ENFOQUE DE PRODUCTO

Julio 2022

En esta edición de la revista Milling and Grain, hemos dedicado nuestra sección Enfoque de Producto a mostrar toda una gama de productos vistos en VIV Europe y Victam International, que se ubicaron este año en los Países Bajos. Durante nuestra asistencia, hemos reconocido que, con el fin de hacer frente a los nuevos retos, la innovación en el sector alimentario sigue creciendo y evolucionando. Con esto en mente, creemos que para reflejar esto correctamente en nuestra revista, incluiríamos una página doble dedicada a cada programa. En esta nota, le animamos a leer y esperamos que disfrute de nuestro informe en la página X, donde podrá encontrar más información sobre las dos exposiciones. Si tiene un nuevo producto o servicio que le gustaría incluir en esta página en una futura edición de nuestra revista, asegúrese de ponerse en contacto con nosotros en e ditorial@perendale.co.uk.

Cangilones elevadores Jumbo CC-S de 4B

El Jumbo CC-S es una versión de servicio ultra pesado del cangilón elevador CC-S de servicio pesado y forma parte de la gama de cangilones de alta eficiencia. Fabricado en HDPE virgen, el cubo ofrece resistencia y durabilidad de servicio pesado. Está diseñado para aplicaciones severas, incluidos terminales de puerto, plantas de etanol y materiales abrasivos. Dispone de un reborde frontal grueso, esquinas y paredes, y están diseñadas para que se puedan montar en una proyección nominal de menos de una pulgada para aumentar la capacidad. La parte frontal de Iceberg Edge ofrece resistencia a impactos y una larga vida útil, compartiendo las características de diseño del CC-S, al tiempo que incluye la ventaja de la capacidad de almacenamiento, lo que permite ahorrar en costes de transporte y espacio de almacenamiento. Sus principales ventajas son su resistencia y flexibilidad, y ofrecen un diseño apilable para un transporte y almacenamiento eficientes, y un fondo cónico para una separación vertical más estrecha.

mymag.info/e/1468 go4b.co.uk

Sistema de dosificación Magi-con de Dinnissen

En reconocimiento a los retos a los que se enfrentan los fabricantes de piensos, el sistema de dosificación Magi-con de Dinnissen permite una producción flexible de una amplia gama de piensos en pequeñas y grandes cantidades en la fábrica. El alimento se toma en un ambiente de vacío y se rocía con dosificación de precisión, seguido por los micro-ingredientes que se succionan profundamente en el grano a través del vacío. Esto es para protegerlos de que se desmoronen al mismo tiempo. Después de lo cual se aplica una fina capa de grasa, para hacer el material más elástico y asegurarse de que se rompe o se desmenuza menos rápidamente. Al hacerlo, el sistema permite altos valores de energía en el alimento y la prevención de la contaminación. Los microingredientes se pueden dosificar en forma líquida o en polvo con la máxima precisión, para ahorrar mymag.info/e/844 costos.

www.dinnissen.eu

El RV proporciona al operador una alta velocidad y un rendimiento de pesaje con varias cabezas de alta precisión, además del apoyo de expertos en pesaje con varias cabezas para productos alimenticios. La báscula ofrece hasta un 100% de eficiencia, midiendo altas velocidades y niveles de precisión. Entre sus ventajas se incluyen el aumento del ritmo de producción y la vibración antisuelo para mejorar el flujo de productos incluso en aplicaciones pegajosas, con su diseño resistente al agua, fiable y robusto, que confirma que está diseñado para durar. La serie RV se puede adaptar para incluir tolvas de hasta siete litros de tamaño, para aplicaciones en patatas y frutas grandes. Las capacidades oscilan entre 0,05 y siete litros, con hasta 400 ponderaciones por minuto. Su diseño resistente al agua cuenta con un índice de protección IP69K para reconocer la protección contra el polvo, las altas temperaturas y el agua a alta presión.

www.ishidaeurope.com

Feedhopper de Eurosilos SIRP

Adecuada para aplicaciones en ganadería, agricultura e industria, la nueva línea de alimentadores con un contenedor de carga de fibra de vidrio y tapa superior se ha diseñado para garantizar la máxima integridad y un almacenamiento correcto de los alimentos. Diseñado para su uso con granos, pellets y otros materiales, gracias a su estructura autosoportable de dos semicascaras de fibra de vidrio, el Feedhopper protege el aislamiento del contenido y tiene una capacidad total de 7m3. Sus características incluyen una tapa superior de fibra de vidrio blanca redondeada para la conservación del alimento, cabrestante de apertura lateral para operaciones de carga y cuatro patas de soporte con tirantes, mientras que también tiene una parte inferior compatible con todos los productos de descarga inferior de Eurosilos SIRP. Este producto se puede equipar con una tira graduada para mantener el nivel de alimento almacenado bajo control.

www.eurosilos.it

Imán de polo externo automático de Goudsmit Magnetics

El imán automático de polos externo, desarrollado recientemente por Goudsmit Magnetics de Waalre, es adecuado para procesar grandes capacidades de alimentos y productos a granel. El imán que se muestra en el stand Victam 1351 puede utilizarse para la admisión en instalaciones de descarga de buques y sirve para proteger la maquinaria. Dos potentes imanes de captura están montados en el exterior de la carcasa completamente lisa y, dependiendo de la versión, separan partículas de hierro gruesas o muy finas de diversos flujos de material. El imán del núcleo exterior está equipado con imanes de neodimiohierro-boro (NdFeB) para montaje en líneas de caída libre. Una ventaja de este conjunto de núcleo exterior es que no se pueden producir puentes ni obstrucciones en el interior del material. Dado que la caja de válvulas está totalmente integrada en el diseño, la altura de instalación sigue siendo limitada. El imán de polo externo está disponible en varias versiones hasta una entrada/salida de 300 x 1.000 mm. Es adecuado para grandes capacidades de hasta 200 m3 GB/hora.

ENFOQUE ESPECIAL SORTEX H SpectraVision

El grupo tecnológico suizo de molienda The Bühler Group ha lanzado su último clasificador óptico para trigo, centeno, avena, granos, café y legumbres: El Sortex H SpectraVision. Con la tecnología de los nuevos algoritmos de clasificación MerlinAi, la solución lleva la clasificación óptica a un nuevo nivel de usabilidad, rendimiento y trazabilidad del producto.

Utilizando los mejores conocimientos técnicos de ingeniería británicos y suizos, la Sortex H SpectraVision es el resultado de los 75 años de experiencia de Bühler en la clasificación óptica. Ofrece tres ventajas clave para los clientes: Facilidad de uso sin igual, alto rendimiento y conectividad mejorada, lo que contribuye a una mayor sostenibilidad.

Los procesadores de hoy deben abordar un número cada vez mayor de defectos como resultado del cambio climático y la reducción de pesticidas. Con su control individual de eliminación de defectos, esta máquina permite a los procesadores mantener la calidad de clasificación con facilidad. El Sortex H también ofrece concentraciones de rechazo hasta un 50% superiores.

El suministro de rendimientos máximos está en línea con el objetivo de Bühler de reducir la energía, los residuos y el agua hasta en un 50 por ciento en las cadenas de valor de sus clientes para 2025 y desarrollar soluciones sostenibles para alimentar a la población mundial de 10 mil millones de dólares para 2050.

Además, la conectividad mejorada aumenta el valor de los procesadores. Se pueden descargar más de 500 puntos de datos cada segundo y enviarlos a Bühler Insights para optimizar y realizar un seguimiento del rendimiento.

Los procesadores pueden supervisar y controlar el rendimiento de sus máquinas desde cualquier parte del mundo, de acuerdo con los estándares de la Industria 4,0. También es posible realizar un seguimiento en tiempo real del rendimiento de la clasificación y las advertencias de emergencia gracias al sistema de monitorización Sortex.

MerlinAi: Innovación, no magia

Sortex H SpectraVision, capaz de gestionar una amplia gama de aplicaciones, entre las que se incluyen: Trigo, centeno, avena, granos, café y legumbres, Funciona con los nuevos algoritmos de clasificación MerlinAi. “MerlinAi es el nuevo cerebro de las máquinas de clasificación óptica Sortex de Bühler”, afirma Melvyn Penna, Jefe de Producto de Bühler.

“Sus avanzados algoritmos de ordenación multicapa garantizan un rendimiento consistentemente mayor para los procesadores, ya que se pierde un producto menos bueno en el flujo de rechazo”.

Una reducción superior de defectos significa que la calidad aceptable puede satisfacerse incluso con material de entrada de menor calidad. “Estos nuevos algoritmos de calibración y seguimiento del producto garantizan que el rendimiento de la máquina se mantenga constante y alto, lo que proporciona a los procesadores una mayor flexibilidad”, añade Mr Penna.

Un sello de aprobación del cliente

Un cliente que ha estado disfrutando de las ventajas de Sortex H SpectraVision es Harivenasa. Como la primera fábrica de avena de España, la empresa se especializa en la producción y suministro de avena de alta calidad y otros productos a base de cereales, manteniendo la filosofía de que la buena salud se puede lograr disfrutando de la vida y la comida.

Harivenasa instaló el año pasado una máquina Sortex H SpectraVision de siete módulos en su flamante fábrica de avena. “Estamos muy satisfechos con el Sortex H porque es muy eficiente, aumenta nuestra productividad y ahora obtenemos una calidad mucho mejor que antes en cuanto a granos sin descascarar, defectos, manchas negras, etc.”, afirma Alberto Loizate, Director Gerente de Harivenasa, Alea.

Desde la instalación de la máquina, Harivenasa ha experimentado una mejora en la calidad de su avena y ahora está buscando entrar en nuevos mercados en nuevos países.

La facilidad de uso es también una ventaja importante. “Nuestro personal dice que es mucho más fácil navegar por el software y realizar el mantenimiento de la máquina. También nos dicen que es más fácil cambiar los parámetros. En resumen, el Sortex H hace que sus vidas sean mucho más fáciles”, dice Loizate.

“El retorno de la inversión también será muy corto. Ya hemos visto una gran calidad con un rechazo muy bajo del producto. El clasificador tiene muchas características completamente nuevas y funciona con las últimas conexiones remotas y conocimientos Bühler. Con Bühler Insights, la máquina está lista para el futuro”, añade.

La Sortex H SpectraVision, que se fabrica y valida en las instalaciones de Bühler en Londres, se ha instalado en numerosas instalaciones de clientes de todo el mundo y está disponible para su compra en todo el mundo. Está disponible con hasta siete tolvas. Se presentó a los procesadores durante una serie de seminarios web específicos de aplicaciones y regiones durante los últimos dos meses. También fue exhibido en el Congreso Mundial de Semillas ISF de este año en Barcelona, así como en la IAOM en América del Norte e IPACK-IMA en Milán, donde recibió una gran respuesta.

www.buhlergroup.com mymag.info/e/1467

www.ai-lati.eu

Let ’ s w a l k t o g e th e r i nto a n e w E r a

www.ocrim.com www.paglierani.com

Bühler Networking Days 2022

Una plataforma de colaboración excepcional para compartir, aprender, establecer contactos y proporcionar impacto e inspiración

Por Roger Gilbert, Editor, Milling and Grain con el apoyo del Equipo de Comunicaciones de Bühler

En una demostración del compromiso de las empresas de estar a la vanguardia de la lucha contra la crisis climática para proteger y restaurar la naturaleza y la biodiversidad, Y para cerrar la brecha en la distribución de la riqueza, 1000 representantes

de las empresas líderes del mundo de 95 países se ¿Cómo podemos permitir que 10 millones de personas (para 2050) reunieron esta semana en Uzwil en la sede global del vivan una buena vida dentro de los límites de nuestro planeta? Grupo Bühler para discutir la necesidad urgente de que las empresas se unan para acelerar la transición Esa es la pregunta que Bühler realizó en Uzwil, Suiza (a finales de hacia la sostenibilidad. Representando a empresas junio) en 2022 días de trabajo en red, planteó a más de 1000 tomadores que entre ellas alimentan a cuatro mil millones de la población mundial y que mueven dos mil millones, los de decisiones invitados que representaban a los sectores de alimentación, delegados que asistieron al evento Bühler Networking piensos y movilidad bajo el tema: «Acelerar el impacto juntos» Days 2022 del 27 al 28 de junio, escucharon a Este evento único fue creado por primera vez por Bühler en 2016 y se celebra

destacados académicos, líderes empresariales,

empresarios e innovadores sobre cómo las empresas cada tres años presentando ponencias, paneles y demostraciones tecnológicas pueden hacer frente mejor a los desafíos globales de con un enfoque en el liderazgo, la tecnología, la educación, la inspiración y la hoy en día. acción más allá de las fronteras internacionales de la industria. Destaca ejemplos de empresas que ofrecen un impacto tangible en la mitigación del cambio climático, la erradicación de la pobreza, la creación de empleo, la protección y restauración de la naturaleza y la mejora de la seguridad alimentaria. “La industria global tiene excelentes ejemplos de empresas que son altamente responsables, aplicando tecnologías innovadoras en el centro de su transformación y, a través de ello, volviéndose económicamente más saludables y abordando la sostenibilidad al mismo tiempo”, afirma Stefan Scheiber, director ejecutivo de Bühler. “De hecho, a pesar de todos los desafíos a los que nos enfrentamos –desde el cambio climático hasta la inseguridad alimentaria y energética, pasando por los problemas de la cadena de suministro y las perturbaciones sociales, pasando por las guerras–, estoy convencido de que podemos cambiar las cosas. “Las tecnologías innovadoras ofrecen muchas oportunidades de negocio cuando también abordan cuestiones de

sostenibilidad. No debemos avergonzarnos de aprovechar estas oportunidades”.

