Control of Polymer Glass Formation Behaviour Using Molecular Diluents and Dynamic Interfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mangalara, Jayachandra Hari

The end use application of polymeric materials is mainly determined by their viscosity, thermal stability and processability. These properties are primarily determined by the segmental relaxation time (taualpha) of the polymer and its glass state modulus, which determines its glassy mechanical response. Developing design principles to obtain rational control over these properties would enable fabrication of new polymers or polymer blends with improved thermal stability, enhanced processability and better mechanical robustness of the material. Introduction of diluents and nanostructuring of the material serve as invaluable tools for altering polymers' glass transition and associated dynamic and mechanical properties. Besides providing guidelines for technologically important improvements in processability, glassy mechanical properties, and transport behavior, diluent effects and behavior of nanostructured materials can provide insights into the fundamental physics of the glass transition, for example, by elucidating the interrelation between high- and low-frequency structural relaxation processes. It has been previously suggested that there exists a similarity between how diluents and interfaces impact the glass formation behavior of the polymer, raising the possibility that the effects of these two polymer modifications may be separate manifestations of a common set of physics in glass forming polymers. Here we address several interrelated questions in the understanding of glass formation in polymer/diluent blends and nanostructured polymers. First, what is the relationship between a diluent's molecular structure and its impact on a polymer's glass formation behavior? How does this compare to the effect of interfaces? Second, how does the introduction of diluents impact the role of interfaces in modifying polymer glass formation? Third, how does the introduction of interfaces impact metrology of the polymer glass transition? Finally, we address a major open

Improving viability of cryopreserved honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) sperm with selected diluents, cryoprotectants, and semen dilution ratios.

PubMed

Taylor, M A; Guzmán-Novoa, E; Morfin, N; Buhr, M M

2009-07-15

This is the first study where the systematic application of theories and techniques used in mammalian sperm cryopreservation have been applied to honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) semen as a means to improve postthaw viability of cryopreserved sperm. Six newly designed diluents, three cryoprotectants (dimethyl sulfoxide, DMA, glycerol), and five diluent:semen ratios (1:1, 3:1, 6:1, 9:1, and 12:1) were tested. In addition, the sperm freezing tolerance of three honey bee strains was evaluated. Specific protocols were designed to control semen freezing and thawing rates. Sperm motility was assessed visually, whereas sperm viability was assessed using SYBR-14 and propidium iodide fluorescent stains. Diluent treatments did not affect fresh (nonfrozen) sperm viability yet affected fresh sperm motility (P<0.05). Based on these assessments, two diluents were chosen and used in all successive cryopreservation experiments. Using the selected diluents, semen was collected at various diluent:semen ratios, along with one of the three cryoprotectants. Semen collected at high dilution ratios, using a hypotonic antioxidant diluent containing catalase, in combination with dimethyl sulfoxide, provided higher postthaw sperm viability than that of all other combinations tested (68.3+/-5.4%; P<0.05). Using this combination of dilution ratio, diluent, and cryoprotectant, there were no differences among honey bee strains for postthaw sperm viability (P=0.805). Nevertheless, these new semen dilution and freezing methods improved postthaw viability of sperm to levels that could theoretically sustain worker populations in colonies, thus providing potential for further optimization of cryopreservation techniques for the genetic preservation and improvement of honey bee genotypes.

Lignocellulosic feedstock resource assessment

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rooney, T.

This report provides overall state and national information on the quantity, availability, and costs of current and potential feedstocks for ethanol production in the United States. It characterizes end uses and physical characteristics of feedstocks, and presents relevant information that affects the economic and technical feasibility of ethanol production from these feedstocks. The data can help researchers focus ethanol conversion research efforts on feedstocks that are compatible with the resource base.

Diluent choice for subcutaneous infusion: a survey of the literature and Australian practice.

PubMed

Flowers, Charne; McLeod, Fiona

2005-02-01

Continuous subcutaneous infusion is a method frequently used in palliative care to manage patient symptoms. To deliver the dose required and prevent subcutaneous sites from becoming inflamed and painful, the drug is often diluted in a solution, most commonly sterile water for injection or sodium chloride. The use of sterile water for injection has been recommended for cyclizine yet beyond this example there appears to be limited clinical direction regarding diluent selection. Inconsistency or lack of guidelines can be problematic if a diluent that may enhance the effectiveness of a drug compared with an alternate is not used because of lack of knowledge or guidance. This investigation considered existing literature, drug databases and directories, and involved a survey of palliative care services to examine evidence and experience relating to diluent selection. A number of inconsistencies emerged in both the literature and practice. With the exception of five drugs for which only saline was recommended, there appeared to be an inclination to use water unless contraindicated. Given an increasing reliance on this method of symptom management, the absence of formal clinical evidence or recommendations and ambiguity in relation to the use of diluents highlights the need for these deficits to be addressed as quickly as possible.

21 CFR 73.1001 - Diluents in color additive mixtures for drug use exempt from certification.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 1 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Diluents in color additive mixtures for drug use..., DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES GENERAL LISTING OF COLOR ADDITIVES EXEMPT FROM CERTIFICATION Drugs § 73.1001 Diluents in color additive mixtures for drug use exempt from certification. The following...

Lignin model compounds as bio-based reactive diluents for liquid molding resins.

PubMed

Stanzione, Joseph F; Sadler, Joshua M; La Scala, John J; Wool, Richard P

2012-07-01

Lignin is a copious paper and pulping waste product that has the potential to yield valuable, low molecular weight, single aromatic chemicals when strategically depolymerized. The single aromatic lignin model compounds, vanillin, guaiacol, and eugenol, were methacrylated by esterification with methacrylic anhydride and a catalytic amount of 4-dimethylaminopyridine. Methacrylated guaiacol (MG) and methacrylated eugenol (ME) exhibited low viscosities at room temperature (MG: 17 cP and ME: 28 cP). When used as reactive diluents in vinyl ester resins, they produced resin viscosities higher than that of vinyl ester-styrene blends. The relative volatilities of MG (1.05 wt% loss in 18 h) and ME (0.96 wt% loss in 18 h) measured by means of thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) were considerably lower than that of styrene (93.7 wt% loss in 3 h) indicating the potential of these chemicals to be environmentally friendly reactive diluents. Bulk polymerization of MG and ME generated homopolymers with glass transition temperatures (T(g)s) of 92 and 103 °C, respectively. Blends of a standard vinyl ester resin with MG and ME (50 wt % reactive diluent) produced thermosets with T(g)s of 127 and 153 °C, respectively, which are comparable to vinyl ester-styrene resins, thus demonstrating the ability of MG and ME to completely replace styrene as reactive diluents in liquid molding resins without sacrificing cured-resin thermal performance. Copyright © 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Synthesis and application of polyepoxide cardanol glycidyl ether as biobased polyepoxide reactive diluent for epoxy resin

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Polyepoxide cardanol glycidyl ether (PECGE), a novel cardanol derivative, was synthesized and used as reactive diluent for petroleum-based epoxy resin in this work. The synthetic condition was first optimized, and the resultant PECGE diluent was characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectro...

21 CFR 73.1 - Diluents in color additive mixtures for food use exempt from certification.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 1 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Diluents in color additive mixtures for food use... HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES GENERAL LISTING OF COLOR ADDITIVES EXEMPT FROM CERTIFICATION Foods § 73.1 Diluents in color additive mixtures for food use exempt from certification. The following substances may be...

21 CFR 73.1 - Diluents in color additive mixtures for food use exempt from certification.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 1 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Diluents in color additive mixtures for food use... HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES GENERAL LISTING OF COLOR ADDITIVES EXEMPT FROM CERTIFICATION Foods § 73.1 Diluents in color additive mixtures for food use exempt from certification. The following substances may be...

21 CFR 73.1 - Diluents in color additive mixtures for food use exempt from certification.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 1 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Diluents in color additive mixtures for food use... HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES GENERAL LISTING OF COLOR ADDITIVES EXEMPT FROM CERTIFICATION Foods § 73.1 Diluents in color additive mixtures for food use exempt from certification. The following substances may be...

21 CFR 73.1 - Diluents in color additive mixtures for food use exempt from certification.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Diluents in color additive mixtures for food use... HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES GENERAL LISTING OF COLOR ADDITIVES EXEMPT FROM CERTIFICATION Foods § 73.1 Diluents in color additive mixtures for food use exempt from certification. The following substances may be...

21 CFR 73.1 - Diluents in color additive mixtures for food use exempt from certification.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 1 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Diluents in color additive mixtures for food use... HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES GENERAL LISTING OF COLOR ADDITIVES EXEMPT FROM CERTIFICATION Foods § 73.1 Diluents in color additive mixtures for food use exempt from certification. The following substances may be...

Contact allergy to an epoxy reactive diluent: 1,4-butanediol diglycidyl ether.

PubMed

Jolanki, R; Estlander, T; Kanerva, L

1987-02-01

3 female workers in a brush factory developed contact allergy from a 2-component epoxy glue containing epoxy resin (37% w/w), reactive diluents: i.e., 1,4-butanediol diglycidyl ether (BDDGE) 3%, glycidyl ethers of aliphatic alcohols (Epoxide 8) 0.03% and phenyl glycidyl ether (PGE) 0.01%; and inert fillers. All 3 patients were positive to the resin component of the glue and to BDDGE, indicating that BDDGE was the main allergen. 2 of the patients reacted to PGE, but none to the 3rd reactive diluent (Epoxide 8) in the glue. 2 of the patients did not react to epoxy resin, indicating that BDDGE may be an even stronger sensitizer in humans than epoxy resin, and that it does not cross-react with epoxy resins. Permeation studies revealed that BDDGE penetrates disposable PVC and rubber gloves in less than 30 min; thus, contaminated gloves should be replaced immediately. Reactive diluents should be included in patch test series if contact allergy to epoxy products is suspected.

Contact allergy to reactive diluents and related aliphatic epoxy resins.

PubMed

Aalto-Korte, Kristiina; Kuuliala, Outi; Henriks-Eckerman, Maj-Len; Suuronen, Katri

2015-06-01

Diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A resin (DGEBA-R) is the most common sensitizer in epoxy systems, but a minority of patients also develop contact allergy to reactive diluents. To analyse the frequency and clinical relevance of allergic reactions to different epoxy reactive diluents and related aliphatic epoxy resins. Test files (January 1991 to June 2014) were screened, and the clinical records of patients with allergic reactions were analysed for occupation, concomitant allergic reactions, and exposure. A total of 67 patients reacted to at least one of the compounds. The largest numbers of allergic reactions were to phenyl glycidyl ether (PGE; n = 41), 1,4-butanediol diglycidyl ether (BDDGE; n = 34), and p-tert-butylphenyl glycidyl ether (PTBPGE; n = 19). Ten of the patients did not have contact allergy to DGEBA-R. The reactions of 5 of these were related to the use of BDDGE-containing products. We found no significant exposure to PGE or PTBPGE in patients sensitized to them, but some of the patients had used cresyl glycidyl ether-containing products. Allergic reactions to reactive diluents and related aliphatic epoxy resins usually occurred together with reactions to DGEBA-R. BDDGE was the clinically most significant compound, and was the sole cause of occupational allergic contact dermatitis in 3 patients. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Big bluestem and switchgrass feedstock harvest timing: Nitrous oxide response to feedstock harvest timing

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) and big bluestem (Andropogon gerdardii Vitman) are potential bioenergy feedstocks. Feedstock storage limitations, labor constraints for harvest, and environmental benefits provided by perennials are rationales for developing localized perennial feedstock as an alter...

Articulating feedstock delivery device

DOEpatents

Jordan, Kevin

2013-11-05

A fully articulable feedstock delivery device that is designed to operate at pressure and temperature extremes. The device incorporates an articulating ball assembly which allows for more accurate delivery of the feedstock to a target location. The device is suitable for a variety of applications including, but not limited to, delivery of feedstock to a high-pressure reaction chamber or process zone.

COMPUTATIONAL RESOURCES FOR BIOFUEL FEEDSTOCK SPECIES

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Buell, Carol Robin; Childs, Kevin L

2013-05-07

While current production of ethanol as a biofuel relies on starch and sugar inputs, it is anticipated that sustainable production of ethanol for biofuel use will utilize lignocellulosic feedstocks. Candidate plant species to be used for lignocellulosic ethanol production include a large number of species within the Grass, Pine and Birch plant families. For these biofuel feedstock species, there are variable amounts of genome sequence resources available, ranging from complete genome sequences (e.g. sorghum, poplar) to transcriptome data sets (e.g. switchgrass, pine). These data sets are not only dispersed in location but also disparate in content. It will be essentialmore » to leverage and improve these genomic data sets for the improvement of biofuel feedstock production. The objectives of this project were to provide computational tools and resources for data-mining genome sequence/annotation and large-scale functional genomic datasets available for biofuel feedstock species. We have created a Bioenergy Feedstock Genomics Resource that provides a web-based portal or clearing house for genomic data for plant species relevant to biofuel feedstock production. Sequence data from a total of 54 plant species are included in the Bioenergy Feedstock Genomics Resource including model plant species that permit leveraging of knowledge across taxa to biofuel feedstock species.We have generated additional computational analyses of these data, including uniform annotation, to facilitate genomic approaches to improved biofuel feedstock production. These data have been centralized in the publicly available Bioenergy Feedstock Genomics Resource (http://bfgr.plantbiology.msu.edu/).« less

The effect of biomass densification on structural sugar release and yield in biofuel feedstock and feedstock blends

DOE PAGES

Wolfrum, Edward J.; Nagle, Nicholas J.; Ness, Ryan M.; ...

2017-01-13

In this work, we examined the behavior of feedstock blends and the effect of a specific feedstock densification strategy (pelleting) on the release and yield of structural carbohydrates in a laboratory-scale dilute acid pretreatment (PT) and enzymatic hydrolysis (EH) assay. We report overall carbohydrate release and yield from the two-stage PT-EH assay for five single feedstocks (two corn stovers, miscanthus, switchgrass, and hybrid poplar) and three feedstock blends (corn stover-switchgrass, corn stover-switchgrass-miscanthus, and corn stover-switchgrass-hybrid poplar). We first examined the experimental results over time to establish the robustness of the PT-EH assay, which limits the precision of the experimental results.more » The use of two different control samples in the assay enabled us to identify (and correct for) a small bias in the EH portion of the combined assay for some runs. We then examined the effect of variable pretreatment reaction conditions (residence time, acid loading, and reactor temperature) on the conversion of a single feedstock (single-pass corn stover, CS-SP) in order to establish the range of pretreatment reaction conditions likely to provide optimal conversion data. Finally, we applied the assay to the 16 materials (8 feedstocks in 2 formats, loose and pelleted) over a more limited range of pretreatment experimental conditions. The four herbaceous feedstocks behaved similarly, while the hybrid poplar feedstock required higher pretreatment temperatures for optimal results. As expected, the yield data for three blended feedstocks were the average of the yield data for the individual feedstocks. As a result, the pelleting process appears to provide a slightly positive effect on overall total sugar yield.« less

The effect of biomass densification on structural sugar release and yield in biofuel feedstock and feedstock blends

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wolfrum, Edward J.; Nagle, Nicholas J.; Ness, Ryan M.

In this work, we examined the behavior of feedstock blends and the effect of a specific feedstock densification strategy (pelleting) on the release and yield of structural carbohydrates in a laboratory-scale dilute acid pretreatment (PT) and enzymatic hydrolysis (EH) assay. We report overall carbohydrate release and yield from the two-stage PT-EH assay for five single feedstocks (two corn stovers, miscanthus, switchgrass, and hybrid poplar) and three feedstock blends (corn stover-switchgrass, corn stover-switchgrass-miscanthus, and corn stover-switchgrass-hybrid poplar). We first examined the experimental results over time to establish the robustness of the PT-EH assay, which limits the precision of the experimental results.more » The use of two different control samples in the assay enabled us to identify (and correct for) a small bias in the EH portion of the combined assay for some runs. We then examined the effect of variable pretreatment reaction conditions (residence time, acid loading, and reactor temperature) on the conversion of a single feedstock (single-pass corn stover, CS-SP) in order to establish the range of pretreatment reaction conditions likely to provide optimal conversion data. Finally, we applied the assay to the 16 materials (8 feedstocks in 2 formats, loose and pelleted) over a more limited range of pretreatment experimental conditions. The four herbaceous feedstocks behaved similarly, while the hybrid poplar feedstock required higher pretreatment temperatures for optimal results. As expected, the yield data for three blended feedstocks were the average of the yield data for the individual feedstocks. As a result, the pelleting process appears to provide a slightly positive effect on overall total sugar yield.« less

On Identification of Critical Material Attributes for Compression Behaviour of Pharmaceutical Diluent Powders

PubMed Central

Zhang, Jianyi; Pan, Xin; Wu, Chuanbin

2017-01-01

As one of the commonly-used solid dosage forms, pharmaceutical tablets have been widely used to deliver active drugs into the human body, satisfying patient’s therapeutic requirements. To manufacture tablets of good quality, diluent powders are generally used in formulation development to increase the bulk of formulations and to bind other inactive ingredients with the active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs). For formulations of a low API dose, the drug products generally consist of a large fraction of diluent powders. Hence, the attributes of diluents become extremely important and can significantly influence the final product property. Therefore, it is essential to accurately characterise the mechanical properties of the diluents and to thoroughly understand how their mechanical properties affect the manufacturing performance and properties of the final products, which will build a sound scientific basis for formulation design and product development. In this study, a comprehensive evaluation of the mechanical properties of the widely-used pharmaceutical diluent powders, including microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) powders with different grades (i.e., Avicel PH 101, Avicel PH 102, and DG), mannitol SD 100, lactose monohydrate, and dibasic calcium phosphate, were performed. The powder compressibility was assessed with Heckel and Kawakita analyses. The material elastic recovery during decompression and in storage was investigated through monitoring the change in the dimensions of the compressed tablets over time. The powder hygroscopicity was also evaluated to examine the water absorption ability of powders from the surroundings. It was shown that the MCC tablets exhibited continuous volume expansion after ejection, which is believed to be induced by (1) water absorption from the surrounding, and (2) elastic recovery. However, mannitol tablets showed volume expansion immediately after ejection, followed by the material shrinkage in storage. It is anticipated that

Insidious Harm of Medication Diluents as a Contributor to Cumulative Volume and Hyperchloremia: A Prospective, Open-Label, Sequential Period Pilot Study.

PubMed

Magee, Carolyn A; Bastin, Melissa L Thompson; Laine, Melanie E; Bissell, Brittany D; Howington, Gavin T; Moran, Peter R; McCleary, Emily J; Owen, Gary D; Kane, Lauren E; Higdon, Emily A; Pierce, Cathy A; Morris, Peter E; Flannery, Alexander H

2018-05-04

Although the potential dangers of hyperchloremia from resuscitation fluids continue to emerge, no study to date has considered the contribution of medication diluents to cumulative volume and hyperchloremia. This study compares saline versus dextrose 5% in water as the primary medication diluent and the occurrence of hyperchloremia in critically ill patients. Prospective, open-label, sequential period pilot study. Medical ICU of a large academic medical center. Adult patients admitted to the medical ICU were eligible for inclusion. Patients who were admitted for less than 48 hours, less than 18 years old, pregnant, incarcerated, or who had brain injury were excluded. Saline as the primary medication diluent for 2 months followed by dextrose 5% in water as the primary medication diluent for 2 months. A total of 426 patients were included, 216 in the saline group and 210 in the dextrose 5% in water group. Medication diluents accounted for 63% of the total IV volume over the observation period. In the saline group, 17.9% developed hyperchloremia compared with 10.5% in the dextrose 5% in water group (p = 0.037), which was statistically significant in multivariable analysis (odds ratio, 0.50; 95% CI, 0.26-0.94; p = 0.031). In the saline group, 34.2% developed acute kidney injury versus 24.5% in the dextrose 5% in water group (p = 0.035); however, this was not statistically significant when adjusting for baseline covariates. No other significant differences in dysnatremias, insulin requirements, glucose control, ICU length of stay, or ICU mortality were observed. This study identified that medication diluents contribute substantially to the total IV volume received by critically ill patients. Saline as the primary medication diluent compared with dextrose 5% in water is associated with hyperchloremia, a possible risk factor for acute kidney injury.

Influence of feedstock chemical composition on product formation and characteristics derived from the hydrothermal carbonization of mixed feedstocks.

PubMed

Lu, Xiaowei; Berge, Nicole D

2014-08-01

As the exploration of the carbonization of mixed feedstocks continues, there is a distinct need to understand how feedstock chemical composition and structural complexity influence the composition of generated products. Laboratory experiments were conducted to evaluate the carbonization of pure compounds, mixtures of the pure compounds, and complex feedstocks comprised of the pure compounds (e.g., paper, wood). Results indicate that feedstock properties do influence carbonization product properties. Carbonization product characteristics were predicted using results from the carbonization of the pure compounds and indicate that recovered solids energy contents are more accurately predicted than solid yields and the carbon mass in each phase, while predictions associated with solids surface functional groups are more difficult to predict using this linear approach. To more accurately predict carbonization products, it may be necessary to account for feedstock structure and/or additional feedstock properties. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Renewable feedstocks for biobutanol production by fermentation.

PubMed

Procentese, Alessandra; Raganati, Francesca; Olivieri, Giuseppe; Russo, Maria Elena; de la Feld, Marco; Marzocchella, Antonio

2017-10-25

This paper reports a study of potential feedstock for butanol production via the biotechnological route. Several waste(water) streams rich in sugars and lignocellulosic biomass were studied: cheese-whey, leftovers of high sugar-content beverages, food lost or wasted, agriculture residues. The maximum butanol production rate from each type of feedstock was assessed according to the parameters indicated in the literature: feedstock availability rate, feedstock average composition and butanol yield. In Europe the potential biotechnological production of butanol from the feedstock studied was assessed to be about 39 Mt yr-1, which would be enough to meet the current European demand of biofuels. The potential butanol production at local level was also assessed taking into account the concentration of feedstock suppliers in the Campania region. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Methods for treating a metathesis feedstock with metal alkoxides

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cohen, Steven A.; Anderson, Donde R.; Wang, Zhe

Various methods are provided for treating and reacting a metathesis feedstock. In one embodiment, the method includes providing a feedstock comprising a natural oil, chemically treating the feedstock with a metal alkoxide under conditions sufficient to diminish catalyst poisons in the feedstock, and, following the treating, combining a metathesis catalyst with the feedstock under conditions sufficient to metathesize the feedstock.

