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• Test setup and procedure developed for quantitative comparison of heat wraps. • Focus on evaluating the thermal transient trend. • Testing of commercial heat wraps for low back and neck pain treatment. • Statistical analysis supported repeatability and robustness of this approach. • Four phases highlighted throughout heat-wrap lifetime. Among the numerous thermotherapy methods, heat wraps have been largely used over the last 2 decades as a self-administered practice for pain relief. Therefore, understanding their performance has become instrumental within the healthcare industry. However, the majority of the available studies have been focused on in vivo clinical performance, whereas a standardized, quantitative approach to evaluate and compare the various heat-wrap types against each other is lacking. An experimental methodology is proposed to carry out a comparative assessment between heat wraps in terms of their transient thermal behavior. A simple setup was developed to measure wrap/substrate interface temperature trend. The approach was validated by a preliminary infrared-thermography assessment and statistical analysis on the extensive dataset acquired on commercial heat-wrap types for low-back and neck pain relief. The heat-release trend was found to be qualitatively similar over all the investigated types, consisting of rapid growth, stationary phase, decay and end of the reactions. A set of parameters is also proposed to summarize heat-wrap thermal performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Green waste gasification was experimentally validated through a small scale gasifier. • Results show a gasifier electrical efficiency of 16.22% and a stable running. • A scenario with a gasifier coupled with a landfill biogas power plant is presented. • The full scale gasifier cost is 5 M€ and the investment payback time is 6 years. • Gasification biochar has proven to be an excellent fertilizer for basil growth. This work discusses the advantages that can be obtained from the integration of landfill gas with biomass gasification. The case study presented consists of a landfill located in the province of Reggio Emilia, in the north of Italy. Landfill gas from municipal-waste fuels four internal combustion engines with overall nominal power of 2 MW, the electricity is sold back to the grid, while the thermal power is used for the heating of an industrial greenhouse compartment for basil production. Within the same facility, green waste is collected from the surrounding municipalities then chipped and sieved. Fine particles are disposed into a composting plant close by, while the sieved fraction is sold to the market for electricity production in large-scale boiler-based power plants. The idea here presented and discussed consists of the implementation of a gasifier to convert the sieved fraction of green waste into a syngas fuel directly on site. Syngas is blended with the landfill gas and then fed to the gas engines. In this work green waste gasification is tested in a commercial small-scale gasifier, proving that sifted green waste is a suitable fuel for this application. A specific consumption of 1.2 kg/kWh and a total electrical efficiency of 16.22% were measured. The sizing of the full-scale gasification facility is based on both the experimental results and data about the local availability of green waste. The economic return of the investment is then discussed. Finally, a further level of integration between gasification and the existing site is proposed: gasification-derived biochar is investigated as soil amendment for the on site company at the landfill that grows basil commercially. Results of 55 days in vivo tests show an increase in the biomass production of the basil of 53% compared to the control test group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Spirulina powder was incorporated into the bread formulation. • Spirulina did not cause rheological changes up to 2% w/w. • Essential amino acids increased thanks to Spirulina powder incorporation. Microalgae and cyanobacteria represent a sustainable and valuable source of essential amino acids and bio-active molecules (e.g. poly-unsaturated fatty acids and antioxidants) which, if added to staple food, could enrich its nutritional profile and the human diet. In this study, two different composite mixtures were obtained by adding different percentages (1% and 2%) of Spirulina powder to "Italian type 1" semi-whole wheat flour (W = 300) after which the chemical, physical, alveographic, and rheological parameters were subsequently analyzed. Spirulina powder did not cause drastic changes at the rheological level when added up to 2%. Furthermore, the concentration of proteins significantly increased in the samples enriched with 1% Spirulina (3.17%) and 2% Spirulina (5.12%), while at the same time the gluten content decreased by 5.62% and 7.41%, respectively. The total amount of essential amino acids in the samples enriched with 1% and 2% Spirulina (48,209 and 55,286 mg aa /kg DW , respectively), was higher in comparison with 45,433 mg aa /kg DW of the control, and those concentrations were maintained after the baking process. Spirulina powder confirmed the hypothesis of being able to improve the supply of essential amino acids that is lacking in wheat flour. The next steps include an investigation into the sensory and liking characteristics of the product. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Micro-scale gasification was applied as energy provider to a hemp growing farm. • Electrical and thermal power are used to self sustain the facility. • Biochar production was tested during both in germination and hemp growth. • Results show increased biomass production with same cannabinoids profile with biochar. The hemp market is fast growing due to demand for cannabidiol, nutraceutical and hemp fiber products. This work demonstrates the economical advantage of biomass gasification application to indoor hemp production. Gasifiers provide electrical energy, heat and biochar: these are highly valuable products for indoor growers where lights and thermal management are key costs of the business. Energy produced in an autonomous and renewable way increases the sustainability and in the facility. In this paper a small scale gasifier is fueled with certified "A1 plus" wood pellets to test its behavior and its biochar production rate. Biochar is used for hemp growing tests in an indoor hemp production facility. Results show how a 22 kW power plant is sufficient to guarantee almost complete sustainability in a 80 m2 facility. In the best case scenario where energy saving, biochar and thermal energy selling are considered, the gasifier investment has a payback time of about 3.5 years. At the end of the gasifier lifespan, the Net Present Value reaches 249 k€ considering a discount rate of 6%. Consequential results were also obtained from biochar application to pot growing substrates: there was a 7.7% increase in dry flower production and a 33.9% increase in total plant fresh biomass. Cannabinoids profiles resulted not affected by biochar application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work is aimed at investigating the effects derived from the application of minimum amounts of two different sized biochars, obtained through biomass gasification, on the greenhouse gases and ammonia emissions from a co-composting process of the organic fraction of municipal solid waste. The chosen biochar-to-organic waste share is set to 3% w/w dry, and the results obtained are compared with a conventional composting process without biochar. Nine aerated static pilot-scale bins with a volume of 1.3 m3 were prototyped and run, three per thesis and three for the control. The trial lasted 63 days, following the same approach used in full-scale composting facilities. The testing period was divided into a forced aeration phase followed by a static phase. In terms of global warming potential, the use of fine biochar and coarse biochar resulted in 13 and 11 kg CO 2 eq ton-1 emitted respectively. These values are 36% and 45% lower than the 20 kg of CO 2 eq ton-1 emitted by the control theses. Specifically, the chosen minimum amounts of biochar produced a reduction of CH 4 and N 2 O, while a significant reduction in NH 3 emissions was not detected. Carbon dioxide showed a slight increase in biochar theses. This work has proven that fine and coarse gasification-derived biochars improve the bio-oxidative phenomena and reduce greenhouse gases emissions of the composters, regardless of the biochar particle size and regardless of the modest 3% w/w biochar-to-organic waste share used. [Display omitted] • Two grain sizes of biochar are added at 3% w/w to an organic waste compost process. • Decomposition greenhouse-gases are measured to see the biochar impact on the emission. • Biochar significantly reduced methane and nitrous oxide emissions. • The coarse biochar reduces emissions in term of CO2 equivalent up to 45%. • Improved final product with high carbon and mineralized nitrogen content is obtained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]