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Novel carbon capture-based organo-mineral fertilisers show comparable yields and impacts on soil health to mineral fertiliser across two cereal crop field trials in Eastern England
Get PDFContext:
Whilst mineral fertiliser is required to meet nearly 50% of global crop demand, its production is energy intensive and contributes close to 2% of the global emissions of greenhouse gases.
Objective:
The aim of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of a novel fertiliser to meet crop demand and its impacts on soil health. This novel fertiliser incorporates point source carbon dioxide captured into organic matter balanced with mineral fertiliser. It is hypothesised that this carbon capture-based organo-mineral fertiliser (CCOMF) will mineralise and release nutrients adequate to meet demand of cereal crops.
Methods:
Two field trials were conducted to evaluate the performance of CCOMF on winter wheat and winter barley. Each field trial compared three concentrations of CCOMF (5% N, 10% N, and 15% N) to a conventional mineral fertiliser treatment and an unfertilised control. Each fertiliser treatment was applied at the recommended application rate for the crops (270 kg/ha N and 180 kg/ha N, for winter wheat and winter barley, respectively). Each field trial included three additional application rates for each fertiliser treatment of 50% less, 50% more, and double the recommended rate in order to obtain a yield response curve. This totalled 160 experimental plots (2 field sites, 5 fertiliser treatments, 4 doses, with 4 replicates). All treatments were organised into a randomised block design with 4 replicates in both sites. The impact of the fertilisers on yield, soil nutrients, and root development were established by comparing baseline soil analysis and root measurements taken before the first application of fertiliser to samples taken at harvest.
Results:
The results showed that the CCOMFs produced winter wheat and winter barley yields (7.49 ± 0.74 t/ha and 5.85 ± 0.29 t/ha, respectively for the 10% N) comparable to those produced following mineral fertilisers (7.40 ± 0.50 t/ha and 5.35 ± 0.16 t/ha, respectively). There was no significant fertiliser impact on soil organic carbon, microbial biomass, or pH. In terms of nutrients, there was also no significant difference in residual concentrations. There was also no significant difference in root development between the treatments.
Conclusion:
This study showed that CCOMFs are a promising alternative to conventional mineral fertilisers as they produce comparable yields with no additional negative impacts in the short term.
Implications:
This study is the first of its kind in a field context showing feasibility of using carbon capture technology to formulate sustainable fertilisers adopting a circular economy approach.Innovate UKField Crops Researc
Technological advancements in food processing and packaging [Editorial]
No full textThe global challenge of providing sufficient, safe, and sustainable food to a growing population requires continuous food processing and packaging technology advancements. With the world’s population projected to exceed 9 billion by 2050, addressing the increasing demand for food production and agricultural productivity is more critical than ever. To bridge this gap and ensure food security, exploring innovative approaches that enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of food processing and packaging is essential. These advancements not only play a crucial role in maintaining food safety and quality but also contribute to sustainability efforts by reducing food waste, optimizing resource utilisation, and preserving the nutritional value of food. By continually pushing the boundaries of technology and exploring novel techniques, we can meet the challenges of feeding a growing population while safeguarding the environment and ensuring the long-term availability of safe and nutritious food.
This Special Issue brings together a collection of research papers highlighting the latest developments and applications in food processing and packaging, aiming to ensure food safety, extend shelf life, and preserve nutritional value. The diverse range of topics covered in this issue demonstrates the multidisciplinary nature of this field and the need for innovative solutions to meet the future demands of the food industry. The issue consists of three sections, focusing on innovative packaging solutions for food quality and safety [1,2,3], enhancing food safety and quality [4,5,6], and mechanical innovations in food processing [7].