Effect of cryoprotective diluent and method of freeze-thawing on survival and acrosomal integrity of ram spermatozoa.

PubMed

Pontbriand, D; Howard, J G; Schiewe, M C; Stuart, L D; Wildt, D E

1989-08-01

A multifactorial study analyzed the effects of freezing method, cryoprotective diluent, semen to diluent ratio, and thawing velocity on post-thaw motility, progressive status, and acrosomal integrity of ram spermatozoa. Although semen to diluent ratio (1:3 vs 1:6, v/v) had no effect (P greater than 0.05), overall post-thaw spermatozoal viability was highly dependent on freezing method and cryoprotectant. Improved results were obtained by freezing semen in 0.5-ml French straws compared to dry ice pelleting. Manually freezing straws 5 cm above liquid nitrogen (LN2) was comparable to cooling straws in an automated, programmable LN2 unit. Of the two cryoprotective diluents tested, BF5F (containing the surfactant component sodium and triethanolamine lauryl sulfate) yielded approximately 50% fewer (P less than 0.05) spermatozoa with loose acrosomal caps compared to TEST. Thawing straws in a water bath at a higher velocity (60 degrees C for 8 sec) had no effect (P greater than 0.05) on spermatozoal motility, progressive status ratings, or acrosomal integrity when compared to a lower rate (37 degrees C for 20 sec). For the TEST group, thawing pellets in a dry, glass culture tube promoted (P less than 0.05) percentage sperm motility at 3 and 6 hr post-thawing, but for BF5F diluted semen this approach decreased the % of spermatozoa with normal apical ridges. The results suggest that the poor fertility rates often experienced using thawed ram semen likely result not only from reduced sperm motility, but also from compromised ultrastructural integrity. This damage is expressed by an increased loosening of the acrosomal cap, a factor which appears insensitive to freezing method but markedly influenced by the cryoprotective properties of the diluents tested.

Use of ionic liquids as headspace gas chromatography diluents for the analysis of residual solvents in pharmaceuticals.

PubMed

Nacham, Omprakash; Ho, Tien D; Anderson, Jared L; Webster, Gregory K

2017-10-25

In this study, two ionic liquids (ILs), 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium bis[(trifluoromethyl)sulfonyl]imide ([BMIM][NTf 2 ]) and trihexyltetradecylphosphonium bis[(trifluoromethyl)sulfonyl]imide ([P 66614 ][NTf 2 ]) were examined as contemporary diluents for residual solvent analysis using static headspace gas chromatography (SHS-GC) coupled with flame ionization detection (FID). ILs are a class of non-molecular solvents featuring negligible vapor pressure and high thermal stabilities. Owing to these favorable properties, ILs have potential to enable superior sensitivity and reduced interference, compared to conventional organic diluents, at high headspace incubation temperatures. By employing the [BMIM][NTf 2 ] IL as a diluent, a 25-fold improvement in limit of detection (LOD) was observed with respect to traditional HS-GC diluents, such as N-methylpyrrolidone (NMP). The established IL-based method demonstrated LODs ranging from 5.8 parts-per-million (ppm) to 20ppm of residual solvents in drug substances. The optimization of headspace extraction conditions was performed prior to method validation. An incubation temperature of 140°C and a 15min incubation time provided the best sensitivity for the analysis. Under optimized experimental conditions, the mass of residual solvents partitioned in the headspace was higher when using [BMIM][NTf 2 ] than NMP as a diluent. The analytical performance was demonstrated by determining the repeatability, accuracy, and linearity of the method. Linear ranges of up to two orders of magnitude were obtained for class 3 solvents. Excellent analyte recoveries were obtained in the presence of three different active pharmaceutical ingredients. Owing to its robustness, high throughput, and superior sensitivity, the HS-GC IL-based method can be used as an alternative to existing residual solvent methods. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effect of naphtha diluent on greenhouse gases and reduced sulfur compounds emissions from oil sands tailings.

PubMed

Gee, Kathleen F; Poon, Ho Yin; Hashisho, Zaher; Ulrich, Ania C

2017-11-15

The long-term storage of oil sands tailings has resulted in the evolution of greenhouse gases (CH 4 and CO 2 ) as a result of residual organics biodegradation. Recent studies have identified black, sulfidic zones below the tailings-water interface, which may be producing toxic sulfur-containing gases. An anaerobic mesocosm study was conducted over an 11-week period to characterize the evolution of CH 4 , CO 2 and reduced sulfur compounds (RSCs) (including H 2 S) in tailings as it relates to naphtha-containing diluent concentrations (0.2, 0.8, and 1.5% w/v) and microbial activity. Our results showed that RSCs were produced first at 0.12μmol°RSCs/mL MFT (1.5% w/v diluent treatment). RSCs contribution (from highest to lowest) was H 2 S and 2-methylthiophene>2.5-dimethylthiophene>3-methylthiophene>thiofuran>butyl mercaptan>carbonyl sulfide, where H 2 S and 2-methylthiophene contributed 81% of the gas produced. CH 4 and CO 2 production occurred after week 5 at 40.7μmolCH 4 /mL MFT and 5.9μmolCO 2 /mL MFT (1.5% w/v diluent treatment). The amount of H 2 S and CH 4 generated is correlated to the amount of diluent present and to microbial activity as shown by corresponding increases in sulfate-reducers' Dissimilatory sulfite reductase (DsrAB) gene and methanogens' methyl-coenzyme M reductase (MCR) gene. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Method and apparatus for treating a cellulosic feedstock

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Nguyen, Quang A.; Burke, Murray J.; Hillier, Sunalie N.

Methods and apparatus for treating, pre-treating, preparing and conveying a cellulosic feedstock, such as for ethanol production, are disclosed. More specifically, the invention relates to methods and apparatus for treating a cellulosic feedstock by mixing and heating the cellulosic feedstock and/or by moistening and heating the cellulosic feedstock. The invention also relates to a holding tank, and a method of utilizing the holding tank whereby bridging may be reduced or eliminated and may result in a product stream from autohydrolysis or hydrolysis having an improved yield. The invention further relates to methods and apparatus for obtaining and conveying a cellulosicmore » feedstock, which may be used for the subsequent production of a fermentable sugar stream from the cellulose and hemicellulose in the cellulosic feedstock wherein the fermentable sugar stream may be used for subsequent ethanol production. The invention also relates to a method and apparatus for withdrawing one or more feedstock stream from a holding tank.« less

Evolution and Development of Effective Feedstock Specifications

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Garold Gresham; Rachel Emerson; Amber Hoover

The U.S. Department of Energy promotes the production of a range of liquid fuels and fuel blend stocks from lignocellulosic biomass feedstocks by funding fundamental and applied research that advances the state of technology in biomass collection, conversion, and sustainability. As part of its involvement in this program, the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) investigates the feedstock logistics economics and sustainability of these fuels. The 2012 feedstock logistics milestone demonstrated that for high-yield areas that minimize the transportation distances of a low-density, unstable biomass, we could achieve a delivered cost of $35/ton. Based on current conventional equipment and processes, the 2012more » logistics design is able to deliver the volume of biomass needed to fulfill the 2012 Renewable Fuel Standard’s targets for ethanol. However, the Renewable Fuel Standard’s volume targets are continuing to increase and are expected to peak in 2022 at 36 billion gallons. Meeting these volume targets and achieving a national-scale biofuels industry will require expansion of production capacity beyond the 2012 Conventional Feedstock Supply Design Case to access diverse available feedstocks, regardless of their inherent ability to meet preliminary biorefinery quality feedstock specifications. Implementation of quality specifications (specs), as outlined in the 2017 Design Case – “Feedstock Supply System Design and Economics for Conversion of Lignocellulosic Biomass to Hydrocarbon Fuels” (in progress), requires insertion of deliberate, active quality controls into the feedstock supply chain, whereas the 2012 Conventional Design only utilizes passive quality controls.« less

Ostrich specific semen diluent and sperm motility characteristics during in vitro storage.

PubMed

Smith, A M J; Bonato, M; Dzama, K; Malecki, I A; Cloete, S W P

2018-06-01

The dilution of semen is a very important initial process for semen processing and evaluation, storage and preservation in vitro and efficient artificial insemination. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of two synthetic diluents (OS1 and OS2) on ostrich sperm motility parameters during in vitro storage. Formulation of OS1 was based on macro minerals (Na, K, P, Ca, Mg) and OS2 on the further addition of micro minerals (Se and Zn), based on mineral concentration determined in the ostrich seminal plasma (SP). Sperm motility was evaluated at different processing stages (neat, after dilution, during storage and after storage) by measuring several sperm motility variables using the Sperm Class Analyzer® (SCA). Processing (dilution, cooling and storage) of semen for in vitro storage purposes decreased the values for all sperm motility variables measured. The percentage motile (MOT) and progressive motile (PMOT) sperm decreased 20% to 30% during 24 h of storage, independent of diluent type. Quality of sperm swim (LIN, STR and WOB), however, was sustained during the longer storage periods (48 h) with the OS2 diluent modified with Se and Zn additions. Quality of sperm swim with use of OS1 was 6% to 8% less for the LIN, STR, and WOB variables. Male fitted as a fixed effect accounted for >60% of the variation for certain sperm motility variables (PMOT, MOT, VCL, VSL, VAP and ALH) evaluated at different processing stages. Semen from specific males had sustained sperm motility characteristics to a greater extent than that of other males during the 24-h storage period. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Sophorolipid production from lignocellulosic biomass feedstocks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Samad, Abdul

The present study investigated the feasibility of production of sophorolipids (SLs) using yeast Candida bombicola grown on hydrolysates derived lignocellulosic feedstock either with or without supplementing oil as extra carbon source. Several researchers have reported using pure sugars and various oil sources for producing SLs which makes them expensive for scale-up and commercial production. In order to make the production process truly sustainable and renewable, we used feedstocks such as sweet sorghum bagasse, corn fiber and corn stover. Without oil supplementation, the cell densities at the end of day-8 was recorded as 9.2, 9.8 and 10.8 g/L for hydrolysate derived from sorghum bagasse, corn fiber, and corn fiber with the addition of yeast extract (YE) during fermentation, respectively. At the end of fermentation, the SL concentration was 3.6 g/L for bagasse and 1.0 g/L for corn fiber hydrolysate. Among the three major sugars utilized by C. bombicola in the bagasse cultures, glucose was consumed at a rate of 9.1 g/L-day; xylose at 1.8 g/L-day; and arabinose at 0.98 g/L-day. With the addition of soybean oil at 100 g/L, cultures with bagasse hydrolysates, corn fiber hydrolysates and standard medium had a cell content of 7.7 g/L; 7.9 g/L; and 8.9 g/L, respectively after 10 days. The yield of SLs from bagasse hydrolysate was 84.6 g/L and corn fiber hydrolysate was15.6 g/L. In the same order, the residual oil in cultures with these two hydrolysates was 52.3 g/L and 41.0 g/L. For this set of experiment; in the cultures with bagasse hydrolysate; utilization rates for glucose, xylose and arabinose was recorded as 9.5, 1.04 and 0.08 g/L-day respectively. Surprisingly, C. bombicola consumed all monomeric sugars and non-sugar compounds in the hydrolysates and cultures with bagasse hydrolysates had higher yield of SLs than those from a standard medium which contained pure glucose at the same concentration. Based on the SL concentrations and considering all sugars consumed

40 CFR 60.1745 - What must I do if I choose to monitor carbon dioxide instead of oxygen as a diluent gas?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... carbon dioxide instead of oxygen as a diluent gas? 60.1745 Section 60.1745 Protection of Environment... choose to monitor carbon dioxide instead of oxygen as a diluent gas? You must establish the relationship between oxygen and carbon dioxide during the initial evaluation of your continuous emission monitoring...

40 CFR 60.1745 - What must I do if I choose to monitor carbon dioxide instead of oxygen as a diluent gas?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... carbon dioxide instead of oxygen as a diluent gas? 60.1745 Section 60.1745 Protection of Environment... choose to monitor carbon dioxide instead of oxygen as a diluent gas? You must establish the relationship between oxygen and carbon dioxide during the initial evaluation of your continuous emission monitoring...

40 CFR 60.1745 - What must I do if I choose to monitor carbon dioxide instead of oxygen as a diluent gas?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... carbon dioxide instead of oxygen as a diluent gas? 60.1745 Section 60.1745 Protection of Environment... choose to monitor carbon dioxide instead of oxygen as a diluent gas? You must establish the relationship between oxygen and carbon dioxide during the initial evaluation of your continuous emission monitoring...

40 CFR 60.1745 - What must I do if I choose to monitor carbon dioxide instead of oxygen as a diluent gas?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... carbon dioxide instead of oxygen as a diluent gas? 60.1745 Section 60.1745 Protection of Environment... choose to monitor carbon dioxide instead of oxygen as a diluent gas? You must establish the relationship between oxygen and carbon dioxide during the initial evaluation of your continuous emission monitoring...

40 CFR 60.1745 - What must I do if I choose to monitor carbon dioxide instead of oxygen as a diluent gas?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... carbon dioxide instead of oxygen as a diluent gas? 60.1745 Section 60.1745 Protection of Environment... choose to monitor carbon dioxide instead of oxygen as a diluent gas? You must establish the relationship between oxygen and carbon dioxide during the initial evaluation of your continuous emission monitoring...

Sugarcane and other crops as fuel feedstocks

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Irvine, J.E.

1980-07-01

The use of sugarcane as a feedstock for fuel alcohol production in Brazil, and in Zimbabwe Rhodesia and Panama stimulated tremendous interest in the potential of agricultural crops for renewable energy sources. The cost of the feedstock is important. Corn, the current major agricultural feedstock in US fuel alcohol production, costs 60 to 80% of the selling price of the alcohol produced from it. Production costs for sugarcane and sugarbeets are higher than for corn. Sugarcane and sugarbeets, yield more fermentable carbohydrates per acre than any other crop. Sugarcane has the distinct advantage of containing a large amount of fibermore » in the harvested portion. The feedstock cost of sugarcane can be reduced by producing more cane per acre. Sweet sorghum has been discussed as a fuel crop. Cassana, the tapioca source, is thought to be a fuel crop of major potential. Feedstock cost can also be reduced through management decisions that reduce costly practices. Cultivation and fertilizer costs can be reduced. The operating cost of the processing plant is affected by the choice of crops grown for feedstock, both by their cost and by availability. (DP)« less

40 CFR 62.15200 - What must I do if I choose to monitor carbon dioxide instead of oxygen as a diluent gas?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... carbon dioxide instead of oxygen as a diluent gas? 62.15200 Section 62.15200 Protection of Environment... I do if I choose to monitor carbon dioxide instead of oxygen as a diluent gas? You must establish the relationship between oxygen and carbon dioxide during the initial evaluation of your continuous...

40 CFR 62.15200 - What must I do if I choose to monitor carbon dioxide instead of oxygen as a diluent gas?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... carbon dioxide instead of oxygen as a diluent gas? 62.15200 Section 62.15200 Protection of Environment... I do if I choose to monitor carbon dioxide instead of oxygen as a diluent gas? You must establish the relationship between oxygen and carbon dioxide during the initial evaluation of your continuous...

40 CFR 62.15200 - What must I do if I choose to monitor carbon dioxide instead of oxygen as a diluent gas?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... carbon dioxide instead of oxygen as a diluent gas? 62.15200 Section 62.15200 Protection of Environment... I do if I choose to monitor carbon dioxide instead of oxygen as a diluent gas? You must establish the relationship between oxygen and carbon dioxide during the initial evaluation of your continuous...

40 CFR 62.15200 - What must I do if I choose to monitor carbon dioxide instead of oxygen as a diluent gas?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... carbon dioxide instead of oxygen as a diluent gas? 62.15200 Section 62.15200 Protection of Environment... I do if I choose to monitor carbon dioxide instead of oxygen as a diluent gas? You must establish the relationship between oxygen and carbon dioxide during the initial evaluation of your continuous...

40 CFR 62.15200 - What must I do if I choose to monitor carbon dioxide instead of oxygen as a diluent gas?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... carbon dioxide instead of oxygen as a diluent gas? 62.15200 Section 62.15200 Protection of Environment... I do if I choose to monitor carbon dioxide instead of oxygen as a diluent gas? You must establish the relationship between oxygen and carbon dioxide during the initial evaluation of your continuous...

Sensitization to reactive diluents and hardeners in epoxy resin systems. IVDK data 2002-2011. Part I: reaction frequencies.

PubMed

Geier, Johannes; Lessmann, Holger; Hillen, Uwe; Skudlik, Christoph; Jappe, Uta

2016-02-01

Epoxy resin systems (ERSs), consisting of resins, reactive diluents, and hardeners, are indispensable in many branches of industry. In order to develop less sensitizing ERS formulations, knowledge of the sensitizing properties of single components is mandatory. To analyse the frequency of sensitization in the patients concerned, as one integral part of a research project on the sensitizing potency of epoxy resin compounds (FP-0324). A retrospective analysis of data from the Information Network of Departments of Dermatology (IVDK), 2002-2011, and a comparison of reaction frequencies with (surrogate) exposure data, were performed. Almost half of the patients sensitized to epoxy resin were additionally sensitized to reactive diluents or hardeners. Among the reactive diluents, 1,6-hexanediol diglycidyl ether was the most frequent allergen, followed by 1,4-butanediol diglycidyl ether, phenyl glycidyl ether, and p-tert-butylphenyl glycidyl ether. Among the hardeners, m-xylylene diamine (MXDA) and isophorone diamine (IPDA) were the most frequent allergens. According to the calculated exposure-related frequency of sensitization, MXDA seems to be a far more important sensitizer than IPDA. Up to 60% of the patients sensitized to hardeners and 15-20% of those sensitized to reactive diluents do not react to epoxy resin. In cases of suspected contact allergy to an ERS, a complete epoxy resin series must be patch tested from the start. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Bibliography on Biomass Feedstock Research: 1978-2002

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cushman, J.H.

2003-05-01

This report provides bibliographic citations for more than 1400 reports on biomass feedstock development published by Oak Ridge National Laboratory and its collaborators from 1978 through 2002. Oak Ridge National Laboratory is engaged in analysis of biomass resource supplies, research on the sustainability of feedstock resources, and research on feedstock engineering and infrastructure. From 1978 until 2002, Oak Ridge National Laboratory also provided technical leadership for the U.S. Department of Energy's Bioenergy Feedstock Development Program (BFDP), which supported research to identify and develop promising energy crops. This bibliography lists reports published by Oak Ridge National Laboratory and by its collaboratorsmore » in the BFDP, including graduate student theses and dissertations.« less

40 CFR 60.1255 - What must I do if I choose to monitor carbon dioxide instead of oxygen as a diluent gas?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... carbon dioxide instead of oxygen as a diluent gas? 60.1255 Section 60.1255 Protection of Environment... oxygen as a diluent gas? You must establish the relationship between oxygen and carbon dioxide during the... Method 3A or 3B in appendix A of this part to determine oxygen concentration at the location of your...

40 CFR 60.1255 - What must I do if I choose to monitor carbon dioxide instead of oxygen as a diluent gas?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... carbon dioxide instead of oxygen as a diluent gas? 60.1255 Section 60.1255 Protection of Environment... oxygen as a diluent gas? You must establish the relationship between oxygen and carbon dioxide during the... Method 3A or 3B in appendix A of this part to determine oxygen concentration at the location of your...

40 CFR 60.1255 - What must I do if I choose to monitor carbon dioxide instead of oxygen as a diluent gas?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... carbon dioxide instead of oxygen as a diluent gas? 60.1255 Section 60.1255 Protection of Environment... oxygen as a diluent gas? You must establish the relationship between oxygen and carbon dioxide during the... Method 3A or 3B in appendix A of this part to determine oxygen concentration at the location of your...

40 CFR 60.1255 - What must I do if I choose to monitor carbon dioxide instead of oxygen as a diluent gas?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... carbon dioxide instead of oxygen as a diluent gas? 60.1255 Section 60.1255 Protection of Environment... oxygen as a diluent gas? You must establish the relationship between oxygen and carbon dioxide during the... Method 3A or 3B in appendix A of this part to determine oxygen concentration at the location of your...

40 CFR 60.1255 - What must I do if I choose to monitor carbon dioxide instead of oxygen as a diluent gas?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... carbon dioxide instead of oxygen as a diluent gas? 60.1255 Section 60.1255 Protection of Environment... oxygen as a diluent gas? You must establish the relationship between oxygen and carbon dioxide during the... Method 3A or 3B in appendix A of this part to determine oxygen concentration at the location of your...

The relationship of physical and chemical conditions of CEP diluent with egg yolk addition to bull spermatozoa quality before and after storage at temperaturof 4-5°C

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ducha, N.; Hariani, D.; Budijastuti, W.

2018-01-01

Storage of semen requires diluent to dilute semen and maintain sperm quality. One of the diluent for bull semen was CEP. The purpose of this study was to assess the association of bull spermatozoa quality with the physical and chemical conditions of CEP diluents with the addition of egg yolk before and after the storage process. The study used Limousin bull with 5 replications. The quality of spermatozoa included motility and viability. Physical and chemical conditions included the pH and osmolarity of the diluent. The motility of spermatozoa was observed under a light microscope with 200 X magnification at 37°C by two people. The viability of spermatozoa was observed under a light microscope with 400 X magnification with nigrosine eosin staining. Data were analyzed with ANOVA and continued Duncan’s test. Dilution pH was measured using pH indicator paper ranging from 6-8. The osmolarity of the diluent was measured by electrical osmolarity. The results showed that the addition of egg yolk in the CEP diluent decreased the pH and increased osmolartitas, but the quality of spermatozoa can be kept up to 8 days of storage. The conclusion in this study was the addition of egg yolk in the CEP diluent provided physical and chemical conditions that can maintain the quality of spermatozoa during storage at a temperature of 4-5 ° C.

