The aim of this master´s thesis was the design of a small hydraulic press for bio-briquettes according to predetermined parameters. The theoretical part presents the current situation in terms of biomass processing, briquette production and a description of briquetting presses. The practical part deals with solutions and detailed structural design of the selected alternatives. Models and drawings were created in the SolidWorks 2011.

I Sverige finns det mycket skog att tillgå och en del av skogen används som energikälla för uppvärmning av hus. Många hus värms upp av pelletspannor och det finns många omoderna pelletspannor runt om i Sverige. Denna rapport syftar till att bygga om en pelletspanna av modell Ariterm PX21 från år 2009 med hjälp av lambdareglering.Brännaren idag har ingen teknik som kontrollerar förbränningen. Syftet med lambdaregleringen är att en lambdasond, som ska styra matarskruven till pelletsbrännaren, ska installeras och därmed styra förbränningen. Frågeställningen för arbetet är om en installation av lambdareglering förbättrar förbränningen och i sådana fall hur lång tid det tar innan investeringen lönar sig.En lambdasond installerades på rökröret och två Arduinos programmerades och installerades tillsammans med ett relä som är kopplat till matarskruvens strömförsörjning. Mätningar av avgaserna har genomförts både före och efter installationen och en förbättring på värdena NO, NOx och CO2 uppmättes vid lambdareglering. Vidare förbättrades verkningsgraden och bränsleförbrukningen. Förbränningen kan därmed antas vara mer fullständig med lambdareglering jämfört med utan. Efter inköpskostnaderna för installationen och besparingarna på pellets är installationen intjänad på en säsong. / There is a vast amount of forest in Sweden and parts of that is used as an energy source to heat up homes. Many homes are heated with pellet burners and some of these are old and inefficient. The purpose of this report is to rebuild a 2009 Ariterm PX21 pellet burner by installing a lambda controller.Currently, the burner has no built-in technique that controls the combustion. The purpose of the lambda controller is to control the pellet feeder to the burner with a lambda transmitter and by that control the combustion. The report aims to answer if that installation will improve the combustion and how long it will take until the investment is profitable.A lambda transmitter has been installed on the funnel and two Arduinos has been programmed and installed together with a relay connected to the feeder’s electrical supply. Exhaust measurements have been performed both before and after the installations. There was an improvement on NO, NOx, and CO2 after the installation. There was also an improvement of the efficiency and fuel consumption. Therefore, the installation of a lambda controller can be considered to improve the combustion. With the expenses made and the savings on pellet consumption, the installation will be profitable within one season.

Kieserit ist neben Sylvin und Halit ein Hauptbestandteil des als Hartsalz bezeichneten Salzgesteines der deutschen Salzlagerstätten. In neuerer Zeit gewinnt der Kieserit (Magnesiumsulfat-monohydrat) zunehmende Bedeutung als schnell wirkender Magnesiumdünger zur Sulfat-Versorgung schwefelarmer Böden. Zur Überführung des Kieserits in hochwertiges Granulat ist die in der Kaliindustrie dominierende Kompaktier-Zerkleinerungs-Technologie nicht geeignet. Bei diesem Verfahren wird das Düngemittel durch Hochdruckverdichtung (p > 150 MPa) ohne Bindemittel verpresst. Es konnte durch umfangreiche Versuche nachgewiesen werden, dass 1. die Kompaktier-Zerkleinerungs-Technologie erst dann geeignet ist, wenn die Prozessbedingungen stark verändert werden. 2. besonders hochwertige Granulate dann entstehen, wenn der Kieserit mit Gleitmitteln in Flachmatrizen-Pelletpressen geformt und verdichtet sowie nachfolgend auf w ≤ 2 % getrocknet wird. Es wurde eine große Anzahl an Gleitmitteln erfolgreich getestet. Durch Reaktion zwischen Gleitmittel und Kieserit bei der Trocknung entstehen besonders hochwertige Granulate.

