Papers by Biomechanism and Bioenergy Research
Biomechanism and Bioenergy Research, 2024
One of the old methods of butter production, which is still used in parts of Africa and the West ... more One of the old methods of butter production, which is still used in parts of Africa and the West of Asia, is the process of churning in the skin of a goat or deer that is half filled with milk or yogurt and air, which is beaten reciprocating. This type of butter production in the current research is mechanized and is called machine-type reciprocating butter churner (MRBC). This device is composed of chassis, churner, churn carrier, connector or crank, rotating wheel, driving system or power transmission and balance weights. In order to evaluate MRBC, the effect of churning amplitude (40, 60 and 80 cm), churning frequency (50, 61 and 72 cpm) and the churner volume (13.5 and 21.3 liters) on the butter yield was investigated. The results showed that the amplitude, frequency and churner volume had a significant effect on the butter yield at the level of 1%. Regardless of the churner volume, the minimum and maximum butter yield was obtained in the lowest and highest amplitude and frequency, respectively. The present study gives a general overview of the butter yield affected by machine mechanical parameters.
Biomechanism and Bioenergy Research, 2024
This study specifically examines the process of producing and analyzing biodiesel made from casto... more This study specifically examines the process of producing and analyzing biodiesel made from castor oil using base-catalyzed transesterification. The catalyst used in this process is potassium hydroxide (KOH), and the methanol (CH₃OH) used has a purity of 99.9%. The biodiesel obtained was analyzed extensively to assess its quality. The characterization techniques employed were Gas Chromatography (GC) for compositional analysis, Flash Point measurement for safety assessment, Kinematic Viscosity evaluation for flow properties, and Density determination for mass-volume relationships. To perform a statistical analysis, the Response Surface Method (RSM) was employed to determine the optimal conditions that would yield the highest rate of biodiesel production among the potential solutions. This study focused on three key variables affecting the transesterification process: ultrasonic duty cycle (using a 24 kHz ultrasonic method varying the duty cycle from 20% to 100%), ultrasonic amplitude (varying from 20% to 100%), and reaction time (spanning from 10 to 15 minutes). This investigation achieved a biodiesel yield of 88.38% using a 60% ultrasonic amplitude, a single ultrasonic cycle, and a 15-minute reaction time. The regression model developed can be used to predict biodiesel's percentage conversion.
Biomechanism and Bioenergy Research, 2024
Remote sensing is a unique and cost-effective tool that provides information about the nitrogen s... more Remote sensing is a unique and cost-effective tool that provides information about the nitrogen status of plants in a non-destructive way. The objective of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of aerial multispectral imagery captured by UAV for estimating corn nitrogen (N) and chlorophyll (Chl) content at different growth stages. The study used a fully randomized experimental design with four treatments of nitrogen fertilizer (0, 50%, 100%, and 150%). Ten plants were randomly selected in each plot at the phenological stages of 8 leaves (V8) and tasseling growth stages (VT) for sampling. Leaf samples were taken to measure total nitrogen (N) and chlorophyll (Chl) content. Mathematical models were created using vegetation indices extracted from aerial multispectral images to estimate the amount of nitrogen and chlorophyll. The models were evaluated using the leave-one-out cross-validation method. The results showed that there is a significant positive relationship between the leaf dry weight (LDW), the Chl and N content with the amount of nitrogen fertilizer used. So, the results indicated that the REIP index is suitable for estimating chlorophyll content in both the V8 (R 2 of 0.997) and VT (R 2 of 0.980) growth stages. Additionally, the REIP index was found to be an appropriate index for estimating N content in both growth stages (R 2 of 0.980). It can be concluded that aerial multispectral remote sensing technology is a reliable method for estimating corn nitrogen and chlorophyll content.