The test about blood serum capabilities in maintaining the quality of bull spermatozoa during storage in cep diluent at refrigerator temperature

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ducha, Nur

2018-03-01

The storage of spermatozoa requires a protective material from cold shock events and the presence of free radicals.In CEP diluent contain BSA, that was used as spermatozoa protection. This study aim was to examine the ability of cow blood serum in replacing BSA as spermatozoa protective in CEP diluent. Fresh semen from Limousin bull was diluted with CEP diluent + BSA as control, in the treatment group were CEP without BSA, but replaced with 3%, 5%, and 7% serum from fresh blood. Spermatozoa quality tests included motility and viability. The motility of spermatozoa was observed by two people using a light microscope with 200 X magnification at temperature of 37°C. The method of viability observation was eosin nigrosin staining, and observed under a light microscope with 400 X magnification. The results showed that the replacement of cow blood serum with various concentrations gave different effects on the quality of spermatozoa. The best motility and viability of the treatment group was at serum concentrations of 5% after eight days storage and was not significantly different from the controls. The conclusion in this study was cow blood serum can replace BSA in CEP diluents.

Influence of diluent and sample processing methods on the recovery of the biocontrol agent Pantoea agglomerans CPA-2 from different fruit surfaces.

PubMed

Torres, R; Viñas, I; Usall, J; Remón, D; Teixidó, N

2012-08-01

Determining the populations of biocontrol agents applied as a postharvest treatment on fruit surfaces is fundamental to the assessment of the microorganisms' ability to colonise and persist on fruit. To obtain maximum recovery, we must develop a methodology that involves both diluent and processing methods and that does not affect the viability of the microorganisms. The effect of diluent composition was evaluated using three diluents: phosphate buffer, peptone saline and buffered peptone saline. An additional study was performed to compare three processing methods (shaking plus sonication, stomaching and shaking plus centrifugation) on the recovery efficiency of Pantoea agglomerans strain CPA-2 from apples, oranges, nectarines and peaches treated with this biocontrol agent. Overall, slight differences occurred among diluents, although the phosphate buffer maintained the most ideal pH for CPA-2 growth (between 5.2 and 6.2). Stomaching, using the phosphate buffer as diluent, was the best procedure for recovering and enumerating the biocontrol agent; this fact suggested that no lethal effects from naturally occurring antimicrobial compounds present on the fruit skins and/or produced when the tissues were disrupted affected the recovery of the CPA-2 cells, regardless of fruit type. The growth pattern of CPA-2 on fruits maintained at 20°C and under cold conditions was similar to that obtained in previous studies, which confirms the excellent adaptation of this strain to conditions commonly used for fruit storage. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Biomass Feedstock and Conversion Supply System Design and Analysis

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jacobson, Jacob J.; Roni, Mohammad S.; Lamers, Patrick

Idaho National Laboratory (INL) supports the U.S. Department of Energy’s bioenergy research program. As part of the research program INL investigates the feedstock logistics economics and sustainability of these fuels. A series of reports were published between 2000 and 2013 to demonstrate the feedstock logistics cost. Those reports were tailored to specific feedstock and conversion process. Although those reports are different in terms of conversion, some of the process in the feedstock logistic are same for each conversion process. As a result, each report has similar information. A single report can be designed that could bring all commonality occurred inmore » the feedstock logistics process while discussing the feedstock logistics cost for different conversion process. Therefore, this report is designed in such a way that it can capture different feedstock logistics cost while eliminating the need of writing a conversion specific design report. Previous work established the current costs based on conventional equipment and processes. The 2012 programmatic target was to demonstrate a delivered biomass logistics cost of $55/dry ton for woody biomass delivered to fast pyrolysis conversion facility. The goal was achieved by applying field and process demonstration unit-scale data from harvest, collection, storage, preprocessing, handling, and transportation operations into INL’s biomass logistics model. The goal of the 2017 Design Case is to enable expansion of biofuels production beyond highly productive resource areas by breaking the reliance of cost-competitive biofuel production on a single, low-cost feedstock. The 2017 programmatic target is to supply feedstock to the conversion facility that meets the in-feed conversion process quality specifications at a total logistics cost of $80/dry T. The $80/dry T. target encompasses total delivered feedstock cost, including both grower payment and logistics costs, while meeting all conversion in-feed quality

Alternative, Renewable and Novel Feedstocks for Producing Chemicals

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

none,

2007-07-01

Vision2020 and ITP directed the Alternative, Renewable and Novel Feedstocks project to identify industrial options and to determine the work required to make alternative, renewable and novel feedstock options attractive to the U.S. chemicals industry. This report presents the Alternative, Renewable and Novel Feedstocks project findings which were based on a technology review and industry workshop.

Sugarcane straw as a feedstock for xylitol production by Candida guilliermondii FTI 20037.

PubMed

Hernández-Pérez, Andrés Felipe; de Arruda, Priscila Vaz; Felipe, Maria das Graças de Almeida

2016-01-01

Sugarcane straw has become an available lignocellulosic biomass since the progressive introduction of the non-burning harvest in Brazil. Besides keeping this biomass in the field, it can be used as a feedstock in thermochemical or biochemical conversion processes. This makes feasible its incorporation in a biorefinery, whose economic profitability could be supported by integrated production of low-value biofuels and high-value chemicals, e.g., xylitol, which has important industrial and clinical applications. Herein, biotechnological production of xylitol is presented as a possible route for the valorization of sugarcane straw and its incorporation in a biorefinery. Nutritional supplementation of the sugarcane straw hemicellulosic hydrolyzate as a function of initial oxygen availability was studied in batch fermentation of Candida guilliermondii FTI 20037. The nutritional supplementation conditions evaluated were: no supplementation; supplementation with (NH4)2SO4, and full supplementation with (NH4)2SO4, rice bran extract and CaCl2·2H2O. Experiments were performed at pH 5.5, 30°C, 200rpm, for 48h in 125mL Erlenmeyer flasks containing either 25 or 50mL of medium in order to vary initial oxygen availability. Without supplementation, complete consumption of glucose and partial consumption of xylose were observed. In this condition the maximum xylitol yield (0.67gg(-1)) was obtained under reduced initial oxygen availability. Nutritional supplementation increased xylose consumption and xylitol production by up to 200% and 240%, respectively. The maximum xylitol volumetric productivity (0.34gL(-1)h(-1)) was reached at full supplementation and increased initial oxygen availability. The results demonstrated a combined effect of nutritional supplementation and initial oxygen availability on xylitol production from sugarcane straw hemicellulosic hydrolyzate. Copyright © 2016 Sociedade Brasileira de Microbiologia. Published by Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.

Upgrading of petroleum oil feedstocks using alkali metals and hydrocarbons

DOEpatents

Gordon, John Howard

2014-09-09

A method of upgrading an oil feedstock by removing heteroatoms and/or one or more heavy metals from the oil feedstock composition. This method reacts the oil feedstock with an alkali metal and an upgradant hydrocarbon. The alkali metal reacts with a portion of the heteroatoms and/or one or more heavy metals to form an inorganic phase separable from the organic oil feedstock material. The upgradant hydrocarbon bonds to the oil feedstock material and increases the number of carbon atoms in the product. This increase in the number of carbon atoms of the product increases the energy value of the resulting oil feedstock.

Catalytic hydroprocessing of heavy oil feedstocks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Okunev, A. G.; Parkhomchuk, E. V.; Lysikov, A. I.; Parunin, P. D.; Semeikina, V. S.; Parmon, V. N.

2015-09-01

A grave problem of modern oil refining industry is continuous deterioration of the produced oil quality, on the one hand, and increase in the demand for motor fuels, on the other hand. This necessitates processing of heavy oil feedstock with high contents of sulfur, nitrogen and metals and the atmospheric residue. This feedstock is converted to light oil products via hydrogenation processes catalyzed by transition metal compounds, first of all, cobalt- or nickel-promoted molybdenum and tungsten compounds. The processing involves desulfurization, denitrogenation and demetallization reactions as well as reactions converting heavy hydrocarbons to lighter fuel components. The review discusses the mechanisms of reactions involved in the heavy feedstock hydroprocessing, the presumed structure and state of the catalytically active components and methods for the formation of supports with the desired texture. Practically used and prospective approaches to catalytic upgrading of heavy oil feedstock as well as examples of industrial processing of bitumen and vacuum residues in the presence of catalysts are briefly discussed. The bibliography includes 140 references.

Biodiesel production from low cost and renewable feedstock

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gude, Veera G.; Grant, Georgene E.; Patil, Prafulla D.; Deng, Shuguang

2013-12-01

Sustainable biodiesel production should: a) utilize low cost renewable feedstock; b) utilize energy-efficient, nonconventional heating and mixing techniques; c) increase net energy benefit of the process; and d) utilize renewable feedstock/energy sources where possible. In this paper, we discuss the merits of biodiesel production following these criteria supported by the experimental results obtained from the process optimization studies. Waste cooking oil, non-edible (low-cost) oils (Jatropha curcas and Camelina Sativa) and algae were used as feedstock for biodiesel process optimization. A comparison between conventional and non-conventional methods such as microwaves and ultrasound was reported. Finally, net energy scenarios for different biodiesel feedstock options and algae are presented.

ASSERT FY16 Analysis of Feedstock Companion Markets

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lamers, Patrick; Hansen, Jason; Jacobson, Jacob J.

2016-09-01

Meeting Co-Optima biofuel production targets will require large quantities of mobilized biomass feedstock. Mobilization is of key importance as there is an abundance of biomass resources, yet little is available for purchase, let alone at desired quantity and quality levels needed for a continuous operation, e.g., a biorefinery. Therefore Co-Optima research includes outlining a path towards feedstock production at scale by understanding routes to mobilizing large quantities of biomass feedstock. Continuing along the vertically-integrated path that pioneer cellulosic biorefineries have taken will constrain the bioenergy industry to high biomass yield areas, limiting its ability to reach biofuel production at scale.more » To advance the cellulosic biofuels industry, a separation between feedstock supply and conversion is necessary. Thus, in contrast to the vertically integrated supply chain, two industries are required: a feedstock industry and a conversion industry. The split is beneficial for growers and feedstock processers as they are able to sell into multiple markets. That is, depots that produce value-add feedstock intermediates that are fully fungible in both the biofuels refining and other, so-called companion markets. As the biofuel industry is currently too small to leverage significant investment in up-stream infrastructure build-up, it requires an established (companion) market to secure demand, which de-risks potential investments and makes a build-up of processing and other logistics infrastructure more likely. A common concern to this theory however is that more demand by other markets could present a disadvantage for biofuels production as resource competition may increase prices leading to reduced availability of low-cost feedstock for biorefineries. To analyze the dynamics across multiple markets vying for the same resources, particularly the potential effects on resource price and distribution, the Companion Market Model (CMM) has been developed

Design and UV-curable behaviour of boron based reactive diluent for epoxy acrylate oligomer used for flame retardant wood coating

PubMed Central

Chambhare, Sachin U.; Lokhande, Gunawant P.; Jagtap, Ramanand N.

2017-01-01

Abstract Difunctional boron-containing reactive flame retardant for UV-curable epoxy acrylate oligomer was synthesized from phenyl boronic acid and glycidyl methacrylate. The synthesized reactive diluent was utilized to formulate ultraviolet (UV)-curable wood coatings. The weight fractions of reactive diluent in coatings formulation was varied from 5 to 25 wt % with constant photoinitiator concentration. The molecular structure of reactive flame retardant was confirmed by Fourier-transform infrared, Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and 11B NMR spectral analysis. Further, the efficacy of flame retardant behaviour of coatings was evaluated using limiting oxygen index and UL-94 vertical burning test. Thermal stability of cured coatings films were estimated from thermogravimetric and differential scanning calorimetry analysis. The effects of varying concentration of reactive diluent on the viscosity of coatings formulation along with optical, mechanical and chemical resistance properties of coatings were also evaluated. The coatings gel content, water absorption behaviour, contact angle analysis and stain resistance were also studied. PMID:29491786

21 CFR 520.1696a - Buffered penicillin powder, penicillin powder with buffered aqueous diluent.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 6 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Buffered penicillin powder, penicillin powder with... FORM NEW ANIMAL DRUGS § 520.1696a Buffered penicillin powder, penicillin powder with buffered aqueous diluent. (a) Specifications. When reconstituted, each milliliter contains penicillin G procaine equivalent...

21 CFR 520.1696a - Buffered penicillin powder, penicillin powder with buffered aqueous diluent.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 6 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Buffered penicillin powder, penicillin powder with... FORM NEW ANIMAL DRUGS § 520.1696a Buffered penicillin powder, penicillin powder with buffered aqueous diluent. (a) Specifications. When reconstituted, each milliliter contains penicillin G procaine equivalent...

21 CFR 520.1696a - Buffered penicillin powder, penicillin powder with buffered aqueous diluent.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 6 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Buffered penicillin powder, penicillin powder with... FORM NEW ANIMAL DRUGS § 520.1696a Buffered penicillin powder, penicillin powder with buffered aqueous diluent. (a) Specifications. When reconstituted, each milliliter contains penicillin G procaine equivalent...

A simple and inexpensive image analysis technique to study the effect of disintegrants concentration and diluents type on disintegration.

PubMed

Berardi, Alberto; Bisharat, Lorina; Blaibleh, Anaheed; Pavoni, Lucia; Cespi, Marco

2018-06-20

Tablets disintegration is often the result of a size expansion of the tablets. In this study, we quantified the extent and direction of size expansion of tablets during disintegration, using readily available techniques, i.e. a digital camera and a public domain image analysis software. After validating the method, the influence of disintegrants concentration and diluents type on kinetics and mechanisms of disintegration were studied. Tablets containing diluent, disintegrant (sodium starch glycolate-SSG, crospovidone-PVPP or croscarmellose sodium-CCS) and lubricant were prepared by direct compression. Projected area and aspect ratio of the tablets were monitored using image analysis techniques. The developed method could describe the kinetics and mechanisms of disintegration qualitatively and quantitatively. SSG and PVPP acted purely by swelling and shape recovery mechanisms. Instead, CCS worked by a combination of both mechanisms, the extent of which changed depending on its concentration and the diluent type. We anticipate that the method described here could provide a framework for the routine screening of tablets disintegration using readily available equipment. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Inc.

The Biofuel Feedstock Genomics Resource: a web-based portal and database to enable functional genomics of plant biofuel feedstock species.

PubMed

Childs, Kevin L; Konganti, Kranti; Buell, C Robin

2012-01-01

Major feedstock sources for future biofuel production are likely to be high biomass producing plant species such as poplar, pine, switchgrass, sorghum and maize. One active area of research in these species is genome-enabled improvement of lignocellulosic biofuel feedstock quality and yield. To facilitate genomic-based investigations in these species, we developed the Biofuel Feedstock Genomic Resource (BFGR), a database and web-portal that provides high-quality, uniform and integrated functional annotation of gene and transcript assembly sequences from species of interest to lignocellulosic biofuel feedstock researchers. The BFGR includes sequence data from 54 species and permits researchers to view, analyze and obtain annotation at the gene, transcript, protein and genome level. Annotation of biochemical pathways permits the identification of key genes and transcripts central to the improvement of lignocellulosic properties in these species. The integrated nature of the BFGR in terms of annotation methods, orthologous/paralogous relationships and linkage to seven species with complete genome sequences allows comparative analyses for biofuel feedstock species with limited sequence resources. Database URL: http://bfgr.plantbiology.msu.edu.

XeCl Avalanche discharge laser employing Ar as a diluent

DOEpatents

Sze, Robert C.

1981-01-01

A XeCl avalanche discharge exciplex laser which uses a gaseous lasing starting mixture of: (0.2%-0.4% chlorine donor/2.5%-10% Xe/97.3%-89.6% Ar). The chlorine donor normally comprises HCl but can also comprise CCl.sub.4 BCl.sub.3. Use of Ar as a diluent gas reduces operating pressures over other rare gas halide lasers to near atmospheric pressure, increases output lasing power of the XeCl avalanche discharge laser by 30% to exceed KrF avalanche discharge lasing outputs, and is less expensive to operate.

Impact of feedstock quality and variation on biochemical and thermochemical conversion

DOE PAGES

Li, Chenlin; Aston, John E.; Lacey, Jeffrey A.; ...

2016-07-21

The production of biofuels from lignocellulosic feedstock is attracting considerable attention in the United States and globally as a strategy to diversify energy resources, spur regional economic development and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Because of the wide variation in feedstock types, compositions and content of convertible organics, there is a growing need to better understand correlations among feedstock quality attributes and conversion performance. Knowledge of the feedstock impact on conversion is essential to supply quality controlled, uniform and on-spec feedstocks to biorefineries. This review paper informs the development of meaningful feedstock quality specifications for different conversion processes. Discussions are focusedmore » on how compositional properties of feedstocks affect various unit operations in biochemical conversion processes, fast pyrolysis and hydrothermal liquefaction. In addition, future perspectives are discussed that focus on the challenges and prospects of addressing compositionally intrinsic inhibitors through feedstock preprocessing at regionally distributed depots. As a result, such preprocessing depots may allow for the commoditization of lignocellulosic feedstock and realization of stable, cost-effective and quality controlled biomass supply systems.« less

Impact of feedstock quality and variation on biochemical and thermochemical conversion

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Li, Chenlin; Aston, John E.; Lacey, Jeffrey A.

The production of biofuels from lignocellulosic feedstock is attracting considerable attention in the United States and globally as a strategy to diversify energy resources, spur regional economic development and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Because of the wide variation in feedstock types, compositions and content of convertible organics, there is a growing need to better understand correlations among feedstock quality attributes and conversion performance. Knowledge of the feedstock impact on conversion is essential to supply quality controlled, uniform and on-spec feedstocks to biorefineries. This review paper informs the development of meaningful feedstock quality specifications for different conversion processes. Discussions are focusedmore » on how compositional properties of feedstocks affect various unit operations in biochemical conversion processes, fast pyrolysis and hydrothermal liquefaction. In addition, future perspectives are discussed that focus on the challenges and prospects of addressing compositionally intrinsic inhibitors through feedstock preprocessing at regionally distributed depots. As a result, such preprocessing depots may allow for the commoditization of lignocellulosic feedstock and realization of stable, cost-effective and quality controlled biomass supply systems.« less

Biodiesel from non-food alternative feed-stock

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

As a potential feedstock for biodiesel (BD) production, Jojoba oil was extracted from Jojoba (Simmondsia chinensis L.) plant seeds that contained around 50-60 wt.%, which were explored as non-food alternative feedstocks. Interestingly, Jojoba oil has long-chain wax esters and is not a typical trigly...

Estimate feedstock processability

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Amorelli, A.; Amos, Y.D.; Halsig, C.P.

1992-06-01

Currently, one of the major environmental pressures is to further reduce sulfur levels in middle distillate products. This paper reports that the key to this is understanding reactivities of individual sulfur components in the feedstocks to be treated. The major sulfur species in middle distillates is aromatic compounds, predominantly benzothiophenes and dibenzothiophenes. However, in straight run materials, significant quantities of aliphatic sulfur compounds and further higher boiling benzothiophenes are also expected. Simultaneous simulated distillation with a gas chromatograph microwave-induced plasma atomic emission detector (SIMDIS/AED) is used for middle distillate characterization of sulfur distribution as a function of boiling point. Itmore » is able to discriminate between middle distillate feed types such as cracked and straight run gas oils, and has shown that similar feeds, with different total sulfur contents (unevenly distributed throughout a feedstock), have the same normalized sulfur distribution.« less

Cryogenic homogenization and sampling of heterogeneous multi-phase feedstock

DOEpatents

Doyle, Glenn Michael; Ideker, Virgene Linda; Siegwarth, James David

2002-01-01

An apparatus and process for producing a homogeneous analytical sample from a heterogenous feedstock by: providing the mixed feedstock, reducing the temperature of the feedstock to a temperature below a critical temperature, reducing the size of the feedstock components, blending the reduced size feedstock to form a homogeneous mixture; and obtaining a representative sample of the homogeneous mixture. The size reduction and blending steps are performed at temperatures below the critical temperature in order to retain organic compounds in the form of solvents, oils, or liquids that may be adsorbed onto or absorbed into the solid components of the mixture, while also improving the efficiency of the size reduction. Preferably, the critical temperature is less than 77 K (-196.degree. C.). Further, with the process of this invention the representative sample may be maintained below the critical temperature until being analyzed.

Synthesizing Diamond from Liquid Feedstock

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tzeng, Yonhua

2005-01-01

A relatively economical method of chemical vapor deposition (CVD) has been developed for synthesizing diamond crystals and films. Unlike prior CVD methods for synthesizing diamond, this method does not require precisely proportioned flows of compressed gas feedstocks or the use of electrical discharges to decompose the feedstocks to obtain free radicals needed for deposition chemical reactions. Instead, the feedstocks used in this method are mixtures of common organic liquids that can be prepared in advance, and decomposition of feedstock vapors is effected simply by heating. The feedstock used in this method is a solution comprising between 90 and 99 weight percent of methanol and the balance of one or more other oxyhydrocarbons that could include ethanol, isopropanol, and/or acetone. This mixture of compounds is chosen so that dissociation of molecules results in the desired proportions of carbon-containing radicals (principally, CH3) and of OH, H, and O radicals. Undesirably, the CVD temperature and pressure conditions thermodynamically favor the growth of graphite over the growth of diamond. The H radicals are desirable because they help to stabilize the growing surface of diamond by shifting the thermodynamic balance toward favoring the growth of diamond. The OH and O radicals are desirable because they preferentially etch graphite and other non-diamond carbon, thereby helping to ensure the net deposition of pure diamond. The non-methanol compounds are included in the solution because (1) methanol contains equal numbers of C and O atoms; (2) an excess of C over O is needed to obtain net deposition of diamond; and (3) the non-methanol molecules contain multiple carbon atoms for each oxygen atom and thus supply the needed excess carbon A typical apparatus used in this method includes a reservoir containing the feedstock liquid and a partially evacuated stainless-steel reaction chamber. The reservoir is connected to the chamber via tubing and a needle valve or

XeCl avalanche discharge laser employing Ar as a diluent

DOEpatents

Sze, R.C.

