Development in energy generation technologies and alternative fuels for agriculture

Energy use is now seen as one of the key indicators of sustainable development. Renewable energy sources should contribute to the energy security. Agriculture can also play a dual role as an energy user and as an energy supplier in the form of bioenergy. Advanced technologies and alternative fuels can be used to improve the efficiency of agricultural production, while minimizing energy consumption in the farming sector

Możliwości wielofunkcyjnego systemu kontrolno-pomiarowego zastosowanego w małej elektrowni wodnej

In 2020, a fully automated hydropower plant was launched on the Guber River near the town of Kotkowo. The plant is operated by a master control and measurement system, which collects data to evaluate the operation of selected systems of the facility. The number and location of sensors controlling the parameters of hydroelectric systems are selected accordingly, to collect complete information from all sensors and analyze the operation of hydroelectric systems in real time. In addition, storing all the controlled parameters allows analyzing the plant's operation over longer periods. This work presents the possibilities of this measurement system, as well as the measurement results obtained in the tested object. Analyzing the operation of the control and measurement system as well as the collected and archived data will be the foundation for a simulation model of a hydropower plant. The model will be helpful in optimizing the operation of existing hydroelectric plants in terms of energy production per unit volume of water, and in designing new ones on existing barrage.W roku 2020 uruchomiono w pełni zautomatyzowaną elektrownię wodną na rzece Guber przy miejscowości Kotkowo. Elektrownia ta jest obsługiwana przez układ kontrolno-pomiarowy nadzorujący pracę hydroelektrowni, oraz zbierający dane, które pozwalają ocenić funkcjonowanie wybranych systemów obiektu. Ilość i lokalizacja czujników kontrolujących parametry pracy systemów hydroelektrowni jest tak dobrana, aby komplet informacji zebranych z wszystkich czujników pozwolił na analizę pracy systemów hydroelektrowni w czasie rzeczywistym. Ponadto rejestracja wszystkich kontrolowanych parametrów pozwala na analizę pracy w dłuższych okresach. Praca ta przedstawia możliwości tego układu pomiarowego, jak i wyniki pomiarów uzyskanych w badanym obiekcie. Analiza pracy układu kontrolno-pomiarowego oraz zebranych i zarchiwizowanych danych będą stanowiły podstawę do stworzenia modelu symulacyjnego hydroelektrowni. Model taki będzie pomocny w optymalizacji pracy, pod względem produkcji energii na jednostkę objętości wody, istniejących już hydroelektrowni oraz projektowaniu nowych na istniejących stopniach wodnych

Dedicated control and measurement system for bioreactors to study the composting process

During the composting process, waste biomass with high moisture content undergoes various transformation in the presence of oxygen. The composting process is analyzed in dedicated bioreactors which are air-tight facilities with external air supply. Subject to the type of composted plant material, biomass should be periodically turned to promote even aeration. The following information is required to build a model of the composting process: oxygen (air) uptake, moisture content of exhaust gas, production of carbon dioxide, ammonia and other gases in the composting process, and temperature distribution inside the bioreactor. A temperature monitoring system for a bioreactor is difficult to build due to challenging operating conditions including the airtight structure of a bioreactor, high moisture content, the operation of temperature sensors in a highly aggressive environment, problems with uninterrupted power supply for the monitoring system in a bioreactor. This article presents a patented temperature monitoring system for a bioreactor. The system’s design and structure are discussed, and recommendations for functional improvements are made

The concept of a passive heat transport system from solar collectors

The paper presents a concept of building a passive heat transport system based on the use of an antigravity thermosyphon with a bubble pump. Such solutions are suggested when the heat source is located above the place of its reception, e.g. in the case of solar collector installations. One of the components of the system is the device forcing the circulation of the heating medium. In the presented system, this process is carried out without the use of additional external sources of energy, such as electricity, to supply the circulating pumps. Such an installation is autonomous, so the risk of failure is diminished. It is also possible to automatically adjust the system to changing operating conditions without the need for additional automation. Other known solutions of this type are not used due to their imperfection. The challenge is to select the right working medium, whose physical properties should on the one hand transmit as much heat as possible, and on the other hand enable the pumping of the heating medium to be performed with low energy consumption. In the opinion of the authors of the paper, it is possible to achieve with the use of two working media in one system: water and a substance with a low boiling point

Biogas Plant Exploitation in a Middle-Sized Dairy Farm in Poland: Energetic and Economic Aspects

Although cow manure is a valuable natural fertilizer, it is also a source of extreme greenhouse gas emissions, mainly methane. For this reason, this study aims to determine the impact of investments in a biogas plant on the energy and economic aspects of the operation of a dairy farm. A farm with a breeding size of 600 livestock units (LSU) was adopted for the analysis. In order to reach the paper’s aim, the analysis of two different scenarios of dairy farm functioning (conventional–only milk production, and modern–with biogas plant exploitation) was conducted. The analysis showed that the investment in biogas plant operations at a dairy farm and in using cow manure as one of the main substrates is a more profitable scenario compared to traditional dairy farming. Taking into account the actual Polish subsidies for electricity produced by small biogas plants, the scenario with a functioning biogas plant with a capacity of 500 kW brings €332,000/a more profit compared to the conventional scenario, even when taking into account additional costs, including the purchase of straw to ensure a continuous operation of the installation. Besides, in the traditional scenario, building a biogas plant allows for an almost complete reduction of greenhouse gas emissions during manure storage

Database System for Estimating the Biogas Potential of Cattle and Swine Feces in Poland

Animal biomass is an important substrate in the anaerobic digestion process. The implementation of a waste technology for energy production, such as the production of biogas from animal waste, has been recognized in many countries as one of the best ways to achieve the Sustainable Energy Development Goals. Without a systematic review of resources and accurate estimation of available sources in terms of the amount of potential electricity, it is impossible to manage biomass rationally. The main aim of the article was to present a new tool for assessing the biomass of animal origin and estimating its potential energy through a computer database, which will be widely available in the end of 2020 to show results from the calculation using the database. This tool is configured to enter the data on the developed and undeveloped biomass resources in production of farm animals in rural areas in Poland. Calculations from the database show the biogas potential of swine and cattle manure and slurry in Poland, which is approximately 5.04 billion m3, with a 60% share of methane in biogas. It is the value of approximately 3.03 billion m3 of methane. It is worth underlining that slurry and manure are not high-energy substrates; therefore, it is necessary to introduce more energetic substrate streams to improve the biogas plant efficiency