Production Cycle Research Articles

A new carbon-negative hydrogen production cycle for better sustainability

Carbon dioxide removal is considered by many as an essential piece to achieve global net zero targets which was also mentioned by the third working group of Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. On top of this, green hydrogen is badly needed to achive carbon-free society long-term sustainability. This study proposes a new five-step sodium hydroxide thermochemical cycle for simultaneous hydrogen production and carbon dioxide removal, which is driven by the heat at least 400 °C. The proposed integrated cycle can be driven by clean energy sources that can be utilized to generate heat at required temperatures. The proposed system is designed and analyzed by using energy and exergy approaches of thermodynamics. A case study is also developed in order to understand the effects of changing parameters on system performance. A thermochemical hydrogen production cycle is designed with an unequilibrium reaction where the respective heat capacity calculation models are employed. According to the calculations, more than half of the energy content of process heat can be converted into hydrogen, where maximum energy and exergy efficiencies of the thermochemical cycle are found as 50.05% and 76.61% when the separation reaction is carried out at 400 °C. According to the case study results, a parabolic trough collector type concentrated solar energy system with 295 kW of heat sink capacity, can generate 5216.65 kg of hydrogen and capture 19,991.97 kg of carbon dioxide in a location where 1500.11 kWh of solar energy is reached per m2 of area in a typical year.

Effects of three different strains of Bacillus-based probiotics and Saccharomyces cerevisiae-based prebiotic on performance, egg components and gene expression of laying hens during phase II of production

This study aimed to investigate the impacts of three strains of probiotics (Bacillus spp. (B.)) and one prebiotic based on Saccharomyces cerevisiae cell wall (SCCW) supplements on performance, egg quality and immune-related gene expression of laying hens. The experiment lasted 16 weeks (52–68 weeks), during which 450 Hisex white layers at 52 weeks were randomly allocated into five dietary regimens (five replications of 18 birds per floor pen): T1, basal diet; T2, basal + 0.5 g/kg B. subtilis (DSM17299); T3, basal + 0.5 g/kg B. subtilis (DSM 5750) and B. licheniformis (DSM 5749); T4, basal + 0.4 g/kg B. subtilis PB6; and T5, basal + 0.25 g/kg SCCW. The results showed that hen-day egg production (HDEP) improved in T4 and T5, egg mass (EM) improved in T3, T4 and T5, and feed conversion ratio (FCR) improved in T4 and T5 compared to T1 (p < .001). Relative wet and dry yolk weight were higher in hens received T2, T4 and T5 (p < .05) and T2, T3, T4 and T5 (p < .001), respectively, compared to T1. Moreover, T2, T4 and T5 had higher expression of GnRH-2 gene compared to T1 (p < .01). In conclusion, the dietary inclusion of SCCW-based prebiotic (T5) and Bacillus spp. probiotic strains, especially T4 B. subtilis PB6 improved production performance, egg components and GnRH-II gene expression of laying hens during phase II of the production cycle and hold a great promise for boosting productivity and supporting health status of layers raised on AGPs-free diets.

Agroecological Aptitude of the Northeast of Formosa (Argentinean Subtropical Region) for Banana Production Assessed by Multiple Factor Analysis

Banana (Musa spp.) is an important crop in the economies of many developing countries. In the north of Argentina, a subtropical region, banana plants grow in a suboptimal environment that limits yield because only one harvest per year is achieved. The objective of this work was to characterize the agroecological aptitude of Formosa, Argentina, for banana production through the behavior of three varieties of international use: Williams, Jaffa and Grand Naine, evaluated over five consecutive years. The three-way data analysis technique called Multiple Factor Analysis (MFA) was used for evaluating the varieties’ performances across cycles of production. The results allowed for inferring the existence of a genotype x environment interaction (GEI), corroborated by two-way factorial ANOVA. In order to determine how this suboptimal environment affected the development of each genotype of this perennial crop, Dual Multiple Factor Analysis (DMFA) was applied to jointly analyze the correlation structure between the traits that contributed to the performance of each variety in each year. The correlation structures between variables were different in each population and varied between years. All traits showed great variation between the years and genotypes, with the fruit peel thickness being the most discrepant throughout the years. However, Formosa appeared as a promising subtropical agroecological environment to produce banana because the varieties’ performances were acceptable for large-scale production systems. In addition to evaluating the adequate aptitude for cultivating banana in Formosa considering the significant effect of the GEIs, this research made a methodological contribution by proposing the use of three-way data analysis in Agronomy Science via MFA and DMFA.