1979-10-10

A XeCl avalanche discharge exciplex laser which uses a gaseous lasing starting mixture of: 0.2 to 0.4% chlorine donor/2.5% to 10% Xe/97.3% to 89.6% Ar) is provided. The chlorine donor normally comprises HCl but can also comprise CCl/sub 4/ BCl/sub 3/. Use of Ar as a diluent gas reduces operating pressures over other rare gas halide lasers to near atmospheric pressure, increases output lasing power of the XeCl avalanche discharge laser by 30% to exceed KrF avalanche discharge lasing outputs, and is less expensive to operate.

26 CFR 48.4082-7 - Kerosene; exemption for feedstock purposes.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 26 Internal Revenue 16 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Kerosene; exemption for feedstock purposes. 48..., Tread Rubber, and Taxable Fuel Taxable Fuel § 48.4082-7 Kerosene; exemption for feedstock purposes. (a... kerosene for use for a feedstock purpose. (b) Definitions. The following definitions apply to this section...

26 CFR 48.4082-7 - Kerosene; exemption for feedstock purposes.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... 26 Internal Revenue 16 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Kerosene; exemption for feedstock purposes. 48..., Tread Rubber, and Taxable Fuel Taxable Fuel § 48.4082-7 Kerosene; exemption for feedstock purposes. (a... kerosene for use for a feedstock purpose. (b) Definitions. The following definitions apply to this section...

26 CFR 48.4082-7 - Kerosene; exemption for feedstock purposes.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 26 Internal Revenue 16 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 true Kerosene; exemption for feedstock purposes. 48..., Tread Rubber, and Taxable Fuel Taxable Fuel § 48.4082-7 Kerosene; exemption for feedstock purposes. (a... kerosene for use for a feedstock purpose. (b) Definitions. The following definitions apply to this section...

26 CFR 48.4082-7 - Kerosene; exemption for feedstock purposes.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... 26 Internal Revenue 16 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Kerosene; exemption for feedstock purposes. 48..., Tread Rubber, and Taxable Fuel Taxable Fuel § 48.4082-7 Kerosene; exemption for feedstock purposes. (a... kerosene for use for a feedstock purpose. (b) Definitions. The following definitions apply to this section...

Starch as a feedstock for bioproducts and packaging

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Much progress has been achieved in developing starch-based feedstocks as a partial replacement for petroleum-based feedstocks. Although starch remains a poor direct substitute for plastics, composite starch-based materials have useful functional properties and are in commercial production as a repla...

Feedstock and Conversion Supply System Design and Analysis

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jacobson, J.; Mohammad, R.; Cafferty, K.

The success of the earlier logistic pathway designs (Biochemical and Thermochemical) from a feedstock perspective was that it demonstrated that through proper equipment selection and best management practices, conventional supply systems (referred to in this report as “conventional designs,” or specifically the 2012 Conventional Design) can be successfully implemented to address dry matter loss, quality issues, and enable feedstock cost reductions that help to reduce feedstock risk of variable supply and quality and enable industry to commercialize biomass feedstock supply chains. The caveat of this success is that conventional designs depend on high density, low-cost biomass with no disruption frommore » incremental weather. In this respect, the success of conventional designs is tied to specific, highly productive regions such as the southeastern U.S. which has traditionally supported numerous pulp and paper industries or the Midwest U.S for corn stover.« less

21 CFR 73.1001 - Diluents in color additive mixtures for drug use exempt from certification.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 1 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Diluents in color additive mixtures for drug use exempt from certification. 73.1001 Section 73.1001 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES GENERAL LISTING OF COLOR ADDITIVES EXEMPT FROM CERTIFICATION Drugs...

21 CFR 73.1001 - Diluents in color additive mixtures for drug use exempt from certification.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 1 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Diluents in color additive mixtures for drug use exempt from certification. 73.1001 Section 73.1001 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES GENERAL LISTING OF COLOR ADDITIVES EXEMPT FROM CERTIFICATION Drugs...

21 CFR 73.1001 - Diluents in color additive mixtures for drug use exempt from certification.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Diluents in color additive mixtures for drug use exempt from certification. 73.1001 Section 73.1001 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES GENERAL LISTING OF COLOR ADDITIVES EXEMPT FROM CERTIFICATION Drugs...

21 CFR 73.1001 - Diluents in color additive mixtures for drug use exempt from certification.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 1 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Diluents in color additive mixtures for drug use exempt from certification. 73.1001 Section 73.1001 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES GENERAL LISTING OF COLOR ADDITIVES EXEMPT FROM CERTIFICATION Drugs...

Engineered plant biomass feedstock particles

DOEpatents

Dooley, James H [Federal Way, WA; Lanning, David N [Federal Way, WA; Broderick, Thomas F [Lake Forest Park, WA

2011-10-11

A novel class of flowable biomass feedstock particles with unusually large surface areas that can be manufactured in remarkably uniform sizes using low-energy comminution techniques. The feedstock particles are roughly parallelepiped in shape and characterized by a length dimension (L) aligned substantially with the grain direction and defining a substantially uniform distance along the grain, a width dimension (W) normal to L and aligned cross grain, and a height dimension (H) normal to W and L. The particles exhibit a disrupted grain structure with prominent end and surface checks that greatly enhances their skeletal surface area as compared to their envelope surface area. The L.times.H dimensions define a pair of substantially parallel side surfaces characterized by substantially intact longitudinally arrayed fibers. The W.times.H dimensions define a pair of substantially parallel end surfaces characterized by crosscut fibers and end checking between fibers. The L.times.W dimensions define a pair of substantially parallel top surfaces characterized by some surface checking between longitudinally arrayed fibers. The feedstock particles are manufactured from a variety of plant biomass materials including wood, crop residues, plantation grasses, hemp, bagasse, and bamboo.

Effect of Blended Feedstock on Pyrolysis Oil Composition

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Smith, Kristin M; Gaston, Katherine R

Current techno-economic analysis results indicate biomass feedstock cost represents 27% of the overall minimum fuel selling price for biofuels produced from fast pyrolysis followed by hydrotreating (hydro-deoxygenation, HDO). As a result, blended feedstocks have been proposed as a way to both reduce cost as well as tailor key chemistry for improved fuel quality. For this study, two feedstocks were provided by Idaho National Laboratory (INL). Both were pyrolyzed and collected under the same conditions in the National Renewable Energy Laboratory's (NREL) Thermochemical Process Development Unit (TCPDU). The resulting oil properties were then analyzed and characterized for statistical differences.

Bioenergy Feedstock Development Program Status Report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kszos, L.A.

2001-02-09

The U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE's) Bioenergy Feedstock Development Program (BFDP) at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) is a mission-oriented program of research and analysis whose goal is to develop and demonstrate cropping systems for producing large quantities of low-cost, high-quality biomass feedstocks for use as liquid biofuels, biomass electric power, and/or bioproducts. The program specifically supports the missions and goals of DOE's Office of Fuels Development and DOE's Office of Power Technologies. ORNL has provided technical leadership and field management for the BFDP since DOE began energy crop research in 1978. The major components of the BFDP include energymore » crop selection and breeding; crop management research; environmental assessment and monitoring; crop production and supply logistics operational research; integrated resource analysis and assessment; and communications and outreach. Research into feedstock supply logistics has recently been added and will become an integral component of the program.« less

Feedstock recycling program gets go ahead

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Layman, P.

1994-03-28

Feedstock recycling--recycling mixed plastics wastes back into chemical feedstocks such as olefins and naphtha--has received a commercial go ahead in Germany. DKR--Deutsche Kunstsoff recycling, a subsidiary of a commercial company, Duales System Deutschland, responsible for recycling packaging wastes in Germany--has issued three contracts to companies with feedstock recycling technology to convert to liquid feedstocks a total of some 500,000 metric tons per year of mixed plastics packaging wastes by 1996. DKR has also pledged to discontinue exports of used plastics packaging to foreign countries by that date. The three contracts go to a consortium between BASF and OTTO Kunststoff service,more » of Dossenheim; the oil and chemical producer Veba; and the electric power utilities company RWE. DKR's current processing costs are about $1,765 per ton of wastes. That total includes all costs for collecting, sorting, cleaning, and transporting the wastes. In its bid, the BASF-OTTO consortium envisioned a fee of about $190 per ton. That fee, says Niess, was determined by looking at BASF's and OTTO's costs, offset by the savings in raw materials BASF would be making as its technology converts mixed plastics wastes to a mixture of naphtha, aromatics, and oils, all of which can be used in BASF's processes in Ludwigshafen. And because BASF's technology requires no presorting or cleaning before it gets the wastes, the process will trim DKR's costs significantly.« less

Roadmap for Agriculture Biomass Feedstock Supply in the United States

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

J. Richard Hess; Thomas D. Foust; Reed Hoskinson

2003-11-01

The Biomass Research and Development Technical Advisory Committee established a goal that biomass will supply 5% of the nation’s power, 20% of its transportation fuels, and 25% of its chemicals by 2030. These combined goals are approximately equivalent to 30% of the country’s current petroleum consumption. The benefits of a robust biorefinery industry supplying this amount of domestically produced power, fuels, and products are considerable, including decreased demand for imported oil, revenue to the depressed agricultural industry, and revitalized rural economies. A consistent supply of highquality, low-cost feedstock is vital to achieving this goal. This biomass roadmap defines the researchmore » and development (R&D) path to supplying the feedstock needs of the biorefinery and to achieving the important national goals set for biomass. To meet these goals, the biorefinery industry must be more sustainable than the systems it will replace. Sustainability hinges on the economic profitability of all participants, on environmental impact of every step in the process, and on social impact of the product and its production. In early 2003, a series of colloquies were held to define and prioritize the R&D needs for supplying feedstock to the biorefinery in a sustainable manner. These colloquies involved participants and stakeholders in the feedstock supply chain, including growers, transporters, equipment manufacturers, and processors as well as environmental groups and others with a vested interest in ensuring the sustainability of the biorefinery. From this series of colloquies, four high-level strategic goals were set for the feedstock area: • Biomass Availability – By 2030, 1 billion dry tons of lignocellulosic feedstock is needed annually to achieve the power, fuel, and chemical production goals set by the Biomass Research and Development Technology Advisory Production Committee • Sustainability – Production and use of the 1 billion dry tons annually

High precision measurement of silicon in naphthas by ICP-OES using isooctane as diluent.

PubMed

Gazulla, M F; Rodrigo, M; Orduña, M; Ventura, M J; Andreu, C

2017-03-01

An analytical protocol for the accurate and precise determination of Si in naphthas is presented by using ICP-OES, optimizing from the sample preparation to the measurement conditions, in order to be able to analyze for the first time silicon contents below 100µgkg -1 in a relatively short time thus being used as a control method. In the petrochemical industry, silicon can be present as a contaminant in different petroleum products such as gasoline, ethanol, or naphthas, forming different silicon compounds during the treatment of these products that are irreversibly adsorbed onto catalyst surfaces decreasing its time life. The complex nature of the organic naphtha sample together with the low detection limits needed make the analysis of silicon quite difficult. The aim of this work is to optimize the measurement of silicon in naphthas by ICP-OES introducing as an improvement the use of isooctane as diluent. The set up was carried out by optimizing the measurement conditions (power, nebulizer flow, pump rate, read time, and viewing mode) and the sample preparation (type of diluent, cleaning process, blanks, and studying various dilution ratios depending on the sample characteristics). Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Process for desulfurizing petroleum feedstocks

DOEpatents

Gordon, John Howard; Alvare, Javier

2014-06-10

A process for upgrading an oil feedstock includes reacting the oil feedstock with a quantity of an alkali metal, wherein the reaction produces solid materials and liquid materials. The solid materials are separated from the liquid materials. The solid materials may be washed and heat treated by heating the materials to a temperature above 400.degree. C. The heat treating occurs in an atmosphere that has low oxygen and water content. Once heat treated, the solid materials are added to a solution comprising a polar solvent, where sulfide, hydrogen sulfide or polysulfide anions dissolve. The solution comprising polar solvent is then added to an electrolytic cell, which during operation, produces alkali metal and sulfur.

Double-Blind Comparison of Phlebitis Produced by Cephalothin Infusions with Buffered and Unbuffered Diluents

PubMed Central

Carrizosa, Jaime; Levison, Matthew E.; Kaye, Donald

1974-01-01

In a double-blind study with each patient as his own control, a buffered and an unbuffered cephalothin solution was administered to 13 patients in opposite arms for a period of 48 h each. Neither the incidence of phlebitis nor the degree of phlebitis was different with the two diluents, and there was no difference in the time of onset of phlebitis. PMID:4840431

Halophytes Energy Feedstocks: Back to Our Roots

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hendricks, Robert C.; Bushnell, Dennis M.

2008-01-01

Of the Earth s landmass, approx.43% is arid or semi-arid, and 97% of the Earth s water is seawater. Halophytes are salt-tolerant plants (micro and macro) that can prosper in seawater or brackish waters and are common feedstocks for fuel and food (fuel-food feedstocks) in depressed countries. Two types, broadly classed as coastal and desert, can be found in marshes, coastal planes, inland lakes, and deserts. Major arid or semi-arid halophyte agriculture problems include pumping and draining the required high volumes of irrigation water from sea or ocean sources. Also, not all arid or semi-arid lands are suitable for crops. Benefits of halophyte agriculture include freeing up arable land and freshwater resources, cleansing the environment, decontaminating soils, desalinating brackish waters, and carbon sequestration. Sea and ocean halophyte agriculture problems include storms, transport, and diffuse harvesting. Benefits include available nutrients, ample water, and Sun. Careful attention to details and use of saline agriculture fuel feedstocks are required to prevent anthropogenic disasters. It is shown that the potential for fuel-food feedstock halophyte production is high; based on test plot data, it could supply 421.4 Quad, or 94% of the 2004 world energy consumption and sequester carbon, with major impact on the Triangle of Conflicts.

Regional Feedstock Partnership Summary Report: Enabling the Billion-Ton Vision

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Owens, Vance N.; Karlen, Douglas L.; Lacey, Jeffrey A.

2016-07-12

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and the Sun Grant Initiative established the Regional Feedstock Partnership (referred to as the Partnership) to address information gaps associated with enabling the vision of a sustainable, reliable, billion-ton U.S. bioenergy industry by the year 2030 (i.e., the Billion-Ton Vision). Over the past 7 years (2008–2014), the Partnership has been successful at advancing the biomass feedstock production industry in the United States, with notable accomplishments. The Billion-Ton Study identifies the technical potential to expand domestic biomass production to offset up to 30% of U.S. petroleum consumption, while continuing to meet demands for food, feed,more » fiber, and export. This study verifies for the biofuels and chemical industries that a real and substantial resource base could justify the significant investment needed to develop robust conversion technologies and commercial-scale facilities. DOE and the Sun Grant Initiative established the Partnership to demonstrate and validate the underlying assumptions underpinning the Billion-Ton Vision to supply a sustainable and reliable source of lignocellulosic feedstock to a large-scale bioenergy industry. This report discusses the accomplishments of the Partnership, with references to accompanying scientific publications. These accomplishments include advances in sustainable feedstock production, feedstock yield, yield stability and stand persistence, energy crop commercialization readiness, information transfer, assessment of the economic impacts of achieving the Billion-Ton Vision, and the impact of feedstock species and environment conditions on feedstock quality characteristics.« less

The immediate impact of semen diluent and rate of dilution on the sperm quality index, ATP utilization, gas exchange, and ionic balance of broiler breeder sperm.

PubMed

Parker, H M; McDaniel, C D

2006-01-01

The sperm quality index (SQI) is a tool used to predict overall rooster semen quality, fertility, and hatchability. However, semen must be diluted before SQI analysis, and research has shown that the SQI is most predictive of fertility at lower semen dilutions. Therefore, the present study was undertaken to determine why the SQI is not as predictive of fertility at higher semen dilutions and whether semen diluent type alters the SQI, adenosine triphosphate (ATP) utilization, gas exchange, and ionic balance of broiler breeder sperm. Semen was diluted with saline, seminal plasma, or minimum essential medium (MEM) from 2- to 200-fold. The following parameters were measured for each diluent type at each dilution: SQI, ATP, Na+, Ca2+, K+, Cl-, CO2, and O2. To examine the rate of sperm motility, the SQI was expressed as SQI/million sperm per mL (SQI/sperm). There was an interaction between diluent type and dilution for the SQI, SQI/sperm, CO2 generated, O2 used, as well as Na+, Ca2+, and K+ internalization. For sperm diluted with saline, the SQI declined more rapidly with increasing dilution. However, SQI/sperm increased rapidly when semen was diluted with MEM or SP. Sperm diluted in SP used ATP with increasing dilution whereas sperm diluted with saline and MEM generated ATP. Neat semen contained no free O2; however, each diluent type contained abundant O2 resulting in more O2 available as semen was diluted. Sperm diluted in SP produced more CO2 and used more O2 than semen diluted in saline or MEM. For SQI/sperm, ATP and CO2 generated, as well as Na+ and Ca2+ internalization, differences between diluent types occurred when semen was diluted 50-fold and greater. In conclusion, it appears that sperm motility, ATP utilization, gas exchange, and ionic balance are altered by diluent type and rate of dilution. These alterations in semen quality are exacerbated at semen dilutions of 50-fold and greater yielding an SQI that is not indicative of sperm motility or fertility.

Alternative E ammonia feedstock

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lentz, M.J.; Wright, R.A.

1999-07-01

Power plants are using more Ammonia for increasing precipitator and baghouse efficiency, for SCR and SNCR processes, and for controlling acid stack plumes and dewpoint corrosion. These simple systems inject ammonia and air into the furnace or the precipitator or baghouse inlet ductwork. The common feedstocks in use today are Anhydrous ammonia [NH{sub 3}] and Aqueous ammonia [NH{sub 4}OH], both defined as poison gases by US authorities and most Western nations. Storage and handling procedures for these products are strictly regulated. Wilhelm Environmental Technologies Inc. is developing use of solid, formed or prilled Urea [CO(NH{sub 2}){sub 2}] as the feedstock.more » When heated in moist air, Urea sublimes to ammonia [NH{sub 3}] and carbon dioxide [CO{sub 2}]. Urea is stored and handled without restrictions or environmental concerns. Urea is a more expensive feedstock than NH{sub 3}, but much less expensive than [NH{sub 4}OH]. The design, and operating results, of a pilot system at Jacksonville Electric St. John's River Plant [Unit 2] are described. The pilot plant successfully sublimed Urea up to 100 pounds/hour. Further testing is planned. Very large ammonia use may favor NH{sub 3}, but smaller quantities can be produced at attractive prices with Urea based ammonia systems. Storage costs are far less. Many fluidized-bed boilers can use pastille or solid urea metered directly into the existing cyclones for NO{sub x} control. This is more economical than aqueous ammonia or aqueous urea based technology.« less

Preparation of SS316L MIM feedstock with biopolymer as a binder

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abdullah, A. A.; Norita, H.; Azlina, H. N.; Sulong, A. B.; Mas'ood, N. N.

2018-01-01

This paper focus on feedstock preparation for SS316L metal injection molding (MIM) part. The primary step of feedstock preparation, critical powder loading determined by two method; maximum filled volume calculation model and torque analysis. The critical powder loading determined by calculation was 70 vol% to 77 vol% while for experimental approaches shows the value of 75 vol%. The feedstock was prepared by mixing SS316L powder and polymer binder with ratio 70:30 at 175 °C with speed of 50 rpm. The feedstock was analyzed by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and Scanning electron microscope (SEM). The composition for the feedstock after preparation step was confirmed by TGA. It was found that the prepared feedstock component was compatible to each other and composition is maintain along the mixing step.

Analysis of the effect of diluent for rehydration of PoulVac MycoF on vaccination seroconversion results

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Direct eye drop vaccination of poultry using live Mycoplasma gallisepticum vaccines provides the most efficient route of vaccination. The research reported in this study examines the effect of diluent used to rehydrate lyophilized M. gallisepticum vaccines on its ability to induce a measurable humo...

Sustainable Use of Biotechnology for Bioenergy Feedstocks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moon, Hong S.; Abercrombie, Jason M.; Kausch, Albert P.; Stewart, C. Neal

2010-10-01

Done correctly, cellulosic bioenergy should be both environmentally and economically beneficial. Carbon sequestration and decreased fossil fuel use are both worthy goals in developing next-generation biofuels. We believe that biotechnology will be needed to significantly improve yield and digestibility of dedicated perennial herbaceous biomass feedstocks, such as switchgrass and Miscanthus, which are native to the US and China, respectively. This Forum discusses the sustainability of herbaceous feedstocks relative to the regulation of biotechnology with regards to likely genetically engineered traits. The Forum focuses on two prominent countries wishing to develop their bioeconomies: the US and China. These two countries also share a political desire and regulatory frameworks to enable the commercialization and wide release of transgenic feedstocks with appropriate and safe new genetics. In recent years, regulators in both countries perform regular inspections of transgenic field releases and seriously consider compliance issues, even though the US framework is considered to be more mature and stringent. Transgene flow continues to be a pertinent environmental and regulatory issue with regards to transgenic plants. This concern is largely driven by consumer issues and ecological uncertainties. Regulators are concerned about large-scale releases of transgenic crops that have sexually compatible crops or wild relatives that can stably harbor transgenes via hybridization and introgression. Therefore, prior to the commercialization or extensive field testing of transgenic bioenergy feedstocks, we recommend that mechanisms that ensure biocontainment of transgenes be instituted, especially for perennial grasses. A cautionary case study will be presented in which a plant’s biology and ecology conspired against regulatory constraints in a non-biomass crop perennial grass (creeping bentgrass, Agrostis stolonifera), in which biocontainment was not attained. Appropriate

Method for determining processability of a hydrocarbon containing feedstock

DOEpatents

Schabron, John F.; Rovani, Jr., Joseph F.

2013-09-10

Disclosed herein is a method involving the steps of (a) precipitating an amount of asphaltenes from a liquid sample of a first hydrocarbon-containing feedstock having solvated asphaltenes therein with one or more first solvents in a column; (b) determining one or more solubility characteristics of the precipitated asphaltenes; (c) analyzing the one or more solubility characteristics of the precipitated asphaltenes; and (d) correlating a measurement of feedstock reactivity for the first hydrocarbon-containing feedstock sample with a mathematical parameter derived from the results of analyzing the one or more solubility characteristics of the precipitated asphaltenes.

