrogenous) in a study with a 3 x 3 Latin square design with 21-d periods. Milk production was greater for cows fed the BMR hybrid (48.8 kg/d) compared with those fed the normal cut 7511FQ (46.8 kg/d) or cut high (47.7 kg/d). Dry matter intake was not affected by treatment. Feed efficiency for cows fed the BMR silage (1.83) was greater than for those fed high-cut 7511FQ (1.75), but was not different from cows fed the normal cut 7511FQ (1.77). Cows fed the BMR silage had milk with greater concentrations of lactose but lower milk urea nitrogen than cows on other treatments. Harvesting a silage-specific, non-BMR corn hybrid at a high harvest height improved its nutritive content, but the improvement in feeding value was not equivalent to that found when cows were fed BMR corn silage.

Productivity of whole-tree bundler in energy wood and pulpwood harvesting from early thinnings

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nuutinen, Yrjoe; Laitila, Juha (Finnish Forest Research Inst., Joensuu (Finland)), e-mail: Yrjo.Nuutinen@metla.fi; Kaerhae, Kalle; Keskinen, Sirkka (Metsaeteho Oy, Helsinki (Finland)); Jylhae, Paula (Finnish Forest Research Inst., Kannus (Finland))

2011-06-15

First thinnings have been neglected to great extent in Finland because of high harvesting costs. The whole-tree bundler (Fixteri) was developed in order to rationalize the integrated harvesting of small-diameter energy wood and pulpwood and to reduce transportation costs through load compaction. The operation of the whole-tree bundler is composed of cutting and compaction processes. In the present study, the productivity level and the performance characteristics of the second version of the whole-tree bundler (Fixteri II) in integrated energy wood and pulpwood harvesting from first thinnings were defined on the basis of a time study. When the mean volume of removed whole trees averaged 20 dm3 at the stand, the productivity of Fixteri II per effective working (E{sub 0} excluding delays) hour was 3.4 m3/(E{sub 0}) and with an average removal of 75 dm3, it was 6.1 m3/(E{sub 0}). When compared with the first prototype of the whole-tree bundler (Fixteri I), the productivity of Fixteri II was 38-77% higher, depending on the stand density and mean tree volume of the removal. The higher performance level of Fixteri II stemmed mainly from the increase in multi-tree cutting and from the introduction of grapple feeding of the bunches. Furthermore, the better hydraulic capacity of the base machine enabled a higher level of simultaneous working processes

Características do óleo essencial de capim-citronela em função de espaçamento, altura e época de corte Essential oil characteristics from citronella grass depending on planting space, cutting height and harvesting time

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cláudia A Marco

2007-09-01

ground and harvesting season (four, six and eight months after planting on productivity and essential oil quality was evaluated. The study. occurred in field, in Pentecoste, Ceará State, Brazil, from September 2002 to September 2003. The treatments were organized in a factorial 3 x 3 x 2 scheme, in randomized block design, with three replicates. Cutting plants four months after planting date resulted in significantly higher essential oil production when cut at 30 cm height. Six months after planting date, higher yield was obtained at 15 cm height. The cutting height did not influence essential oil production when plants were harvested after eight months. Using larger plant spacing (80 x 80 cm resulted in significantly higher essential oil production when plants were cut at 15 cm, divergent to the result observed with minor spacing (50 x 50 cm. The citronellol + citronellal content was significantly higher in plants cultivated at intermediate spacing and cut after six months at a height of 30 cm. The geraniol content, however, was higher in plants harvested after four months, with no influence of spacing or cutting height.

Wind energy harvesting with a piezoelectric harvester

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wu, Nan; Wang, Quan; Xie, Xiangdong

2013-01-01

An energy harvester comprising a cantilever attached to piezoelectric patches and a proof mass is developed for wind energy harvesting, from a cross wind-induced vibration of the cantilever, by the electromechanical coupling effect of piezoelectric materials. The vibration of the cantilever under the cross wind is induced by the air pressure owing to a vortex shedding phenomenon that occurs on the leeward side of the cantilever. To describe the energy harvesting process, a theoretical model considering the cross wind-induced vibration on the piezoelectric coupled cantilever energy harvester is developed, to calculate the charge and the voltage from the harvester. The influences of the length and location of the piezoelectric patches as well as the proof mass on the generated electric power are investigated. Results show that the total generated electric power can be as high as 2 W when the resonant frequency of the cantilever harvester is close to the vortex shedding frequency. Moreover, a value of total generated electric power up to 1.02 W can be practically realized for a cross wind with a variable wind velocity of 9–10 m s −1 by a harvester with a length of 1.2 m. This research facilitates an effective and compact wind energy harvesting device. (paper)

An integer programming model for a forest harvest problem in Pinus pinaster stands

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fonseca, T. F.; Cerveira, A.; Mota, A.

2012-11-01

The study addresses the special case of a management plan for maritime pine (Pinus pinaster Ait.) in common lands. The study area refers to 4,432 ha of maritime pine stands in North Portugal (Perimetro Florestal do Barroso in the county of Ribeira de Pena), distributed among five common lands called baldio areas. Those lands are co-managed by the Official Forest Services and the local communities, essentially for timber production, using empirical guidance. As the current procedure does not guarantee the best thinning and clear-cutting scheduling, it was considered important to develop easy-to-use models, supported by optimization techniques, to be employed by the forest managers in the harvest planning of these communitarian forests. Planning of the thinning and clear-cutting operations involved certain conditions, such as: (1) the optimal age for harvesting; (2) the maximum stand density permitted; (3) the minimum volume to be cut; (4) the guarantee of incomes for each of the five baldios in at least a two year period; (5) balanced incomes during the length of the projection period. In order to evaluate the sustainability of the wood resources, a set of constraints lower bounding the average ending age was additionally tested. The problem was formulated as an integer linear programming model where the incomes from thinning and clear-cutting are maximized while considering the constraints mentioned above. Five major scenarios were simulated. The simplest one allows for silvicultural constraints only, whereas the other four consider these constraints besides different management options. Two of them introduce joint management of all common areas with or without constraints addressing balanced distribution of incomes during the plan horizon, whilst the other two consider the same options but for individual management of the baldios. The proposed model is easy to apply, providing immediate advantages for short and mid-term planning periods compared to the empirical

Micro rectennas: Brownian ratchets for thermal-energy harvesting

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pan, Y.; Powell, C. V.; Balocco, C.; Song, A. M.

2014-01-01

We experimentally demonstrated the operation of a rectenna for harvesting thermal (blackbody) radiation and converting it into dc electric power. The device integrates an ultrafast rectifier, the self-switching nanodiode, with a wideband log-periodic spiral microantenna. The radiation from the thermal source drives the rectenna out of thermal equilibrium, permitting the rectification of the excess thermal fluctuations from the antenna. The power conversion efficiency increases with the source temperatures up to 0.02% at 973 K. The low efficiency is attributed mainly to the impedance mismatch between antenna and rectifier, and partially to the large field of view of the antenna. Our device not only opens a potential solution for harvesting thermal energy but also provides a platform for experimenting with Brownian ratchets

Micro rectennas: Brownian ratchets for thermal-energy harvesting

Science.gov (United States)

Pan, Y.; Powell, C. V.; Song, A. M.; Balocco, C.

2014-12-01

We experimentally demonstrated the operation of a rectenna for harvesting thermal (blackbody) radiation and converting it into dc electric power. The device integrates an ultrafast rectifier, the self-switching nanodiode, with a wideband log-periodic spiral microantenna. The radiation from the thermal source drives the rectenna out of thermal equilibrium, permitting the rectification of the excess thermal fluctuations from the antenna. The power conversion efficiency increases with the source temperatures up to 0.02% at 973 K. The low efficiency is attributed mainly to the impedance mismatch between antenna and rectifier, and partially to the large field of view of the antenna. Our device not only opens a potential solution for harvesting thermal energy but also provides a platform for experimenting with Brownian ratchets.

Micro rectennas: Brownian ratchets for thermal-energy harvesting

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pan, Y.; Powell, C. V.; Balocco, C., E-mail: claudio.balocco@durham.ac.uk [School of Engineering and Computing Sciences, Durham University, Durham DH1 3LE (United Kingdom); Song, A. M. [School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL (United Kingdom)

2014-12-22

We experimentally demonstrated the operation of a rectenna for harvesting thermal (blackbody) radiation and converting it into dc electric power. The device integrates an ultrafast rectifier, the self-switching nanodiode, with a wideband log-periodic spiral microantenna. The radiation from the thermal source drives the rectenna out of thermal equilibrium, permitting the rectification of the excess thermal fluctuations from the antenna. The power conversion efficiency increases with the source temperatures up to 0.02% at 973 K. The low efficiency is attributed mainly to the impedance mismatch between antenna and rectifier, and partially to the large field of view of the antenna. Our device not only opens a potential solution for harvesting thermal energy but also provides a platform for experimenting with Brownian ratchets.

Regeneration in bottomland forest canopy gaps six years after variable retention harvests to enhance wildlife habitat

Science.gov (United States)

Twedt, Daniel J.; Somershoe, Scott G.; Guldin, James M.

2013-01-01

To promote desired forest conditions that enhance wildlife habitat in bottomland forests, managers prescribed and implemented variable-retention harvest, a.k.a. wildlife forestry, in four stands on Tensas River National Wildlife Refuge, LA. These treatments created canopy openings (gaps) within which managers sought to regenerate shade-intolerant trees. Six years after prescribed harvests, we assessed regeneration in 41 canopy gaps and 4 large (>0.5-ha) patch cut openings that resulted from treatments and in 21 natural canopy gaps on 2 unharvested control stands. Mean gap area of anthropogenic gaps (582 m²) was greater than that of natural gaps (262 m²). Sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua) and red oaks (Quercus nigra, Q. nuttallii, and Q. phellos) were common in anthropogenic gaps, whereas elms (Ulmus spp.) and sugarberry (Celtis laevigata) were numerous in natural gaps. We recommend harvest prescriptions include gaps with diameter >25 m, because the proportion of shade-intolerant regeneration increased with gap area up to 500 m². The proportion of shade-intolerant definitive gap fillers (individuals likely to occupy the canopy) increased with gap area: 35 percent in natural gaps, 54 percent in anthropogenic gaps, and 84 percent in patch cuts. Sweetgum, green ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica), and red oaks were common definitive gap fillers.

Chemical characteristics of dissolved organic matter (DOM) in relation to heavy metal concentrations in soil water from boreal peatlands after clear-cut harvesting

Science.gov (United States)

Kiikkilä, O.; Nieminen, T.; Starr, M.; Ukonmaanaho, L.

2012-04-01

Boreal peatlands form an important terrestrial carbon reserve and are a major source of dissolved organic matter (DOM) to surface waters, particularly when disturbed through forestry practices such as draining or timber harvesting. Heavy metals show a strong affinity to organic matter and so, along with DOM, heavy metals can be mobilized and transported from the soil to surface waters and sediments where they may become toxic to aquatic organisms and pass up the food chain. The complexation of heavy metals with DOM can be expected to be related and determined by the chemical characteristics of DOM and oxidation/reducing conditions in the peat. We extracted interstitial water from peat samples and determined the concentrations of dissolved organic carbon (DOC), dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) and Al, Cu, Zn and Fe in various fractions of DOM isolated by adsorption properties (XAD-8 fractionation) and molecular-weight (ultrafiltration). The peat samples were taken from 0-30 and 30-50 cm depth in drained peatland catchments two years after whole-tree or stem-only clear-cut harvesting (Scots pine or Norway spruce) had been carried out. The samples from the upper layer had been subject to alternating saturation/aeration conditions while the deeper layer had been continuously under the water table. The fractionation of DOC and DON according to both adsorption properties and molecular-weight fractions clearly differed between the upper and lower peat layers. While the hydrophobic acid fraction contained proportionally more DOC and DON than the hydrophilic acid fraction in the upper peat layer the results were vice versa in the lower peat layer. High-molecular-weight compounds (> 100 kDa) were proportionally more abundant in the upper and low-molecular-weight compounds (< 1 kDa) in the lower peat layer. These differences are assumed to reflect differences in the aerobic/ anaerobic conditions and degree of decomposition between the two layers. The concentrations of Zn, Al

What happens to living cull trees left after heavy cutting in mixed hardwood stands?

Science.gov (United States)

George R., Jr. Trimble; Henry Clay Smith

1963-01-01

In the Appalachian Mountains, the logging operator usually cuts only those trees that he thinks will yield a profit, and leaves the trees that appear to be unprofitable. Generally these unprofitable trees are either below merchantable size or are culls-trees of merchantable size that contain too little sound material to justify harvesting costs.

Effects of pre-and postharvest lighting on quality and shelf life of fresh-cut lettuce

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Woltering, E.J.; Witkowska, I.M.

2016-01-01

The effects of pre-and postharvest lighting on quality and shelf life of fresh-cut lettuce was investigated. Lettuce was grown under different light intensities (120 and 250 μmol m^-2 s^-1 PAR from fluorescent tubes) and quality at harvest and subsequent postharvest

Biomass yield and greenhouse gas emissions from a drained fen peatland cultivated with reed canary grass under different harvest and fertilizer regimes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kandel, Tanka Prasad; Elsgaard, Lars; Karki, Sandhya

2013-01-01

Reed canary grass (RCG, Phalaris arundinacea L.) is a suitable energy crop for cultivation in northern peatlands. However, the atmospheric impact of RCG cultivation as influenced by harvest frequency and fertilization is not clear. Here, we compared the biomass yield and greenhouse gas (GHG......) balance for RCG cultivation in peatlands affected by cutting frequency and fertilizer managements. The managements included one-cut (OC) and two-cut (TC) systems that were either fertilized (TC-F) or unfertilized (TC-U) after the first cut in summer. Biomass yield of OC, TC-F and TC-U were 12, 16 and 11...

Application of two regression-based methods to estimate the effects harvest on forest structure using Landsat data

Science.gov (United States)

Sean P. Healey; Zhiqiang Yang; Warren B. Cohen; D. John Pierce

2006-01-01

Although partial harvests are common in many forest types globally, there has been little assessment of the potential to map the intensity of these harvests using Landsat data. We modeled basal area removal and percent cover change in a study area in central Washington (northwestern USA) using biennial Landsat imagery and reference data from historical aerial photos...

Stand conditions immediately following a restoration harvest in an old-growth pine-hardwood remnant

Science.gov (United States)

D. C. Bragg

2010-01-01

Portions of the Levi Wilcoxon Demonstration Forest (LWDF), a privately owned parcel of old-growth pine and hardwoods in Ashley County, Arkansas, were recently treated to restore conditions similar to some historic accounts of the virgin forest. Following a hardwood-only cut, a post-harvest inventory showed that the number of tree species in the sample area declined...

Productivity and cost of manual felling and cable skidding in central Appalachian hardwood forests

Science.gov (United States)

Jingxin Wang; Charlie Long; Joe McNeel; John Baumgras; John Baumgras

2004-01-01

A field production study was conducted for a manual harvesting system using a chainsaw and cable skidder in a central Appalachian hardwood forest site. A partial cut was performed on a 50-acre tract with an average slope of 25 percent. Felling time pre tree was most affected by diameter at breast height and the distance between harvested trees while skidding cycle time...

Yielding of leaf celery Apium graveolens L. var. secalinum Alef. depending on the number of harvests and irrigation

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Ewa Rożek

2013-04-01

Full Text Available Leaf celery (Apium graveolensvar. secalinum is a vegetable with medicinal and spicy properties. Its numerous intensely fragrant leaves can be cut several times during the plant growing period. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of irrigation and number of harvests on leaf celery yield of the cultivars ‘Afina’ and‘Gewone Snij’. Plant irrigation significantly increased leaf yield and plant height of leaf celery. Higher total yield was obtained from non-irrigated plants when leaves were harvested three times, whereas for irrigated plants yield was higher in the case of two leaf harvests. Irrespective of the experimental factors, higher yield was obtained from the cultivar ‘Gewone Snij’.

Simulating the environmental performance of post-harvest management measures to comply with the EU Nitrates Directive.

Science.gov (United States)

De Waele, J; D'Haene, K; Salomez, J; Hofman, G; De Neve, S

2017-02-01

Nitrate (NO 3 - ) leaching from farmland remains the predominant source of nitrogen (N) loads to European ground- and surface water. As soil mineral N content at harvest is often high and may increase by mineralisation from crop residues and soil organic matter, it is critical to understand which post-harvest management measures can be taken to restrict the average NO 3 - concentration in ground- and surface waters below the norm of 50 mg l -1 . Nitrate leaching was simulated with the EU-rotate_N model on a silty and a sandy soil following the five main arable crops cultivated in Flanders: cut grassland, silage maize, potatoes, sugar beets and winter wheat, in scenarios of optimum fertilisation with and without post-harvest measures. We compared the average NO 3 - concentration in the leaching water at a depth of 90 cm in these scenarios after dividing it by a factor of 2.1 to include natural attenuation processes occurring during transport towards ground- and surface water. For cut grassland, the average attenuated NO 3 - concentration remained below the norm on both soils. In order to comply with the Nitrates Directive, post-harvest measures seemed to be necessary on sandy soils for the four other crops and on silty soils for silage maize and for potatoes. Successful measures appeared to be the early sowing of winter crops after harvesting winter wheat, the undersowing of grass in silage maize and the removal of sugar beet leaves. Potatoes remained a problematic crop as N uptake by winter crops was insufficient to prevent excessive NO 3 - leaching. For each crop, maximum levels of soil mineral N content at harvest were proposed, both with and without additional measures, which could be used in future nutrient legislation. The approach taken here could be upscaled from the field level to the subcatchment level to see how different crops could be arranged within a subcatchment to permit the cultivation of problem crops without adversely affecting the water

Protocol and Practice in the Adaptive Management of Waterfowl Harvests

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Fred Johnson

1999-06-01

Full Text Available Waterfowl harvest management in North America, for all its success, historically has had several shortcomings, including a lack of well-defined objectives, a failure to account for uncertain management outcomes, and inefficient use of harvest regulations to understand the effects of management. To address these and other concerns, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service began implementation of adaptive harvest management in 1995. Harvest policies are now developed using a Markov decision process in which there is an explicit accounting for uncontrolled environmental variation, partial controllability of harvest, and structural uncertainty in waterfowl population dynamics. Current policies are passively adaptive, in the sense that any reduction in structural uncertainty is an unplanned by-product of the regulatory process. A generalization of the Markov decision process permits the calculation of optimal actively adaptive policies, but it is not yet clear how state-specific harvest actions differ between passive and active approaches. The Markov decision process also provides managers the ability to explore optimal levels of aggregation or "management scale" for regulating harvests in a system that exhibits high temporal, spatial, and organizational variability. Progress in institutionalizing adaptive harvest management has been remarkable, but some managers still perceive the process as a panacea, while failing to appreciate the challenges presented by this more explicit and methodical approach to harvest regulation. Technical hurdles include the need to develop better linkages between population processes and the dynamics of landscapes, and to model the dynamics of structural uncertainty in a more comprehensive fashion. From an institutional perspective, agreement on how to value and allocate harvests continues to be elusive, and there is some evidence that waterfowl managers have overestimated the importance of achievement-oriented factors in

Leaves Of Cut Rose Flower Convert Exogenously Applied Glucose To Sucrose And Translocate It To Petals

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Horibe Takanori

2014-12-01

Full Text Available To understand the role that the leaves play in the translocation of soluble carbohydrates in cut rose flowers, we first evaluated the effect of leaf removal on flower quality and the sugar content in petals. Cut rose flowers with leaves had higher soluble sugar content in petals compared with cut flower without leaves. Next, we treated cut flowers with radioactive glucose to clarify translocation routes of exogenously applied sugar. There was no significant difference between the specific radioactivity of sucrose and glucose in leaves, but specific radioactivity of sucrose in petals was much higher than that of glucose. These results suggested that most of the exogenously applied glucose first moved to the leaves, where it was converted into sucrose and then the synthesised sucrose was translocated to the petals. Our results showed that the leaves of cut rose flowers play an important role in the metabolism and transportation of exogenously applied soluble carbohydrates toward the petals, thus contributing to sustaining the post-harvest quality.

Produção de biomassa e óleo essencial de elixir-paregórico em função do corte das inflorescências e épocas de colheita Biomass and essential oil production of Ocimum selloi as affected by cutting of inflorescences and harvest times

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Larissa CB Costa

2007-06-01

oil production of Ocimum selloi were evaluated, as a result of cutting of inflorescences and harvest times. The experiment was conducted in the field, in randomized blocks, with treatments distributed in a 2 x 8 factorial scheme, corresponding to two management systems (with and without inflorescence cutting and eight harvest dates (45; 60; 75; 90; 105; 120; 135, and 150 days after seedling transplant, with four replications. Plant height and stems (SDW, leaves (LDW, and inflorescences dry weight (IDW, as well as essential oil content and yield were evaluated. Inflorescence cutting did not interfere with plant height. Intact plants were 51.8 cm tall in average, while those in which inflorescences were cut reached 53.2 cm as average height. Harvest times induced a quadratic plant growth, with the estimate of 65.9 cm as maximum height, to be achieved 139 days after the transplant (DAT. Plants in which inflorescences were cut produced larger SDW (51.8 g plant-1 and LDW (27.9 g plant-1 than intact plants (SDW = 42.4; LDW = 21.3 g plant-1 and, like IDW, SDW and LDW presented quadratic adjustment for the two management systems during the harvesting period. Essential oil content of dry leaves was not affected by management systems, but presented a quadratic answer to harvest times. Nevertheless, the average essential oil yield in plants in which inflorescences were cut was significantly higher (1.60 g plant-1 than in intact plants (1.18 g plant-1. Maximum essential oil yield estimated for plants in which inflorescences were cut was 2.36 g plant-1, to be obtained 135 DAT, while in intact plants, it was estimated to be 1.65 g plant-1, to be reached at 114 DAP.

Analysis of the means of forest harvesting in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina

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Halilović Velid

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The development of technology and the means of labour in the technological process of forest harvesting in FBiH mainly depends on the factors related to the specific manner of forest management. The dominant share of mixed tall forests with natural regeneration, the selective manner of management and rather difficult natural conditions have resulted in the application of the cut-to-length method and to a lesser extent, the tree-length and semi-tree-length methods. On the basis of expert classification of the development phases in forest harvesting, it can be noted that wood assortment production in FBiH is currently partially mechanised. With the aim of defining measures for increasing productivity, lowering the costs and a greater humanisation of work, there has been an analysis of the current state of the means of work in all three phases of forest harvesting. The analysis included the following parameters: number of means in different phases, the type, the average age, ownership and technical planned obsolescence. All the data were collected through a survey which included all stakeholders (cantonal forest companies and private contractors. The results showed a satisfactory state only when chainsaws are concerned, i.e. the rather cheap tools. Other equipment (adapted tractors, skidders, trucks, etc. has largely reached planned obsolescence. Their old age results in a low level of utilisation, i.e. an insufficient amount of working hours per year which eventually leads to a decrease in productivity and increase in expenses. Based on the data, it can be concluded that it is necessary to begin the process of new mechanisation procurement and the replacement of existing, time-worn and technologically obsolete machines with new ones. At the same time, it is clear that, in the conditions of low availability of investment capital and cheap labour force, this has to be a gradual process. In relation with this, the process should start in the most

Optimal Harvesting in a Periodic Food Chain Model with Size Structures in Predators

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhang, Feng-Qin, E-mail: zhafq@263.net [Yuncheng University, Department of Applied Mathematics (China); Liu, Rong [Lvliang University, Department of Mathematics (China); Chen, Yuming, E-mail: ychen@wlu.ca [Yuncheng University, Department of Applied Mathematics (China)

2017-04-15

In this paper, we investigate a periodic food chain model with harvesting, where the predators have size structures and are described by first-order partial differential equations. First, we establish the existence of a unique non-negative solution by using the Banach fixed point theorem. Then, we provide optimality conditions by means of normal cone and adjoint system. Finally, we derive the existence of an optimal strategy by means of Ekeland’s variational principle. Here the objective functional represents the net economic benefit yielded from harvesting.

Low-frequency wideband vibration energy harvesting by using frequency up-conversion and quin-stable nonlinearity

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Chen; Zhang, Qichang; Wang, Wei

2017-07-01

This work presents models and experiments of an impact-driven and frequency up-converted wideband piezoelectric-based vibration energy harvester with a quintuple-well potential induced by the combination effect of magnetic nonlinearity and mechanical piecewise-linearity. Analysis shows that the interwell motions during coupled vibration period enable to increase electrical power output in comparison to conventional frequency up-conversion technology. Besides, the quintuple-well potential with shallower potential wells could extend the harvester's operating bandwidth to lower frequencies. Experiments demonstrate our proposed approach can dramatically boost the measured power of the energy harvester as much as 35 times while its lower cut-off frequency is two times lower than that of a conventional counterpart. These results reveal our proposed approach shows promise for powering portable wireless smart devices from low-intensity, low-frequency vibration sources.

Many prospects in after-use of cut-away peatlands

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Reinikainen, O.; Klemetti, V. (Vapo Oy, Jyvaeskylae (Finland)), Email: olli.reinikainen@vapo.fi, Email: veijo.klemetti@vapo.fi

2009-07-01

In Finland 1000-2000 hectares of cut-away peatlands are released from peat harvesting annually. So far these areas amount totally some 25000 hectares, but the released areas are supposed to increase considerably in coming years. These areas open up numerous alternatives for wise after-use. The most important mean for further land-use are forestry, arable farming, restoration and Sphagnum farming as well as wetland or bird sanctuary. Beside economical reasons several geological-hydrological and biological factors determine the applicable after-use alternative. Hydrology of the area is a fundamental factor for further land-use. By means of appropriate treatments former, barren peat harvesting sites can be converted into diverse biotopes, which have added value from environment as well as landscape and economics point of view. Likewise it will open up for the coming generations alternatives for new land-use when peat harvesting has been concluded. The drainage of the peat harvesting fields is mainly carried out by the gravimetric methods, but in part of the areas the mire bottom is lower than the water table in the receiving watershed. There drainage water is pumped to the wanted level. Pumping is used also for environmental reasons and in order to avoid too heavy excavation works. Vapo has more than 100 pumping stations operating in different parts of Finland. The area, which will be submerged below the water table, is about 7000 hectares, when the pumping is stopped after peat harvesting. The submerged areas will be bird sanctuaries with water table of zero to a couple of meters thick. Their beaches are fairly wet and suitable for the restoration to peat forming ecosystems or for the Sphagnum-farming. Majority of the cut-away area is more or less dry land with nutrient poor, especially phosphorus and potassium, peat surface preventing the establishment of the permanent vegetation. These areas can be treated so that the more even and boulder less parts will be turned

Effects of forest harvesting on summer stream temperatures in New Brunswick, Canada: an inter-catchment, multiple-year comparison

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C. P.-A. Bourque

2001-01-01

Full Text Available This paper presents a pre- and post-harvest comparison of stream temperatures collected in five neighbouring streams (sub-catchments over a period of five years (1994-1998. The aim of the study was to determine whether land cover changes from clear cutting in areas outside forest buffer zones (applied to streams >0.5 m wide might contribute to an increase in summer mean stream temperatures in buffered streams downslope by infusion of warmed surface and sub-surface water into the streams. Specific relationships were observed in all five forest streams investigated. To assist in the analysis, several spatially-relevant variables, such as land cover change, mid-summer potential solar radiation, flow accumulation, stream location and slope of the land were determined, in part, from existing aerial photographs, GIS-archived forest inventory data and a digital terrain model of the study area. Spatial calculations of insolation levels for July 15th were used as an index of mid-summer solar heating across sub-catchments. Analysis indicated that prior to the 1995 harvest, differences in stream temperature could be attributed to (i topographic position and catchment-to-sun orientation, (ii the level of cutting that occurred in the upper catchment prior to the start of the study, and (iii the average slope within harvested areas. Compared to the pre-harvest mean stream temperatures in 1994, mean temperatures in the three streams downslope from the 1995 harvest areas increased by 0.3 to 0.7°C (representing a 4-8% increase; p-value of normalised temperatures Keywords: terrain attributes, solar radiation, land cover, forest buffers, New Brunswick regulations, spatial modelling, DEM, forest covertypes

Canopy arthropod response to density and distribution of green trees retained after partial harvest.

Science.gov (United States)

Timothy D. Schowalter; Yanli Zhang; Robert A. Progar

2005-01-01

We measured canopy arthropod responses to six contrasting green-tree retention treatments at six locations (blocks) in western Oregon and Washington as part of the Demonstration of Ecosystem Management Options (DEMO) study. Treatments were 100% retention (uncut), 75% retention with three 1-ha harvested gaps, 40% dispersed retention, 40% aggregated retention with five 1...

Justification of working out of combine harvesters technological certificate

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G. E. Chepurin

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Dynamics of grain crops productivity in the main grain growing regions of Siberian Federal District is presented. Major factors shoud be considered at justification of a class of combine harvesters for their effective operation in various climatic and working conditions. loading efficiency of a combine thresher depends on productivity and operating width of windrowers or headers at straight-cutting and windrowing. A tailings maintenance in the threshed grain heap influences on the harvester capacity. Certificate capacity of combines of a class of 5-12 kg/s at the 1.5 percent admissible level of losses behind a combine thresher is depending on the tailings maintenance in the threshed grain heap. In accordance to analysis the capacity of combines of any class of the classical design increases by 1.45 times at reduction of a straw content from 1.5 to 0.7 relative to standard indicators, and decreases by 1.16 times at increase of this parameter to 2.3. The combine of a class of 7 kg/s is completely loaded when pickup threshing by harvesters with a operating width of 20; 16 and 12 m at a speed of movement 7.2; 9.0 and 12.0 km/h respectively. The combine of a class of 10 kg/s at crop productivity of 1.8 t/ha will be completely loaded when pickup threshing if the operating width is 20 m and the speed equals 12 km/h, and at the width of 16 m speed has to make 13 km/h. The content of the technological certificate by the example of use of combines of a class of 7 kg/s (GS-07 and 10 kg/s (GS-10 is proved. The algorithm of determination of the movement speed is presented. Its use provides certificate loading of a thresher when threshing of grain crops with different productivity at straight-cutting and windrowing.

STORAGE TIME EFFECT ON MINI-CUTTINGS ROOTING IN Tectona grandis LINN F. CLONES

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Yorleny Badilla

2017-08-01

Full Text Available ABSTRACT The study aimed to evaluate the influence of storage length on Tectona grandis mini-cuttings survival and rooting. A factorial arrangement (4 x 7 was utilized, based on four clones (Carapá, Ipê, GU5 and TB7 and seven time intervals from mini-cuttings harvesting until final sowing (0, 1, 2, 4, 8, 12 and 16 hours. A randomized block design with three replicates and 16 mini-cuttings per experimental unit was utilized. Survival and rooting rates were evaluated after greenhouse culture (30 days after sowing and after shadow house culture (40 days after sowing; as well as height, collar diameter, aerial and root biomass 55 days after sowing. No significant differences were observed in survival and rooting rates among time intervals in teak mini-cuttings preparation from these four clones. However differences among clones were registered for rooting rate, suggesting a genotypic effect. Survival and rooting rates were very high after greenhouse culture (93% and 90% respectively, as well as survival after culture in a shadow-house (88%.

Effects of Different Cutting Height on Nutritional Quality of Whole Crop Barley Silage and Feed Value on Hanwoo Heifers.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Dong Hyeon; Amanullah, Sardar M; Lee, Hyuk Jun; Joo, Young Ho; Han, Ouk Kyu; Adesogan, Adegbola T; Kim, Sam Churl

2016-09-01

The present study evaluated the effects of different cutting height on nutritive value, fermentation quality, in vitro and in vivo digestibility of whole crop barley silage. Whole crop barley forage (Yuyeon hybrid) was harvested at height of 5, 10, and 15 cm from the ground level. Each cutting height was rolled to make round bale and ensiled for 100 days. After 100 days of ensiling, pH of silage was lower (pcutting height. The content of lactate and lactate to acetate ratio were increased (pcutting height, whereas the acetate content was higher (pcutting height. Aerobic stability was greater (pcutting height. Three total mixed rations (TMR) were formulated with silages from the three different cutting heights (TMR5, TMR10, and TMR15) incorporated as forage at 70:30 ratio with concentrate (dry matter [DM] basis). In vitro dry matter digestibility was higher (pcutting height. The digestibility of DM and neutral detergent fiber were highest (pcutting height, at least up to 10 to 15 cm, of whole crop barley forage at harvest (Yuyeon) may be beneficial for making silage for TMR formulation and increasing digestibility of DM and NDF.

Winter Dew Harvest in Mexico City

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Arias-Torres Jorge Ernesto

2015-12-01

Full Text Available This study presents experimental and theoretical results of winter dew harvest in México City in terms of condensation rate. A simplified theoretical model based on a steady-state energy balance on a radiator-condenser was fitted, as a function of the ambient temperature, the relative humidity and the wind velocity. A glass sheet and aluminum sheet white-painted were used as samples over the outdoor experiments. A good correlation was obtained between the theoretical and experimental data. The experimental results show that there was condensation in 68% of the winter nights on both condensers. The total winter condensed mass was 2977 g/m2 and 2888 g/m2 on the glass sheet and aluminum sheet white-painted, respectively. Thus, the condensed mass on the glass was only 3% higher than that on the painted surface. The maximum nightly dew harvests occurred during December, which linearly reduced from 50 g/m2 night to 22 g/m2 night as the winter months went by. The condensation occurred from 1:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m., with maximum condensation rates between 6:00 a.m. and 7:00 a.m. The dew harvest can provide a partial alternative to the winter water shortage in certain locations with similar climates to the winter in Mexico City, as long as pollution is not significant.

