Pneumatic press equipped with the Vortex system for white grapes processing: First results

The interaction between mechanical, computer and electronic technologies offers nowadays highly innovative solutions to be applied to the oenological machinery industry. Grapes pressing for the extraction of must from the grapes has a fundamental role for obtaining wines with high quality. The pneumatic presses commonly used work with a discontinuous cycle, taking on average about 3 hours for the extraction of the juice from the grapes. During this period, the presence of oxygen in contact with grapes can modify the qualitative characteristics of the future wine. The aim of the research was to study the \u201cVortex System\u201d applied to a pneumatic press and to evaluate the quality of wines obtained in reduction. The study was carried out in a modern winery in the province of Palermo (Italy) using cv. Catarratto lucido grapes. The machine used in the tests was a pneumatic press with a capacity of 1,900 / 2,500 kg by Puleo Srl company (Italy), equipped with the patent "Vortex System". It consists in the recovery of the inert gas by means of a passage and recirculation apparatus during grapes pressing allowing the must extraction in inert and controlled atmosphere, the non-oxidation of the product and a re-use of the gaseous component. Two operating modes were applied: AP (Air Pressing) mode, the traditional pressing mode in presence of oxygen, and NP (Nitrogen Pressing) mode with the Vortex System, performed under inert gas with nitrogen recovery. The following analytical determinations were performed on wines in triplicates: alcohol [%/vol], density [g/l], sugar [g/l], pH, total acidity [g/l], volatile acidity [g/l], malic acid [g/l], citric acid [g/l], tartaric acid [g/l], potassium [g/l], glycerin [g/l], ashes [g/l], absorbance at 420, 520 and 620 nm, polyphenols [mg/l], catechins [mg/l], free sulfur dioxide [mg/l], total sulfur dioxide [mg/l]. The use of the pneumatic press equipped with the Vortex System allowed to obtain excellent values of volatile acidity, absorbance at 420 nm, catechins in white wines and a rich aromatic component both in primary and secondary aromas

A System to Simplify the Use of Mounted Shakers for Harvesting Olives and Dry Fruits

The shakers for harvesting olives and dry fruits have reached a high standard and their use is increasing rapidly. In order to satisfy the different demand, manufacturers offer a wide range of shakers, from the more expensive self-propelled ones to those to be mounted on the tractor’s power lift, with shaking headers of different mass and size, suitable for the different orchard characteristics. Self-propelled shakers have high steering capacity and optimum visual field for the operator, so their working capacity is very high with respect to that of mounted shakers, which are less expensive but have lower steering capacity and a limited view on the header. Therefore the approaching of mounted shakers to the plant and the fastening of the header to the trunk or branch of the tree is more difficult, and a second operator to pilot the tractor driver is needed, in order to increase the machine working capacity and to avoid plant and/or shaker damages. This paper proposes to use a system composed of a CCD video camera, installed on the frame of a mounted shaker and connected to a TFT monitor, fitted in the tractor cab. Comparative tests with and without the above system were carried out. The video camera was mounted on the shaker frame. The system is relatively cheap, user-friendly and can be mounted on any shaker. It provides the driver with an easy view of the lower dead angle and increases the working capacity and productivity of the machine

A system for the real-time geo-referenced measurement of soil parameters

The aim of this research is to develop a system for accurately measuring in real-time, collecting and processing a high amount of geo-referenced data of soil physical-mechanical parameters, e.g. cone penetrometer resistance, index of soil compaction, and draft force. The system for measuring the soil cone penetrometer resistance is comprised of a load cell, connected to a rod, ending with a cone, and is mounted on a frame, fixed to the front part of a tractor. The system for measuring the draft force required to till the soil is comprised of a load cell, mounted on the hitch hook of a tool carrier, towed by the tractor. Moreover, in order to test the usefulness of the system with different types of linkage tractor-implement, two other load cells were mounted, respectively, on the top link and the right point of the three-point hitch of the tool carrier. A portable computer, by means of a Virtual Instrument, developed in LabVIEW environment, acquires the signals of the load cells and of a DGPS mobile receiver. The results of the first tests, carried out in a field in inland Sicily, showed that: the system is able to log data with a sampling frequency adjustable from 1 to 10 Hz; it is able to accurately measure and collect in real-time a large amount of data, which can be easily processed by means of a data sheet, a GIS or another software usable for measuring the within-field spatial variability of soil physical-mechanical parameters; the absolute value of the force measured on the hitch hook of the tool carrier is proportionally correlated to that measured on any point of the three-point hitch of the same one