Trends in biotechnological production of fuel ethanol from different feedstocks.

PubMed

Sánchez, Oscar J; Cardona, Carlos A

2008-09-01

Present work deals with the biotechnological production of fuel ethanol from different raw materials. The different technologies for producing fuel ethanol from sucrose-containing feedstocks (mainly sugar cane), starchy materials and lignocellulosic biomass are described along with the major research trends for improving them. The complexity of the biomass processing is recognized through the analysis of the different stages involved in the conversion of lignocellulosic complex into fermentable sugars. The features of fermentation processes for the three groups of studied feedstocks are discussed. Comparative indexes for the three major types of feedstocks for fuel ethanol production are presented. Finally, some concluding considerations on current research and future tendencies in the production of fuel ethanol regarding the pretreatment and biological conversion of the feedstocks are presented.

Engineered plant biomass feedstock particles

DOEpatents

Dooley, James H [Federal Way, WA; Lanning, David N [Federal Way, WA; Broderick, Thomas F [Lake Forest Park, WA

2011-10-18

A novel class of flowable biomass feedstock particles with unusually large surface areas that can be manufactured in remarkably uniform sizes using low-energy comminution techniques. The feedstock particles are roughly parallelepiped in shape and characterized by a length dimension (L) aligned substantially with the grain direction and defining a substantially uniform distance along the grain, a width dimension (W) normal to L and aligned cross grain, and a height dimension (H) normal to W and L. The particles exhibit a disrupted grain structure with prominent end and surface checks that greatly enhances their skeletal surface area as compared to their envelope surface area. The L.times.H dimensions define a pair of substantially parallel side surfaces characterized by substantially intact longitudinally arrayed fibers. The W.times.H dimensions define a pair of substantially parallel end surfaces characterized by crosscut fibers and end checking between fibers. The L.times.W dimensions define a pair of substantially parallel top surfaces characterized by some surface checking between longitudinally arrayed fibers. At least 80% of the particles pass through a 1/4 inch screen having a 6.3 mm nominal sieve opening but are retained by a No. 10 screen having a 2 mm nominal sieve opening. The feedstock particles are manufactured from a variety of plant biomass materials including wood, crop residues, plantation grasses, hemp, bagasse, and bamboo.

Thermal decomposition behavior of nano/micro bimodal feedstock with different solids loading

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oh, Joo Won; Lee, Won Sik; Park, Seong Jin

2018-01-01

Debinding is one of the most critical processes for powder injection molding. The parts in debinding process are vulnerable to defect formation, and long processing time of debinding decreases production rate of whole process. In order to determine the optimal condition for debinding process, decomposition behavior of feedstock should be understood. Since nano powder affects the decomposition behavior of feedstock, nano powder effect needs to be investigated for nano/micro bimodal feedstock. In this research, nano powder effect on decomposition behavior of nano/micro bimodal feedstock has been studied. Bimodal powders were fabricated with different ratios of nano powder, and the critical solids loading of each powder was measured by torque rheometer. Three different feedstocks were fabricated for each powder depending on solids loading condition. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) experiment was carried out to analyze the thermal decomposition behavior of the feedstocks, and decomposition activation energy was calculated. The result indicated nano powder showed limited effect on feedstocks in lower solids loading condition than optimal range. Whereas, it highly influenced the decomposition behavior in optimal solids loading condition by causing polymer chain scission with high viscosity.

High solid loading aqueous base metal/ceramic feedstock for injection molding

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Behi, Mohammad

2001-07-01

Increasing volume fraction of metal powder in feedstock provided lower shrinkage. Reduction of the shrinkage results in better dimensional precision. The rheology of the feedstock material plays an important role to allowing larger volume fractions of the metal powder to be incorporated in the feedstock formulations. The viscosity of the feedstock mainly depends on the binder viscosity, powder volume fraction and characteristics of metal powder. Aqueous polysaccharide agar was used as a baseline binder system for this study. The effect of several gel-strengthening additives on 1.5wt% and 2wt% agar gel was evaluated. A new gel-strengthening additive was found to be the most effective among the others. The effect of other additives such as glucose, sucrose and fructose on viscosity of baseline binder and feedstock was investigated. Two new agar based binder compositions were developed. The use of these new binder formulations significantly improved the volume fraction of the metal powder, the stability of the feedstock, and reduced the final shrinkage of the molded articles. Two types of 17-4PH stainless steel metal powders, one gas atomized and, the other water atomized, were used for this research.

Plasma-Powder Feedstock Interaction During Plasma Spray-Physical Vapor Deposition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anwaar, Aleem; Wei, Lianglinag; Guo, Hongbo; Zhang, Baopeng

2017-02-01

Plasma spray-physical vapor deposition is a new process developed to produce coatings from the vapor phase. To achieve deposition from the vapor phase, the plasma-feedstock interaction inside the plasma torch, i.e., from the powder injection point to the nozzle exit, is critical. In this work, the plasma characteristics and the momentum and heat transfer between the plasma and powder feedstock at different torch input power levels were investigated theoretically to optimize the net plasma torch power, among other important factors such as the plasma gas composition, powder feed rate, and carrier gas. The plasma characteristics were calculated using the CEA2 code, and the plasma-feedstock interaction was studied inside the torch nozzle at low-pressure (20-25 kPa) conditions. A particle dynamics model was introduced to compute the particle velocity, coupled with Xi Chen's drag model for nonevaporating particles. The results show that the energy transferred to the particles and the coating morphology are greatly influenced by the plasma gas characteristics and the particle dynamics inside the nozzle. The heat transfer between the plasma gas and feedstock material increased with the net torch power up to an optimum at 64 kW, at which a maximum of 3.4% of the available plasma energy was absorbed by the feedstock powder. Experimental results using agglomerated 7-8 wt.% yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) powder as feedstock material confirmed the theoretical predictions.

Do yield and quality of big bluestem and switchgrass feedstock decline over winter?

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) and big bluestem (Andropogon gerdardii Vitman) are potential bioenergy feedstocks for thermochemical platforms. Feedstock storage, fall harvest constraints, and environmental benefits provided by perennials are rationales for developing localized perennial feedstock...

Vermicompost derived from different feedstocks as a plant growth medium.

PubMed

Warman, P R; Anglopez, M J

2010-06-01

This study determined feedstock effects on earthworm populations and the quality of resulting vermicomposts produced from different types of feedstocks using different vermicomposting durations. Feedstock combinations (Kitchen Paper Waste (KPW), Kitchen Yard Waste (KYW), Cattle Manure Yard Waste (CMY)), three durations of vermicomposting (45, 68 or 90 days), and two seed germination methods (with two concentrations of vermicompost) for radish, marigold and upland cress, served as the independent variables. The worms (Eisenia fetida) doubled their weight by day 68 in KPW and CMY vermicomposts and day 90 KPW vermicompost produced the greatest weight of worms. The direct seed germination method (seeding into soil or vermicompost-soil mixtures) indicated that KPW and KYW feedstocks decreased germination compared to the control, even in mature vermicompost. Seed germination was greater in the water extract method; however, most of the vermicompost extracts suppressed germination of the three seed species compared to the water controls. Vermicomposts from all three feedstocks increased leaf area and biomass compared to the control, especially in the 10% vermicompost:soil mix. Thus, seed germination and leaf area or plant biomass for these three species are contrasting vermicompost quality indicators. (c) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Engineering cyanobacteria as photosynthetic feedstock factories

PubMed Central

Hays, Stephanie G.; Ducat, Daniel C.

2018-01-01

Carbohydrate feedstocks are at the root of bioindustrial production and are needed in greater quantities than ever due to increased prioritization of renewable fuels and reduction of carbon emissions. Cyanobacteria possess a number of features that make them well-suited as an alternative feedstock crop in comparison to traditional, terrestrial plant species. Recent advances in genetic engineering, as well as promising preliminary investigations of cyanobacteria in a number of distinct production regimes have illustrated the potential of these aquatic phototrophs as biosynthetic chasses. Further improvements in strain productivities and design, along with enhanced understanding of photosynthetic metabolism in cyanobacteria may pave the way to translate cyanobacterial theoretical potential into realized application. PMID:24526260

Economic evaluation of United States ethanol production from ligno-cellulosic feedstocks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Choi, Youn-Sang

This paper evaluates the economic feasibility and economy-wide impacts of the U. S. ethanol production from lignocellulosic feedstocks (LCF) using Tennessee Valley Authority's (TVA's) dilute acid hydrolysis process. A nonlinear mathematical programming model of a single ethanol producer, whose objective is profit maximization, is developed. Because of differences in their chemical composition and production process, lignocellulosic feedstocks are divided into two groups: Biomass feedstocks, which refer to crop residues, energy crops and woody biomass, and municipal solid waste (MSW). Biomass feedstocks are more productive and less costly in producing ethanol and co-products, while MSW generates an additional income to the producer from a tipping fee and recycling. The analysis suggests that, regardless of types of feedstocks used, TVA's conversion process can enhance the economic viability of ethanol production as long as furfural is produced from the hemicellulose fraction of feedstocks as a co-product. The high price of furfural makes it a major factor in determining the economic feasibility of ethanol production. Along with evaluating economic feasibility of LCF-to-ethanol production, the optimal size of a plant producing ethanol using TVA's conversion process is estimated. The larger plant would have the advantage of economies of scale, but also have a disadvantage of increased collection and transportation costs for bulky biomass from more distant locations. We assume that the plant is located in the state of Missouri and utilizes only feedstocks produced in the state. The results indicate that the size of a plant using Biomass feedstocks is much bigger than one using MSW. The difference of plant sizes results from plant location and feedstock availability. One interesting finding is that energy crops are not feasible feedstocks for LCF-to-ethanol production due to their high price. Next, a static CGE model is developed to estimate the U.S. economy

Stability of reconstituted parecoxib for injection with commonly used diluents.

PubMed

Crane, I M; Mulhern, M G; Nema, S

2003-10-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of diluent type, storage conditions and the nature of package on the stability of reconstituted Parecoxib sodium for injection (PSI). Parecoxib sodium for injection is a lyophilized product for single use. It is intended for the management of acute pain. Six diluent types were initially evaluated for physical compatibility with PSI. Reconstituted PSI was visually inspected at 8, 24 and 48 h after reconstitution with 0.9% sodium chloride injection (NS), lactated ringers injection (LR), bacteriostatic 0.9% NaCl injection (BNS), lactated ringers and 5% dextrose injection (LR + D5W), 5% dextrose injection (D5W), and 5% dextrose + 0.45% NaCl injection (D5W + 1/2NS). Reconstituted PSI, stored in glass vials and glass or plastic syringes at 5 degrees and 25 degrees C, under 500 lx light intensity for 48 h or subjected to freeze-thaw cycles, were tested for chemical stability by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The PSI reconstituted with NS, BNS, D5W, and D5W + 1/2NS met visual acceptance criteria and showed almost no (<0.5% total) degradation under all storage conditions. No significant differences were seen between storage in glass vials or polypropylene/glass syringes. PSI reconstituted with LR and LR + D5W showed visual precipitation in many vials which was confirmed by the decrease in the HPLC assay values at all time points. The needlelike crystals (precipitate), analyzed by Infrared Spectroscopy and Scanning Electron Microscopy-Energy Dispersive Spectrometry (SEM-EDS) analyses, were identified as the free acid form of the active drug. PSI is stable after reconstitution, with NS, BNS, D5W, and D5W + 1/2NS, when stored at room temperature in glass vials or glass/plastic syringes for up to 48 h* LR and LR + D5W are not recommended for reconstitution because of crystallization of the drug (free acid).

Hydrodeoxygenation of fast-pyrolysis bio-oils from various feedstocks using carbon-supported catalysts

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

While much work has been accomplished in developing hydrodeoxygenation technologies for bio-oil upgrading, very little translation has occurred to other biomass feedstocks and feedstock processing technologies. In this paper, we sought to elucidate the relationships between the feedstock type and th...

Predicting the field establishment of perennial grass feedstocks: progress made and challenges ahead

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The goal of perennial grass feedstock planting is to establish the feedstock as rapidly, completely, and inexpensively as possible. The economic viability of growing perennial grass feedstocks for bioenergy is impacted significantly by the success of stand establishment in the seeding year. Establis...

Effects of diluents and plasma on honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) drone frozen-thawed semen fertility.

PubMed

Gül, Aziz; Şahinler, Nuray; Onal, Ali G; Hopkins, Brandon K; Sheppard, Walter S

2017-10-01

Cryopreservation is an advanced method used to protect germplasm in liquid nitrogen. Honey bees are of special interest to protect because of their pollination activity and critical role in agriculture. There has been important progress in the cryopreservation of honey bee germplasm in recent years, leading to practical recovery of genetic material for breeding purposes following freezing. However, there remains room for improvement and the goal of the present study was to evaluate the effect of different "extenders" added post-thaw on the fertilization rate of cryopreserved honey bee semen. The purpose of adding extender post-thaw was to dilute the cryoprotectant to remove chemicals after centrifugation because of potential adverse effects. The control consisted of frozen-thawed semen without the addition of an extender; treatment groups included the addition of one of the following extenders: glucose solution, fresh ram semen plasma, fresh honey bee semen plasma, extender solution. All of the above treatments and frozen-thawed control were compared to fresh semen. For each group, 15 virgin queens were instrumentally inseminated with the semen-diluent solution and introduced into nucleus colonies to determine the brood patterns of the queens. Percentages of worker brood produced in the fresh semen, frozen-thawed semen control, glucose, fresh ram semen plasma, fresh honey bee semen plasma, and extender solution supplemented groups were 98.±1.1%, 47.0 ± 0.9%, 3.0 ± 0.8%, 0.3 ± 0.1%, 48.1 ± 4.1% and 40.3 ± 2.4%, respectively. Similiarly, spermatozoa numbers in the spermathecae of the same treatment groups were 3.6 × 10 6 , 1.6 × 10 6 , 7.3 × 10 5 , 4.7 × 10 5 , 8.1 × 10 5 , and 4.6 × 10 5 spermatozoa for the same treatment, respectively. The differences in both worker brood percentage and sperm count in the spermatheca were statistically significant (P < 0.01) among all treatment groups, except the frozen-thawed control group and

Properties of various plants and animals feedstocks for biodiesel production.

PubMed

Karmakar, Aninidita; Karmakar, Subrata; Mukherjee, Souti

2010-10-01

As an alternative fuel biodiesel is becoming increasingly important due to diminishing petroleum reserves and adverse environmental consequences of exhaust gases from petroleum-fuelled engines. Biodiesel, the non-toxic fuel, is mono alkyl esters of long chain fatty acids derived from renewable feedstock like vegetable oils, animal fats and residual oils. Choice of feedstocks depends on process chemistry, physical and chemical characteristics of virgin or used oils and economy of the process. Extensive research information is available on transesterification, the production technology and process optimization for various biomaterials. Consistent supply of feedstocks is being faced as a major challenge by the biodiesel production industry. This paper reviews physico-chemical properties of the plant and animal resources that are being used as feedstocks for biodiesel production. Efforts have also been made to review the potential resources that can be transformed into biodiesel successfully for meeting the ever increasing demand of biodiesel production. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Improving Sugarcane for Biofuel: Engineering for an even better feedstock

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Sugarcane is a proven biofuel feedstock and accounts for about half the biofuel production worldwide. It has a more favorable energy input/output ratio than that of corn, the other major biofuel feedstock. The rich resource of genetic diversity and the plasticity of autopolyploid genomes offer a wea...

Alternative Feedstocks Program Technical and Economic Assessment: Thermal/Chemical and Bioprocessing Components

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bozell, J. J.; Landucci, R.

This resource document on biomass to chemicals opportunities describes the development of a technical and market rationale for incorporating renewable feedstocks into the chemical industry in both a qualitative and quantitative sense. The term "renewable feedstock?s" can be defined to include a huge number of materials such as agricultural crops rich in starch, lignocellulosic materials (biomass), or biomass material recovered from a variety of processing wastes.

Do Yield and Quality of Big Bluestem and Switchgrass Feedstock Decline over Winter?

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Johnson, Jane M. F.; Gresham, Garold L.

Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) and big bluestem (Andropogon gerdardii Vitman) are potential perennial bioenergy feedstocks. Feedstock storage limitations, labor constraints for harvest, and environmental benefits provided by perennials are rationales for developing localized perennial feedstock as an alternative or in conjunction with annual feedstocks (i.e., crop residues). Little information is available on yield, mineral, and thermochemical properties of native species as related to harvest time. The study’s objectives were to compare the feedstock quantity and quality between grasses harvested in the fall or the following spring. It was hypothesized that biomass yield may decline, but translocation and/or leaching of mineralsmore » from the feedstock would improve feedstock quality. Feedstock yield did not differ by crop, harvest time, or their interactions. Both grasses averaged 6.0 Mg ha-1 (fall) and 5.4 Mg ha-1 (spring) with similar high heating value (17.7 MJ kg-1). The K/(Ca + Mg) ratio, used as a quality indicator declined to below a 0.5 threshold, but energy yield (Megajoule per kilogram) decreased 13% by delaying harvest until spring. Only once during the four study-years were conditions ideal for early spring harvest, in contrast during another spring, very muddy conditions resulted in excessive soil contamination. Early spring harvest may be hampered by late snow, lodging, and muddy conditions that may delay or prevent harvest, and result in soil contamination of the feedstock. However, reducing slagging/fouling potential and the mass of mineral nutrients removed from the field without a dramatic loss in biomass or caloric content are reasons to delay harvest until spring.« less

Rheological study of copper and copper grapheme feedstock for powder injection molding

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Azaman, N. Emira Binti; Rafi Raza, M.; Muhamad, N.; Niaz Akhtar, M.; Bakar Sulong, A.

2017-01-01

Heatsink is one of the solution to optimize the performance of smart electronic devices. Copper and its composites are helping the electronic industry to solve the heating problem. Copper-graphene heat sink material with enhanced thermal conductivity is the ultimate goal.Powder injection molding (PIM) has advantages of high precision and production rate, complex shape, low cost and suitabality for metal and cremics.PIM consists of four sub sequential steps; feedstock preparation, molding, debinding and sintering. Feedstock preparation is a critical step in PIM process. Any deficiency at this stage cannot be recovered at latter stages. Therefore, this research was carried out to investigate the injectability of copper and copper graphene composite using PIM. PEG based multicomponent binder system was used and the powder loading was upto 7vol.% less than the critical powder loading was used to provide the wettability of the copper powder and graphene nanoplatelets (GNps). Corpper-graphene feedstock contained 0.5vol.% of GNps . To ensure the homogeneity of GNps within feedstock a unique technique was addopted. The microscopic results showed that the feedstock is homogeneous and ready for injection. The viscosity-shear rate relationship was determined and results showed that the addition of 0.5vol.% of GNps in copper has increased the viscosity upto 64.9% at 140˚C than that of pure copper feedstock. This attribute may be due to the large surface area of GNps. On the other hand, by increasing the temperature, viscosity of the feedstock was decreased, which was recommended for PIM. The overall viscosity and share rate lies within the range recommended for PIM process. It is clear that both feedstocks showed pseudo plastic behaviour which is suitable for PIM process. In the pseudo plastic behaviour, the viscosity decreases with the shear rate. It may be due to change in the structure of the solid particles or the binder. The molding results showed that both copper

A comparison of semen diluents on the in vitro and in vivo fertility of liquid bull semen.

PubMed

Murphy, Edel M; Murphy, Craig; O'Meara, Ciara; Dunne, Gemma; Eivers, Bernard; Lonergan, Patrick; Fair, Sean

2017-02-01

The aim of this study was to assess the effect of semen diluent on calving rate (CR) following artificial insemination with liquid bull semen stored for up to 3 d postcollection. In experiment 1, the effect of storing liquid semen maintained at a constant ambient temperature in 1 of 7 different diluents [Caprogen (homemade), OptiXcell, BioXcell, BullXcell, INRA96, NutriXcell, or AndroMed (all commercially available)] on total and progressive motility was assessed on d 0, 1, 2, and 3 postcollection. In experiment 2, the field fertility of liquid semen diluted in Caprogen, BioXcell, or INRA96 and inseminated on d 1, 2, or 3 postcollection was assessed in comparison to frozen-thawed semen (total of n = 19,126 inseminations). In experiment 3, the effect of storage temperature fluctuations (4 and 18°C) on total and progressive motility following dilution in Caprogen, BioXcell, and INRA96 was assessed on d 0, 1, 2, and 3 postcollection. In experiment 1, semen stored in Caprogen, BioXcell, and INRA96 resulted in the highest total and progressive motility on d 1, 2, and 3 of storage compared with OptiXcell, BullXcell, NutriXcell, and AndroMed. In experiment 2, an effect of diluent on CR was found as semen diluted in BioXcell had a lower CR on d 1, 2, and 3 of storage (46.3, 35.4, and 34.0%, respectively) in comparison with Caprogen (55.8, 52.0, and 51.9%, respectively), INRA96 (55.0, 55.1, and 52.2%, respectively), and frozen-thawed semen (59.7%). Effects were found of parity, cow fertility sub-index, as well as the number of days in milk on CR. In experiment 3, when the storage temperature of diluted semen fluctuated between 4 and 18°C, to mimic what occurs in the field (nighttime vs. daytime), BioXcell had the lowest total and progressive motility in comparison to Caprogen and INRA96. In conclusion, diluent significantly affected sperm motility when stored for up to 3 d. Semen diluted in INRA96 resulted in a similar CR to semen diluted in Caprogen and to frozen

Determination of trace level genotoxic impurities in small molecule drug substances using conventional headspace gas chromatography with contemporary ionic liquid diluents and electron capture detection.