Se destacaron las soluciones de empresas globales, emprendedores extraordinarios, nuevas empresas, instituciones académicas y ONG, todo ello ilustrando que las soluciones a los desafíos globales se pueden encontrar y ofrecer a escala.

Las jornadas de trabajo en red crean una plataforma excepcional para compartir, aprender, establecer redes, colaborar, asociarse y, lo que es más importante, crear un impacto positivo.

Uso de tecnologías probadas

Los ejemplos tangibles de empresas que equilibran la naturaleza, la humanidad y la economía en sus decisiones se comparten en los días de Networking.

Entre los asistentes se incluyen: Una empresa de café de Noruega, que reduce las emisiones de CO2e en un 85 por ciento en sus nuevas instalaciones; un empresario de Angola, que ha construido un gigantesco complejo alimentario industrial como primer paso para proporcionar una seguridad alimentaria autosuficiente en todo su país; Un fabricante de baterías en el Reino Unido que está construyendo la primera Gigaplant de Europa con nuevos procesos de mezcla, reduciendo los residuos en el proceso de producción en un 80 por ciento y un miller en la India que está fabricando tortillas en una planta que reduce el consumo de agua en un 84 por ciento y elimina las aguas residuales.

Muchas otras empresas participantes ya están transformando su sistema alimentario con proteínas vegetales suministradas de forma sostenible.

Reconociendo que ninguna entidad, un país, una empresa o un individuo, tiene los recursos, los conocimientos o el alcance para abordar los desafíos globales a los que nos enfrentamos, Bühler ha establecido sus jornadas de trabajo en red para reunir y alimentar su creciente ecosistema global de socios.

“Necesitamos una colaboración masiva entre la industria, las nuevas empresas, el mundo académico, los educadores, la política, Las ONG y el público para manejar y limitar los efectos del cambio climático, la pérdida de biodiversidad y la eliminación de la pobreza”, dice el director de tecnología de la Bühler Ian Roberts.“We need massive collaboration among industry, start-ups, academia, educators, politics, NGOs and the public to manage and limit the effects of climate change, loss of biodiversity, and eliminate poverty,” says Bühler CTO Ian Roberts.

Levantándonos para afrontar juntos los desafíos globales

A pesar de que las empresas se enfrentan recientemente a una miríada de obstáculos, los ejemplos de la investigación de vacunas, los avances en la digitalización y el desarrollo de la comunicación a escala durante el cierre demostraron la capacidad de las empresas para hacer frente a los desafíos globales cuando era necesario.

“Hemos experimentado el poder de la ciencia y la innovación con industrias que colaboran a una nueva escala”, afirma Stefan Scheiber, director general del Grupo Bühler.

“En nuestras industrias –en la nutrición animal, la alimentación y la movilidad– la tasa de innovación nunca ha sido tan alta como la actual, lo que crea impacto porque necesitamos nuevas tecnologías y una colaboración amplia para afrontar nuevos retos, y al mismo tiempo asegurar el futuro de nuestros negocios de una manera responsable. Necesitamos tecnologías, necesitamos colaboración y liderazgo responsable para dar forma al futuro”.

Impacto a través del propósito

Ranjay Gulati, profesor de Harvard de Administración de Empresas, y autor de “Profundo: El corazón y el alma de las empresas de alto rendimiento”, advirtió a los líderes de las empresas que no se enredaran en métricas complejas en torno al medio ambiente, la gestión social y de gobierno (ESG) y la responsabilidad social corporativa (CSR) cuando las empresas logran un mayor impacto al tener un objetivo social claramente articulado.

“La primera manera en que el propósito puede acelerar el impacto es proporcionando dirección”, explicó el profesor Gulati.

“Propósito crea una brújula y un marco orientado alrededor de donde usted se dirige en tiempos turbulentos cuando tiene muchas cosas a su alrededor”.

Añadió que centrarse en el propósito social también motiva e inspira a los empleados, mientras que una motivación empresarial claramente expresada a menudo proporciona claridad y orientación útiles a los socios comerciales. Gulati cita a Bühler en su libro sobre Profundo como un ejemplo de una compañía que ha adoptado con éxito este enfoque.

Una vez que se decide un propósito social, debe ser explicado adecuadamente a todos los interesados tanto interna como externamente, de modo que se convierta en parte del ADN corporativo y pueda expresarse en todas las acciones de una compañía.

El papel del liderazgo

En una sesión sobre la necesidad de un buen liderazgo empresarial para mitigar el cambio climático, Satya Nadella, director ejecutivo de Microsoft, dijo que en tiempos de incertidumbre las cualidades de liderazgo se podían diluir en tres atributos clave: Dijo a los delegados que, al evaluar a los futuros líderes de Microsoft, buscaba su capacidad para generar energía, ofrecer resultados bajo limitaciones y crear claridad cuando no existía ninguna.

“Vivimos en un mundo complejo e incierto, siempre habrá ambigüedad en nuestro trabajo, los verdaderos líderes siempre traen claridad y hacen un llamado incluso en tiempos inciertos”, dijo Nadella.

Christian Klein, director ejecutivo de SAP, la multinacional alemana de software con más de 400.000 clientes en todo el mundo, habló en la misma sesión de la necesidad de que los líderes comprendan a fondo su sector y negocio, especialmente en lo que se refiere a la complejidad de

Burkhard Böndel, Head of Corporate Communications at Bühler explains the future of sustainable milling - where all aspects are located on one site from flour, pasta, rice, feed, aqua and other milling processes take place alongside a canal which supplies raw materials in volume to attending journalists

las cadenas de suministro.

“Todos estamos compartiendo datos en las redes sociales todo el tiempo y, sin embargo, cuando se trata de empresas, ¿cuánto entendemos nuestras cadenas de suministro? Estoy convencido de que aquí es donde debemos unirnos para compartir datos y rastrear los flujos de material”, explicó.

“Trazabilidad integral significa que puede pensar en cómo medir la demanda en tiempo real y ajustar su inventario a la materia prima.” Sólo cuando las cadenas de suministro se comprenden plenamente es posible mejorar las normas sobre cuestiones como los derechos humanos y abordar adecuadamente las emisiones de alcance 3, agrega.

Aceleración del impacto con innovación

En un momento histórico, Stephanie Michelsen, cofundadora y codirectora ejecutiva de Jellatech, una empresa de tecnología de vanguardia que produce colágeno y gelatina sin animales en el laboratorio, presentó al evento Networking Days la primera muestra de colágeno sin animales cultivado de forma sostenible que se puede ver fuera de un laboratorio.

Como ingredientes clave para la industria farmacéutica, biomédica y alimentaria, el mercado tiene un valor anual de 8,4 millones de dólares y actualmente depende exclusivamente de subproductos animales.

Para aplausos rapaces, la Sra. Michelsen dijo a los delegados que la agricultura celular tiene el potencial de eliminar todos los daños ambientales causados por la cría de ganado.

“El colágeno y la gelatina son sólo el punto de partida para nosotros, hay tantas otras proteínas interesantes de los animales y de la naturaleza que ahora podemos crecer en un laboratorio”, dijo a los delegados. Jellatech está recaudando fondos para trasladar la tecnología del laboratorio a un piloto y más allá.

El Dr. Christoph Gebald, cofundador y codirector ejecutivo de Climeworks, describió cómo su empresa elimina el CO2 de la atmósfera y lo almacena permanentemente en el terreno para ayudar a revertir el cambio climático.

Lanzada hace 13 años, Climeworks opera ahora la mayor planta del mundo que captura CO2 desde la atmósfera construida en Islandia.

“Esta tecnología ha llegado para quedarse y dentro de 30 años esta industria será muy grande, eliminará el CO2 a nivel de gigatonelada de la atmósfera, y operará sinérgicamente con otras tecnologías de cambio climático como la solar y la eólica”, explicó.

Liderando con el ejemplo

En un movimiento para ayudar a lograr sus propios objetivos de cambio climático para tener soluciones listas para multiplicarse que reduzcan la energía, el desperdicio, Y el agua en un 50 por ciento en las cadenas de valor de sus clientes para 2025, Bühler anunció que había evaluado el impacto de sus diferentes soluciones de procesamiento, en los residuos, la energía, Y el consumo de agua, el uso de la tierra y la huella de CO2e, junto con evaluaciones de cómo los avances tecnológicos impactan en los Objetivos de Desarrollo Sostenible de las Naciones Unidas y los beneficios para la economía circular. “Al evaluar el impacto de nuestras soluciones, podemos empezar a realizar un seguimiento de su impacto acumulativo general”, afirmó Ian Roberts, director de tecnología de Bühler. Una contribución importante es la optimización de la base de activos instalados del sector y Bühler está aprendiendo a supervisar la reducción de la huella de CO2e resultante de los servicios en las instalaciones de sus clientes. Hasta ahora, se han calculado 30.000 toneladas de reducción de CO 2 e acumuladaen sólo 11 de los servicios de Bühler en los procesos de los clientes. “Vamos a ampliar ese cálculo en toda la cartera de servicios para comprender mejor el impacto que podemos reunir en esa huella de CO2e y, a continuación, verificar el cálculo a medida que construimos mejores conjuntos de datos”, afirmó Roberts.

Bühler también está utilizando nuevas soluciones tecnológicas para realizar un seguimiento de las emisiones de CO 2 e evitadas. Roberts dijo a los delegados que Bühler ahora puede proporcionar un servicio trabajando con los clientes para cuantificar su huella de CO2e. “Podemos realizar evaluaciones de productos y ver dónde se encuentran los puntos conflictivos de procesamiento y crear planes de acción para reducir su huella de CO2e y podemos contar con la certificación externa”, explicó. Holger Feldhege, COO de Bühler, se dirigió a la audiencia y explicó los objetivos internos globales de reducción de CO 2 de Bühler, y cómo se implementarán las acciones definidas en las operaciones de Bühler a través de un programa global que se implementará desde ahora hasta 2030.

Tenemos que hablar de desigualdad

El Presidente y Director Ejecutivo del Consejo Empresarial Mundial para el Desarrollo Sostenible, Peter Bakker, describió los tres mayores desafíos de nuestro tiempo como la emergencia climática, la pérdida de la naturaleza y la creciente desigualdad.

“Creo que la mayoría de ustedes ya tendrán el memo sobre el cambio climático”, dijo a los delegados.

“Yo diría que todavía no se siente cómodo con su papel en lo que se refiere a la desigualdad. Cuando regresemos a esta sala [dentro de tres años] la desigualdad será tan urgente como el cambio climático hoy en día. La sociedad ya no va a soportar grandes diferencias de riqueza con profundas diferencias estructurales en el acceso a las oportunidades”.

Advirtió que había llegado el momento de que las empresas comenzaran a hablar sobre la desigualdad, la transformación del sistema, la necesidad de innovar, el cambio de comportamiento y los flujos financieros.

Impulsar un cambio significativo

Cuando se trata de mejorar la diversidad entre los nuevos empresarios, Izzy Obeng, director ejecutivo de Foundervine, un acelerador de puesta en marcha dedicado a eliminar las barreras sociales y económicas a las que se enfrentan los empresarios de hoy, presentó a la audiencia de Networking Days algunas estadísticas contundentes.

Ella dijo a la conferencia que sólo un centavo de cada euro de financiación de capital de riesgo fue para todos los equipos femeninos en 2020, con 15 centavos en el euro que se destinaron a equipos fundadores de género mixto.