A System for the Real-Time Geo-Referenced Measurement of Soil Parameters

The aim of this research is to develop a system for accurately measuring in real-time, collecting and processing a high amount of geo-referenced data of soil physical-mechanical parameters, e.g. cone penetrometer resistance, index of soil compaction, and draft force. The system for measuring the soil cone penetrometer resistance is comprised of a load cell, connected to a rod, ending with a cone, and is mounted on a frame, fixed to the front part of a tractor. The system for measuring the draft force required to till the soil is comprised of a load cell, mounted on the hitch hook of a tool carrier, towed by the tractor. Moreover, in order to test the usefulness of the system with different types of linkage tractor-implement, two other load cells were mounted, respectively, on the top link and the right point of the three-point hitch of the tool carrier. The signals of the load cells and of a DGPS mobile receiver are acquired by a portable computer, by means of a Virtual Instrument developed in LabVIEW environment. The results of the first tests, carried out in a field in inland Sicily, showed that: the system is able to log data with a sampling frequency adjustable from 1 to 10 Hz; it is able to accurately measure and collect in real-time a large amount of data, which can be easily processed by means of a data sheet, a GIS or another software usable for measuring the within-field spatial variability of soil physical-mechanical parameters; the absolute value of the force measured on the hitch hook of the tool carrier is proportionally correlated to that measured on any point of the three-point hitch of the same one

Mapping of penetrometer resistance in relation to tractor traffic using multivariate geostatistics

The traffic of agricultural machines can cause soil compaction and high variability of soil structure, both along normal lines and along those parallel to the field plane. The aim of this research is to investigate the potential of geostatistical techniques for understanding and evaluating the within-field spatial variability of soil compaction, caused by the traffic of agricultural machines and/or the action of tillage implements. In July 2003 soil cone penetrometer resistance was measured in a sandy-silt Cambisol of inland Sicily, where a three-year rotation wheat (Triticum durum Desf.) - wheat - tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) was adopted, along three parallel 3-m long transects, from the soil surface to a depth of 0.70 m. A multivariate geostatistical approach, including exploratory analysis, variography, stochastic simulation and post-processing of simulations was applied to produce thematic maps of penetrometer resistance and probability maps exceeding a critical value, corresponding to different examples of tractor movement. Penetrometer resistance variation was erratic at the surface but showed high spatial correlation between data measured at different depths. The maps of probabilistic compaction risk showed that the soil volume, exceeding the penetrometer resistance of 2.5 MPa, critical for root growth, increased from 20% to 40% after the tractor had passed through five times

Potential production of biogas from prinkly pear (opuntia ficus-indica L.) in sicilian uncultivated areas

The aim of this work is to evaluate the potential production of biogas and, indirectly, biomethane or electric and thermal energy, from prinkly pear (Opuntia ficus-indica L.), to be grown in a part of Sicilian uncultivated areas and co-digested together with the available livestock manure and slurry. In order to increase the Renewable Energy Sources (RES) and reduce the dependency from fossil ones, the conversion of biomass into biogas through Anaerobic Digestion (AD) process is paramount for producing biomethane, to be used as fuel for means of transport and agricultural machines or heating, or electric and thermal energy through Combined Heat and Power (CHP) plants. Moreover, the digestate produced through AD process can be applied to soils as organic fertiliser in the place of chemical ones. Prinkly pear was supposed to be grown, by mechanising the harvest of cladods (modified stems), in a part of the Sicilian Used Agricultural Area that is currently uncultivated (totally 600, 000 ha ca.), identified by means of a GIS software. Thus it was possible to compute the potential production of biogas and, indirectly, biomethane or electric and thermal energy. The results show that the Sicilian potential production of biogas is 612, 115 103m3, from which 342, 784 103m3of biomethane could be extracted or 67, 038 MWh of electric energy and 70, 390 MWh MWh of thermal energy could be generated. Moreover the obtained digestate would be used as biofertiliser, within both conventional and organic farming. This work demonstrates that the production of RES, such as biogas from prinkly pear, represents a very profitable way of using the uncultivated areas: the income of the farmer would include not only that deriving from the sale of biomethane or electric and thermal energy but also the saving for replacing chemical fertilisers with digestate and the subsidy for producing biomethane as fuel for means of transport or electric and thermal energy from biogas