PubMed

Ho, Tien D; Yehl, Peter M; Chetwyn, Nik P; Wang, Jin; Anderson, Jared L; Zhong, Qiqing

2014-09-26

Ionic liquids (ILs) were used as a new class of diluents for the analysis of two classes of genotoxic impurities (GTIs), namely, alkyl/aryl halides and nitro-aromatics, in small molecule drug substances by headspace gas chromatography (HS-GC) coupled with electron capture detection (ECD). This novel approach using ILs as contemporary diluents greatly broadens the applicability of HS-GC for the determination of high boiling (≥ 130°C) analytes including GTIs with limits of detection (LOD) ranging from 5 to 500 parts-per-billion (ppb) of analytes in a drug substance. This represents up to tens of thousands-fold improvement compared to traditional HS-GC diluents such as dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) and dimethylacetamide (DMAC). Various ILs were screened to determine their suitability as diluents for the HS-GC/ECD analysis. Increasing the HS oven temperatures resulted in varying responses for alkyl/aryl halides and a significant increase in response for all nitroaromatic GTIs. Linear ranges of up to five orders of magnitude were found for a number of analytes. The technique was validated on two active pharmaceutical ingredients with excellent recovery. This simple and robust methodology offers a key advantage in the ease of method transfer from development laboratories to quality control environments since conventional validated chromatographic data systems and GC instruments can be used. For many analytes, it is a cost effective alternative to more complex trace analytical methodologies like LC/MS and GC/MS, and significantly reduces the training needed for operation. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Macroalgae as a Biomass Feedstock: A Preliminary Analysis

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Roesijadi, Guritno; Jones, Susanne B.; Snowden-Swan, Lesley J.

2010-09-26

A thorough of macroalgae analysis as a biofuels feedstock is warranted due to the size of this biomass resource and the need to consider all potential sources of feedstock to meet current biomass production goals. Understanding how to harness this untapped biomass resource will require additional research and development. A detailed assessment of environmental resources, cultivation and harvesting technology, conversion to fuels, connectivity with existing energy supply chains, and the associated economic and life cycle analyses will facilitate evaluation of this potentially important biomass resource.

Liquid hot water pretreatment of multi feedstocks and enzymatic hydrolysis of solids obtained thereof.

PubMed

Michelin, Michele; Teixeira, José António

2016-09-01

Agricultural feedstocks (brewers' spent grain - BSG, corncob - CC, corn husk - CH, wheat straw - WS and Luffa sponge - LS) were pretreated by liquid hot water (LHW) in order to increase cellulose recovery and enzymatic saccharification. LHW-pretreatment resulted in hemicellulose solubilization, and solids enriched in cellulose. Chemical analysis showed different susceptibilities of the feedstocks to LHW-pretreatment and enzymatic hydrolysis. Pretreated feedstocks presented higher crystallinity (determined through X-ray diffraction) and thermal stability (determined through thermogravimetric analysis) than untreated feedstocks. SEM images confirmed the effect of LHW-pretreatment on structural changes. Moreover, enzymatic hydrolysis and cellulose conversion to glucose (CCG) were improved for pretreated feedstocks, with exception of LS. CCG (in relation to glucose potential on solids) followed the order: BSG>CH>WS>CC>LS. LHW-pretreatment showed to be a good technology to pretreat multi feedstocks and for improving the enzymatic hydrolysis of recalcitrant agricultural feedstocks to sugars, which can be further converted to ethanol-fuel and other value-added chemicals. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Managing variability in algal biomass production through drying and stabilization of feedstock blends

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wahlen, Bradley D.; Roni, Mohammad S.; Cafferty, Kara G.

The uncertainty and variability of algal biomass production presents several challenges to the algal biofuel industry including equipment scaling and the ability to provide a consistent feedstock stream for conversion. Blended feedstocks containing both algal and terrestrial biomass may provide a cost-effective method to manage variability of algal biomass production. The hypothesis is that mixing of algae with terrestrial biomass has the potential to create blends with rheologic (flowability) properties similar to terrestrial feedstock and that blends with the consistency of terrestrial biomass can be dried using established low-cost drying systems. To test this hypothesis and its technical feasibility, prototypemore » bench scale simulated drum dyers were designed and tested with blends of algae and ground pine. Scenedesmus dimorphus biomass was used as the algal feedstock, while 2 mm grind pine was used as the terrestrial feedstock. Pine was selected as the representative terrestrial feedstock to leverage independent HTL research using pine feedstock. In these studies, blends up to 60% algae produced drying curves similar to those of pine alone, and reached dryness (2% moisture) much more rapidly than algae alone. Thermogravimetric analyses performed on these feedstocks provided drying curves consistent with the simulated drum dryers. In addition, observable rheologic properties at the time of blending served as an indicator of drying performance, as those blends with texture similar to pine also dried similar to the pine control. Logistics analyses performed to determine cost and availability of feedstock materials for blending at production scale further indicate the potential of this approach. Lastly, our results indicate that blending of algae with terrestrial biomass enables the use of low cost dryers and has the potential to improve overall algal biofuel economics by capturing the value of excess biomass produced during periods of high productivity and

Managing variability in algal biomass production through drying and stabilization of feedstock blends

DOE PAGES

Wahlen, Bradley D.; Roni, Mohammad S.; Cafferty, Kara G.; ...

2017-03-22

The uncertainty and variability of algal biomass production presents several challenges to the algal biofuel industry including equipment scaling and the ability to provide a consistent feedstock stream for conversion. Blended feedstocks containing both algal and terrestrial biomass may provide a cost-effective method to manage variability of algal biomass production. The hypothesis is that mixing of algae with terrestrial biomass has the potential to create blends with rheologic (flowability) properties similar to terrestrial feedstock and that blends with the consistency of terrestrial biomass can be dried using established low-cost drying systems. To test this hypothesis and its technical feasibility, prototypemore » bench scale simulated drum dyers were designed and tested with blends of algae and ground pine. Scenedesmus dimorphus biomass was used as the algal feedstock, while 2 mm grind pine was used as the terrestrial feedstock. Pine was selected as the representative terrestrial feedstock to leverage independent HTL research using pine feedstock. In these studies, blends up to 60% algae produced drying curves similar to those of pine alone, and reached dryness (2% moisture) much more rapidly than algae alone. Thermogravimetric analyses performed on these feedstocks provided drying curves consistent with the simulated drum dryers. In addition, observable rheologic properties at the time of blending served as an indicator of drying performance, as those blends with texture similar to pine also dried similar to the pine control. Logistics analyses performed to determine cost and availability of feedstock materials for blending at production scale further indicate the potential of this approach. Lastly, our results indicate that blending of algae with terrestrial biomass enables the use of low cost dryers and has the potential to improve overall algal biofuel economics by capturing the value of excess biomass produced during periods of high productivity and

Logistics system design for biomass-to-bioenergy industry with multiple types of feedstocks.

PubMed

Zhu, Xiaoyan; Yao, Qingzhu

2011-12-01

It is technologically possible for a biorefinery to use a variety of biomass as feedstock including native perennial grasses (e.g., switchgrass) and agricultural residues (e.g., corn stalk and wheat straw). Incorporating the distinct characteristics of various types of biomass feedstocks and taking into account their interaction in supplying the bioenergy production, this paper proposed a multi-commodity network flow model to design the logistics system for a multiple-feedstock biomass-to-bioenergy industry. The model was formulated as a mixed integer linear programming, determining the locations of warehouses, the size of harvesting team, the types and amounts of biomass harvested/purchased, stored, and processed in each month, the transportation of biomass in the system, and so on. This paper demonstrated the advantages of using multiple types of biomass feedstocks by comparing with the case of using a single feedstock (switchgrass) and analyzed the relationship of the supply capacity of biomass feedstocks to the output and cost of biofuel. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Modeling Sustainable Bioenergy Feedstock Production in the Alps

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kraxner, Florian; Leduc, Sylvain; Kindermann, Georg; Fuss, Sabine; Pietsch, Stephan; Lakyda, Ivan; Serrano Leon, Hernan; Shchepashchenko, Dmitry; Shvidenko, Anatoly

2016-04-01

Sustainability of bioenergy is often indicated by the neutrality of emissions at the conversion site while the feedstock production site is assumed to be carbon neutral. Recent research shows that sustainability of bioenergy systems starts with feedstock management. Even if sustainable forest management is applied, different management types can impact ecosystem services substantially. This study examines different sustainable forest management systems together with an optimal planning of green-field bioenergy plants in the Alps. Two models - the biophysical global forest model (G4M) and a techno-economic engineering model for optimizing renewable energy systems (BeWhere) are implemented. G4M is applied in a forward looking manner in order to provide information on the forest under different management scenarios: (1) managing the forest for maximizing the carbon sequestration; or (2) managing the forest for maximizing the harvestable wood amount for bioenergy production. The results from the forest modelling are then picked up by the engineering model BeWhere, which optimizes the bioenergy production in terms of energy demand (power and heat demand by population) and supply (wood harvesting potentials), feedstock harvesting and transport costs, the location and capacity of the bioenergy plant as well as the energy distribution logistics with respect to heat and electricity (e.g. considering existing grids for electricity or district heating etc.). First results highlight the importance of considering ecosystem services under different scenarios and in a geographically explicit manner. While aiming at producing the same amount of bioenergy under both forest management scenarios, it turns out that in scenario (1) a substantially larger area (distributed across the Alps) will need to be used for producing (and harvesting) the necessary amount of feedstock than under scenario (2). This result clearly shows that scenario (2) has to be seen as an "intensification

Ecotoxicological characterization of biochars: role of feedstock and pyrolysis temperature.

PubMed

Domene, X; Enders, A; Hanley, K; Lehmann, J

2015-04-15

Seven contrasting feedstocks were subjected to slow pyrolysis at low (300 or 350°C) and high temperature (550 or 600°C), and both biochars and the corresponding feedstocks tested for short-term ecotoxicity using basal soil respiration and collembolan reproduction tests. After a 28-d incubation, soil basal respiration was not inhibited but stimulated by additions of feedstocks and biochars. However, variation in soil respiration was dependent on both feedstock and pyrolysis temperature. In the last case, respiration decreased with pyrolysis temperature (r=-0.78; p<0.0001, n=21) and increased with a higher volatile matter content (r=0.51; p<0.017), these two variables being correlated (r=-0.86, p<0.0001). Collembolan reproduction was generally unaffected by any of the additions, but when inhibited, it was mostly influenced by feedstock, and generally without any influence of charring itself and pyrolysis temperature. Strong inhibition was only observed in uncharred food waste and resulting biochars. Inhibition effects were probably linked to high soluble Na and NH4 concentrations when both feedstocks and biochars were considered, but mostly to soluble Na when only biochars were taken into account. The general lack of toxicity of the set of slow pyrolysis biochars in this study at typical field application rates (≤20 Mg ha(-1)) suggests a low short-term toxicity risk. At higher application rates (20-540 Mg ha(-1)), some biochars affected collembolan reproduction to some extent, but only strongly in the food waste biochars. Such negative impacts were not anticipated by the criteria set in currently available biochar quality standards, pointing out the need to consider ecotoxicological criteria either explicitly or implicitly in biochar characterization schemes or in management recommendations. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Butter as a feedstock for biodiesel production.

PubMed

Haas, Michael J; Adawi, Nadia; Berry, William W; Feldman, Elaine; Kasprzyk, Stephen; Ratigan, Brian; Scott, Karen; Landsburg, Emily Bockian

2010-07-14

Fatty acid methyl esters (FAME) were produced from cow's milk (Bostaurus) butter by esterification/transesterification in the presence of methanol. The product was assayed according to the Standard Specification for Biodiesel Fuel Blend Stock (B100) for Middle Distillate Fuels (ASTM D 6751). The preparation failed to meet the specifications for flash point, free and total glycerin contents, total sulfur, and oxidation stability. Failures to meet the flash point and free/total glycerin specifications were determined to be due to interference with standard assays for these parameters by short-chain-length fatty acid esters. The oxidation stability of the butterfat FAME was improved by supplementation with a commercial antioxidant formulation. Approximately 725 ppm of antioxidant was required to meet the ASTM-specified stability value for biodiesel. This work indicates that, without further purification to reduce a slightly excessive sulfur content, fatty acid ester preparations produced from butter are unacceptable as sole components of a biodiesel fuel. However, it is possible that even without further purification a butter-based ester preparation could be mixed with biodiesel from other feedstocks to produce a blend that meets the current quality standards for biodiesel. The results presented here also illustrate some potential weaknesses in the accepted methods for biodiesel characterization when employed in the analysis of FAME preparations containing mid- and short-chain fatty acid esters.

Cold flow properties of fatty acid methyl esters: Additives versus diluents

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Biodiesel is typically composed of fatty acid methyl esters (FAME) converted from agricultural lipids. Common feedstocks include soybean oil, canola oil, rapeseed oil, sunflower oil, and palm oil. Recent debate on the conversion of edible oils into non-food products has created opportunities to deve...

Best practices guidelines for managing water in bioenergy feedstock production

Treesearch

Daniel G. Neary

2015-01-01

In the quest to develop renewable energy sources, woody and agricultural crops are being viewed as an important source of low environmental impact feedstocks for electrical generation and biofuels production (Hall and Scrase 1998, Eriksson et al. 2002, Somerville et al. 2010, Berndes and Smith 2013). In countries like the USA, the bioenergy feedstock potential is...

Alternative Fuels Data Center: Ethanol Feedstocks

Science.gov Websites

aside for other uses, such as livestock feed or human nutrition. In some cases, crop residues and wood feedstocks are non-food based and include crop residues, wood residues, dedicated energy crops, and

Feeding a sustainable chemical industry: do we have the bioproducts cart before the feedstocks horse?

PubMed

Dale, Bruce E

2017-09-21

A sustainable chemical industry cannot exist at scale without both sustainable feedstocks and feedstock supply chains to provide the raw materials. However, most current research focus is on producing the sustainable chemicals and materials. Little attention is given to how and by whom sustainable feedstocks will be supplied. In effect, we have put the bioproducts cart before the sustainable feedstocks horse. For example, bulky, unstable, non-commodity feedstocks such as crop residues probably cannot supply a large-scale sustainable industry. Likewise, those who manage land to produce feedstocks must benefit significantly from feedstock production, otherwise they will not participate in this industry and it will never grow. However, given real markets that properly reward farmers, demand for sustainable bioproducts and bioenergy can drive the adoption of more sustainable agricultural and forestry practices, providing many societal "win-win" opportunities. Three case studies are presented to show how this "win-win" process might unfold.

Experimental study of tensile strength of pharmaceutical tablets: effect of the diluent nature and compression pressure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Juban, Audrey; Briançon, Stéphanie; Puel, François; Hoc, Thierry; Nouguier-Lehon, Cécile

2017-06-01

In the pharmaceutical field, tablets are the most common dosage form for oral administration in the world. Among different manufacturing processes, direct compression is widely used because of its economics interest and it is a process which avoids the steps of wet granulation and drying processes. Tablets are composed of at least two ingredients: an active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) which is mixed with a diluent. The nature of the powders and the processing conditions are crucial for the properties of the blend and, consequently, strongly influence the mechanical characteristics of tablets. Moreover, tablets have to present a suitable mechanical strength to avoid crumbling or breaking when handling, while ensuring an appropriate disintegration after administration. Accordingly, this mechanical property is an essential parameter to consider. Experimental results showed that proportion of the diluent, fragmentary (DCPA) or plastic (MCC), had a large influence on the tensile strength evolution with API content as well as the compression load applied during tableting process. From these results a model was developed in order to predict the tensile strength of binary tablets by knowing the compression pressure. The validity of this model was demonstrated for the two studied systems and a comparison was made with two existing models.

Enzymatic pre-treatment of high content cellulosic feedstock improves biogas production

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Animal wastes with high lignin and cellulosic contents can serve as the feedstock for biogas production (mainly methane) that could be used as alternative energy source. However, these high lignin and cellulosic feedstocks are quite recalcitrant to be readily utilized by methanogens to produce ben...

Physiochemical Characterization of Briquettes Made from Different Feedstocks

PubMed Central

Karunanithy, C.; Wang, Y.; Muthukumarappan, K.; Pugalendhi, S.

2012-01-01

Densification of biomass can address handling, transportation, and storage problems and also lend itself to an automated loading and unloading of transport vehicles and storage systems. The purpose of this study is to compare the physicochemical properties of briquettes made from different feedstocks. Feedstocks such as corn stover, switchgrass, prairie cord grass, sawdust, pigeon pea grass, and cotton stalk were densified using a briquetting system. Physical characterization includes particle size distribution, geometrical mean diameter (GMD), densities (bulk and true), porosity, and glass transition temperature. The compositional analysis of control and briquettes was also performed. Statistical analyses confirmed the existence of significant differences in these physical properties and chemical composition of control and briquettes. Correlation analysis confirms the contribution of lignin to bulk density and durability. Among the feedstocks tested, cotton stalk had the highest bulk density of 964 kg/m3 which is an elevenfold increase compared to control cotton stalk. Corn stover and pigeon pea grass had the highest (96.6%) and lowest (61%) durability. PMID:22792471

Cuphea oil as a potential biodiesel feedstock to improve fuel properties

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

One of the approaches to improving the fuel properties of biodiesel, a fuel derived from vegetable oils, animal fats, or other triacylglycerol-containing materials, is to use a feedstock with an inherently different fatty acid profile than most common feedstocks such as commodity vegetable oils. Cup...

Device and method for upgrading petroleum feedstocks and petroleum refinery streams using an alkali metal conductive membrane

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gordon, John Howard; Alvare, Javier

A reactor has two chambers, namely an oil feedstock chamber and a source chamber. An ion separator separates the oil feedstock chamber from the source chamber, wherein the ion separator allows alkali metal ions to pass from the source chamber, through the ion separator, and into the oil feedstock chamber. A cathode is at least partially housed within the oil feedstock chamber and an anode is at least partially housed within the source chamber. A quantity of an oil feedstock is within the oil feedstock chamber, the oil feedstock comprising at least one carbon atom and a heteroatom and/or onemore » or more heavy metals, the oil feedstock further comprising naphthenic acid. When the alkali metal ion enters the oil feedstock chamber, the alkali metal reacts with the heteroatom, the heavy metals and/or the naphthenic acid, wherein the reaction with the alkali metal forms inorganic products.« less

Mechanical behaviour study on SBR/EVA composite for FDM feedstock fabrication

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Raveverma, P.; Ibrahim, M.; Sa'ude, N.; Yarwindran, M.; Nasharuddin, M.

2017-04-01

This paper presents the research development of a new SBR/EVA composite flexible feedstock material by the injection moulding machine. The material consists of poly (ethylene-co-vinyl acetate) in styrene butadiene rubber cross-linked by Dicumyl Peroxide. In this study, the mechanical behaviour of injection moulded SBR/EVA composite with different blend ratio investigated experimentally. The formulations of blend ratio with several combinations of a new SBR/EVA flexible feedstock was done by volume percentage (vol. %). Based on the result obtained from the mechanical testing done which is tensile and hardness the composite of SBR/EVA has the high potency to be fabricated as the flexible filament feedstock. The ratio of 80:20 which as an average hardness and tensile strength proved to be the suitable choice to be fabricated as the flexible filament feedstock. The study has reached its goals on the fabricating and testing a new PMC which is flexible.

Bioprocessing of bio-based chemicals produced from lignocellulosic feedstocks.

PubMed

Kawaguchi, Hideo; Hasunuma, Tomohisa; Ogino, Chiaki; Kondo, Akihiko

2016-12-01

The feedstocks used for the production of bio-based chemicals have recently expanded from edible sugars to inedible and more recalcitrant forms of lignocellulosic biomass. To produce bio-based chemicals from renewable polysaccharides, several bioprocessing approaches have been developed and include separate hydrolysis and fermentation (SHF), simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF), and consolidated bioprocessing (CBP). In the last decade, SHF, SSF, and CBP have been used to generate macromolecules and aliphatic and aromatic compounds that are capable of serving as sustainable, drop-in substitutes for petroleum-based chemicals. The present review focuses on recent progress in the bioprocessing of microbially produced chemicals from renewable feedstocks, including starch and lignocellulosic biomass. In particular, the technological feasibility of bio-based chemical production is discussed in terms of the feedstocks and different bioprocessing approaches, including the consolidation of enzyme production, enzymatic hydrolysis of biomass, and fermentation. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Method for generating methane from a carbonaceous feedstock

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Snyder, Seth W.; Urgun-Demirtas, Meltem; Shen, Yanwen

The present invention provides a method for generating methane from a carbonaceous feedstock with simultaneous in situ sequestration of carbon dioxide to afford a biogas comprising at least 85 percent by volume methane, the method comprising anaerobically incubating a particulate additive in contact with a carbonaceous feedstock in a neutral or alkaline aqueous culture medium containing a culture of methanogenic consortia and collecting methane generated therefrom. The additive comprises at least one material selected from a biochar, an ash produced by gasification or combustion of a carbonaceous material, a black carbon soil, and a Terra Preta soil.

Deep freezing of Angora goat semen: effects of diluent composition and method and rate of dilution on survival of spermatozoa.

PubMed

Salamon, S; Ritar, A J

1982-01-01

Five factorial experiments were conducted to examine the effects of concentration of tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane (Tris), type and concentration of sugar in the diluent, rate and method of dilution on the survival of goat spermatozoa after freezing by the pellet method. Spermatozoa tolerated a relatively wide range in concentration of Tris, but the cell survival depended on the type of sugar included in the Tris diluent. Glucose and fructose were more suitable components than lactose or raffinose. Survival of spermatozoa after thawing was better for three- to fivefold prefreezing dilution. There was interaction between method of semen dilution (one-step, two-step), holding time at 5 degrees C, and glycerol concentration. The best result was obtained after one-step dilution at 30 degrees C (Tris 375 mM-glucose 41.625 mM-citric acid 124 mM), 1.5 h holding at 5 degrees C, and with 4% (v/v) glycerol concentration in the diluted semen.