En comparación 84 centavos en el Euro va a todos los equipos fundadores masculinos. Sólo 38 empresarios negros lograron recaudar fondos de capital de riesgo entre 2009 y 2019, lo que representa sólo la mitad del capital total asignado durante los 10 años.

La Sra. Obeng dijo a los delegados que ningún fondo de riesgo dirigido por negros en Europa ha recaudado una importante financiación institucional para invertir en fundadores. Hasta la fecha, Foundervine ha ayudado a más de 5000 líderes del Reino Unido a adquirir las habilidades necesarias para hacer crecer las empresas y aumentar la inversión.

Obeng dijo a los delegados que todo el mundo debía participar en conversaciones sobre diversidad y no sólo sobre los equipos de diversidad e inclusión, añadiendo que las empresas también necesitaban invertir más en sus comunidades locales.

“Como líderes tenemos una oportunidad real de establecer los estándares que dan voz a aquellos que tradicionalmente no han tenido una. Fortalecer las comunidades que han sido históricamente marginadas y ver dónde sus empresas y usted como individuo pueden ofrecer oportunidades de inclusión financiera y de creación de riqueza”.

Palabras finales

Al concluir la conferencia Stefan Scheiber dijo: “Estos dos días han demostrado lo enorme que es el potencial para impulsar cambios significativos en tantas áreas importantes.

“Estoy muy animado por las innumerables interacciones y el deseo común de acelerar nuestro impacto, en todos los sectores y a escala mundial. Juntos podemos crear, y lo haremos, un mundo mejor, más sostenible y más justo para las generaciones futuras”.

Impacto en la

Todo se reduce al equipo que utilizamos

Por Roger Gilbert, Darren Parris y Andrew Wilkinson, Milling and Grain

Bühler's Networking Days 2022 - – where the ‘Virtual World’ crosses over with the ‘Real World’ in the ‘Dome’

Un aspecto importante para los visitantes que asisten a las Bühler Networking Days son las grandes galerías denominadas “Centros de aplicaciones”, que albergan la mayoría de las últimas innovaciones de la empresa y que se exponen con su equipo de desarrollo para responder a sus preguntas.

Milling and Grain visitó el “Centro de solicitud de manipulación y procesamiento de grano” y conversaron con el personal de desarrollo sobre las diversas innovaciones que se centran no sólo en reducir el uso de agua, energía y residuos para el objetivo de la empresa del 50 por ciento para 2030. Pero sobre la sostenibilidad y su impacto en la reducción necesaria y significativa de las emisiones de CO 2 de las fases 1 y 2 , que la empresa está decidida a lograr para 2030 como primer paso para alcanzar un nivel net-zero de emisiones de carbono para sus clientes en 2050.

El equipo que atrajo la atención de nuestro equipo de doce o más procesos para los sectores de alimentos y piensos incluye los siguientes:

La nueva SORTEX H SpectraVision con MerlinAi

La clasificación óptica es esencial en cualquier operación de procesamiento, ya que puede diferenciar entre granos individuales, productos alimenticios finales e incluso incoherencias en otros productos masivos como plásticos, lo que ayuda a cumplir los requisitos de seguridad alimentaria y a lograr una calidad de producto más pura.

La avanzada tecnología de cámara (incluida una importante reducción del ruido de la imagen), la iluminación y el aprendizaje automático mejoran la eliminación precisa de defectos de productos y materiales extraños por color, forma y textura. La compañía también cuenta con una amplia gama de productos basada en el presupuesto, la capacidad y la calidad del producto que necesita lograr.

La lista de aplicaciones conexas incluye granos como trigo y arroz, cacao, garbanzos, nueces y semillas, café, alimentos para animales de compañía y dulces y mucho más.

La clasificación adecuada de los granos no sólo es vital en la industria de procesamiento de granos, sino que también es fundamental cuando se procesan granos de café para garantizar la eliminación de todos los restos de granos de café descoloridos y de material extraño. También es fundamental retirar todo el material de la carcasa de las tuercas desheladas.

Esta avanzada tecnología le permite eliminar de forma eficaz y eficaz una serie de defectos, incluidos granos descoloridos, inmaduros y dañados por insectos, así como diversos materiales extraños como vidrio, piedras, plástico y materiales extraños del mismo color, como palos.

Bühler presentó su última máquina SORTEX H SpectraVision que, en comparación con la máquina SORTEX A ColorVision, no sólo es más precisa en una sola pasada, sino que aumenta el rendimiento del 99,60% al 99,92% en una amplia gama de muestras de grano, incluidas contaminantes difíciles como avena sin casco, semillas de malas hierbas, maíz partido, centeno y cebada. Su rechazo primario mejoró del 4,5% al 2,21%, lo que produjo un 50% menos de residuos. Esta máquina es tan avanzada que ganó el premio a la mejor tecnología nueva que se mostró en los Networking Days 2022 votados por los asistentes.

El Arrius MRRA es el primer sistema de molienda totalmente integrado presentado en 2020. Entre sus numerosas aplicaciones se incluyen el molienda de trigo, trigo duro, centeno, cebada, maíz y escanda, donde establece el punto de referencia en términos de rendimiento de molienda y eficiencia energética. Entre sus características más destacadas se incluyen: Su facilidad de uso, diseño plug-and-play, seguridad alimentaria, seguridad operativa y personalización.

En el corazón del Arrius se encuentra el paquete de rodillos recientemente desarrollado. Pre-tensionado y sin holgura, lo que permite un proceso de molienda estable y optimiza la transferencia de energía al producto. Junto con el módulo de alimentación optimizado, garantiza un rendimiento de molienda estable y uniforme.

Un servidor web integrado permite la supervisión y el funcionamiento del sistema de molienda desde diferentes dispositivos, incluidos smartphones, tabletas y ordenadores personales.

El armario de conmutación integrado significa que el Arrius está cableado y probado en la planta de montaje de Bühler y se entrega listo para funcionar, con este sistema plug-and-play que reduce significativamente el tiempo de instalación y puesta en marcha.

Todas las superficies que tocan el producto están hechas de acero inoxidable u otros materiales de grado alimentario. Es el primer sistema de molienda que permite la limpieza debajo de la máquina. La función de vaciado garantiza una descarga sin residuos del módulo de alimentación.

La seguridad de funcionamiento incluye cubierta con bloqueo electrónico y protección de la protección de las manos. La última tecnología de sensores, incluida la medición de la temperatura del rodillo, que controla continuamente el estado de la máquina para

Darren Parris, recorriendo el 'mundo virtual' en persona

garantizar unos altos tiempos de actividad y una eficiencia operativa.

El sistema de molienda integrado Arrius se presenta en una versión de cuatro rodillos y en una de ocho rodillos. Los rodillos están disponibles en las longitudes 1000mm, 1250mm y 1500mm. Los clientes también pueden añadir varias opciones, entre las que

se incluyen un ajustador de separación de molienda accionado por motor, control de la temperatura de rodillos y cojinetes y medición de la fuerza de molienda.

No es de extrañar que esta sea la máquina que ganó el Victam/Milling and Grain GRAPAS 2022 por su innovación en Utrecht a finales de mayo de 2022.

Manipulación de grano

Las estimaciones sugieren que hasta el 30 por ciento de los alimentos del mundo se pierden o se desperdician entre el campo y el tenedor. Las soluciones de manipulación y almacenamiento de grano de Bühler al inicio del proceso de molienda están diseñadas para minimizar las pérdidas tempranas, adaptando específicamente las soluciones a las circunstancias que encuentran los clientes.

En el Centro de Aplicación de Granos, la compañía mostró su sistema de manejo de granos a granel completamente cerrado que elimina todas las emisiones de polvo y elimina la posibilidad de contaminación del producto en puertos e instalaciones de descarga de barcos.

También se ha centrado en reducir la energía

Grain handling goes energy efficient with new motors and improved dust control Alexander Schwemberger saluda a los asistentes interesados en el Sortex H SpectraVision, impulsado por MerlinAi. El equipo que desarrolló la máquina ganó el premio al mejor en la feria (por debajo del centro)

Eliminación de sabores extraños mediante MMS y Bühler Filtex para soluciones de etiqueta limpia

Melvyn Penna, Product Manager Optical Sorting, explica los nuevos desarrollos de SORTEX H SpectraVision

necesaria para mover grandes volúmenes de grano, comprometiéndose con soluciones de elevación mecánica y sustituyendo todos los motores hidráulicos por motores de velocidad variable. Una vez más, en este ámbito se centra la atención en la sostenibilidad y la reducción del uso de la energía.

Embalaje

El BFL-2120 de Premier Tech (anteriormente PTF-2120) se mostraba en el Centro de aplicaciones. Como sabemos, Premier Tech se asocia con Bühler para proporcionar sofisticadas unidades de embalaje que garanticen una extraordinaria precisión y eficacia en el embolsado industrial de los polvos, a la vez que garantizan una higiene de nivel superior y seguridad alimentaria.

Es adecuado para una gran variedad de polvos, como la harina de trigo blando, el salvado de trigo, todas las harinas de granos especiales y premezclas de animales.

Premier Tech es líder en embalaje y permite a Bühler ofrecer una línea de producción completa. Premier Tech no sólo ofrece una amplia gama de máquinas de envasado, sino que también ofrece líneas de envasado

Los periodistas visitantes se aprovechan de un tiempo tranquilo 'en la cúpula' antes de que llegue el grupo de 1000 visitantes

Multi-milling at one location in the Virtual World

totalmente integradas, incluidos sistemas de pesaje, paletizadores y envolturas de palets.

Además, Bühler también puede beneficiarse de la cartera de soluciones más completa para cualquier producto o producto granular o en polvo, marcando la diferencia con su nueva generación de básculas por lotes, básculas por pérdida de peso y equilibradores de flujo.

El Pulsroll

El Pulsroll huller DRHG, diseñado para eliminar eficazmente las capas de semillas de una amplia gama de pulsos, es una solución de alto rendimiento que ofrece un rendimiento mejorado, un acabado uniforme y una calidad óptima.

Para aumentar el rendimiento, se puede ajustar el espacio de molienda junto con la arena de las piedras de esmeril, las cribas y la inclinación de la máquina. Esto ayuda a mantener un nivel consistente de molienda, mejorar la calidad y reducir la cantidad de roturas.

Las piedras de esmeril vienen en cuatro secciones para que cada sección pueda ser reemplazada individualmente. El sistema de criba intercambiable opcional ofrece una mayor calidad de descascarado. Las cribas se pueden ajustar para garantizar una superficie de fresado uniforme.

El espacio de lijado, las rejillas de piedra de esmeril, las cribas y la inclinación de la máquina se pueden ajustar individualmente. Esto hace posible el casco de muchos tipos y formas diferentes de legumbres.

El Pulsroll tiene un diseño robusto con piezas de desgaste diseñadas para proteger la máquina de productos abrasivos. Las piedras de esmeril también ofrecen alta resistencia y manejan hasta 10.000 toneladas de producto en su vida útil. Esta máquina también puede albergar hasta cuatro toneladas de legumbres por hora, mientras que puede venir equipada con varios tamaños de motor que oscilan entre 11kW y 22kW.

Laatu

Otra solución de procesamiento que se exhibió en los Networking Days 2022 de Bühler fue su innovadora solución de reducción microbiana in situ para la industria de las especias, llamada Laatu®.

Se trata de una solución industrial no térmica que proporciona calidad de producto con una reducción validada de cinco logarítmicas de salmonela. Ofrece costos de procesamiento minimizados y una huella medioambiental reducida gracias a la tecnología sin productos químicos ni agua, al tiempo que reduce el consumo de energía con un mínimo o ningún desperdicio de producto.

Su sistema integrado de monitorización y registro continuo también garantiza que el equipo funcione dentro de los límites críticos, con informes de calidad de lote que también garantizan la trazabilidad completa de cada lote.

La compañía ha instalado una unidad en EE.UU. para la industria de especias.

Hay varios otros elementos que se deben incluir, y que volveremos a visitar en ediciones posteriores de Milling and Grain.

The future of milling in Uzwil

Grain Innovation Centre to open in 2024

A new multi-million Swiss Franc Grain Innovation Centre (GIC) is being developed at Bühler’s Uzwil site in Switzerland.

The GIC will replace the old technology centre, which was built in the 1950s and no longer fulfils the requirements of a state-of-the art innovation hub.

At the new GIC, Bühler and its customers and partners will develop, test and scale sustainable and efficient solutions for grain and feed processing to improve food and feed solutions.

The focus will be on yield, quality, energy efficiency and the flexibility of the plants together with nutritious and great tasting recipes based on a broad variety of grains and pulses.