Responses of small mammals to clear-cutting in temperate and boreal forests of Europe: a meta-analysis and review

OpenAIRE

Bogdziewicz, Michał; Zwolak, Rafał

2013-01-01

We analyzed the responses of small mammals to clear-cutting in temperate and boreal forests in Europe. We conducted a meta-analysis of published research on most often studied small mammal species (the striped field mouse, the yellow-necked mouse, the wood mouse, the field vole, the common vole, the bank vole, the Eurasian harvest mouse, the common shrew and the Eurasian pygmy shrew), comparing their abundance on clear-cuts and in unharvested stands. For four other species (the gray-sided vol...

Harvest Regulations and Implementation Uncertainty in Small Game Harvest Management

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Pål F. Moa

2017-09-01

Full Text Available A main challenge in harvest management is to set policies that maximize the probability that management goals are met. While the management cycle includes multiple sources of uncertainty, only some of these has received considerable attention. Currently, there is a large gap in our knowledge about implemention of harvest regulations, and to which extent indirect control methods such as harvest regulations are actually able to regulate harvest in accordance with intended management objectives. In this perspective article, we first summarize and discuss hunting regulations currently used in management of grouse species (Tetraonidae in Europe and North America. Management models suggested for grouse are most often based on proportional harvest or threshold harvest principles. These models are all built on theoretical principles for sustainable harvesting, and provide in the end an estimate on a total allowable catch. However, implementation uncertainty is rarely examined in empirical or theoretical harvest studies, and few general findings have been reported. Nevertheless, circumstantial evidence suggest that many of the most popular regulations are acting depensatory so that harvest bag sizes is more limited in years (or areas where game density is high, contrary to general recommendations. A better understanding of the implementation uncertainty related to harvest regulations is crucial in order to establish sustainable management systems. We suggest that scenario tools like Management System Evaluation (MSE should be more frequently used to examine robustness of currently applied harvest regulations to such implementation uncertainty until more empirical evidence is available.

Effect of Cutting Pattern and Fertilization Level on Species Diversity and Evaluation of Grassland Quality

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Josef Raus

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The effects of fertilization level and cutting pattern on the species diversity and quality of a meadow stand were assessed in 2004–2012 in the small plot trial established in 2003 in Vatín, Vysočina Region, Czech Republic. Four levels of fertilization (none; N0 + P30 + K60 kg∙ha−1; N90 + P30 + K60 kg∙ha−1; N180 + P30 + K60 kg∙ha−1 were combined with four treatments of exploitation intensity (4 cuts per year, first cut on 15th May, every next after 45 days; 3 cuts per year, first cut on 30th May, every next after 60 days; 2 cuts per year, first cut on 15th June, next after 90 days; 2 cuts per year, first cut on 30th June, next after 90 days. Numbers of species, Simpson’s diversity index and evaluation of grassland quality according to Novák (2004 were evaluated. Numbers of species and Simpson’s diversity index were significantly affected by both fertilization level and cutting pattern. Species richness decreased along with increasing fertilization rates from 29.4 (no fertilization to 27.8 (N180PK. When comparing cutting pattern treatments the highest species richness was found in four-cut swards (29.6 in average of fertilization levels and it declines towards late double-cut regime (27.2. The Simpson’s index generally increased from two-cut swards to four-cut and from fertilized treatments to control. Grassland quality was significantly affected by cutting pattern. Values increased from four-cut swards (38.1 to two-cut ones (43.8 and 44.0 in early and late harvest respectively.

Site quality influence over understory plant diversity in old-growth and harvested Nothofagus pumilio forests

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E. A. Gallo

2013-04-01

Full Text Available Aim of study: The effects and interactions of shelterwood forest harvesting and site qualities over understory plant species diversity and composition were compared among primary and harvested Nothofagus pumilio forests.Area of study: Tierra del Fuego (Argentina, on three pure conditions (one and six year-old harvested, and primary without previous harvesting forests and three site qualities (high, medium and low.Material and Methods: Understory richness and cover (% were registered in five replicates of 1 hectare each per treatment. Taxonomic species were classified in categories (groups, origin and life forms. Two-way ANOVAs and multivariate analyses were conducted.Main results: Shelterwood harvesting and site quality significantly influenced understory cover and richness, which allow the introduction of native and exotic species and increasing of dicot and monocot covers. In dicots, monocots, exotics and total groups, higher richness and covers were related to time. Meanwhile, cover reached similar high values in all site qualities on dicot, native and total groups. On the other hand, monocot and exotic richness and cover remain similar in primary and recently harvested forests, and greatly increased in old harvested forests. Mosses and ferns were among the most sensitive groups.Research highlights: Impacts of shelterwood cut depend on site quality of the stands and time since harvesting occurs. For this, different site quality stands should received differential attention in the development of conservation strategies, as well as variations in the shelterwood implementation (as irregularity and patchiness should be considered to better promote understory plant species conservation inside managed areas.Key words: plant species conservation; years after harvesting; forest management; Tierra del Fuego.

Demonstration of Laser Cutting System for Tube Specimen

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jin, Y. G.; Kim, G. S.; Heo, G. S.; Baik, S. J.; Kim, H. M.; Ahn, S. B. [KAERI, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2016-05-15

The oxide layer removal system was also developed because the oxide layer on the surface of the irradiated fuel cladding and components interrupted the applying the electric current during the processing. However, it was found that the mechanical testing data of the irradiated specimens with removal of oxide layer was less reliable than the specimens with oxide layer . The laser cutting system using Nd:YAG with fiber optic beam delivery has great potential in material processing applications of the irradiated fuel cladding and components due to non-contact process. Thus, the oxide layer doesn't interrupt the fabrication process during the laser cutting system. In the present study, the laser cutting system was designed to fabricate the mechanical testing specimens from the unirradiated fuel cladding with and without oxide. The feasibility of the laser cutting system was demonstrated for the fabrication of various types of unirradiated specimens. The effect of surface oxide layer was also investigated for machining process of the zirlo fuel cladding and it was found that laser beam machining could be a useful tool to fabricate the specimens with surface oxide layer. Based on the feasibility studies and demonstration, the design of the laser cutting machine for fully or partially automatic and remotely operable system will be proposed and made.

Energy wood harvesting from nurse crop of spruce seeding stand; Kuusen taimikon verhopuuston korjuu energiapuuksi

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Peltola, M.; Tanttu, V.

2008-07-01

The study focused on establishing the productivity and costs of mechanical energy wood cutting and the profitability of forest management alternatives in the harvesting of hold-overs from spruce seeding stands. The productivity in whole-tree harvesting performed using a multi-tree whole tree processing method reached 3.5 m3/E{sub 0}h with a felling cost of 26 euros/m3. The calculated cost of chainsaw harvesting using a felling-piling technique was 16 euros/m3. The average size of trees harvested from the research stand was 15 dm3. At a rate of 17.8 euros per megawatt that was paid for forest chips delivered to the plant, the net profit using mechanical harvesting method was 272 euros per hectare. The net profit using chainsaw harvesting was 464 euros per hectare. 'Net profit' is defined here as the total amount earned, taking into account forest management costs, the production cost of forest chips, the Kemera subsidies and the price paid for the chips at the place of usage. The net profit of felling the removed trees to the ground (not processing it into fuel) was minus 124 euros. A theoretical stumpage price rate was calculated for the energy harvesting alternatives by dividing the net result by the volume of trees harvested. Theoretical stumpage price was positive when the paid price per megawatt of chips delivered to the place of usage was 13 euros per megawatt-hour for mechanically harvested chips or 10 euros per megawatt-hour for chainsaw-harvested chips. In mechanical harvesting, 17 percent of the trees harvested were damaged in the harvesting process. While it is often essential for the forest owner to ensure that any forest management measures contribute to quick profitability, the forest management benefits that will become realisable assets in the future must nevertheless also be taken into account. (orig.)

Impact of different packaging technologies on post harvest losses of stone fruits in swat pakistan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shahzad, M.; Luqman, M.; Jehan, N.

2015-01-01

Soft texture of stone fruits makes them prone to post harvest losses. Effect of different packaging materials on the texture of fruits also varies for their post-harvest losses. The present study was conducted to evaluate the effect of wooden and cardboard box technologies on post-harvest losses of plum through its marketing channel. Primary data was collected through pre tested questionnaires by proportionate random sampling procedure. Quantitative losses were estimated through percentage method while partial losses were estimated at the wholesale and retail level by price differential method. Multiple regression analysis was employed to find relation between post-harvest losses and different factors at three different stages. Findings of the study revealed the channel of cardboard box technology accounted for post-harvest losses of 10.49% while at farm level, losses were 2.90%, at wholesale level 1.45% and retail level the losses were 6.14%. On the other hand post-harvest losses were 14.24% in wooden box channel; in which 6.10% occurred at farm level, 1.43% at the wholesale level and 6.71% at the retail level. Cardboard box technology has reduced post-harvest losses of plum by 27%. Post-harvest losses were moderate and positively correlated at farm level, weakly and positive related at whole sale level and weak and negatively correlated at retail level. Pre-harvest management, careful handling and harvesting in proper maturity can help in reducing post-harvest losses. (author)

Sustainability of Mangrove Harvesting: How do Harvesters' Perceptions Differ from Ecological Analysis?

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Laura López-Hoffman

2006-12-01

Full Text Available To harvest biological resources sustainably, it is first necessary to understand what "sustainability" means in an ecological context, and what it means to the people who use the resources. As a case study, we examined the extractive logging of the mangrove Rhizophora mangle in the Río Limón area of Lake Maracaibo, in western Venezuela. The ecological definition of sustainable harvesting is harvesting that allows population numbers to be maintained or to increase over time. In interviews, the harvesters defined sustainable harvesting as levels permitting the maintenance of the mangrove population over two human generations, about 50 yr. In Río Limón, harvesters extract a combination of small adult and juvenile trees. Harvesting rates ranged from 7-35% of small adult trees. These harvesting levels would be sustainable according to the harvester's definition as long as juvenile harvesting was less than 40%. However, some harvesting levels that would be sustainable according to the harvesters were ecologically unsustainable, i.e., eventually causing declines in mangrove population numbers. It was also determined that the structure of mangrove forests was significantly affected by harvesting; even areas harvested at low, ecologically sustainable intensities had significantly fewer adult trees than undisturbed sites. Western Venezuela has no organized timber industry, so mangrove logs are used in many types of construction. A lagging economy and a lack of alternative construction materials make mangrove harvesting inevitable, and for local people, an economic necessity. This creates a trade-off between preserving the ecological characteristics of the mangrove population and responding to human needs. In order to resolve this situation, we recommended a limited and adaptive mangrove harvesting regime. We also suggest that harvesters could participate in community-based management programs as harvesting monitors.

Riemannian and Lorentzian flow-cut theorems

Science.gov (United States)

Headrick, Matthew; Hubeny, Veronika E.

2018-05-01

We prove several geometric theorems using tools from the theory of convex optimization. In the Riemannian setting, we prove the max flow-min cut (MFMC) theorem for boundary regions, applied recently to develop a ‘bit-thread’ interpretation of holographic entanglement entropies. We also prove various properties of the max flow and min cut, including respective nesting properties. In the Lorentzian setting, we prove the analogous MFMC theorem, which states that the volume of a maximal slice equals the flux of a minimal flow, where a flow is defined as a divergenceless timelike vector field with norm at least 1. This theorem includes as a special case a continuum version of Dilworth’s theorem from the theory of partially ordered sets. We include a brief review of the necessary tools from the theory of convex optimization, in particular Lagrangian duality and convex relaxation.

Development and application of remote video monitoring system for combine harvester based on embedded Linux

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Jin; Wang, Yifan; Wang, Xuelei; Wang, Yuehong; Hu, Rui

2017-01-01

Combine harvester usually works in sparsely populated areas with harsh environment. In order to achieve the remote real-time video monitoring of the working state of combine harvester. A remote video monitoring system based on ARM11 and embedded Linux is developed. The system uses USB camera for capturing working state video data of the main parts of combine harvester, including the granary, threshing drum, cab and cut table. Using JPEG image compression standard to compress video data then transferring monitoring screen to remote monitoring center over the network for long-range monitoring and management. At the beginning of this paper it describes the necessity of the design of the system. Then it introduces realization methods of hardware and software briefly. And then it describes detailedly the configuration and compilation of embedded Linux operating system and the compiling and transplanting of video server program are elaborated. At the end of the paper, we carried out equipment installation and commissioning on combine harvester and then tested the system and showed the test results. In the experiment testing, the remote video monitoring system for combine harvester can achieve 30fps with the resolution of 800x600, and the response delay in the public network is about 40ms.

Plasma arc cutting: speed and cut quality

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nemchinsky, V A; Severance, W S

2009-01-01

When cutting metal with plasma arc cutting, the walls of the cut are narrower at the bottom than at the top. This lack of squareness increases as the cutting speed increases. A model of this phenomenon, affecting cut quality, is suggested. A thin liquid layer, which separates the plasma from the solid metal to be melted, plays a key role in the suggested model. This layer decreases heat transfer from the plasma to the solid metal; the decrease is more pronounced the higher the speed and the thicker the liquid metal layer. Since the layer is thicker at the bottom of the cut, the heat transfer effectiveness is lower at the bottom. The decrease in heat transfer effectiveness is compensated by the narrowness of the cut. The suggested model allows one to calculate the profile of the cut. The result of the calculations of the cutting speeds for plates of various thicknesses, at which the squareness of the cut is acceptable, agrees well with the speeds recommended by manufacturers. The second effect considered in the paper is the deflection of the plasma jet from the vertical at a high cutting speed. A qualitative explanation of this phenomenon is given. We believe the considerations of this paper are pertinent to other types of cutting with moving heat sources.

Cutting

Science.gov (United States)

... Staying Safe Videos for Educators Search English Español Cutting KidsHealth / For Teens / Cutting What's in this article? ... Getting Help Print en español Cortarse What Is Cutting? Emma's mom first noticed the cuts when Emma ...

Intercropping of taro and sunn hemp with cutting periods during the cycle

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

João Nacir Colombo

Full Text Available ABSTRACT Intercropping using legumes is one of the ways to protect the main crop, and in long term improve the physical and chemical properties of the soil. The aim of this work was to evaluate the intercropping of Colocasia esculenta (L. Schott (taro and the tropical legume Crotalaria juncea L. (sunn hemp, cutting sunn hemp at ten periods during the cycle. The experiment was carried out under field conditions between 09/23/2010 and 06/04/2011. It consisted of 11 treatments related to the 10 cutting times of sunn hemp (55, 70, 85,100, 115, 130, 145, 160, 190, and 220 days after sowing - DAS plus a control of taro with no sunn hemp. During the cycle, taro was evaluated for plant height and incidence of leaf burn. At the time of cutting the sunn hemp, the plant height, fresh and dry matter masses, and nutrient content of the biomass were calculated. During taro harvest, we evaluated the productivity of the mother rhizomes and classified the cormels. Taro plants shaded by sunn hemp showed a lower incidence of leaf burn. The sunn hemp cut from 145 DAS onwards affected the yield of comercial rhizomes and total and agroeconomic indexes. Sunn hemp cut up to 130 DAS provided better performance of taro, without compromising productivity and economic indicators, with the highest amounts of N and K observed in the biomass cut at 115 DAS.

Development and Deployment of a Short Rotation Woody Crops Harvesting System Based on a Case New Holland Forage Harvester and SRC Woody Crop Header

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Eisenbies, Mark [State Univ. of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry (SUNY-ESF), Syracuse, NY (United States); Volk, Timothy [State Univ. of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry (SUNY-ESF), Syracuse, NY (United States); Abrahamson, Lawrence [State Univ. of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry (SUNY-ESF), Syracuse, NY (United States); Shuren, Richard [GreenWood Resources, Inc., Portland, OR (United States); Stanton, Brian [GreenWood Resources, Inc., Portland, OR (United States); Posselius, John [Case New Holland, New Holland, PA (United States); McArdle, Matt [Mesa Reduction Engineering and Processing, Inc., Auburn, NY (United States); Karapetyan, Samvel [State Univ. of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry (SUNY-ESF), Syracuse, NY (United States); Patel, Aayushi [State Univ. of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry (SUNY-ESF), Syracuse, NY (United States); Shi, Shun [State Univ. of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry (SUNY-ESF), Syracuse, NY (United States); Zerpa, Jose [State Univ. of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry (SUNY-ESF), Syracuse, NY (United States)

2014-10-03

Biomass for biofuels, bioproducts and bioenergy can be sourced from forests, agricultural crops, various residue streams, and dedicated woody or herbaceous crops. Short rotation woody crops (SRWC), like willow and hybrid poplar, are perennial cropping systems that produce a number of environmental and economic development benefits in addition to being a renewable source of biomass that can be produced on marginal land. Both hybrid poplar and willow have several characteristics that make them an ideal feedstock for biofuels, bioproducts, and bioenergy; these include high yields that can be obtained in three to four years, ease of cultivar propagation from dormant cuttings, a broad underutilized genetic base, ease of breeding, ability to resprout after multiple harvests, and feedstock composition similar to other sources of woody biomass. Despite the range of benefits associated with SRWC systems, their deployment has been restricted by high costs, low market acceptance associated with inconsistent chip quality (see below for further explanation), and misperceptions about other feedstock characteristics (see below for further explanation). Harvesting of SRWC is the largest single cost factor (~1/3 of the final delivered cost) in the feedstock supply system. Harvesting is also the second largest input of primary fossil energy in the system after commercial N fertilizer, accounting for about one third of the input. Therefore, improving the efficiency of the harvesting system has the potential to reduce both cost and environmental impact. At the start of this project, we projected that improving the overall efficiency of the harvesting system by 25% would reduce the delivered cost of SRWC by approximately $0.50/MMBtu (or about $7.50/dry ton). This goal was exceeded over the duration of this project, as noted below.

Converting partially-stocked aspen stands to fully-stocked stands in the Lake States: an economic analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Jeffrey T. Olson; Allen L. Lundgren

1978-01-01

The 1968 Wisconsin Forest Survey showed large areas of aspen type that are not considered fully stocked. The economic feasibility of converting partially-stocked stands to full stocking is examined, and a rule presented for determining when a partially-stocked stand should be harvested to maximize its present value.

Designing A General Deep Web Harvester by Harvestability Factor

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Khelghati, Mohammadreza; van Keulen, Maurice; Hiemstra, Djoerd

2014-01-01

To make deep web data accessible, harvesters have a crucial role. Targeting different domains and websites enhances the need of a general-purpose harvester which can be applied to different settings and situations. To develop such a harvester, a large number of issues should be addressed. To have

Partial dehydration of 'Niagara Rosada' GRAPES ( Vitis labrusca L ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The partial dehydration of grapes after harvest and aimed wine-making, has been shown to be a process that brings increased concentration of sugar and phenolic compounds in the must, which results in the quality of the wines produced. However, the works developed so far studied the process for temperatures up to a ...

Follow-up study of the MASSAHAKE-demonstration plant; MASSAHAKE-demonstraatiolaitoksen seuranta

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hartikainen, T [Pohjois-Satakunnan Massahake Oy, Kankaanpaeae (Finland)

1997-12-31

First thinnings of high harvesting costs and low timber accumulation have often remained unharvested in Northern Satakunta due to unprofitability of harvesting. One possible solution for the problem is a harvesting chain based on partial-tree harvesting combined with the MASSAHAKE method. The pulpwood-chipping plant owned by Pohjois-Satakunnan MASSAHAKE Oy started operation in May 1995. The objective of this research is to clear-up the technical operability and profitability of the Kankaanpaeae demonstration plant, and the suitability of the products for industrial purposes. The second aim is to develop a delivery method, based on partial-tree harvesting, and the delivery organisation suitable for the conditions in Pohjois-Satakunta. The wood delivery of the MASSAHAKE is concentrated to first thinning forests. The first thinning area, given in the felling plan, located at the delivery area of MASSAHAKE, is 8870 ha/a. This corresponds to 283 000 m{sup 3} pulpwood, the total amount of biomass being 360 000 m{sup 3}. Felling is mainly carried out as labour input using conveyance-felling method. The biomass yield in typical birch first-thinning cut as partial-trees with top diameter of 4 cm is about 40 % higher than in harvesting with short-wood method. The unit costs of harvesting are about a third lower

Follow-up study of the MASSAHAKE-demonstration plant; MASSAHAKE-demonstraatiolaitoksen seuranta

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hartikainen, T. [Pohjois-Satakunnan Massahake Oy, Kankaanpaeae (Finland)

1996-12-31

First thinnings of high harvesting costs and low timber accumulation have often remained unharvested in Northern Satakunta due to unprofitability of harvesting. One possible solution for the problem is a harvesting chain based on partial-tree harvesting combined with the MASSAHAKE method. The pulpwood-chipping plant owned by Pohjois-Satakunnan MASSAHAKE Oy started operation in May 1995. The objective of this research is to clear-up the technical operability and profitability of the Kankaanpaeae demonstration plant, and the suitability of the products for industrial purposes. The second aim is to develop a delivery method, based on partial-tree harvesting, and the delivery organisation suitable for the conditions in Pohjois-Satakunta. The wood delivery of the MASSAHAKE is concentrated to first thinning forests. The first thinning area, given in the felling plan, located at the delivery area of MASSAHAKE, is 8870 ha/a. This corresponds to 283 000 m{sup 3} pulpwood, the total amount of biomass being 360 000 m{sup 3}. Felling is mainly carried out as labour input using conveyance-felling method. The biomass yield in typical birch first-thinning cut as partial-trees with top diameter of 4 cm is about 40 % higher than in harvesting with short-wood method. The unit costs of harvesting are about a third lower

Qualitative and Quantitative Features Evaluation of Two Methods of Sugarcane Harvesting (with aim of Energy and Sugar Production

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

K Andekaeizadeh

2018-03-01

per hour (Mg.h-1 Chopper energy consumption in Energycane method was 1.65 KJ more than Sugarcane method. The quantitative parameters including forward speed (km.h-1, field capacity (ha.h-1, the field performance (Mg.ha-1 and reed output (Mg.h-1 were also measured. Finally, statistical comparison was conducted between the two methods. The aim of this study is to provide Simple Additive Weighting (SAW method using the calculated parameters by the Matanker et al. This method provides decision-making ability for a manager. Materials and Methods In this study, quantitative parameters including fuel consumption (Lit.ha-1, harvester power (kW, efficiency of engine torque (%, energy of used hydraulic oil in basecutter, chopper and elevator (Mj.Mg-1, forward speed (km.h-1, field capacity (ha.h-1, the field performance (Mg.ha-1 and reed output (Mg.h-1 and qualitative parameters including the mean of average diameter of the stem (mm, stem height (m, number of stems on the meter (m-1, the percentage of cut stems and intact, cut stems and partially damaged and strongly damaged stems. The average height of straw and the stubble (mm, average of bulk density (kg.m-3, the average of moisture content, average of dry matter (biomass, (Mg.ha-1 were measured. Data analysis was conducted with Simple Additive Weighting (SAW method. Tables 1 and 2 in terms of qualitative and quantitative parameters for the two methods of A and B, to form of rij matrix and based on measured criteria (C have arranged, respectively. Conclusions Choosing the appropriate method for sugarcane harvesting should be according to the purpose of harvesting. Energycane method has high energy consumption that it increases the operational costs. On the other hand, the quality of the obtained biomass from it is better, but Sugarcane method has high energy efficiency. But in terms of quality, the plant is not in good condition. For this reason, it is necessary, aim of harvesting and its type, be specified before crop

Determination of Phytoestrogen Content in Fresh-Cut Legume Forage

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pavlína Hloucalová

2016-07-01

Full Text Available The aim of the study was to determine phytoestrogen content in fresh-cut legume forage. This issue has been much discussed in recent years in connection with the health and safety of feedstuffs and thus livestock health. The experiments were carried out on two experimental plots at Troubsko and Vatín, Czech Republic during June and July in 2015. Samples were collected of the four forage legume species perennial red clover (variety “Amos”, alfalfa (variety “Holyně”, and annuals Persian clover and Alexandrian clover. Forage was sampled twice at regular three to four day intervals leading up to harvest and a third time on the day of harvest. Fresh and wilted material was analyzed using liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC-MS. Higher levels ( p < 0.05 of isoflavones biochanin A (3.697 mg·g −1 of dry weight and formononetin (4.315 mg·g −1 of dry weight were found in red clover than in other species. The highest isoflavone content was detected in red clover, reaching 1.001% of dry matter ( p < 0.05, representing a risk for occurrence of reproduction problems and inhibited secretion of animal estrogen. The phytoestrogen content was particularly increased in wilted forage. Significant isoflavone reduction was observed over three to four day intervals leading up to harvest.

Effects of maturity and harvest season of grass-clover silage and of forage-to-concentrate ratio on milk production of dairy cows

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Alstrup, L; Søegaard, K; Weisbjerg, M R

2016-01-01

This study examined the effects of maturity and season of harvest of grass-clover silages and forage:concentrate ratio (FCR) on feed intake, milk production, chewing activity, digestibility, and fecal consistency of Holstein dairy cows. Comparison included 2 cuts in spring season (early and late......) and 2 cuts in summer season (early and late) combined with high FCR (80:20; HFCR) and low FCR (50:50; LFCR). The experiment included 24 lactating Holstein cows arranged as 2 repeated 4 × 4 Latin squares with four 21-d periods and included measurements of feed composition, feed intake, milk production...... digestible than late maturity cuts, which was also reflected in a lower concentration of neutral detergent fiber (NDF) in early maturity cuts, whereas summer cuts had a higher crude protein concentration than spring cuts. Increased maturity decreased the intake of DM and energy, increased NDF intake...

Influence of vernalization and bulb size on the production of lily cut flowers and lily bulbs

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Diogo Brito de Almeida

2017-08-01

Full Text Available Exposure of bulbs to cold, a physiological phenomenon called vernalization, and bulb size are important factors in the production of lily bulbs and flowers. This study aimed to verify the influence of vernalization of bulbs on flowering cut lily plants, as well as the impact of size and shape of harvest on the production and quality of flowers and bulbs. In turn, the way the stems of the plants used for cut-flower production are cropped is of higher importance for the production of new flower bulbs. In this sense, the experiment was conducted in Viçosa, MG, in a greenhouse in a randomized block design, in split splot scheme with three replications, in which the vernalization periods (25, 35 and 45 days at 4 ± 1 C constituted the plots; bulb sizes (diameters of 3.2-3.8 cm; 2.5-3.2 cm 1.9- and 2.5 cm, subplots and ways to harvest (full harvest of the stem at the required length for the commercial harvest of the flower, commercial stem harvest at the commercial length, maintaining 10cm of stem in the soil; removal of the floral buds as soon as their appearance is observed and harvest at the end of the season, the sub subplots. The bulbs were planted in beds, with 15 x 20 cm spacing. It was evaluated the number of plants that flowered and the number of flowers, the length and the diameter of the floral buds, fresh and dry weights, diameter and plant height as well as number, perimeter and amount of fresh and dry bulbs. There was a decrease in the plant height with the increase of the vernalization period and a reduction of the diameter of the planted bulbs, as well as of the number and the fresh and dry weights of the produced buds. The production of flowers and buds in number, size and weight was directly proportional to the size of the planted bulbs, while the form of harvest with removal of flower buds increased the number, the perimeter and the fresh and dry weights of the buds. Bulbs with diameter between 3.2 - 3.8 cm, stored for 25 days in

Snag recruitment and mortality in a bottomland hardwood forest following partial harvesting: second-year results

Science.gov (United States)

Brian Roy Lockhart; Philip A. Tappe; David G. Peitz; Christopher A. Watt

2010-01-01

Snags are defined simply as standing dead trees. They function as an important component of wildlife habitat. Unfortunately, little information has been gathered regarding snags in bottomland forest ecosystems. We initiated a study to determine the effects of harvesting on the flora and fauna of a bottomland hardwood ecosystem adjacent the Mississippi River in...

Energy harvesting from high-rise buildings by a piezoelectric harvester device

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xie, X.D.; Wang, Q.; Wang, S.J.

2015-01-01

A novel piezoelectric technology of harvesting energy from high-rise buildings is developed. While being used to harness vibration energy of a building, the technology is also helpful to dissipate vibration of the building by the designed piezoelectric harvester as a tuned mass damper. The piezoelectric harvester device is made of two groups of series piezoelectric generators connected by a shared shaft. The shaft is driven by a linking rod hinged on a proof mass on the tip of a cantilever fixed on the roof of the building. The influences of some practical considerations, such as the mass ratio of the proof mass to the main structure, the ratios of the length and flexural rigidity of the cantilever to those of the main structure, on the root mean square (RMS) of the generated electric power and the energy harvesting efficiency of the piezoelectric harvester device are discussed. The research provides a new method for an efficient and practical energy harvesting from high-rise buildings by piezoelectric harvesters. - Highlights: • A new piezoelectric technology in energy harvesting from high-rise buildings is introduced. • A new mathematics model to calculate the energy harvested by the piezoelectric device is developed. • A novel efficient design of the piezoelectric harvester device in provided. • An electric power up to 432 MW under a seismic excitation at a frequency of 30 rad/s is achieved.

Determination of cut front position in laser cutting

Science.gov (United States)

Pereira, M.; Thombansen, U.

2016-07-01

Laser cutting has a huge importance to manufacturing industry. Laser cutting machines operate with fixed technological parameters and this does not guarantee the best productivity. The adjustment of the cutting parameters during operation can improve the machine performance. Based on a coaxial measuring device it is possible to identify the cut front position during the cutting process. This paper describes the data analysis approach used to determine the cut front position for different feed rates. The cut front position was determined with good resolution, but improvements are needed to make the whole process more stable.

Bone cutting capacity and osseointegration of surface-treated orthodontic mini-implants.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Ho-Young; Kim, Sang-Cheol

2016-11-01

The objective of the study was to evaluate the practicality and the validity of different surface treatments of self-drilling orthodontic mini-implants (OMIs) by comparing bone cutting capacity and osseointegration. Self-drilling OMIs were surface-treated in three ways: Acid etched (Etched), resorbable blasting media (RBM), partially resorbabla balsting media (Hybrid). We compared the bone cutting capacity by measuring insertion depths into artificial bone (polyurethane foam). To compare osseointegration, OMIs were placed in the tibia of 25 rabbits and the removal torque value was measured at 1, 2, 4, and 8 weeks after placement. The specimens were analyzed by optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). The bone cutting capacity of the etched and hybrid group was lower than the machined (control) group, and was most inhibited in the RBM group ( p drilling OMIs, without a corresponding reduction in bone cutting capacity.

Study on the separation effect of high-speed ultrasonic vibration cutting.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Xiangyu; Sui, He; Zhang, Deyuan; Jiang, Xinggang

2018-07-01

High-speed ultrasonic vibration cutting (HUVC) has been proven to be significantly effective when turning Ti-6Al-4V alloy in recent researches. Despite of breaking through the cutting speed restriction of the ultrasonic vibration cutting (UVC) method, HUVC can also achieve the reduction of cutting force and the improvements in surface quality and cutting efficiency in the high-speed machining field. These benefits all result from the separation effect that occurs during the HUVC process. Despite the fact that the influences of vibration and cutting parameters have been discussed in previous researches, the separation analysis of HUVC should be conducted in detail in real cutting situations, and the tool geometry parameters should also be considered. In this paper, three situations are investigated in details: (1) cutting without negative transient clearance angle and without tool wear, (2) cutting with negative transient clearance angle and without tool wear, and (3) cutting with tool wear. And then, complete separation state, partial separation state and continuous cutting state are deduced according to real cutting processes. All the analysis about the above situations demonstrate that the tool-workpiece separation will take place only if appropriate cutting parameters, vibration parameters, and tool geometry parameters are set up. The best separation effect was obtained with a low feedrate and a phase shift approaching 180 degrees. Moreover, flank face interference resulted from the negative transient clearance angle and tool wear contributes to an improved separation effect that makes the workpiece and tool separate even at zero phase shift. Finally, axial and radial transient cutting force are firstly obtained to verify the separation effect of HUVC, and the cutting chips are collected to weigh the influence of flank face interference. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Experimental testing of exchangeable cutting inserts cutting ability

OpenAIRE

Čep, Robert; Janásek, Adam; Čepová, Lenka; Petrů, Jana; Hlavatý, Ivo; Car, Zlatan; Hatala, Michal

2013-01-01

The article deals with experimental testing of the cutting ability of exchangeable cutting inserts. Eleven types of exchangeable cutting inserts from five different manufacturers were tested. The tested cutting inserts were of the same shape and were different especially in material and coating types. The main aim was both to select a suitable test for determination of the cutting ability of exchangeable cutting inserts and to design such testing procedure that could make it possible...

Pattern of Demand for Removable Acrylic Partial Denture (RPD) in ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Alasia Datonye

prosthodontic need in the future. Furthermore, an overall ... As socio-economic depression continues to cut across the world particularly .... preserved. Data Management ... for lower partial denture in our study but Idowu and AI-. 12. Shamrani ...

Determination of cut front position in laser cutting

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pereira, M; Thombansen, U

2016-01-01

Laser cutting has a huge importance to manufacturing industry. Laser cutting machines operate with fixed technological parameters and this does not guarantee the best productivity. The adjustment of the cutting parameters during operation can improve the machine performance. Based on a coaxial measuring device it is possible to identify the cut front position during the cutting process. This paper describes the data analysis approach used to determine the cut front position for different feed rates. The cut front position was determined with good resolution, but improvements are needed to make the whole process more stable. (paper)

Molecular markers reliably predict post-harvest decay of fresh-cut lettuce in modified atmosphere packaging

Science.gov (United States)

Fresh-cut lettuce is popular, but highly perishable product. Genetic studies of two bi-parental populations derived from crossing parents with rapid and slow rates of decay showed that the decay rate is heritable (broad spectrum heritability H2 of 0.56 – 0.87). The major genetic determinant of the d...