Snacks are often associated with chips and expanded snack products that generally known for their characteristic texture. These products are normally high in calories with a low content of nutrients and are therefore perceived as unhealthy by many consumers.In addition to their low nutrient content, they might be a source of acrylamide,which has been classified as human carcinogen by the European Food Safety Authority. The growing demand for healthier snack foods has led manufactures to begin experimenting with new processing techniques.  The aim of the study is to evaluate product qualities as affected by two different processing techniques of snack pellets. The more conventional expansion method of deep frying in oilis compared to roasting, using salt as a heat conductor. In order to evaluate the effect of salt-roasting, analyses of salt, fat, water and acrylamide content has been carried out. A sensory triangle test was conducted to determine if there is a difference in texture between snacks expanded using the two processing techniques.  Results indicate that salt-roastingmay have a positive effect by reducing the level of acrylamide in the product. Furthermore, salt-roasting provides a snack pellet with a lower fat content. However, the salt-roasting technique results in a higher salt content in the snack as compared to deep frying. The results from the triangle test shows that there was a significant (p=<0.005) difference between the texture of deep fried and roasted snack pellets. Based on the qualitative commentary of the panelists,  the salt-roasted snack pellets are smaller in size and have a harder and more compact texture compared to the deep fried ones.It is important to point out that results of the study are limited and should only be considered as indications.

Future magnetic fusion reactors such as tokamaks will need innovative, fast, deep-fueling systems to inject frozen deuterium-tritium pellets at high speeds and high repetition rates into the hot plasma core. There have been several studies and concepts for pellet injectors generated, and different devices have been proposed. In addition to fueling, recent studies show that it may be possible to disrupt edge localized mode (ELM) formation by injecting pellets or gas into the fusion plasma. The system studied is capable of doing either at a variety of plasma and pellet velocities, volumes, and repetition rates that can be controlled through the formation conditions of the plasma. In magnetic or inertial fusion reactors, hydrogen, its isotopes, and lithium are used as fusion fueling materials. Lithium is considered a fusion fuel and not an impurity in fusion reactors as it can be used to produce fusion energy and breed fusion products. Lithium hydride and lithium deuteride may serve as good ablating sleeves for plasma formation in an ablation-dominated electrothermal plasma source to propel fusion pellets. Previous studies have shown that pellet exit velocities, greater 3 km/s, are possible using low-z propellant materials. In this work, a comprehensive study of solid lithium hydride and deuteride as a pellet propellant is conducted using the ETFLOW code, and relationships between propellants, source and barrel geometry, pellet volume and aspect ratio, and pellet velocity are determined for pellets ranging in volume from 1 to 100 mm3. / Master of Science

Commercial broilers are fed exclusively pelleted diets; this is due to research that has demonstrated numerous benefits to feeding pellets. The first objective was to investigate the effects of modest improvements in pellet quality on two modern broiler strains. Regardless of strain, feeding 80% pellets improved broiler performance from d 28 to 42. The second objective was to investigate the effects of feed form and liquid application method on feed augering segregation and subsequent broiler performance. In general, percent pellets steadily decreased across location throughout feed augering. Also, phytase segregation occurred throughout augering and was exacerbated in post-pellet liquid application diets. When the augered diets were fed to broilers, 75% pellets and post-pellet liquid application diets improved performance. The final objective was to investigate the change in percent pellets as feed was augered throughout an entire commercial poultry house. Ultimately, creating high-quality pellets decreases pellet attrition and improves broiler performance.