Investigating the Effect of Nano-Crystalline Cellulose in Nitrile Butadiene Rubber Matrix for Improved Thermo-Mechanical Properties

The escalating demand for sustainable rubber products has spurred research into alternative reinforcing fillers, driven by concerns regarding the detrimental effects of using conventional fillers like carbon black and silica. In this investigation, nano-crystalline cellulose (NCC), derived from micro crystalline cellulose (MCC), sourced from sugarcane bagasse via acid hydrolysis, serves as a bio-filler to reinforce Nitrile Butadiene Rubber (NBR) matrices. NBR-NCC nano-composites were prepared using a two-roll mill, varying NCC from 1–5 parts per hundred rubber matrices, followed by hot press curing. NCC and NBR-NCC nano-composites were characterized using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), curing characteristics, thermo-mechanical testing, thermal aging and motor oil resistance. Chemical interactions between the NCC and NBR matrix were verified with FTIR. The SEM images of the NCC showed a combination of rod-like and spherical morphologies and a homogenous dispersion of NCC in NBR-NCC nano-composites with some agglomeration, notably at higher percentages of NCC. It is shown that the cure time decreases with increasing NCC loading which mimics a shorter industrial production cycle. The results also showed an increase in tensile strength, hardness, oil resistance and a rise in degradation temperature when compared to NBR at approximately 34%, 36%, 38% and 32 °C, respectively, at 3 phr NCC loading. Furthermore, NBR-NCC nano-composites showed a lower decrease in mechanical properties after aging when compared to NBR. The findings of this research suggest that the NBR-NCC nano-composites may find applications in high oil resistance seals and rubber gloves where higher thermal stability is strictly required.

Coupled hydro-mechanical model for underground hydrogen storage undergoing cyclic injection and production

ABSTRACT Excess renewable energy can be used to generate and store hydrogen underground, offering a secure and econimical solution to the intermittency challenges of renewable energy sources. The success of underground storage relies on understanding and controlling the geo-mechanical integrity of storage sites during cyclic loadings. While geological deformation during natural gas and carbon dioxide storage is well studied, few have investigated pore pressure and in-situ stress variations during cyclic loading, which is unique to underground hydrogen storage sites. This paper presents a predictive analytical model for the pore pressure and stress changes during cyclic loading. The model was derived based on continuous point source injection, a basic hydro-mechanical model while applying the superposition to consider the cyclic loading. The developed model was evaluated for hydrogen and natural gas subjected to cyclic injection and production. Comparing hydrogen and natural gas storage cases can offer valuable insights into the behavior of hydrogen since the deformation of natural gas storage is more studied. Finally, analytical solutions for both storage cases were validated by numerical models with discrepancies between the models amounting to less than 1%. Comparative analysis of the results from 3 to 99 cycles of injection and production for both hydrogen and methane demonstrates that rise in cycle numbers leads to a corresponding rise in stress accumulation in the system. Neglecting the stress accumulation during these cycles can lead to significant geomechanical issues, potentially compromising the storage system’s safety and integrity.