As Guest Editors of this Special Issue, we would like to thank the authors for their valuable contributions and the Editorial Staff of Processes for their professional support during the publication process. We believe that this compilation will prove instrumental in enhancing postharvest technology, a pivotal element of ensuring global food security.Processe
Life cycle assessment of fermentative production of lactic acid from bread waste based on process modelling using pinch technology
Get PDFBread waste (BW), a rich source of fermentable carbohydrates, has the potential to be a sustainable feedstock for the production of lactic acid (LA). In our previous work, the LA concentration of 155.4 g/L was achieved from BW via enzymatic hydrolysis, which was followed by a techno-economic analysis of the bioprocess. This work evaluates the relative environmental performance of two scenarios - neutral and low pH fermentation processes for polymer-grade LA production from BW using a cradle-to-gate life cycle assessment (LCA). The LCA was based on an industrial-scale biorefinery process handling 100 metric tons BW per day modelled using Aspen Plus. The LCA results depicted that wastewater from anaerobic digestion (AD) (42.3–51 %) and cooling water utility (34.6–39.5 %), majorly from esterification, were the critical environmental hotspots for LA production. Low pH fermentation yielded the best results compared to neutral pH fermentation, with 11.4–11.5 % reduction in the overall environmental footprint. Moreover, process integration by pinch technology, which enhanced thermal efficiency and heat recovery within the process, led to a further reduction in the impacts by 7.2–7.34 %. Scenario and sensitivity analyses depicted that substituting ultrapure water with completely softened water and sustainable management of AD wastewater could further improve the environmental performance of the processes.Science of the Total Environmen
Strain tolerance evolution of EB-PVD TBCs after thermal exposure or CMAS attack
Get PDFThe microstructural evolution and Young’s modulus evolution of EB-PVD TBCs upon thermal exposure and separately after CaO-MgO-Al2O3-SiO2 (CMAS) attack have been compared and investigated. Moduli measured by four methods all show an increase due to sintering whereas their rates of increase are different. On finer scale (i.e. nano indentation), modulus increases from 87.3 GPa in as-deposited coatings to 198 GPa after sintering at 1400 °C for 100 h. While on global scale, the modulus increases from below 10 GPa to153 GPa after identical exposure. For the CMAS attacked TBCs at 1300 °C for 0.5 h, modulus values acquired by different methods are much closer. The effect of sintering and CMAS infiltration on coating’s structural integrity is discussed in terms of elastic strain energy available for driving edge delamination. The energy release rate of CMAS attacked TBCs at 1300 °C for 0.5 h is ∼1200 J/m2, which is equivalent to that of TBCs exposed at 1400 °C for 250 h (no CMAS).Journal of the European Ceramic Societ
DAFNI: a computational platform to support infrastructure systems research
Get PDFResearch into the engineering of infrastructure systems is increasingly data intensive. Researchers build computational models to explore scenarios such as investigating the merits of infrastructure plans, analysing historical data to inform system operations or assessing the impacts of infrastructure on the environment. Models are more complex, at higher resolution and with larger coverage. Researchers also require a ‘multi-systems’ approach to explore interactions between systems, such as energy and water with urban development, and across scales, from buildings and streets to regions or nations. Consequently, researchers need enhanced computational resources to support cross-institutional collaboration and sharing at scale. The Data and Analytics Facility for National Infrastructure (DAFNI) is an emerging computational platform for infrastructure systems research. It provides high-throughput compute resources so larger data sets can be used, with a data repository to upload data and share these with collaborators. Users’ models can also be uploaded and executed using modern containerisation techniques, giving platform independence, scaling and sharing. Further, models can be combined into workflows, supporting multi-systems modelling and generating visualisations to present results. DAFNI forms a central resource accessible to all infrastructure systems researchers in the UK, supporting collaboration and providing a legacy, keeping data and models available beyond the lifetime of a project.Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers: Smart Infrastructure and Constructio
Advocacy and the search for truth in management scholarship: can the twain ever meet?