Embedded in Bühler’s Application & Training Centre ecosystem at Uzwil, which includes bakery, pasta, proteins and chocolate, the GIC will enable the development of innovative solutions from raw materials to finished products. The GIC is scheduled to start operations by the end of 2024.

Humans have been processing grain for around 10,000 years and yet milling has never been more innovative than it is today. Environmental regulations, food safety, customer needs, raw material sourcing – these ever-increasing demands require new processes and plant technology.

Seventy years ago, Bühler built its first application centre for milling at its site in Uzwil. However, it is now getting on in years and can no longer meet future demands.

When today's application centre was built in 1951, the raw materials were still delivered in 100-kilogram sacks. Transport and distribution relied on a great deal of human muscle power alongside the most advanced technology of the time. This is no longer realistic today, when the raw materials are delivered in one-ton bags or in bulk in tank trucks. The building and its infrastructure are reaching their limits.

The contents of the bags delivered are also very different from those of 1951. Today, more and more diverse raw materials are being processed, from the newly discovered old grain types to legumes and recycled plastic granulate PET. "Everything that can be ground, screened and sorted is in the right place here," says Rudolf Hofer, Head of Grain Innovation Centre.

On the other hand, there is a constant stream of end-product innovation with start-ups, for example, developing products with a local connection to meet current customer tastes. All of this, in turn, places ever higher demands relating to sustainability, energy efficiency, food safety and traceability.

The circular economy is also becoming increasingly important, requiring new solutions and applications for by- and waste products such as hulls, husks, or bran.

The building, which is a place with a great tradition of innovation, will be partly demolished and rebuilt, and partly renovated.

“Most of the machines developed in the milling sector over the past 70 years have been at least partially tested here in the application centre,” says Stefan Birrer, Head of Business Area Milling Solutions.

“Among them are absolute success stories such as the Airtronic roller mill (MDDK), the first friction-locked roller package that made it possible to greatly reduce the number of roller mills in a mill, or the first double roller mill (MDDL) that had a decisive influence on mill design in terms of diagram layout and space requirements.”

Today, the Application and Training Centre no longer meets the requirements for a future-oriented and safe environment for Bühler’s customers or for the company’s own trials and developments.

For this reason, the decision was taken to build a completely new infrastructure on the site of the present Application and Training Centre, which will give an enormous boost to research and development in the field of milling.

Here, work will also be done on how to merge the machines and process steps with the digital revolution.

“All new developments will come from the new Grain Innovation Centre. Bühler will continue to keep this important part of its research in Uzwil,” says Peter Striegl, Head of Innovation Milling Solutions.

In order to take advantage of synergies, the training centre will be integrated into the existing ecosystem with all existing Application & Training centres, the CUBIC, the new Bühler Energy Centre, and the Protein Application Center announced at the Networking Days.

The Milling Academy will also develop a new curriculum, explore innovative and new ways of learning, and work much more closely with the African Milling School and all other academies at Bühler.

Unir les forces pour répondre à la demande croissante de protéines alternatives

Lors de ses Journées Réseautage, Bühler a annoncé un nouveau partenariat stratégique avec la société d'ingénierie allemande endeco pour faire progresser le traitement des légumineuses, répondre à la demande croissante de sources alternatives de protéines et développer des solutions de traitement des légumineuses avec une empreinte CO2 nettement plus faible. endeco, spécialisée dans la conception et la construction d'usines d'amidon et de protéines, et Bühler, leader du marché des technologies de transformation, ont convenu de construire un nouveau centre d'application des protéines au siège de Bühler à Uzwil, en Suisse, afin de proposer aux clients des solutions de bout en bout, du haricot au burger, y compris tous les traitements par voie humide et sèche. La transformation des protéines végétales est une technologie clé pour répondre aux besoins croissants de la population mondiale. Les protéines jouent un rôle essentiel dans une alimentation humaine saine. Une part importante de l'approvisionnement actuel en protéines repose sur la conversion des protéines végétales en protéines animales. Étant donné qu'il faut en moyenne quatre kilogrammes de protéines végétales pour produire un kilogramme de protéines animales, et qu'environ deux tiers des terres agricoles sont déjà utilisées pour le bétail, le passage à des alternatives plus végétales contribue à répondre durablement à la croissance de la demande en protéines. "Ensemble, nous pouvons couvrir l'ensemble de la chaîne de valeur", déclare Johannes Wick, CEO Business Grains & Food chez Bühler. Le nouveau centre d'application des protéines d'Uzwil permettra d'accumuler du savoir-faire et de poursuivre le développement de procédés pour la production de produits de substitution à la viande. Les légumineuses sont des ingrédients prometteurs qui constituent une bonne source de protéines. Ils peuvent être utilisés pour créer de savoureux pains, pâtes, boissons et substituts de viande. Avec la demande croissante des consommateurs pour des aliments sans gluten et végétaliens, la demande de farine de légumineuses devrait augmenter de 10 % d'ici 2025 par rapport à 2017.

Notre principal levier de réduction des émissions de CO2

Le développement de nouvelles solutions est important pour transformer l'industrie, mais l'optimisation potentielle des actifs industriels existants, dans le monde entier, est le plus grand levier à court terme pour réduire l'empreinte CO2. Bühler a présenté des services, des technologies et des solutions permettant d'optimiser les actifs existants, d'ouvrir la voie à la réduction du CO2e dans les nouvelles usines et de soutenir le développement de nouveaux régimes alimentaires et de solutions de mobilité plus durables. "Notre plus grand impact vient du fait que nous aidons nos clients à réduire leur consommation d'énergie, leur production de déchets et leur utilisation de l'eau, tout en assurant la productivité et le rendement. Nous avons des objectifs clairs sur ces sujets. “En élargissant notre écosystème collaboratif, nous pouvons accélérer un impact significatif et durable dans les secteurs de l’alimentation humaine et animale et de la mobilité”, déclare Stefan Scheiber.

Riz – une denrée alimentaire de base

Dans l'une des conférences d'experts de l'événement, Sujit Pande, responsable mondial du marketing et des produits Bühler pour Rice Solutions, a décrit les complexités associées à la transformation du riz compte tenu des milliers de variétés différentes et des conditions climatiques dans lesquelles le riz est cultivé. "On estime que le riz nourrit environ la moitié de la population mondiale et pourtant, comparé à d'autres sources d'énergie comme le blé, le maïs, l'orge et le sorgho, le riz représente environ un quart de la source d'énergie mondiale", a expliqué M. Pande. L'écart entre la source d'énergie et la dépendance de la population est dû au fait que le riz est une culture de subsistance essentielle et qu'il est donc uniquement utilisé comme source de nourriture. Le riz est également lié à la sécurité alimentaire et a donc un impact direct sur la sécurité politique d'un pays. Il a tendance à être consommé dans les régions à forte densité de population.

Une solution d’économie circulaire pour le marché suisse de la viande végétale

La société suisse CN & Partners AG a annoncé la création d'une coentreprise avec Bühler pour créer Circular Food Solutions Switzerland AG - une nouvelle société qui produira une viande suisse de remplacement à partir de céréales usagées recyclées produites localement. Ce produit riche en protéines et en fibres a un faible impact environnemental. "Pendant des décennies, l'orge maltée usagée était utilisée comme nourriture pour les animaux. Aujourd'hui, nous la réutilisons pour créer des alternatives carnées saines et savoureuses", explique Johannes Wick, PDG de l'activité Grains & Food de Bühler. "Pendant ce temps, l'entrepreneur suisse Christoph Nyfeler, propriétaire de CN & Partners AG, déclare : "Nous sommes déterminés à vivre de manière durable et nous le prouvons par nos actions." L'upcycling (transformation de sous-produits et de déchets en nouveaux matériaux ou produits de plus grande valeur) est le saint Graal de l'économie circulaire. Dans le processus de brassage de la bière, l'amidon du malt d'orge est utilisé pour produire de la bière. Le reste est appelé "drêche". Traditionnellement, elle est utilisée comme nourriture pour les animaux. Mais une grande partie de la partie nutritive du grain se trouve dans cette drêche. M. Nyfeler a créé une coentreprise avec Bühler AG pour établir Circular Food Solutions Switzerland AG, basée à Lenzburg, en Suisse. Ce partenariat associe l'expertise en matière de transformation et la propriété intellectuelle de Bühler aux compétences, à l'expérience et au réseau de CN & Partners afin d'apporter une nouvelle solution au marché de la viande d'origine végétale. "Nous travaillons en étroite collaboration avec Bühler sur l'ingénierie détaillée sur le site choisi. Si nous parvenons à garantir une chaîne d'approvisionnement efficace, nous prévoyons que l'exploitation commencera d'ici l'été 2023", déclare M. Nyfeler. L'idée originale d'utiliser les drêches de brasserie de cette manière est née d'un concours d'innovation chez Bühler. L'équipe à l'origine de cette idée a vu l'opportunité de créer un nouveau produit à partir de ce précieux flux secondaire et a dirigé son développement par le biais d'une start-up, Circular Food Solutions AG (CFS Global), qui a depuis été séparée de Bühler. Bühler a l'intention de rendre cette capacité disponible dans différents pays. "Nous aimerions trouver des entrepreneurs dans d'autres parties du monde qui, comme CN & Partners, peuvent fournir les contacts et l'expérience de la production et de la vente au détail au niveau local, et qui souhaiteraient s'associer avec nous d'une manière similaire", déclare M. Wick. “Nous cherchons à unir nos forces pour favoriser une économie circulaire véritablement durable dans les alternatives à la viande.”

WINNER

Arrius Integrated Grinding System by Bühler Group Arrius is the first fully integrated grinding system (IGS) for grinding wheat, durum, rye, barley, corn and spelt where it sets the benchmark in terms of grinding performance and energy efficiency.

Partnership and initiatives announced

The Networking Days event also provided an opportunity for Bühler to announce a number of joint ventures and partnerships involving industry synergies and technological advances aimed at mitigating climate change.

Bühler announced the following partnerships:

A partnership with endeco enabling complete solutions from crops to plant-based meat and dairy analogues and the building of a protein application lab in Uzwil integrating processes from raw material to finished product

A joint venture with Zeta, an engineering company serving the pharmaceutical industry, to produce a one-stop-shop to scale up bioprocessing from laboratory to industrial production. A partnership with Vyncke, facilitating the production of clean energy from biomass and recovered fuel. Bühler announced new application labs to support the latest technologies in milling. A new joint venture with Christopher Nyfeler supporting the circular economy • A partnership with IMDHER specializing in building turnkey plants for animal feed, aqua and pet food plants in Mexico • A partnership with Flottweg specializing in separation technology • A partnership with MMS providing membrane solutions across the food and bio pharma industries • Bühler has partnered with the car manufacturer Volvo to make sure it has the latest technology in its new plant based in

Sweden • Bühler has partnered with Britishvolt in using continuous production technology in the fourth biggest battery plant in the

UK • Bühler has also worked with partners Migros and Givaudan to create The Cultured Hub, to accelerate the future of cultured food processes • Bühler also announced the setting up of the National Board for

Switzerland for “One Young World Switzerland” to enable all

Swiss companies to access “One Young World” and identify the most impactful Swiss young leaders of tomorrow • Bühler announced that it has offset the carbon footprint of the 2022 Networking Days event with two of its partners,

Climeworks and Restor.

The time for action

The time for action and making a significant impact with regard to waste, water and energy reductions within the milling sector contributes to the is now with the goal of achieving net-zero emission of CO2e by 2030.

That’s the clear message attendees heard from several presenters during Bühler’s 2022 Networking Days.

The company aims to have solutions ready to help its customers achieve the 50 percent targets in the areas of waste, water and energy by 2025 and thus help reduce their CO2 footprint. It announced that it had assessed the impact of its different processing solutions and how its technological advances impact the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and benefit the circular economy.

“By evaluating the impact of our solutions, we can then start tracking their overall accumulative impact and support our customers on their netzero journeys,” said Ian Roberts, Bühler’s Chief Technical Officer.

An important contribution is the optimisation of the industry’s installed asset base and his company is learning how to monitor the reduction in CO2e footprint resulting from its services at customers’ sites.

So far, 30,000 tonnes of accumulative CO2e reduction have been calculated across only 11 of its services used in customer processes.

“With these 11 servcies we learn how to estimate and verify impact, we are going to expand that calculation across the whole service portfolio to better understand the impact we can bring together on that CO2e footprint and then verify the calculation as we build better data sets,” he adds.

Bühler is also using new technological solutions to track avoided CO2e emissions.

Roberts told delegates that Bühler is now able to provide a service to quantify customer CO2e footprint.

