Development of a Hydrous Ethanol Fuel Feeding Device for Spark-Ignition Engine

While the Philippine Biofuels Act of 2006 mandates the use of anhydrous bioethanol as blend for gasoline, the potential of hydrous ethanol as an alternative fuel for spark-ignition engines has not been fully realized. This study explored the possibility of using hydrous ethanol as fuel for spark-ignition engines with minimal modifications and without the need for gasoline blend. A fuel feeding device was developed to feed hydrous ethanol fuel into the intake manifold of the engine, bypassing the carburetor. By replacing the components that are not compatible with hydrous ethanol and installing a fuel feeding device developed at PhilRice, two spark-ignition engines were able to run solely on 80-95% hydrous ethanol fuel. The fuel economy was found to be a significant issue in the utilization of hydrous ethanol fuel as there is a 75% increase in fuel consumption when using hydrous ethanol. There is potential for hydrous ethanol to be used as fuel if it can be produced locally and sold at half the pump price of gasoline

Influences on the performance of the stripper rotor in rice

Rice is the most important food crop in many countries of Asia. In the Philippines, it is the staple food for more than 80% of the people while 70% of our population depend on rice farming and marketing for livelihood. However, despite the importance of rice in the lives of the Filipinos, production has not been able to consistently meet their needs. The ever-growing population continues to exert tremendous pressure on the rice farmers to produce more. The principle of stripping, that is, collecting the grains without harvesting the straw, presents a bright prospect in mechanical harvesting technology. A kinematic analysis of the stripper rotor during operation was made with a newly designed stripper test rig.Reis ist die wichtigste Getreideart in vielen Ländern Asiens. Auf den Philippinen ist Reis das Grundnahrungsmittel für über 80% der Menschen. Für 70% der Bevölkerung hängt der Lebensunterhalt direkt von Reis ab. Bemühungen zur Reduzierung der Verluste müssen bei der Ernte beginnen. Die Mechanisierung der Ernte ist der einzige Weg, die Ernteverluste zu verringern. Die Kinematik des Strippers wurde mit einem neu entwickelten Laborversuchsstand untersucht

Best practices for paddy drying: case studies in Vietnam, Cambodia, Philippines, and Myanmar

Our study made a comparative analysis of the different drying practices used in Vietnam, Cambodia, the Philippines, and Myanmar. Quantification of energy efficiency, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and cost-benefits generated the implications for selecting the optimal drying practice corresponding to various techno-economic indicators, environments, scales of operations, and market demands. Using a reversible airflow flatbed dryer with a capacity of 20 tons of paddy per batch was found to be the best option in terms of cost-benefit, labor operation, and energy efficiency. On the other hand, a recirculating columnar dryer requires 15% higher energy consumption but only needs 20–50% of the floor area; while a solar bubble dryer still needs optimization in terms of reduced investment cost and labor requirement. A two-stage drying system including a fluidized-bed and ten recirculating columnar dryers is an optimal option with the lowest drying cost and labor use when aiming at an industrial capacity of greater than 200 t/day. Nevertheless, the energy consumption and GHG emission of the solar bubble dryer are lower by more than 50% than that of other practices. In addition to the comparative analysis of these techno-economic factors, this research also identified the trajectories of developing paddy drying technologies that are aligned with different postharvest systems identified as subsistence farming for own consumption, surplus farming for local markets, and surplus farming for premium and export markets. The study recommends paddy drying strategies in Southeast Asian countries that could be applied in other rice-production regions as well. Abbreviation: GHG: greenhouse ga

Assessment on the Level of Mechanization in the Rice Production and Post-Production Systems in Surigao Del Sur

Agricultural mechanization has emerged as a critical factor in transforming modern farming practices, as it addresses challenges and promotes efficiency and sustainability in a growing global population and increased food demand. This paper assessed the level of mechanization (hp/ha) in rice production and post-production systems in Surigao del Sur. Interviews were conducted with 95 farmers who are members of the Registry System for the Basic Sectors in Agriculture (RSBSA). Cost and return analysis shows a profit-cost ratio of 0.52. Moreover, the level of mechanization of the province, as computed using the Modified Agricultural Mechanization Index (MAMI) equation, is 3.80 hp/ha for the mechanical (combined harvester) method and 3.09 hp/ha for manual harvesting, which is still significantly low. It is justifiable since most agricultural operations, especially planting and crop care management, are performed manually. Land preparation and harvesting, mostly done mechanically, have the highest mechanization indices