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In this study, an innovative woody biomass‐fueled hybrid tetrageneration system composed of a single‐effect lithium bromide‐water absorption refrigeration system, a reverse osmosis desalination system, two organic Rankine cycle for the production of cooling, heating, power, and freshwater in two distinct configurations (configurations A and B), compared and discussed using energy, exergy, economic, and exergoeconomic analyses. The poplar sawdust used as a local woody biomass fuel was a by‐product of the Iran Wood and Paper Industries Company, located in northern Iran. The results revealed that the highest heating production and lowest exergy destruction were related to configuration B. The overall cost of configuration A was higher than that of configuration B. A detailed sensitivity analysis was also developed to study the effect of various factors on the thermodynamic and economic performance of the proposed configurations. By increasing the turbine inlet temperature of ORC1 from 625 to 692 K, the total sum unit costs of product of the system in configurations A and B decreased by 20 and 23 $ GJ−1, respectively (about 21%). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Use of effective environmental remediation facilities represents a crucial strategy for water reclamation and addressing the challenges of water scarcity. The objective of this study was to assess the wastewater treatment system (WWTS) in Zabol Industrial Town using the life cycle assessment method. Primary data, collected annually for a functional unit of 1 m 3 of wastewater treatment, were subjected to analysis using the ReCiPe, Cumulative Energy Demand, and Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) methods. Human carcinogenic toxicity (50%), freshwater ecotoxicity (13%), and marine ecotoxicity (10%) were the primary environmental impacts due to the WWTS performance. The discharge of heavy metals during sludge generation, coupled with the consumption of natural gas and oil, especially for electricity production, were pivotal factors contributing to the environmental burdens observed. Furthermore, chemical oxygen demand (COD) (56.34%), electricity consumption (>15.47%), and total phosphorous (>4.49%) significantly threatened human health and ecosystem categories, while fossil fuel consumption had the greatest impact on resources. Nonrenewable fossil fuels, namely, natural gas (47.2%) and oil (38.27%), played a predominant role in the energy provision of the system. The IPCC analysis depicted the emissions of CO 2 (86.77%) and CH 4 (12.16%) stemming from the process of electricity generation. Based on the outcomes of the sensitivity analysis, implementing a 10% increase in COD yielded an increment in all impacts within the range of 1.40% to 6.83%. Given Iran's geographic location and the unique climatic conditions in Zabul, use of solar and wind energy to energize the WWTS can substantially alleviate its environmental burdens. This study presents a comprehensive framework for evaluating the environmental impact, energy consumption, and carbon footprint of a WWTS. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2024;20:1747-1758. © 2024 SETAC., (© 2024 SETAC.)

• The energy analysis demonstrated the first law efficiency of the VRM is 62.1%. • The exergy analysis demonstrated the second law efficiency of the VRM is 34.6%. • The classifier rotor speed increase from 53 to 65 rpm, the particle size decrease significantly. • VRM unit consumes around 9.75 kWh/t more energy to grind raw material than the IBAT unit. In this study, the analyses of energy and exergy were implemented for an industrial-scale vertical roller mill (VRM) of Kerman Momtazan Cement Company (KMCC) of Iran. The energy and exergy analyses demonstrated the first law efficiency of the VRM is 62.1%, while the second law efficiency of the VRM is 34.6%. Comparing to the widely applied ball milling, the second law efficiency is 16.4% higher for the VRM than the ball mill. Results also showed when the classifier rotor speed increases from 53 to 65 rpm, the particle size of the product decreases from P 90µm = 18.2% to P 90µm = 10.8%, but the power consumption of the VRM unit increases from 19.7 to 22.3 kWh/t of raw materials. Finally, the power consumption of the VRM unit compared with 14 raw mill units around Iran and the international best available technology (IBAT). The results demonstrated that the VRM unit consumes around 81% (9.75 kWh/t of raw materials), and 36% (5.8 kWh/t of raw materials) more energy to grind raw material than the IBAT unit and domestic best raw mill (DBRM), respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study evaluated the impacts of cotton farming on the climate changes in terms of energy and greenhouse gas (GHG) emission indices. Energy consumption pattern and sensitivity of energy inputs were evaluated and share of each input in GHG emissions was determined in the form of direct and indirect emissions for cotton farms in Golestan province of Iran. The total energy input and energy output were calculated to be 34,424.19 and 41,496.67 MJ/ha respectively. The share of fertilizers