“We can do product assessments and look at where the processing hot spots are and build action plans to drop CO2e footprint and have it externally certified,” he explains.

Ian Roberts, Chief Technical Officer at Bühler

China Agriculture Outlook Report (2022-2031)

The quality, efficiency & competitiveness of Chinese agriculture is set to improve significantly

by Professor Wu Wenbin, Henan university of technology, China

he 2022 China Agricultural Outlook

TConference was recently held in Beijing. Ma Youxiang, vice minister of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, pointed out at the meeting that China's grain output has exceeded 1.3 trillion catties for seven consecutive years and its grain inventory remains abundant.

According to the Report on China's Agricultural Outlook (2022-2031) released at the conference, the effective supply of grain and other important agricultural products will be guaranteed, the quality, efficiency and competitiveness of China's agriculture will be significantly improved, basic self-sufficiency in grain and absolute grain security will be fully ensured, and the self-sufficiency rate of grain will be raised to about 88 percent in the next decade.

A promising time ahead

Tang Ke, director of the Market and information Technology Department of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, pointed out at the release of the report that after analysis, on the supply and demand situation, in the next decade, benefit from agricultural policies will continue. China's grain planting area is expected to be stable at more than 1.75 billion mu, whilst rations area is stable in more than 800 million mu. With the implementation of the seed industry revitalisation campaign, grain varieties are expected to be upgraded and facilities will be strengthened.

About 1.2 billion mu of high-standard cropland will be built, and 280 million mu of existing high-standard cropland will be upgraded. The yield per unit area of corn and soybean increased by 18.3% and 34.1% respectively.

The agricultural production structure and regional distribution were significantly improved, the supply capacity of high-quality green agricultural products was significantly increased, and the output of high-quality japonica rice and special-purpose wheat with strong and weak gluten increased steadily.

According to the report, China's grain output will continue to increase gradually in the next decade. At the same time, food consumption pattern and consumption structure will continue to change.

Consumption of grain decreased, and consumption of meat, eggs, milk, fruits and vegetables increased. In addition, with the support of the soybean oil production capacity improvement project and other policies support, by 2031, the sown area of soybeans will reach 20 million mu, and domestic soybeans can maintain basic self-sufficiency in edible soybeans.

Rice

yield per unit area will gradually increase, and the yield of rice will be more than 210 million tons. With the continuous upgrading of food consumption, rice consumption has shown a steady and slightly downward trend, and the overall consumption will remain at about 210 million tons.

Ration consumption continued to decline, but accounted for more than 69% of rice consumption, feeding consumption will first decrease and then increase with the development of animal husbandry and feed cost price changes. The relationship between rice supply and demand is generally relaxed, and rice import is mainly to meet the demand of variety adjustment.

Wheat

In the next 10 years, the regional layout and quality structure of wheat production will continue to be optimized, the yield per unit area will continue to improve, and the yield will increase steadily. With the gradual increase of corn yield, the ratio of wheat to corn prices will remain in a reasonable range, and the consumption of wheat feed will fall to the perennial level.

However, there is still a large space for the growth of industrial consumption, and the overall consumption of wheat will decrease first and then increase. China will still import part of special wheat for variety adjustment, but with the continuous improvement of domestic high-quality wheat production level, the import demand of high-quality special wheat will decrease.

Corn

In the next 10 years, the sown area of corn will decrease first and then increase; with the continuous optimisation of maize planting mode, the promotion and application of breeding technology and field management technology, the yield per unit area has been steadily improved, with an estimated annual growth rate of 1.7%. Yield growth is mainly due to the contribution of yield per unit area, which is expected to reach 323.93 million tonnes in 2031, with an average annual growth rate of 2.0%. As corn feed consumption continued to grow but the growth rate slowed down and industrial consumer demand remained strong, corn consumption maintained rigid growth.

The relationship between corn supply and demand will gradually change from tight to basically balanced pattern, and the import volume will stabilise after decreasing, and it is estimated that the import volume will decrease to 7.57 million tons in 2031.

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Intelligent mills

Helping existing flour mills to utilise & benefit from emerging innovations

by Sid Jain, Henry Simon Milling, Australia

raditionally, flour mills were smaller in

Tsize and had a large number of millers and workers, making it easy to make adjustments and ensure the mill was running at optimum efficiency. Most mills are now operating at higher throughputs with fewer millers on site, resulting in a complicated system that must be adjusted to achieve optimal performance with only limited numbers of hands-on-deck.

Although every milling company strives for the highest extraction rate in their production, maintaining the mills in a balanced and efficient state for an extended period of time is tough to achieve. It is inevitable for us to step into this new era of milling with thousands of sensors and artificial intelligence. Even with these advancements, nothing can replace the necessity for an experienced miller who knows his mill, its flow, and the machinery like the back of his hand.

New mills with enhanced technology that allows for immense transparency are continuously emerging, but how can older mills utilise and benefit from these new innovations? What technologies can be applied in these factories to help millers get high extraction rates while minimising downtime?

An important part of a miller's job

One of the challenges faced by most mill operators and plant engineers occurs while conducting a mill survey, especially when the factory is of higher throughput. Such personnel can only make logical decisions and adjustments on the run if they have immense experience or are relying on accurate information made available in real time.

It was estimated that about 254 samples, taken in a strategic chronological manner, are required to perform a complete mill survey in a 660TPD flour mill. Every sample taken must undergo a series of tests including capacity and sieve test, ash content, ash curve, light index etc. for several flour streams.

Mill survey is an important part of a miller's job, and due to the complexity of the milling system, it demands an immense amount of labour to do correct sampling and detailed and reliable analysis of each sample. If any quality concerns are detected, changes must be made, then further sampling and testing is required to

confirm analyses results.

Additionally, it is a common experience that mill operators make changes in the plant for only one grist but do not undo the changes made. From that point on, a mill imbalance will occur gradually and unbeknownst to the operators until it causes a huge problem that cannot be traced without performing another complete mill survey or mill assessment at least to ensure all passages are working efficiently.

This results in higher operation costs. Thus, mill operators will be interested to know what can be added to the existing milling process to ensure optimum and balanced milling performance.

What is intelligent milling?

Once a miller sets up a mill to the desired performance, an intelligence system must be integrated to ensure that the mill continues to run at the same efficiency as originally set.

This is especially important in flour mills with limited staff (remote areas) where constant performance checks are not feasible. Intelligent milling is basically the utilisation of data generated from monitoring systems and sensors to ensure: 1. Quality, capacity, and efficiency of a flour mill is maintained in daily operations. 2. Any changes made to the system can be reviewed quickly. 3. Mill operators can foresee maintenance requirements. 4. Mill operators can foresee product degradation. 5. Millers are making decisions with quantifiable inputs.

An intelligent milling system

In recent times, a range of equipment and services have been made available to allow older mills to replace or retrofit core equipment or additional specialised equipment that help provide transparency in the flour milling system.

Henry Simon has introduced three advanced core milling equipment, namely, Roller Mill, Quadro Plansifter and Purifier. These equipment have a range of sensors which continuously collect data and provide user information, maintenance data, screen information, operational information (radius of oscillation, rpm, for example) on their display or for export to the MCC. The intelligence system also enables and sends notifications when parameters are outside normal range or standards, enhancing product quality control.

Another crucial aspect of flour milling that may requires intelligent technology in most of the existing flour mills is to ensure individual passages meet expected capacity and quality. In a normal milling process, the stock is weighed at the intake, cleaning, and tempering stages. However, after 1st BK the weighing process takes place when flour is extracted in various flour streams.

Henry Simon’s HSIFM in-line flow meter allows for real time capacity analysis of any milling passage. Simplicity is at the centre of HSIFM's design, it was made with low power and air requirement and can be mounted along mill spouts within minutes and without requiring special installation work or disruptions.

The HSIFM's operation can be described in four simple steps. First, the bottom valve remains open, allowing product to flow in the spout. At a set interval, the bottom gate closes, and product fills the chamber for three seconds. The weight is then measured, and the product is discharged.

This operation is repeated every three minutes along a spout being monitored Weight data obtained will be used to generate plots of the product flow rate and trends which can be analysed in

real-time.

When installed at critical or all passages (Figure 3), a complete dashboard (Figure 4 and Figure 5) of the mill can be created, allowing for easy adjustment and manipulation of passages to achieve better results. The HSIFM is designed to convert any mill into a smart mill.

This data can then be exploited to make changes in the plant, such as analysing particle size distribution results in real time. In addition, it aids millers to detect potential maintenance issues early including abrupt changes in flow rate – like in the event of blockages or overflow etc. (Figure 5)

The HSIFM allows for continuous mill survey without any down time, amendments or re-routing of the product flow.

Another benefit which HSIFM offers is to monitor and ensure feed balances between passages, which is a necessity but not easily accomplished or maintained every day, such as providing even feed into purifiers or sifters.

Efficient, balanced & optimum

In summary, it is inevitable that traditional mills must incorporate some form of intelligence in their plants to compete with new automated mills. Therefore, the retrofit technology offered by the HSIFM allows older milling plants to adopt smart milling technologies with minor adjustments to their design.

The resulting milling system after incorporating the HSIFMs has the potential to provide an efficient, balanced, and optimum mill in operation at any given time with minimal downtime due to maintenance or breakdowns.

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Scotland the resourceful

New report highlights the country’s strength in agri-tech, animal health & aquaculture

recent research report has identified

Amore than 200 companies, research centres and academic partners as key stakeholders in the animal health, agri-tech and aquaculture (AAA) sector in Scotland.

The sector is important to both the life sciences and technology sectors and underpins the country’s high performing food and drink industry.

The future AAA landscape was also explored, with multiple new centres, hubs and new trial facilities planned over the coming years, showing the vast expansion and investment in this area.

A fellowship was set up to increase the understanding of and identify strengths and opportunities for the AAA sector in Scotland. It was funded by the Scottish Environment, Food and Agriculture Research Institutes (SEFARI) in partnership with the Scottish Life Sciences Industry Leadership Group and Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE). HIE is the economic development agency for the North and West of Scotland.

SEFARI fellow Dr Jenna Bowen, from Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC), has created an inventory by mapping what currently exists in the sector across Scotland, and analysed a survey of key stakeholders.

The fellowship has provided a greater understanding of Scotland’s world leading core capabilities and international assets within animal health, agri-tech and aquaculture and amplifies the voice of this fast-growing sector which is at the heart of the green and circular economies.

Alongside the report, the inventory provides an overview of the vast breadth and expertise within the sector across academic institutes, companies, innovation centres, networks and consortiums, charities, government and development agencies, and business gateways and venture studios.

A large proportion of identified stakeholder are based around the central belt of Scotland and the Highlands.

The report also includes a list of trial facilities, both animal and crop, which exist across Scotland and contribute to Scotland’s world leading research within the AAA Sector. Crop science also featured strongly in the report and several research institutes contribute to the knowledge base.

World leading facilities

The James Hutton Institute combines research and expertise in crops, soils, land use and environmental research to help address global challenges including food security. It has a broad range of expertise and resources including genome technologies, functional genomics to elucidate the genomes of key and commercially relevant crops for livestock feeds (e.g., barley grain), and pathogens within the crop and livestock sector. The institute houses world leading facilities including research farms, glasshouses and growth facilities. Its Centre for Sustainable Cropping delivers sustainable management practices and improved crop varieties.

The Agronomy Institute in Orkney, part of the University of the Highlands and Islands, is a research facility for the development of plants and plant-based products focussing particularly on the

Highlands and Islands. The Institute collaborates with growers, end-users and other research organisations and has a wideranging research portfolio.

It collaborates with the food and drink industry to develop higher value markets for locally grown cereals and create a wider range of distinctive food and drink products using Highlands and Islands ingredients. Current activities include major projects with three Scottish malt whisky distilleries and the identification and utilisation of early maturing varieties of barley, oats and wheat from northern Europe.

SRUC combines and integrates research, education, and consultancy in the land-based sector, and is the largest institution of its type in Europe. It operates dedicated facilities for crop trials and offers consulting services to over 12,000 customers, using expertise in veterinary services, livestock and crops, environment design, farm diversification and rural business management.

pubblicità italiana_MOD.pdf 1 27/01/22 10:59 Attracting new start-ups & investment

The AAA sector is developing fast and new crop science developments are coming on stream across the country, for example the International Barley Hub and Advanced Plant Growth Centre (APGC).

These two new innovation projects have recently started operating and the main infrastructure will be complete in 2023. Funded through UK£62m/US$74.8m investment by the UK Government and Scottish Government (through Tay Cities Region Deal), they will attract new start-ups and investment.

