FAIR-CT96-5011 Modelling the logistics of harvest of Miscanthus giganteus

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Crops for Biocomposites/Boards : FAIR Marie Curie Research Training Grants : Solid Biofuels

Objectives:

The highest costs associated with the production of the large grass Miscanthus concerns farm machinery, conservation systems and transport and are dependent on such criteria as crop and soil characteristics, and local weather. For accurate and optimal cost calculations various costs factors as their dependence on workability are required. Since no data based on long-term experience with this crop were available, many of these parameters have to be calculated using models. A general method for energy and cost calculation has been developed as a simulation model. The objective of the research was to select chains for harvest and storage of Miscanthus as a biomass crop for energy and apply this model.

Activities and Results:

This research can be split up in two main periods: initially data was collected through laboratory and field tests and literature research. Later an optimisation model was built. The first part of the research paid particular attention to the behaviour of machines in the field with aim to select the most interesting chains and to calculate their costs. In addition some tests on crops were carried out, mainly with respect to shoot re-growth and trends in changing moisture content during the harvest season.

Literature investigations focused mainly on the research of energy data sources.

The second part of the research project concerned the design of the model. This model, called APROCHOPS (Agricultural PROduction CHain Optimization Simulation model), has been developed for and applied first to Miscanthus, but can be modified for other crops. It can be applied to different regions so the constraints due to workability, and its effects on cost and energy input variations can be illustrated as can a method for the optimisation of costs of harvest, storage and transport for various applications. In future the model can be modified and applied also to other crops (hemp, sorghum, etc.) and will become an important tool for long term planning. The model includes various sub-models relating to drying in the field and in storage, soil conditions and effect of soil damage, re-growth of shoots, loss of leaves or stem tops in the course of the spring, decrease of yield of the next year crop due to the removal of shoots, workability and costs. The model was programmed in Delphi.

Conclusions:

The model works in general, but in some specific situations the outputs do not match real data. For this reason further studies must be carried out.

Keywords: Simulation model, harvest, Miscanthus giganteus

Contacts

Scientific Supervisor

• Wageningen University Farm Technology Group / NETHERLANDS