Biomechanism and Bioenergy Research, 2024
Biohydrogen production is a green method that utilizes organic materials in activated sludge as a... more Biohydrogen production is a green method that utilizes organic materials in activated sludge as a substrate. The process involves microorganisms contracting the volume of the sludge content to produce hydrogen, CO2, CH4, and etc. However, the efficiency of this process is low. In this study, bioaugmentation was carried out by inoculating a 10% Escherichia coli suspension adapted in whey and activated sludge medium. The effects of parameters such as pH, temperature, and stirring, the concentration of whey as carbon source and nitrate as nitrogen source on hydrogen production were screened using the Plackett-Burman method with Minitab 21 software. Among the selected parameters, pH, temperature, concentration of whey and nitrate were found to be the most effective parameters in hydrogen production and were further optimized using Response surface methodology. Stirring wasn't statistically significant. The optimum conditions for hydrogen production were pH=5.4, temperature=39 ˚C, whey concentration=30 g/L, and nitrate concentration=3.6 g/L. Under these conditions with a 10% inoculation, the total volume of gas production was extended to 1.61 L per liters of activated sludge with 0.046 mole H2 per liters of activated sludge. Comparing the bioaugmentation method with other method showed that the total time of the process decreased by 8 hours. Additionally, hydrogen production started after 10 hours of incubation and reached its maximum value in 16 hours, resulting in a 59% increase in productivity in less than 16 hours.
Biomechanism and Bioenergy Research, 2024
Nowadays, emulsion plays a significant role in encapsulating nutrients and volatile essences. One... more Nowadays, emulsion plays a significant role in encapsulating nutrients and volatile essences. One of the new methods for emulsion production involves the use of nanoparticles. A novel approach in producing nanoparticles is through the utilization of spray drying nanoencapsulation. In this study, thyme emulsion produced by three methods (rotary, spray drying, and Tween 80) was investigated. The results of morphological analysis of chitosan-zein particles (produced by rotary and spray drying) using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed that the powder obtained from spray drying exhibited some agglomerated and clumpy regions, while the image of the powder obtained from the rotary method showed a more homogeneous and uniform structure. Particle size measurements indicated that the largest particle size was observed in the emulsion produced using the nano spray drying nanoencapsulation device. The rheological behavior of the emulsions demonstrated an increase in shear stress with an increase in shear rate for all samples in this research.
Biomechanism and Bioenergy Research, 2024
In the quest for improved anaerobic digestion (AD) efficiency and stability, iron-based additives... more In the quest for improved anaerobic digestion (AD) efficiency and stability, iron-based additives and drinking water treatment sludge (DWTS) have emerged as promising components. This study explores the kinetics of methane production during AD of dairy manure under various concentrations of iron shavings (IS) and Fe3O4 (10, 20, and 30 mg/L) and DWTS (6, 12, and 18 mg/L). The experimental data were employed to assess the suitability of the Michaelis-Menten model as a non-linear regression (NLR) equation for evaluating the kinetics of dairy manure AD with these additives. The results demonstrate that the Michaelis-Menten model exhibits sufficient predictive capability for estimating cumulative methane production during the digestion process. The model was then utilized to compare the average cumulative methane production across the investigated treatments using the least significant difference (LSD) method, as well as to calculate the quantity of methane production at 25%, 50%, 75%, and 90% of the final methane yield. Notably, the findings revealed a significant difference (P > 0.05) in biomethane production among the different levels of DWTS, IS, and Fe3O4. Additionally, treatments containing varying levels of DWTS exhibited significantly shorter time durations to achieve 25% and 50% of their maximum methane yield compared to treatments containing Fe3O4. The most pronounced changes in these parameters were observed between distinct levels of IS.
Biomechanism and Bioenergy Research, 2024
The high adaptability of cable robots to complex environments has led entrance of these types of ... more The high adaptability of cable robots to complex environments has led entrance of these types of robots into the agricultural sector in recent years. Kinematic and dynamic modelling of robots is essential to develop the control algorithms and optimize their movement. In this research, the kinematic analysis of a two-dimensional laboratory cable robot, which is being developed for agricultural applications, and the results of its movement simulation in Simscape Multibody environment of MATLAB software are presented. The motions simulation of the robot in reaching a hypothetical point and traveling a certain path have been done using PID controller. Before the final evaluation, the controller used to control the robot was adjusted, so that the robot shows a suitable and acceptable performance in terms of control indicators. Finally, the time response graphs of the robot in the states of reaching a hypothetical point and traveling a linear path were determined and analyzed. The values of rise time, peak time, overshoot, and steady state error at reaching point (40, 30) were 0.8 s, 2.3 s, 10-20 %, 0 respectively. Also, the peak time and overshoot values at traveling a linear path in X direction were 2.1 s and 50%, respectively. According to the simulation results, the designed robot behaved well in reaching a hypothetical point and traveling a certain path.