The International Barley Hub will develop new varieties and growing systems to future proof the barley sector against climate change. The APGC will revolutionise crop productions including the use of indoor vertical farms ultimately reducing cop productions environmental impact.

APGC focuses on pre-and post-harvest technologies and solutions to support, develop and create plant and crop-based industries. This places the APGC at the centre of the emerging disruptive global technologies of total controlled environment agriculture including vertical farming.

The report also showcases the Scottish business base that forms the supply chain for the AAA sector, supporting production companies with new technologies and services.

For example, the Edinburgh based company Crover offers unique grain storage solutions to automate monitoring for optimal storage conditions. Another Edinburgh company, Celestia, specialises in terrestrial and space borne IoT devices including drone and unmanned aerial vehicles for crop spraying.

As mentioned above, the report is the output of a SEFARI Fellowship project aiming to increase the understanding of the AAA sector in Scotland and improve understanding of opportunities and challenges facing the sector.

Co-designed with key partners

SEFARI, the Scottish Environment, Food and Agriculture Research Institutes, is a consortium of six globally renowned research institutes: Biomathematics and Statistics Scotland, The James Hutton Institute, Moredun Research Institute, The Rowett Institute, Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, and Scotland’s Rural College.

As SEFARI, these institutes deliver the Scottish Government funded Strategic Research Programme, which addresses key mid to longer-term challenges for Scotland’s environment, agriculture, land use, food and rural communities. SEFARI was launched by the Cabinet Secretary for the Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform on 29 March 2017.

SEFARI Gateway Fellowships are bespoke opportunities codesigned with key partners to deliver solutions to priority needs that also meet Scottish Government National Outcomes and aligned United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

The report and inventory can be downloaded from the Life Sciences in Scotland website https://lcshome.directories.scot/

Cost-effective Salmonella control in feed

The development of preventative and corrective feed pathogen control strategies

by Dr Enrique Montiel, DVM, MSc, PhD, DACPV Global Director of Nutrition and Live Production, & Jorge Trindade, DVM, MBA, Commercial Sales Director EMEA, Anitox, USA

eed ingredient processors and millers have

Fa new cost-effective option for Salmonella control. Fortrol, from feed safety and productivity specialist Anitox, offers producers the flexibility and power to tackle Salmonella at source, reducing load and prevalence entering live production to improve livestock performance and food safety. “Feed is the most significant investment into animal production and it’s a proven fomite for pathogens,” explains Dr Enrique Montiel, Anitox Director of Nutrition and Live Production.

“It gathers raw materials from multiple sources at the feed mill and can then reach across the entire production operation in a very short time. That means feed is uniquely positioned to continuously introduce pathogens into the food production chain.

“Feed-source pathogens including Salmonella, Clostridia, E. coli and Campylobacter negatively impact animal performance and productivity, operation profitability and consumer food safety.

“But with feed costs at near record levels, our R&D team has been focused on finding ever more cost-effective solutions to the challenge. The result, Fortrol, in isolation or when used alongside our Finio feed sanitiser, enables ingredient processors and feed millers to tailor their Salmonella strategy to incoming risk.

“Increasingly we see producers prioritising feed in their biosecurity programs, and for good reason,” adds Dr Montiel. “Anitox tracks the microbial quality of feed and feed ingredients in its global database. Over the past 10 years, our records show that 100% of wheat, 69% of soybean meal and 43% of fishmeal samples transiting through our laboratory were contaminated with Enterobacteriaceae.

Those same ingredients were found to have Salmonella contamination rates of 30%, 5% and 34% respectively. Recent experiments using CRISPR – based protocols have demonstrated that not only is Salmonella prevalent in feed and feed ingredients but found that approximately 6% of samples from over 130 commercial mills yielded a positive result and harbored multiple serovars and diverse populations.”

A synergistic organic acid blend

Anitox’s latest feed pathogen control innovation, Fortrol® is a synergistic organic acid blend that is applied to feed and feed ingredients via the same best-in-class application technology as our feed sanitiser, Finio®.

“Fortrol effectively controls Salmonella in feed: Preliminary studies demonstrate a clearly effective dosedependent control of Salmonella when used at inclusion rates ranging from 2kg/MT to 8kg/MT, granting producers the flexibility to mitigate feed-source pathogens based on specific risk,” Anitox’s Commercial Director for EMEA and veterinarian, Jorge Trindade explains.

Fortrol is used in preventative and corrective feed pathogen control strategies, whether that be via application to feed and feed ingredients, use in mill flush programs to uphold facility hygiene or in combination with our feed sanitiser, Finio, to maintain a comprehensive, total feed pathogen control program.

Microbial loads in feed and feed ingredients vary and pathogen prevalence and risk change from batch to batch. The producer’s ability to create and implement customisable feed pathogen control programs is achieved by the ability to easily switch between the use of Fortrol and Finio quickly should the need arise.

“The addition of Fortrol to Anitox’s feed pathogen control portfolio gives feed and food producers a cost-effective, challenge-dependent, option for comprehensive Salmonella control and supports the production of clean feed. Producing and providing clean feed promotes performance and profitability. It’s supported by a team of expert engineers working with highperformance application technology,” Jorge Trindade continues.

“A large body of evidence exists supporting microbial contamination of animal feeds with Salmonella, Clostridia and E. coli. Feed containing high levels of Enterobacteriaceae are more likely to be contaminated with Salmonella. Feed and feed ingredients can sustain bacterial populations of up to one million cfu/g and more.

“Untreated pelleted and non-pelleted feed have been found to contain approximately a thousand cfu/g and 10,000 cfu/g, respectively, at loadout. Salmonella mapping has shown the prevalence in raw materials arriving at feed mills to be as high as 27%, decreasing to almost 6% during pelleting, but rebounding to over 12% by the time finished feed reaches loadout.

“We know that Salmonella persists in feed and feed ingredients, but also in production environments. Unless conditions are properly and consistently managed, feed contamination can worsen during storage and transport.

“That’s why we’re adding Fortrol to our product portfolio, to give producers value tools to respond appropriately to incoming Salmonella risk and to the challenge of resident colonies in some mills.”

If you are a producer seeking more information on how to take cost-effective action against feed-source pathogens with Fortrol, visit Anitox’s website.

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by Murat Yıldırım & Ahmet Kutsal Erdoğan, TMS Industrial Solutions, Turkey Vapour compression cycle coolers

Controlling the temperature and humidity of grain stored in silos

by Murat Yildirim & Ahmet Kutsal Erdoğan, TMS Industrial Solutions, Turkey

rain has been one of the most

Gimportant food sources for thousands of years. It is grown and harvested with care. Unconsumed excess grains are stored in silos and when necessary, grain needs are met from these silos.

The temperature and humidity values of the grain in the silo must be kept under control in order to keep the grain intact for a long time in the silos and to protect it from insect and mould fungi that damage the grain.

In order to preserve the nutritional value of the grain and to keep the moisture value in the grain within the targeted value ranges, cooling is necessary. Thanks to the cooling process performed with TKS Grain Cooling Units designed and produced by TMS Industrial Cooling Industry and Trade Inc, the temperature and humidity in the silo are kept under control and grain; stored for a long time in fresh and healthy environments.

Brief review of today's situation

When analysed on a yearly basis throughout the world, it is seen that grain production is in an increasing trend. According to the latest data of the World Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in 2021, grain production increased by 0.7% compared to last year and reached 2.796 million tonne.

Consumption and storage data also follow production data in a similar way. As seen in Figure-1, when FAO examines the latest data, it can be understood that approximately one third of the produced grain is stored. Considering that production and consumption follow each other in similar amounts, it becomes very important to keep the stored grain in suitable conditions without losing quantity and nutritional value.c

On the other hand, the development of agricultural technologies has reduced the time between harvest and storage of grain from weeks to a few hours. In this case, the grain may need to be dried and cooled according to climatic conditions. Another issue is the cases where the grain is transported and stored again for long and even intercontinental transport under harsh conditions. In this case, since the grain is exposed to conditions that are very different from the ideal storage conditions, the balance of nutrients and moisture may be disturbed.

Grain storage and aeration of silos

The life cycle of the grain, stored in the silo, continues. As the life cycle of grain continues, it produces heat and water vapour as a result of respiration. While this chemical reaction continues; on one hand, the nutritional value of the grain decreases, on the other hand, the temperature and humidity value in the silo increases.

This situation also triggers the increase of insect and mold fungus that has entered the silo with the grain. The temperature

increase in the silo facilitates the reproduction of insects. Considering that the insects in the silo breathe, they accelerate the increase in temperature and humidity.

Generally, growth of mold fungus increases above 70% relative humidity. All these adverse conditions trigger each other, causing an increase in temperature and relative humidity inside the silo. As a result, significant losses occur in stored grain. Considering that the grain is a good insulator due to its very low heat transmission coefficient; released heat is kept inside the silo. As a result, the constantly heated environment creates an ideal condition for harmful organisms to reproduce.

When the data based on observations and measurements are examined, temperatures above 21°C generally provide ideal conditions for the reproduction of harmful creatures. It has been understood that there is a significant decrease in the growth rate of insect and other pest populations at temperatures below 16°C (12°C wet bulb and 65% relative humidity).

Reducing the temperature inside the silo is an important factor in the long-term preservation of the grain in the silo, because it also slows down the life cycle of the grain.

The storage of the grain in the silo depends on many external factors such as ambient temperature, ambient relative humidity, exposure to sunlight, silo structure, as well as internal conditions. The change in ambient conditions during the day affects the stored grain positively or negatively.

Different methods are used for long-term preservation of the grain, stored in the silo. The main methods can be listed as; the use of chemical preservatives, natural ventilation with the help of a fan, and the cooling. Fan assisted ventilation is also called “natural or passive cooling.” It is one of the most widely used method.

Briefly, with this method, outdoor air is directed into the silo from the lower part of the silo with the help of a fan. The main purpose of the ventilation method can be summarised as:

- Preserving the vitality of the grain, - Reducing the internal moisture content of the grain, - Slowing down insect growth, - Prevention of mould and fungus formation, - Reducing the use of chemical preservatives,

For homogeneous air distribution inside the silo, and easy cleaning, when necessary, appropriate grid and duct systems should be constructed on the bottom of the silo. Although, directing the outdoor air into the silo with the help of a fan seems to be an effective method, for ventilating the stored grain, and improving the storage conditions, it is a process that needs to be well managed. According to the environmental conditions, this method has some difficulties and negative effects. The most important ones are listed below:

- Ventilation times and conditions are directly dependent on environmental conditions. For this reason, fans can be operated for limited periods at appropriate ambient temperature and relative humidity values. Considering the recent climatic changes all over the world, these periods can be further restricted.

- Since the air rises upwards from places where the counter pressure is lower, temperature and humidity imbalances may occur inside the silo. The temperature variation within the silo is more constant as the silo diameter increases. However, if the

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stored grain temperature is higher than ambient temperature, it takes much longer to cool the larger silos. For this reason, smaller diameter silos should be preferred in cold climates and larger diameter silos should be preferred in tropical climates.

- While the grain is being stored in the silo, a slope angle is formed in the upper region depending on the grain type. In this case, the air ascending from the bottom of the silo will not be able to pass sufficiently over the grain in the top region. condensation and dripping from the silo roof to the grain. As a result of the wetting of the grain in the upper region due to the result of dripping, these areas become ideal environments for mould and insect reproduction. In order to prevent this situation, the use of additional exhaust fans on the roof reduces this risk.

Cooling of silos & maintaining a grain moisture equilibrium

In order to improve the difficulties and negativities encountered during the ventilation of the silos with the help of fans, the vapour compression cycle (VCC) method can be used for cooling. In this method, with the help of the compressor, the refrigerant is circulated between the heat exchangers in a closed cycle, transferring heat to the environment, and the air passed through the heat exchanger, which meets the desired conditions, is directed into the silo with the help of a fan.

The air taken from the outside is directed into the silo at the desired temperature and relative humidity. Thus, it is ensured that the stored grain is kept in ideal storage conditions for long periods of time. Environment air is conditioned, and directed into the bottom of the silo. The air moves upwards inside the silo and performs the cooling process inside the silo.

The heated air is exhausted back to the atmosphere through the vents on the roof of the silo. During the cooling of the air, the relative humidity value is also controlled.

