Effect of Storage Temperature on Rapeseed Quality

The objective of this paper was to determine the influence of storage conditions on the quality of seeds in rapeseed cultivar Bristol and hybrid Triangl, namely on the oil and free fatty acids content, which are the two most important rapeseed quality parameters. The rapeseed seeds were stored in two conditions: in storage facility with controlled atmosphere (with temperature of 10 ｰC and relative air moisture approximately 70%) and in storage facility without atmosphere control (where the air temperature and moisture varied). During a nine-month storing period, the samples’ mass was monitored monthly while oil content, free fatty acids (FFA) content and seed moisture were determined before and after storing. Storing in conditions without atmosphere control showed that the samples’ mass was increasing during the first four months, in the following three months it was decreasing, and then stagnated until the end of the storing period. Samples stored in controlled atmosphere showed variations in mass, with minor oscillations during the whole storing period, which resulted in lower FFA content in comparison with the samples stored in facilities without atmosphere control. The oil content after storing in both facilities decreased, and FFA content rose in all samples. In conclusion; storing in controlled atmosphere gave better results in terms of rapeseed quality

Microscale Combustion Calorimetry as a New Method of Composition and Heating Value Determination of Miscanthus:An Early View

The perennial biomass crop Miscanthus combines key attributes achieving high energy output/input ratios in a wide range of climatic conditions and it is an important feedstock for bio-mass-to-energy. New Miscanthus hybrids, with better yield resilience and scalability, that are expected to boost supply from marginal lands in Europe, were grown in Croatia and the composition of ripe biomass samples from a spring harvest were analysed by a new microscale combustion calorimetry (MCC) method that determines the heat release rate (HRR). The same samples were also analysed by standard chemical methods: structural analysis, and bomb calorimetry. Higher heating values (HHVs) measured by bomb calorimetry ranged from 17.76 MJ/kg to 18.10 MJ/kg. Microscale combustion calorimetry developed to quantify flammability indices such as HRR was strongly correlated with HHV, which could allow differentiation between new hybrids faster and more efficiently. Obtaining such energy properties data from an early stage of development is necessary for the detection of genotypes with high biomass-to-bioenergy potential for intensive monitoring in the coming period

SPANISH BROOM (SPARTIUM JUNCEUM L.) – FEEDSTOCK FOR BIOPLASTIC AND BIOENERGY INDUSTRY

Spanish Broom (Spartium junceum L.) is a Mediterranean plant of various usage possibilities. Its fibres were known since ancient time but in some point of last century, more accurately in 1950s, their production was abandoned due to the negative economic effect. Another drawback was large time consumption, especially during the old tradition method – Spanish Broom maceration in salt water. Nowadays, due to technology development and ecological awareness, it is much easier to produce Spanish Broom fibres of enhanced quality. One of the fibre extraction methods is the one assisted with microwave oven. Demerit of such fibre production is in large residue content after obtaining fibres - approx. 90 % of initial Spanish Broom weight. Due to the need for finding sustainable solutions in the development of new materials, the usage of Spanish Broom fibres in the service of reinforcement for biopolymer poly (lactic acid) (PLA) matrix was investigated. Obtained results target our further research into the direction of Spanish Broom fibres and PLA application in the production of green composites. The aim of this research was to prove that developed product can be categorized under the biodegradable group by investigating its degradation properties using serine endopeptidase enzyme. The results show positive degradation effect while using 50 wt.% (on weight of material) enzyme concentration during a 5-day treatment. Stem residues of Spanish Broom plant derived from salty water and microwave maceration were further investigated for their potential as raw material for second-generation biofuel production. Examination of its energy properties consisted of determination of proximate and ultimate properties of the biomass. The results show low moisture content (6.5 % - 7.5 %), ash content below 5 % and higher values of fixed carbon and volatile matter content of 13.2 % and 75 %, respectively. Higher heating values that were determined (17.2 - 18.8 MJ/kg) indicate a high quality biomass that can be used most effectively in solid biofuel production

Fuel Properties’ Comparison of Allochthonous Miscanthus x giganteus and Autochthonous Arundo donax L.: a Study Case in Croatia

