Pruning’s residues could be an important source for renewable energy production. However their use for this aim is actually hindered by various fences mainly linked to the lacking in harvesting phases and to the absence of a sustainable logistic chain for energy production. Considering this the AGROinLOG (Demonstration of innovative integrated biomass logistics centres (IBLC) for the Agro-industry sector in Europe) project aimed to develop Innovative Biomass Logistic Centres enhancing agricultural residues within existing production cycles. One of the study area of the project was Agios Kostantinos (Greece), a Greek locality in which the most important crop is olive tree. In this context pruning residues are actually seen mostly as a problem and not as a potential resource. According to what written above AGROinLOG activities in this study area aimed to develop a sustainable harvesting system for pruning residues, evaluating the performances of different machines currently available on market with a particular focus on machine performances and obtained biomass quality, in order to identify the best possible alternative for olive trees’ pruning harvesting and comminuting. One of the tested machine was the Greek Fotopoulos FSR2000. Conducted tests allowed to obtain an overall evaluation of this machine with particular references to work productivity, obtained biomass quality and economic performance of the harvesting systems. Notwithstanding Fotopoulos FSR2000 showed good performances for what concerning productivity and costs, obtained biomass quality resulted poor. Moreover the machine shows substantial design limits, for example the lack of a properly pick-up system. Thus Fotopoulos FSR2000 could represent an idea in order to minimize the initial investment but other machines, currently available on market, seemed to be more suitable for the aim of developing a IBLC in Agios Kostantinos context.
Olive Tree's Pruning Harvesting Using the Greek Modified Mulcher Fotopoulos FSR2000, Machine Performances and Biomass Quality Evaluation
Palmieri N;
2020-01-01
Abstract
Pruning’s residues could be an important source for renewable energy production. However their use for this aim is actually hindered by various fences mainly linked to the lacking in harvesting phases and to the absence of a sustainable logistic chain for energy production. Considering this the AGROinLOG (Demonstration of innovative integrated biomass logistics centres (IBLC) for the Agro-industry sector in Europe) project aimed to develop Innovative Biomass Logistic Centres enhancing agricultural residues within existing production cycles. One of the study area of the project was Agios Kostantinos (Greece), a Greek locality in which the most important crop is olive tree. In this context pruning residues are actually seen mostly as a problem and not as a potential resource. According to what written above AGROinLOG activities in this study area aimed to develop a sustainable harvesting system for pruning residues, evaluating the performances of different machines currently available on market with a particular focus on machine performances and obtained biomass quality, in order to identify the best possible alternative for olive trees’ pruning harvesting and comminuting. One of the tested machine was the Greek Fotopoulos FSR2000. Conducted tests allowed to obtain an overall evaluation of this machine with particular references to work productivity, obtained biomass quality and economic performance of the harvesting systems. Notwithstanding Fotopoulos FSR2000 showed good performances for what concerning productivity and costs, obtained biomass quality resulted poor. Moreover the machine shows substantial design limits, for example the lack of a properly pick-up system. Thus Fotopoulos FSR2000 could represent an idea in order to minimize the initial investment but other machines, currently available on market, seemed to be more suitable for the aim of developing a IBLC in Agios Kostantinos context.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