Reaction kinetics and product evolution of hydrolysis in copper-chlorine thermochemical cycle for hydrogen production

By-products of the hydrolysis reaction in the copper-chlorine thermochemical cycle for hydrogen production are key to the final thermal and hydrogen efficiency. The current study focuses on the influences of reaction time, temperature, and steam partial pressure on the hydrolysis reaction and by-product formation mechanism via experimental and multiple analytical methods. The result demonstrates that the hydrolysis reaction of CuCl2 and steam converts to CuCl and Cu2OCl2, with a high conversion of 97%, while the Cu2OCl2 and CuCl2-CuO product mixtures exhibit interconversion capabilities. The increase of temperature increases the CuCl product content, while the decrease of steam partial pressure increases the by-product CuCl2. Particle morphology and reaction thermodynamics are analyzed for main and by-products formation. Finally, the homogeneous reaction model and shrinking core model are used and compared for the activation energy of the formation of Cu2OCl2 for the hydrolysis reaction and the effect of by-products.

Cooperative multi-agent reinforcement learning for multi-area integrated scheduling in wafer fabs

The existing scheduling methods of wafer fabs focus on single area, achieving local optimisation while failing to realise global optimisation due to neglecting the coordination of multi-area. Therefore, it is necessary to consider the complex opposing relationships between multi-area caused by constraints such as batch processing, re-entrance, and multiple residency times within and between areas to conduct integrated scheduling and shorten the production cycle time. For this issue, this paper proposes a cooperative multi-agent reinforcement learning for multi-area integrated scheduling. Aiming at the dynamic batching and scheduling considering the dynamic arrival lots in multi-area, a multi-agent reinforcement learning algorithm is presented to learn the optimal dynamic batching and scheduling policy firstly. Subsequently, a cooperative multi-agent framework is raised to achieve the global optimisation and coordination of multi-area. Furthermore, an adaptive exploration strategy is constructed to enhance the global exploration capability of the complex solution space caused by residency time constraints and re-entrant property. Moreover, a policy share enhanced Double DQN is employed to improve the generalisation and adaptability of the multi-agent. Finally, the experiments demonstrate that the proposed integrated scheduling method has better comprehensive performance compared to the previous area-separated scheduling methods.

Environmental impacts of drug products: The effect of the selection of production sites in the supply chain

The environmental impact of drug products is largely determined by activities beyond the direct control of pharmaceutical companies, such as outsourced production of pharmaceutical building blocks. Therefore, this study evaluates the environmental impacts of a prostate cancer drug packaged in one blister (declared unit), thereby analysing the whole value chain to gain insight into 1) the main contributors to the impact of drug product production and 2) the effect of the geographical location of production of solvents and pharmaceuticals. The carbon and resource footprints of the entire life cycle of the drug product are determined, using the IPCC GWP 100 and the Cumulative Exergy Extraction from the Natural Environment methods, respectively. Unlike many other studies, the impacts of building blocks, called intermediate pharmaceutical ingredients (IPIs), are modelled based on primary data, literature and similar processes. The carbon footprint per declared unit equals 34 kg CO2-eq, of which IPIs and active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) production account for 96 %. The resource footprint is 647 MJex/declared unit, with IPI and API production accounting for 93 %. The main impact contributors of these processes are solvents and electricity consumption. Four alternative scenarios for IPI and API production are developed to evaluate the geographical influence of different production locations of solvents and pharmaceuticals between Europe and China. European production of solvents and pharmaceuticals appears to have the lowest carbon and resource footprint. In contrast, Chinese production of solvents and pharmaceuticals increases the carbon footprint by 49 %, while the resource footprint increases by only 4 %, although the natural resource consumption shifts from abiotic renewable resources and nuclear energy to fossil fuels. The high contribution of IPI production and the influence of geography of the supply chain highlight the need for accurate data from external suppliers to fairly estimate the environmental footprint of drug products.