Increased energy demands, EU intentions for energy independence, together with decreasing fossil fuel reserves, have initiated the interest for new technology development. This would enable more intensive use of new renewable energy sources and contribute to increase among appliances based on biomass and energy crops. Miscanthus x giganteus is a perennial crop which has been received particular attention during the last decade as an energy crop. In the Republic of Croatia, it has been under investigation for the last two years, and the yields obtained by far are very promising. However, due to its potential and autochthonicity, there is a need for investigating the potential of another perennial, Arundo donax L. as energy crop. Among numerous tested energy crops, both species seem to be especially promising feedstocks due to their high production potential. Cultivation of these plants may be a sufficient alternative to wood from short-rotation forestry. Therefore, the objective of this study was to determine fuel properties of the two-abovementioned species, relevant for combustion of biomass to be used as solid fuel, and to compare them. Since biomass is characterized by a series of parameters that determine their most suitable process of conversion, properties such as biomass type, particles size, chemical and physical composition, way of fixation of the moisture, ash content, and higher heating value (HHV). Accordingly, proximate, and ultimate analyses, together with fuel properties determination were conducted on both, M. giganteus and A. donax Results indicated that both species could be proposed as biomass energy crops in the Republic of Croatia, with a significant and environmentally compatible contribution to energy needs

Fuel Properties’ Comparison of Allochthonous Miscanthus x giganteus and Autochthonous Arundo donax L.: a Study Case in Croatia

Increased energy demands, EU intentions for energy independence, together with decreasing fossil fuel reserves, have initiated the interest for new technology development. This would enable more intensive use of new renewable energy sources and contribute to increase among appliances based on biomass and energy crops. Miscanthus x giganteus is a perennial crop which has been received particular attention during the last decade as an energy crop. In the Republic of Croatia, it has been under investigation for the last two years, and the yields obtained by far are very promising. However, due to its potential and autochthonicity, there is a need for investigating the potential of another perennial, Arundo donax L. as energy crop. Among numerous tested energy crops, both species seem to be especially promising feedstocks due to their high production potential. Cultivation of these plants may be a sufficient alternative to wood from short-rotation forestry. Therefore, the objective of this study was to determine fuel properties of the two-abovementioned species, relevant for combustion of biomass to be used as solid fuel, and to compare them. Since biomass is characterized by a series of parameters that determine their most suitable process of conversion, properties such as biomass type, particles size, chemical and physical composition, way of fixation of the moisture, ash content, and higher heating value (HHV). Accordingly, proximate, and ultimate analyses, together with fuel properties determination were conducted on both, M. giganteus and A. donax Results indicated that both species could be proposed as biomass energy crops in the Republic of Croatia, with a significant and environmentally compatible contribution to energy needs

Amino Acid Composition, Urease Activity and Trypsin Inhibitor Activity after Toasting of Soybean in Thick and Thin Layer

The objective of this study was to determine amino acid content, urease activity and trypsin inhibitor activity in soybean grain for polygastric animals’ feed aft er toasting with the aim to introduce thick layer in toasting technology. Hence, soybean was toasted both in thick and thin layer at 130 oC during 10 minutes. In order to properly monitor the technological process of soybean thermal processing, it was necessary to study crude protein content, urease activity, trypsin inhibitor activity and amino acid composition of soybean in natural and toasted samples. Results demonstrate that protein content in soybean toasted in thick and thin layer was found to be slightly increased while urease activity was reduced in relation to non-treated sample. Study also established a significant reduction of trypsin inhibitor activity aft er toasting, at higher extent in thin layer toasting. Amino acid content of soybean was slightly increased in relation to natural sample, as well as difference between amino acid content in samples toasted in thick and thin layers