A novel design of a map-tuning piezoelectric vibration energy harvester

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huang, Shyh-Chin; Lin, Kao-An

2012-01-01

In this paper, a new design of a self-tuning bimorph PZT beam for maximum vibration energy harvesting is introduced. As is well known, a PZT beam harvester captures the most energy as it resonates with the ambient vibration. The ambient excitation frequency varies in nature so that proper tracking of the ambient frequency and adjusting the harvester’s resonance frequency accordingly would assure the most energy retrieved. The harvester introduced in the paper is composed of an elastic beam partially covered with two-sided PZT patches, the same as most others, but the method of tuning its resonance frequency is novel. A movable intermediate rigid support is attached to the beam and by adjusting the support’s position according to the sensed ambient frequency, the beam’s resonance frequency will coincide with the ambient frequency such that the harvested vibration energy is maximized. The theoretical analysis employs Hamilton’s principle, the assumed-mode method, and the receptance method. Numerical results are obtained and compared with the experimental ones. They show excellent agreement in a frequency versus support’s position chart. The most significant feature is that there can be up to ±35% of resonance frequency tunability. This achievement provides substantial advantages in power-harvesting applications. An experiment for base excitation to simulate the ambient vibration is setup as well and the results show that as little as 5% excitation frequency variation would cause more than 70% output voltage drop if there were no tuning ability. The novel design could significantly enhance the harvested energy in a short duration of time. (paper)

Effects of reed cutting on density and breeding success of reed warbler Acrocephalus scirpacaeus and sedge warbler A. schoenobaenus

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Graveland, J.

1999-01-01

The management of reedbeds for birds is often a controversial issue in discussions between conservationists, reed harvesters and managers. At the same time, data on the density and nesting success of birds in cut and uncut reed are scarce. This paper presents the results of a study on the density

Study of field enhancement in overlapped bowtie antenna for Infrared harvesting application

KAUST Repository

Meredov, Azat

2017-10-25

Energy Harvesting from waste heat using wave nature of the heat is a promising technology for the future of green energy. Nanoantenna combined with high-speed Metal/Insulator/Metal diode known as rectenna is able to couple mid-Infrared (IR) waves and rectify the AC signal to DC. The behavior of the materials in mid-IR change with frequency, choosing suitable insulator will increase the cut-off frequency of the device. Substrate effects are studied to have the best match between computation and measurements.

Core Cutting Test with Vertical Rock Cutting Rig (VRCR)

Science.gov (United States)

Yasar, Serdar; Osman Yilmaz, Ali

2017-12-01

Roadheaders are frequently used machines in mining and tunnelling, and performance prediction of roadheaders is important for project economics and stability. Several methods were proposed so far for this purpose and, rock cutting tests are the best choice. Rock cutting tests are generally divided into two groups which are namely, full scale rock cutting tests and small scale rock cutting tests. These two tests have some superiorities and deficiencies over themselves. However, in many cases, where rock sampling becomes problematic, small scale rock cutting test (core cutting test) is preferred for performance prediction, since small block samples and core samples can be conducted to rock cutting testing. Common problem for rock cutting tests are that they can be found in very limited research centres. In this study, a new mobile rock cutting testing equipment, vertical rock cutting rig (VRCR) was introduced. Standard testing procedure was conducted on seven rock samples which were the part of a former study on cutting rocks with another small scale rock cutting test. Results showed that core cutting test can be realized successfully with VRCR with the validation of paired samples t-test.

AVALIAÇÃO DE CUSTOS DE DOIS MODELOS DE HARVESTER NO CORTE DE EUCALIPTO

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elizabeth Neire da Silva

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The present study aimed to carry through the evaluation of costs of two models of harvester in the wood harvesting of Eucalyptus wood. The research evaluated the 6-year old tree fallen and processing, in the cut-to-length system for two models of harvester, in areas located in the cities of Conceição da Barra,Espírito Santo state and Caravelas, Bahia state. It was evaluated the models of harvester PC-228 SHO and PC-200 LC, of the Komatsu Mark. The information was collected during a period of 6 months, from March to August 2010, by the method of census. It was calculated the operational costs of the two models of harvester , for the countable method, which uses values in ‘Reais’, the Brazilian currency. It was conducted further analysis of cost sensitivity for the elements that contribute most to the final cost. We obtained the operating cost models for PC 200 and PC 228 of R$ 156,95 and R$ 168,84 per effective hour, respectively. In relation with the total operational costs, the most significant costs were: fuel, maintenance, and repairs/ depreciation, with 24.41%, 22.39% and 19.08%, respectively. In the sensitivity analysis, simulating a situation where the company gets a real economy of 10% in each one of these items, the same one will be able to get a reduction in the cost of production in 7%, for the two evaluated machines.

Evaluation of a cut-to-length system implementing fuel reduction treatments on the Coconino National Forest in Arizona

Science.gov (United States)

John Klepac; Bob Rummer; Jason Thompson

2006-01-01

A Cut-to-Length (CTL) system was evaluated for production and cost while implementing fuel reduction treatments in two stands on the Coconino National Forest in Arizona. Product recovery and fire behavior within each stand after treatment were also examined. Only trees less than 16 inches diameter breast height (DBH) were harvested. After logs were forwarded to a...

Thirteen Year Loblolly Pine Growth Following Machine Application of Cut-Stump Treament Herbicides For Hardwood Stump-Sprout Control

Science.gov (United States)

Clyde G. Vidrine; John C. Adams

2002-01-01

Thirteen year growth results of 1-0 out-planted loblolly pine seedlings on nonintensively prepared up-land mixed pine-hardwood sites receiving machine applied cut-stump treatment (CST) herbicides onto hardwood stumps at the time of harvesting is presented. Plantation pine growth shows significantly higher growth for pine in the CST treated plots compared to non-CST...

Improved cutting performance in high power laser cutting

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Olsen, Flemming Ove

2003-01-01

Recent results in high power laser cutting especially with focus on cutting of mild grade steel types for shipbuilding are described.......Recent results in high power laser cutting especially with focus on cutting of mild grade steel types for shipbuilding are described....

Soil-atmosphere interaction in unsaturated cut slopes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tsiampousi Aikaterini

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Interaction between atmosphere and soil has only recently attracted significant interest. Soil-atmosphere interaction takes place under dynamic climatic conditions, which vary throughout the year and are expected to suffer considerable alterations due to climate change. However, Geotechnical Analysis has traditionally been limited to simplistic approaches, where winter and summer pore water pressure profiles are prescribed. Geotechnical Structures, such as cut slopes, are known to be prone to large irreversible displacements under the combined effect of water uptake by a complex vegetation root system and precipitation. If such processes take place in an unsaturated material the complexity of the problem renders the use of numerical analysis essential. In this paper soil-atmosphere interaction in cut slopes is studied using advanced, fully coupled partially saturated finite element analyses. The effect of rainfall and evapotranspiration is modelled through sophisticated boundary conditions, applying actual meteorological data on a monthly basis. Stages of low and high water demand vegetation are considered for a period of several years, before simulating the effect of vegetation removal. The analysis results are presented with regard to the serviceability and stability of the cut slope.

Wood-inhabiting beetles in low stumps, high stumps and logs on boreal clear-cuts: implications for dead wood management.

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Jon Andersson

Full Text Available The increasing demand for biofuels from logging residues require serious attention on the importance of dead wood substrates on clear-cuts for the many forestry-intolerant saproxylic (wood-inhabiting species. In particular, the emerging harvest of low stumps motivates further study of these substrates. On ten clear-cuts we compared the species richness, abundance and species composition of saproxylic beetles hatching from four to nine year old low stumps, high stumps and logs of Norway spruce. By using emergence traps we collected a total of 2,670 saproxylic beetles among 195 species during the summers of 2006, 2007 and 2009. We found that the species assemblages differed significantly between high stumps and logs all three years. The species assemblages of low stumps, on the other hand, were intermediate to those found in logs and high stumps. There were also significant difference in species richness between the three examined years, and we found significant effect of substrate type on richness of predators and fungivores. As shown in previous studies of low stumps on clear-cuts they can sustain large numbers of different saproxylic beetles, including red-listed species. Our study does, in addition to this fact, highlight a possible problem in creating just one type of substrate as a tool for conservation in forestry. Species assemblages in high stumps did not differ significantly from those found in low stumps. Instead logs, which constitute a scarcer substrate type on clear-cuts, provided habitat for a more distinct assemblage of saproxylic species than high stumps. It can therefore be questioned whether high stumps are an optimal tool for nature conservation in clear-cutting forestry. Our results also indicate that low stumps constitute an equally important substrate as high stumps and logs, and we therefore suggest that stump harvesting is done after carefully evaluating measures to provide habitat for saproxylic organisms.

Wood-inhabiting beetles in low stumps, high stumps and logs on boreal clear-cuts: implications for dead wood management.

Science.gov (United States)

Andersson, Jon; Hjältén, Joakim; Dynesius, Mats

2015-01-01

The increasing demand for biofuels from logging residues require serious attention on the importance of dead wood substrates on clear-cuts for the many forestry-intolerant saproxylic (wood-inhabiting) species. In particular, the emerging harvest of low stumps motivates further study of these substrates. On ten clear-cuts we compared the species richness, abundance and species composition of saproxylic beetles hatching from four to nine year old low stumps, high stumps and logs of Norway spruce. By using emergence traps we collected a total of 2,670 saproxylic beetles among 195 species during the summers of 2006, 2007 and 2009. We found that the species assemblages differed significantly between high stumps and logs all three years. The species assemblages of low stumps, on the other hand, were intermediate to those found in logs and high stumps. There were also significant difference in species richness between the three examined years, and we found significant effect of substrate type on richness of predators and fungivores. As shown in previous studies of low stumps on clear-cuts they can sustain large numbers of different saproxylic beetles, including red-listed species. Our study does, in addition to this fact, highlight a possible problem in creating just one type of substrate as a tool for conservation in forestry. Species assemblages in high stumps did not differ significantly from those found in low stumps. Instead logs, which constitute a scarcer substrate type on clear-cuts, provided habitat for a more distinct assemblage of saproxylic species than high stumps. It can therefore be questioned whether high stumps are an optimal tool for nature conservation in clear-cutting forestry. Our results also indicate that low stumps constitute an equally important substrate as high stumps and logs, and we therefore suggest that stump harvesting is done after carefully evaluating measures to provide habitat for saproxylic organisms.

Analysis of the means of forest harvesting in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina

OpenAIRE

Halilović Velid; Musić Jusuf; Gudra Safet; Topalović Jelena

2015-01-01

The development of technology and the means of labour in the technological process of forest harvesting in FBiH mainly depends on the factors related to the specific manner of forest management. The dominant share of mixed tall forests with natural regeneration, the selective manner of management and rather difficult natural conditions have resulted in the application of the cut-to-length method and to a lesser extent, the tree-length and semi-tree-length m...

Post-harvest physiology

Science.gov (United States)

Weather and management constraints, as well as the intended use of the harvested forage, all influence the forage harvest system selected by the producer. Generally, maximum retention of dry matter from harvested forage crops is achieved at moistures intermediate between the standing fresh crop and ...

Twice cutting method reduces tibial cutting error in unicompartmental knee arthroplasty.

Science.gov (United States)

Inui, Hiroshi; Taketomi, Shuji; Yamagami, Ryota; Sanada, Takaki; Tanaka, Sakae

2016-01-01

Bone cutting error can be one of the causes of malalignment in unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (UKA). The amount of cutting error in total knee arthroplasty has been reported. However, none have investigated cutting error in UKA. The purpose of this study was to reveal the amount of cutting error in UKA when open cutting guide was used and clarify whether cutting the tibia horizontally twice using the same cutting guide reduced the cutting errors in UKA. We measured the alignment of the tibial cutting guides, the first-cut cutting surfaces and the second cut cutting surfaces using the navigation system in 50 UKAs. Cutting error was defined as the angular difference between the cutting guide and cutting surface. The mean absolute first-cut cutting error was 1.9° (1.1° varus) in the coronal plane and 1.1° (0.6° anterior slope) in the sagittal plane, whereas the mean absolute second-cut cutting error was 1.1° (0.6° varus) in the coronal plane and 1.1° (0.4° anterior slope) in the sagittal plane. Cutting the tibia horizontally twice reduced the cutting errors in the coronal plane significantly (Pcutting the tibia horizontally twice using the same cutting guide reduced cutting error in the coronal plane. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effects of water and nutrient addition on the coppice growth response of cut Terminalia sericea

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Hloniphani Moyo

2016-07-01

Full Text Available The ability of a woody plant to coppice and remain vigorous largely depends on the severity of disturbances, resource availability and the mobilisation of stored reserves. There is limited information about the role played by resource limitation on the recovery of cut trees. This study investigated the effects of water and nutrient supplementation on coppice growth responses of resprouting cut trees in a semi-arid savannah in South Africa. Cut trees were exposed to different levels of water and nutrient (nitrogen and phosphorus supplementation over a period of 2 years in a factorial experimental design. We hypothesised that adding water and nutrients would result in an increased coppice growth response and replenishment of stored structural reserves. Adding water and nutrients significantly increased shoot diameter, shoot length and resprouting ratio for the initial 12 months after cutting but not stored structural reserves. Such a response pattern suggests that the initial growth of resprouting shoots may be strongly resource-limited, while resources are concentrated on supporting fewer resprouting shoots compared to a higher number. Conservation implications: If practicing rotational tree harvesting, trees resprouting in resource-poor locations need a longer resting period to recover stored reserves and to also recover lost height after cutting.

Hyperbolic partial differential equations populations, reactors, tides and waves theory and applications

CERN Document Server

Witten, Matthew

1983-01-01

Hyperbolic Partial Differential Equations, Volume 1: Population, Reactors, Tides and Waves: Theory and Applications covers three general areas of hyperbolic partial differential equation applications. These areas include problems related to the McKendrick/Von Foerster population equations, other hyperbolic form equations, and the numerical solution.This text is composed of 15 chapters and begins with surveys of age specific population interactions, populations models of diffusion, nonlinear age dependent population growth with harvesting, local and global stability for the nonlinear renewal eq

Harvesting energy from airflow with a michromachined piezoelectric harvester inside a Helmholtz resonator

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Matova, S P; Elfrink, R; Vullers, R J M; Van Schaijk, R

2011-01-01

In this paper we report an airflow energy harvester that combines a piezoelectric energy harvester with a Helmholtz resonator. The resonator converts airflow energy to air oscillations which in turn are converted into electrical energy by a piezoelectric harvester. Two Helmholtz resonators with adjustable resonance frequencies have been designed—one with a solid bottom and one with membrane on the bottom. The resonance frequencies of the resonators were matched to the complementing piezoelectric harvesters during harvesting. The aim of the presented work is a feasibility study on using packaged piezoelectric energy harvesters with Helmholtz resonators for airflow energy harvesting. The maximum energy we were able to obtain was 42.2 µW at 20 m s −1

Does intact pleura during internal mammary artery harvesting decreases pleuropulmonary complications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Paracha, V.I.; Iqbal, M.A.; Rashid, A.

2011-01-01

Objective: To evaluate the effects on postoperative pulmonary function of pleural integrity versus opened pleura, in patients who receive a left internal mammary artery graft. Study Design: Randomized control trial. Place and Duration of study: Armed Forces Institute of Cardiology and National Institute of Heart Diseases, Rawalpindi from June 2009 to Feb 2010. Patients and Methods: The study was conducted on 62 patients who underwent elective coronary artery bypass grafting. The patients were divided into 2 groups: Group A consisted of patients who underwent internal mammary artery harvesting with opened pleura (n=31) while Group B consisted of patients having internal mammary artery harvested with intact pleura (n=31). To monitor pleuro-pulmonary complications, chest radiography was performed routinely 1 day before operation and on the second, fourth and sixth postoperative days. The preoperative, after extubation, and first postoperative day values of partial oxygen pressure (PaO/sub 2/), partial carbon dioxide pressure (PaCO/sub 2/), oxygen (O/sub 2/) saturation and haematocrit were recorded for comparison. The effect of intact pleura on IMA traction was also recorded by serial cardiac enzymes measurement and electrocardiography in the immediate postoperative period. Results: Pleural effusion occurred more often in patients of Group A (35.5% versus 12.9%) which was statistically significant (P 0.038). However, no significant differences were recorded in postoperative respiratory complications. Reoperation for postoperative bleeding and tamponade was done in 6.5% and 3.2% of cases in Group B respectively but none Group A; however it was not statistically significant (P 0.076). The mean postoperative hospital stay was 7.84 days for Group A and 7.58 days for Group B. Conclusion: Pleural integrity during IMA harvesting decreases pleural effusion. Although, no significant differences were recorded in postoperative lung complications, intact pleural technique of IMA

Impacts of forest harvest on active carbon and microbial properties of a volcanic ash cap soil in northern Idaho

Science.gov (United States)

Deborah S. Page-Dumroese; Matt D. Busse; Steven T. Overby; Brian D. Gardner; Joanne M. Tirocke

2015-01-01

Soil quality assessments are essential for determining impacts on belowground microbial community structure and function. We evaluated the suitability of active carbon (C), a rapid field test, as an indicator of soil biological quality in five paired forest stands (clear cut harvested 40 years prior and unharvested) growing on volcanic ash-cap soils in northern Idaho....

Ethephon As a Potential Abscission Agent for Table Grapes: Effects on Pre-Harvest Abscission, Fruit Quality, and Residue

Science.gov (United States)

Ferrara, Giuseppe; Mazzeo, Andrea; Matarrese, Angela M. S.; Pacucci, Carmela; Trani, Antonio; Fidelibus, Matthew W.; Gambacorta, Giuseppe

2016-01-01

Some plant growth regulators, including ethephon, can stimulate abscission of mature grape berries. The stimulation of grape berry abscission reduces fruit detachment force (FDF) and promotes the development of a dry stem scar, both of which could facilitate the production of high quality stemless fresh-cut table grapes. The objective of this research was to determine how two potential abscission treatments, 1445 and 2890 mg/L ethephon, affected FDF, pre-harvest abscission, fruit quality, and ethephon residue of Thompson Seedless and Crimson Seedless grapes. Both ethephon treatments strongly induced abscission of Thompson Seedless berries causing >90% pre-harvest abscission. Lower ethephon rates, a shorter post-harvest interval, or berry retention systems such as nets, would be needed to prevent excessive pre-harvest losses. The treatments also slightly affected Thompson Seedless berry skin color, with treated fruit being darker, less uniform in color, and with a more yellow hue than non-treated fruit. Ethephon residues on Thompson Seedless grapes treated with the lower concentration of ethephon were below legal limits at harvest. Ethephon treatments also promoted abscission of Crimson Seedless berries, but pre-harvest abscission was much lower (≅49%) in Crimson Seedless compared to Thompson Seedless. Treated fruits were slightly darker than non-treated fruits, but ethephon did not affect SSC, acidity, or firmness of Crimson Seedless, and ethephon residues were below legal limits. PMID:27303407

Design And Control Of Agricultural Robot For Tomato Plants Treatment And Harvesting

Science.gov (United States)

Sembiring, Arnes; Budiman, Arif; Lestari, Yuyun D.

2017-12-01

Although Indonesia is one of the biggest agricultural country in the world, implementation of robotic technology, otomation and efficiency enhancement in agriculture process hasn’t extensive yet. This research proposed a low cost agricultural robot architecture. The robot could help farmer to survey their farm area, treat the tomato plants and harvest the ripe tomatoes. Communication between farmer and robot was facilitated by wireless line using radio wave to reach wide area (120m radius). The radio wave was combinated with Bluetooth to simplify the communication between robot and farmer’s Android smartphone. The robot was equipped with a camera, so the farmers could survey the farm situation through 7 inch monitor display real time. The farmers controlled the robot and arm movement through an user interface in Android smartphone. The user interface contains control icons that allow farmers to control the robot movement (formard, reverse, turn right and turn left) and cut the spotty leaves or harvest the ripe tomatoes.

Optimizing wildlife habitat quality and oak regeneration in bottomland hardwoods using midstory control and partial harvests

Science.gov (United States)

Derek K. Alkire; Andrew W. Ezell; Andrew B. Self

2011-01-01

Bottomland hardwoods can provide both wildlife habitat and timber. However, past high-grading practices limit future income potential and have resulted in undesirable species composition in many areas. Thus, prevalence of desirable oak species should be increased. Our study will attempt to determine the proper harvest level for bottomland hardwoods which will optimize...

Residual densities affect growth of overstory trees and planted Douglas-fir, western hemlock, and western redcedar: results from the first decade

Science.gov (United States)

Leslie Chandler Brodie; Dean S. DeBell

2013-01-01

In recent years, interest has increased in silvicultural systems and harvest cuts that retain partial overstories, but there are few data available on the growth of the understory trees in such stands. We studied the response of overstory trees and underplanted seedlings, Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii), western hemlock (Tsuga...

Evaluation of Over-The-Row Harvester Damage in a Super-High-Density Olive Orchard Using On-Board Sensing Techniques

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Manuel Pérez-Ruiz

2018-04-01

Full Text Available New super-high-density (SHD olive orchards designed for mechanical harvesting using over-the-row harvesters are becoming increasingly common around the world. Some studies regarding olive SHD harvesting have focused on the effective removal of the olive fruits; however, the energy applied to the canopy by the harvesting machine that can result in fruit damage, structural damage or extra stress on the trees has been little studied. Using conventional analyses, this study investigates the effects of different nominal speeds and beating frequencies on the removal efficiency and the potential for fruit damage, and it uses remote sensing to determine changes in the plant structures of two varieties of olive trees (‘Manzanilla Cacereña’ and ‘Manzanilla de Sevilla’ planted in SHD orchards harvested by an over-the-row harvester. ‘Manzanilla de Sevilla’ fruit was the least tolerant to damage, and for this variety, harvesting at the highest nominal speed led to the greatest percentage of fruits with cuts. Different vibration patterns were applied to the olive trees and were evaluated using triaxial accelerometers. The use of two light detection and ranging (LiDAR sensing devices allowed us to evaluate structural changes in the studied olive trees. Before- and after-harvest measurements revealed significant differences in the LiDAR data analysis, particularly at the highest nominal speed. The results of this work show that the operating conditions of the harvester are key to minimising fruit damage and that a rapid estimate of the damage produced by an over-the-row harvester with contactless sensing could provide useful information for automatically adjusting the machine parameters in individual olive groves in the future.

Helical Piezoelectric Energy Harvester and Its Application to Energy Harvesting Garments

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Minsung Kim

2017-04-01

Full Text Available In this paper, we propose a helical piezoelectric energy harvester, examine its application to clothes in the form of an energy harvesting garment, and analyze its design and characteristics. The helical harvester is composed of an elastic core and a polymer piezoelectric strap twining the core. The fabricated harvester is highly elastic and can be stretched up to 158% of its initial length. Following the experiments using three different designs, the maximum output power is measured as 1.42 mW at a 3 MΩ load resistance and 1 Hz motional frequency. The proposed helical harvesters are applied at four positions of stretchable tight-fitting sportswear, namely shoulder, arm joint, knee, and hip. The maximum output voltage is measured as more than 20 V from the harvester at the knee position during intended body motions. In addition, electric power is also generated from this energy harvesting garment during daily human motions, which is about 3.9 V at the elbow, 3.1 V at the knee, and 4.4 V at the knee during push-up, walking, and squatting motions, respectively.

Performance of a mid-sized harvester-forwarder system in integrated harvesting of sawmill, pulpwood and firewood

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Andrei Ioan Apăfăian

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Fully mechanized timber harvesting systems are generally characterized by a high operational performance being widespread and used across many regions. Such systems are adaptable to different levels of operational integration, enabling also the recovery of energy wood, but given integration configurations affect their performance. A production study was carried out in a Norway spruce clear-cut aiming to investigate the performance of a mid-sized harvester-forwarder system in general, and the effect that fuelwood recovery from tree tops may have on its performance. Data was collected in the field during 11 days of observation using state-of-art equipment and software. Harvester’s operations were monitored using a digital camera. Data refined from 27.5 filmed hours that accounted for 1045 felled and fully processed trees was used to model and compute its performance indicators. In addition, fuel consumption data was sampled in the field. The results indicated that a delay-free cycle time consumption was affected by variables characterizing the tree size. The net production rate was estimated to about 26.5 m3 ∙ h-1, being substantially affected by supplementary tree-top processing. Forwarding operations were monitored using a handheld computer and a Global Positioning System unit. The delay-free cycle time consumption was affected by forwarding distance and the amount of loaded wood, resulting in a net production rate of about 19.2 m3 ∙ h-1. Under these circumstances, the forwarding performance matched the harvester’s outputs for an extraction distance of about 100 m, indicating that the supplementary processing of the tree-tops had no effect on the system’s productive performance in the studied conditions. Most likely, it affected the harvester’s fuel consumption given its proportion of 9% in the delay-free harvester’s cycle time. The results also indicated a mean fuel consumption of about 1.7 l ∙ m-3 for the studied harvesting

A fast exact sequential algorithm for the partial digest problem.

Science.gov (United States)

Abbas, Mostafa M; Bahig, Hazem M

2016-12-22

Restriction site analysis involves determining the locations of restriction sites after the process of digestion by reconstructing their positions based on the lengths of the cut DNA. Using different reaction times with a single enzyme to cut DNA is a technique known as a partial digestion. Determining the exact locations of restriction sites following a partial digestion is challenging due to the computational time required even with the best known practical algorithm. In this paper, we introduce an efficient algorithm to find the exact solution for the partial digest problem. The algorithm is able to find all possible solutions for the input and works by traversing the solution tree with a breadth-first search in two stages and deleting all repeated subproblems. Two types of simulated data, random and Zhang, are used to measure the efficiency of the algorithm. We also apply the algorithm to real data for the Luciferase gene and the E. coli K12 genome. Our algorithm is a fast tool to find the exact solution for the partial digest problem. The percentage of improvement is more than 75% over the best known practical algorithm for the worst case. For large numbers of inputs, our algorithm is able to solve the problem in a suitable time, while the best known practical algorithm is unable.

Soil nitrogen dynamics within profiles of a managed moist temperate forest chronosequence consistent with long-term harvesting-induced losses

Science.gov (United States)

Kellman, Lisa; Kumar, Sanjeev; Diochon, Amanda

2014-07-01

This study investigates whether clear-cut forest harvesting leads to alterations in the decadal-scale biogeochemical nitrogen (N) cycles of moist temperate forest ecosystems. Using a harvested temperate red spruce (Picea rubens Sarg.) forest chronosequence in Nova Scotia, Canada, representing 80 year old postharvest conditions, alongside a reference old-growth (125+ year old) site with no documented history of disturbance, we examine harvesting-related changes in soil N pools and fluxes. Specifically, we quantify soil N storage with depth and age across the forest chronosequence, examine changes in physical fractions and δ15N of soil N through depth and time, and quantify gross soil N transformation rates through depth and time using a 15N isotope dilution technique. Our findings point to a large loss of total N in the soil pool, particularly within the deep soil (>20 cm) and organomineral fractions. A pulse of available mineralized N (as ammonium) was observed following harvesting (mean residence time (MRT) > 6 days), but its MRT dropped to estimates that suggest soil N may not reaccrue for almost a century following this disturbance.

Optimizing selective cutting strategies for maximum carbon stocks and yield of Moso bamboo forest using BIOME-BGC model.

Science.gov (United States)

Mao, Fangjie; Zhou, Guomo; Li, Pingheng; Du, Huaqiang; Xu, Xiaojun; Shi, Yongjun; Mo, Lufeng; Zhou, Yufeng; Tu, Guoqing

2017-04-15

The selective cutting method currently used in Moso bamboo forests has resulted in a reduction of stand productivity and carbon sequestration capacity. Given the time and labor expense involved in addressing this problem manually, simulation using an ecosystem model is the most suitable approach. The BIOME-BGC model was improved to suit managed Moso bamboo forests, which was adapted to include age structure, specific ecological processes and management measures of Moso bamboo forest. A field selective cutting experiment was done in nine plots with three cutting intensities (high-intensity, moderate-intensity and low-intensity) during 2010-2013, and biomass of these plots was measured for model validation. Then four selective cutting scenarios were simulated by the improved BIOME-BGC model to optimize the selective cutting timings, intervals, retained ages and intensities. The improved model matched the observed aboveground carbon density and yield of different plots, with a range of relative error from 9.83% to 15.74%. The results of different selective cutting scenarios suggested that the optimal selective cutting measure should be cutting 30% culms of age 6, 80% culms of age 7, and all culms thereafter (above age 8) in winter every other year. The vegetation carbon density and harvested carbon density of this selective cutting method can increase by 74.63% and 21.5%, respectively, compared with the current selective cutting measure. The optimized selective cutting measure developed in this study can significantly promote carbon density, yield, and carbon sink capacity in Moso bamboo forests. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Zingiber zerumbet flower stem postharvest characterization

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Charleston Gonçalves

2017-05-01

Full Text Available About the Zingiber zerumbet little is known about its cut flower postharvest and market, despite its high ornamental potential. The inflorescences, which resemble a compact cone, emerge from the base of the plants and start with green color changing to red with the age. This study objective was to characterize floral stem of ornamental ginger in two cultivate conditions and to evaluate the longevity of those submitted to post-harvest treatments. Flower stems were harvest from clumps cultivated under full sun and partial shade area, and were submitted to the postharvest treatments: complete flower immersion in tap water (CFI or only the base stem immersion (BSI. The flower stems harvested from clumps at partial shade presented higher fresh weight, length and diameter of the inflorescences compared to flower stems harvested from clumps at full sun area. The flower stem bracts cultivated in full sun area changed the color from green to red 10.69 and 11.94 days after BSI and CFI postharvest treatments, and the vase life were 22.94 and 28.19 days, respectively. Flower stem harvest in partial shade area change the color only after 18.94 and 18.43 days and the vase life durability was 27.56 and 31.81, respectively. The complete immersion of the flower stem increase the vase life durability in 5.25 and 4.25 days compared to flowers kept with the stem base immersed only, in flower stems harvested from clumps cultivated in full sun area and partial shade area, respectively. Flower stems harvested from clumps cultivated in partial shade area and completely immerse in tap water during 3 hours increase the vase life durability in 8.87 days compared to flowers harvested from clumps cultivated in full sun area and base immersed only.

Effect of gamma irradiation and its convergent treatment for control of postharvest Botrytis cinerea of cut roses

Science.gov (United States)

Chu, Eun-Hee; Shin, Eun-Jung; Park, Hae-Jun; Jeong, Rae-Dong

2015-10-01

Postharvest diseases cause considerable losses to harvested crops. Among them, gray mold (Botrytis cinerea) is a major problem of exporting to cut rose flowers into Korea. Irradiation treatment is an alternative to phytosanitary purposes and a useful nonchemical approach to the control of postharvest diseases. Gamma irradiation was evaluated for its in vitro and in vivo antifungal activity against B. cinerea on cut rose varieties, 'Shooting Star' and 'Babe'. The irradiating dose required to reduce the population by 90%, D10, was 0.99 kGy. Gamma irradiation showed complete inhibition of spore germination and mycelial growth of B. cinerea, especially 4.0 kGy in vitro. Antifungal activity of gamma irradiation on rose B. cinerea is a dose-dependent manner. A significant phytotoxicity such as bent neck in cut rose quality was shown from gamma irradiation at over 0.4 kGy (ptechnology for horticulture products for exportation.

Rainwater harvesting - An investigation into the potential for rainwater harvesting in Bradford

OpenAIRE

Doncaster, S.; Blanksby, J.; Shepherd, W.

2012-01-01

This report provides a brief review of rainwater harvesting and rainwater harvesting tools, which are then used in case study examples for domestic, office block and warehouse rain water harvesting scenarios. Rainwater harvesting is placed in an historical context as a source of water supply and in a modern context as being complementary to centralised water distribution networks with benefits for wider water management including flood risk treatment as well as providing environmental and eco...

Bundling harvester; Nippukorjausharvesteri

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Koponen, K [Eko-Log Oy, Kuopio (Finland)

1997-12-31

The staring point of the project was to design and construct, by taking the silvicultural point of view into account, a harvesting and processing system especially for energy-wood, containing manually driven bundling harvester, automatizing of the harvester, and automatized loading. The equipment forms an ideal method for entrepreneur`s-line harvesting. The target is to apply the system also for owner`s-line harvesting. The profitability of the system promotes the utilization of the system in both cases. The objectives of the project were: to construct a test equipment and prototypes for all the project stages, to carry out terrain and strain tests in order to examine the usability and durability, as well as the capacity of the machine, to test the applicability of the Eko-Log system in simultaneous harvesting of energy and pulp woods, and to start the marketing and manufacturing of the products. The basic problems of the construction of the bundling harvester have been solved using terrain-tests. The prototype machine has been shown to be operable. Loading of the bundles to form sufficiently economically transportable loads has been studied, and simultaneously, the branch-biomass has been tried to be utilized without loosing the profitability of transportation. The results have been promising, and will promote the profitable utilization of wood-energy

Bundling harvester; Nippukorjausharvesteri

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Koponen, K. [Eko-Log Oy, Kuopio (Finland)

1996-12-31

The staring point of the project was to design and construct, by taking the silvicultural point of view into account, a harvesting and processing system especially for energy-wood, containing manually driven bundling harvester, automatizing of the harvester, and automatized loading. The equipment forms an ideal method for entrepreneur`s-line harvesting. The target is to apply the system also for owner`s-line harvesting. The profitability of the system promotes the utilization of the system in both cases. The objectives of the project were: to construct a test equipment and prototypes for all the project stages, to carry out terrain and strain tests in order to examine the usability and durability, as well as the capacity of the machine, to test the applicability of the Eko-Log system in simultaneous harvesting of energy and pulp woods, and to start the marketing and manufacturing of the products. The basic problems of the construction of the bundling harvester have been solved using terrain-tests. The prototype machine has been shown to be operable. Loading of the bundles to form sufficiently economically transportable loads has been studied, and simultaneously, the branch-biomass has been tried to be utilized without loosing the profitability of transportation. The results have been promising, and will promote the profitable utilization of wood-energy

Optimal throughput for cognitive radio with energy harvesting in fading wireless channel.

