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Subject: Agricultural Engineering × End date: 2009 × Start date: 2007 ×
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Land use suitability and impact assessment of soil conservation and water resources development measures in Garhkundar-Dabar Watershed
    (G.B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar - 263145 (Uttarakhand), 2009-07) Raundal, Yogesh Ashok; Sharma, H.C.
    Land evaluation is important for the successful crop production. The impacts of soil and water resource development measures have been reviewed. Water stored in the checkdam and the sediment load per annum is needed for management of the reservoir water allocation and thus, required to be assessed. Soil conservation measures decreases the sediment load on check dam, substantially. Keeping these facts in view, present study was conducted to study the land use suitability on the basis of the proximity of land to various resources, viz. water availability, distance from sustainable water resource, village and road proximity and the present land use. The constructed surface water resources, i.e. check dams, were measured for their storage capacity and sediment deposited in their bed for two years. The effectiveness of soil conservation measures in sediment transport reduction was studied. Effect of the construction of the water resources development measures i.e. check dam on ground water level build up in the wells located in nearby fields from the check dams. The watershed selected for the study was Garhkundar-Dabar watershed, Madhya Pradesh. Land suitability analysis showed that the, 5.5 ha area was having highest suitability rank, whereas, 327.78 ha was having least suitability which was about 38.23 percent of the watershed area. The total water storage capacity of nine check dams was found whopping amount of 24102.28 m3, which was substantially higher in the area. This water can be successfully used for irrigation purpose. The sediment load of check dams was estimated and it was found that, three check dams out of nine were found critical for their high sediment load. Most critical checkdam was in the control watershed, where no soil conservation measures were adopted. Two check dams in the Garhkundar-Dabar watershed were found critical for loss of capacity due to silting. The sediment load in checkdam, constructed in the control watershed was about 1.9 times higher, equal to 190.25 m3, than the highest sediment load in soil conservation measures adopted watersheds. The water level in the wells, located in nearby areas of checkdam increased by an average of 2.94 m and maximum up to 6.57 m, over a period of one year, at the end of successful rabi crop in the area. Number of dried up wells was reduced to 13, which was 29 last year, out of 50 wells under consideration.
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Modification of a CI engine into SI mode and its performance evaluation on biogas
    (G.B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar - 263145 (Uttarakhand), 2007-07) Nagaraja, G.; Bhattacharya, T.K.
    In agriculture sector biogas is used in low horse power CI engines in dual fuel mode where about 30 percent diesel and 70 percent biogas are burnt in an engine to develop power. However, biogas has octane rating of 130 which is greater than the petrol (96) and therefore, there lies a potential to run such engines on 100 percent biogas by converting these engine into gas engines operating in SI mode. A constant speed, low bhp (7.4 kW), single cylinder, four stroke, direct injection, Kirlosker make engine having compression ratio of 16.5:1 was converted into SI mode. Major modifications include the removal of diesel fuel supply system, reduction of compression ratio (13:1), installation of spark plug, mounting of ignition system and provision of mixing device for supply of air-biogas mixture. The studies were conducted to assess the performance of modified CI engine on 100 percent biogas with particular emphasis on operational issues and efficiency of converted engine. Observation on suitability from ease of installation and operation as well as care and maintenance using both battery and magneto ignition system were also evaluated. The engine was operated with ignition timing of 250 BTDC. A long duration test of a converted CI engine coupled with an alternator (7.5 kVA) was conducted to evaluate the crank case oil quality when operating on 100 percent biogas. The performance of converted CI engine in respect of generator load, brake specific biogas consumption, thermal efficiency and emission of HC and NOX on biogas was evaluated. The fuel properties of biogas were also studied. The observed results of the experiment indicated that the CI engine converted to SI mode could develop maximum brake power of 4.5 kW on 100 percent biogas but at this output there was significant drop in engine speed. The drop in power is due to low heating value of biogas. It is therefore, suggested that the engine be operated at 1352 rpm developing 3 kW brake power for satisfactory operation of electrical devices through the coupled alternator and corresponding brake thermal efficiency was found to be 15.5 percent. The magneto ignition system found satisfactory for installation and operation than battery ignition system. The hydrocarbon and NOX emissions were observed lower on 100 percent biogas as compared to diesel and petrol. The long duration test of the converted engine on 100 percent biogas indicated no deterioration in crankcase oil quality however the engine should be operated for 500 hours for thorough evaluation of crankcase oil quality.
