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This research was conducted to feasibility study and simulation of utilization of renewable energies (solar and biomass) in broiler industry in Khorramabad County. Data was collected by field sampling (for a breeding period in winter 2015-2016) and from organizations. In the simulation of a grid-connected photovoltaic system (20 kW) with PVsyst 6.7 software, the average performance ratio and available useful energy of the system were calculated at 0.785 and 4.75 kWh/kWp/day, respectively. The use of photovoltaic system can cover 25% of electrical energy in broiler production farms in winter season. Also, in feasibility study of combined heat and power system, the potential of biogas production from broiler manure was calculated at 448.5 m³ per 1000 pieces of broiler. The use of biogas plant can supply 98% of the electrical energy of broiler production farms in winter season. According to the results, the use of renewable energies in the present conditions, despite the reduction of fossil fuels consumption and many environmental benefits, in the broiler industry is not economical. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Petroleum contains carcinogens and toxic substances that can have an unfavorable impact on environmental quality and human health when the soil becomes contaminated with crude oil. BBiostimulation and bioaugmentation are the main strategies in the bioremediation of oilcontaminated soils. To decompose old-aged petroleum pollution in saline soil, a full factorial experiment was utilized. The experiment was designed using a completely randomized design with four factors: bacterial inoculum, sugarcane bagasse, chemical fertilizer, and molasses. The application of these factors was conducted in four separate experiments: pretreatment of agricultural soil and spent mushroom compost, pretreatment of spent mushroom compost, pretreatment of agricultural soil, and no pretreatment. After a 60-day incubation period at 28 °C, the results showed that the organic wastes of molasses and spent mushroom compost in combination with bacterial inoculum reduced total petroleum hydrocarbons 38 and 33.3%, respectively. Molasses had a considerable impact on increasing the efficiency of bacterial inoculum 1 and bacterial inoculum 3. Similarly, spent mushroom compost was found to significantly affect bacterial inoculum 1. In addition, bagasse was observed to accelerate the bioremediation process by improving the physical conditions of the soil. In the pretreatment of agricultural soil, bagasse in combination with bacterial inoculum 1 and chemical fertilizer reduced the total petroleum hydrocarbons significantly (38%) compared to the control treatment. These results highlight the effectiveness of organic wastes as biostimulation agents in promoting the growth and reproduction of the soil microbial community, as well as establishing the bacterial inoculum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The goal of this study was to examine the energy flows for poultry breeding in broiler production farms in Alborz province of Iran. Data were obtained randomly from 30 poultry production farms using a face to face questionnaire method. The results indicated that the total input energy was 189805.48 MJ per 1000 birds, while the output energy was 28151.17 MJ/(1000 bird). Net energy was negative, -161654.31 MJ/(1000 bird), implying that energy had been lost. Energy use efficiency was calculated as 0.15, showing the inefficient use of energy in the broiler production farms. The fuel energy (energy content of the fuel) with a share of 58.35% had the highest share of input energy and the feed energy by 29.71% was the next. Greenhouse gas (GHG) emission of the studied farms was 10267.96 kg CO2-eq/(1000 bird). Among different inputs, feed with 48% had the highest share of GHG emissions. Cobb-Douglas frontier production function was adopted to specify the production technology of the farms. Econometric model evaluation showed that the effects of diesel fuel and feed on output energy was significant at 1% level. The marginal physical productivity (MPP) values of energy inputs based on sensitivity analysis were 0.04 and 0.51 for diesel fuel and feed, respectively. The variability results between poultry farms showed that the most variability comes from fuel consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Some of agricultural operations such as privet stem pruning are slow, repetitive and occasionally dangerous for operators. Almost operators of privet trimmers are exposed to the unpleasant and dangerous arm and body vibrations and sound of pruning machines. The knowing of the shearing behaviors of privet stem have an important role in the design and fabricate of suitable pruning machine. So a series of experimental tests were performed to measure the shear force, shear consumption energy and shear strength of stem internodes of privet stalk under quasi-static and impact cutting at different loading rate, different internode position and moisture level 58% wet base. In the quasi-static cutting test, the stalk specimens were cut in the quasi-static process at four loading rates: 5, 10, 15 and 20 mm min-1 and three internode positions: fifth, tenth and fifteenth. In impact cutting test, the stalk specimens were served in impact process at four loading rates: 1, 2, 3 and 4 m s-1 and three internode positions: fifth, tenth and fifteenth. In quasi-static cutting, the variance analysis of the data indicated that the loading rate created significant effect on shear strength and shear consumption energy in probability level of 5%. Also the internode position and the interaction effect of loading rate and internode position, created significant effects on shear strength and shear consumption energy in probability level of 1%. Based on the statistical analysis, the average values of shear consumption energy and shear strength were obtained as 556.70 J from 95.35 to 1567.95 J and 29.12 MPa from 19.63 to 37.04 MPa respectively. In impact cutting, the variance analysis of the data results showed that the effects of loading rate, internode position and interaction effect of loading rate on internode position, created significant effect on shear consumption energy and shear strength in probability level of 1%. The data statistical analysis showed the average values of shear consumption energy and shear strength were obtained as 17.16 J from 3.19 to 28.60 J and 1.01 MPa from 0.21 to 2.53 MPa respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]