Science.gov (United States)

Vu-Van, Hiep; Koo, Insoo

2014-01-01

Energy resource management is a crucial problem of a device with a finite capacity battery. In this paper, cognitive radio is considered to be a device with an energy harvester that can harvest energy from a non-RF energy resource while performing other actions of cognitive radio. Harvested energy will be stored in a finite capacity battery. At the start of the time slot of cognitive radio, the radio needs to determine if it should remain silent or carry out spectrum sensing based on the idle probability of the primary user and the remaining energy in order to maximize the throughput of the cognitive radio system. In addition, optimal sensing energy and adaptive transmission power control are also investigated in this paper to effectively utilize the limited energy of cognitive radio. Finding an optimal approach is formulated as a partially observable Markov decision process. The simulation results show that the proposed optimal decision scheme outperforms the myopic scheme in which current throughput is only considered when making a decision.

Taguchi method for partial differential equations with application in tumor growth.

Science.gov (United States)

Ilea, M; Turnea, M; Rotariu, M; Arotăriţei, D; Popescu, Marilena

2014-01-01

The growth of tumors is a highly complex process. To describe this process, mathematical models are needed. A variety of partial differential mathematical models for tumor growth have been developed and studied. Most of those models are based on the reaction-diffusion equations and mass conservation law. A variety of modeling strategies have been developed, each focusing on tumor growth. Systems of time-dependent partial differential equations occur in many branches of applied mathematics. The vast majority of mathematical models in tumor growth are formulated in terms of partial differential equations. We propose a mathematical model for the interactions between these three cancer cell populations. The Taguchi methods are widely used by quality engineering scientists to compare the effects of multiple variables, together with their interactions, with a simple and manageable experimental design. In Taguchi's design of experiments, variation is more interesting to study than the average. First, Taguchi methods are utilized to search for the significant factors and the optimal level combination of parameters. Except the three parameters levels, other factors levels other factors levels would not be considered. Second, cutting parameters namely, cutting speed, depth of cut, and feed rate are designed using the Taguchi method. Finally, the adequacy of the developed mathematical model is proved by ANOVA. According to the results of ANOVA, since the percentage contribution of the combined error is as small. Many mathematical models can be quantitatively characterized by partial differential equations. The use of MATLAB and Taguchi method in this article illustrates the important role of informatics in research in mathematical modeling. The study of tumor growth cells is an exciting and important topic in cancer research and will profit considerably from theoretical input. Interpret these results to be a permanent collaboration between math's and medical oncologists.

Fibre laser cutting stainless steel: Fluid dynamics and cut front morphology

Science.gov (United States)

Pocorni, Jetro; Powell, John; Deichsel, Eckard; Frostevarg, Jan; Kaplan, Alexander F. H.

2017-01-01

In this paper the morphology of the laser cut front generated by fibre lasers was investigated by observation of the 'frozen' cut front, additionally high speed imaging (HSI) was employed to study the fluid dynamics on the cut front while cutting. During laser cutting the morphology and flow properties of the melt film on the cut front affect cut quality parameters such as cut edge roughness and dross (residual melt attached to the bottom of the cut edge). HSI observation of melt flow down a laser cutting front using standard cutting parameters is experimentally problematic because the cut front is narrow and surrounded by the kerf walls. To compensate for this, artificial parameters are usually chosen to obtain wide cut fronts which are unrepresentative of the actual industrial process. This paper presents a new experimental cutting geometry which permits HSI of the laser cut front using standard, commercial parameters. These results suggest that the cut front produced when cutting medium section (10 mm thick) stainless steel with a fibre laser and a nitrogen assist gas is covered in humps which themselves are covered by a thin layer of liquid. HSI observation and theoretical analysis reveal that under these conditions the humps move down the cut front at an average speed of approximately 0.4 m/s while the covering liquid flows at an average speed of approximately 1.1 m/s, with an average melt depth at the bottom of the cut zone of approximately 0.17 mm.

Development of a machine combination for harvesting of small wood and first thinnings; Yhdistelmaekoneen kehittaeminen pienpuun korjuuseen sekae ensiharvennukseen

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nevalainen, P; Kinnunen, K [Outokummun Metalli Oy, Outokumpu (Finland)

1997-12-31

The objective of the research was to develop a machine combination for harvesting of small wood, which carries out both the harvesting and forest haulage. The development was started in September 1995. The first prototype of the machine is ready. A Lokomo 910 forest tractor was acquired for the tests. The prototype has been mounted on the tractor, and the tests have been started in the beginning of March 1996. The reconstruction of the device will be made after the tests, as well as the description of different working praxis. Time consumption study and the analysis of it will be made after the equipment tests. The device consists of a grapple equipped with a guillotine cutting device mounted on the tractor. The actual felling is made stem by stem in the test phase. The stem can be forwarded directly into the load or it can be left aside, and new stems can be brought beside it and then all the stems can be taken together into load. The harvested stems can be processed easiest during the forwarding in the upward position, and they will be `felled` into the load space. Hence the space requirement is small so the damaging of the remaining trees can be minimized. The logging road is made driving backwards by felling the trees from the road to the sides of the road and by collecting the stems into load space while returning. The harvested stems will be transported undelimbed to the storage site there they can be processed with multi-function machine or chipped, after the thinning has been completed. The cutting device can be turned aside when using the loading grapple so the operation is similar to operation of an ordinary timber loader

Development of a machine combination for harvesting of small wood and first thinnings; Yhdistelmaekoneen kehittaeminen pienpuun korjuuseen sekae ensiharvennukseen

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nevalainen, P.; Kinnunen, K. [Outokummun Metalli Oy, Outokumpu (Finland)

1996-12-31

The objective of the research was to develop a machine combination for harvesting of small wood, which carries out both the harvesting and forest haulage. The development was started in September 1995. The first prototype of the machine is ready. A Lokomo 910 forest tractor was acquired for the tests. The prototype has been mounted on the tractor, and the tests have been started in the beginning of March 1996. The reconstruction of the device will be made after the tests, as well as the description of different working praxis. Time consumption study and the analysis of it will be made after the equipment tests. The device consists of a grapple equipped with a guillotine cutting device mounted on the tractor. The actual felling is made stem by stem in the test phase. The stem can be forwarded directly into the load or it can be left aside, and new stems can be brought beside it and then all the stems can be taken together into load. The harvested stems can be processed easiest during the forwarding in the upward position, and they will be `felled` into the load space. Hence the space requirement is small so the damaging of the remaining trees can be minimized. The logging road is made driving backwards by felling the trees from the road to the sides of the road and by collecting the stems into load space while returning. The harvested stems will be transported undelimbed to the storage site there they can be processed with multi-function machine or chipped, after the thinning has been completed. The cutting device can be turned aside when using the loading grapple so the operation is similar to operation of an ordinary timber loader

Harvest time and post-harvest quality of Fuyu persimmon treated before harvest with gibberellic acid and aminoetoxyvinilglycine

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ricardo Antonio Ayub

2008-12-01

Full Text Available The aim of this work was to evaluate the effects of gibberellic acid (GA3 and aminoetoxyvinilglycine (AVG applied in preharvest spraying, on the retardation of the harvest and on the quality of persimmon fruits cv. Fuyu. The experiment was carried in randomized complete block design. The treatments were: control, 136mgL-1 of AVG, 272 mgL-1 of AVG, 36mgL-1 of GA3, 72mgL-1 of GA3 and 136mgL-1 of AVG + 36mgL-1 of GA3, spraying 30 days before the first harvest. The fruits were harvested twice and stored at 4ºC. The chemical and physical evaluations of the fruits were carried out the date of the harvest and at intervals of 15 days followed by four days at 20ºC. In conclusion, the application of AVG (136mgL-1 or GA3 (72mgL-1 maintained the firmness of the fruits and delayed harvest by twenty days. However, fruits harvested in the initial state of ripening were more sensitive to chilling injury and were unable to support 15 days of storage at 4ºC. The plant growth regulators were not efficient in prolonged storage due to the fact that the concentration of sugars was lower in the treatments than in the control.

Productivity and Nutrient Quality of Some Sorghum Mutant Lines at Different Cutting Ages

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

R. E. Puteri

2015-08-01

Full Text Available The objective of the study was to explore the appropriate cutting age to produce optimal biomass and good nutrient quality from sorghum mutant lines BMR i.e., PATIR 3.5 M7, PATIR 3.6 M7, and PATIR 3.7 M7, also SAMURAI I (M17. A completely randomized in Split Plot design with 2 factors and 3 replicates was used. The first factor was the type of sorghum (SAMURAI I M17, PATIR 3.5, PATIR 3.6, PATIR 3.7 as the main plot and the second factor was the cutting age (85, 95, 105 as a subplot. Parameters observed were the production of stems, leaves, grains, total biomass production, ash, crude fat, crude fiber, crude protein, NFE, TDN, percentage of DMD, OMD and N-NH3. Data were analyzed by using ANOVA followed by DMRT (Duncan Multiple Range Test. The results showed that there were highly significant interactions (P<0.01 between cutting age and type of sorghum in production of stems, leaves, grains, total biomass production, value of TDN, DMD, OMD, and N-NH3. Increasing cutting age significantly increased the percentage of ash content, crude protein and crude fat. The sorghum type significantly affected crude fat content nonBMR sorghum variety of SAMURAI I (M17 and achieved optimal biomass production and nutrient content at cutting age of 85 d similar to BMR sorghum mutant lines PATIR 3.6 and PATIR 3.5, whereas BMR sorghum mutant lines of PATIR 3.7 achieved optimum production at the age of 95 d of cutting. All types of sorghum varieties was not recommended to be harvested at 105 d. Biomass production increased with the increasing of cutting age, but the nutrient content decreased.

Obstruction of Water Uptake in cut Chrysanthemum Stems after Dry Storage: Role of Wound-induced Increase in Enzyme Activities and Air Emboli

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Meeteren, van U.; Arevalo-Galarza, L.

2009-01-01

Hydraulic conductance of cut chrysanthemum stems was lowered by the aspiration of air as well as by a wound-induced plant response. By measuring the hydraulic conductance of stem segments in which air could be introduced into and/or removed from the xylem vessels at various times after harvest, we

Effects of mechanical harvest plus chipping and prescribed fire on Sierran runoff water quality.

Science.gov (United States)

Loupe, T M; Miller, W W; Johnson, D W; Sedinger, J S; Carroll, E M; Walker, R F; Murphy, J D; Stein, C M

2009-01-01

Fire suppression in Sierran ecosystems creates a substantial wildfire hazard and may exacerbate nutrient inputs into Lake Tahoe by allowing the buildup of O horizon material, which serves as a source for high N and P concentrations in runoff water. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of biomass reduction using cut-to-length mechanical harvest followed by chipping and controlled burning on surface runoff volume and water quality. Based on previous findings regarding N and P leaching flux and soil solution concentrations, we hypothesized that controlled burning and/or mechanical harvest with residue chipping does not increase inorganic N, P, and S concentrations in overland flow. Runoff, snowmelt, and rainfall were collected, volume measurements were taken, and samples were analyzed for NO(3)-N, NH(4)-N, PO(4)-P, and SO(4). Runoff volume, season, and year were identified as important parameters influencing overland flow nutrient concentrations and loads. Higher nutrient concentrations were commonly associated with summer rather than winter runoff, but the opposite was true for nutrient loads due to the higher runoff volumes. Treatment (unharvested, harvested, unburned, burned) effect was a strong predictor for discharge loads of NO(3)-N and SO(4) but was a weak predictor for PO(4)-P. Discharge loads of NO(3)-N and SO(4) were greater for the unburned harvested and the burned unharvested treatments than for the unburned, unharvested control sites or the burned and harvested combined treatment. Although mechanical harvest and/or controlled burning had a small initial impact on increased nutrient loading, the effects were minimal compared with background levels. Hence, these management practices may have the potential to improve forest health without the danger of large-magnitude nutrient mobilization and degradation of runoff water quality found with wildfire.

IMPORTANCE, Minimal Cut Sets and System Availability from Fault Tree Analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lambert, H. W.

1987-01-01

1 - Description of problem or function: IMPORTANCE computes various measures of probabilistic importance of basic events and minimal cut sets to a fault tree or reliability network diagram. The minimal cut sets, the failure rates and the fault duration times (i.e., the repair times) of all basic events contained in the minimal cut sets are supplied as input data. The failure and repair distributions are assumed to be exponential. IMPORTANCE, a quantitative evaluation code, then determines the probability of the top event and computes the importance of minimal cut sets and basic events by a numerical ranking. Two measures are computed. The first describes system behavior at one point in time; the second describes sequences of failures that cause the system to fail in time. All measures are computed assuming statistical independence of basic events. In addition, system unavailability and expected number of system failures are computed by the code. 2 - Method of solution: Seven measures of basic event importance and two measures of cut set importance can be computed. Birnbaum's measure of importance (i.e., the partial derivative) and the probability of the top event are computed using the min cut upper bound. If there are no replicated events in the minimal cut sets, then the min cut upper bound is exact. If basic events are replicated in the minimal cut sets, then based on experience the min cut upper bound is accurate if the probability of the top event is less than 0.1. Simpson's rule is used in computing the time-integrated measures of importance. Newton's method for approximating the roots of an equation is employed in the options where the importance measures are computed as a function of the probability of the top event, and a shell sort puts the output in descending order of importance

heteroHarvest: Harvesting Information from Heterogeneous Sources

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Qureshi, Pir Abdul Rasool; Memon, Nasrullah; Wiil, Uffe Kock

2011-01-01

The abundance of information regarding any topic makes the Internet a very good resource. Even though searching the Internet is very easy, what remains difficult is to automate the process of information extraction from the available online information due to the lack of structure and the diversity...... in the sharing methods. Most of the times, information is stored in different proprietary formats, complying with different standards and protocols which makes tasks like data mining and information harvesting very difficult. In this paper, an information harvesting tool (heteroHarvest) is presented...... with objectives to address these problems by filtering the useful information and then normalizing the information in a singular non hypertext format. Finally we describe the results of experimental evaluation. The results are found promising with an overall error rate equal to 6.5% across heterogeneous formats....

Precision Machining When Cutting with Leading Plastic Deformation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

N. A. Yaroslavtseva

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Keeping up the product competitiveness continually requires solving the problems of reducing time for product creation and material costs for its production and ensuring the maximum conformity of the product quality with the individual requirements of a particular consumer. It is especially difficult to implement these tasks in product manufacturing from the hard-to-machine steels and alloys with extremely low production rate in machining (often 10-20 times lower than when cutting the ordinary structural steels.Currently, one of the promising ways to improve the cutting process of hard-to-machine materials and quality of parts made from these materials is development and application of combined processing methods, which use additional energy sources to act on the machined material in the cutting zone. A BMSTU-developed cutting method with leading plastic deformation (LPD, which acts to raise the production rate, gain the cutting tool-life, reduce the surface roughness, improve the accuracy of processing and the performance characteristics of products, ensure the reliable flow chip control, and improve the labor conditions, belongs to such sort of methods.One of the most important indicators of processing quality that has a great impact on the operation and cost characteristics of the product and on the machining rate as well is the accuracy of processing. In cutting, the processing errors largely arise from the elastic deformations of a technological system when the cutting force, and, in particular, the radial component of the cutting force, acts on it.The deforming devices, used in cutting with LPD, being located as a rule, on the diametrically opposite side with respect to the cutting zone, act on the technological system as vibration dampers. In addition, as studies have shown, the choice of a rational direction for applying LPD load helps to compensate partially or completely the cutting force radial component effect on the technological

Growth effects after whole-tree harvest in final cut of Scots pine and Norway spruce forest. Final report; Tillvaexteffekternas storlek och uthaallighet efter skogsbraensleuttag i slutavverkning av tall och gran. Slutrapport

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Valinger, E. [Swedish Univ. of Agricultural Sciences, Umeaa (Sweden). Dept. of Silviculture

2001-12-01

A great concern in forestry today is whether whole-tree harvesting influence site productivity and whether it is consistent with the principle of sustainable use of forest resources. To evaluate this a randomised field experiment established 24 years ago in Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) in Southern Sweden was used. The field experiment was established in fall 1975 as a naturally regenerated mixed forest with Scots pine and Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) with a growing stock of 305 m{sup 3}/ha was clear-cut near Kosta (56 deg 52' N, 15 deg 50' E, 240 m.a.s.l.). The site was a mesic dwarf-shrub type of medium fertility, with an average precipitation of 600 mm yr-1 and the soil was an orthic podzol. Treatments were conventional stem harvest (CH), whole-tree harvest (WTH), and branch and stem harvest (BSH). Scots pine seedlings of local provenance were planted in spring 1977 at the beginning of the second growing season following the harvest. The seedlings were planted in exposed mineral soil in manually scarified patches (40 x 40 cm) at 1.7 m spacing (144 seedlings per assessment plot, i.e. 3 600 seedlings/ha). Based on calliper data, the diameter for the mean basal area per tree (db) was calculated for each plot after 24 years using the formula: db = ({sigma} b{sup 3}/{sigma} b{sup 2}), where b is basal area at breast height for each tree. Three undamaged sample trees with a diameter equal or close to the diameter of the mean basal area per tree were selected on each plot giving 36 stems that were felled for destructive measurements in 2000. Total tree height ({+-} 0.01 m) was measured on every tree felled. Stem biomass was estimated by sampling of stem discs, 2 cm thick, at stump height (1 % of tree height), breast height (1.3 m), and at every meter along the bole. Crown biomass was estimated by sampling live and dead branches on the felled trees. From every whorl of branches one living branch was sampled and all branches were counted. Stem

Cutting state identification

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Berger, B.S.; Minis, I.; Rokni, M.

1997-01-01

Cutting states associated with the orthogonal cutting of stiff cylinders are identified through an analysis of the singular values of a Toeplitz matrix of third order cumulants of acceleration measurements. The ratio of the two pairs of largest singular values is shown to differentiate between light cutting, medium cutting, pre-chatter and chatter states. Sequences of cutting experiments were performed in which either depth of cut or turning frequency was varied. Two sequences of experiments with variable turning frequency and five with variable depth of cut, 42 cutting experiments in all, provided a database for the calculation of third order cumulants. Ratios of singular values of cumulant matrices find application in the analysis of control of orthogonal cutting

Toward a semi-mechanical harvesting platform system for harvesting blueberries with fresh-market quality

Science.gov (United States)

Major concerns related to harvesting blueberries for fresh market with over-the-row (OTR) harvesters are that the quality of the fruit harvested with OTR machines is generally low and ground loss is excessive. Machine-harvested blueberries have more internal bruise and usually soften rapidly in col...

Effect of Harvest Time and L-Cysteine as an Antioxidant on Flesh Browning of Fresh-Cut Cherimoya (Annona cherimola Mill. Efecto del Momento de Cosecha y L-Cisteína como un Antioxidante en el Pardeamiento de Pulpa de Chirimoya (Annona cherimola Mill. Precortada

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Reinaldo Campos-Vargas

2008-09-01

Full Text Available Browning development is the most important factor limiting the quality of fresh-cut cherimoya (Annona cherimola Mill.. However, there is little information available about its causes and methods of control. The effectiveness of L-cysteine (0.125, 0.25 and 0.5% in fresh-cut cherimoya harvested on two occasions (October and November and stored for 6 and 12 days at 0 °C was studied. In order to understand the biological basis of browning, polyphenol oxidase (PPO enzyme activity and total phenolic content in fresh-cut pieces were measured. Quality measurements and sensory analysis indicated that 0.5% L-cysteine was somewhat effective in reducing browning development, without affecting other quality attributes. In terms of physiological parameters, PPO activity did not show differences between mature (at harvest and ripe fruit (at processing in both harvest times, but cherimoya fruits picked in November presented lower PPO activity than fruit from October. In general, PPO activity and total phenolic content of L-cysteine treated fruits did not show consistent differences with untreated fruit at 6 or 12 days at 0 °C. PPO activity analyses demonstrated that PPO activity was higher in the outer part of cherimoya flesh compared to the middle or inner sector. These results would support the possibility of using L-cysteine as a postharvest treatment to reduce browning development in fresh-cut cherimoya.El desarrollo de pardeamiento es uno de los factores limitantes en la calidad de chirimoya (Annona cherimola Mill. precortada (fresh-cut. No obstante, existe poca información disponible en relación a sus causas y métodos de control en esta fruta. Se estudió la efectividad de L-cisteína (0,125; 0,25 y 0,5% en chirimoya precortada cosechada en dos oportunidades (octubre y noviembre y almacenada por 6 y 12 días a 0 ºC. Con el objetivo de conocer las bases biológicas del pardeamiento, se estudió la actividad de polifenol oxidasa (PPO y contenido de

Logging slash from regeneration cuttings as a source of fuel; Paeaetehakkuualojen hakkuutaehde polttoainelaehteenae

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hakkila, P [Finnish Forest Research Inst., Vantaa (Finland); Asikainen, A [Joensuu Univ. (Finland); Korpilahti, A [Metsaeteho, Helsinki (Finland); Nurmi, J [Finnish Forest Research Inst., Kannus (Finland)

1997-12-31

Logging slash from regeneration areas is the major reserve of forest biomass for the production of renewable energy in Finland. Typically, about 52 m{sup 3} of unmerchantable stemwood and crown mass per hectare is left in a clear-cutting area of Scots pine, and 116 m{sup 3} per hectare in a clear-cutting area of Norway spruce. These figures correspond to 9,6 and 22,4 tons of oil equivalent per hectare. In addition to the abundant availability, logging slash is made attractive from the utilization point of view by moderate costs of recovery. This paper reviews the studies carried out by Project 114 of the national Bioenergy Research Program in 1995. The following aspects were included: The effect of the recovery of logging slash for fuel on the work techniques and productivity of one-grip harvesters in clear-cutting of Norway spruce; off-road transport of logging slash with a forwarder equipped with an enlarged load space; chipping of logging slash; and outside storage of fuel crushed from fresh logging slash. The participating research organizations are the Finnish Forest Research Institute, Metsaeteho and University of Joensuu

Logging slash from regeneration cuttings as a source of fuel; Paeaetehakkuualojen hakkuutaehde polttoainelaehteenae

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hakkila, P. [Finnish Forest Research Inst., Vantaa (Finland); Asikainen, A. [Joensuu Univ. (Finland); Korpilahti, A. [Metsaeteho, Helsinki (Finland); Nurmi, J. [Finnish Forest Research Inst., Kannus (Finland)

1996-12-31

Logging slash from regeneration areas is the major reserve of forest biomass for the production of renewable energy in Finland. Typically, about 52 m{sup 3} of unmerchantable stemwood and crown mass per hectare is left in a clear-cutting area of Scots pine, and 116 m{sup 3} per hectare in a clear-cutting area of Norway spruce. These figures correspond to 9,6 and 22,4 tons of oil equivalent per hectare. In addition to the abundant availability, logging slash is made attractive from the utilization point of view by moderate costs of recovery. This paper reviews the studies carried out by Project 114 of the national Bioenergy Research Program in 1995. The following aspects were included: The effect of the recovery of logging slash for fuel on the work techniques and productivity of one-grip harvesters in clear-cutting of Norway spruce; off-road transport of logging slash with a forwarder equipped with an enlarged load space; chipping of logging slash; and outside storage of fuel crushed from fresh logging slash. The participating research organizations are the Finnish Forest Research Institute, Metsaeteho and University of Joensuu

Magnetic resonance imaging appearance of the flexor carpi radialis tendon after harvest in ligamentous reconstruction tendon interposition arthroplasty

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Beall, Douglas P.; Fish, Jon R.; Ritchie, Eric R.; Tran, Hoang N.; Ingari, John V.; Campbell, Scot E.; Grayson, David E.; Sanders, Timothy G.; Mundis, Gregory; Lehman, Thomas P.

2006-01-01

To determine whether the post-harvest magnetic resonance (MR) imaging appearance of flexor carpi radialis (FCR) tendons, harvested during ligamentous reconstruction tendon interposition (LRTI) of the thumb carpometacarpal (CMC) joint arthroplasty, is consistent with tendon regeneration. Operative reports and patient medical records for all patients undergoing LRTI arthroplasty between 1995 and 2003 at our institution were reviewed. MR images of the patients' forearms and wrists were obtained and interpreted by two musculoskeletal radiologists. Using the flexor carpi ulnaris (FCU) tendon as an internal standard, the extent of FCR tendon regeneration was expressed as a percentage by dividing the volume of regenerated FCR tendon by the volume of the FCU tendon. Fourteen patients who had the full thickness of the FCR tendon harvested and who were available for MR imaging were identified and included in the study. At least partial regeneration of the FCR tendon occurred in 11 of the 14 patients (79%). Of these, 2 patients (14%), demonstrated complete, or nearly complete regeneration. Partial regeneration of the FCR tendon was seen in 9 of the 14 patients (64%). In 3 patients (21%), there was no appreciable regeneration of the FCR tendon. Among patients who underwent full-thickness harvest of the FCR tendon for LRTI arthroplasty of the first CMC joint, the follow-up MR imaging appearance of the flexor carpi radialis tendon was consistent with tendon regeneration in 79% of those examined. (orig.)

CHEMICAL COMPOSITION AND NUTRITIVE VALUE OF MAIZE STEMS DEPENDING ON THE CUTTING HEIGHT OF PLANTS AT HARVEST

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ireneus KOWALIK

2013-12-01

Full Text Available Studies were carried out in the two years in Trzcianka near Nowy Tomyśl, on brown soil, IIIa – IVa with pH 7.1 – 7.2. Plants of five maize cultivars were cut at the height of 15 cm and 55 cm. The lower parts of stems with leaves which remain on the field in case of high cutting, were characterized by a smaller content of protein and by a greater content of fibre, in comparison with the higher parts of plants. The energetic value of 1 kg of dry matter of the lower 40 cm part with leaves expressed in MJ NEL, in spite of significant differences in the chemical composition, was only insignificantly lower than the upper part. The content of dry matter, the chemical composition and the energetic value of both parts differed, depending on the cultivar.

The effects of thinning and similar stand treatments on fire behavior in Western forests.

Science.gov (United States)

Russell T. Graham; Alan E. Harvey; Theresa B. Jain; Jonalea R. Tonn

1999-01-01

In the West, thinning and partial cuttings are being considered for treating millions of forested acres that are overstocked and prone to wildfire. The objectives of these treatments include tree growth redistribution, tree species regulation, timber harvest, wildlife habitat improvement, and wildfire-hazard reduction. Depending on the forest type and its structure,...

Development of multi-functional combine harvester with grain harvesting and straw baling

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tang, Z.; Li, Y.; Cheng, C.

2017-01-01

The decomposition and burning of straw results in serious environmental pollution, and research is needed to improve strategies for straw collection to reduce pollution. This work presents an integrated design of multi-functional rice combine harvester that allows grain harvesting and straw baling. This multi-functional combine harvester could reduce the energy consumption required for rice harvesting and simplify the process of harvesting and baling. The transmission schematic, matching parameters and the rotation speed of threshing cylinder and square baler were designed and checked. Then the evaluation of grain threshing and straw baling were tested on a transverse threshing cylinders device tes rig and straw square bales compression test rig. The test results indicated that, with a feeding rate of 3.0 kg/s, the remaining straw flow rate at the discharge outlet was only 1.22 kg/s, which indicates a variable mass threshing process by the transverse threshing cylinder. Then the optimal diameter, length and rotating speed of multi-functional combine harvester transverse threshing cylinder were 554 mm, 1590 mm, and 850 r/min, respectively. The straw bale compression rotating speed of crank compression slider and piston was 95 r/min. Field trials by the multi-functional combine harvester formed bales with height×width×length of 40×50×54-63 cm, bale mass of 22.5 to 26.0 kg and bale density 206 to 216 kg/m3. This multi-functional combine harvester could be used for stem crops (such as rice, wheat and soybean) grain harvesting and straw square baling, which could reduce labor cost and power consumption.

Development of multi-functional combine harvester with grain harvesting and straw baling

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tang, Z.; Li, Y.; Cheng, C.

2017-09-01

The decomposition and burning of straw results in serious environmental pollution, and research is needed to improve strategies for straw collection to reduce pollution. This work presents an integrated design of multi-functional rice combine harvester that allows grain harvesting and straw baling. This multi-functional combine harvester could reduce the energy consumption required for rice harvesting and simplify the process of harvesting and baling. The transmission schematic, matching parameters and the rotation speed of threshing cylinder and square baler were designed and checked. Then the evaluation of grain threshing and straw baling were tested on a transverse threshing cylinders device tes rig and straw square bales compression test rig. The test results indicated that, with a feeding rate of 3.0 kg/s, the remaining straw flow rate at the discharge outlet was only 1.22 kg/s, which indicates a variable mass threshing process by the transverse threshing cylinder. Then the optimal diameter, length and rotating speed of multi-functional combine harvester transverse threshing cylinder were 554 mm, 1590 mm, and 850 r/min, respectively. The straw bale compression rotating speed of crank compression slider and piston was 95 r/min. Field trials by the multi-functional combine harvester formed bales with height×width×length of 40×50×54-63 cm, bale mass of 22.5 to 26.0 kg and bale density 206 to 216 kg/m3. This multi-functional combine harvester could be used for stem crops (such as rice, wheat and soybean) grain harvesting and straw square baling, which could reduce labor cost and power consumption.

Energy harvesting via thermo-piezoelectric transduction within a heated capillary

Science.gov (United States)

Monroe, J. G.; Bhandari, M.; Fairley, J.; Myers, O. J.; Shamsaei, N.; Thompson, S. M.

2017-07-01

Thermal-to-kinetic-to-electrical energy conversion is demonstrated through the use of a piezoelectric transducer (PZT) integrated within a section of an oscillating heat pipe (OHP) partially filled with water. The sealed PZT transducer was configured as a bow spring parallel to the dominant flow direction within the OHP. The bottom portion of the OHP was heated in increments of 50 W, while its top portion was actively cooled via water blocks. At ˜50 W, the internal fluid started to oscillate at ˜2-4 Hz due to the non-uniform vapor pressure generated in the OHP evaporator. Low-frequency fluid "pulses" were observed to occur across the flexed, in-line piezoelectric transducer, resulting in its deflection and measureable voltage spikes ranging between 24 and 63 mV. The OHP, while having its internal fluid enthalpy harvested, was found to still have an ultra-high thermal conductivity on-the-order of 10 kW/m K; however, its maximum operating heat load decreased due to the pressure drop introduced by the PZT material. The thermo-piezoelectric harvesting concept made possible via the thermally driven fluid oscillations within an OHP provides a passive method for combined energy harvesting and thermal management that is both scalable and portable.

Effect of forage type, harvesting time and exogenous enzyme application on degradation characteristics measured using in vitro technique

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Moharrery, Ali; Hvelplund, Torben; Weisbjerg, Martin Riis

2009-01-01

Five forage species cut at different harvest times were studied for their degradation characteristics using in vitro digestibility technique. The forage species were two grasses and three legumes growing in two seasons (spring growth and second re-growth). Grass and legume forages were harvested...... at three harvesting times being early (E), middle (M) and late (L), both during the spring growth and the second re-growth. The grasses included perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne), and festulolium (XFestulolium), and the legumes included white clover (Trifolium repens), red clover (Trifolium pratense......) and neutral detergent fibre (aNDFom) degradation profiles were fitted to an exponential equation. The fractional rate of degradation (c) of DM or aNDFom did vary among the forage species and was highest for the legumes. The potential degradability ranged from 580 to 870 g/kg for DM and from 380 to 900 g...

Plasma cutting or laser cutting. Plasma setsudan ka laser setsudan ka

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nakamura, A. (Tanaka Engineering Works Ltd., Saitama (Japan))

1991-05-01

Comparisons and discussions were made on the plasma cutting and laser cutting in sheet steel cutting, referring partly to gas cutting. Historically, the cutting has been developed from gas, plasma, and laser in that order, and currently these three methods are used mixedly. Generally, the plasma cutting is superior in cutting speed, but inferior in cut face quality, and it requires measures of dust collection. Due to high accuracy and quality in cut face, the laser cutting has been practically used for quite some time in the thin sheet industry, but medium to thick sheet cutting had a problem of unavailability of high output laser suitable for these ranges. However, the recent technologies have overcome the problem as a result of development at the authors {prime} company of a 2 kW class laser cutter capable of cutting 19 mm thick sheet. The cutter has been proven being particularly excellent in controllability. Choice of whether plasma or laser would depend upon which priority is to be taken, cost or accuracy. 15 figs., 3 tabs.