Olive cake as a source of energy

Proizvodnjom maslinovog ulja dobiva se velika količina otpada u obliku komine masline kao čvrste faze, te vegetativne vode kao tekuće faze. Zbrinjavanje tog otpada je zakonska obveza u Europskoj uniji, no nije reguliran način tog zbrinjavanja. U Hrvatskoj je pak Pravilnikom o ekološkoj proizvodnji u uzgoju bilja i u proizvodnji biljnih proizvoda, definirano da se otpad poljoprivredne proizvodnje ne može koristiti bez njegove određene obrade. Komina masline može biti vrijedna sirovina, a osobito se može dobro iskoristiti za proizvodnju energije. U ovom radu naglasak je na dobivanju energije u kogeneracijskim postrojenjima, spaljivanjem peleta komine masline u pećima za biomasu. Na taj način istovremeno se rješava problem komine masline kao otpada uz ekološki prihvatljivo dobivanje energije.In the production of olive oil there is a large quantity of waste in the form of olive cake as the solid phase, and vegetation water as the liquid phase. The disposal of that waste is a legal commitment in the European Union, but the manner of that disposal hasn’t been regulated. The Regulation on Ecological Production in Plant Cultivation and Crop Production in Croatia has defined that the waste of crop production can not be used without its certain processing. Olive cake can be a valuable raw material and it can especially be well- used for the production of energy. The emphasis in this paper is on energy producing in cogenerational plants by burning olive cake pellets in furnaces for biomass. In that way the problem of olive cake as waste is solved at the same time together with ecologically acceptable production of energy

Theoretical Estimation of Biomethane Production from Miscanthus × giganteus in Croatia

Although grass Miscanthus × giganteus biomass is currently used mostly as a raw material for direct combustion, an increasing consideration is now given to its potential use in production of biogas, namely biomethane. The aim of this paper is to determine the yield of dry-matter (DM) and organic dry matter (oDM) from the crop Miscanthus × giganteus in three different harvest times and at three different locations, and, based on these values, to calculate the biomethane yield on the abandoned agricultural surfaces in Croatia. The investigations which were conducted for this purpose determined the average values of dry matter yield (24.77 t/ha) and organic dry matter yield (24.11 oDM/ha) as well as the biomethane yield of 5976 Nm3/ha. In relation to total natural gas consumption and percentage of the abandoned agricultural land, Croatia could replace between 1.6% to 4.8% of the consumed natural gas by introducing Miscanthus × giganteus grass on 5% to 15% of the abandoned agricultural lands in three of its counties (Sisačko-moslavačka, Karlovačka and Ličko-senjska)

Effect of “Cooking” Method on the Hulled and Unhulled Barley Grain Composition

Barley is one of the oldest cultivated crops in the world and in the past represented a significant grain in human nutrition. The main purpose of barley cultivation today is for the livestock needs and the brewing industry, where it is used in the form of malt, but also is increasingly used in human nutrition as barley porridge. During the barley grain processing for human consumption, to provide better digestibility, barley is hulled and such grain has a reduced nutritional value. To improve the nutritional properties of barley after hulling, the grains are subjected to a thermal cooking treatment due to the starch gelatinization. This investigation includes two varieties of hulled and unhulled barley Vedran and Titan. In all samples, the nutritional composition according to standard methods was investigated, namely the content of moisture, ash, fat, protein and starch were determined. After the cooking method (adapted "cooking" method), at a pressure of 0.5 bar and a time of 10 and 15 minutes and convection drying of samples with air temperatures of 50 °C, 60 °C and 70 °C, the nutritional composition of all samples was also determined. The research showed that the cooking method and drying affected the change in the nutritional composition of hulled and unhulled barley, and in all investigated nutritional composition parameters there were changes compared to the initial samples

Effect of “Cooking” Method on the Hulled and Unhulled Barley Grain Composition

Barley is one of the oldest cultivated crops in the world and in the past represented a significant grain in human nutrition. The main purpose of barley cultivation today is for the livestock needs and the brewing industry, where it is used in the form of malt, but also is increasingly used in human nutrition as barley porridge. During the barley grain processing for human consumption, to provide better digestibility, barley is hulled and such grain has a reduced nutritional value. To improve the nutritional properties of barley after hulling, the grains are subjected to a thermal cooking treatment due to the starch gelatinization. This investigation includes two varieties of hulled and unhulled barley Vedran and Titan. In all samples, the nutritional composition according to standard methods was investigated, namely the content of moisture, ash, fat, protein and starch were determined. After the cooking method (adapted "cooking" method), at a pressure of 0.5 bar and a time of 10 and 15 minutes and convection drying of samples with air temperatures of 50 °C, 60 °C and 70 °C, the nutritional composition of all samples was also determined. The research showed that the cooking method and drying affected the change in the nutritional composition of hulled and unhulled barley, and in all investigated nutritional composition parameters there were changes compared to the initial samples