Simulation-Based Optimization Workflow of CO2-EOR for Hydraulic Fractured Wells in Wolfcamp A Formation

Hydraulic fracturing has enabled production from unconventional reservoirs in the U.S., but production rates often decline sharply, limiting recovery factors to under 10%. This study proposes an optimization workflow for the CO2 huff-n-puff process for multistage-fractured horizontal wells in the Wolfcamp A formation in the Delaware Basin. The potential for enhanced oil recovery and CO2 sequestration simultaneously was addressed using a coupled geomechanics–reservoir simulation. Geomechanical properties were derived from a 1D mechanical earth model and integrated into reservoir simulation to replicate hydraulic fracture geometries. The fracture model was validated using a robust production history matching. A fluid phase behavior analysis refined the equation of state, and 1D slim tube simulations determined a minimum miscibility pressure of 4300 psi for CO2 injection. After the primary production phase, various CO2 injection rates were tested from 1 to 25 MMSCFD/well, resulting in incremental oil recovery ranging from 6.3% to 69.3%. Different injection, soaking and production cycles were analyzed to determine the ideal operating condition. The optimal scenario improved cumulative oil recovery by 68.8% while keeping the highest CO2 storage efficiency. The simulation approach proposed by this study provides a comprehensive and systematic workflow for evaluating and optimizing CO2 huff-n-puff in hydraulically fractured wells, enhancing the recovery factor of unconventional reservoirs.

Biofeedback-Based Closed-Loop Phytoactuation in Vertical Farming and Controlled-Environment Agriculture.

This work focuses on biohybrid systems-plants with biosensors and actuating mechanisms that enhance the ability of biological organisms to control environmental parameters, to optimize growth conditions or to cope with stress factors. Biofeedback-based phytoactuation represents the next step of development in hydroponics, vertical farming and controlled-environment agriculture. The sensing part of the discussed approach uses (electro)physiological sensors. The hydrodynamics of fluid transport systems, estimated electrochemically, is compared with sap flow data provided by heat-based methods. In vivo impedance spectroscopy enables the discrimination of water, nutrient and photosynthates in the plant stem. Additionally to plant physiology, the system measures several air/soil and environmental parameters. The actuating part includes a multi-channel power module to control phytolight, irrigation, fertilization and air/water preparation. We demonstrate several tested in situ applications of a closed-loop control based on real-time biofeedback. In vertical farming, this is used to optimize energy and water consumption, reduce growth time and detect stress. Biofeedback was able to reduce the microgreen production cycle from 7 days to 4-5 days and the production of wheatgrass from 10 days to 7-8 days, and, in combination with biofeedback-based irrigation, a 30% increase in pea biomass was achieved. Its energy optimization can reach 25-30%. In environmental monitoring, the system performs the biological monitoring of environmental pollution (a low concentration of O3) with tomato and tobacco plants. In AI research, a complex exploration of biological organisms, and in particular the adaptation mechanisms of circadian clocks to changing environments, has been shown. This paper introduces a phytosensor system, describes its electrochemical measurements and discusses its tested applications.

Optimizing micropropagation of Miscanthus sinensis ‘Gold Bar’ by shortening the production cycle and reducing acclimation stress through the use of selected growth regulators

Miscanthus, with its decorative qualities and low cultivation requirements in terms of soil fertility and temperature, is the most popular grass in gardens and urban areas. For years, micropropagation has been regarded as an effective method of its production. However, in order to meet the demands of customers and provide adequate quantities of high-quality planting materials, it is necessary to develop more efficient methods of Miscanthus production. The present study evaluated the influence of different media on Miscanthus sinensis (Thunb.) Andersson (silver grass) multiplication as well as assessing the effect of different concentrations of selected cytokinins and auxins on multiplication and rhizogenesis. To shorten the production cycle and reduce costs, ex vitro rooting was combined with acclimatization, and selected growth regulators were used to decrease stress associated with external conditions. Biochemical analyses were conducted at each stage to determine the content of basic organic compounds, hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and catalase activity. Stomatal function was assessed at the acclimatization stage. The obtained results allowed for the production cycle of plants propagated in tissue culture to be shortened by simultaneous rooting and acclimatization of microcuttings sprayed with abscisic acid (ABA). This regulator has been shown to effectively reduce plant stress associated with acclimatization by reducing H2O2 concentration and increasing assimilation pigment content. Growth regulators reduced the number of stomata that developed on the leaves of silver grass and led to lower stomatal conductance. H2O2 should be considered not only a stress marker but a vital signaling molecule.

