Energy Inputs in Motor-Manual Release Cutting of Broadleaved Forests: Results of Twelve Options

Lignocellulosic biomass is used in various industries and its procurement involves a set of operations that are mainly done using equipment powered by internal combustion engines. The sustainability of forest operations may be characterized by balancing their energy inputs with those typically embod...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Nicuşor Boja, Stelian Alexandru Borz
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2020-09-01
Series:Energies
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/13/18/4597
_version_ 1797554642907824128
author Nicuşor Boja
Stelian Alexandru Borz
author_facet Nicuşor Boja
Stelian Alexandru Borz
author_sort Nicuşor Boja
collection DOAJ
description Lignocellulosic biomass is used in various industries and its procurement involves a set of operations that are mainly done using equipment powered by internal combustion engines. The sustainability of forest operations may be characterized by balancing their energy inputs with those typically embodied in their outputted products. Forest tending operations are problematic because most of them cannot output marketable products while the data on their energy inputs are important for the forest management. Six of the most commonly used brushcutters equipped successively with discs and knives were tested to provide part of the data needed to run an energy analysis and to be able to characterize the energy inputs in release cutting operations by implementing the Gross Energy Requirements method. Fuel burning was found to have the greatest contribution (83–92%) in the total energy inputs (0.8–1.2 GJ/ha) of the studied operations and it was highly dependent on the efficiency of operations. Moreover, by simulation, it was identified that factors such as the assumed service life of equipment may significantly affect the outcomes of the analysis. Release cutting operations may be seen as important contributors in the energy balance of forest operations and data provided by this study may be of help for both forest management and more detailed and scaled analyses such as that of the Life Cycle Assessment.
first_indexed 2024-03-10T16:34:59Z
format Article
id doaj.art-89837fcc329544dd85b1b9ddd0f41053
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 1996-1073
language English
last_indexed 2024-03-10T16:34:59Z
publishDate 2020-09-01
publisher MDPI AG
record_format Article
series Energies
spelling doaj.art-89837fcc329544dd85b1b9ddd0f410532023-11-20T12:34:20ZengMDPI AGEnergies1996-10732020-09-011318459710.3390/en13184597Energy Inputs in Motor-Manual Release Cutting of Broadleaved Forests: Results of Twelve OptionsNicuşor Boja0Stelian Alexandru Borz1Department of Engineering and Informatics, Faculty of Economics, Informatics and Engineering, “Vasile Goldiş” Western University of Arad, Liviu Rebreanu No. 86, 310414 Arad, RomaniaDepartment of Forest Engineering, Forest Management Planning and Terrestrial Measurements, Faculty of Silviculture and Forest Engineering, Transilvania University of Brasov, Şirul Beethoven 1, 500123 Brasov, RomaniaLignocellulosic biomass is used in various industries and its procurement involves a set of operations that are mainly done using equipment powered by internal combustion engines. The sustainability of forest operations may be characterized by balancing their energy inputs with those typically embodied in their outputted products. Forest tending operations are problematic because most of them cannot output marketable products while the data on their energy inputs are important for the forest management. Six of the most commonly used brushcutters equipped successively with discs and knives were tested to provide part of the data needed to run an energy analysis and to be able to characterize the energy inputs in release cutting operations by implementing the Gross Energy Requirements method. Fuel burning was found to have the greatest contribution (83–92%) in the total energy inputs (0.8–1.2 GJ/ha) of the studied operations and it was highly dependent on the efficiency of operations. Moreover, by simulation, it was identified that factors such as the assumed service life of equipment may significantly affect the outcomes of the analysis. Release cutting operations may be seen as important contributors in the energy balance of forest operations and data provided by this study may be of help for both forest management and more detailed and scaled analyses such as that of the Life Cycle Assessment.https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/13/18/4597energyinputbalancemotor-manualrelease cuttingoperations
spellingShingle Nicuşor Boja
Stelian Alexandru Borz
Energy Inputs in Motor-Manual Release Cutting of Broadleaved Forests: Results of Twelve Options
Energies
energy
input
balance
motor-manual
release cutting
operations
title Energy Inputs in Motor-Manual Release Cutting of Broadleaved Forests: Results of Twelve Options
title_full Energy Inputs in Motor-Manual Release Cutting of Broadleaved Forests: Results of Twelve Options
title_fullStr Energy Inputs in Motor-Manual Release Cutting of Broadleaved Forests: Results of Twelve Options
title_full_unstemmed Energy Inputs in Motor-Manual Release Cutting of Broadleaved Forests: Results of Twelve Options
title_short Energy Inputs in Motor-Manual Release Cutting of Broadleaved Forests: Results of Twelve Options
title_sort energy inputs in motor manual release cutting of broadleaved forests results of twelve options
topic energy
input
balance
motor-manual
release cutting
operations
url https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/13/18/4597
work_keys_str_mv AT nicusorboja energyinputsinmotormanualreleasecuttingofbroadleavedforestsresultsoftwelveoptions
AT stelianalexandruborz energyinputsinmotormanualreleasecuttingofbroadleavedforestsresultsoftwelveoptions