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Effect of cyclic irrigation and fertigation on off season production of Capsicum (Capsicum annuum L.) under protected environment
    (G.B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar - 263145 (Uttarakhand), 2007-05) Negera, Gonfa Bayissa; Singh, K.K.
    The present study was undertaken to investigate the ―Effect of Cyclic irrigation and Fertigation on Off –Season production of Capsicum (Capsicum annuum L.)Under protected environment. The site is located at experimental field of Department of Irrigation and Drainage Engineering, College of Technology, G. B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar. Soil solarization in polyhouses, studying of the various metrological parameters inside and out side the polyhouses, the response of different levels of irrigation and cyclic irrigation on the biometric observation of capsicum and studying economic feasibility of production of capsicum under polyhouses were some of the methods employed during the study. The result revealed that the general trend of the temperature of solarized soil has been higher near the soil surface and became cooler with increasing soil depth. The mean maximum temperature was higher in naturally ventilated polyhouse (NVPH)(33.06 0C) followed by open field condition (25.04 0C) than environmentally controlled polyhouse (ECPH)(24.66 0C) while the minimum temperature was also higher in the NVPH (13.05 0C) but followed by ECPH (12.85 0C)than the open field condition (11.46 0C). The mean daily variation of temperature at 9:00am was higher in NVPH (22.20 0C), followed by ECPH (20.12 0C) than the open field condition (19.67 0C). At the same time at 12:00hrs and 4:00pm it was higher in NVPH but followed by open field condition than in ECPH. The mean daily variation of relative humidity at 9:00am, 12:00hrs and 4:00pm was higher in NVPH followed by open field than the ECPH while the mean daily variation in solar intensity at 9:00am, 12:00hrs and 4:00pm was higher in open field followed by ECPH than NVPH. The crop evapotranspiration (ETc) was higher in open field, followed by NVPH than in ECPH. The average mean daily ETc in open field, NVPH, and ECPH were 2.40, 2.00 and 1.72mm/day respectively. During the six month off-season growing period the total water required at 100% level of irrigation in ECPH was 209.44mm and at 75% level 157.08mm and in NVPH at 100% level 243.98mm and at 75% 182.99mm while in open field 307.27mm depth. The yield of capsicum per plant and per square meter was maximum in ECPH (2.63kg/plant, 9.71 kg/m2) followed by NVPH (2.51kg/plant, 9.16kg/plant) and in open field (0.49kg/plant, 1.81kg/m2). In NVPH the mean value of yield per m2 was significantly higher in split fertigation treatment (10.63kg/m2) than normal fertigation, N (8.39 kg/m2). At the same time at 100% level of irrigation the mean maximum value of yield per m2 was 9.27kg/m2 than 75% level 9.04kg/m2. During Of-season production of Capsicum under different level of irrigation and cyclic irrigation and fertigation was more economically feasible in NVPH at the selling price above 15Rs/kg than ECPH and open field condition.
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Optimization and Artificial Neural Network (ANN) modeling of oil expression from enzyme treated Jatropha curcas L. (Ratanjot) on a hydraulic press
    (G.B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar - 263145 (Uttarakhand), 2007-06) Durgesh Nandini; Pandey, R.K.