Plataformas de colheita e colheita manual com trilha mecânica sobre a qualidade de sementes de arroz ( Oryza sativa, L. Harvest header and manual harvest with mechanical strip on rice ( Oryza sativa, L. seeds quality

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Daniel Fernandez Franco

1999-06-01

Full Text Available Durante a colheita do arroz irrigado ocorrem perdas e danos físicos e fisiológicos às sementes. No final da década de oitenta, surgiram as plataformas recolhedoras, que retiram ou arrancam o grão ao invés de cortar a panícula, porém, pouco se conhece a respeito dos danos físicos e fisiológicos que este sistema de plataforma pode causar às sementes. Este trabalho teve por objetivo avaliar os danos mecânicos causados às sementes dos cultivares de arroz BR-IRGA 409 e BR-IRGA 410, por três formas de colheita: (a colheita manual e trilha mecânica; (b colheita com plataforma de corte; (c colheita com plataforma recolhedora. Quando a colheita foi mecânica, realizou-se a coleta das amostras diretamente no graneleiro. O delineamento experimental foi blocos ao acaso, com seis repetições. Os resultados demonstraram que as sementes de arroz irrigado dos cultivares estudados não apresentaram diferenças significativas em suas qualidades físicas e fisiológicas, quando colhidas com plataforma de corte e com a plataforma recolhedora. Estes dois métodos de colheita, porém, apresentaram danos significativamente maiores quando comparados à colheita manual e trilha mecânica.During irrigated rice harvesting occur losses and physical and phisiological seed damage. Late 80's, appeared the strippers headers that strip the grain, instead of cutting the spike. However, little is know about physical and phisiological seed damage by harvest header. The objective of this work was to evaluate the mechanical damage caused to BR-IRGA 409 and BR-IRGA 410 rice cultivars by three harvesting methods: (a manual harvesting and mechanical strip; (b cutterbar harvesting and; (c stripper header harvesting. Samples were collected directly in the grain tank when the harvest was mechanical. The experimental design was randomized blocks with six replications. Results demonstrated that the rice seeds of the studied variety didn't showed significant differences in

Wedge cutting of mild steel by CO 2 laser and cut-quality assessment in relation to normal cutting

Science.gov (United States)

Yilbas, B. S.; Karatas, C.; Uslan, I.; Keles, O.; Usta, Y.; Yilbas, Z.; Ahsan, M.

2008-10-01

In some applications, laser cutting of wedge surfaces cannot be avoided in sheet metal processing and the quality of the end product defines the applicability of the laser-cutting process in such situations. In the present study, CO 2 laser cutting of the wedge surfaces as well as normal surfaces (normal to laser beam axis) is considered and the end product quality is assessed using the international standards for thermal cutting. The cut surfaces are examined by the optical microscopy and geometric features of the cut edges such as out of flatness and dross height are measured from the micrographs. A neural network is introduced to classify the striation patterns of the cut surfaces. It is found that the dross height and out of flatness are influenced significantly by the laser output power, particularly for wedge-cutting situation. Moreover, the cut quality improves at certain value of the laser power intensity.

Effect of time of harvest, stage of fruit ripening, and post-harvest ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Seeds were extracted from half of the fruits harvested from each stage immediately after harvest while the other halves were stored at room temperature to ripen to the soft-red stage before seed extraction. Fruit weight in both cultivars decreased with plant age. Fruits harvested at the yellow-ripe stage produced the highest ...

Harvesting energy from airflow with a michromachined piezoelectric harvester inside a Helmholtz resonator

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Matova, S.P.; Elfrink, R.; Vullers, R.J.M.; Schaijk, R. van

2011-01-01

In this paper we report an airflow energy harvester that combines a piezoelectric energy harvester with a Helmholtz resonator. The resonator converts airflow energy to air oscillations which in turn are converted into electrical energy by a piezoelectric harvester. Two Helmholtz resonators with

Measuring multiple residual-stress components using the contour method and multiple cuts

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Prime, Michael B [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Swenson, Hunter [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Pagliaro, Pierluigi [U. PALERMO; Zuccarello, Bernardo [U. PALERMO

2009-01-01

The conventional contour method determines one component of stress over the cross section of a part. The part is cut into two, the contour of the exposed surface is measured, and Bueckner's superposition principle is analytically applied to calculate stresses. In this paper, the contour method is extended to the measurement of multiple stress components by making multiple cuts with subsequent applications of superposition. The theory and limitations are described. The theory is experimentally tested on a 316L stainless steel disk with residual stresses induced by plastically indenting the central portion of the disk. The stress results are validated against independent measurements using neutron diffraction. The theory has implications beyond just multiple cuts. The contour method measurements and calculations for the first cut reveal how the residual stresses have changed throughout the part. Subsequent measurements of partially relaxed stresses by other techniques, such as laboratory x-rays, hole drilling, or neutron or synchrotron diffraction, can be superimposed back to the original state of the body.

Fog Harvesting with Harps.

Science.gov (United States)

Shi, Weiwei; Anderson, Mark J; Tulkoff, Joshua B; Kennedy, Brook S; Boreyko, Jonathan B

2018-04-11

Fog harvesting is a useful technique for obtaining fresh water in arid climates. The wire meshes currently utilized for fog harvesting suffer from dual constraints: coarse meshes cannot efficiently capture microscopic fog droplets, whereas fine meshes suffer from clogging issues. Here, we design and fabricate fog harvesters comprising an array of vertical wires, which we call "fog harps". Under controlled laboratory conditions, the fog-harvesting rates for fog harps with three different wire diameters were compared to conventional meshes of equivalent dimensions. As expected for the mesh structures, the mid-sized wires exhibited the largest fog collection rate, with a drop-off in performance for the fine or coarse meshes. In contrast, the fog-harvesting rate continually increased with decreasing wire diameter for the fog harps due to efficient droplet shedding that prevented clogging. This resulted in a 3-fold enhancement in the fog-harvesting rate for the harp design compared to an equivalent mesh.

A comparative investigation of bone surface after cutting with mechanical tools and Er:YAG laser.

Science.gov (United States)

Baek, Kyung-Won; Deibel, Waldemar; Marinov, Dilyan; Griessen, Mathias; Dard, Michel; Bruno, Alfredo; Zeilhofer, Hans-Florian; Cattin, Philippe; Juergens, Philipp

2015-07-01

Despite of the long history of medical application, laser ablation of bone tissue became successful only recently. Laser bone cutting is proven to have higher accuracy and to increase bone healing compared to conventional mechanical bone cutting. But the reason of subsequent better healing is not biologically explained yet. In this study we present our experience with an integrated miniaturized laser system mounted on a surgical lightweight robotic arm. An Erbium-doped Yttrium Aluminium Garnet (Er:YAG) laser and a piezoelectric (PZE) osteotome were used for comparison. In six grown up female Göttingen minipigs, comparative surgical interventions were done on the edentulous mandibular ridge. Our laser system was used to create different shapes of bone defects on the left side of the mandible. On the contralateral side, similar bone defects were created by PZE osteotome. Small bone samples were harvested to compare the immediate post-operative cut surface. The analysis of the cut surface of the laser osteotomy and conventional mechanical osteotomy revealed an essential difference. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis showed biologically open cut surfaces from the laser osteotomy. The samples from PZE osteotomy showed a flattened tissue structure over the cut surface, resembling the "smear layer" from tooth preparation. We concluded that our new finding with the mechanical osteotomy suggests a biological explanation to the expected difference in subsequent bone healing. Our hypothesis is that the difference of surface characteristic yields to different bleeding pattern and subsequently results in different bone healing. The analyses of bone healing will support our hypothesis. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

A new harvest operation cost model to evaluate forest harvest layout alternatives

Science.gov (United States)

Mark M. Clark; Russell D. Meller; Timothy P. McDonald; Chao Chi Ting

1997-01-01

The authors develop a new model for harvest operation costs that can be used to evaluate stands for potential harvest. The model is based on felling, extraction, and access costs, and is unique in its consideration of the interaction between harvest area shapes and access roads. The scientists illustrate the model and evaluate the impact of stand size, volume, and road...

Outage Performance Analysis of Relay Selection Schemes in Wireless Energy Harvesting Cooperative Networks over Non-Identical Rayleigh Fading Channels.

Science.gov (United States)

Do, Nhu Tri; Bao, Vo Nguyen Quoc; An, Beongku

2016-02-26

In this paper, we study relay selection in decode-and-forward wireless energy harvesting cooperative networks. In contrast to conventional cooperative networks, the relays harvest energy from the source's radio-frequency radiation and then use that energy to forward the source information. Considering power splitting receiver architecture used at relays to harvest energy, we are concerned with the performance of two popular relay selection schemes, namely, partial relay selection (PRS) scheme and optimal relay selection (ORS) scheme. In particular, we analyze the system performance in terms of outage probability (OP) over independent and non-identical (i.n.i.d.) Rayleigh fading channels. We derive the closed-form approximations for the system outage probabilities of both schemes and validate the analysis by the Monte-Carlo simulation. The numerical results provide comprehensive performance comparison between the PRS and ORS schemes and reveal the effect of wireless energy harvesting on the outage performances of both schemes. Additionally, we also show the advantages and drawbacks of the wireless energy harvesting cooperative networks and compare to the conventional cooperative networks.

Effects of some preservative solutions on vase life and keeping quality of snapdragon (Antirrhinum majus L. cut flowers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Abdul-Wasea A. Asrar

2012-01-01

Full Text Available The effect of selected chemical agents used as preservative solutions to improve the keeping quality of cut snapdragon (Antirrhinum majus L. cv. Yellow Butterfly flowers had been studied. These preservative solutions (treatments were: 2% sucrose, 200 ppm 8-hydroxyquinoline sulfate (8-HQS, pulsing treatment with 200 ppm 8-HQS in combination with 2% sucrose for 12 h, pulsing the spikes with 0.2 mM silver thiosulfate (STS for 1 h, pulsing with 0.2 mM STS for 1 h followed by 2% sucrose solution, or distilled water used as control. The results showed that all treatments had improved the keeping quality and vase life of the cut flowers comparing to control ones. Among all these treatments, the 8-HQS plus 2% sucrose treatment showed best water uptake, water balance, percentage of maximum increase in fresh weight of the cut flower stem and vase life which was extended up to 18 days. Moreover, this keeping solution treatment retarded the degradation of chlorophyll as well as carbohydrate of the cut flowers during their postharvest life. It has been concluded that 200 ppm 8-HQS combined with 2% sucrose solution has the potential to be used as a commercial cut flower preservative solution to delay flower senescence, enhance post-harvest quality and prolong the vase life of cut snapdragon flowers.

The boundary length and point spectrum enumeration of partial chord diagrams using cut and join recursion

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andersen, Jørgen Ellegaard; Fuji, Hiroyuki; Penner, Robert C.

relation, which combined with an initial condition determines these numbers uniquely. This recursion relation is equivalent to a second order, non-linear, algebraic partial differential equation for the generating function of the numbers of partial chord diagrams filtered by the boundary length and point...

Genetic divergence of Etlingera elatior based on agro-morphological features for cut flowers

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Charleston Gonçalves

2014-09-01

Full Text Available Despite the wide acceptability Torch Ginger (Etlingera elatior by the consumer market and its cultivation are still restrict­ed due to the high mass of inflorescences (over 1 kg, which complicates the process of harvesting, handling, packaging and transportation. The objective of this work was to characterize agromorphological and estimate the genetic divergence among Etlingera elatior ( Jack R.M. Sm. with standard cut flower. A stand of 75 genotypes resulting from crosses between genotypes at random from the collection of germplasm with variability inflorescences of commercial interest, they keep on growing in the Research and Development of Ubatuba. Seventeen descriptors were evaluated on the leaf, inflorescence and infrutescence. The inflorescence mass, length and diameter of the flowering stem, height and flower diameter were selected as the most important descriptors for selecting accessions with standard marketing as cut flower. We selected 12 promising accessions, with characteristics appropriate to the market and with good combination of shapes and coloring bracts.

The effect of growth regulators on post-harvest Alchemilla mollis (Bauser Rothm. leaf longevity

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Janowska Beata

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Leaves of Alchemilla mollis (Bauser Rothm. were the subject of the study. The leaves were harvested early in the morning from the department’s ornamental plant collection. Selected leaves were fully-developed and showed no signs of damage or discolouring. Gibberellic acid (GA3, benzyladenine (BA, meta-methoxytopolin (MemT and its riboside (MemTR at concentrations of 25, 50 and 75 mg dm−3 were applied in the form of solutions to four-hour leaf-conditioning in the room at a temperature of 18-20°C. After conditioning, the leaves were placed in distilled water. Leaves put into distilled water immediately after cutting served as the control. The post-harvest longevity of leaves of Alchemilla mollis was 7.2-11.8 days. The conditioning of leaves in gibberellic acid solutions at concentrations of 25-50 mg dm−3, benzyladenine at concentrations of 25 mg dm−3 and meta-methoxytopolin and its riboside at concentrations of 75 mg dm−3 extended the post-harvest longevity of leaves by 10.1-81.9%. The conditioning of leaves in gibberellic acid at a concentration of 50 mg dm−3 inhibited the degradation of chlorophyll, as indicated by the highest SPAD index values.

Microalgae harvesting techniques: A review.

Science.gov (United States)

Singh, Gulab; Patidar, S K

2018-07-01

Microalgae with wide range of commercial applications have attracted a lot of attention of the researchers in the last few decades. However, microalgae utilization is not economically sustainable due to high cost of harvesting. A wide range of solid - liquid separation techniques are available for microalgae harvesting. The techniques include coagulation and flocculation, flotation, centrifugation and filtration or a combination of various techniques. Despite the importance of harvesting to the economics and energy balance, there is no universal harvesting technique for microalgae. Therefore, this review focuses on assessing technical, economical and application potential of various harvesting techniques so as to allow selection of an appropriate technology for cost effectively harvesting of microalgae from their culture medium. Various harvesting and concentrating techniques of microalgae were reviewed to suggest order of suitability of the techniques for four main microalgae applications i.e biofuel, human and animal food, high valued products, and water quality restoration. For deciding the order of suitability, a comparative analysis of various harvesting techniques based on the six common criterions (i.e biomass quality, cost, biomass quantity, processing time, species specific and toxicity) has been done. Based on the order of various techniques vis-a-vis various criteria and preferred order of criteria for various applications, order of suitability of harvesting techniques for various applications has been decided. Among various harvesting techniques, coagulation and flocculation, centrifugation and filtration were found to be most suitable for considered applications. These techniques may be used alone or in combination for increasing the harvesting efficiency. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Design, Realization and First Tests of a Prototype of Mower-Conditioner to Harvest Fibre Sorghum through Haymaking

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Assirelli, A.; Pari, L. (Consiglio per la Ricerca e la Sperimentazione in Agricoltura, Unita di Ricerca per l' Ingegneria Agraria, Monterotondo, RM (Italy))

2008-10-15

The baling of dried fibre sorghum introduces some specific problems due mostly to stalk development, height and rigidity and to the volume of green biomass to process. To improve storage and to reduce transport cost, the main aspect to consider is the achievement of a satisfactory natural drying of the plant on the ground. Previous tests with mowers and mower-conditioners pointed out operational problems: the mowers, in relation to height and rigidity of the stalks, showed low working capacity, while the mower-conditioners, both with rolls or spokes, were not able to obtain a conditioning level good enough to achieve sufficient natural drying. The structure of the plant, particularly of its stalk, is such that without a continuous cleavage along the whole length, water content decreases slower than it would be suitable for harvesting period in Italy. Following these considerations, CRA-ING developed a back mounted harvester prototype, connected to the rear three-point linkage of a reversible drive tractor. Such equipment permits the cutting and conditioning of the whole plant, leaving it spread on the ground, without forming windrows, so to make full use of the solar radiation for drying. When the water contents drops to the optimum value for storing, the product can be collected in windrow and then baled with existing round balers or big balers. The adopted conditioning system is formed by six couples of longitudinal rolls, similar to those used in corn harvesting, because also the fibre sorghum is a row cultivation; each roll is provided with alternate blades and pads to press and cleave all along the stalk while pulling down the plant. Rolls dimensions and rotational speed are such to hit the stalk every 5 cm. Under the rolls, next to the ground, a saw cuts the plants. During the first year tests in Central Italy, the idea was confirmed successful: it was possible, working at 5 km/h speed, corresponding to 1,5 ha/h effective working capacity, to windrow and to

Use of 1-methylcyclopropene for the control of Botrytis cinerea on cut flowers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

L. Seglie

2009-09-01

Full Text Available Cut flowers are marketed for their ornamental characteristics making post-harvest flower life an important determinant of crop value. Botrytis cinerea is one of the most significant post-harvest fungal pathogens causing losses in ornamental plants. Disease caused by this fungus seems to be enhanced by the presence of a ethylene hormone, that both the plant and the fungus are known to synthesize. The aim of the experiment was to determine if 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP, an ethylene antagonist, could be used to reduce B. cinerea damage to cut flowers. Six cultivars of four ornamental species: Dianthus caryophyllus ‘Idra di Muraglia’, Rosa × hybrida ‘White Dew’ and ‘Ritz’, Ranunculus asiaticus ‘Saigon’ and ‘Green’, and Cyclamen persicum line ‘Halios Bianco Puro Compatto’ were given three concentrations of 1-MCP (0.38 μl L-1, 1.14 μL L-1, and 3.62 μL L-1 for 24 hours. Subsequently, 10 petals per cultivar were treated with a B. cinerea conidial suspension (5×103 conidia cm-2 and stored in air-tight vases. To evaluate B. cinerea development an arbitrary damage scale (1–7 was used. A high concentration of 1-MCP significantly reduced B. cinerea damage on D. caryophyllus ‘Idra di Muraglia’ and C. persicum ‘Halios White Pure Compact’ petals. In carnation, 1-MCP treatment slowed B. cinerea infection; its threshold level was reached three days after that of the control. In cyclamen, treated petals and control petals remained aesthetically good until day 53 and day 28 respectively. At low concentrations, 1-MCP slowed grey mould on R. × hybrida ‘Ritz’ for up to three days beyond the control. On the two buttercup cultivars ‘Green’ and ‘Saigon’, 1-MCP treatments were not effective. In conclusion, 1-MCP limited pathogen development; its effect depended on the species and the 1-MCP concentration. Further investigations will be performed to improve methods to reduce B. cinerea development on the petals of cut

Profitability of wood harvesting enterprises

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Penttinen, M. email: markku.penttinen@metla.fi; Mikkola, J. email: jarmo.mikkola@metla.fi; Rummukainen, A. email: arto.rummukainen@metla.fi

2009-07-01

that period. The median net profit was best in limited companies and partnerships; about 6 percent. The annual reserve after debt amortization and investment was some 50 000 euro among the biggest enterprises, about 30 000 euro among the medium size groups and at most some 10 000 euro in the smallest ones. Return on capital varied only a little, showing a slight decrease towards the end of study period. In 2007, return on assets (ROA) was around 12%, except in enterprises with turnover of less than 75 000 euro, where ROA was two percent. Return on equity (ROE) varied between 15 and 25%, except for the smallest enterprises, with less than 10%. The harvesting business, with limited means of meeting the severe challenges of global recession, cease operations for several months. Finding a profitable growing formula and qualified operators is a challenge, even without these cuts. (orig.)

Gaseous mercury fluxes from forest soils in response to forest harvesting intensity: A field manipulation experiment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mazur, M.; Mitchell, C.P.J.; Eckley, C.S.; Eggert, S.L.; Kolka, R.K.; Sebestyen, S.D.; Swain, E.B.

2014-01-01

Forest harvesting leads to changes in soil moisture, temperature and incident solar radiation, all strong environmental drivers of soil–air mercury (Hg) fluxes. Whether different forest harvesting practices significantly alter Hg fluxes from forest soils is unknown. We conducted a field-scale experiment in a northern Minnesota deciduous forest wherein gaseous Hg emissions from the forest floor were monitored after two forest harvesting prescriptions, a traditional clear-cut and a clearcut followed by biomass harvest, and compared to an un-harvested reference plot. Gaseous Hg emissions were measured in quadruplicate at four different times between March and November 2012 using Teflon dynamic flux chambers. We also applied enriched Hg isotope tracers and separately monitored their emission in triplicate at the same times as ambient measurements. Clearcut followed by biomass harvesting increased ambient Hg emissions the most. While significant intra-site spatial variability was observed, Hg emissions from the biomass harvested plot (180 ± 170 ng m −2 d −1 ) were significantly greater than both the traditional clearcut plot (− 40 ± 60 ng m −2 d −1 ) and the un-harvested reference plot (− 180 ± 115 ng m −2 d −1 ) during July. This difference was likely a result of enhanced Hg 2+ photoreduction due to canopy removal and less shading from downed woody debris in the biomass harvested plot. Gaseous Hg emissions from more recently deposited Hg, as presumably representative of isotope tracer measurements, were not significantly influenced by harvesting. Most of the Hg tracer applied to the forest floor became sequestered within the ground vegetation and debris, leaf litter, and soil. We observed a dramatic lessening of tracer Hg emissions to near detection levels within 6 months. As post-clearcutting residues are increasingly used as a fuel or fiber resource, our observations suggest that gaseous Hg emissions from forest soils will increase, although it

USE OF RENEWABLE SUBSTRATES FOR EX VITRO PRODUCTION OF Melaleuca alternifolia CHEEL CLONAL PLANTS BY MINI-CUTTINGS TECHNIQUE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carlos Andre Stuepp

2017-12-01

Full Text Available The Australian species Melaleuca alternifolia Cheel. has a strong commercial importance due to the extraction of essential oils from its leaves used in the cosmetic and pharmaceutical industry. In order to obtain an efficient plant production system of M. alternifolia the mini-cuttings technique and the clonal mini-garden management in the productivity and rooting of mini-cuttings and different substrate compositions were analyzed during all the seasons. Mini-stumps derived from cuttings and grown in pots (2 L, were submitted to successive harvesting of their sprouts during the four seasons (september/2013 to august/2014. From the mini-stumps sprouts mini-cuttings were produced, wich were were planted in plastic tubes and kept in a greenhouse for 45 days. Six substrates were used for planting the mini-cuttings: commercial substrate (S1; substrate composed of 100% carbonized rice husk (CRH (S2; substrate composed of 100% coconut fiber (CF (S3; substrate composed of 50% CF and 50% CRH (S4; substrate composed of 30% CF and 70% CRH (S5; substrate composed of 70% FC and 30% CRH (S6. The high survival of mini-stumps (over 90% and the mini-cuttings production (282 mini-cuttings.m-2.month-1 in the shade house demonstrate the technical feasibility for the species, being summer the most appropriate time to collect propagules. The substrate composed by 70% CF + 30% CRH (S6 shows superior results for vegetative propagation of M. alternifolia (91.7% of rooted mini-cuttings, as the single one to contemplate simultaneously all parameters. Summer is recommended as the best time for rooting of mini-cuttings.

Cutting forces during turning with variable depth of cut

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. Sadílek

2016-03-01

The proposed research for the paper is an experimental work – measuring cutting forces and monitoring of the tool wear on the cutting edge. It compares the turning where standard roughing cycle is used and the turning where the proposed roughing cycle with variable depth of cut is applied.

The application of single-tree selection compared to diameter-limit cutting in an upland oak-hickory forest on the Cumberland Plateau in Jackson County, Alabama

Science.gov (United States)

Callie Jo Schweitzer; Greg Janzen

2012-01-01

Cumberland Plateau region upland oak forests have undergone a myriad of disturbances (including periods of few and minor disturbances). Traditional timber harvesting practices such as diameter-limit cutting have negatively altered species composition and skewed stand structure, especially on medium-quality sites. We assessed the ability of single-tree selection to...

Response of herbaceous plant community diversity and composition to overstorey harvest within riparian management zones in Northern Hardwoods

Science.gov (United States)

Eric K. Zenner; Michelle A. Martin; Brian J. Palik; Jerilynn E. Peck; Charles R. Blinn

2013-01-01

Partial timber harvest within riparian management zones (RMZs) may permit active management of riparian forests while protecting stream ecosystems, but impacts on herbaceous communities are poorly understood. We compared herbaceous plant community abundance, diversity and composition in RMZs along small streams in northern Minnesota, USA, among four treatments before...

Modeling and characterization of electret based vibration energy harvesters in slot-effect configuration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Renaud, M; Altena, G; Elfrink, R; Goedbloed, M; De Nooijer, C; Van Schaijk, R

2015-01-01

The purpose of this article is to elaborate a model and the optimization guidelines for electret based harvesters with a specific electret/electrodes configuration, namely the slot-effect configuration. Slot-effect configured harvesters have been investigated experimentally by several research groups. A model describing their dynamic behavior has also been recently proposed in the literature. However, the simplifications used in the existing model can lead to inaccuracies and a refined analysis is elaborated in the present article. The model is compared with experimental measurements on MEMS fabricated devices with a corrugated electret. The electrodes dimensioning in the MEMS device are chosen so that the harvester behaves in a quasi-linear manner over its full range of displacement. This quasi-linearity simplifies greatly the device optimization. Indeed, the behavior of the developed electrostatic harvester is shown to be very comparable to that of piezoelectric harvesters, which are very well understood and documented. The influence of several design parameters on output power performance is investigated. As long as pull-in and breakdown voltage effects can be avoided, the electret surface potential should be maximized and the air gap minimized. We also investigate theoretically the influence of three types of electret on the generated power: planar, corrugated with partial charge coverage, and corrugated with full charge coverage. With the dimensions corresponding to our MEMS devices, the output power characteristics for the three types of electret are similar. However, it is shown that this is not always true. In some conditions, corrugated electrets with full charge coverage are detrimental for the generated power. (paper)

Outage Performance Analysis of Relay Selection Schemes in Wireless Energy Harvesting Cooperative Networks over Non-Identical Rayleigh Fading Channels †

Science.gov (United States)

Do, Nhu Tri; Bao, Vo Nguyen Quoc; An, Beongku

2016-01-01

In this paper, we study relay selection in decode-and-forward wireless energy harvesting cooperative networks. In contrast to conventional cooperative networks, the relays harvest energy from the source’s radio-frequency radiation and then use that energy to forward the source information. Considering power splitting receiver architecture used at relays to harvest energy, we are concerned with the performance of two popular relay selection schemes, namely, partial relay selection (PRS) scheme and optimal relay selection (ORS) scheme. In particular, we analyze the system performance in terms of outage probability (OP) over independent and non-identical (i.n.i.d.) Rayleigh fading channels. We derive the closed-form approximations for the system outage probabilities of both schemes and validate the analysis by the Monte-Carlo simulation. The numerical results provide comprehensive performance comparison between the PRS and ORS schemes and reveal the effect of wireless energy harvesting on the outage performances of both schemes. Additionally, we also show the advantages and drawbacks of the wireless energy harvesting cooperative networks and compare to the conventional cooperative networks. PMID:26927119

Cutting method and cutting device for spent fuel rod of nuclear reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Komatsu, Masahiko; Ose, Toshihiko.

1996-01-01

A control rod transferred under water in a vertically suspended state is postured horizontally at such a water depth that radiations can be shielded, and then it is cut to a dropping speed limiting portion and a cross-like main body. The separated cross-like main body portion is further cut in the longitudinal direction and separated into a pair of cut pieces each having an L-shaped cross section. A disk like metal saw is used as a cutting tool. Alternatively, a plasma jet cutter or a melting-type water jet cutter is used as a cutting tool. Then, since the spent control rod to be cut is postured horizontally under water, the water depth for the cutting position can be reduced. As a result, the cutting state using the cutting tool can be observed by naked eyes from the position above the water surface thereby enabling to perform the cutting operation reliably. (N.H.)

Simulation and testing of a micro electromagnetic energy harvester for self-powered system

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yiming Lei

2014-01-01

Full Text Available This paper describes a low cost and efficient electromagnetic vibration energy harvester (EVEH for a self-powered system. The EVEH consists of a resistant (copper spring, a permanent magnet (NdFeB35 and a wire-wound copper coil. The copper spring was fabricated by the laser precision cutting technology. A numerical model was adopted to analyze magnetic field distribution of a rectangle permanent magnet. The finite element (FEM soft ANSYS was used to simulate the mechanical properties of the system. The testing results show that the micro electromagnetic vibration energy harvester can generate the maximal power 205.38 μW at a resonance frequency of 124.2 Hz with an acceleration of 0.5 g (g = 9.8 ms−2 across a load the 265 Ω and a superior normalized power density (NPD of 456.5 μW cm−3 g−2. The magnetic field distribution of the permanent magnet was calculated to optimize geometric parameters of the coil. The proposed EVEH has a high efficiency with the lower cost.

Cutting Whole Length or Partial Length of Internal Anal Sphincter in Managementof Fissure in Ano

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Furat Shani Aoda

2017-12-01

Full Text Available A chronic anal fissure is a common painful perianal condition.The main operative procedure to treat this painful condition is a lateral internal sphincteretomy (LIS.The aim of study is to compare the outcome and complications of closed LIS up to the dentate line (whole length of internal sphincter or up to the fissure apex (partial length of internal sphincter in the treatment of anal fissure.It is a prospective comparativestudy including 100 patients with chronic fissure in ano. All patients assigned to undergo closed LIS. Those patients were randomly divided into two groups: 50 patients underwent LIS to the level of dentate line (whole length and other 50 patients underwent LIS to the level of fissure apex (partial length. Patients were followed up weekly in the 1st month, twice monthly in the second month then monthly   for next 2 months and finally after 1 year. There was satisfactory relief of pain in all patients in both groups & complete healing of the fissure occurred. Regarding post operative incontinence no major degree of incontinence occur in both group but minor degree of incontinence persists In 7 patients after whole length LIS after one year. In conclusion, both whole length & partial length LIS associated with improvement of pain, good chance of healing but whole length LIS associated with more chance of long term  flatus incontinence. Hence,we recommend partial length LIS as treatment forchronic anal fissure.

Evaluating the role of cutting treatments, fire and soil seed banks in an experimental framework in ponderosa pine forests of the Black Hills, South Dakota

Science.gov (United States)

Cody L. Wienk; Carolyn Hull Sieg; Guy R. McPherson

2004-01-01

Pinus ponderosa Laws. (ponderosa pine) forests have changed considerably during the past century, partly because recurrent fires have been absent for a century or more. A number of studies have explored the influence of timber harvest or burning on understory production in ponderosa pine forests, but study designs incorporating cutting and prescribed...

White-throated Sparrow Response to Forest Harvesting in North-Central Alberta: Results Not So Clear-Cut?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kevin C. Hannah

2008-06-01

Full Text Available The use of density to measure a species' responses to habitat change remains prevalent despite warnings that relying on such parameters can be misleading. We evaluated whether density was a useful surrogate of habitat quality for the White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis, an apparent habitat generalist, in a recently logged landscape near Calling Lake, Alberta, Canada. We detected significant differences in the territory density of birds among three distinct habitat types: interior forest, forest edges, and recent (4- to 6-yr-old clear-cuts. However, the observed patterns in territory density were not consistent with several indices of habitat quality. We found a consistent and marked gradient for indices such as nesting success (based on a reproductive index, pairing success, and the proportion of territories that successfully fledged young between interior forest sites and clear-cuts. Edge habitats, in which high relative density offset lower reproductive success, represented moderate-quality habitat for this species. Our results suggest that the continued use of density alone, without some measure of habitat quality, is insufficient if not misleading when evaluating response to habitat change. Our results have important implications for understanding the population dynamics of this species, which is often overlooked in population-level studies yet continues to experience long-term population declines over large portions of its breeding range.

Flexible Laser Metal Cutting

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Villumsen, Sigurd; Jørgensen, Steffen Nordahl; Kristiansen, Morten

2014-01-01

This paper describes a new flexible and fast approach to laser cutting called ROBOCUT. Combined with CAD/CAM technology, laser cutting of metal provides the flexibility to perform one-of-a-kind cutting and hereby realises mass production of customised products. Today’s laser cutting techniques...... possess, despite their wide use in industry, limitations regarding speed and geometry. Research trends point towards remote laser cutting techniques which can improve speed and geometrical freedom and hereby the competitiveness of laser cutting compared to fixed-tool-based cutting technology...... such as punching. This paper presents the concepts and preliminary test results of the ROBOCUT laser cutting technology, a technology which potentially can revolutionise laser cutting....

Design optimization of harvester head and actuation system of forest harvester

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andersen, Torben Ole; Hansen, Michael R.; Mouritsen, Ole Ø.

2005-01-01

This paper is on the analysis and subsequent efficiency optimization of a forrest harvester. As basis for the optimization the existing machine has undergone substantial experimental testing with a view to determine the loading that the harvester head is subjected to and also the corresponding...

Optimization of a partially segmented block detector for MR-compatible small animal PET

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hwang, Ji Yeon; Chung, Yong Hyun; Baek, Cheol-Ha; An, Su Jung; Kim, Hyun-Il; Kim, Kwang Hyun

2011-01-01

In recent years, there has been an increasing interest in the magnetic resonance (MR)-compatible positron emission tomography (PET) scanners for both clinical and preclinical practice. The aim of this study was to design a novel PET detector module using a segmented block crystal readout with an array of multi-pixel photon counters (MPPCs). A 16.5x16.5x10.0 mm 3 LSO block was segmented into an 11x11 array, and reflective material was used to fill in the cuts to optically isolate the elements. The block was attached to a 4x4 MPPC array (Hamamatsu S11064) of 3.0x3.0 mm 2 detectors to give a total effective area of 144 mm 2 . To visualize all the individual detector elements in this 11x11 detector module, the depth of the cuts was optimized by DETECT2000 simulations. The depth of the cuts determines the spread of scintillation light onto the MPPC array. The accuracy of positioning was evaluated by varying the depth of the cuts from 0.0 to 10.0 mm in steps of 0.5 mm. A spatial resolution of 1.5 mm was achieved using the optimized partially segmented block detector. The simulation results of this study can be used effectively as a guide for parameter optimization for the development of a partially segmented block detector for high-resolution MR-compatible PET scanners.

