Decreasing the Fuel Consumption and CO2 Emissions of Excavator-Based Harvesters with a Machine Control System

Raffaele Spinelli; Angelo Conrado de Arruda Moura

doi:10.3390/f10010043

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Decreasing the Fuel Consumption and CO2 Emissions of Excavator-Based Harvesters with a Machine Control System

Journal article

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Decreasing the Fuel Consumption and CO2 Emissions of Excavator-Based Harvesters with a Machine Control System

Raffaele Spinelli and Angelo Conrado de Arruda Moura

Forests, Vol.10(1), 43

2019

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/f10010043

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Abstract

logging

productivity

eucalypt

plantation

Brazil

Compared with purpose-built units, excavator-based harvesters offer many advantages, but they also face one main limitation: a much higher fuel consumption, which also results in higher CO2 emission levels. The fuel efficiency of excavator-based harvesters can be increased by a better interface between the excavator and the harvester head. This study aimed to determine the performance of a new adaptation kit, specifically designed to improve the communication between these two components. The new kit offers real-time adjustment between the power demand of the harvester head and the power output of the excavator, which should help reducing fuel consumption while stabilizing hydraulic fluid temperature. The test was conducted on 53 excavator-based harvesters purchased and managed by a large Brazilian company. Time use, fuel consumption and production were monitored continuously for one full month, before and after installation of the kit. Overall, the study covered 40,000 h of work, during which the harvesters cut, processed, and debarked 4.5 million trees, or 650,000 m3 of wood, under bark. Fuel consumption amounted to 900,000 liters. After installing the adaptation kit, productivity increased 6%, while fuel consumption per hour decreased 3.5%. Fuel consumption and CO2 emissions per product unit decreased 10%, as an average. The effect of random variability typical of an observational study prevented formulating an accurate figure for the amount of fuel that can be saved by installing the adaptation kit. Yet, one may confidently state that, in most cases, installing the kit results in a reduction of fuel use, and that such reduction is most often in the range from -10 to -20% on a per m3 basis.

Details

Title: Decreasing the Fuel Consumption and CO2 Emissions of Excavator-Based Harvesters with a Machine Control System
Authors: Raffaele Spinelli (Author) - University of the Sunshine Coast
Angelo Conrado de Arruda Moura (Author) - Forestry Operations, Brazil
Publication details: Forests, Vol.10(1), 43
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date published: 2019
DOI: 10.3390/f10010043
ISSN: 1999-4907
Copyright note: Copyright © 2019 The Authors. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited (CC BY 4.0).
Organisation Unit: University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland; Forest Industries Research Centre; Forest Research Institute
Language: English
Record Identifier: 99451226002621
Output Type: Journal article

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Collaboration types: Domestic collaboration; International collaboration
Web Of Science research areas: Forestry

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