Evaluation of sugarcane production based on the analysis of cumulative exergy and environmental effects (case study of Ari- industry of Mirza Kochakh Khan)

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Agriculture Engineering Research Department, Khuzestan Agricultural and Natural Resources Research and Education Center, AREEO, Ahwaz, Iran

2 Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz

3 Sugarcane and By-products Development Company

10.22034/saps.2022.52956.2907

Abstract

Objective & Background: The purpose of this study is to investigate the sugarcane production based on exergy and energy cumulative consumption indicators and environmental evaluation of using life cycle assessment.
Materials and methods: Data of sugarcane production were collected from the Mirza Kochak Khan agro-industry in Khuzestan province. All energy inputs used in the production of sugarcane in Plant and Raton farms were calculated.
Results: Subsoiling, harvesting, laser leveling and deep plowing with moldboard plow had the highest cumulative exergy consumption. Total cumulative energy and exergy consumption were obtained as 86.44 and 49.86 GJ per hectare, respectively. Cumulative degree of perfection and renewable index of sugar cane production process were obtained 6.16 and 0.84 respectively. The findings showed that in terms of energy, sugarcane production is a system with negative cumulative energy and in terms of cumulative exergy, it is a positive system. Electricity is the most consumed energy and diesel fuel is the most consumed exergy in sugarcane production. The life cycle assessment shows that the greatest environmental impact of sugarcane production is related to FWA and MAE groups, respectively, with emissionon the farm having the greatest environmental impact with 62.30%.
Conclusion: Sugarcane production is a relatively renewable process that improving the management of chemical fertilizers and irrigation water and replacing non-renewable energy sources with renewable sources for electricity production increases the exergy efficiency and renewability of the sugarcane production process and reduces the effects of environmental groups.

Keywords

Main Subjects


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