Biomechanism and Bioenergy Research, 2024
Smart and precision agriculture seeks to boost the efficiency of operations and crop yield by usi... more Smart and precision agriculture seeks to boost the efficiency of operations and crop yield by using modern technology. Modern tools such as sensors, imagery cameras, and deep learning enable farmers to identify and control weeds, pests, and diseases in real-time. A robotic platform can carry these modern types of equipment and achieve the mentioned objectives precisely. Automatic and accurate navigation of this autonomous robot in agricultural fields is essential for performing these precision tasks. An agricultural robotic platform was designed and developed for row crop fields. The robot navigation system comprises two main components: a vision-based row detection system for path tracking and a motion controller system. The vision-based guidance system processes acquired image data from a tilted camera in front of the robot to identify the crop row's position. The Hough transform method was used to determine the position of the crop rows. Using the resultant guidance line equations, the motion controller directs the robot to move automatically between rows without harming the crops. Differential speed steering allows both wheels on the robot to rotate at different speeds. The steering system improved the robot position error by controlling both powered wheel speeds. To move the robot among the crop rows, it generates the wheel speed difference command. The robotic platform effectively followed the rows of sugar beets at a velocity of 0.5 m/s, exhibiting an average lateral offset of 12 mm and a standard deviation of 22 mm.
Biomechanism and Bioenergy Research, 2024
In this study, the economic analysis of the architectural part of the building, the use of both t... more In this study, the economic analysis of the architectural part of the building, the use of both the solar thermal and solar electric systems in a poultry farm were discussed. In this economic analysis, the implementation of architectural solutions as well as the utilization of the solar thermal system considering the global gas price and the current gas rates in the country and finally the use of solar electric system with different subsidies were analyzed. Economic analysis was conducted using RETSCREEN software. The results showed that the internal rate of return (IRR) for the architectural solutions of using double-glazed windows and wall insulation, considering the global gas price, was estimated as 53.1% and, the investment return, taking into account the inflation and discount rates, was equal to 2.6 years, which is the breakeven point of investing in this solution. Utilizing the solar thermal system and without considering the cost of the underfloor heating system, the IRR value is equal to 34.1%, and considering the cost of the underfloor heating system, the IRR value is equal to 27.9%, which is economic in terms of these solutions. This option proves to be cost-effective. When employing the solar electric system with an IRR of 4.4%, this solution proves uneconomical under all circumstances due to the IRR falling below the bank rate and yielding a negative Net Present Value (NPV). However, when considering a 50% government subsidy and a 1.5-fold increase in the electricity purchase tariff for the solar electric system, this solution approaches the threshold of economic viability.
Biomechanism and Bioenergy Research, Jun 2024
Given the limited awareness among farmers regarding agricultural spraying drones, the Analytic Hi... more Given the limited awareness among farmers regarding agricultural spraying drones, the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) method serves as a valuable tool to assist farmers in systematically selecting the most high-performing drone from the available options. This research employed the AHP method, utilizing Expert Choice software, to evaluate and prioritize several drone sprayers in the southern region of Kerman province, specifically Pelikan1, T16, T20, and MG-1P. Various parameters, including coverage percentage, spraying quality coefficient, spraying uniformity, device price, amount of pesticide consumption, and droplet diameter, were thoroughly examined to establish distinct priorities for each parameter. Within the AHP framework, the coverage percentage was accorded the highest weight of 0.340, while spraying uniformity received the lowest weight of 0.100. The spraying quality coefficient, cost, and amount of pesticide consumption were assigned weights of 0.222, 0.185, and 0.153, respectively. Consequently, the T16 drone sprayer emerged with the highest rank, carrying a weight of 0.277 in comparison to other drone sprayers. In contrast, Pelikan1 attained the lowest rank with a weight of 0.225. The prioritization of spraying drones based on their performance is as follows: T16, T20, MG-1P, and Pelikan1, respectively. This study provides valuable insights for farmers seeking to optimize the utilization of drone sprayers in the southern region of Kerman province.