This thesis presents three separate manuscripts in chapter format dealing with the ecology of Chukars (Alectoris chukar) in western North America. All three manuscripts have been formatted for publication in professional journals. Chapter one confirms discovery of ingested lead pellets in Chukars across a broad region of western Utah including all four western counties sampled. Prevalence rates were 1.9% (n=105) for crops and 10.7% (n=75) of gizzards showing no evidence of penetration wounds. Ingestion is likely related to grit size preferences that are consistent with common shot sizes. The second chapter describes watering patterns and water-site selection of Chukars. Chukars watered during daylight hours with a modal hour from 1100 hours to 1200hours. Annual patterns suggest no use of water sources from November to May with first visits occurring in June of each year and last visits in October. Shrub canopy cover was the only variable to discriminate between use and non-use watering sources (P < 0.01). Cross validation showed a predictive success rate of 84%. Significant differences were found between use and non-use sites in terms of protective cover (P < 0.01), but not total cover (P > 0.05). Chukars were found to have a shrub canopy threshold near 11%; water sources meeting this threshold received use, whereas those not meeting this threshold did not. Chapter three challenges several claims postulating negative conservation implications relative to exotic Chukars in North America. These claims were proven to be unfounded with no evidence of cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum) dispersal despite widespread utilization. Furthermore, guzzlers designed to benefit Chukar populations were heavily utilized by native species and only slightly (two species at three sites) by other exotics. These three manuscripts illuminate several areas of Chukar ecology and represent a significant advancement in our understanding of this bird and its management.

No description available.