The cooling capacity, performed using the vapour compression cycle method, can be calculated with the following equation:

W = Δh x Q x ρw W : Cooling Capacity (kW) Δh : The enthalpy difference between the ambient temperature and the cooled air (kJ/kg) Q : Air flow rate directed into the silo (m3/hour) ρw: Density of outdoor air (kg/m3)

The relative humidity ratio is as important as the temperature of the air directed into the silo. Therefore, it must be controlled. If the relative humidity ratio of the air, in the area where the grain is stored exceeds 70%, it can lead to mould growth, which also causes the temperature to increase due to mould respiration.

Grain is hygroscopic due to its ability to take in and give out moisture from the environment. Water is retained in the grain in three ways; absorbed water, adsorbed water and chemically bound water. The absorbed water is retained within the grain tissues by capillary forces.

It is associated with water-soluble components such as sugars, mineral salts, organic acids, and some vitamins that the grain contains. Absorbed water, consists of gas molecules of water trapped on the surface of porous particulate materials by electrostatic forces. Chemically bound water is present in association with grain components during the developmental growth and maturation of seeds.

Each grain type has a value in which the intra-grain moisture is in equilibrium against the different relative humidity ratios of the air. The curve obtained by plotting these values is called the equilibrium moisture content (EMC) curve. Equilibrium values varies depending on the type of grain, the ambient air temperature, and the relative humidity ratio. EMC represents the moisture content of the grain at which it will eventually stabilise, if weather conditions remain stable for a long period of time.

In this way, depending on the ambient conditions of the stored grain, the moisture values of the grain can be estimated or the moisture value of the grain can be controlled by changing the

ambient conditions. For this process, psychometry diagram, on which moisture balance content (EMC) curves of different grains, can be used (Figure 2).

In addition, regarding the most consumed grains, tables showing the EMC, according to the ambient temperature and relative humidity ratio have been prepared. As an example, tables for wheat, and barley are given in Table-1a and Table-1b. The moisture balance value of the grain can be seen from these tables. For instance, for wheat, it is read from Table 1a that the EMC is 14.5% in an environment at 15 °C and 65% relative humidity. The moisture balance value shows the ratio of the moisture mass in the wheat to the total mass.

Temperature & humidity movement inside the silo

When air is passed over the grain inside the silo, 3 zones and fronts are formed in the silo. Figure 2 shows schematically the zones formed inside a silo, where the aeration process continues.

The temperature and relative humidity values in the lowest region are the same as the values of the air directed into the silo (Zone A). At the top region, temperature and relative humidity values are the same as the initial conditions (before the air is directed into the silo) (Zone C).

The region in between has a value between the values in the lowest and highest regions (Zone B). The movement of these zones moves in the same direction as the air flow. The fastest moving part of the region is called the leading edge and the slowest moving part is called the trailing edge. As long as the air is directed into the silo, after a certain period of time, the temperature and relative humidity values in the whole silo reach the air values directed into the silo.

Temperature and humidity fronts are formed in the area between Zone A and Zone C inside the silo. The reason for the formation of fronts inside the silo is that the temperature moves relatively faster than the relative humidity. Practically, the temperature advance rate is one thousandth of the air speed. (10-3). The relative humidity advance rate is 100 times slower than the temperature advance rate. [4]

The variation of the equilibrium moisture content (EMC) for the stored grain in the silo depending on the weather conditions directed into the silo is explained through sample problems prepared by using the book named “The mechanics and physics of modern grain aeration management.”

Example 1:

Wheat is stored in the silo at a temperature of 35°C and containing 12% humidity. If the silo is started to be aerated with air, having 11°C (dry bulb temperature) and 90% relative humidity ratio, calculate the values of the 3 zones (A, B, C) that will form inside the silo?

The temperature and relative humidity values in the zone C, are equal to the initial conditions in which the wheat was stored. Wheat in this region has a temperature of 35°C and a relative humidity of 12%.

Zone A has the same conditions with the air directed into the silo. When the condition of 11°C (dry bulb temperature) and 90% relative humidity is marked on the psychometric diagram in Figure-3 (A), it is read that the temperature of the wheat in this region is 11°C and the equilibrium humidity is 18%.

For 11°C (dry bulb temperature) and 90% relative humidity, the wet bulb temperature is read 10°C on the curve. This is also the saturation temperature of the air. In order to calculate the values of the grain in the B zone, the wet-bulb temperature curve in the diagram is matched with the grain moisture equilibrium curve.

The temperature read at the intersection point is 15.5°C. (B1) For a more detailed estimation, the rule that the grain internal moisture balance changes by 1% for every 28°C temperature difference is applied. By applying this rule, the humidity of zone B is approximately 0.70% ((35-15.5)/28=0.70) lower than zone C is calculated. In this case, the equilibrium moisture content of the grain for the zone B is 11.3% (12-0.7=11.3).

In the diagram, the dry bulb temperature is 16.7°C for 11.3% on the wet bulb curve. Thus, it is seen that the temperature of the wheat for the B region is 16.7 °C and the equilibrium humidity is 11.3%.

With lower airflow rates, the cooling zone between the leading and trailing edges becomes thinner. When air flow rates are higher, the cooling zone becomes wider or thicker due to the reduced contact time of each air particle with an individual grain core.

Since the moisture front closely follows a constant air enthalpy (parallel to the wet bulb temperature), wet bulb temperature is considered a more satisfactory criterion than dry bulb temperature for the control of grain aeration systems.

The cooling time of the grain, stored in the silo, to the desired

temperature depends on many variables. However, a simple calculation method that can make an approximate time prediction was introduced by Navaro and Calderon:

F= (M x ΔT x C) / (Q x ρw x CF x ΔH)

F: Cooling time (h) M: Mass of stored grain (kg) ΔT: The temperature difference between the initial condition of the stored grain and the cooled grain (°C) C: Specific heat of stored grain (kcal/ (kg°C) Q: Air flow rate over the stored grain (m3/h) ρw: Average density of cooled air (kg/m3) CF: Correction factor for enthalpy (0.4 ~ 0.5) ΔH: Maximum enthalpy difference between the air entering and leaving the silo (kcal/kg)

Using this method, an approximate cooling time can be calculated for the grain, stored inside the silo. If it is proceed through the example;

Example 2:

5000 tonnes of soybean (12% moisture) were stored in the silo. While the outdoor temperature of the silo is 45 °C (30% rH), 25,000 m3/h air is supplied to the silo with 20 °C and 65% relative humidity. How many days will the soybean reach to the desired conditions?

Enthalpy differences are calculated on the psychometric diagram. The average specific heat value for soybean is read as 0.34 from the graph in Figure-4. If all values are substituted in the formula; F = [5,106 x (45 – 25) x 0.34] / [25,000 x 1,225 x 0.5 x (20.5 – 10.5)] F = 222 hours F = 9.25 days

As a result of the calculations, it takes approximately 10 days, for the soybean to reach the target temperature value.

Aeration san selection

The air directed into the silo is subjected to a high back pressure due to the stored grain. The back pressure value briefly changes depending on the type of grain, the height of the silo and the air velocity. The grain in the silo creates a porous environment due to

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its structure and the air moves upwards in this environment.

For this reason, small grain products, such as oilseeds, create higher back pressure than large grain products, such as peanuts. When the air velocity increases, the friction losses in the duct also increase, which causes an increase at the back pressure. Increasing the height of the silo increases the counter pressure as it makes it difficult for the air to move in the vertical axis.

While choosing a fan, these factors should be decided. Centrifugal fans are the most suitable choice, as they are exposed to high back pressure values. Based on the observations, it is recommended that the optimum condition is 3 ~ 6 m3/h per ton in the selection of air flow rate.

When the silo height exceeds 30 metres, this value can be taken as 2 ~ 3 m3/h per ton. High air velocity improves cooling times while increasing static pressure and electricity consumption. As a general rule; a two times increase in air flow causes a three times increase in back pressure and a four times increase in electricity consumption.

Providing heat transfer

Grains coolers that are operating with the vapour compression cycle (VCC) method, have been developed in order to cool the air taken from the outside to the desired conditions, and direct it into the silo. These air conditioners are systems that work with 100 percent outdoor air. In the vapour compression cycle, the refrigerant circulates in a closed cycle, providing heat transfer.

Simple VCC is consisted of the compressor, evaporator, condenser, and expansion valve. In this cooling device, there are additional components such as heating coil and electric heater. The refrigerant in the superheated vapour phase compressed in the compressor is directed to the condenser, where it condenses into the liquid phase by dissipating heat to the external environment.

The refrigerant then comes to the expansion valve, depressurised and directed to the evaporator. While the refrigerant flows through the copper pipes in the evaporator, the air taken from the outside with the help of the fan passes between the aluminium fins, and heat transfer from the air to the refrigerant is provided. The refrigerant, which evaporates by taking heat in the evaporator, moves towards compressor.

As the temperature of the air passing over the evaporator decreases, the water holding capacity of the cooled air decreases, so some of the moisture in it is condensed and evacuated from the device. Although the absolute humidity in the cooled air decreased, the relative humidity value increased. Since the temperature of the air directed into the silo and the relative humidity are also important, the relative humidity must be controlled before the air leaves the device.

For this reason, after the evaporator, the air is directed to the heating coil and the electric heater, respectively. First of all, in the heating coil, where the refrigerant in the superheated vapour phase is directed, the air is heated and the relative humidity is reduced.

If this heating process is not sufficient, the air is heated a little more in the electric heater to reach the desired output air temperature and relative humidity. In order to reach the targeted air temperature and relative humidity value in the device outlet air, the air is cooled below the targeted temperature in the evaporator and the excess water in the air is condensed. Afterwards, the air is heated to reach the target temperature and relative humidity.

The air flow is controlled in order to achieve the targeted air

output values in the grain cooler. The fan flow rate is increased or decreased according to the air outlet temperature. During the noon hours when the temperature is high, the air flow may decrease at certain times, while it reaches the highest flow rates at night.

According to the cooling capacity, the use of one or two compressors in the grain cooler may be preferred. At coolers, having two compressors, energy saving is achieved by turning off a single compressor when necessary, depending on the outdoor conditions.

In order to achieve the targeted precise values, proportionally controlled valves, drivers and measuring instruments, that can be controlled via PLC are used.

Grain cooler can be easily adjusted by entering targeted temperature and additional heating for targeted relative humidity.

Although it varies slightly according to the relative humidity value of the outdoor environment, it can be said that as a practical rule, every 1°C temperature increase provides a five percent decrease in relative humidity. For a more precise calculation, the psychometric diagram can be used practically.

It is possible to operate only the fan of the grain cooler, without activating the compressor according to the outdoor conditions. In other words, the inside of the silo can be aerated with the help of a fan.

Again, in cases where the grain is stored in the silo at high humidity values, the grain cooler can dry up to a certain temperature value.

During this process, the air outlet temperature of the device is increased by directing the high temperature refrigerant to the evaporator.

In today's conditions, as the need for food increases, the importance of preserving the produced products without loss has also increased. In this context, it has become a necessity to use the most effective methods to preserve the nutritional value of the grain, stored in the silos for a long time, to slow down or even stop the reproduction of harmful organisms inside the silo.

The most commonly used method of aerating the silos with the help of fans includes the disadvantages mentioned in the previous sections. The most optimum solution to improve these negativities is the grain cooler. Thanks to these devices, uninterrupted cooling can be provided regardless of external environmental conditions.

After the grain cooler is connected to a silo, it can be operated for 24 hours according to the calculated period, ensuring that the grain in the silo reaches the desired temperature and relative humidity value. Since the grain is a good insulator, the grain can be stored for a long time under these conditions. Afterwards, the grain cooler can be connected to a different silo and the same process can be repeated.

When necessary, these devices can be operated in only fan mode, which has the same function with the aeration fans. Additional chemical preservatives are not needed as the insect and mould formation inside the silo is slowed down or even stopped by cooling.

As a conclusion, if the proper selection is done according to the size of the silo, the type of the stored grain, and the targeted cooling times, grain coolers are the most suitable solution that improves the storage conditions.

Author - Dr Sergio Antolini, President of Ocrim and Paglierani, Italy

Ancient or modern wheat?

A grain of wheat is characterized by a very complex structure, with different wrappings and membranes and moreover with variable characteristics from harvest to harvest, determined by the soil and the climate.

Making the nutrients contained in the grain accessible was a human requirement since the discovery of wheat; it was therefore necessary to work it, starting with the milling.

A real art milling and that of the miller a very special job, which contains a series of vast skills.

The miller must be a botanist, because he must know and distinguish the raw material, the cereals he grinds; the miller must be a chemist and biologist, because he needs to analyze the materials he uses and the products he creates; the miller must mean mechanics and hydraulics, to run the machinery.

All this makes the miller a craftsman and entrepreneur at the same time.