Biomechanism and Bioenergy Research, 2023
In order to investigate the impact of four types of consumed fuels on the emission of exhaust gas... more In order to investigate the impact of four types of consumed fuels on the emission of exhaust gases from two common car engines (TYPE I and TYPE II) under identical conditions, an experimental study was conducted in Islam Abad Gharb, the central location for automotive technical. The study followed factorial completely randomized design with six replicates. After preparing the engines according to relevant standards, sampling was carried out while the engines were idling at a low RPM with the gear lever in neutral. The fuels examined in this research comprised export gasoline, super gasoline, regular gasoline, and CNG gas. The measured exhaust gases exhausted from the engines included oxygen (O2), carbon monoxide (CO), carbon dioxide (CO2), unburned hydrocarbons (HC), and nitrogen oxides (NOX). These gases were compared with international standards and those set by automotive technical inspection centers. The results indicated that the volumetric percentages of oxygen produced during the combustion of export gasoline are 0.14% and 0.04% for TYPE II and TYPE I engines, respectively. Additionally, carbon monoxide percentages are 0.016% and 0.023% for TYPE II and TYPE I engines. Furthermore, carbon dioxide emissions are 8.56% and 10.20% for TYPE II and TYPE I engines, respectively. The TYPE I engine exhibits a lower impact on hydrocarbon emissions across all fuels. In terms of nitrogen oxide (NOx) concentrations, the TYPE I engine consistently plays a lesser role compared to the TYPE II engine for all tested fuels.
In order to investigate the impact of four types of consumed fuels on the emission of exhaust gas... more In order to investigate the impact of four types of consumed fuels on the emission of exhaust gases from two common car engines (TYPE I and TYPE II) under identical conditions, an experimental study was conducted in Islam Abad Gharb, the central location for automotive technical. The study followed factorial completely randomized design with six replicates. After preparing the engines according to relevant standards, sampling was carried out while the engines were idling at a low RPM with the gear lever in neutral. The fuels examined in this research comprised export gasoline, super gasoline, regular gasoline, and CNG gas. The measured exhaust gases exhausted from the engines included oxygen (O2), carbon monoxide (CO), carbon dioxide (CO2), unburned hydrocarbons (HC), and nitrogen oxides (NOX). These gases were compared with international standards and those set by automotive technical inspection centers. The results indicated that the volumetric percentages of oxygen produced during the combustion of export gasoline are 0.14% and 0.04% for TYPE II and TYPE I engines, respectively. Additionally, carbon monoxide percentages are 0.016% and 0.023% for TYPE II and TYPE I engines. Furthermore, carbon dioxide emissions are 8.56% and 10.20% for TYPE II and TYPE I engines, respectively. The TYPE I engine exhibits a lower impact on hydrocarbon emissions across all fuels. In terms of nitrogen oxide (NOx) concentrations, the TYPE I engine consistently plays a lesser role compared to the TYPE II engine for all tested fuels.
Biomechanism and Bioenergy Research, 2023
To minimize potential damage, it is crucial to carefully harvest greenhouse crops like tomatoes a... more To minimize potential damage, it is crucial to carefully harvest greenhouse crops like tomatoes at the optimal time. To improve this process, the use of robotic harvesting methods has been proposed. The robotic harvester consists of important components including a mobile platform with robotics, displacement units that can move linearly or rotationally, a manipulator, a gripper, a camera, an image processingbased fruit detection unit, and a depth sensor. A robotic manipulator with three linear degrees of freedom was created in the Cartesian coordinate system. To enhance its capabilities, a gripper mechanism was incorporated, providing an additional rotational degree of freedom. The primary objective of this robot was to autonomously detect the position of ripe tomatoes. To achieve this, the displacement control of both the robot arms and gripper was executed through commands from the image processing unit. Different channel of some color space was studied. The effectiveness of this channels was assessed by conducting tests in the presence of tomato plants. The accuracy of the system in approaching the crop were thoroughly evaluated. Channels H of HSV color space, Cr of YCrCb color space, and a of Lab color space showed better result. The accuracy of detecting ripe tomatoes in channel H of HSV color space was the highest and 87%.