Controle estatístico aplicado ao processo de colheita mecanizada de cana-de-açúcar Statistical control applied in the process of mechanical sugar cane harvest

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rouverson P. da Silva

2008-06-01

quality process. The data was collected in two properties near Jaboticabal - SP, Brazil, on SP80-3280 variety, in 3rd and 4th cuts. The sugar cane plantation port was characterized, and, after the harvest, an area of 1.5 ha was marked, being 25 points, with row spacing of 12 x 50 m, quantifying the visible losses. Later, the statistical process quality was applied by the average, which is three times higher or lower than the standard deviation, being these control limits superior and inferior, respectively. The loss average of untied piece was statistically higher than the loss average of fixed piece, whole cane, top and stubbles. The occurrence of losses of splinted stalks was lower for the fourth cut in relation to the third curt, whereas the losses of fixed piece and stubbles were lower in the third cut when compared to the losses in the fourth cut. In each cut, the averages of total losses were similar to the values found in bibliography. Untied piece was the variable of visible losses with higher percentage of occurrence. The losses showed that the mechanized harvest is not under the statistical process control.

Some possibilities for determining cutting data when using laser cutting:

OpenAIRE

Radovanović, Miroslav

2006-01-01

The technological problems faced in the field of the application of laser-cutting machines lie in insufficient knowledge of the laser technique and the absence of both sufficiently reliable practical data and knowledge about the parameters affecting the work process itself. A significant parameter that is necessary to determine and to enter in an NC-program is the cutting speed. Various authors analyze the laser-cutting process and give mathematical models where laser cutting is modeled by us...

Harvest of table olives by mechanical harvesting equipment

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Filippo Gambella

2013-09-01

Full Text Available In this work, we have evaluated the performance, of an electric comb equipped with five undulated fingers used for mechanized the harvesting of table olives. The first aim of the work was to test three different types of coating materials used for covering the fingers: Silicon (S, Vulcanized rubber (VR and Natural rubber (NR. The diameter of the coating materials tested were 7mm (D1, 14 mm (D2, 19 mm (D3 in order to evaluate the damage of different working conditions on the intact olives. During harvesting, silicon at 7mm and 14mm resulted in the largest percentage of undamaged the fruit (67% and 65%, natural rubber 63% and vulcanized rubber at the 54%. The second aim was to evaluate the combination, in terms of the best performance, of the machines used for mechanized harvesting of table olives. Several factors have been examined: undulating fingers variation thickness, different rotational speeds and different coating materials used to reduce the impact damage on olives. From the tests on olive tree we have determined that while plastic materials (S and (NR appear to have a positive role in harvest quality, the vibration transmitted to the operator’s hand is great from 6.48 m/s2 for S to 6.31 m/ s2 for NR and 2.92 m/s2 for VR, respect to the materials used.

Remote Laser Cutting of CFRP: Improvements in the Cut Surface

Science.gov (United States)

Stock, Johannes; Zaeh, Michael F.; Conrad, Markus

In the automotive industry carbon fibre reinforced plastics (CFRP) are considered as a future key material to reduce the weight of the vehicle. Therefore, capable production techniques are required to process this material in mass industry. E.g., state of the art methods for cutting are limited by the high tool wear or the feasible feed rate. Laser cutting processes are still under investigation. This paper presents detailed new studies on remote laser cutting of CFRP focusing on the influence of the material properties and the quality of the cut surface. By adding light absorbing soot particles to the resin of the matrix, the cutting process is improved and fewer defects emerge.

Multibeam Fibre Laser Cutting

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Olsen, Flemming Ove

The appearance of the high power high brilliance fibre laser has opened for new possibilities in laser materials processing. In laser cutting this laser has demonstrated high cutting performance compared to the dominating cutting laser, the CO2-laser. However, quality problems in fibre......-laser cutting have until now limited its application in metal cutting. In this paper the first results of proof-of-principle studies applying a new approach (patent pending) for laser cutting with high brightness short wavelength lasers will be presented. In the approach, multi beam patterns are applied...... to control the melt flow out of the cut kerf resulting in improved cut quality in metal cutting. The beam patterns in this study are created by splitting up beams from 2 single mode fibre lasers and combining these beams into a pattern in the cut kerf. The results are obtained with a total of 550 W of single...

Multibeam fiber laser cutting

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Olsen, Flemming Ove; Hansen, Klaus Schütt; Nielsen, Jakob Skov

2009-01-01

The appearance of the high power high brilliance fiber laser has opened for new possibilities in laser materials processing. In laser cutting this laser has demonstrated high cutting performance compared to the dominating Cutting laser, the CO2 laser. However, quality problems in fiber......-laser cutting have until now limited its application to metal cutting. In this paper the first results of proof-of-principle Studies applying a new approach (patent pending) for laser cutting with high brightness and short wavelength lasers will be presented. In the approach, multibeam patterns are applied...... to control the melt flow out of the cut kerf resulting in improved cut quality in metal cutting. The beam patterns in this study are created by splitting up beams from two single mode fiber lasers and combining these beams into a pattern in the cut kerf. The results are obtained with a total of 550 W...

MicroSaw and Piezosurgery in Harvesting Mandibular Bone Blocks from the Retromolar Region: A Randomized Split-Mouth Prospective Clinical Trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Hanser, Thomas; Doliveux, Romain

The aim of this randomized prospective split-mouth clinical trial was to evaluate the outcome of bone block harvesting from the retromolar region using the MicroSaw and Piezosurgery. Fifty-three patients for extensive bilateral bone grafting procedures with or without concomitant implant placement in the maxilla and/or mandible were scheduled. In each patient, bone blocks were harvested in the retromolar area within the external oblique ridge of the mandible. Using a randomized protocol, bone blocks were harvested with the MicroSaw and Piezosurgery either from the right or the left side. Clinical outcome parameters were the comparison of osteotomy time; volume of block graft; and clinical determination of intraoperative complications such as hemorrhage, nerve injury, pain, swelling, and healing of the donor site. The mean osteotomy time for harvesting including luxating a bone block was 5.63 (± 1.37) minutes using the MicroSaw and 16.47 (± 2.74) minutes using Piezosurgery (P .05). Swelling did not appear significantly different either (P > .05), and none of the donor sites showed primary healing complications. The data described in this randomized prospective split-mouth clinical trial indicate that the MicroSaw and Piezosurgery allowed efficient and safe bone block harvesting from the external oblique ridge. Clinically, concerning harvesting time and volume of the grafts, the MicroSaw performed significantly better, whereas pain, swelling, and healing did not appear to be considerably different. Given the improved visibility, precise cut geometries, and the margin of safety afforded by the MicroSaw and Piezosurgery, they are both instruments of choice when harvesting bone from the retromolar area.

Cutting cleaner

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Elsen, R.P.H. van; Smits, M.

1991-01-01

This paper presents the results of a long term field test of the Cutting Cleaner, which is used for the treatment of wet oil contaminated cuttings (WOCC) produced when drilling with Oil Based Mud (OBM). It was concluded that it is possible to reduce the oil content of cuttings to an average of 1 - 2%. The recovered base oil can be reused to make new oil based mud

Radio Frequency Energy Harvesting Sources

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Action NECHIBVUTE

2017-12-01

Full Text Available This radio frequency (RF energy harvesting is an emerging technology and research area that promises to produce energy to run low-power wireless devices. The great interest that has recently been paid to RF harvesting is predominantly driven by the great progress in both wireless communication systems and broadcasting technologies that have availed a lot of freely propagating ambient RF energy. The principle aim of an RF energy harvesting system is to convert the received ambient RF energy into usable DC power. This paper presents a state of the art concise review of RF energy harvesting sources for low power applications, and also discusses open research questions and future research directions on ambient RF energy harvesting.

Harvesting a short rotation forest

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Perttu, K L [ed.

1984-12-01

Willow and Sallow, considered of great interest for Swedish conditions, present new problems in harvesting. Traditional logging techniques offer few elements of equipment or methods. Light whips may be comminuted to a bulk product, easy to handle, difficult to store, requiring a hot logging system - and requiring a heavy, powerful harvester. Aggregating the material introduces an intermediate wood-fuel unit, suitable for storing, transport and infeed into any comminuter. If the harvester produced billets it would require less energy for its operation and it may be used for other purposes such as pre-commercial thinning or row thinning during the growing season. A few groups of designers have worked on analyses of requirements and possible solutions. Test rigs for severing and bundling were built and evaluated. Public funding was made available for design work on harvesters. Five groups were selected to produce layout designs of large and small harvesters. An evaluation procedure was performed, leading to selection of two concepts, slightly reworked from their original shapes. One is a large self-propelled front-sutting harvester, the other is a harvesting unit to be mounted on a suitable farm tractor. With 3 refs.

High relative humidity pre-harvest reduces post-harvest proliferation of Salmonella in tomatoes.

Science.gov (United States)

Devleesschauwer, Brecht; Marvasi, Massimiliano; Giurcanu, Mihai C; Hochmuth, George J; Speybroeck, Niko; Havelaar, Arie H; Teplitski, Max

2017-09-01

Outbreaks of human illness caused by enteric pathogens such as Salmonella are increasingly linked to the consumption of fruits and vegetables. Knowledge on the factors affecting Salmonella proliferation on fresh produce therefore becomes increasingly important to safeguard public health. Previous experiments showed a limited impact of pre-harvest production practices on Salmonella proliferation on tomatoes, but suggested a significant effect of harvest time. We explored the data from two previously published and one unpublished experiment using regression trees, which allowed overcoming the interpretational difficulties of classical statistical models with higher order interactions. We assessed the effect of harvest time by explicitly modeling the climatic conditions at harvest time and by performing confirmatory laboratory experiments. Across all datasets, regression trees confirmed the dominant effect of harvest time on Salmonella proliferation, with humidity-related factors emerging as the most important underlying climatic factors. High relative humidity the week prior to harvest was consistently associated with lower Salmonella proliferation. A controlled lab experiment confirmed that tomatoes containing their native epimicrobiota supported significantly lower Salmonella proliferation when incubated at higher humidity prior to inoculation. The complex interactions between environmental conditions and the native microbiota of the tomato crop remain to be fully understood. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Application tests of a remote controlled machine for laser sealing and cutting of pipelines in hazardous circuits

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cai, G. (Ansaldo SpA, Genoa (Italy)); Cantello, M.; Accampo, G.

1991-12-01

This short communication deals with the experimental investigation on sealing and cutting tubes with the same laser beam after partial compression of the tube using presses of limited force easy to install on a robot for dismantling chemical or nuclear plants.

Laser cutting or water-jet cutting. Laser setsudan ka water-jet setsudan ka

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yamada, T. (Shibuya Kogyo Co. Ltd., Ishikawa (Japan))

1991-05-01

The recent spread of carbon oxide laser cutter is so startlingly fast, but at the same time, water jet cutting using ultra high pressure water stream is drawing attention as it has identical characteristics, and opens the way to cutting materials that have been hitherto difficult to cut. The authors, who are fabricators of cutters of both types, gave the comparisons and explanations on several examples referring to materials that can be cut, cutting accuracy, speed, shape and thermal effects to cut face, and running cost in detail. However, simple comparison is difficult. For instance, cutting 6 mm thick SUS sheet costs a running cost of 65 yen per meter in laser cutting, and 535 yen per meter in water jet cutting, but this situation is often reversed when other material or sheet thickness is selected. The actual situation in the sheet metal processing industry at the present time is that it uses by far more laser processing machines, and uses water jet cutters to supplement for cutting materials more difficult to cut. 10 figs., 3 tabs.

Effects of Timber Harvesting with Best Management Practices on Ecosystem Metabolism of a Low Gradient Stream on the United States Gulf Coastal Plain

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Abram DaSilva

2013-06-01

Full Text Available Stream metabolism can be used as a measure of freshwater ecosystem health because of its responsiveness to natural and anthropogenic changes. In this study, we used stream metabolic rates to test for the effects of a timber harvest with Louisiana’s current best management practices (BMPs. The study was conducted from 2006 to 2010 in a loblolly pine (Pinus taeda stand in north-central Louisiana, USA, 45 ha of which was clear cut harvested in the summer of 2007. Dissolved oxygen (DO, water temperature, and stream depth were recorded at a site upstream (serving as a reference and a site downstream of the harvested area. Using diurnal DO change and an open-system, single-station method at each site, we quantified rates of net ecosystem productivity (NEP, gross primary productivity (GPP, community respiration (CR, and the GPP/CR ratio. The system was predominately heterotrophic, with a GPP/CR ratio of less than one for 82% of the time at the upstream site. No calculated metabolic rate was significantly changed by the timber harvest (two-way ANOVA with interaction; p < 0.001. Overall, the results suggest that timber harvests of similar intensity with Louisiana’s current BMPs may not significantly impact stream biological conditions.

Effect of planting density and cutting frequency on forage and grain yields of kochia (Kochia scoparia under saline water irrigation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

mseou ziyaeii

2009-06-01

Full Text Available AField experiment was conducted at Research Farms of Center of Excellence for Special Crops, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran, in 2006 to evaluate the effect of planting density on forage and grain yield of kochia (Kochia scoparia. Experimental design was a randomized complete block with split-plot arrangement of treatments,with three replications, where different planting densities (10, 20, 30 and 40 plant m-2 were assigned to main plots and number of cutting (including a single cutting, two cutting and no cutting i.e. allowing the crop to grow until maturity allocated to sub-plots. At each harvest date (cutting the biological yield, leaf and stem dry weight, plant height, number of branches and the individual plant biomass were measured. Grain yield and thousand seed weight were also determined at the end of growing season. Result showed the highest biological yield and leaf and stem dry weights for kochia obtaind at 30 plant m-2. The total biomass, leaf and stem dry weights, plant height, number of branches were greater for the first cutting as compared to the second cutting. Planting density and cutting number interacted to affect the leaf dry weight. At physiological maturity stage there were no significant differences among planting densities for plant height and number of branches. The best planting density, in terms of biomass production and leaf and stem dry weight, was found as 30 plant m-2, while for grain production a planting density of 20 plant m-2 could be recommended. Key words: Kochia, planting density, sward, biological yield, grain production.

Not in Your Backyard? Selective Tariff Cuts for Environmentally Preferable Products

OpenAIRE

Estelle, Gozlan; Ramos, Maria Priscila

2007-01-01

Current negotiations at the WTO’s Committee on Trade and Environment have made it conceivable that WTO members agree on selective tariff cuts for certain Environmentally Preferable Products, in an attempt to combine gains from trade and from cleaner production/consumption. This raises questions on the environmental and welfare implications of trade policy when a close substitute (“environmentally worse") exists. Using a simple partial equilibrium model with two substitutable goods ('green' an...

Technology development for cutting a reactor pressure vessel using a mechanical cutting technique

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Watanabe, Masaaki; Miyasaka, Yasuhiko; Miyao, Hidehiko; Ooki, Arahiko; Ninomiya, Toshiaki; Koiwai, Masami

2001-01-01

On decommissioning of nuclear facilities, the thermal cutting technique such as an oxygen-acetylene gas cutting and a plasma arc cutting are generally used for cutting massive and thick steel structures in consideration with cutting speed and control performance. These techniques generate dust, smoke, aerosol and a large quantity of secondary waste. Mechanical cutting technique has an advantage of small amount of secondary waste, and the metal chips from the kerf recovered easily compared with these thermal cutting technique. The remote mechanical cutting system for highly activated RPV has been developed with the manner which achieves the safety and cost effectiveness. The development has been performed on consignment to RANDEC from the Science and Technology Agency of Japan. (author)

Importance of Seed Quality for the Fresh-cut Chain

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Deleuran, Lise Christina; Olesen, Merete Halkjær; Shetty, Nisha

2011-01-01

Seed is the most fundamental input in vegetable production on, which the effectiveness of other inputs and outputs depends. If the seed is of poor quality, the use of other inputs is less successful and will occasionally be irrelevant. A definition of seed quality will depend upon the use for......, which the seed is intended. Viability, vigor, uniformity, purity and health of the seeds are quality parameters important for all production systems. The ideal situation for both fresh produce and fresh cut would be seeds, which germinate uniform at a high percentage and subsequently grow relatively...... fast to the desired size, thus, resulting in leaves of improved quality. It is likely that such leaves will be more able to withstand the rigorous processing that includes harvest, transportation, washing, sanitization, de-watering and packaging. This ideal situation would both be determined...

iTRAQ-based analysis of changes in the cassava root proteome reveals pathways associated with post-harvest physiological deterioration.

Science.gov (United States)

Owiti, Judith; Grossmann, Jonas; Gehrig, Peter; Dessimoz, Christophe; Laloi, Christophe; Hansen, Maria Benn; Gruissem, Wilhelm; Vanderschuren, Hervé

2011-07-01

The short storage life of harvested cassava roots is an important constraint that limits the full potential of cassava as a commercial food crop in developing countries. We investigated the molecular changes during physiological deterioration of cassava root after harvesting using isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantification (iTRAQ) of proteins in soluble and non-soluble fractions prepared during a 96 h post-harvest time course. Combining bioinformatic approaches to reduce information redundancy for unsequenced or partially sequenced plant species, we established a comprehensive proteome map of the cassava root and identified quantitatively regulated proteins. Up-regulation of several key proteins confirmed that physiological deterioration of cassava root after harvesting is an active process, with 67 and 170 proteins, respectively, being up-regulated early and later after harvesting. This included regulated proteins that had not previously been associated with physiological deterioration after harvesting, such as linamarase, glutamic acid-rich protein, hydroxycinnamoyl transferase, glycine-rich RNA binding protein, β-1,3-glucanase, pectin methylesterase, maturase K, dehydroascorbate reductase, allene oxide cyclase, and proteins involved in signal pathways. To confirm the regulation of these proteins, activity assays were performed for selected enzymes. Together, our results show that physiological deterioration after harvesting is a highly regulated complex process involving proteins that are potential candidates for biotechnology approaches to reduce such deterioration. © 2011 The Authors. The Plant Journal © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Machining of Some Difficult-to-Cut Materials with Rotary Cutting Tools

OpenAIRE

Stjernstoft, Tero

2004-01-01

Automobile and aero industries have an increasing interestin materials with improved mechanical properties. However, manyof these new materials are classified as difficult-to-cut withconventional tools. It is obvious that tools, cutting processesand cutting models has to be devel-oped parallel to materialsscience. In this thesis rotary cutting tools are tested as analternative toexpensive diamond or cubic bore nitridetools. Metal matrix composites mostly consist of a light metalalloy (such as...

Efeito do ácido indolbutírico e época de coleta no enraizamento de estacas semi-lenhosas do cacaueiro Effect of indolbutyric acid and cutting harvesting period on rooting of semi-hardwood cocoa cuttings

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

José Basílio Vieira Leite

2007-08-01

Full Text Available O objetivo do trabalho foi verificar o efeito do ácido indolbutírico (AIB no enraizamento de estacas do cacaueiro. O delineamento experimental foi o inteiramente casualizado, em esquema fatorial 3 x 5 x 2, envolvendo 3 clones (Cepec 2008, CCN 51 e TSH 1188, 5 concentrações de ácido indolbutírico AIB (0; 1.000; 3.000; 6.000 e 9.000 mg kg-1, duas épocas do ano (verão e inverno,, cinco repetições e 10 estacas por parcela. A avaliação do experimento foi realizada 120 dias após o plantio e analisadas as seguintes variáveis: percentagem de sobrevivência (SOB, número de brotações (NB, matéria seca das brotações (MSB, percentagem de estacas enraizadas (ENR, número de raízes (NR e matéria seca de raízes (MSR. Os fatores época do ano e concentração de AIB apresentaram efeito significativo para as variáveis estudadas quando isolados e em interação com os clones. Os dados obtidos possibilitaram concluir que o valor médio da concentração ideal de AIB (CI foi de 4.169 mg kg-1 e 3.985 mg kg-1 no verão e inverno, respectivamente. Verificou-se que os clones apresentam diferentes respostas em relação à CI de AIB e época do ano. De modo geral, as CIs no verão foram maiores que no inverno. Os resultados mostraram que a época de plantio e a concentração de AIB influenciaram de maneira mais expressiva na sobrevivência e enraizamento das estacas dos clones Cepec 2008 e CCN 51 e em menor intensidade no clone TSH 1188. Existe uma concentração ideal de AIB para cada um dos clones estudados.The objective of this work was to verify the effect of indolbutyric acid (IBA on rooting of cocoa cuttings. The layout used was a complete randomized design in a 3 x 5 x 2 factorial scheme with three clones (Cepec 2008, CCN 51 e TSH 1188, five concentrations of indolbutyric acid - IBA - (0, 1.000, 3.000, 6.000 e 9.000 mg kg-1, two harvest periods (summer and winter, 10 cuttings per plot and five replications. At 120 days after planting, it

Minimizing waste (off-cuts using cutting stock model: The case of one dimensional cutting stock problem in wood working industry

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gbemileke A. Ogunranti

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Purpose: The main objective of this study is to develop a model for solving the one dimensional cutting stock problem in the wood working industry, and develop a program for its implementation. Design/methodology/approach: This study adopts the pattern oriented approach in the formulation of the cutting stock model. A pattern generation algorithm was developed and coded using Visual basic.NET language. The cutting stock model developed is a Linear Programming (LP Model constrained by numerous feasible patterns. A LP solver was integrated with the pattern generation algorithm program to develop a one - dimensional cutting stock model application named GB Cutting Stock Program. Findings and Originality/value: Applying the model to a real life optimization problem significantly reduces material waste (off-cuts and minimizes the total stock used. The result yielded about 30.7% cost savings for company-I when the total stock materials used is compared with the former cutting plan. Also, to evaluate the efficiency of the application, Case I problem was solved using two top commercial 1D-cutting stock software.  The results show that the GB program performs better when related results were compared. Research limitations/implications: This study round up the linear programming solution for the number of pattern to cut. Practical implications: From Managerial perspective, implementing optimized cutting plans increases productivity by eliminating calculating errors and drastically reducing operator mistakes. Also, financial benefits that can annually amount to millions in cost savings can be achieved through significant material waste reduction. Originality/value: This paper developed a linear programming one dimensional cutting stock model based on a pattern generation algorithm to minimize waste in the wood working industry. To implement the model, the algorithm was coded using VisualBasic.net and linear programming solver called lpsolvedll (dynamic

Comparison of Postoperative Pain Relief by Intercostal Block Between Pre-rib Harvest and Post-rib Harvest Groups

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bashir, M. M.; Shahzad, M. A.; Yousaf, M. N.; Khan, B. A.; Khan, F. A.

2014-01-01

Objective: To compare intercostal nerve block before and after rib harvest in terms of mean postoperative pain score and mean postoperative tramadol usage. Study Design: Randomized controlled trial. Place and Duration of Study: Department of Plastic Surgery, Mayo Hospital, KEMU, Lahore, from January 2011 to July 2012. Methodology: Patients (n = 120) of either gender with ASA class-I and II requiring autogenous costal cartilage graft were inducted. Patients having history of local anaesthetic hypersensitivity and age 60 years were excluded. Subjects were randomly assigned to pre-rib harvest (group-1) and post-rib harvest (group-2). Local anaesthetic mixture was prepared by adding 10 milliliters 2% lidocaine to 10 milliliters 0.5% bupivacaine to obtain a total 20 ml solution. Group-1 received local anaesthetic infiltration along the proposed incision lines and intercostals block before the rib harvest. Group-2 received the infiltration and block after rib harvest. Postoperative consumption of tramadol and pain scores were measured at 6 and 12 hours postoperatively using VAS. Results: Mean age was 31.43 A +- 10.78 years. The mean pain scores at 6 hours postoperatively were 1.033 A +- 0.609 and 2.4667 A +- 0.812 in pre-rib harvest and post-rib harvest groups respectively (p < 0.0001). The mean pain scores at 12 hours postoperatively were 1.45 A +- 0.565 and 3.65 A +- 0.633 in pre-rib harvest and post-rib harvest groups respectively (p < 0.0001). The mean tramadol used postoperatively in first 24 hours was 169 A +- 29.24 mg and 255 A +- 17.70 mg in prerib harvest and post-rib harvest groups respectively (p < 0.0001). Conclusion: Intercostal block administered before rib harvest as preemptive strategy result in decreased postoperative pain scores and narcotic use. (author)

Structural and productive characteristics of Marandu and Xaraés grasses fertilized at different times after harvesting

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rosana Cristina Pereira

2012-03-01

Full Text Available The objective of this study was to assess the effect of applying N and K2O at different times after harvest on the structure and production characteristics of Marandu and Xaraés cultivars of Brachiaria brizantha. Two greenhouse 4 × 2 factorial experiments using a randomized block design with eight treatments and four replicates were carried out. In experiment 1, the plants in pots were fertilized weekly with 50 mg/dm³ of N and K2O until a week before a uniformity cut, for a total of four applications. After cutting, plants were fertilized with 50 mg/dm³ of N and K2O at 0, 3, 6, and 9 days. Cultivars were evaluated after 44 days of regrowth. In experiment 2, a single 50 mg/dm³ dose of N and K2O was applied a week before the uniformity cut, and 100 mg/dm³ of N and K2O were applied at 0, 4, 8, and 12 days after cutting; cultivars were evaluated after 39 days of regrowth. In experiment 1, the leaf/stem ratio and dry matter yield were influenced by the time at which fertilizers were applied. In the second experiment, the total number of leaves, expanded leaves, dead leaves, and the leaf lamina accumulated length and dry matter production were influenced by the time at which fertilizers were applied. Marandugrass had more leaves and tillers than cv. Xaraés, which, in turn, had greater height, dry matter yield and regrowth vigor. Applying nitrogen and potassium fertilizer immediately after cutting improves the structural characteristics, while the dry matter yield is maximized by applying fertilizers immediately after cutting by using lower doses of N, or at 4.5 days after cutting by using higher doses of N.

MECHANIZED HARVESTING TESTS PERFORMED BY GRAPE HARVESTERS IN SUPER INTENSIVE OLIVE ORCHARD CULTIVATION IN SPAIN

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gennaro Giametta

2009-06-01

Full Text Available Today also those countries boasting a century-old olive growing tradition have to look at the latest, most dynamic, non labour-intensive olive growing systems to abate production (notably, harvesting operations costs and remain competitive in a globalized market. This is why over the last few years super intensive olive orchard cultivation has been attracting a lot of interest on the part of olive growers all over the world as it accounts for an innovative model whereby olive groves are tailored to the special needs of grape harvesters. This paper reports the first results of experimental mechanical harvesting tests in a super-intensive olive cultivation. The study is intended to explore both productivity and work capacity of two of the most commonly used grape harvesters, Grégoire G120SW and New Holland Braud VX680, in a view to assessing their harvesting performance by a series of tests conducted in Spain. On the basis of the tests it was possible to verify that the machines are able to detach the almost all the drupes (more than 90%, with one only passage, and this independently of both size and location of drupes on the tree crown and of their maturity stage. Using these machines, two people can often carry out the whole harvest process: an operator driving the harvester and another person transferring the fruit from the harvester in the field to the olive oil mill for processing. With this system, the work speed is usually, in the best working conditions, about 1.7 km/hour and the average harvesting time is about 2.5-3 hours/ha. For the time being it is however impossible to draw definitive conclusions in terms of performance of the above cultivation systems and harvesting machines. Additional key observational studies are needed in the years to come to assess the efficiency of the entire model.

Energy-Harvesting Wireless Sensor Networks

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Fafoutis, Xenofon; Vuckovic, Dusan; Di Mauro, Alessio

2012-01-01

Energy Harvesting comprises a promising solution to one of the key problems faced by battery-powered Wireless Sensor Networks, namely the limited nature of the energy supply (finite battery capacity). By harvesting energy from the surrounding environment, the sensors can have a continuous lifetime...... Sensor Networks with energy harvesting capability....... without any needs for battery recharge or replacement. However, energy harvesting introduces a change to the fundamental principles based on which WSNs are designed and realized. In this poster we sketch some of the key research challenges as well as our ongoing work in designing and realizing Wireless...

Underwater cutting techniques developments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bach, F.-W.

1990-01-01

The primary circuit structures of different nuclear powerplants are constructed out of stainless steels, ferritic steels, plated ferritic steels and alloys of aluminium. According to the level of the specific radiation of these structures, it is necessary for dismantling to work with remote controlled cutting techniques. The most successful way to protect the working crew against exposure of radiation is to operate underwater in different depths. The following thermal cutting processes are more or less developed to work under water: For ferritic steels only - flame cutting; For ferritic steels, stainless steels, cladded steels and aluminium alloys - oxy-arc-cutting, arc-waterjet-cutting with a consumable electrode, arc-saw-cutting, plasma-arc-cutting and plasma-arc-saw. The flame cutting is a burning process, all the other processes are melt-cutting processes. This paper explains the different techniques, giving a short introduction of the theory, a discussion of the possibilities with the advantages and disadvantages of these processes giving a view into the further research work in this interesting field. (author)

Cantilever piezoelectric energy harvester with multiple cavities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

S Srinivasulu Raju; M Umapathy; G Uma

2015-01-01

Energy harvesting employing piezoelectric materials in mechanical structures such as cantilever beams, plates, diaphragms, etc, has been an emerging area of research in recent years. The research in this area is also focused on structural tailoring to improve the harvested power from the energy harvesters. Towards this aim, this paper presents a method for improving the harvested power from a cantilever piezoelectric energy harvester by introducing multiple rectangular cavities. A generalized model for a piezoelectric energy harvester with multiple rectangular cavities at a single section and two sections is developed. A method is suggested to optimize the thickness of the cavities and the number of cavities required to generate a higher output voltage for a given cantilever beam structure. The performance of the optimized energy harvesters is evaluated analytically and through experimentation. The simulation and experimental results show that the performance of the energy harvester can be increased with multiple cavities compared to the harvester with a single cavity. (paper)

Measurement and modelling ozone fluxes over a cut and fertilized grassland

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

R. Mészáros

2009-10-01

Full Text Available During the GRAMINAE Integrated Experiment between 20 May and 15 June 2000, the ozone flux was measured by the eddy covariance method above intensively managed grassland in Braunschweig, northern Germany. Three different phases of vegetation were covered during the measuring campaign: tall grass canopy before cut (29 May 2000, short grass after cut, and re-growing vegetation after fertilization (5 June 2000. Results show that beside weather conditions, the agricultural activities significantly influenced the O₃ fluxes. After the cut the daytime average of the deposition velocity (v_d decreased from 0.44 cm s⁻¹ to 0.26 cm s⁻¹ and increased again to 0.32 cm s⁻¹ during the third period. Detailed model calculations were carried out to estimate deposition velocity and ozone flux. The model captures the general diurnal patter of deposition, with v_d daytime values of 0.52, 0.24, and 0.35 cm s⁻¹ in the first, second and third period, respectively. Thus the model predicts a stronger response to the cut than the measurements, which is nevertheless smaller than expected on the basis of change in leaf area. The results show that both cut and fertilization have complex impacts on fluxes. Reduction of vegetation by cutting decreased the stomatal flux initially greatly, but the stomatal flux recovered to 80% of its original value within a week. At the same time, the non-stomatal flux appears to have increased directly after the cut, which the model partially explains by an increase in the deposition to the soil. A missing sink after the cut may be the chemical interaction with biogenic volatile organic compounds released after the cut and exposed senescent plant parts, or the increase in soil NO emissions after fertilization. Increased canopy temperatures may also have promoted ozone destruction on leaf surfaces. These results demonstrate the importance of canopy

Welding and cutting

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Drews, P.; Schulze Frielinghaus, W.

1978-01-01

This is a survey, with 198 literature references, of the papers published in the fields of welding and cutting within the last three years. The subjects dealt with are: weldability of the materials - Welding methods - Thermal cutting - Shaping and calculation of welded joints - Environmental protection in welding and cutting. (orig.) [de

Cutting assembly

Science.gov (United States)

Racki, Daniel J.; Swenson, Clark E.; Bencloski, William A.; Wineman, Arthur L.

1984-01-01

A cutting apparatus includes a support table mounted for movement toward and away from a workpiece and carrying a mirror which directs a cutting laser beam onto the workpiece. A carrier is rotatably and pivotally mounted on the support table between the mirror and workpiece and supports a conduit discharging gas toward the point of impingement of the laser beam on the workpiece. Means are provided for rotating the carrier relative to the support table to place the gas discharging conduit in the proper positions for cuts made in different directions on the workpiece.

Delimbing and Cross-cutting of Coniferous Trees–Time Consumption, Work Productivity and Performance

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Arcadie Ciubotaru

2018-04-01

Full Text Available This research established the time consumption, work time structure, and productivity for primary processing in felling areas of coniferous trees felled with a chainsaw. Delimbing and partial cross-cutting were taken into consideration. The research was conducted in a mixed spruce and fir tree stand situated in the Carpathian Mountains. The team of workers consisted of a chainsaw operator and assistant with over 10 years of experience. The results indicated a total time of 536.32 s·m−3 (1145.26 s·tree−1, work performance (including delays of 6.716 m3·h−1 (3.14 tree·h−1, and work productivity (without delays of 35.459 m3·h−1 (16.58 tree·h−1. The chainsaw productivity during tree cross-cutting was 82.29 cm2·s−1. Delimbing accounted for 96.18% of the real work time, while cross-cutting accounted for 3.82%. The time consumption for delimbing and cross-cutting, as well as the work productivity and performance in the primary processing of coniferous trees in the felling area, were influenced by the breast height diameter, stem length, and tree volume, while the chainsaw productivity was influenced by the diameter of the cross-cut sections. The relationships between the aforementioned dependent and independent variables were determined by simple and linear multiple regression equations.