    Rapid urbanization, agricultural mechanization and increase in vehicular population enhance demand for fuel. So meeting the energy requirements in a sustainable manner is a major challenge. Among the many tree species which can yield oil as a source of energy in the form of bio-diesel, Jatropha curcas L. (Ratanjot) has been found most suitable due to its various favorable attributes like hardy nature, short gestation period, high oil recovery and quality of oil Study was conducted to optimize and to develop Artificial Neural Network (ANN) models for oil expression from Jatropha curcas L. (Ratanjot) on a hydraulic press. Experiments were planned using full factorial design in two phases. In the first phase of experimental design, three levels of husk percentage, five levels of pressure and five levels of holding time were taken as independent variables. In a similar way five levels of enzyme concentration, five levels of pressure and five levels of holding time were taken as independent parameters in the second phase of experiments. Line curves, surface plots and iso-oleum curves were developed to show the effect of independent parameters on oil expression. Empirical mathematical models representing oil expression in terms of single and multiple responses of process parameters were developed using SPSS software. Optimization of variables was performed by partial differentiation of multiple regression equation with respect to each variable and then solving the coefficient matrix on MATLAB software. In order to have a better prediction of unseen input conditions within the experimental range Artificial Neural Network (ANN) modeling of oil expression process was carried out using back propagation algorithm and MATLAB software. Enzymatic treatment substantially enhances oil expression from 87% with hydraulic pressing alone to 91% for hydraulic pressing with enzymatic treatment. The optimum conditions of husk percentage, pressure and holding time for maximum oil recovery were obtained as 87.40%, 45.63 MPa and 27.09 min respectively. Optimum conditions of enzyme concentration, pressure and holding time for maximum oil recovery were obtained as 110.73mg/100 g dry matter, 43.83 MPa and 17.42 min respectively. Optimum architecture of ANN for training at different husk percentages was found to be two hidden layers with 8 and 11 nodes in first and second hidden layer while that for samples at different enzyme concentrations was found to be two hidden layers with 9 and 11 nodes in first and second hidden layer respectively. Both in case of training and testing results of output predicted by ANN architecture shows good agreement with experimental values.
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Studies on parametric standardization of mechanical oil expression of Jatropha seeds
    (G.B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar - 263145 (Uttarakhand), 2008-01) Yaduvanshi, Birjesh Kumar; Bhattacharya, T.K.
    In order to meet the growing requirements of energy, the government has envisaged a plan to supplement the petroleum fuels to a larger extent by biofuels which chiefly comprises biodiesel and bioethanol. The biodiesel programme emphasizes on production of biodiesel from non-edible oils derived from Jatropha (Jatropha Curcas L.), Karanja (Pongamia Pinnata), Mahua (Madhuca Inidica), Neem (Azadirachta indica), Jojoba (Simmondsia chinensis), etc. Amongst these, jatropha has been identified as a major source for production of biodiesel and an ambitious programme has been launched to cultivate jatropha on wasteland available in India. An average production of 5 tonne per hectare can produce about 2 tonne of biodiesel. The seeds of jatropha contain 35 to 50 percent oil whereas its kernel contains 45 to 60 percent oil. There is no established process for oil expression from jatropha seed and mechanical oil expellers exclusively for jatropha seed are not available. The conventional mechanical oil expellers are generally used to extract oil from jatropha seed and oil recovery is very low. It is expected that expression of oil from jatropha seed is not only governed by physical properties of seed but factors like seed moisture content, hull content in seed–kernel hull mixture as well as configuration of wormset of an oil expeller may also have significant effect on oil expression. Studies were, therefore, conducted to standardize the mechanical oil expression parameters of jatropha seed using a 1 TPD, MERADO make, mechanical oil expeller. No expression of oil from whole jatropha seed was observed at seed moisture content of 7.3%. Therefore, different higher levels of seed moisture content were attained by cold and hot water sprinkling, hot water soaking and steaming treatments. The expression of oil using seed kernel alone resulted in formation of pastes inside the compression chamber, therefore, seed kernels were mixed with 10, 20, 30 and 40 percent hull. The expression of oil by changing wormset configurations were also studied. It was observed that average length, width and thickness of jatropha seed was 17.8 mm, 11.1 mm and 8.6 mm respectively. The mass of thousand seed was found to be 581.4 g with initial moisture content of 7.3%. The oil content of seed was 36.6% and that of kernel as 61.2%. The whole jatropha seed treatment using steam at 1050C for 15 min raising the moisture content of seed from 7.3% to 18.2% is recommended. The oil expression, efficiency of oil expression, specific power consumption and expeller throughput at above treatment were 26.8%, 73.3%, 0.136 kW/kg, 28.2 kg/h and Rs. 1.8 per kg respectively.