A system for spatially variable rate fertiliser application

The crop yield can be spatially variable within the same field, because of spatially variable soil characteristics (slope, texture, pH, etc.), influencing the soil nutrient content (of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, etc.). Because of this within-field spatial variability, in the precision agriculture cycle, the targeted fertiliser spreading can be highly profitable for both environment protection and cost saving. For this aim the yield and, then, the soil nutrient content must be measured on a localised basis and, therefore, mapped. Relying on the yield map and on the map of each nutrient available in the field it is possible to produce the fertiliser application map, which must be stored on a portable computer, in order to perform the spatially variable rate fertiliser spreading. For this aim an electronic system able to apply fertiliser rates proportionally related to the machine forward speed is also needed; this system can be mounted not only on any pneumatic spreader but also on any centrifugal spreader with setting up system working by gravity. Yet, the fertiliser spreaders produced by different manufacturers, which are equipped with systems able to apply not only rates proportionally related to machine forward speed but also spatially variable rates, are very expensive. Therefore, the I.T.A.F. Department designed, developed and set up a system for spatially variable rate fertiliser application, compatible with most DGPS and spreaders able to apply rates proportionally related to the machine forward speed. The system is constituted by a data sensing system (DGPS and Doppler radar), a data processing system (portable computer, with a specifically developed software called Precision Agriculture Controller) and an active and control system (Land Manager of DICKEY-john with built-in display and keyboard), able to apply rates proportionally related to machine forward speed, by varying the size of the two hopper openings. The software is able to: receive and interpret DGPS position data and compare them with the fertiliser application map, in order to identify the rate related to the actual machine position; transmit commands to Land Manager; log the machine track and the applied rates

Italian Potential Biogas and Biomethane Production from OFMSW

This work is aimed at predicting the potential biogas and biomethane production, using the Organic Fraction of Municipal Solid Waste (OFMSW), in Italy, where 1388 Anaerobic Digestion (AD) plants (power of 7.4 TWh, equal to 640.4 ktep) are nowadays available. In order to compute the potential biogas and biomethane production in the 20 Italian regions, the data about OFMSW production in 2010-2013 period have been evaluated. The Italian production of OFMSW, that was 5.2 million tons in 2013 (18% of MSW), could be used inside bioreactors for producing biogas and digestate, that must be aerobically composted into a biofertiliser. In 2013, the Italian potential biogas production from OFMSW was 739 million m3, that is equal to 444 million m3 of biomethane. The highest biogas production from OFMSW was in Lombardy region (143 million m3), having a potential biomethane production of 86 million m3. The highest OFMSW production per inhabitant was in Emilia-Romagna region (142 kg). Yet, if OFMSW was 37% of MSW, the potential biogas and biomethane production should be increased: the biomethane production increase would be 486 million m3, of which the maximum would be in Sicily region. The biogas produced can be used for generating heat and electricity or upgraded into biomethane, distributed at dedicated stations and useful as biofuel for powering means of transport. This biofuel would replace natural gas, and, therefore, allow a reduction of GreenHouse Gas emissions of 200 g of CO2 kWh-1 (5.5 times lower) and the import of fossil fuels from abroad

Accuracy assessment and position correction for low-cost non-differential GPS as applied on an industrial peat bog

A low-cost, non-differentially corrected hand-held GPS receiver was tested on an industrial peat production bog. A correction procedure (‘pseudo-differential correction’) was derived that corrected data points to the nearest position on a line defining the centre of each 15-m wide field. The result was a corrected log of track points for each field for all points lying along the field. It was found that the mean orthogonal distance from a field centreline was linearly correlated with mean uncorrected GPS data error (r2=0.99) such that as GPS error increased so the accuracy obtained by correction decreased. For a signal with a mean uncorrected error of 30 m it was possible to reduce the error to 12 m. The results are discussed within the design requirements of a precision peat production system for peat energy. It is concluded that low-cost GPS could be used without differential correction as part of a precision peat production system because over 80% of the time positional error could be constrained to within 15 m. When compared with the perceived patterns of variability and the 30-m resolution of Landsat imagery which can be used for making application maps, this is acceptable