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Feasibility of using municipal wastewater and waste heat to maximize biomass production in energy plantations. Annual progress report, May 15, 1978-March 1, 1981

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:7176516
; ;
The feasibility of increasing woody biomass production from forest energy plantations through the use of municipal wastewater irrigation was investigated. Energy plantations were established to evaluate the growth and development of hybrid poplar cuttings planted at densities of 0.09, 0.19, 0.37 m/sup 2/ of growing space per tree. Treated municipal wastewater was used to irrigate half of the plantations during the growing season (April to October) at the rate of 5 cm per week. Wastewater irrigation significantly increased diameter and total height growth. Total woody biomass (stemwood, bark, and branches) production was more than doubled by wastewater irrigation. Wastewater was satisfactorily renovated by the hybrid poplar plantations at all growing spaces. Results indicate that potential annual biomass production could reach 30 dt/ha with wastewater irrigation. Significant amounts of nutrients are recycled annually back to the soil in leaf fall which would preclude any nutrient depletion of the site as a result of frequent harvesting. Soil warming with wastewater irrigation can increase biomass production of sycamore by 100 percent compared to wastewater irrigation alone and by over 200 percent relative to control areas. Response is very species or clone dependent and soil warming with wastewater irrigation can also reduce biomass production compared to wastewater irrigation alone. 13 references, 17 figures, 45 tables.
Research Organization:
Pennsylvania State Univ., University Park (USA). Inst. for Research on Land and Water Resources
DOE Contract Number:
FG01-78ET20590
OSTI ID:
7176516
Report Number(s):
DOE/ET/20590-T1; ON: DE84012198
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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Related Subjects

09 BIOMASS FUELS
140504* -- Solar Energy Conversion-- Biomass Production & Conversion-- (-1989)
32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION
320304 -- Energy Conservation
Consumption
& Utilization-- Industrial & Agricultural Processes-- Waste Heat Recovery & Utilization
320604 -- Energy Conservation
Consumption
& Utilization-- Municipalities & Community Systems-- Municipal Waste Management-- (1980-)
ALKALI METALS
BIOMASS PLANTATIONS
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
DATA
ELEMENTS
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
GROUND DISPOSAL
HEATING
INFORMATION
IRRIGATION
MANAGEMENT
METALS
MINERAL CYCLING
MUNICIPAL WASTES
NITRATES
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
NONMETALS
NUMERICAL DATA
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PHOSPHORUS
PLANTS
POPLARS
POTASSIUM
PRODUCTION
SEWAGE
SEWAGE SLUDGE
SLUDGES
SOILS
TEMPERATURE EFFECTS
TRACE AMOUNTS
TREES
WASTE DISPOSAL
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTE PRODUCT UTILIZATION
WASTES