Biomechanism and Bioenergy Research, 2023
Due to the shortage of water resources and frequent droughts, optimizing the use of food resource... more Due to the shortage of water resources and frequent droughts, optimizing the use of food resources to provide feed for animal is an important issue. In this study, pistachio shells were collected and stored in open air environment to reduce their moisture content. Then, they were powdered using a grinder to produce pellets using a developed hydraulic pelletizer, and the mechanical properties of the produced pellets were measured using a biological material testing machine. An experimental design with four factors, including moisture levels of 15 and 20%, particle sizes of 0.6 and 1 mm, mold diameters of 8 and 10 mm, and compression pressures of 6,000, 8,000 and 11,000 kPa, was carried out in a completely randomized design. The density, fracture energy, and toughness of the produced pellets were measured. The results showed that the independent effects of moisture, mold diameter, and compression pressure were significant on all the above properties (P ≤ 0.05), and the effect of particle size was significant on the density and toughness of the pellets (P ≤ 0.05). Additionally, some of their interactions had a significant effect on the density, fracture energy, and toughness of the pellets (P ≤ 0.05). The coefficient of variation and determination coefficient were 1.92% and R 2 = 0.83 for density, 25.42% and R 2 = 0.49 for fracture energy, and 66.23%, R 2 = 0.41 for pellet toughness, respectively. Therefore, producing pellets from pistachio shell waste can be a good option to reduce transportation costs, produce Animal feed, and reduce environmental pollution.
Due to the shortage of water resources and frequent droughts, optimizing the use of food resource... more Due to the shortage of water resources and frequent droughts, optimizing the use of food resources to provide feed for animal is an important issue. In this study, pistachio shells were collected and stored in open air environment to reduce their moisture content. Then, they were powdered using a grinder to produce pellets using a developed hydraulic pelletizer, and the mechanical properties of the produced pellets were measured using a biological material testing machine. An experimental design with four factors, including moisture levels of 15 and 20%, particle sizes of 0.6 and 1 mm, mold diameters of 8 and 10 mm, and compression pressures of 6,000, 8,000 and 11,000 kPa, was carried out in a completely randomized design. The density, fracture energy, and toughness of the produced pellets were measured. The results showed that the independent effects of moisture, mold diameter, and compression pressure were significant on all the above properties (P ≤ 0.05), and the effect of particle size was significant on the density and toughness of the pellets (P ≤ 0.05). Additionally, some of their interactions had a significant effect on the density, fracture energy, and toughness of the pellets (P ≤ 0.05). The coefficient of variation and determination coefficient were 1.92% and R 2 = 0.83 for density, 25.42% and R 2 = 0.49 for fracture energy, and 66.23%, R 2 = 0.41 for pellet toughness, respectively. Therefore, producing pellets from pistachio shell waste can be a good option to reduce transportation costs, produce Animal feed, and reduce environmental pollution.
Biomechanism and Bioenergy Research, 2023
Energy supply is one of the most important current issues in the world. The most uses of fossil f... more Energy supply is one of the most important current issues in the world. The most uses of fossil fuels are for providing power to internal combustion engines. The increase in the global price of fossil fuels and the environmental concerns have made researchers to look for alternate sources of energies, such as biofuels. The main disadvantage of biofuels is their low heating values. However, they can be used as gasoline additives. The aim of this study was to evaluate the energy balance of a four-cylinder gasoline engine with ethanol and n-butanol alcohols in different volume percentages at three different engine speed of 1000, 1500, 2000 rpm. The results showed that the engine brake power increased in fuel blends that contain bio-alcohols compared to pure gasoline fuel. Also, by increasing the engine speed, the engine brake power of the fuel blends increased so that at 2000 rpm, the G70E15B15 fuel blend had the highest brake power of 47.1 kW. Also, the exhaust heat loss in fuel blends containing ethanol and n-butanol increased compared to pure gasoline, and also increased with the increase in engine speed. The lowest exhaust heat loss of 3.98 kW related to pure gasoline at 1000 rpm and the highest exhaust heat loss of 6.38 kW for G70E15B15 fuel blend at 2000 rpm were obtained. Pure gasoline fuel had lower heat loss of cooling system than other fuel blends. Heat loss of cooling system decreased with increasing speed from 1000 to 2000 rpm. Therefore, the G70E15B15 fuel blend with 11.01 kW and pure gasoline with 2.89 kW had the highest and lowest heat loss of cooling system, respectively.