Perforation design coupled with heterogeneity during underground hydrogen storage in steeply dipping anticline aquifers

Hydrogen has been recognized as a crucial energy carrier to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. However, as it is not always possible to meet current energy demands, underground hydrogen storage (UHS) is required for energy supply and consumption. UHS is an emerging field of study with limited investigations regarding structural conditions and wellbore perforation design in steeply dipping anticline aquifers. This study investigates different perforation schemes with respect to UHS within steeply dipping anticline aquifers to find the most suitable injection/production design while examining small-scale reservoir heterogeneities. Several UHS improvement techniques are evaluated, including water and CO2 injection through flank wells during hydrogen production. The results indicate that the highest hydrogen production is achieved with a fully perforated H2 well located at the crest as it provides the maximum contact between the hydrogen and aquifer layers during H2 injection/production. In contrast, hydrogen production is diminished with increased heterogeneity, as higher heterogeneities raise the chance of H2 being trapped. To enhance UHS performance, first H2 initialization before UHS beginning was evaluated but the results showed that it does not enhance UHS performance in a steeply dipped anticline aquifers, as effectively as it does in gas reservoirs. Water injection from flank wells during H2 production cycles showed improvement in hydrogen withdrawal, while water production experienced a slight increase. CO2 injection from flank wells was evaluated to effectively increase H2 recovery as a cushion gas and to maintain hydrogen purity during production. According to results, hydrogen purity was not affected only in high heterogeneity, since more hydrogen gets trapped in the small-scale high heterogeneity level, which prevents the mixing zone from reaching the H2 well during production. While the method prevents hydrogen contamination in anticline aquifers due to the high dip angle coupled with high heterogeneity levels, it leads to a lower hydrogen recovery.

Raspberry Production Opportunity to Develop an Agricultural Business in the Context of the Circular Economy: Case Study in South-West Romania

This paper presents a study on the establishment and the capitalization of a remontant red raspberry crop, the Polka variety, on a privately agricultural land area of 0.2 ha in a crop with a support system in V using a geotextile membrane for soil mulching and the method of micro-irrigation by drip. It has been shown that the annual gross profit is advantageous for diversifying the population incomes of rural areas, and the red raspberry is economically profitable regarding cultivation because the recovery of the invested sum is achieved in a maximum of 5 years after the establishment of the culture. The aim of this paper is to explore the growth and commercialization of red raspberry cultivation on privately owned arable land in rural Romania, emphasizing its potential for productivity and sustainability in the context of the circular economy. This initiative not only delivers substantial profits for investors but also fosters rural development and boosts local income levels. The study demonstrates that this cultivation method of red raspberry, aligned with the principles of the circular economy, enhances sustainability by reducing waste, optimizing resource use, and involving local communities in production cycles.

Neutron spectrometry of a 241Americium-Boron neutron source using the NCT-WES single-moderator neutron spectrometer

241Americium-boron (α,n) neutron sources have been produced for various application from nuclear industry to well logging or radiation protection. Compared to 241Americium–beryllium sources their specific emission rate is lower, but their spectrum is narrower, and their production cycle uses boron, which is less toxic than beryllium. Very few data are available in literature about the energy distribution of this neutron source: the 2001 version of Standard ISO 8529-1 reported a reference spectrum derived from 1970s data, exhibiting a single peak from about 1 to 6 MeV. Other spectra are available in recent works from PTB and NPL, based on high-resolution spectrometers and Bonner spheres. ENEA Frascati owns a 241Am-B neutron source with nominal emission rate 3.5 × 106 s−1. Knowing its spectrum is important, as this source is used to feed the HOTNES (Homogeneous Thermal Neutron Source) facility. A spectrometry experiment was organized relying on the recently developed NCT-WES neutron spectrometer. Belonging to the family of the Single Moderator Neutron Spectrometers, NCT-WES is a convenient alternative to Bonner spheres as it derives the whole spectrum from a single exposure. The experimental data were elaborated in comparison with the existing literature spectra. As a main results of the study, the spectrum of the ENEA 241Am-B neutron source nearly perfectly agrees with that derived at NPL.