Get PDFScholars have long debated the merits of advocacy-based research versus research considered from the quest for objective truth. Building upon reflections from multiple sources, a set of 11 brief reflections on three posed questions are presented. Tsang concludes our discussion with additional insights on how moving beyond the “interestingness” advocacy will be beneficial to the continued professional development of the management discipline.Journal of Management Inquir
Use of an aerodynamic wake emulator to assess the impact on a high-performance ground vehicle in close proximity
Get PDFThe interaction between ground vehicles in close proximity is currently of interest as it is known that the aerodynamic characteristics of the trailing vehicle may change significantly under the effect of a disturbed flow. The aim of this work is to map a wide range of situations where a trailing car, under racing conditions, is affected by another vehicle ahead. A sub-scale wind tunnel test in which the aerodynamic characteristics of a high-performance ground vehicle is affected by a simplified ‘wake emulator’ has been conducted. The trailing vehicle is a 35% scale model of the generic DrivAer geometry. These experiments were carried out at Cranfield University’s 8x6 Wind Tunnel facility, at a speed of 40 m/s. Several relative positions, such as longitudinal and lateral distances, together with different yaw angles have been investigated. The behavior of the trailing car is monitored with an internal balance that gathers the variations of all aerodynamic forces. Thus, a well detailed map displays the effect of close slipstreaming in high-performance cars alongside the variations due to yaw conditions. Results have shown similar trends on axial and vertical force as previous works regarding high performance vehicles. The variation on aerodynamic forces and moments are highly dependent on the relative position with the main vortices from the leading car’s wake.AIAA SciTech Forum 202
Towards circular cities – exploring the circular economy approach in context of municipal solid waste
Get PDFThe objective of this research is to determine whether the city under investigation in a developing country is pursuing a "circular city" model based on various indicators and the city's current characteristics. The city under analysis was Xalapa, the capital city of the state of Veracruz in Mexico. To accomplish our research goals, we employed a qualitative methodology. We conducted interviews with the government representative responsible for municipal solid waste management during the designated period, as well as with the proprietors of the 18 most prominent private waste collection centers. Additionally, we obtained relevant information from the government through the transparency platform. For our assessment, we used the waste-focused indicators provided by L. Girard and F. Nocca. Our analysis indicates that the city under investigation is not on the trajectory towards adopting a "circular city" model. However, the context of municipal solid waste (MSW) offers valuable suggestions for future implementation of circular economy (CE) practices. The findings presented in this study offer valuable insights for researchers in other developing countries who are also engaged in exploring the issues discussed. Also, the lessons derived from this study hold relevance for cities in developing countries, as they grapple with environmental and economic degradation similar to the city studied.Funding acknowledgement statement: Supported by Kozminski University and Universidad Veracruzana under CONACYT scholarship (2019-2021)
Liquid hydrogen storage tank virtual crashworthiness design exploration for civil aircraft
Get PDFCivil aviation industry is researching for alternative fuel energy sources to substitute current hydrocarbon-based aviation fuels. Carbon free emissions flights could be achieved with fuels like Hydrogen either through combustion or via electricity producing fuel cells. It is of great importance to explore the airframe designs to house Hydrogen in its cryogenic liquified state. The objective of the study herein was to provide a conceptual qualitative analysis related to the crashworthiness behaviour of civil aircraft carrying liquid Hydrogen fuel storage tanks. The design parameters of interest were the storage tank location in the airframe, the structural energy absorption following crash landing scenarios and the structural deformation of the structure surrounding the tanks, penetrating the survival space of the occupants. Several structural design arrangements were proposed and compared. Simulation results indicated that the optimal location for the fuel storage greatly depends on the actual aircraft layout as well as on the future civil aircraft airworthiness requirements that are still under development for that type of fuel energy source.7th International Conference of Engineering Against FailureJournal of Physics: Conference Serie
Towards a unified theory of domestic hydrogen acceptance: an integrative, comparative review
Get PDFHydrogen energy technologies are envisioned to play a critical supporting role in global decarbonisation. While low-carbon hydrogen is primarily targeted for reducing industrial emissions, alongside decarbonising parts of the transport sector, environmental benefits could also be achieved in the residential context. Presently, gas-dependent countries such as Japan and the United Kingdom are assessing the feasibility of deploying hydrogen home appliances, as part of their national energy strategies. However, prospects for the transition will hinge on consumer acceptance, alongside an array of other socio-technical factors. To support potential ambitions for large-scale and sustained technology diffusion, this study advances a Unified Theory of Domestic Hydrogen Acceptance. Through an integrative, comparative literature review targeting hydrogen and domestic energy studies, the paper proposes a novel Domestic Hydrogen Acceptance Model (DHAM), which accounts for the cognitive and emotional dimensions of human perceptions. Through this dual interplay, the proposed framework can increase the predictive power of hydrogen acceptance models.International Journal of Hydrogen Energ