Restraining and neck cutting or stunning and neck cutting of veal calves.

Science.gov (United States)

Lambooij, E; van der Werf, J T N; Reimert, H G M; Hindle, V A

2012-05-01

Brain and heart activities were measured in 31 veal calves during restraining and rotating followed by neck cutting with or without stunning to evaluate welfare. After neck cutting correlation dimension analyses and %power of EEG beta wave fraction decreased gradually to lower values resulting in an induction of unconsciousness lasting on average 80s. Corneal reflex response ceased 135±57s after neck cutting. The CD scores and the %power of beta waves fell immediately after post-cut captive bolt and pre-cut electrical stunning to levels indicating unconsciousness. Heart rate in lairage increased upon entrance to the restrainer and again after rotation, heart rate variability decreased. Rotating the restrainer 90°, 120° or 180° compromised veal calf welfare and should be avoided. It is recommended to use post-cut captive bolt stunning or pre-cut electrical stunning inducing immediate unconsciousness. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Effect of Thyme and Savory Essential Oils on Quality and Vase life of Cut Narcissus Flowers (Narcissus tazetta L. cv. Shahla

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

iman baninaeim

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Narcissus is a genus of hardy, spring-blooming, bulbous plants in the family Amaryllidaceae. Numerous studies have demonstrated positive effects of various chemical additives (e.g. biocides, surfactants, ethylene inhibitors, wound healing enzyme inhibitors on the postharvest, water relations and longevity of cut flowers. Cut flowers can have limited commercial value because of their dehydrating during vase life that decreased water uptake. Petal senescence is part of a developmental continuum in cut flowers and proceeded by tissue differentiation, growth and development of seeds and coordinated by plant hormones. Senescence can be studied at cellular, tissue, organ or organization level as a genetically programmed event. The vase life of cut narcissus flowers is often very short. The development of senescence symptoms is caused by vascular occlusion, which inhibits water supply to the flowers. Petal senescence was marked by the loss of turgor in petal tissue followed by complete wilting. The development of occlusions is thought to be caused by various factors, such as bacteria, air emboli and physiological responses of stems to cutting. However, despite anecdotal evidence of positive effects, improving postharvest water relations of cut flowers by various physical stem-end treatments is little researched. Materials and Methods: The Narcissus flowers harvested from Khafr city of Fars province, in February 2015. The Thyme plants harvested in September 2014 and Savory plants harvested in December 2014 and then submitted to hydrodistillation in a Clevenger-type apparatus for 3 hours. This study was carried out in a completely randomized design with 3 replications. The treatments included control (distilled water, two levels of Savory essential oil (50 and 100 ppm and two levels of Thyme essential oil (100 and 200 ppm. 2% sucrose were added to control and other of treatments . The cut flowers were also kept at temperature of 20±2 º

Energy harvesting for microsystems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Xu, Ruichao

The purpose of this project is to design and fabricate piezoelectric energy harvesters based on integration of Pb(ZrxTi1-x)O3 (PZT) thick film technology and silicon microtechnology. The fabrication processes are carried out in close collaboration with Meggitt Sensing Systems (MSS) who has...... the unique expertise to screen print piezoelectric thick film layers, thus all screen printing steps are done by MSS while the silicon micromachining is carried out at Danchip facility at DTU. The presented energy harvesters are all based on using piezoelectric thick film operating in the 31-mode to generate...... power when strained. Three archetypes of the numerous fabricated energy harvesters will be presented in detail, they represent three major milestones in this project. The first energy harvester archetype has an unimorph cantilever beam, which consists of a 20 µm silicon layer and 10-30 µm screen printed...

Applying New Technologies to Transform Blueberry Harvesting

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fumiomi Takeda

2017-05-01

Full Text Available The growth of the blueberry industry in the past three decades has been remarkably robust. However, a labor shortage for hand harvesting, increasingly higher labor costs, and low harvest efficiencies are becoming bottlenecks for sustainable development of the fresh market blueberry production. In this study, we evaluated semi-mechanical harvesting systems consisting of a harvest-aid platform with soft fruit catching surfaces that collected the fruit detached by portable, hand-held, pneumatic shakers. The softer fruit catching surfaces were not glued to the hard sub-surfaces of the harvest-aid platform, but suspended over them. Also, the ergonomic aspect of operating powered harvesting equipment was determined. The pneumatic shakers removed 3.5 to 15 times more fruit (g/min than by hand. Soft fruit catching surfaces reduced impact force and bruise damage. Fruit firmness was higher in fruit harvested by hand compared to that by pneumatic shakers in some cultivars. The bruise area was less than 8% in fruit harvested by hand and with semi-mechanical harvesting system. The percentage of blue, packable fruit harvested by pneumatic shakers comprised as much as 90% of the total, but less than that of hand-harvested fruit. The ergonomic analysis by electromyography showed that muscle strain in the back, shoulders, and forearms was low in workers operating the light-weight, pneumatic shakers that were tethered to the platform with a tool balancer. The new harvesting method can reduce the labor requirement to about 100 hour/hectare/year and help to mitigate the rising labor cost and shortage of workers for harvesting fresh-market quality blueberries.

Review of magnetostrictive vibration energy harvesters

Science.gov (United States)

Deng, Zhangxian; Dapino, Marcelo J.

2017-10-01

The field of energy harvesting has grown concurrently with the rapid development of portable and wireless electronics in which reliable and long-lasting power sources are required. Electrochemical batteries have a limited lifespan and require periodic recharging. In contrast, vibration energy harvesters can supply uninterrupted power by scavenging useful electrical energy from ambient structural vibrations. This article reviews the current state of vibration energy harvesters based on magnetostrictive materials, especially Terfenol-D and Galfenol. Existing magnetostrictive harvester designs are compared in terms of various performance metrics. Advanced techniques that can reduce device size and improve performance are presented. Models for magnetostrictive devices are summarized to guide future harvester designs.

The effects of first-year shoot cut back on willow biomass production during the first and second cutting cycle; Effekter av skottnedklippning efter etableringsaaret paa produktionen under foersta och andra omdrevet i salixodlingar

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Verwijst, Theo; Nordh, Nils-Erik

2010-05-15

During the early phase of commercialisation of willow short rotation forestry in Sweden it was considered to be important to cut down the shoots after the establishment year, and this practice still is maintained today. Several reasons then were put forward for cutting down. The primary goal was to stimulate sprouting of more shoots, thereby obtaining a rapidly closing stand which could compete with weeds. Another reason was that it would enable weed control during the second year. In some of the older clones, which exhibited bow-shaped shoots, cutting down was supposed to lead to more straight growing shoots which rendered less biomass loss at harvest. In the meantime, the practice of cutting down has been abandoned in Denmark, and there are reasons to scrutinise the effects of cutting down on available biomass production figures from Swedish field trials. The main goal with this project was to try to quantify the effects of cutting down on the biomass productivity of willow during the first and later cutting cycles. Thus far, efforts in this research topic have not led to a scientifically documented quantification on the effects, and therefore a scientific basis for hands-on recommendations to willow growers is lacking. The purpose of our work consequently was to generate practical recommendations with regard to the management measure of cutting down, and the audience targeted consisted of willow growers (farmers, land-owners and entrepreneurs) who are deciding about and perform the actual management of willow stands to obtain higher yields. This information also is of large relevance for all extension workers in willow growing. Data have been collected from a field trial which was planted in Flosta, Enkoeping, in 2005. As this was the only experiment on cutting down which ran during the project period, we searched the archives which contained material from another experiment which ran from 1992 to 1996 in Ultuna, Uppsala, and from which some date were collected

Paper Cuts.

Science.gov (United States)

Greene, Lisa A.

1990-01-01

Describes how to create paper cuts and suggests the most appropriate materials for young children that give good quality results. Describes the methods the author, a professional artist, uses to assemble her own paper cuts and how these can be adopted by older students. (KM)

Operation of the AM-50 cutting head under different cutting conditions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sikora, W; Kusz, F; Fels, M

1988-02-01

Presents results of investigations into operation of the AM-50 heading machine. About 50% of headings, i.e. about 800 km/a, are driven by about 400 heading machines. It has been found that energy consumption depends on compression strength of rock and is 6 times higher for sandstone than for clayey shale. Power consumed by cutting heads depends mainly on the web used (30-150 mm depending on rock strength). Wear of cutting tools is 1-30 pieces per meter of heading advance at a working cross-section area of 15 m/sup 2/. The AM-50 machine uses cutting speeds of 1.1-3.5 m/s. Higher speeds negatively affect the resistance to cutting. Nonuniform tool wear on the cutting head circumference is an indication of improper head design that requires remedying.

Performances of legume-grass mixtures under different cutting managements in mediterranean environments

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pasquale Martiniello

2011-02-01

Full Text Available Annual forage crops have great importance for sustaining animal production in southern Italy. Knowledge of the performance of legume-grass associations under management similar to systems encountered in farm practice is essential for their effective exploitation of the available environmental resources. The purpose of this investigation was to estimate the effects of five cutting managements on the productivity and botanical composition of ten annual fodder crop mixtures in two Mediterranean environments. Ten ternary combinations of one grass (Avena sativa L., oat and Lolium multiflorum Lam., Italian ryegrass, one clover (Trifolium alexandrinum L., berseem; Trifolium incarnatum L., crimson and Trifolium squarrosum L., squarrosum or burr medic (Medicago polymorpha L. and common vetch (Vicia sativa L. were compared in a field trial (split-plot design, 3 replicates in two locations (Cagliari and Foggia, Italy during the 2000-2001 growing season. The cutting treatments included a winter grazing simulation (G, a cutting only regime at early (EF or late flowering (F of legumes and a combination of treatments (GEF and GF. Plant density (no. m-2 prior to cutting, dry matter yield (g m-2 and botanical composition (% were evaluated. Considerable differences were observed in the harvestable dry matter yields of mixtures among cutting treatments in both localities, with treatment F showing the higher values (787.1 and 415.7 g m-2 for Cagliari and Foggia, respectively. The forage species were able to compete and establish good growth during their initial phase in both localities. However, the botanical composition between the two sites differed considerably after the winter period. Particularly, at Foggia, grass dominance was a permanent feature of all treatments, and all the mixtures contained about 84% of grass. Italian ryegrass was the most representative species under all treatments in both sites. Mixtures with Italian ryegrass, crimson or berseem

A calculation program for harvesting and transportation costs of energy and industrial wood; Energiapuun korjuun ja kuljetuksen kustannuslaskentaohjelmisto

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ranta, T [VTT Energy, Jyvaeskylae (Finland)

1997-12-01

A computer based model has been developed for calculating the production costs of industrial wood and wood fuel. Several calculation situations, which might be useful for decision-making in energy wood supply, are included into this software. The model will be easy to use for practical purposes and flexible so that different new model and changes in the basis of calculations are easy to implement. Model will offer open interfaces for importing and exporting information. Model includes selected wood delivery chains and open interfaces for adding data from different procurement sources. The cost analysis model is built on Windows-based software, SQLWindows, using different sources of data (ODBC). With the model it is possible to manage these SQLBase databases with SQL-queries. The data included in the databases origins from various energy wood sources (local communities or part of them, forestry boards planning areas or even stands ready for cutting). By knowing the planned share of first thinnings, final cuttings and other harvesting operations it is possible to estimate the potential amount of wood fuel from each area. Also databases from energy wood users, forest and transportation machinery and distances are available in the system. Using the information it is possible to find out the fuel demand of power and heating plants in each moment (e.g., amount and quality), costs of various machines (harvesters, forwarders, trucks) as well as distances between energy wood sources and users. (orig.)

Wet cutting

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hole, B. [IMC Technical Services (United Kingdom)

1999-08-01

Continuous miners create dust and methane problems in underground coal mining. Control has usually been achieved using ventilation techniques as experiments with water based suppression have led to flooding and electrical problems. Recent experience in the US has led to renewed interest in wet head systems. This paper describes tests of the Hydraphase system by IMC Technologies. Ventilation around the cutting zone, quenching of hot ignition sources, dust suppression, the surface trial gallery tests, the performance of the cutting bed, and flow of air and methane around the cutting head are reviewed. 1 ref., 2 figs., 2 photos.

Fundamentals of cutting.

Science.gov (United States)

Williams, J G; Patel, Y

2016-06-06

The process of cutting is analysed in fracture mechanics terms with a view to quantifying the various parameters involved. The model used is that of orthogonal cutting with a wedge removing a layer of material or chip. The behaviour of the chip is governed by its thickness and for large radii of curvature the chip is elastic and smooth cutting occurs. For smaller thicknesses, there is a transition, first to plastic bending and then to plastic shear for small thicknesses and smooth chips are formed. The governing parameters are tool geometry, which is principally the wedge angle, and the material properties of elastic modulus, yield stress and fracture toughness. Friction can also be important. It is demonstrated that the cutting process may be quantified via these parameters, which could be useful in the study of cutting in biology.

Performance evaluation of prototype mechanical cassava harvester ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Large-scale cassava harvesting, especially during the dry season, is a major constraint to its industrial demand and commercial production. Manual harvesting is slow and ... Results from field trials showed prototype harvesters weighing 268 – 310 kg can achieve optimum performance on ridged landforms. When harvested ...

On the Cutting Performance of Segmented Diamond Blades when Dry-Cutting Concrete.

Science.gov (United States)

Sánchez Egea, A J; Martynenko, V; Martínez Krahmer, D; López de Lacalle, L N; Benítez, A; Genovese, G

2018-02-09

The objective of the present study is to analyze and compare the cutting performance of segmented diamond blades when dry-cutting concrete. A cutting criteria is proposed to characterize the wear of the blades by measuring the variation of the external diameter and the weight loss of the blade. The results exhibit the cutting blade SB-A, which has twice the density of diamonds and large contact area, exhibits less wear even though the material removal rate is higher compared with the other two cutting blades. Additionally, the surface topography of the different blades is evaluated to examine the impact of wear depending on the surface profile and the distribution of the diamonds in the blade's matrix. Large number of diamonds pull-out are found in blades type SB-C, which additionally shows the worst wear resistant capability. As a conclusion, the cutting efficiency of the blade is found to be related to the density of embedded diamonds and the type of the surface profile of the cutting blade after reaching the stop criteria.

Flow Energy Piezoelectric Bimorph Nozzle Harvester

Science.gov (United States)

Sherrit, Stewart (Inventor); Walkemeyer, Phillip E. (Inventor); Hall, Jeffrey L. (Inventor); Lee, Hyeong Jae (Inventor); Colonius, Tim (Inventor); Tosi, Phillipe (Inventor); Kim, Namhyo (Inventor); Sun, Kai (Inventor); Corbett, Thomas Gary (Inventor); Arrazola, Alvaro Jose (Inventor)

2016-01-01

A flow energy harvesting device having a harvester pipe includes a flow inlet that receives flow from a primary pipe, a flow outlet that returns the flow into the primary pipe, and a flow diverter within the harvester pipe having an inlet section coupled to the flow inlet, a flow constriction section coupled to the inlet section and positioned at a midpoint of the harvester pipe and having a spline shape with a substantially reduced flow opening size at a constriction point along the spline shape, and an outlet section coupled to the constriction section. The harvester pipe may further include a piezoelectric structure extending from the inlet section through the constriction section and point such that the fluid flow past the constriction point results in oscillatory pressure amplitude inducing vibrations in the piezoelectric structure sufficient to cause a direct piezoelectric effect and to generate electrical power for harvesting.

Device for cutting protrusions

Science.gov (United States)

Bzorgi, Fariborz M [Knoxville, TN

2011-07-05

An apparatus for clipping a protrusion of material is provided. The protrusion may, for example, be a bolt head, a nut, a rivet, a weld bead, or a temporary assembly alignment tab protruding from a substrate surface of assembled components. The apparatus typically includes a cleaver having a cleaving edge and a cutting blade having a cutting edge. Generally, a mounting structure configured to confine the cleaver and the cutting blade and permit a range of relative movement between the cleaving edge and the cutting edge is provided. Also typically included is a power device coupled to the cutting blade. The power device is configured to move the cutting edge toward the cleaving edge. In some embodiments the power device is activated by a momentary switch. A retraction device is also generally provided, where the retraction device is configured to move the cutting edge away from the cleaving edge.

Experimental research on the durability cutting tools for cutting-off steel profiles

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cristea Alexandru

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The production lines used for manufacturing U-shaped profiles are very complex and they must have high productivity. One of the most important stages of the fabrication process is the cutting-off. This paper presents the experimental research and analysis of the durability of the cutting tools used for cutting-off U-shaped metal steel profiles. The results of this work can be used to predict the durability of the cutting tools.

Study of Cutting Edge Temperature and Cutting Force of End Mill Tool in High Speed Machining

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kiprawi Mohammad Ashaari

2017-01-01

Full Text Available A wear of cutting tools during machining process is unavoidable due to the presence of frictional forces during removing process of unwanted material of workpiece. It is unavoidable but can be controlled at slower rate if the cutting speed is fixed at certain point in order to achieve optimum cutting conditions. The wear of cutting tools is closely related with the thermal deformations that occurred between the frictional contact point of cutting edge of cutting tool and workpiece. This research paper is focused on determinations of relationship among cutting temperature, cutting speed, cutting forces and radial depth of cutting parameters. The cutting temperature is determined by using the Indium Arsenide (InAs and Indium Antimonide (InSb photocells to measure infrared radiation that are emitted from cutting tools and cutting forces is determined by using dynamometer. The high speed machining process is done by end milling the outer surface of carbon steel. The signal from the photocell is digitally visualized in the digital oscilloscope. Based on the results, the cutting temperature increased as the radial depth and cutting speed increased. The cutting forces increased when radial depth increased but decreased when cutting speed is increased. The setup for calibration and discussion of the experiment will be explained in this paper.

Ecological carbon sequestration via wood harvest and storage (WHS): Can it be a viable climate and energy strategy?

Science.gov (United States)

Zeng, N.; Zaitchik, B. F.; King, A. W.; Wullschleger, S. D.

2016-12-01

A carbon sequestration strategy is proposed in which forests are sustainably managed to optimal carbon productivity, and a fraction of the wood is selectively harvested and stored to prevent decomposition under anaerobic, dry or cold conditions. Because a large flux of CO2 is constantly assimilated into the world's forests via photosynthesis, cutting off its return pathway to the atmosphere forms an effective carbon sink. The live trees serve as a `carbon scrubber' or `carbon remover' that provides continuous sequestration (negative emissions). The stored wood is a semi-permanent carbon sink, but also serves as a `biomass/bioenergy reserve' that could be utilized in the future.Based on forest coarse wood production rate, land availability, bioconservation and other practical constraints, we estimate a carbon sequestration potential for wood harvest and storage (WHS) 1-3 GtC y-1. The implementation of such a scheme at our estimated lower value of 1 GtC y-1 would imply a doubling of the current world wood harvest rate. This can be achieved by harvesting wood at a modest harvesting intensity of 1.2 tC ha-1 y-1, over a forest area of 8 Mkm2 (800 Mha). To achieve the higher value of 3 GtC y-1, forests need to be managed this way on half of the world's forested land, or on a smaller area but with higher harvest intensity. However, the actual implementation may face challenges that vary regionally. We propose `carbon sequestration and biomass farms' in the tropical deforestation frontiers with mixed land use for carbon, energy, agriculture, as well as conservation. In another example, the forests damaged by insect infestation could be thinned to reduce fire and harvested for carbon sequestration.We estimate a cost of $10-50/tCO2 for harvest and storage around the landing site. The technique is low tech, distributed and reversible. We compare the potential of WHS with a number of other carbon sequestration methods. We will also show its impact on future land carbon sink

Recycling of wood- and peat-ash. A successful way to establish full plant cover and dense birch stand on a cut-away peatland

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Huotari, N.

2012-07-01

Mechanical harvesting of peat changes the original mire ecosystem completely, and without active measures these areas may remain non-vegetated even for decades. Afforestation is one of the most popular after-use options for cut-away peatlands in Finland since it has both economic and aesthetic values. Recycling of wood-ash as a fertilizer has been studied extensively in peatlands drained for forestry. Wood-ash is reported to promote tree growth in these areas without any significant negative impact to the environment and could, therefore, be a suitable option also on cut-away peatlands. However, the environmental effects of ash-fertilization on cut-away areas and on ground vegetation are not fully understood. The impact of wood- and peat-ash application on the early establishment of ground vegetation and downy birch (Betula pubescens) seedlings and on post-fertilization element concentrations in plants and peat substrate were studied in a cut-away peatland. Six treatments of wood-ash, peat-ash, biotite or Forest PK-fertilizer were replicated in three blocks in different mixtures and quantities corresponding to 50 kg ha-1 of phosphorus. All the fertilizers accelerated the revegetation of the bare peat surface significantly, whereas the establishment of plants in the unfertilized area was non-existent even several years after the peat harvesting had ceased. The most striking difference between the wood- and peat-ash-fertilizers and the commercial Forest PK-fertilizer was the extensive coverage of fire-loving moss species in all the areas where ash was spread. Wood- and peat-ash application also accelerated the germination and early establishment of downy birch seedlings more efficiently than the PK-fertilizer. Ground vegetation proved to be highly important in increasing the early biomass production and carbon sequestration on ash-fertilized cut-away peatland. In addition, the below-ground biomass was equal to the above-ground biomass, or even greater. Both wood- and

The Cutting Process, Chips and Cutting Forces in Machining CFRP

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Koplev, A.; Lystrup, Aage; Vorm, T.

1983-01-01

The cutting of unidirectional CFRP, perpendicular as well as parallel to the fibre orientation, is examined. Shaping experiments, ‘quick-stop’ experiments, and a new chip preparation technique are used for the investigation. The formation of the chips, and the quality of the machined surface...... is discussed. The cutting forces parallel and perpendicular to the cutting direction are measured for various parameters, and the results correlated to the formation of chips and the wear of the tool....

Predicted effects of prescribed burning and harvesting on forest recovery and sustainability in southwest Georgia, USA.

Science.gov (United States)

Garten, Charles T

2006-12-01

A model-based analysis of the effect of prescribed burning and forest thinning or clear-cutting on stand recovery and sustainability was conducted at Fort Benning, GA, in the southeastern USA. Two experiments were performed with the model. In the first experiment, forest recovery from degraded soils was predicted for 100 years with or without prescribed burning. In the second experiment simulations began with 100 years of predicted stand growth, then forest sustainability was predicted for an additional 100 years under different combinations of prescribed burning and forest harvesting. Three levels of fire intensity (low, medium, and high), that corresponded to 17%, 33%, and 50% consumption of the forest floor C stock by fire, were evaluated at 1-, 2-, and 3-year fire return intervals. Relative to the control (no fire), prescribed burning with a 2- or 3-year return interval caused only a small reduction in predicted steady state soil C stocks (burns did adversely impact forest recovery and sustainability (after harvesting) on less sandy soils, but not on more sandy soils that had greater N availability. Higher intensity and frequency of ground fires increased the chance that tree biomass would not return to pre-harvest levels. Soil N limitation was indicated as the cause of unsustainable forests when prescribed burns were too frequent or too intense to permit stand recovery.

Experimental Investigation on Cutting Characteristics in Nanometric Plunge-Cutting of BK7 and Fused Silica Glasses.

Science.gov (United States)

An, Qinglong; Ming, Weiwei; Chen, Ming

2015-03-27

Ductile cutting are most widely used in fabricating high-quality optical glass components to achieve crack-free surfaces. For ultra-precision machining of brittle glass materials, critical undeformed chip thickness (CUCT) commonly plays a pivotal role in determining the transition point from ductile cutting to brittle cutting. In this research, cutting characteristics in nanometric cutting of BK7 and fused silica glasses, including machined surface morphology, surface roughness, cutting force and specific cutting energy, were investigated with nanometric plunge-cutting experiments. The same cutting speed of 300 mm/min was used in the experiments with single-crystal diamond tool. CUCT was determined according to the mentioned cutting characteristics. The results revealed that 320 nm was found as the CUCT in BK7 cutting and 50 nm was determined as the size effect of undeformed chip thickness. A high-quality machined surface could be obtained with the undeformed chip thickness between 50 and 320 nm at ductile cutting stage. Moreover, no CUCT was identified in fused silica cutting with the current cutting conditions, and brittle-fracture mechanism was confirmed as the predominant chip-separation mode throughout the nanometric cutting operation.

Analysis of changes in paper cutting forces during the cutting cycle in single-knife guillotine

OpenAIRE

Rusin, Agnieszka; Petriaszwili, Georgij

2013-01-01

Paper presents the results of changes in the three components of cutting forces of paper stacks cutting during the cutting cycle in single-knife guillotine. The changes of the three components of cutting force at different stages of cutting cycle were analyzed.

Wear resistance and electronic structure of cutting tool materials on a basis carbides of tungsten and titanium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ryzhkin, A.A.; Ilyasov, V.V.; Lyulko, A.V.

2001-01-01

The tool materials durability problem, in particular shock and wear resistance, has allowed to formulate a set of requirements and also to stablish the dependence between physical properties and wear. However, for understanding the nature of the process, for example determining the tribological property of the cutting tool, it is necessary to consider the atom interactions in a crystal. A theoretical study of the physical properties of cutting tool materials (W-Ti-C) with varying concentration of titanium is presented. Total and partial local electronic density for each atom in such hard solutions were calculated. (nevyjel)

Enhanced aeroelastic energy harvesting by exploiting combined nonlinearities: theory and experiment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sousa, V C; De M Anicézio, M; De Marqui Jr, C; Erturk, A

2011-01-01

Converting aeroelastic vibrations into electricity for low power generation has received growing attention over the past few years. In addition to potential applications for aerospace structures, the goal is to develop alternative and scalable configurations for wind energy harvesting to use in wireless electronic systems. This paper presents modeling and experiments of aeroelastic energy harvesting using piezoelectric transduction with a focus on exploiting combined nonlinearities. An airfoil with plunge and pitch degrees of freedom (DOF) is investigated. Piezoelectric coupling is introduced to the plunge DOF while nonlinearities are introduced through the pitch DOF. A state-space model is presented and employed for the simulations of the piezoaeroelastic generator. A two-state approximation to Theodorsen aerodynamics is used in order to determine the unsteady aerodynamic loads. Three case studies are presented. First the interaction between piezoelectric power generation and linear aeroelastic behavior of a typical section is investigated for a set of resistive loads. Model predictions are compared to experimental data obtained from the wind tunnel tests at the flutter boundary. In the second case study, free play nonlinearity is added to the pitch DOF and it is shown that nonlinear limit-cycle oscillations can be obtained not only above but also below the linear flutter speed. The experimental results are successfully predicted by the model simulations. Finally, the combination of cubic hardening stiffness and free play nonlinearities is considered in the pitch DOF. The nonlinear piezoaeroelastic response is investigated for different values of the nonlinear-to-linear stiffness ratio. The free play nonlinearity reduces the cut-in speed while the hardening stiffness helps in obtaining persistent oscillations of acceptable amplitude over a wider range of airflow speeds. Such nonlinearities can be introduced to aeroelastic energy harvesters (exploiting

Cutting and Self-Harm

Science.gov (United States)

... Your feelings Feeling sad Cutting and self-harm Cutting and self-harm Self-harm, sometimes called self- ... There are many types of self-injury, and cutting is one type that you may have heard ...

Preliminary analysis on mowing and harvesting grass along riverbanks for the supply of anaerobic digestion plants in north-eastern Italy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Davide Boscaro

2015-10-01

Full Text Available The increasing demand of vegetal biomass for biogas production is causing competition with food production. To reduce this problem and to provide new opportunities it is necessary to take into consideration different kinds of vegetable biomass that are more sustainable. Grass from the maintenance of non-cultivated areas such as riverbanks has not yet been fully studied as a potential biomass for biogas production. Although grass has lower methane potential, it could be interesting because it does not compete with food production. However, there is a lack of appropriate technologies and working system adapted to these areas. In this paper, different systems that could be available for the mowing and harvesting of grass along riverbanks have been preliminarily assessed through the evaluation of the field capacity, labour requirement, economic and energy aspects. The splitting of the cutting and harvesting phases into operations with different machinery seems to be the best system for handling this biomass. However, these solutions have to take into consideration the presence of obstacles or accessibility problems in the harvesting areas that could limit the operational feasibility and subsequent correct sizing.

Magnetic Nanocomposite Cilia Energy Harvester

KAUST Repository

Khan, Mohammed Asadullah; Alfadhel, Ahmed; Kosel, Jü rgen

2016-01-01

An energy harvester capable of converting low frequency vibrations into electrical energy is presented. The operating principle, fabrication process and output characteristics at different frequencies are discussed. The harvester is realized

1970 Oregon timber harvest.

Science.gov (United States)

Brian R. Wall

1971-01-01

The 1970 Oregon timber harvest of 7.98 billion board feet was the lowest recorded since the recession year of 1961 when 7.41 billion board feet of timber was produced. The 1970 log production figure was 12.8 percent below the 1969 harvest, the second consecutive year of declining production in Oregon.

A Hip Implant Energy Harvester

Science.gov (United States)

Pancharoen, K.; Zhu, D.; Beeby, S. P.

2014-11-01

This paper presents a kinetic energy harvester designed to be embedded in a hip implant which aims to operate at a low frequency associated with body motion of patients. The prototype is designed based on the constrained volume available in a hip prosthesis and the challenge is to harvest energy from low frequency movements (< 1 Hz) which is an average frequency during free walking of a patient. The concept of magnetic-force-driven energy harvesting is applied to this prototype considering the hip movements during routine activities of patients. The magnetic field within the harvester was simulated using COMSOL. The simulated resonant frequency was around 30 Hz and the voltage induced in a coil was predicted to be 47.8 mV. A prototype of the energy harvester was fabricated and tested. A maximum open circuit voltage of 39.43 mV was obtained and the resonant frequency of 28 Hz was observed. Moreover, the power output of 0.96 μW was achieved with an optimum resistive load of 250Ω.

A Hip Implant Energy Harvester

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pancharoen, K; Zhu, D; Beeby, S P

2014-01-01

This paper presents a kinetic energy harvester designed to be embedded in a hip implant which aims to operate at a low frequency associated with body motion of patients. The prototype is designed based on the constrained volume available in a hip prosthesis and the challenge is to harvest energy from low frequency movements (< 1 Hz) which is an average frequency during free walking of a patient. The concept of magnetic-force-driven energy harvesting is applied to this prototype considering the hip movements during routine activities of patients. The magnetic field within the harvester was simulated using COMSOL. The simulated resonant frequency was around 30 Hz and the voltage induced in a coil was predicted to be 47.8 mV. A prototype of the energy harvester was fabricated and tested. A maximum open circuit voltage of 39.43 mV was obtained and the resonant frequency of 28 Hz was observed. Moreover, the power output of 0.96 μW was achieved with an optimum resistive load of 250Ω

On Permuting Cut with Contraction

OpenAIRE

Borisavljevic, Mirjana; Dosen, Kosta; Petric, Zoran

1999-01-01

The paper presents a cut-elimination procedure for intuitionistic propositional logic in which cut is eliminated directly, without introducing the multiple-cut rule mix, and in which pushing cut above contraction is one of the reduction steps. The presentation of this procedure is preceded by an analysis of Gentzen's mix-elimination procedure, made in the perspective of permuting cut with contraction. It is also shown that in the absence of implication, pushing cut above contraction doesn't p...

Model for Reggeon-Pomeranchukon cuts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chia, S.

1977-01-01

A model is presented for calculating Reggeon-Pomeranchukon cuts, making use explicitly of the Mandelstam diagram. External spins are treated in a natural way. Calculation for the general case is outlined and it is shown that in practical application the cut can be calculated in a standard way. Cuts associated with the exchanges of π, rho, B, and A 2 are considered, and characteristics of the RP cuts, as well as the structure functions, are extracted and discussed. It is found that the model differs considerably from the absorption model. Two suppression schemes are operative which control the magnitudes of cut contributions to amplitudes with ''naturality'' opposite to the Reggeon. The πP cut is found to be a unique case because of the smallness of the pion mass. In general, the RP cuts are self-conspiratorial. At very high energies, all cuts, except πP cut, exhibit quasifactorization

Cutting method for structural component into block like shape, and device used for cutting

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nakazawa, Koichi; Ito, Akira; Tateiwa, Masaaki.

1995-01-01

Two grooves each of a predetermined depth are formed along a surface of a structural component, and a portion between the two grooves is cut in the direction of the depth from the surface of the structural component by using a cutting wire of a wire saw device. Then, the cutting wire is moved in the extending direction of the grooves while optionally changing the position in the direction of the depth to conduct cutting for the back face. Further, the cutting wire is moved in the direction of the depth of the groove toward the surface, to cut a portion between the two grooves. The wire saw device comprises a wire saw main body movable along the surface of the structural component, a pair of wire guide portions extending in the direction of the depth, guide pooleys capable of guiding the cutting wire guides revolvably and rotatably disposed at the top end, and an endless annular cutting wire extending between the wire guide portions. Thus, it is possible to continuously cut out blocks set to optional size and thickness. In addition, remote cutting is possible with no requirement for an operator to access to the vicinity of radioactivated portions. (N.H.)

