Experimental investigation of smouldering in biomass

The smouldering process of wood logs was studied experimentally in a laboratory facility and in prescribed forest bums. The main goal was to check the parameters that initiate and control the stability of the smouldering process. To do so, sample temperatures at five different locations and concentrations of CO, CO2 and O-2 were measured and discussed. By varying the temperature and air supply of the flow tunnel apparatus, different rates of smoulder propagation were identified. In prescribed bums, the main characteristics of the self-sustained smouldering combustion front in logs of different sizes and species are reported. The average smouldering speed in the field is about one order of magnitude lower than that reported for different materials in laboratory experiments. (C) 2002 Elsevier B.V. Ltd. All rights reserved.

Laboratory evaluation of Amazon forest biomass burning emissions

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Forest natural regeneration and biomass production after slash and burn in a seasonally dry forest in the Southern Brazilian Amazon

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Biomass consumption and CO2, CO and main hydrocarbon gas emissions in an Amazonian forest clearing fire

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Electricity, hot water and cold water production from biomass. Energetic and economical analysis of the compact system of cogeneration run with woodgas from a small downdraft gasifier

Wood gasification technologies to convert the biomass into fuel gas stand out. on the other hand, producing electrical energy from stationary engine is widely spread, and its application in rural communities where the electrical network doesn't exist is very required. The recovery of exhaust gases (engine) is a possibility that makes the system attractive when compared with the same components used to obtain individual heat such as electric power. This paper presents an energetic alternative to adapt a fixed bed gasifier with a compact cogeneration system in order to cover electrical and thermal demands in a rural area and showing an energy solution for small social communities using renewable fuels. Therefore, an energetic and economical analysis from a cogeneration system producing electric energy, hot and cold water, using wooden gas as fuel from a small-sized gasifier was calculated. The energy balance that includes the energy efficiency (electric generation as well as hot and cold water system; performance coefficient and the heat exchanger, among other items), was calculated. Considering the annual interest rates and the amortization periods, the costs of production of electrical energy, hot and cold water were calculated, taking into account the investment, the operation and the maintenance cost of the equipments. Crown Copyright (C) 2010 Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Performance and color of broilers fed diets containing Rhodocyclus gelatinosus biomass

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of different supplementation levels of Rhodocyclus gelatinosus biomass on the performance and pigmentation of broilers. Cobb broilers were raised in pens and were fed a sorghum-based diet until 35 days of age. At the 36th day of age, ninety-six birds were randomly distributed to four treatments consisting of experimental diets with different supplementation levels of Rhodocyclus gelatinosus biomass (0, 75, 150 and 300 ppm) added to the finisher basal diet, which were given for seven days. A completely randomized experimental design was used, with four treatments, four replicates and six broilers per parcel. Birds and diets were weighed at the 36th and at the 42nd day of age for performance analysis. There was no significant effect on broiler feed intake. Significant differences in weight gain and feed conversion were seen between the control group and the groups supplemented with 75 and 150 ppm. The treatment with the highest supplementation level and the control group had best weight gain and feed conversion. Color analysis showed that R. gelatinosus biomass supplementation resulted in more yellow breast skin and increased darkening and color purity in breast and thigh meat of broilers, but had no effect on lightness or color purity of breast and thigh skins.

Multiobjective 0-1 integer programming for the use of sugarcane residual biomass in energy cogeneration

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Seasonal variation of biomass and productivity of the periphytic community on artificial substrata in the Jurumirim Reservoir (São Paulo, Brazil)

The seasonal variation of the periphytic community attached to an artificial substratum (glass tubes) was studied during two different periods in a lagoon connected to the Paranapanema River, the main tributary of the Jurumirim Reservoir (São Paulo-Brazil). An analysis of dry weight, ash free dry weight, chlorophyll a, phaeophytin and primary productivity of periphyton was carried out. The first experiment lasted from August to December 1993, the second from February to June 1994. Tubes were removed after 7, 14, 21, 28, 60, 90 and 119 days of incubation. In the 1st experiment, the periphytic community reached a higher biomass after the 4th week of colonization (28th day), in the 2nd experiment after the 2nd week (14th day). This discrepancy is related to seasonal differences in environmental factors (water temperature, nutrients concentrations and water discharge) that determine initial colonization. After the first stages of colonization, the biomass and primary productivity of periphyton reached their maximum values after the 60th day of incubation. In both experiments, three developmental phases could be discerned. In the initial phase, an exponential growth was observed. In the second phase, the bioderm reached its maximum biomass and productivity. In the third phase, a decrease of biomass and productivity occurred.

Rotifer abundance, biomass, and secondary production after the recovery of hydrologic connectivity between a river and two marginal lakes (São Paulo, Brazil)

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Functional characterization and target discovery of glycoside hydrolases from the digestome of the lower termite Coptotermes gestroi

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Effect of culture conditions on the biomass determination by ergosterol of Lentinus crinitus and Psilocybe castanella

Estimating fungal growth is important in processes of soil bioremediation. It has been demonstrated that ergosterol is a good indicator of fungal biomass in solid substrata. In the present study were evaluated the effects upon the ergosterol rate of Lentinus crinitus Berk. and Psilocybe castanella Peck through the culture conditions of these fungi, which are evaluated for the bioremediation of soils contaminated by organochlorates. A good correlation between fungal biomass and ergosterol was observed for both species. The culture conditions did not influence the ergosterol rate of L. crinitus. Yet the ergosterol rate of P. castanella was influenced from 35 days of culture and when grown in the presence of 15.00 g hexachlorobenzene l(-1) of culture medium. So it is possible to estimate growth of both species using ergosterol as indicator in processes of soil bioremediation since the influences observed in the ergosterol rate of P. castanella are considered.

Variation in liana abundance and biomass along an elevational gradient in the tropical Atlantic Forest (Brazil)

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Ligninases production by Basidiomycetes strains on lignocellulosic agricultural residues and their application in the decolorization of synthetic dyes

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Thermal characterization of lignocellulosic residue from different sugarcanes

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)