by 45.0 % of total energy inputs was the highest. This was followed by energies of fuel (18.4 %) and irrigation (17.9 %) respectively. Fertilizers and fuels were also the biggest producers of GHGs in the farms with shares of 61.95 and 24.32 % of total GHGs emission. Energy ratio, energy balance, energy intensity and energy productivity were found as 1.21, 7,072.48 MJ/ha, 9.79 MJ/kg and 0.10 kg/MJ, respectively. Results of sensitivity analysis indicated that the cotton production was more sensitive to energies of seed and human labour than other inputs and an additional use of 1 MJ of each of these inputs would lead to a change in the yield by -0.75 and 0.73 kg/ha, respectively. The results also showed, in the process of cotton farming 897.80 and 1177.67 kg CO2-equivalent of direct and indirect GHG were emitted per hectare respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Saffron is one of the most expensive agricultural crops in the world which needs to be clearly monitored in the view of energy balance and carbon footprint in the production stage. Iran is the leading countries in saffron production and now accounts for approximately 60% of the world total production. As the biggest producer of saffron, analyzing the energy and carbon balance would help to produce this crop more economically and environmentally friendly. In the present study, the saffron cultivation in Southern Khorasan, a province in the east of Iran was taken into consideration and this cultivation was evaluated in terms of energy balance and carbon footprint. The evaluation was performed based on the data derived from whole life cycle of this crop i.e., a 6 year period. The assessment of energy balance demonstrated that on average, the total input energy consumed was 99,236 MJ ha −1 . More specifically, the average of energy indices i.e. energy ratio, energy productivity, and net energy were calculated 0.0044, 0.0003 kg MJ −1 , and −98,818.5 MJ ha −1 , respectively. The results clearly revealed that Nitrogen based fertilizers, farmyard manure and Phosphor based fertilizers dominated the total energy consumption meaning that their consumption management need to be given a priority. The total greenhouse gas emissions in saffron production was calculated on 10,897 kg CO 2eq ha −1 which showed a high degree of mismanagement in farm practices in the region meaning that without considerable reduction in saffron yield energy saving can be achieved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This study evaluated the energy balance and economic analysis between inputs and output of seed corn production in different harvesting systems in Iran. Data were collected from seed corn farms in Alborz province. The results indicated the total average energy input and output of 51.1 and 243.9GJha−1, respectively. The highest share in energy consumption belonged to chemical fertilizers (43%) followed by water for irrigation (19%) and diesel fuel (19%). The highest total energy input and output belonged to two stage harvesting system (using picker-husker) in comparison with other harvesting systems (combine and plot-harvester harvesting). The average energy use efficiency and productivity were calculated 4.78 and 0.05kgMJ−1, respectively. Combine harvesting had the highest energy ratio value (5.15) and followed by two stage harvesting system (4.78) and then plot harvester (4.40). Direct, indirect, renewable and non-renewable energies were 43%, 57%, 6%and 94% of total energy, respectively. Cost analysis revealed that total average cost of production and benefit–cost ratio were 3477 $ha−1 and 1.46, respectively. The benefit–cost ratio values for picker-husker, combine and plot harvester were 1.54, 1.53 and 1.32, respectively, that indicated harvesting by two stage harvesting system (using picker-husker) had more economic efficiency. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In this study data from 17 years (1990–2006) were collected to determine energy intensive areas and evaluate energy parameters of Iran''s agronomy sector. All the direct and indirect inputs of energy for the production of 19 agricultural commodities were evaluated. The inputs and outputs were calculated by multiplying the amounts of inputs and outputs by their energy equivalents. The results indicated that total energy input increased from 32.40GJha−1 in 1990 to 37.20GJha−1 in 2006. At the same period, total output energy increased from 30.85 to 43.68GJha−1. The results show that irrigation with 40.0% and fertilizer (28.4%) had the highest share in energy consumption. The average net energy gain was a positive value; however, about 87% of the input energy emanates from non-renewable sources of energy. The mean energy ratio was estimated to be 1.07 and showed an increasing trend during the period rising from 0.95 in 1990 to 1.17 in 2006. This indicates that increased use of inputs ha−1 in production was accompanied by a larger increase in the output levels. It can be inferred from the results that improvements in irrigation and fertilizer application can significantly affect the energy efficiency of Iranian agriculture. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]