Energy and emission benefits of chicken manure biogas production: a case study.

Studies on the production of biogas of different organic materials in an anaerobic environment are being carried out all over the world. The most important parameters in these researches can be listed as raw material potential, production processes, economic analyses, and environmental effects. Chicken manure is one of the raw materials used in biogas production. In this study, in addition to the analysis of biogas and energy production potential from chicken manure, greenhouse gas emissions were analyzed to evaluate environmental effects. In Turkey, chicken manure is not adequately processed and causes environmental pollution. The model biogas plant and potential energy generation were researched in this field study. The pilot plant produces 8.58 million m3 of biogas per year by processing about 110 thousand tons of waste. It produces 17 GWh/year of electricity and 16 GWh/year of thermal energy, as well as reducing CO2 greenhouse gas emissions by 13.86 thousand tons/year.

Investigation of particulate matter by FTIR, TEM and elemental analyses in a diesel engine operating on diesel and waste cooking oil-biodiesel.

This study investigated the use of a blend of waste vegetable oil and diesel fuel in a diesel tractor engine by comparing the resulting particulate matter (PM) collected on a filter with the PM of diesel fuel. To this purpose, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and elemental analyses were carried out and the PM collected on the filters was examined via scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The study also investigated the overall morphology of soot particles from the blend of 75% waste cooking oil (WCO) + 25% diesel (B75) in a diesel engine at three different loads (75%, 50% and 10%) compared with the morphology of the soot particles from diesel fuel (B0). The FTIR spectra of the B75 fuel exhibited the characteristic regions of oxygen bonds. Compared to the B0 fuel, the increased oxidation from the excess oxygen in the B75 fuel reduced the size and number of soot particles. It was also verified that the degree of unsaturation was related to the oxygen content of the B75 fuel. The FTIR spectra of the B75 fuel showed a C = O tensile band methyl ester in 1734 cm-1 and C-O bands at 1214-1362 cm-1. Furthermore, similar FTIR spectra were seen for the diesel fuel (B0) and the B75 fuel. The results showed a significant reduction in soot particle emissions with the WCO-diesel blend. The results of this research have enabled a better evaluation of the effects of different fuel usage on diesel engine combustion performance and emission characteristics.

Utilization of waste cooking oil as an alternative fuel for Turkey.

This study is based on three essential considerations concerning biodiesel obtained from waste cooking oil: diesel engine emissions of biodiesel produced from waste cooking oil, its potential in Turkey, and policies of the Turkish government about environmentally friendly alternative fuels. Emission tests have been realized with 35.8 kW, four-cylinder, four-stroke, direct injection diesel tractor engine. Test results are compared with Euro non-road emission standards for diesel fuel and five different blends of biodiesel production from waste cooking oil. The results of the experimental study show that the best blends are B10 and B20 as they show the lowest emission level. The other dimensions of the study include potential analysis of waste cooking oil as diesel fuels, referring to fuel price policies applied in the past, and proposed future policies about the same issues. It was also outlined some conclusions and recommendations in connection with recycling of waste oils as alternative fuels.

Online measurement of soil organic carbon as correlated with wheat normalised difference vegetation index in a vertisol field.

This study explores the potential of visible and near infrared (vis-NIR) spectroscopy for online measurement of soil organic carbon (SOC). It also attempts to explore correlations and similarities between the spatial distribution of SOC and normalized differential vegetation index (NDVI) of a wheat crop. The online measurement was carried out in a clay vertisol field covering 10 ha of area in Karacabey, Bursa, Turkey. Kappa statistics were carried out between different SOC and NDVI data to investigate potential similarities. Calibration model of SOC in full cross-validation resulted in a good accuracy (R (2) = 0.75, root mean squares error of prediction (RMSEP) = 0.17%, and ratio of prediction deviation (RPD) = 1.81). The validation of the calibration model using laboratory spectra provided comparatively better prediction accuracy (R (2) = 0.70, RMSEP = 0.15%, and RPD = 1.78), as compared to the online measured spectra (R (2) = 0.60, RMSEP = 0.20%, and RPD = 1.41). Although visual similarity was clear, low similarity indicated by a low Kappa value of 0.259 was observed between the online vis-NIR predicted full-point (based on all points measured in the field, e.g., 6486 points) map of SOC and NDVI map.