An FMS Dynamic Production Scheduling Algorithm Considering Cutting Tool Failure and Cutting Tool Life

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Setiawan, A; Wangsaputra, R; Halim, A H; Martawirya, Y Y

2016-01-01

This paper deals with Flexible Manufacturing System (FMS) production rescheduling due to unavailability of cutting tools caused either of cutting tool failure or life time limit. The FMS consists of parallel identical machines integrated with an automatic material handling system and it runs fully automatically. Each machine has a same cutting tool configuration that consists of different geometrical cutting tool types on each tool magazine. The job usually takes two stages. Each stage has sequential operations allocated to machines considering the cutting tool life. In the real situation, the cutting tool can fail before the cutting tool life is reached. The objective in this paper is to develop a dynamic scheduling algorithm when a cutting tool is broken during unmanned and a rescheduling needed. The algorithm consists of four steps. The first step is generating initial schedule, the second step is determination the cutting tool failure time, the third step is determination of system status at cutting tool failure time and the fourth step is the rescheduling for unfinished jobs. The approaches to solve the problem are complete-reactive scheduling and robust-proactive scheduling. The new schedules result differences starting time and completion time of each operations from the initial schedule. (paper)

Approaches to automated protein crystal harvesting

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Deller, Marc C., E-mail: mdeller@scripps.edu; Rupp, Bernhard, E-mail: mdeller@scripps.edu

2014-01-28

Approaches to automated and robot-assisted harvesting of protein crystals are critically reviewed. While no true turn-key solutions for automation of protein crystal harvesting are currently available, systems incorporating advanced robotics and micro-electromechanical systems represent exciting developments with the potential to revolutionize the way in which protein crystals are harvested.

Advanced cutting techniques: laser and fissuration cutting

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Migliorati, B.; Gay, P.

1984-01-01

Experimental tests have been performed using CO 2 laser with output power 1 to 15 kW to evaluate the effect of varying the following parameters: material (carbon steel Fe 42 C, stainless steel AISI 304, concrete), laser power, beam characteristics, work piece velocity, gas type and distribution on the laser interaction zone. In the case of concrete, drilling depths of 80 mm were obtained in a few seconds using a 10 kW laser beam. Moreover pieces of 160 mm were cut at 0.01 meters per minute. Results with carbon steel indicated maximum thicknesses of 110 mm, cut at 0.01 meters per minute with 10 kW, depths about 20% lower were obtained with the AISI 304 stainless steel. A parallel investigation was aimed at characterizing particulate emission during the laser cutting process. At the end of the research it was possible to elaborate a preliminary proposal concerning a laser based dismantling system for the application to a typical Nuclear Power Station. (author)

Cutting agents for special metals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sugito, Seiji; Sakakibara, Fumi

1979-01-01

The quantity of use of special metals has increased year after year in the Plasma Research Institute, Nagoya University, with the development of researches on plasma and nuclear fusion. Most of these special metals are hard to cut, and in order to secure the surface smoothness and dimensional accuracy, considerable efforts are required. The method of experiment is as follows: cutting agents salt water and acetone, rape-seed oil, sulfide and chloride oil and water soluble cutting oil W grade 3; metals to be cut niobium, molybdenum, tantalum, titanium and tungsten; cutting conditions cutting speed 4.7 to 90 m/min, feed 0.07 to 0.2 mm/rev, depth of cut 0.1 to 0.4 mm, tool cemented carbide bit. Chemicals such as tetrachloromethane and trichloroethane give excellent cutting performance, but the toxicity is intense and the stimulative odor exists, accordingly they are hard to use practically. Cutting was easier when the salt water added with acetone was used than the case of rape-seed oil, but salt water is corrosive. Recently, the machining of molybdenum has been often carried out, and the water soluble cutting oil was the best. It is also good for cutting stainless steel, and its lubricating property is improved by adding some additives such as sulfur, chlorine, phosphorus and molybdenum disulfide. However after cutting with it, washing is required. (Kako, I.)

Sustainable harvest of waterbirds: a global review

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kanstrup, Niels

ABSTRACT Waterbirds have a long tradition of being harvested in various ways. In many countries, the harvest takes place as a primary food source, but recreational hunting is also very popular. Various methods are used. Subsistence hunting of waterbirds has a history that dates back to the dawn...... and the degree of stability in local communities obtained through nature conservation. In many countries there is a long tradition of detailed wildlife harvest management including programmes for bag surveys and monitoring of harvest levels. In most countries, however, the management of waterbird harvests...

Formation of Quenching Structures in the Steel 35 by Deform Cutting

OpenAIRE

A. G. Degtyareva; V. V. Poptsov; V. N. Simonov; V. G. Vasilev; S. B. Varlamova

2014-01-01

In industry different methods of surface hardening are widely used to increase reliability and durability of friction unit parts. Among these methods are areas of focus based on deformcutting technology (DC) i.e. method of chip-free mechanical treatment.It is shown that DC method allows us to produce through- or partial-hardening surface layers of a large thickness (0,4…1.5mm) on steel with no additional heat sources. The standard metal-cutting equipment and common tools are used for deform-c...

Mechanical harvesting of pumpkin seeds

OpenAIRE

Sito, Stjepan; Ivančan, Stjepan; Barković, Edi; Mucalo, Ana

2009-01-01

One of the key problems in production technology of pumpkin seed for oil production is mechanized harvesting and losses of seed during mechanical harvesting. The losses of pumpkin seed during mechanical harvesting at peripheral velocity of 1.57 m/s (optimally adjusted machine) were 4.4% for Gleisdorf species, 5.2% for Slovenska species and 7.8% for pumpkin with husk. The higher average losses of pumpkin seed with husk were caused by tight connection of seed and pumpkin fruit.

Performance Testing of Cutting Fluids

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Belluco, Walter

The importance of cutting fluid performance testing has increased with documentation requirements of new cutting fluid formulations based on more sustainable products, as well as cutting with minimum quantity of lubrication and dry cutting. Two sub-problems have to be solved: i) which machining...... tests feature repeatability, reproducibility and sensitivity to cutting fluids, and ii) to what extent results of one test ensure relevance to a wider set of machining situations. The present work is aimed at assessing the range of validity of the different testing methods, investigating correlation...... within the whole range of operations, materials, cutting fluids, operating conditions, etc. Cutting fluid performance was evaluated in turning, drilling, reaming and tapping, and with respect to tool life, cutting forces, chip formation and product quality (dimensional accuracy and surface integrity...

Maple Sugar Harvesting/Wild Rice Harvesting.

Science.gov (United States)

Minneapolis Public Schools, MN.

Comprised of two separate booklets, this resource unit assists elementary teachers in explaining how the Ojibwe people harvest maple sugar and wild rice. The first booklet explains the procedure of tapping the maple trees for sap, preparation for boiling the sap, and the three forms the sugar is made into (granulated, "molded," and…

Autotransplantation donor tooth site harvesting using piezosurgery.

Science.gov (United States)

Ylikontiola, Leena P; Sándor, George K

2016-01-01

The harvesting of a tooth as a candidate for tooth autotransplantation requires that the delicate dental tissues around the tooth be minimally traumatized. This is especially so for the periradicular tissues of the tooth root and the follicular tissues surrounding the crown. The aim of this report is to describe the use of piezosurgery as an attempt at morbidity reduction in the harvesting of teeth for autotransplantation. A piezosurgical handpiece and its selection of tips were easily adapted to allow the harvesting and delivery of teeth for autotransplantation purposes. Twenty premolar teeth were harvested using a piezosurgical device. The harvested teeth were subsequently successfully autotransplanted. All twenty teeth healed in a satisfactory manner without excessive mobility or ankyloses. Piezosurgery avoids some of the traumatic aspects of harvesting teeth and removing bone which are associated with thermal damage from the use of conventional rotary instruments or saws. Piezosurgery can be adapted to facilitate the predictable harvesting of teeth for autotransplantation purposes.

Surface wave energy absorption by a partially submerged bio-inspired canopy.

Science.gov (United States)

Nové-Josserand, C; Castro Hebrero, F; Petit, L-M; Megill, W M; Godoy-Diana, R; Thiria, B

2018-03-27

Aquatic plants are known to protect coastlines and riverbeds from erosion by damping waves and fluid flow. These flexible structures absorb the fluid-borne energy of an incoming fluid by deforming mechanically. In this paper we focus on the mechanisms involved in these fluid-elasticity interactions, as an efficient energy harvesting system, using an experimental canopy model in a wave tank. We study an array of partially-submerged flexible structures that are subjected to the action of a surface wave field, investigating in particular the role of spacing between the elements of the array on the ability of our system to absorb energy from the flow. The energy absorption potential of the canopy model is examined using global wave height measurements for the wave field and local measurements of the elastic energy based on the kinematics of each element of the canopy. We study different canopy arrays and show in particular that flexibility improves wave damping by around 40%, for which half is potentially harvestable.

Ultrasound acoustic wave energy transfer and harvesting

Science.gov (United States)

Shahab, Shima; Leadenham, Stephen; Guillot, François; Sabra, Karim; Erturk, Alper

2014-04-01

This paper investigates low-power electricity generation from ultrasound acoustic wave energy transfer combined with piezoelectric energy harvesting for wireless applications ranging from medical implants to naval sensor systems. The focus is placed on an underwater system that consists of a pulsating source for spherical wave generation and a harvester connected to an external resistive load for quantifying the electrical power output. An analytical electro-acoustic model is developed to relate the source strength to the electrical power output of the harvester located at a specific distance from the source. The model couples the energy harvester dynamics (piezoelectric device and electrical load) with the source strength through the acoustic-structure interaction at the harvester-fluid interface. Case studies are given for a detailed understanding of the coupled system dynamics under various conditions. Specifically the relationship between the electrical power output and system parameters, such as the distance of the harvester from the source, dimensions of the harvester, level of source strength, and electrical load resistance are explored. Sensitivity of the electrical power output to the excitation frequency in the neighborhood of the harvester's underwater resonance frequency is also reported.

Female genital cutting.

Science.gov (United States)

Perron, Liette; Senikas, Vyta; Burnett, Margaret; Davis, Victoria

2013-11-01

To strengthen the national framework for care of adolescents and women affected by female genital cutting (FGC) in Canada by providing health care professionals with: (1) information intended to strengthen their knowledge and understanding of the practice; (2) directions with regard to the legal issues related to the practice; (3) clinical guidelines for the management of obstetric and gynaecological care, including FGC related complications; and (4) guidance on the provision of culturally competent care to adolescents and women with FGC. Published literature was retrieved through searches of PubMed, CINAHL, and The Cochrane Library in September 2010 using appropriate controlled vocabulary (e.g., Circumcision, Female) and keywords (e.g., female genital mutilation, clitoridectomy, infibulation). We also searched Social Science Abstracts, Sociological Abstracts, Gender Studies Database, and ProQuest Dissertations and Theses in 2010 and 2011. There were no date or language restrictions. Searches were updated on a regular basis and incorporated in the guideline to December 2011. Grey (unpublished) literature was identified through searching the websites of health technology assessment and health technology-related agencies, clinical practice guideline collections, clinical trial registries, and national and international medical specialty societies. The quality of evidence in this document was rated using the criteria described in the Report of the Canadian Task Force on Preventive Health Care (Table 1). Summary Statements 1. Female genital cutting is internationally recognized as a harmful practice and a violation of girls' and women's rights to life, physical integrity, and health. (II-3) 2. The immediate and long-term health risks and complications of female genital cutting can be serious and life threatening. (II-3) 3. Female genital cutting continues to be practised in many countries, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, Egypt, and Sudan. (II-3) 4. Global migration

Remotely controlled cutting techniques in the field of nuclear decommissioning. Overview of effectively applied thermal cutting methods

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bienia, H.; Klotz, B.

2008-01-01

This article describes 3 thermal cutting technologies that are effectively used in nuclear decommissioning projects: the autonomous flame cutting, the plasma arc cutting and the contact arc metal cutting. The autonomous flame cutting technology is based on a high pressure oxygen jet oxidizing the material in a small kerf. Not all metal types are appropriate for this technology. The plasma arc cutting, in contrast to the previous technology, uses an electronically induced plasma arc to melt a kerf in the material. Inside the plasma arc temperatures up to 30.000 K exist, so in theory, this temperature is sufficient to cut all materials. Contact arc metal cutting is a new thermal cutting technology for under-water cutting works. Here, a carbon blade cuts the components. An electric arc between the cutting blade and component melts a kerf into the material easing the cutting. This technology allows the cutting of complex structures with hollows. The applications in nuclear facility dismantling of these 3 cutting technologies and their limits are reported and their requirements (staff, investment) listed in a table. (A.C.)

Dust emissions eliminated in pneumatic harvesting

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kallio, M.

1998-01-01

Pneumatic harvesting is the most efficient milled peat production method in unsteady weather conditions. In good summers, the best contractors harvest more than 1 000 m 3 /ha milled peat from suitable production fields. The greatest problem of the method is caused by dust emissions, in particular in fields close to settled areas. About 15 % of Finland's present peat production is collected using pneumatic harvesters. A pneumatic harvester with smaller dust emissions has been developed by VTT Energy and Vapo Oy. The wagon is based on two-stage separation of peat. The main part of the coarser milled peat is first separated, e.g. in a settling chamber, and fine dry peat dust in correctly dimensioned side by side cyclones. The first series of pneumatic harvesters based on the new separation technology was employed in summer 1996. Besides decreasing the dust emissions the harvesting capacity of the new equipment was increased. The collection capacity of the pneumatic harvester can be made more effective by enlarging the container size, be decreasing the weight, by increasing the driving speed and by developing the suction capacity. Using lighter and durable construction materials combined with advanced design lighter and stronger pneumatic harvesters have been constructed. Nozzles and their mounting have also been developed. In the improvement of nozzles, the former studies with pneumatic simulator of VTT Energy, have been of great help. Studies with the pneumatic simulator and field conditions have been made in collaboration with Turveruukki Oy, Turvemetalli Oy, Raussin Metalli Oy and Vapo Oy, as well as VNIITP of St. Petersburg, Russia

Dielectric loss against piezoelectric power harvesting

Science.gov (United States)

Liang, Junrui; Shu-Hung Chung, Henry; Liao, Wei-Hsin

2014-09-01

Piezoelectricity is one of the most popular electromechanical transduction mechanisms for constructing kinetic energy harvesting systems. When a standard energy harvesting (SEH) interface circuit, i.e., bridge rectifier plus filter capacitor, is utilized for collecting piezoelectric power, the previous literature showed that the power conversion can be well predicted without much consideration for the effect of dielectric loss. Yet, as the conversion power gets higher by adopting power-boosting interface circuits, such as synchronized switch harvesting on inductor (SSHI), the neglect of dielectric loss might give rise to deviation in harvested power estimation. Given the continuous progress on power-boosting interface circuits, the role of dielectric loss in practical piezoelectric energy harvesting (PEH) systems should receive attention with better evaluation. Based on the integrated equivalent impedance network model, this fast track communication provides a comprehensive study on the susceptibility of harvested power in PEH systems under different conditions. It shows that, dielectric loss always counteracts piezoelectric power harvesting by causing charge leakage across piezoelectric capacitance. In particular, taking corresponding ideal lossless cases as references, the counteractive effect might be aggravated under one of the five conditions: larger dielectric loss tangent, lower vibration frequency, further away from resonance, weaker electromechanical coupling, or using power-boosting interface circuit. These relationships are valuable for the study of PEH systems, as they not only help explain the role of dielectric loss in piezoelectric power harvesting, but also add complementary insights for material, structure, excitation, and circuit considerations towards holistic evaluation and design for practical PEH systems.

Dielectric loss against piezoelectric power harvesting

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liang, Junrui; Shu-Hung Chung, Henry; Liao, Wei-Hsin

2014-01-01

Piezoelectricity is one of the most popular electromechanical transduction mechanisms for constructing kinetic energy harvesting systems. When a standard energy harvesting (SEH) interface circuit, i.e., bridge rectifier plus filter capacitor, is utilized for collecting piezoelectric power, the previous literature showed that the power conversion can be well predicted without much consideration for the effect of dielectric loss. Yet, as the conversion power gets higher by adopting power-boosting interface circuits, such as synchronized switch harvesting on inductor (SSHI), the neglect of dielectric loss might give rise to deviation in harvested power estimation. Given the continuous progress on power-boosting interface circuits, the role of dielectric loss in practical piezoelectric energy harvesting (PEH) systems should receive attention with better evaluation. Based on the integrated equivalent impedance network model, this fast track communication provides a comprehensive study on the susceptibility of harvested power in PEH systems under different conditions. It shows that, dielectric loss always counteracts piezoelectric power harvesting by causing charge leakage across piezoelectric capacitance. In particular, taking corresponding ideal lossless cases as references, the counteractive effect might be aggravated under one of the five conditions: larger dielectric loss tangent, lower vibration frequency, further away from resonance, weaker electromechanical coupling, or using power-boosting interface circuit. These relationships are valuable for the study of PEH systems, as they not only help explain the role of dielectric loss in piezoelectric power harvesting, but also add complementary insights for material, structure, excitation, and circuit considerations towards holistic evaluation and design for practical PEH systems. (fast track communications)

PS2013 Satellite Workshop on Photosynthetic Light-Harvesting Systems

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Niederman, Robert A. [Rutgers Univ., New Brunswick, NJ (United States); Blankenship, Robert E. [Washington Univ., St. Louis, MO (United States); Frank, Harry A. [Univ. of Connecticut, Storrs, CT (United States)

2015-02-07

These funds were used for partial support of the PS2013 Satellite Workshop on Photosynthetic Light-Harvesting Systems, that was held on 8-11 August, 2013, at Washington University, St. Louis, MO. This conference, held in conjunction with the 16th International Congress on Photosynthesis/St. Louis, continued a long tradition of light-harvesting satellite conferences that have been held prior to the previous six international photosynthesis congresses. In this Workshop, the basis was explored for the current interest in replacing fossil fuels with energy sources derived form direct solar radiation, coupled with light-driven electron transport in natural photosynthetic systems and how they offer a valuable blueprint for conversion of sunlight to useful energy forms. This was accomplished through sessions on the initial light-harvesting events in the biological conversion of solar energy to chemically stored energy forms, and how these natural photosynthetic processes serve as a guide to the development of robust bio-hybrid and artificial systems for solar energy conversion into both electricity or chemical fuels. Organized similar to a Gordon Research Conference, a lively, informal and collegial setting was established, highlighting the exchange of exciting new data and unpublished results from ongoing studies. A significant amount of time was set aside for open discussion and interactive poster sessions, with a special session devoted to oral presentations by talented students and postdoctoral fellows judged to have the best posters. This area of research has seen exceptionally rapid progress in recent years, with the availability of a number of antenna protein structures at atomic resolution, elucidation of the molecular surface architecture of native photosynthetic membranes by atomic force microscopy and the maturing of ultrafast spectroscopic and molecular biological techniques for the investigation and manipulation of photosynthetic systems. The conferees

Extension without Cut

OpenAIRE

Straßburger , Lutz

2012-01-01

International audience; In proof theory one distinguishes sequent proofs with cut and cut-free sequent proofs, while for proof complexity one distinguishes Frege-systems and extended Frege-systems. In this paper we show how deep inference can provide a uniform treatment for both classifications, such that we can define cut-free systems with extension, which is neither possible with Frege-systems, nor with the sequent calculus. We show that the propositional pigeon-hole principle admits polyno...

The effects of harvest on waterfowl populations

Science.gov (United States)

Cooch, Evan G.; Guillemain, Matthieu; Boomer, G Scott; Lebreton, Jean-Dominique; Nichols, James D.

2014-01-01

Change in the size of populations over space and time is, arguably, the motivation for much of pure and applied ecological research. The fundamental model for the dynamics of any population is straightforward: the net change in the abundance is the simple difference between the number of individuals entering the population and the number leaving the population, either or both of which may change in response to factors intrinsic and extrinsic to the population. While harvest of individuals from a population constitutes a clear extrinsic source of removal of individuals, the response of populations to harvest is frequently complex, reflecting an interaction of harvest with one or more population processes. Here we consider the role of these interactions, and factors influencing them, on the effective harvest management of waterfowl populations. We review historical ideas concerning harvest and discuss the relationship(s) between waterfowl life histories and the development and application of population models to inform harvest management. The influence of population structure (age, spatial) on derivation of optimal harvest strategies (with and without explicit consideration of various sources of uncertainty) is considered. In addition to population structure, we discuss how the optimal harvest strategy may be influenced by: 1) patterns of density-dependence in one or more vital rates, and 2) heterogeneity in vital rates among individuals within an age-sex-size class. Although derivation of the optimal harvest strategy for simple population models (with or without structure) is generally straightforward, there are several potential difficulties in application. In particular, uncertainty concerning the population structure at the time of harvest, and the ability to regulate the structure of the harvest itself, are significant complications. We therefore review the evidence of effects of harvest on waterfowl populations. Some of this evidence has

Spectral reflectance analysis of longkong (Lansium domesticum Corr. bunches as an indicator for optimal harvesting

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kaewtubtim, P.

2007-09-01

Full Text Available To determine the appropriate harvesting time of Longkong bunches, the spectral reflectance of ripening bunches was investigated from images taken by a digital camera using red LED and green LED. Every day images were taken from selected bunches at a Longkong estate during the growth of the bunches from immaturity to the over-ripe phase, to trace the changes in color that correlate with the process of ripening. The images were analyzed by measuring the changes in the three basic colors i.e. red, green and blue, using a specially developed Color Analysis computer program of Longkong "fruit" (CAOL, and then the obtained results were compared with the sweet in form of total soluble solid (TSS:TA.The result showed that the blue light reflectance from red LED source (Br was selected as an indicator for harvesting Longkong bunches. Br was inversely proportional to ripeness of Longkong. The blue color intensity decreases linearly while TSS:TA increases monotonously. From our investigations, we suggest that the time interval to harvest Longkong should be within 96 ±7 days after the first flower blossom of that bunch takes place while blue level per pixel was in the range of 8.67-2.39. If Longkong bunch was cut while the blue color level was in the range of 8.67-5.53, its taste will be sweet and sour and strong enough for long distance shipment. But if the blue level per pixel was in the range of 5.52-2.39, it has a very good taste and is suitable a for sale in the local area. In addition, it was also found that the blue level per pixel usually decreased at the rate of 0.45 per day. This made is possible to predict the harvesting day by this technique.

Energy harvesting with Di-Electro Active Polymers

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Due, Jens; Munk-Nielsen, Stig; Nielsen, Rasmus Ørndrup

2010-01-01

This article presents a way of using Di-Electro Active Polymers (D-EAPs) for harvesting mechanical energy sources. The article describes the basics of energy harvesting with D-EAPs, and an electrical model of a D-EAP is suggested. This leads to a converter design which is able to extract...... the electrical energy harvested by the D-EAP. This converter is simulated and realized. Through experimental results both the model of the DEAP and the converter are verified. It is found that it is possible to harvest energy with a D-EAP and build a converter that can extract the harvested energy....

Partial nitrification using aerobic granules in continuous-flow reactor: rapid startup.

Science.gov (United States)

Wan, Chunli; Sun, Supu; Lee, Duu-Jong; Liu, Xiang; Wang, Li; Yang, Xue; Pan, Xiangliang

2013-08-01

This study applied a novel strategy to rapid startup of partial nitrification in continuous-flow reactor using aerobic granules. Mature aerobic granules were first cultivated in a sequencing batch reactor at high chemical oxygen demand in 16 days. The strains including the Pseudoxanthomonas mexicana strain were enriched in cultivated granules to enhance their structural stability. Then the cultivated granules were incubated in a continuous-flow reactor with influent chemical oxygen deamnad being stepped decreased from 1,500 ± 100 (0-19 days) to 750 ± 50 (20-30 days), and then to 350 ± 50 mg l(-1) (31-50 days); while in the final stage 350 mg l(-1) bicarbonate was also supplied. Using this strategy the ammonia-oxidizing bacterium, Nitrosomonas europaea, was enriched in the incubated granules to achieve partial nitrification efficiency of 85-90% since 36 days and onwards. The partial nitrification granules were successfully harvested after 52 days, a period much shorter than those reported in literature. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Bundling harvester; Harvennuspuun automaattisen nippukorjausharvesterin kehittaeminen

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Koponen, K [Eko-Log Oy, Kuopio (Finland)

1997-12-01

The starting point of the project was to design and construct, by taking the silvicultural point of view into account, a harvesting and processing system especially for energy-wood, containing manually driven bundling harvester, automating of the harvester, and automated loading. The equipment forms an ideal method for entrepreneur`s-line harvesting. The target is to apply the system also for owner`s-line harvesting. The profitability of the system promotes the utilisation of the system in both cases. The objectives of the project were: to construct a test equipment and prototypes for all the project stages, to carry out terrain and strain tests in order to examine the usability and durability, as well as the capacity of the machine, to test the applicability of the Eko-Log system in simultaneous harvesting of energy and pulp woods, and to start the marketing and manufacturing of the products. The basic problems of the construction of the bundling harvester have been solved using terrain-tests. The prototype machine has been shown to be operable. Loading of the bundles to form sufficiently economically transportable loads has been studied, and simultaneously, the branch-biomass has been tried to be utilised without loosing the profitability of transportation. The results have been promising, and will promote the profitable utilisation of wood-energy. (orig.)

Electromagnetic energy harvester for harvesting acoustic energy

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Farid U Khan

Acoustics; energy harvesting; electromagnetic; Helmholtz resonator; sound pressure level; suspended coil. ... WSNs, which are supposed to operate for longer period of time. However ... several ambient energies such as wind, thermal, vibration, and solar are ..... textile plants in Northern India with specific reference to noise.

Metabolic profiling and predicting the free radical scavenging activity of guava (Psidium guajava L.) leaves according to harvest time by 1H-nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, So-Hyun; Cho, Somi K; Hyun, Sun-Hee; Park, Hae-Eun; Kim, Young-Suk; Choi, Hyung-Kyoon

2011-01-01

Guava leaves were classified and the free radical scavenging activity (FRSA) evaluated according to different harvest times by using the (1)H-NMR-based metabolomic technique. A principal component analysis (PCA) of (1)H-NMR data from the guava leaves provided clear clusters according to the harvesting time. A partial least squares (PLS) analysis indicated a correlation between the metabolic profile and FRSA. FRSA levels of the guava leaves harvested during May and August were high, and those leaves contained higher amounts of 3-hydroxybutyric acid, acetic acid, glutamic acid, asparagine, citric acid, malonic acid, trans-aconitic acid, ascorbic acid, maleic acid, cis-aconitic acid, epicatechin, protocatechuic acid, and xanthine than the leaves harvested during October and December. Epicatechin and protocatechuic acid among those compounds seem to have enhanced FRSA of the guava leaf samples harvested in May and August. A PLS regression model was established to predict guava leaf FRSA at different harvesting times by using a (1)H-NMR data set. The predictability of the PLS model was then tested by internal and external validation. The results of this study indicate that (1)H-NMR-based metabolomic data could usefully characterize guava leaves according to their time of harvesting.

Clonal evaluation of new ornamental pineapple hybrids to use as cut flowers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Davi Silva Costa Junior

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Embrapa Cassava and Fruits has developed ornamental pineapple hybrids for several categories of ornamental use including cut flowers, potted plants and landscaping. The objective of this study was to carry out a clonal evaluation of two ornamental hybrids using quantitative and qualitative morphological descriptors to recommend these hybrids as new ornamental pineapple cultivars. Twenty plants of each hybrid (PL01 and PL04 were evaluated regarding the response to floral induction as well as the stability and homogeneity of the clones in two production cycles. The descriptive statistics were calculated and analyzed to determine the genetic distance based on the Gower algorithm. Four groups were formed, two using parental data and the other two containing the different hybrids that were evaluated in the two growing cycles. In the floral evaluation, the time from field planting to harvest of the stem as a cut flower was determined to be as long as 17 months in the first cycle and 13.5 months in the second cycle for both hybrids. They were characterized as a novelty in the flower market; they showed genetic stability and homogeneity and can be recommended as new cultivars of ornamental pineapple because they exhibit satisfactory quality and meet the market requirements.

Energy harvesting for self-powered aerostructure actuation

Science.gov (United States)

Bryant, Matthew; Pizzonia, Matthew; Mehallow, Michael; Garcia, Ephrahim

2014-04-01

This paper proposes and experimentally investigates applying piezoelectric energy harvesting devices driven by flow induced vibrations to create self-powered actuation of aerostructure surfaces such as tabs, flaps, spoilers, or morphing devices. Recently, we have investigated flow-induced vibrations and limit cycle oscillations due to aeroelastic flutter phenomena in piezoelectric structures as a mechanism to harvest energy from an ambient fluid flow. We will describe how our experimental investigations in a wind tunnel have demonstrated that this harvested energy can be stored and used on-demand to actuate a control surface such as a trailing edge flap in the airflow. This actuated control surface could take the form of a separate and discrete actuated flap, or could constitute rotating or deflecting the oscillating energy harvester itself to produce a non-zero mean angle of attack. Such a rotation of the energy harvester and the associated change in aerodynamic force is shown to influence the operating wind speed range of the device, its limit cycle oscillation (LCO) amplitude, and its harvested power output; hence creating a coupling between the device's performance as an energy harvester and as a control surface. Finally, the induced changes in the lift, pitching moment, and drag acting on a wing model are quantified and compared for a control surface equipped with an oscillating energy harvester and a traditional, static control surface of the same geometry. The results show that when operated in small amplitude LCO the energy harvester adds negligible aerodynamic drag.

Aerodynamic Interactions During Laser Cutting

Science.gov (United States)

Fieret, J.; Terry, M. J.; Ward, B. A.

1986-11-01

Most laser cutting systems utilise a gas jet to remove molten or vaporised material from the kerf. The speed, economy and quality of the cut can be strongly dependent on the aerodynamic conditions created by the nozzle, workpiece proximity and kerf shape. Adverse conditions can be established that may lead to an unwelcome lack of reproducibility of cut quality. Relatively low gas nozzle pressures can result in supersonic flow in the jet with its associated shock fronts. When the nozzle is placed at conventional distances (1-2mm) above the workpiece, the force exerted by the gas on the workpiece and the cut products (the cutting pressure) can be significantly less than the nozzle pressure. Higher cutting pressures can be achieved by increasing the height of the nozzle above the workpiece, to a more damage resistant zone, provided that the shock structure of the jet is taken into account. Conventional conical nozzles with circular exits can be operated with conditions that will result in cutting pressures up to 3 Bar (g) in the more distant zone. At higher pressures in circular tipped nozzles the cutting pressure in this zone decays to inadequate levels. Investigations of a large number of non-circular nozzle tip shapes have resulted in the selection of a few specific shapes that can provide cutting pressures in excess of 6 Bar(g) at distances of 4 to 7mm from the nozzle tip. Since there is a strong correlation between cutting pressure and the speed and quality of laser cutting, the paper describes the aerodynamic requirements for achieving the above effects and reports the cutting results arising from the different nozzle designs and conditions. The results of the work of other investigators, who report anomalous laser cutting results, will be examined and reviewed in the light of the above work.

Piezoelectric energy harvesting with parametric uncertainty

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ali, S F; Friswell, M I; Adhikari, S

2010-01-01

The design and analysis of energy harvesting devices is becoming increasing important in recent years. Most of the literature has focused on the deterministic analysis of these systems and the problem of uncertain parameters has received less attention. Energy harvesting devices exhibit parametric uncertainty due to errors in measurement, errors in modelling and variability in the parameters during manufacture. This paper investigates the effect of parametric uncertainty in the mechanical system on the harvested power, and derives approximate explicit formulae for the optimal electrical parameters that maximize the mean harvested power. The maximum of the mean harvested power decreases with increasing uncertainty, and the optimal frequency at which the maximum mean power occurs shifts. The effect of the parameter variance on the optimal electrical time constant and optimal coupling coefficient are reported. Monte Carlo based simulation results are used to further analyse the system under parametric uncertainty

Waste energy harvesting mechanical and thermal energies

CERN Document Server

Ling Bing, Kong; Hng, Huey Hoon; Boey, Freddy; Zhang, Tianshu

2014-01-01

Waste Energy Harvesting overviews the latest progress in waste energy harvesting technologies, with specific focusing on waste thermal mechanical energies. Thermal energy harvesting technologies include thermoelectric effect, storage through phase change materials and pyroelectric effect. Waste mechanical energy harvesting technologies include piezoelectric (ferroelectric) effect with ferroelectric materials and nanogenerators. The book aims to strengthen the syllabus in energy, materials and physics and is well suitable for students and professionals in the fields.

Trash measurement in middle sugar cane cultivars after the harvest; Quantificacao de palhico em diferentes cultivares medios de cana-de-acucar, apos a colheita

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Santin, Ivan; Silva Neto, Helio F. da; Tasso Junior, Luiz Carlos; Marques, Diogo; Marques, Marcos O. [Universidade Estadual Paulista (FCAV/UNESP), Jaboticabal, SP (Brazil). Fac. de Ciencias Agrarias e Veterinarias. Dept. de Tecnologia], E-mail: santinivan@hotmail.com

2010-07-01

The introduction of mechanized harvesting of sugarcane made it possible to cut raw cane. Thus the amount of trash has produced a significant increase, which is important in that it can be used in the production of electricity through combustion. This study aimed to quantify the productivity of trash in the semi-mechanized harvesting of different middle sugarcane cultivars. The experiment was conducted at UNESP-Jaboticabal. The experimental design was a randomized block design with six treatments (cultivars) and three replications. At harvest, we counted the number of stems in the meter and the weight of stems was estimated agricultural productivity. After harvesting the cane, was used a rectangle of 4.5 m{sup 2}, which was placed randomly within each plot and all trash contained therein was weighed. Using these results to estimate the potential number of people who would benefit from the energy from this trash. Cultivar IAC94-4004 received the largest amount of trash (44.33 t ha- 1), IP (37.66%), Pd (38.00 x10-6) and TCH (118.00 t ha-1). Cultivar IAC95- 5000 obtained the less satisfactory results, generating a small amount of trash and therefore expressing lower potential energy. (author)