Biomechanism and Bioenergy Research, 2023
Today, concerns regarding global warming resulting from fossil fuel usage and the depletion of th... more Today, concerns regarding global warming resulting from fossil fuel usage and the depletion of these resources have led individuals to consider alternative, clean energy sources. Renewable energies such as solar energy are non-polluting, inexhaustible resources, serving as an excellent alternative to fossil fuels. Solar concentrate sunlight, directing it towards the solar oven. Utilizing renewable energy for cooking not only saves time and money but also ensures safety and security. The aim of this research is to construct and assess a solar oven equipped with a point Fresnel lens. The evaluations were conducted over a three-day period in March 2023. The maximum total thermal efficiency obtained for heating the milk for three days with different radiation intensity, wind speed and ambient temperature tested was 45%, 72.7% and 90%, respectively. The findings indicated that the solar oven could raise the milk temperature to 80℃ within one hour. The maximum attainable performance of this system was 90%.
Biomechanism and Bioenergy Research, 2023
Due to different reasons, such as the destructive effects of fossil fuel consumption, climate cha... more Due to different reasons, such as the destructive effects of fossil fuel consumption, climate changes, global warming, and threats to human health, biomass is considered as alternate fuel. This biofuel is the most widespread source of renewable energy, and its scientific exploitation is increasing. In this research, pistachio pruning residues including leaves and stems were separately used as a source for biomass and their combustion and heat characteristics were investigated. A TGA device was used for thermal analysis and the combustion properties including enthalpy of combustion, high heating value (HHV) and low heating value (LHV) were measured experimentally and by using regression equations. The amounts of cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin in stem were 48%, 16%, and 15%, respectively, and the same materials for leaves were 35%, 19%, and 32%, respectively. The high calorific value was calculated using regression equations, which were calculated as 17.5 MJ/kg for stem and 14.5 MJ/kg for leaves. The results showed that the two methods for determining the HHV and LHV were in good agreement with each other. The TGA analysis of the samples showed that the thermal decomposition of stem and leaves starts at a temperature of about 220°C, but during the initial stage of decomposition, the decomposition rate for stem is more severe than the decomposition rate of leaves.
Biomechanism and Bioenergy Research, 2023
Accurate assessment and monitoring of plant water stress are essential for optimizing irrigation ... more Accurate assessment and monitoring of plant water stress are essential for optimizing irrigation strategies, improving water use efficiency. This article explores the multifaceted issue of water stress, encompassing both agricultural and environmental contexts. It emphasizes the pivotal role of precise water stress detection in effectively managing water resources and fostering sustainable agricultural practices. The primary focus is on the progression of sensors designed specifically to detect water stress, with particular attention given to two approaches: Vapor Pressure Deficit (VPD) and Crop Water Stress Index (CWSI). The article thoroughly investigates the underlying principles, operational mechanisms, advantages, and limitations of these sensor technologies. It vividly showcases their wideranging applications across agriculture, horticulture, and environmental monitoring, elucidating their significance in each domain. Moreover, it delves into the integration of VPD and CWSI sensors and introduces emerging technologies like thermal imaging and chlorophyll fluorescence sensors, expanding the horizon of water stress detection methodologies. Addressing the challenges linked to calibration and data interpretation, the article proposes potential pathways for future research endeavors. In essence, the overarching goal of this article is to propel the development of advanced sensor technologies, ultimately facilitating precise water stress detection. It aims to bolster sustainable water resource management practices while fortifying resilient agricultural methods in the face of evolving environmental challenges. VPD and CWSI-based approaches offer precise water stress insights in agriculture, aiding irrigation management.
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Papers by Biomechanism and Bioenergy Research