Assessing Potential Air Pollutant Emissions from Agricultural Feedstock Production using MOVES

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Eberle, Annika; Warner, Ethan; Zhang, Yi Min

Biomass feedstock production is expected to grow as demand for biofuels and bioenergy increases. The change in air pollutant emissions that may result from large-scale biomass supply has implications for local air quality and human health. We developed spatially explicit emissions inventories for corn grain and six cellulosic feedstocks through the extension of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory's Feedstock Production Emissions to Air Model (FPEAM). These inventories include emissions of seven pollutants (nitrogen oxides, ammonia, volatile organic compounds, particulate matter, sulfur oxides, and carbon monoxide) generated from biomass establishment, maintenance, harvest, transportation, and biofuel preprocessing activities. By integrating the EPA'smore » MOtor Vehicle Emissions Simulator (MOVES) into FPEAM, we created a scalable framework to execute county-level runs of the MOVES-Onroad model for representative counties (i.e., those counties with the largest amount of cellulosic feedstock production in each state) on a national scale. We used these results to estimate emissions from the on-road transportation of biomass and combined them with county-level runs of the MOVES-Nonroad model to estimate emissions from agricultural equipment. We also incorporated documented emission factors to estimate emissions from chemical application and the operation of drying equipment for feedstock processing, and used methods developed by the EPA and the California Air Resources Board to estimate fugitive dust emissions. The model developed here could be applied to custom equipment budgets and is extensible to accommodate additional feedstocks and pollutants. Future work will also extend this model to analyze spatial boundaries beyond the county-scale (e.g., regional or sub-county levels).« less

Systems and processes for conversion of ethylene feedstocks to hydrocarbon fuels

DOEpatents

Lilga, Michael A.; Hallen, Richard T.; Albrecht, Karl O.; Cooper, Alan R.; Frye, John G.; Ramasamy, Karthikeyan Kallupalayam

2018-04-03

Systems, processes, and catalysts are disclosed for obtaining fuel and fuel blends containing selected ratios of open-chain and closed-chain fuel-range hydrocarbons suitable for production of alternate fuels including gasolines, jet fuels, and diesel fuels. Fuel-range hydrocarbons may be derived from ethylene-containing feedstocks and ethanol-containing feedstocks.

Systems and processes for conversion of ethylene feedstocks to hydrocarbon fuels

DOEpatents

Lilga, Michael A.; Hallen, Richard T.; Albrecht, Karl O.; Cooper, Alan R.; Frye, John G.; Ramasamy, Karthikeyan Kallupalayam

2017-05-30

Systems, processes, and catalysts are disclosed for obtaining fuel and fuel blends containing selected ratios of open-chain and closed-chain fuel-range hydrocarbons suitable for production of alternate fuels including gasolines, jet fuels, and diesel fuels. Fuel-range hydrocarbons may be derived from ethylene-containing feedstocks and ethanol-containing feedstocks.

Systems and processes for conversion of ethylene feedstocks to hydrocarbon fuels

DOEpatents

Lilga, Michael A.; Hallen, Richard T.; Albrecht, Karl O.; Cooper, Alan R.; Frye, John G.; Ramasamy, Karthikeyan Kallupalayam

2017-09-26

Systems, processes, and catalysts are disclosed for obtaining fuels and fuel blends containing selected ratios of open-chain and closed-chain fuel-range hydrocarbons suitable for production of alternate fuels including gasolines, jet fuels, and diesel fuels. Fuel-range hydrocarbons may be derived from ethylene-containing feedstocks and ethanol-containing feedstocks.

Technology for biomass feedstock production in southern forests and GHG implications

Treesearch

Bob Rummer; John Klepac; Jason Thompson

2012-01-01

Woody biomass production in the South can come from four distinct feedstocks - logging residues, thinnings, understory harvesting, or energywood plantations. A range of new technology has been developed to collect, process and transport biomass and a key element of technology development has been to reduce energy consumption. We examined three different woody feedstock...

Impact of Pretreatment Technologies on Saccharification and Isopentenol Fermentation of Mixed Lignocellulosic Feedstocks

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Shi, Jian; George, Kevin W.; Sun, Ning

2015-02-28

In order to enable the large-scale production of biofuels or chemicals from lignocellulosic biomass, a consistent and affordable year-round supply of lignocellulosic feedstocks is essential. Feedstock blending and/or densification offers one promising solution to overcome current challenges on biomass supply, i.e., low energy and bulk densities and significant compositional variations. Therefore, it is imperative to develop conversion technologies that can process mixed pelleted biomass feedstocks with minimal negative impact in terms of overall performance of the relevant biorefinery unit operations: pretreatment, fermentable sugar production, and fuel titers. We processed the mixture of four feedstocks—corn stover, switchgrass, lodgepole pine, and eucalyptusmore » (1:1:1:1 on dry weight basis)—in flour and pellet form using ionic liquid (IL) 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate, dilute sulfuric acid (DA), and soaking in aqueous ammonia (SAA) pretreatments. Commercial enzyme mixtures, including cellulases and hemicellulases, were then applied to these pretreated feedstocks at low to moderate enzyme loadings to determine hydrolysis efficiency. Results show significant variations on the chemical composition, crystallinity, and enzymatic digestibility of the pretreated feedstocks across the different pretreatment technologies studied. The advanced biofuel isopentenol was produced during simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF) of pretreated feedstocks using an engineered Escherichia coli strain. Results show that IL pretreatment liberates the most sugar during enzymatic saccharification, and in turn led to the highest isopentenol titer as compared to DA and SAA pretreatments. This study provides insights on developing biorefinery technologies that produce advanced biofuels based on mixed feedstock streams.« less

Nitrous oxide emission and soil carbon sequestration from herbaceous perennial biofuel feedstocks

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Greenhouse gas (GHG) mitigation and renewable, domestic fuels are needed in the United States. Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) and big bluestem (Andropogon gerdardii Vitman) are potential bioenergy feedstocks that may meet this need. However, managing perennial grasses for feedstock requires nitro...

Benefits of supplementing an industrial waste anaerobic digester with energy crops for increased biogas production.

PubMed

Nges, Ivo Achu; Escobar, Federico; Fu, Xinmei; Björnsson, Lovisa

2012-01-01

Currently, there is increasing competition for waste as feedstock for the growing number of biogas plants. This has led to fluctuation in feedstock supply and biogas plants being operated below maximum capacity. The feasibility of supplementing a protein/lipid-rich industrial waste (pig manure, slaughterhouse waste, food processing and poultry waste) mesophilic anaerobic digester with carbohydrate-rich energy crops (hemp, maize and triticale) was therefore studied in laboratory scale batch and continuous stirred tank reactors (CSTR) with a view to scale-up to a commercial biogas process. Co-digesting industrial waste and crops led to significant improvement in methane yield per ton of feedstock and carbon-to-nitrogen ratio as compared to digestion of the industrial waste alone. Biogas production from crops in combination with industrial waste also avoids the need for micronutrients normally required in crop digestion. The batch co-digestion methane yields were used to predict co-digestion methane yield in full scale operation. This was done based on the ratio of methane yields observed for laboratory batch and CSTR experiments compared to full scale CSTR digestion of industrial waste. The economy of crop-based biogas production is limited under Swedish conditions; therefore, adding crops to existing industrial waste digestion could be a viable alternative to ensure a constant/reliable supply of feedstock to the anaerobic digester. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Introduced cool-season grasses in diversified systems of forage and feedstock production

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Interest in producing biomass feedstock for biorefineries has increased in the southern Great Plains, though research has largely focused on the potential function of biorefineries. This study examined feedstock production from the producers’ viewpoint, and how this activity might function within di...

Efficient process for producing saccharides and ethanol from a biomass feedstock

DOEpatents

Okeke, Benedict C.; Nanjundaswamy, Ananda K.

2017-04-11

Described herein is a process for producing saccharides and ethanol from biomass feedstock that includes (a) producing an enzyme composition by culturing a fungal strain(s) in the presence of a lignocellulosic medium, (b) using the enzyme composition to saccharify the biomass feedstock, and (c) fermenting the saccharified biomass feedstock to produce ethanol. The process is scalable and, in certain aspects, is capable of being deployed on farms, thereby allowing local production of saccharides and ethanol and resulting in a reduction of energy and other costs for farm operators. Optional steps to improve the biomass-to-fuel conversion efficiency are also contemplated, as are uses for byproducts of the process described herein.

Investigation of sample preparation on the moldability of ceramic injection molding feedstocks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ide, Jared

Ceramic injection molding is a desirable option for those who are looking to make ceramic parts with complex geometries. Formulating the feedstock needed to produce ideal parts is a difficult process. In this research a series of feedstock blends will be evaluated for moldability. This was done by investigating their viscosity, and how certain components affect the overall ability to flow. These feedstocks varied waxes, surfactants, and solids loading. A capillary rheometer was used to characterize some of the materials, which led to one batch being selected for molding trials. The parts were sintered and further refinements were made to the feedstock. Solids loading was increased from 77.5% to 82%, which required different ratios of organics to flow. Finally, the ceramic powders were treated to lower their specific surface area before being compounded, which resulted in materials that would process easily through an extruder and exhibit properties suitable for CIM.

Generating a geospatial database of U.S. regional feedstock production for use in evaluating the environmental footprint of biofuels.

PubMed

Holder, Christopher T; Cleland, Joshua C; LeDuc, Stephen D; Andereck, Zac; Hogan, Chris; Martin, Kristen M

2016-04-01

The potential environmental effects of increased U.S. biofuel production often vary depending upon the location and type of land used to produce biofuel feedstocks. However, complete, annual data are generally lacking regarding feedstock production by specific location. Corn is the dominant biofuel feedstock in the U.S., so here we present methods for estimating where bioethanol corn feedstock is grown annually and how much is used by U.S. ethanol biorefineries. We use geospatial software and publicly available data to map locations of biorefineries, estimate their corn feedstock requirements, and estimate the feedstock production locations and quantities. We combined these data and estimates into a Bioethanol Feedstock Geospatial Database (BFGD) for years 2005-2010. We evaluated the performance of the methods by assessing how well the feedstock geospatial model matched our estimates of locally-sourced feedstock demand. On average, the model met approximately 89 percent of the total estimated local feedstock demand across the studied years-within approximately 25-to-40 kilometers of the biorefinery in the majority of cases. We anticipate that these methods could be used for other years and feedstocks, and can be subsequently applied to estimate the environmental footprint of feedstock production. Methods used to develop the Bioethanol Feedstock Geospatial Database (BFGD) provide a means of estimating the amount and location of U.S. corn harvested for use as U.S. bioethanol feedstock. Such estimates of geospatial feedstock production may be used to evaluate environmental impacts of bioethanol production and to identify conservation priorities. The BFGD is available for 2005-2010, and the methods may be applied to additional years, locations, and potentially other biofuels and feedstocks.

Effects of Torrefaction Temperature on Pyrolysis Vapor Products of Woody and Herbaceous Feedstocks

DOE PAGES

Starace, Anne K.; Evans, Robert J.; Lee, David D.; ...

2016-06-17

A variety of hardwood, softwood, and herbaceous feedstocks (oak, southern yellow pine mix, loblolly pine, pinyon-juniper mix, and switchgrass) were each torrefied at 200, 250, and 300 °C. Each of the feedstocks was pyrolyzed and the resulting vapors were analyzed with a molecular beam mass spectrometer (py-MBMS). Compositional analysis was used to measure the total lignin content of three of the feedstocks (southern yellow pine, softwood; oak, hardwood; and switchgrass, herbaceous) before and after torrefaction at 300 °C, and large differences in the fraction of lignin lost during torrefaction were found between feedstocks, with oak having the largest decrease inmore » lignin during torrefaction and switchgrass having the least. Finally, it is hypothesized that these differences in the thermal degradation are due to, in part, the different ratios of S, G, and H lignins in the feedstocks. Additionally, the torrefaction of kraft lignin was studied using thermogravimetric analysis coupled with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (TGA-FTIR) and attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR).« less

Effects of feedstock characteristics on microwave-assisted pyrolysis - A review.

PubMed

Zhang, Yaning; Chen, Paul; Liu, Shiyu; Peng, Peng; Min, Min; Cheng, Yanling; Anderson, Erik; Zhou, Nan; Fan, Liangliang; Liu, Chenghui; Chen, Guo; Liu, Yuhuan; Lei, Hanwu; Li, Bingxi; Ruan, Roger

2017-04-01

Microwave-assisted pyrolysis is an important approach to obtain bio-oil from biomass. Similar to conventional electrical heating pyrolysis, microwave-assisted pyrolysis is significantly affected by feedstock characteristics. However, microwave heating has its unique features which strongly depend on the physical and chemical properties of biomass feedstock. In this review, the relationships among heating, bio-oil yield, and feedstock particle size, moisture content, inorganics, and organics in microwave-assisted pyrolysis are discussed and compared with those in conventional electrical heating pyrolysis. The quantitative analysis of data reported in the literature showed a strong contrast between the conventional processes and microwave based processes. Microwave-assisted pyrolysis is a relatively new process with limited research compared with conventional electrical heating pyrolysis. The lack of understanding of some observed results warrant more and in-depth fundamental research. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Thermo-chemical and biological conversion potential of various biomass feedstocks to ethanol

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The goal of this study is to evaluate the potential and the economy of producing ethanol from gasification-fermentation of various biomass feedstocks. The biomass feedstocks include winter cover crops (wheat, rye, clover, hairy betch), summer cover crop (sunhemp), chicken litter, and woody biomass. ...

Process for purifying lignocellulosic feedstocks

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gray, Matthew; Matthes, Megan; Nelson, Thomas

The present invention includes methods for removing mineral acids, mineral salts and contaminants, such as metal impurities, ash, terpenoids, stilbenes, flavonoids, proteins, and other inorganic products, from a lignocellulosic feedstock stream containing organic acids, carbohydrates, starches, polysaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, sugars, sugar alcohols, phenols, cresols, and other oxygenated hydrocarbons, in a manner that maintains a portion of the organic acids and other oxygenated hydrocarbons in the product stream.

An alternative feedstock of corn meal for industrial fuel ethanol production: delignified corncob residue.

PubMed

Lei, Cheng; Zhang, Jian; Xiao, Lin; Bao, Jie

2014-09-01

Delignified corncob residue is an industrial solid waste from xylose production using corncob as feedstock. In this study, delignified corncob residue was used as the feedstock of ethanol production by simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF) and the optimal fermentation performance was investigated under various operation conditions. The ethanol titer and yield reached 75.07 g/L and 89.38%, respectively, using a regular industrial yeast strain at moderate cellulase dosage and high solids loading. A uniform SSF temperature of 37°C at both prehydrolysis and SSF stages was tested. The fermentation performance and cost of delignified corncob residue and corn meal was compared as feedstock of ethanol fermentation. The result shows that the delignified corncob residue is competitive to corn meal as ethanol production feedstock. The study gives a typical case to demonstrate the potential of intensively processed lignocellulose as the alternative feedstock of corn meal for industrial fuel ethanol production. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Co-liquefaction of spent coffee grounds and lignocellulosic feedstocks.

PubMed

Yang, Linxi; He, Quan Sophia; Havard, Peter; Corscadden, Kenneth; Xu, Chunbao Charles; Wang, Xuan

2017-08-01

Co-liquefaction of spent coffee grounds (SCG) with paper filter (PF), corn stalk (CS) and white pine bark (WPB) respectively, was examined in subcritical water for bio-crude oil production. The optimum reaction temperature was 250°C, and the mixing biomass ratio was 1:1. SCG and CS was identified to be the best feedstock combination with a significant positive synergetic effect in the co-liquefaction process with 5% NaOH as a catalyst. The yield of bio-crude oil was increased by 20.9% compared to the mass averaged yield from two feedstocks, and the oil quality was also improved in terms of viscosity and relative molecular mass. A negative effect presented in the co-liquefaction of SCG/WPB. The resulting bio-crude oils were characterized by elemental analyzer, GC-MS, GPC and viscometer, indicating that mixing feedstock in the co-liquefaction process also influenced the higher heating value (HHV), viscosity, molecular mass and chemical composition of bio-crude oil. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Impact of supplementation of semen extender with antioxidants on the quality of chilled or cryopreserved Arabian stallion spermatozoa.

PubMed

Ghallab, AbdelRaouf M; Shahat, Abdallah M; Fadl, Aya M; Ayoub, Mohamed M; Moawad, Adel R

2017-12-01

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of supplementation of semen extender with various non-enzymatic antioxidants on the quality of cooled or cryopreserved Arabian stallion spermatozoa. Semen collected from four pure Arabian stallions was centrifuged at 600g for 15 min. Spermatozoa were then diluted in INRA-82 extender supplemented with bovine serum albumin (BSA; 0, 10, 15 and 20 mg/mL) or trehalose (0, 75, 100 and 150 mM) or zinc sulphate (0, 100, 150 and 200 μM). The diluted semen was then either cooled at 5 °C or cryopreserved in 0.5-ml plastic straws. After cooling or thawing, sperm motility, viability, sperm abnormalities, viability index, and plasma membrane integrity were evaluated. The results showed that supplementation of semen extender with 150 mM trehalose or with 200 μM zinc sulphate significantly (P < 0.05) improved motility, viability, sperm membrane integrity and acrosome status in Arabian stallion spermatozoa after cooling or after freezing and thawing compared with controls (non-supplemented media) or with those supplemented with other concentrations of trehalose or zinc sulphate. Supplementation of semen extender with BSA did not improve sperm motility or cryosurvival of Arabian stallion spermatozoa after cooling or after freezing and thawing. In conclusion, supplementation of semen extender with non-enzymatic antioxidants (trehalose or zinc sulphate) improved the quality of chilled and frozen/thawed Arabian stallion spermatozoa. The most beneficial effects occur when semen diluent was supplemented with 150 mM trehalose or 200 μM zinc sulphate. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Flux balance analysis indicates that methane is the lowest cost feedstock for microbial cell factories

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Comer, Austin D.; Long, Matthew R.; Reed, Jennifer L.

The low cost of natural gas has driven significant interest in using C 1 carbon sources (e.g. methane, methanol, CO, syngas) as feedstocks for producing liquid transportation fuels and commodity chemicals. Given the large contribution of sugar and lignocellulosic feedstocks to biorefinery operating costs, natural gas and other C 1 sources may provide an economic advantage. To assess the relative costs of these feedstocks, we performed flux balance analysis on genome-scale metabolic models to calculate the maximum theoretical yields of chemical products from methane, methanol, acetate, and glucose. Yield calculations were performed for every metabolite (as a proxy for desiredmore » products) in the genome-scale metabolic models of three organisms: Escherichia coli (bacterium), Saccharomyces cerevisiae (yeast), and Synechococcus sp. PCC 7002 (cyanobacterium). The calculated theoretical yields and current feedstock prices provided inputs to create comparative feedstock cost surfaces. Our analysis shows that, at current market prices, methane feedstock costs are consistently lower than glucose when used as a carbon and energy source for microbial chemical production. Conversely, methanol is costlier than glucose under almost all price scenarios. Acetate feedstock costs could be less than glucose given efficient acetate production from low-cost syngas using nascent biological gas to liquids (BIO-GTL) technologies. Furthermore, our analysis suggests that research should focus on overcoming the technical challenges of methane assimilation and/or yield of acetate via BIO-GTL to take advantage of low-cost natural gas rather than using methanol as a feedstock.« less

Flux balance analysis indicates that methane is the lowest cost feedstock for microbial cell factories

DOE PAGES

Comer, Austin D.; Long, Matthew R.; Reed, Jennifer L.; ...

2017-07-10

The low cost of natural gas has driven significant interest in using C 1 carbon sources (e.g. methane, methanol, CO, syngas) as feedstocks for producing liquid transportation fuels and commodity chemicals. Given the large contribution of sugar and lignocellulosic feedstocks to biorefinery operating costs, natural gas and other C 1 sources may provide an economic advantage. To assess the relative costs of these feedstocks, we performed flux balance analysis on genome-scale metabolic models to calculate the maximum theoretical yields of chemical products from methane, methanol, acetate, and glucose. Yield calculations were performed for every metabolite (as a proxy for desiredmore » products) in the genome-scale metabolic models of three organisms: Escherichia coli (bacterium), Saccharomyces cerevisiae (yeast), and Synechococcus sp. PCC 7002 (cyanobacterium). The calculated theoretical yields and current feedstock prices provided inputs to create comparative feedstock cost surfaces. Our analysis shows that, at current market prices, methane feedstock costs are consistently lower than glucose when used as a carbon and energy source for microbial chemical production. Conversely, methanol is costlier than glucose under almost all price scenarios. Acetate feedstock costs could be less than glucose given efficient acetate production from low-cost syngas using nascent biological gas to liquids (BIO-GTL) technologies. Furthermore, our analysis suggests that research should focus on overcoming the technical challenges of methane assimilation and/or yield of acetate via BIO-GTL to take advantage of low-cost natural gas rather than using methanol as a feedstock.« less

Effect of different antioxidant additives in semen diluent on cryopreservability (-196°C) of buffalo semen.

PubMed

Patel, Hardik A; Siddiquee, G M; Chaudhari, Dinesh V; Suthar, Vishal S

2016-03-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of different antioxidant additives in standard tris-fructose-egg yolk-glycerol (TFYG) extender on the cryopreservability of buffalo semen. Semen collection using artificial vagina, twice weekly for 5 weeks from three pedigreed health breeding bulls of Mehsani breed, aged between 6 and 8 years. Immediately after initial evaluation all 30 qualifying ejaculates (10/bull) were split into three aliquots and diluted at 34°C keeping the concentration of 100 million spermatozoa/ml with standard TFYG extender as control and TFYG having two antioxidant additives - Cysteine HCl at 1 mg/ml and ascorbic acid at 0.2 mg/ml to study their comparative performance. Semen filled in French Mini straws using IS-4 system and gradually cooled to 4°C and equilibrated for 4 h in cold handing cabinet. After completion of equilibration, straws were cryopreserved in LN2 by Programmable Bio-freezer. Semen was examined at post-dilution, post-equilibration, and post-thaw stages for sperm quality parameters, and at each stage plasma was separated for enzymatic analysis of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and alkaline phosphatase (AKP). The mean percentage of sperms in TFYG, TFYG + cysteine HCl and TFYG + ascorbic acid diluents at post-thaw stage in terms of progressive motility (52.83±0.52, 57.83±0.52, 57.83±0.52), livability (78.70±0.21, 82.33±0.23, 81.73±0.22), and abnormality (5.43±0.21, 5.03±0.17, 5.23±0.18) varied significantly (p<0.05) between control TFYG and TFYG having antioxidant additives. The mean U/L activities of AST (78.70±0.47, 72.80±0.48, 73.30±0.54), LDH (172.70±0.41, 155.78±0.42, 156.33±0.41), and AKP (103.61±0.34, 90.20±0.34, 91.03±0.34) in semen diluted with TFYG, TFYG + cysteine HCl and TFYG + ascorbic acid diluents at post-thaw stage, respectively, which showed significantly (p<0.05) higher leakage of enzymes in control TFYG than TFYG incorporated with additives. Incorporation

Sensitization to reactive diluents and hardeners in epoxy resin systems. IVDK data 2002-2011. Part II: concomitant reactions.