81% of the population in sub-Saharan Africa relies on charcoal and firewood to cover their energy needs for cooking. In Africa charcoal is usually produced by burning tree in a traditional kilns and then the food is cooked with a carbon-fired stoves indoors. All that links to three problems; deforestation, health issues and overpopulation, all of which can be reduced with a pellet cooking stove. Zambia in sub-Saharan Africa consumes charcoal equivalent to 6,089,000 tons of firewood each year. The total consumption of firewood being 13,967,000 tons per year. That leads to harvesting rate between 250,000 and 300,000 hectares each year making Zambia having one of the world’s fastest deforestation rates. Deforestation can be reduced by using the energy from the wood more efficient. In charcoal production and heating with charcoal about 72-86% of the produced energy is released to the atmosphere resulting the efficiency rate of only 14-28%. In comparison pellet production efficiency rate is 70-83%. Therefore if fuel pellets are used for cooking purposes energy instead of charcoal efficiency increases by 42-69% leading to lower need of wood material to cover equal energy demand. In this study five hardwood species and a softwood reference material from Zambia has been evaluated for fuel pellet production purposes. Evaluated hardwood species are Umsafwa, Umupundu, Umusamba, Umwenge and Umutondo. Reference material is already in use for pellet production in Zambia. Evaluation includes pellet production in a single pellet press, post production testing and X-ray examinations for tree different moisture contents; 8%, 10% and 12%. Pellet production includes friction energy, maximal friction energy and compression energy measurements. Post production testing includes density and hardness testing as well as X-ray examinations that indicate the amount of produced ash in the combustion process. High compression energy means higher energy cost in production so low compression energy is a desired property. Umupundu was the only wood species whose moisture content had no effect on the amount of compression energy. Umsamba and Umutondo gave the lowest and Umupundu and Umsafwa the highest compression energies of the tested hardwood pellets. Almost all of the friction energies of the tested materials were close to one another. The biggest exception was Umsafwa with 8% moisture content which had 38% higher friction energy than the reference material on average in this study. The values of the friction energy are low compared with other studies but within the reasonable limits compared with the reference material. A clear linear relationship was found between the friction energy and Fmax, so the friction energy directly implies the magnitude of the force of Fmax. A high hardness value is desirable because high hardness links directly to pellets high durability. All hardwood species tested were harder than the reference material. Ash significantly shortens the service life of the pellet stove, therefore it is desirable to produce as little ash as possible. Umsafwa and Unwenge has the lowest amount of metals that indicates the smallest amount of ash formed when burning pellets. Umsafwa with MC of 12% and Umwenge with MC of 10% are the best mix based on this study. / 81% av befolkningen i Afrika söder om Sahara är beroende av träkol och ved för att täcka sitt energibehov för matlagning. I Afrika produceras träkol vanligtvis genom att träden bränns i en traditionell ugn och sedan tillagas maten med en koleldad spis inomhus. Det leder till tre problem; avskogning, hälsoproblem och överbefolkning, allt detta kan minskas med en pellets spis. I Zambia förbrukar träkol motsvarande 6 089 000 ton ved varje år, och den totala förbrukningen av ved är 13 967 000 ton per år. Det leder till en avverkningstakt på mellan 250 000 och 300 000 hektar varje år vilket gör att Zambia har en av världens snabbaste avskogningshastigheter. Avskogningen kan minskas genom att energin från veden används mer effektivt. Vid produktion och användning av träkol frigörs cirka 72-86% av den producerade energin till atmosfären, vilket resulterar i en användningsgrad på endast 14-28%. Vid pelletstillverkning är motsvarande värde mycket högre, 70-83%. Om bränslepellets används istället för kol för matlagningsändamål ökar därför energieffektiviteten med 42-69%, vilket leder till lägre behov av trämaterial för att täcka lika energibehov. I denna studie har fem lövträslag och ett referensmaterial av barrträd från Zambia utvärderats för produktion av bränslepellets. De utvärderade lövträslag är Umsafwa, Umupundu, Umusamba, Umwenge och Umutondo. Referensmaterialet används redan för pelletstillverkning i Zambia. Utvärderingen inkluderar pelletsproduktion i enpetarpress, efterproduktionstestning och röntgenundersökningar för trädens olika fukthalter; 8%, 10% och 12%. Pelletsproduktion omfattar friktionsenergi, maximal friktionsenergi och mätningar av kompressionsenergi. Testning efter produktion inkluderar densitets- och hårdhetstestning samt röntgenundersökningar som indikerar mängden producerad aska i förbränningsprocessen. Hög kompressionsenergi innebär högre energikostnad i produktionen alltså låg kompressionsenergi är en önskad egenskap. Umupundu var det enda träslag vars fukthalt inte hade någon effekt på mängden kompressionsenergi. Umsamba och Umutondo gav de lägsta och Umupundu och Umsafwa de högsta kompressionsenergierna av de testade lövträpellets. Nästan alla friktionsenergier för de testade materialen låg nära varandra. Det största undantaget var Umsafwa med 8% fukthalt som hade 38% högre friktionsenergi än referensmaterialet i genomsnitt i denna studie. Värdena på friktionsenergierna är låga jämfört med andra studier men inom de tillåtna gränserna jämfört med referensmaterialet. Ett tydligt linjärt beroende hittades mellan friktionsenergin och Fmax, således friktionsenergin antyder direkt storleken på kraften hos Fmax. Ett högt hårdhetsvärde är önskvärt eftersom det kopplas direkt positivt till pellets hållbarhet. Alla lövträslag som testades var hårdare än referensmaterialet. Ask förkortar pelletskaminens livslängd avsevärt, därför är det önskvärt att producera så lite aska som möjligt. Umsafwa och Unwenge har den lägsta mängden metaller som anger den minsta mängd aska som bildas vid förbränning av pellets. Umsafwa med MC på 12% och Umwenge med MC på 10% är den bästa mixen baserat på denna studie.

Starter feed particle size (FPS) is typically small (~1200 µm) due to bird beak capacity (BC). Recent research has found that chicks can consume a larger FPS than previously thought; however, preferred FPS and its relationship with BC has not been established. Experiment 1 was conducted to determine the effect of breeder flock age (BFA) and feeding strategy (FS) on 0-14 d performance, BC and FPS preference. These data found that BC was dependent upon BFA and FPS consumed was dependent upon FS. Also, chicks could consume increased FPS without impacting starter performance; thus Experiment 2 was conducted to determine the effects of BFA and Starter FS on carryover performance (0-61 d), BC and processing metrics. Significant BFA differences occurred, though no FS carryover impact occurred for the measured variables. Overall, these data suggest that chicks can consume a FPS of ~2600 µm without negatively affecting starter or carryover performance.