The first grinding techniques, from prehistoric times to the Roman age, are limited to shredding the cereal, crushing it between two smooth stones that are made to rotate only by the muscular strength of people or animals.

From the simple grinding we reach the milling, that is the technique to optimize the grinding process in order to obtain excellent quality flours, different in relation to their final use.

This result is attributable to the experience of the miller alone, who once controlled the results by relying on sight and touch.

Nowadays, in addition to manual rituals, we rely on laboratory results, where very sophisticated equipment is used to detect the physical characteristics of the products obtained.

The manual ritual, a gesture of attention and care, which recalls the caress of a mother to the son, as if the touch should affect the personality of the flour produced, saw a time, and still sees, the miller dip his hand under the incipient flow of the grind on exit, to feel the flour and act accordingly, educating the mechanism of regulating the millstones. The particular care of a time, to which the miller had to devote himself, are similar to today, obviously revised by virtue of technicalities and technologies now used.

Here is the repetition of the regulation of the distance between the two millstones, to obtain a flour of the desired fineness without burning it, periodically replenish the grooves of the millstones to revive and re-sharpen the edges, keep the hydraulic works clean by removing the infesting vegetation and removing the debris carried by the water: ancient gestures of the past, renewed even today.

Stone grinding is the statement that is increasingly read on the labels of flour bags, highlighting the old (or ancient) techniques and bringing back to us the memory of an old mill. Great confusion created by emotional language. At this juncture, the vocabulary of the Italian language comes to my aid: the old adjective indicates that the thing is dated, obsolete, outdated and often unusable, while the old adjective gives a value to things, value due to the culture and experience that they contain and transmit.

Old (or ancient?) mills with stone grinders are often obsolete and unusable, especially when referring to the current health and safety provisions at work, or to expectations of qualitative performance.

Chameleon information is generated, inaccurate and often misleading, often in the form of rules (which does not mean truth) in many cases generating orthoressia.

In the era of communication that leads to act and not to UNDERSTAND, in the era of communication that leads to obedience and not to INTERPRETATION, you must leave out the bucolic imagery of television commercials and rely on the art of discernment, to develop a critical vision and filter everything that comes to our ears.

To make good flour the essential components are the quality of the cereal and the technology applied to processing, not limited to the milling technique, but extended to the preparation.

Essential, in fact, an important cleaning of the cereal itself, in order to avoid putting on the table a product contaminated by external elements and mycotoxins (secondary metabolites produced by plant fungi or molding agents of food) which, if ingested, may be responsible for the possible onset of acute or chronic diseases.

Ancient or modern wheat?

The information that repeatedly comes to us is inaccurate and often misleading. Different are the peculiarities of one and the other. The differences between the two grains, ancient and modern, are little consistent on the practical side, but decidedly important on the commercial side, in a media context.

However, ancient grains are richer in micro ingredients, such as iron and zinc, although futile in a diet already rich in such elements.

Ancient grains have characteristics that can be enhanced on the basis of different aspects, including agronomic, transformation and genetic improvement: it is important to know that ancient grains do not have miraculous qualities.

Ancient wheat is ancient wheat and nothing else.

Modern wheat is modern wheat and nothing else.

The stone mill is the stone mill and nothing else.

The working technique is the ancient one.

The stone mill, or simply grinds, or millstone mill are synonymous. Its specificity is that of grinding the grain in its

... the art, the universal language, the algorithm that, involving all the senses, is able to transmit messages and emotions. Art, the light of the interior, the sound of the human soul, the tactile sensation of feelings, the aesthetic taste. But not only... the expression of trades, of traditions, the safe of the human patrimony where opinions and thoughts are the jewels of ...

Hands

The manual ritual, a gesture of attention, of care, which recalls the caress of a mother to her child ... The solo of an instrument and then the symphony of an asceticism to untold sensations. The magic of transmitting what is unspeakable. Finally the joy ...: “The love that moves the Sun and the other Stars”.

Filippo Manfroni

The hands have always been vehicles of deep meanings, bearers of a vocabulary of gestures and able to take on very strong symbolic and spiritual contents. A means of connection between man and the surrounding world, the touch communicates, but it is also capable of dividing or even creating deep wounds. But wounds that at the same time can heal and heal. And it is just a sort of salvation that these hands seem to offer to the eye, through that light and sweet touch that turns into a request for welcome and support, and that is charged with an intense psychological value. A touching that becomes a new birth, a meeting. A simple gesture, almost primordial and that might seem banal in its simplicity, but is totally renewed and very powerful in its impact, thanks also to a fine attention to detail and the game of contrasts between the dark background and the complexion of the hands.

A large boat, built on divine indication to escape the flood and preserve the species. Thought is based on religion and in relation to it reality is thought of as the set of effects of a divine cause. totally ignoring the tangible causes of physical, chemical and biological origin. This mystical basis of archaic thought leads to total participation in surrounding beings, impermeable to individual experience, ignoring the principles of identity, of contradiction and causality. You lose the precise idea of individuality, because you feel part of the group in which you live, you are not able to make a clear distinction between the possible and the impossible attributing every manifestation to a general magical cause.

Flying Ship Carlo Ravaioli

The subject of the flying ship that appears in some paintings by Carlo Ravaioli is a theme dear to the artist and that finds some of its roots in science fiction stories: rudimentary spaceships, led by brave men, who sail the skies to discover new worlds. is the search for freedom to animate the sails of this fantastic vessel that transports to distant places an entire city. But the soul of these men, of this community that inhabits the sailing ship city, is not led by the feeling of fear, theirs is not to be read as an escape, an abandonment of their homeland, but a search. It is the desire for freedom and the nomadic soul, always in search of a new place, that pushes to seek an answer to a call to which it is not possible to remain indifferent. In this painting we find that meticulous attention to detail that distinguishes the works of Ravaioli and a technical skill in the use of oil mixed with acrylic able to make and highlight the most subtle shades. entirety, preserving its taste and the myriad of elements that it contains, in the quantities and qualities that nature alone (organic grains) or that nature controlled by man (modern grains) has delivered us. The choice to grind the ancient or the modern does not imply an inevitable pairing with the millstone or with cylinders (rollers).

The roller mill is a roller mill and nothing else.

It is a different technique from the stone one and its characteristic is that to undress the grain from its envelope (bran), separating it from the germ, and to proceed separately to the grinding in order to obtain products (always natural) that then, alone, or mixed in the desired proportions, can be used to obtain specific products.

We talk about the number of revolutions of the grinding element, stone grinds in one case, rollers, in the other: if the figure is overestimated, resulting in an increase in temperature, and are exceeded 42 degrees Celsius, there may be an undesirable overheating of the flour, undesirable condition of damage.

The temperature reflects the movement of molecular particles during grinding, closely related to kinetic energy.

It is spontaneous to deduce that the peripheral speed, the scoring, the distance between the grinding bodies are heat generating and therefore, of course, to be sized with great care.

With stone mills the expectation is the result of a pure whole flour, where bran and germ are present without being too chopped, without being heated (preserving the nutritional values) and without the color being changed. The resulting products are of high quality and richness, thanks to the higher concentration of nutrients, such as vitamins, proteins, magnesium, calcium, mineral salts, fiber, essential oils and enzymes.

The applied technique is always the same as in the past: the wheat is conveyed to the center of the two wheels and from here, passing through them, is milled.

The constant feeding of the grain to the grinding wheels, the perfect scoring of the grinding wheels themselves, their shape, their diameter and last but not least, the distance between one and the other, are the parameters that will ensure the success of grinding.

Little by little, the stone millstones have regained dignity and there are still ample possibilities of use today, both for organic, special or niche flours. With cylindrical mills the expectations, being the process aimed at the separate milling of the 3 products belonging to the grain (bran, germ and flour or semolina for durum wheat), the milling parameters are variable according to the desired final product.

Also in this application, the peripheral speed and the scoring of the grinding rollers, in addition to the grinding length, are the guidelines to optimize the final product, with the help of the screening sieves, key for the particle size and densimetric separation of the 3 mentioned elements, bran, flour and germ.

The truth is that the modern version of the old mills, is spreading today ennobled with the latest mechatronic technologies, to ensure the perfect control of grinding parameters and ensuring high expectations. ... the principle of non-contradiction. (Plato)

It is impossible that the same attribute, at the same time, belongs and does not belong to the same object and under the same regard.

Expressions Populaires

Myths change but traditions remain; men continue to do what their fathers did before them, even though the reason that the fathers acted in this way is long forgotten. James George Frazer

It could be said that the whole past deserves to be deepened because every step has led us to the present day, giving us the keys to understanding the facets of our present world.

During the journey, guests of prehistory, when the human being was part of nature and the value of his life was equal to the value of wild wheat or primitive animal, for the first man there was no border between the human species and that animal or plant.

The deep-rooted and ancestral feeling, which can be traced back to the ancestors, has always conditioned human action in its relations with the other, in epochs during which man was not yet at the center of the universe.

In almost all primitive societies the popular imagination, astonished by the inanimate, was satisfied with recognizing and lending faith to supernatural entities, and in particular to the grain spirit.

The ear, until the harvest, was the home, the custody from which that spirit was then to flee when the sickles arrived, transfigured and subsequently incarnated in the reaper or in an animal, came out frightened by his last hiding place. "(...) as the grain falls under the scythe the animal runs away (...) he who cuts the last grain (...) takes the name of the animal". (James George Frazer, The Golden Branch)

A ritual of the peasant people, a custom that remained so until the mechanization of agriculture.

Mythology itself, permeating every aspect and manifestation of real life, manifested all the interspecific violence of nature.

The rituals connected with the spirit of the wheat and the other zoomorphic divinities of the vegetation, customs of clear pagan derivation, justified as, incarnating the divinity, the man and the animal were in parity, ignoring the speciesism of the civilized man. The spirit of wheat leads back to Osiris, king of ancient Egypt and rural deity, member of the Ennead, the group of nine Egyptian deities venerated in Heliopolis.

Egyptian mythology tells of his killing and the custom of human sacrifices by spreading the limbs on the fields, to fertilize them and thus favor the incarnation of the spirit of the wheat. "(...) the god of wheat gave birth to the ears of his body, offered his body to nourish the people, died so that his people could live". (James George Frazer, The Golden Branch)

For agricultural populations, where the custom of deicide was still well rooted, the sacramental meal was also configured as a mystical meal and with killing the victim it was intended to offer a sacrifice to a deity, to kill preserving them from the ugliness of old age and last but not least, to kill the same divinity to assume its extraordinary powers.

To kill seems to be, for primitive man, a necessity, not so much for a matter of food as for a religious obligation, inserting himself in a panic dimension of nature where man has not yet proclaimed himself the center of creation, but on the contrary it is placed on the same level as plants and animals.

The Athenian sacrifice bouphonia provided that barley, wheat and cereal buns were placed on the altar of Zeus Polieus and then fed to two oxen, identifying the first ox that would eat the offerings the incarnation of wheat, and then sacrifice him as chosen as divine.

Then, with his skin sewn and filled with straw, was fashioned a simulacrum to be yoked to a plow.

The salient feature of the ceremonials and rites is the ferocity, propitiatory to increase harvests, scarecrow of famine and reparatory to appease the spirits and gods.

Popular expressions represent the oral tradition, that is, unwritten, which archaeologist Thomas called folklore.”

Happy is he, among the living men of the earth, who has seen these things! Those who have not been initiated into the sacred mysteries, those who have not had this fate, will never have the same fate, when they are dead, in the damp, rotting darkness beyond.” (Homer, Hymn to Demeter)

Strangeness, dominance and control. The strange attitude we have with our bodies. A split relationship: the flow of life, in the physical plane in which we live, made of sensations, emotions, enjoyments and sufferings conveyed by the flesh, and then the body as a casing, a perfect organism, an equally perfect performer.

Time, Courage and Justice Davide Conti

The balance, symbol of justice and balance, from the astral point of view represents the mediation between physical decline and spiritual growth, between the incarnate being and the essence. While the lion symbolizes the maximum power of the energies, the determination to realize one’s own aspirations and the splendour of one’s own being and the courage of incarnating it. And precisely the balance between choices, acting with courage and the time that passes seems to investigate this image. The female figure in the center, the physical and symbolic cornerstone of this work, holds a balance, on whose plate there is a branch of a tree, while the lion forcefully seizes a leg. The woman looks without fear at the animal perhaps conscious of its ability to overcome and tame it, as well as totally impassive weighs that branch, that life. And that balance of forces that the image recounts is associated with that ability to manage light and shadow and the ability to investigate the body typical of the research of Davide Conti and that also in this case contribute to emphasize the content of the image.