Wmg group is equipped with specific devices for lab and field scale determination of ammonia, greenhouse gases and particulate.
The main research topics revolve around:
- gaseous emissions from manure storage and land application;
- gaseous emission after chemical fertilizers application;
- evaluation of emissions following agricultural processes;
- analysis of technical solutions for the abatement of emissions.
WMG extended its activities also to the field of renewable energy, with special regard to anaerobic digestion of animal effluents, agricultural biomass and by-products.
In the laboratory is possible:
- to evaluate the potential biogas and methane yield of different feedstocks;
- to evaluate the efficacy of different treatments to increase the biogas and methane potential yield;
- to identify the best operative paramaters of anaerobic digesters (e.g. organic loader rate, hydraulic retention time of different types of feedstock or feedstock blend).
Several activities are performed on this area:
- development of specific software for the correct management of different types of waste (UTILIS – for animal manure and WIWA – for effluents from wine cellar);
- assessment of the performances of systems for solid-liquid mechanical separation of slurry and evaluation of different additives to enhance their efficiency.
WMG designed and constructed innovative machines for animal manures application on arable crops, grassland and orchards.
The activity allowed the construction and testing of:
- a manure/compost spreader and a modular tanker and spreader for slurry application on bare soil and to growing crops of maize. Both machines are equipped with DGPS and an electronic system for the application rate control;
- a solid fraction spreader and a slurry spreader, specifically designed for application in orchards/vineyards.
Furthermore spreaders for field application of gasification residues (biochar) are at a design stage.
Prototypes are also being tested for the acidification of the slurry of the slurry to contain its gaseous emissions into the atmosphere.
The research activities results are regularly presented to agricultural technicians and farmers in several meetings and field demonstrations and disseminated by video clips, as well as articles in scientific and international and national educational journals.