Transmission of carbapenem-resistant enterobacterales producing NDM-5 during the broiler breeding process in China

This study conducted a four-month monitoring of carbapenem resistance in a broiler breeding farm in China. A total of 185 carbapenem-resistant bacterial isolates were obtained from 2298 cloacal swabs from broiler breeders and their offspring within a production cycle. The detection rate of carbapenem-resistant isolates was higher during the brooding period. Whole-genome sequencing (WGS) was performed on 133 isolates based on sampling stages, including 113 carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales (CRE) isolates and 20 Stenotrophomonas pavanii isolates, which have intrinsic resistance to carbapenems. A total of 69 antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), including blaNDM-1, mcr-1, and blaNDM-5, were identified among the sequenced CRE isolates. Notably, blaNDM-5 (92.0 %, 104/113) was the primary contributor to carbapenem resistance. CRE isolates from the same breeding stage exhibited close genomic relationships, and the blaNDM-5 genes were observed in similar genetic backgrounds, indicating the transmission of CRE strains and blaNDM-5 during the broiler breeding process. No CRE was isolated from 0 d broiler offspring, suggesting that broiler breeders were not the direct source of CRE in their offspring. Tracing the feeding process revealed that brooder and rearing houses were likely key factors in the cross-transmission of CRE between broiler breeders and their offspring. CRE pose a significant threat to public health and food safety. China is one of the world's leading poultry producing and consuming countries. This study provided insights into the epidemiological trends and key transmission nodes of carbapenem resistance and CRE within the broiler breeding process, which could help the control of antibiotic resistance and bacterial infections in the broiler industry.

Effect of Social Isolation on Behavioural Response of Murrah Buffalo Calves Towards Novelty

Background: During the production cycle, dairy animals in intensive production systems are exposed to various challenging events including novel stimuli (e.g., handlers, food and group-mates). The welfare of an individual animal depends on the ability to cope with environmental challenges. Novelty is generally associated with negative emotions however; individual behavioural and physiological responses toward challenging events can be very variable. So, studying behavioural response of calves towards novelty can help us address the welfare needs of the buffalo calves in a holistic manner. Methods: For this study, 24 Murrah buffalo calves were selected at birth and randomly allotted to four groups (six calves each) comprising of SG group (restricted suckling and group housed), SI group (restricted suckling and individually housed), WG group (weaned at birth and group housed) and WI group (weaned at birth and individually housed) for a period of three months. All calves were trained with bottle feeding from day old of age. At 9th week of age, the behavioural response of the calves to novelty was tested in two different novel situations i.e. novel object test and social novelty test using CCTV camera. Result: The results suggest that buffalo calves separated from mother and housed individually showed increased behavioural responses characterized by increased time in decision making, higher standing idle time and more fearful to an unfamiliar calf compared to other groups. It can be concluded that social isolation of the buffalo calves increases fearfulness to novelty hence reducing their welfare in future.

К вопросу о совершенствовании государственного регулирования развития овощеводства

The article presents the results of the analysis of key indicators characterizing the development of the protected soil vegetable growing industry in the Central Asian Republic. Based on the analysis carried out, exponential forecasting of changes in key indicators of the vegetable growing industry for a three-year period was carried out. An integrated score assessment of the categorization of the regions of the region under consideration according to the dynamics of the development of protected soil vegetable growing was carried out. The priority branch of the protected soil vegetable farming has been established, the features of its functioning at various stages of the production cycle have been determined, provided that the desire for an expanded type of reproduction is realized. The current measures of state and regional support for producers of vegetable products are analyzed, the specifics of providing such support measures are established, a process flaw regarding the organization of the production cycle is revealed when attracting state support measures at the stage its implementation. A hypothesis has been put forward about the possibility of improving state support by distributing it differently relative to the production cycle. Based on the analysis, specific ways have been identified for the implementation of scientific research to determine the features of the functioning of specialized vegetable growing enterprises and further develop methods for integrating such features with government support to form an effective concept for improving the state development of protected soil vegetable growing.

