John B. Dobie

Tub Grinder Performance with Crop and Forest Residues

ABSTRACT TWO sizes of tub grinders were used to grind selected agricultural crop and forest residues, using screens with hole diameters of 12.7, 19.1, 50.8, and 76.2 mm. Information was obtained on grinding rates, grinder energy requirements, and particle size distributions and bulk densities of the ground materials. In most of the tests, fuel energy input to the grinder represented only 0.7 to 2.1 percent of the higher heating value of the ground material. Except when using the smallest screen hole sizes, estimated costs for the grinding operation were in the range between

Performance of Large Balers for Collecting Rice Straw

5/Mg and

Agricultural Residues: Renewable Energy for Utility Power Companies

13/Mg.

Management of Rice Straw for Utilization

ABSTRACT Alarge rectangular baler was tested and evaluated for application in harvesting rice straw. Baler performance is compared to that of big roll balers and other handling systems. Large bale systems offer economic advantages over small rectangular bale systems. Large rectangular bales are excellent for transport but must be provided with covered storage to avoid spoilage. Big roll bales are less desirable for long distance transport but can be left in uncovered storage without excessive dry matter loss. Total delivered cost of straw depends on packaging system, transporation distance, processing requirements, and utilization mode.

Outside Storage of Baled Rice Straw

ABSTRACT MUCH attention is currently focused on the use of biomass as fuel. Most research is concerned with the conversion of biomass into useful energy forms: li-quids, gases, high density solids, process steam, or elec-tricity. However, the identification of expected collection and transportation costs for biomass is necessary before biomass can be conceived of as fuel. This paper presents the results of one of the first attempts to quantify the pro-cesses that must occur prior to the conversion of distrib-uted biomass resources such as agricultural and forest residues. Specifically, the results presented here of a pre-liminary feasibility study undertaken for a major Califor-nia combined gas and electric utility company indicate that distributed biomass resources can be collected, pro-cessed, stored, transported, and delivered to locally sited conversion facilities at costs competitive with other fuels. While research was performed using California data, the results are common to most of the biomass produced in the United States.

Ground Level Harvest of Rice Straw

ABSTRACT BALING of rice straw, either in rectangular or big roll bales provides the most adaptable system available for collection and removal of straw from rice fields following combining. Commercial models of balers were evaluated for operating characteristics, capacities, and economics. Bale handling, storage and transport were evaluated for both types of bales.

Forage Mechanization Systems for Hawaii

ABSTRACT BIG roll bales of rice straw were baled at moisture contents ranging from below 20 up to 50 percent. Spontaneous heating occurred during outside storage in straw baled at more than 20 percent moisture, but cooled to ambient temperature by 3 to 8 wk after baling. Straw baled at 40 to 50 percent moisture reached maximum temperatures of about 65 °C during the first four days of storage. Energy and crude protein content were signif-icantly decreased, and fiber and silica content were sig-nificantly increased with an increase in moisture content at the time of baling and storage.

Wafered Versus Baled Alfalfa Hay for Milk Production

ABSTRACT RICE straw was cut as near the ground as possible by two different methods for collection and removal, and compared to burning and to incorporation into the soil. Straw collection and roadsiding by standard haymaking equipment was satisfactory in good field conditions, which normally occur through the first half of the harvest season. Cost of straw harvest was increased

Cubability of Rice Straw as Affected by Various Binders

3.30/t (tonne) by ground level harvest due to slower ground speed compared to normal harvest. Straw harvest and roadsiding cost about

High- and Low-Moisture Content Alfalfa Wafers Compared to Baled Hay for Milk Production

24/t. Stem rot control for ground level harvest and removal of the straw was similar to field burning.