BIOTECH EQUIPMENT AND MACHINERY

Starting from some brief notes on the production of small-scale energy from biomass and other kind of renewable energy, the course will introduce and define the concept of “Precision Farming” in its various meanings and with its enabling technologies. Using the concept of “Variable Rate Agriculture”, optimization and minimization of resources aspects will be considered. Bioreactors will be then considered and some concepts of automatic control, and devices that allow control system implementation (sensors, controllers and actuators) will be introduced with their working princples.

Lectures (28 hours) in the classroom with the aid of projected slides and use of the blackboard. Practical exercises (28 hours) carried out in the classroom and visits to some Di3A laboratories.

Should teaching be carried out in mixed mode or remotely, it may be necessary to introduce changes with respect to previous statements, in line with the programme planned and outlined in the syllabus.

Learning assessment may also be carried out on line, should the conditions require it.

As a guarantee of equal opportunities and in compliance with current laws, interested students can ask for a personal interview in order to plan any compensatory and/or dispensatory measures, based on their specific needs and on teaching objectives of the discipline. It is also possible to ask the departmental contacts of CInAP (Center for Active and Participatory Integration - Services for Disabilities and/or DSAs), in the persons of professors Giovanna Tropea Garzia and Anna De Angelis.

Definition of terms "Precision Farming" and "Variable Rate Agriculture". Tools for data collection about field conditions and for decision making. Introduction to automatic control. Sensors, controllers and actuators. Automation of agricultural machinery and of some farming operations. Introduction to some elements of cartography. Introduction to GNSS satellite systems: GPS, DGPS, RTK-DGPS; technique to improve accuracy based on SBAS and GBAS. Robotics applied to agriculture. Mechatronics. Use of autonomous aircraft (UAV) in agriculture. Optimization of resources, re-use of biomass, brief notes on bioreactors for the production of small-scale energy. Types of systems, sensors, actuators with their working princple, control systems of the functional parameters of the bio-process. Construction features, components, facilities and equipment related to plant for bio-energy production. Some brief notes on other kind of renewable energies.

1- Agricoltura di precisione. Guida pratica all’introduzione in azienda, Bertocco Matteo. Edizioni L’Informatore Agrario.

2- Agricoltura di precisione. Concetti teorici e applicazioni pratiche, Bertocco Matteo; Sartori Luigi; Basso Bruno. Edizioni L’Informatore Agrario.

3- Agricultural Automation: Fundamentals and Practices. Qin Zhang and Francis J. Pierce. CRC Press.

4- Towards Service Robots for Everyday Environments. Prassler E., et al. Springer.

5- Advanced Mechanics in Robotic Systems. Nestor Eduardo Nava Rodríguez. Springer.

6- SISTEMI A BIOMASSE: PROGETTAZIONE E VALUTAZIONE ECONOMICA IMPIANTI DI GENERAZIONE CALORE ED ELETTRICITA'. Bocci Enrico; Caffarelli Alessandro; Villarini Mauro; D'amato Alessio Maggioli Editore.

7- Notes distributed during the lectures and available on Studium platform (https://studium.unict.it/dokeos/2021/courses/22191/index.php); all the recommended books are available at the department library.