Soil Recycling of Waste Biomass in the Production of Malus domestica Fruit Tree Seedlings

The production of fruit tree seedlings generates waste wood biomass, which results from the pruning of budded rootstocks in the first year of the two-year production cycle. This study proposes a new method of managing this biomass by recycling the wood chips (2, 3 and 5 t ha−1) back into the soil. The impact of different wood chip doses on selected physicochemical soil properties after the production process (especially soil organic carbon content (SOC), as well as the quantity and quality of the produced Malus domestica fruit tree seedlings, was determined. The recycling of waste biomass contributed to enriching the soil with additional components, mainly organic carbon with the potential for biotransformation into humic substances. The applied doses of wood chips, in amounts of 2, 3, and 5 t ha−1, resulted in an increase in SOC content compared to the control by 21.5%, 22.5%, and 35.8%, respectively. Additionally, the recycling of waste biomass introduced other compounds important for plant growth and development into the soil, particularly iron, zinc, magnesium, and manganese. It should be noted that the proposed method of managing waste biomass generated during the apple tree seedling production stage resulted in reduced production costs while maintaining high production indices.

The results of research on technological indicators in the experimental module for growing broiler chickens

Russia ranks fifth in the world in poultry meat production. In the period from 2010 to 2021, the volume of production of this type of product increased by 1.77 times, which in physical terms is 2,190 thousand tons. The largest volume of poultry meat production, 89.7%, falls on the meat of broiler chickens. This indicator is justified by consumer preferences of the retail market, a low feed conversion rate, a high level of automation of production processes, as well as the possibility of up to 8 production cycles per year. The main share, amounting to 93%, of broiler chicken meat production is accounted for by large agricultural enterprises. Households of the population and peasant farms account for 7% of production. This result is observed due to the lack of technical and technological solutions for small-scale production, providing for the use of automation of production processes, which leads to a decrease in productivity and an increase in poultry mortality. The combination of these factors increases the cost of finished products, making small-scale production uncompetitive. To solve this problem, a project has been developed and a prototype of a technological module for fattening broiler chickens has been manufactured. The production capacity of the module is 2,800 broiler chickens per year. The module uses a cellular method of keeping poultry on a mesh flooring. As a result of the conducted studies, the feed conversion rate was 1.66, the cost of water was 3.4 liters, electricity was 3.22 kWh and labor was 0.051 people per kilogram of live weight. The obtained indicators are comparable with those of large poultry farms, which allows us to conclude that it is advisable to use technological modules at small poultry enterprises.

Applicability Analysis of Peanut Addition to Button Mushroom Substrate Supplement Formulation

This study evaluated the agronomic response of Agaricus bisporus strains supplemented with various formulations containing soybean meal and peanut grain residue, which has traces of aflatoxins. Six supplement formulations were developed, starting with 100% soybean meal and no peanuts and gradually increasing peanut inclusion by 10% while proportionally reducing soybean meal until reaching a 50% soybean and 50% peanut ratio. The substrate was produced using the traditional method and supplemented at two points: during inoculation and when adding the cover layer. The strains ABI 22/01 and ABI 22/02 were utilized. After the supplementation and incubation periods in a controlled environment (19 ± 2 °C and 85 ± 5% humidity), the fungus was cultivated. Three production cycles were conducted, evaluating yield, weight, number of mushrooms, biological efficiency, and precocity. The concentrations of aflatoxins in the supplements and mushrooms were determined, along with the nutritional characterization of the substrate and supplements. The inclusion of up to 30% peanuts in the supplement formulation was beneficial for yield, particularly for ABI 22/01. The formulation with 80% soybean meal and 20% peanuts resulted in a 53% yield increase compared to the control. Traces of aflatoxin were found in the supplement but not in the mushrooms.