PubMed

Geier, Johannes; Lessmann, Holger; Hillen, Uwe; Skudlik, Christoph; Jappe, Uta

2016-02-01

Beside the basic resins, reactive diluents and hardeners are important sensitizers in epoxy resin systems (ERSs). Because of chemical similarities, immunological cross-reactivity may occur. To analyse concomitant reactivity among reactive diluents and hardeners in the patients concerned, as one integral part of a research project on the sensitizing capacity of ERSs (FP-0324). A retrospective analysis of data from the Information Network of Departments of Dermatology (IVDK), 2002-2011, was performed. There was close concomitant reactivity to 1,6-hexanediol diglycidyl ether and 1,4-butanediol diglycidyl ether (1,4-BDDGE), and to phenyl glycidyl ether (PGE) and cresyl glycidyl ether (CGE), whereas reactions to p-tert-butylphenyl glycidyl ether occurred more independently from those to PGE and CGE. Concomitant reactions to butyl glycidyl ether and 1,4-BDDGE may point to a common allergenic compound derived from the metabolism of 1,4-BDDGE. Among the structurally more diverse group of hardeners, there was no evidence of immunological cross-reactions. More detailed knowledge of cross-reactivity among ERS components facilitates the interpretation of patch test results and will allow safer ERSs to be composed in the future. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Postprocedural pain in shoulder arthrography: differences between using preservative-free normal saline and normal saline with benzyl alcohol as an intraarticular contrast diluent.

PubMed

Storey, Troy F; Gilbride, George; Clifford, Kelly

2014-11-01

The purpose of this study was to prospectively evaluate the effect of benzyl alcohol, a common preservative in normal saline, on postprocedural pain after intraarticular injection for direct shoulder MR arthrography. From April 2011 through January 2013, 138 patients underwent direct shoulder MR arthrography. Using the Wong-Baker Faces Pain Scale, patients were asked to report their shoulder pain level immediately before and immediately after the procedure and then were contacted by telephone 6, 24, and 48 hours after the procedure. Fourteen patients did not receive the prescribed amount of contrast agent for diagnostic reasons or did not complete follow-up. Sixty-two patients received an intraarticular solution including preservative-free normal saline (control group) and 62 patients received an intraarticular solution including normal saline with 0.9% benzyl alcohol as a contrast diluent (test group). Patients were randomized as to which intraarticular diluent they received. Fluoroscopic and MR images were reviewed for extracapsular contrast agent administration or extravasation, full-thickness rotator cuff tears, and adhesive capsulitis. The effect of preservative versus control on pain level was estimated with multiple regression, which included time after procedure as the covariate and accounted for repeated measures over patients. Pain scale scores were significantly (p = 0.0382) higher (0.79 units; 95% CI, 0.034-1.154) with benzyl alcohol preservative compared with control (saline). In both study arms, the pain scale scores decreased slightly after the procedure, increased by roughly 1 unit over baseline for the test group and 0.3 unit over baseline for the control group by 6 hours after the procedure, were 0.50 unit over baseline for the test group and 0.12 unit over baseline for the control group at 24 hours, then fell to be slightly greater than baseline at 48 hours with benzyl alcohol and slightly less than baseline without benzyl alcohol. These trends

Surface Dilution Kinetics Using Substrate Analog-Enantiomers as Diluents: Enzymatic Lipolysis by Bee-Venom Phospholipase A2

PubMed Central

Singh, Jasmeet; Ranganathan, Radha; Hajdu, Joseph

2010-01-01

A novel assay employing D-enantiomers of phospholipids as diluents for characterizing surface kinetics of lipid hydrolysis by phospholipases is introduced. The rationale of the method are: (i) D-enantiomers resist hydrolysis because of the stereoselectivity of the enzymes toward L-enantiomers and (ii) mixtures of L+D-lipids at various L:D ratios but constant L+D-lipid concentrations yield a surface dilution series of variable L-lipid concentration with constant medium properties. Kinetic characterization of bee-venom phospholipase A2 activity at bile salt + phospholipid aggregate-water interfaces was performed using the mixed L+D-lipid surface dilution assay and interface kinetic parameters were obtained. The assay applies to bio-membrane models as well. Activity was measured by pH-Stat methods. Aggregation numbers and interface hydration/microviscosity measured by time resolved fluorescence quenching and electron spin resonance respectively confirmed that interface properties were indeed invariant in a surface dilution series, supporting rationale (ii) and were used to calculate substrate concentrations. Activity data show excellent agreement with a kinetic model derived with D-enantiomers as diluents and also that D-phospholipids bind to the enzyme but resist hydrolysis; underscoring rationale (i). The assay is significant to enabling determination of interface specific kinetic parameters for the first time and thereby characterization of interface specificity of lipolytic enzymes. PMID:20727845

Microbial Production of l-Serine from Renewable Feedstocks.

PubMed

Zhang, Xiaomei; Xu, Guoqiang; Shi, Jinsong; Koffas, Mattheos A G; Xu, Zhenghong

2018-07-01

l-Serine is a non-essential amino acid that has wide and expanding applications in industry with a fast-growing market demand. Currently, extraction and enzymatic catalysis are the main processes for l-serine production. However, such approaches limit the industrial-scale applications of this important amino acid. Therefore, shifting to the direct fermentative production of l-serine from renewable feedstocks has attracted increasing attention. This review details the current status of microbial production of l-serine from renewable feedstocks. We also summarize the current trends in metabolic engineering strategies and techniques for the typical industrial organisms Corynebacterium glutamicum and Escherichia coli that have been developed to address and overcome major challenges in the l-serine production process. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Fuel properties of biodiesel from alternative feedstocks

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Defined as monoalkyl esters of long-chain fatty acids prepared from plant oils, animal fats, or other lipids, advantages of biodiesel over conventional petroleum diesel fuel include derivation from renewable and domestic feedstocks, superior lubricity and biodegradability, higher cetane number and f...

Supplementing rooster sperm with Cholesterol-Loaded-Cyclodextrin improves fertility after cryopreservation.

PubMed

Chuaychu-Noo, Napapach; Thananurak, Pachara; Chankitisakul, Vibantita; Vongpralub, Thevin

2017-02-01

Little is known about the effects of Cholesterol-Loaded Cyclodextrin (CLC) on post-thaw semen quality in chicken. The aim of the present study is to investigate the efficacy of CLC levels (0, 1, 2 and 3 mg/mL Schramm diluent) on post-thawed semen quality and fertility in two breeds of chicken Pradu Hang Dum (native chicken) and Rhode Island Red. Semen samples of each breed were pooled, divided into 4 aliquots and diluted with Schramm diluents, cooled to 5 °C when DMF was added (6% of final volume). Semen straws were subjected to cryopreservation using the liquid nitrogen vapor method. Post-thawed sperm motility, viability, acrosome integrity, mitochondrial function, and the Malondialdehyde (MDA) level were determined. The fertility of frozen semen was tested by inseminating laying hens. Post-thaw motility between Pradu Hang Dum and Rhode Island Red was no different; but Rhode Island Red had a higher semen viability and live cell intact acrosomes than Pradu Hang Dum (P < 0.05). The percentage of high functioning mitochondria in the Pradu Hang Dum was higher than the Rhode Island Red. CLC at 2 and 3 mg/mL supplementation was associated with improved viability of frozen semen; that is, acrosome integrity and mitochondrial function (P < 0.01), albeit having no effect on MDA levels. The sperm with 1 mg/mL CLC yielded a significantly better fertility (P < 0.01). CLC (1 mg/mL) improved the quality of frozen rooster semen. There was no interaction among breeds and CLC on post-thaw semen quality and fertility. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Synthesis of fuels and feedstocks

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sutton, Andrew D.; Brooks, Ty; Jenkins, Rhodri

Disclosed herein are embodiments of a method for making fuels and feedstocks from readily available alcohol starting materials. In some embodiments, the method concerns converting alcohols to carbonyl-containing compounds and then condensing such carbonyl-containing compounds together to form oligomerized species. These oligomerized species can then be reduced using by-products from the conversion of the alcohol. In some embodiments, the method further comprises converting saturated, oligomerized, carbonyl-containing compounds to aliphatic fuels.

Methods of refining and producing dibasic esters and acids from natural oil feedstocks

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Snead, Thomas E.; Cohen, Steven A.; Gildon, Demond L.

Methods and systems for making dibasic esters and/or dibasic acids using metathesis are generally disclosed. In some embodiments, the methods comprise reacting a terminal olefin ester with an internal olefin ester in the presence of a metathesis catalyst to form a dibasic ester and/or dibasic acid. In some embodiments, the terminal olefin ester or the internal olefin ester are derived from a renewable feedstock, such as a natural oil feedstock. In some such embodiments, the natural oil feedstock, or a transesterified derivative thereof, is metathesized to make the terminal olefin ester or the internal olefin ester.

Influence of feedstock particle size on lignocellulose conversion--a review.

PubMed

Vidal, Bernardo C; Dien, Bruce S; Ting, K C; Singh, Vijay

2011-08-01

Feedstock particle sizing can impact the economics of cellulosic ethanol commercialization through its effects on conversion yield and energy cost. Past studies demonstrated that particle size influences biomass enzyme digestibility to a limited extent. Physical size reduction was able to increase conversion rates to maximum of ≈ 50%, whereas chemical modification achieved conversions of >70% regardless of biomass particle size. This suggests that (1) mechanical pretreatment by itself is insufficient to attain economically feasible biomass conversion, and, therefore, (2) necessary particle sizing needs to be determined in the context of thermochemical pretreatment employed for lignocellulose conversion. Studies of thermochemical pretreatments that have taken into account particle size as a factor have exhibited a wide range of maximal sizes (i.e., particle sizes below which no increase in pretreatment effectiveness, measured in terms of the enzymatic conversion resulting from the pretreatment, were observed) from <0.15 to 50 mm. Maximal sizes as defined above were dependent on the pretreatment employed, with maximal size range decreasing as follows: steam explosion > liquid hot water > dilute acid and base pretreatments. Maximal sizes also appeared dependent on feedstock, with herbaceous or grassy biomass exhibiting lower maximal size range (<3 mm) than woody biomass (>3 mm). Such trends, considered alongside the intensive energy requirement of size reduction processes, warrant a more systematic study of particle size effects across different pretreatment technologies and feedstock, as a requisite for optimizing the feedstock supply system.

A bioenergy feedstock/vegetable double-cropping system

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Certain warm-season vegetable crops may lend themselves to bioenergy double-cropping systems, which involve growing a winter annual bioenergy feedstock crop followed by a summer annual crop. The objective of the study was to compare crop productivity and weed communities in different pumpkin product...

Production of al-si alloy feedstocks using the solvent hot mixing method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ni, J. Q.; Han, K. Q.; Yu, M. H.

2018-05-01

Powder injection molding is a promising low-cost technique for net shape processing of metal and ceramic components. This study aimed to investigate a new method for preparing aluminium (Al) – silicon (Si) alloy feedstock using the solvent hot mixing process. For this purpose, micron-sized Al-Si (20 wt. %) alloy powder was mixed with a binder consisting of 55 wt. % carnauba wax, 45 wt. % high-density polyethylene, and 3 wt. % stearic acid in a hot xylene bath. The scanning electron microscopy technique, thermogravimetric analysis, density measurement and torque measurements were used to verify the homogeneity of the feedstock. Moreover, the feedstock was chosen to perform the molding, debinding cycle and sintering. An Al-Si (20 wt. %) alloy part was successfully produced using this new method.

Efficient utilization of renewable feedstocks: the role of catalysis and process design

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Palkovits, Regina; Delidovich, Irina

2017-11-01

Renewable carbon feedstocks such as biomass and CO2 present an important element of future circular economy. Especially biomass as highly functionalized feedstock provides manifold opportunities for the transformation into attractive platform chemicals. However, this change of the resources requires a paradigm shift in refinery design. Fossil feedstocks are processed in gas phase at elevated temperature. In contrast, biorefineries are based on processes in polar solvents at moderate conditions to selectively deoxygenate the polar, often thermally instable and high-boiling molecules. Here, challenges of catalytic deoxygenation, novel strategies for separation and opportunities provided at the interface to biotechnology are discussed in form of showcases. This article is part of a discussion meeting issue 'Providing sustainable catalytic solutions for a rapidly changing world'.

Potentials of macroalgae as feedstocks for biorefinery.

PubMed

Jung, Kyung A; Lim, Seong-Rin; Kim, Yoori; Park, Jong Moon

2013-05-01

Macroalgae, so-called seaweeds, have recently attracted attention as a possible feedstock for biorefinery. Since macroalgae contain various carbohydrates (which are distinctively different from those of terrestrial biomasses), thorough assessments of macroalgae-based refinery are essential to determine whether applying terrestrial-based technologies to macroalgae or developing completely new technologies is feasible. This comprehensive review was performed to show the potentials of macroalgae as biorefinery feedstocks. Their basic background information was introduced: taxonomical classification, habitat environment, and carbon reserve capacity. Their global production status showed that macroalgae can be mass-cultivated with currently available farming technology. Their various carbohydrate compositions implied that new microorganisms are needed to effectively saccharify macroalgal biomass. Up-to-date macroalgae conversion technologies for biochemicals and biofuels showed that molecular bioengineering would contribute to the success of macroalgae-based biorefinery. It was concluded that more research is required for the utilization of macroalgae as a new promising biomass for low-carbon economy. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Soil C storage and greenhouse gas emission perennial grasses managed for bio energy feedstock

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Perennial grasses like switchgrass or big bluestem when managed as bioenergy feedstock require nitrogenous inputs. Nitrogen fertilizer frequently cause nitrous oxide emission. Therefore, managing grasses as feedstock may reduce the greenhouse gas (GHG) mitigation potential expected from perennial. ...

Feedstock Supply and Logistics: Biomass as a Commodity

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

None

2013-05-06

The Bioenergy Technologies Office and its partners are developing the technologies and systems needed to sustainably and economically deliver a broad range of biomass in formats that enable their efficient use as feedstocks for biorefineries.

Improved sugar yields from biomass sorghum feedstocks: comparing low-lignin mutants and pretreatment chemistries

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Background: For biofuel production processes to be economically efficient, it is essential to maximize the production of monomeric carbohydrates from the structural carbohydrates of feedstocks. One strategy for maximizing carbohydrate production is to identify less recalcitrant feedstock cultivars b...

Agave: a biofuel feedstock for arid and semi-arid environments

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gross, Stephen; Martin, Jeffrey; Simpson, June

2011-05-31

Efficient production of plant-based, lignocellulosic biofuels relies upon continued improvement of existing biofuel feedstock species, as well as the introduction of newfeedstocks capable of growing on marginal lands to avoid conflicts with existing food production and minimize use of water and nitrogen resources. To this end, specieswithin the plant genus Agave have recently been proposed as new biofuel feedstocks. Many Agave species are adapted to hot and arid environments generally unsuitable forfood production, yet have biomass productivity rates comparable to other second-generation biofuel feedstocks such as switchgrass and Miscanthus. Agavesachieve remarkable heat tolerance and water use efficiency in part throughmore » a Crassulacean Acid Metabolism (CAM) mode of photosynthesis, but the genes andregulatory pathways enabling CAM and thermotolerance in agaves remain poorly understood. We seek to accelerate the development of agave as a new biofuelfeedstock through genomic approaches using massively-parallel sequencing technologies. First, we plan to sequence the transcriptome of A. tequilana to provide adatabase of protein-coding genes to the agave research community. Second, we will compare transcriptome-wide gene expression of agaves under different environmentalconditions in order to understand genetic pathways controlling CAM, water use efficiency, and thermotolerance. Finally, we aim to compare the transcriptome of A.tequilana with that of other Agave species to gain further insight into molecular mechanisms underlying traits desirable for biofuel feedstocks. These genomicapproaches will provide sequence and gene expression information critical to the breeding and domestication of Agave species suitable for biofuel production.« less

Dextrose monohydrate as a non-animal sourced alternative diluent in high shear wet granulation tablet formulations.

PubMed

Mitra, Biplob; Wolfe, Chad; Wu, Sy-Juen

2018-05-01

The feasibility of dextrose monohydrate as a non-animal sourced diluent in high shear wet granulation (HSWG) tablet formulations was determined. Impacts of granulation solution amount and addition time, wet massing time, impeller speed, powder and solution binder, and dry milling speed and screen opening size on granule size, friability and density, and tablet solid fraction (SF) and tensile strength (TS) were evaluated. The stability of theophylline tablets TS, disintegration time (DT) and in vitro dissolution were also studied. Following post-granulation drying at 60 °C, dextrose monohydrate lost 9% water and converted into the anhydrate form. Higher granulation solution amounts and faster addition, faster impeller speeds, and solution binder produced larger, denser and stronger (less friable) granules. All granules were compressed into tablets with acceptable TS. Contrary to what is normally observed, denser and larger granules (at ≥21% water level) produced tablets with a higher TS. The TS of the weakest tablets increased the most after storage at both 25 °C/60% RH and 40 °C/75% RH. Tablet DT was higher for stronger granules and after storage. Tablet dissolution profiles for 21% or less water were comparable and did not change on stability. However, the dissolution profile for tablets prepared with 24% water was slower initially and continued to decrease on stability. The results indicate a granulation water amount of not more than 21% is required to achieve acceptable tablet properties. This study clearly demonstrated the utility of dextrose monohydrate as a non-animal sourced diluent in a HSWG tablet formulation.

Dedicated herbaceous biomass feedstock genetics and development

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Biofuels and bio-based products can be produced from a wide variety of plant feedstocks. To supply enough biomass to meet the proposed need for a bio-based economy a suite of dedicated biomass species must be developed to accommodate a range of growing environments throughout the United States. Re...

The behaviour of tributyl phosphate in an organic diluent

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leay, Laura; Tucker, Kate; Del Regno, Annalaura; Schroeder, Sven L. M.; Sharrad, Clint A.; Masters, Andrew J.

2014-09-01

Tributyl phosphate (TBP) is used as a complexing agent in the Plutonium Uranium Extraction (PUREX) liquid-liquid phase extraction process for recovering uranium and plutonium from spent nuclear reactor fuel. Here, we address the molecular and microstructure of the organic phases involved in the extraction process, using molecular dynamics to show that when TBP is mixed with a paraffinic diluent, the TBP self-assembles into a bi-continuous phase. The underlying self-association of TBP is driven by intermolecular interaction between its polar groups, resulting in butyl moieties radiating out into the organic solvent. Simulation predicts a TBP diffusion constant that is anomalously low compared to what might normally be expected for its size; experimental nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) studies also indicate an extremely low diffusion constant, consistent with a molecular aggregation model. Simulation of TBP at an oil/water interface shows the formation of a bilayer system at low TBP concentrations. At higher concentrations, a bulk bi-continuous structure is observed linking to this surface bilayer. We suggest that this structure may be intimately connected with the surprisingly rapid kinetics of the interfacial mass transport of uranium and plutonium from the aqueous to the organic phase in the PUREX process.

Comparison of diluents for holding cock semen six hours at 41 C.

PubMed

Howarth, B

1983-06-01

Beltsville Poultry Semen Extender (BPSE) and Lake's Diluent A (LDA) were compared with minimum essential medium (MEM) for their ability to maintain the fertilizing capacity of cock semen held 6 hr at 41 C. Motility significantly declined from the beginning to the end of the holding period for semen in BPSE and LDA. Only in LDA, however, were the number of live spermatozoa significantly reduced. Although there were no differences in oxygen (O2) consumption measured at 1 and 6 hr for semen in BPSE and MEM, a significant reduction in O2 consumption was observed between these time periods for semen in LDA. Fertility of semen held in MEM (90.3%) was significantly higher than the unstored control semen (82.9%) and semen held in either BPSE (3.5%) or LDA (1.9%). No differences in hatchability of fertile eggs were observed between the semen groups.

Impact of zinc supplementation on the improved fructose/xylose utilization and butanol production during acetone-butanol-ethanol fermentation.

PubMed

Wu, You-Duo; Xue, Chuang; Chen, Li-Jie; Bai, Feng-Wu

2016-01-01

Lignocellulosic biomass and dedicated energy crops such as Jerusalem artichoke are promising alternatives for biobutanol production by solventogenic clostridia. However, fermentable sugars such as fructose or xylose released from the hydrolysis of these feedstocks were subjected to the incomplete utilization by the strains, leading to relatively low butanol production and productivity. When 0.001 g/L ZnSO4·7H2O was supplemented into the medium containing fructose as sole carbon source, 12.8 g/L of butanol was achieved with butanol productivity of 0.089 g/L/h compared to only 4.5 g/L of butanol produced with butanol productivity of 0.028 g/L/h in the control without zinc supplementation. Micronutrient zinc also led to the improved butanol production up to 8.3 g/L derived from 45.2 g/L xylose as sole carbon source with increasing butanol productivity by 31.7%. Moreover, the decreased acids production was observed under the zinc supplementation condition, resulting in the increased butanol yields of 0.202 g/g-fructose and 0.184 g/g-xylose, respectively. Similar improvements were also observed with increasing butanol production by 130.2 % and 8.5 %, butanol productivity by 203.4% and 18.4%, respectively, in acetone-butanol-ethanol fermentations from sugar mixtures of fructose/glucose (4:1) and xylose/glucose (1:2) simulating the hydrolysates of Jerusalem artichoke tubers and corn stover. The results obtained from transcriptional analysis revealed that zinc may have regulatory mechanisms for the sugar transport and metabolism of Clostridium acetobutylicum L7. Therefore, micronutrient zinc supplementation could be an effective way for economic development of butanol production derived from these low-cost agricultural feedstocks. Copyright © 2015 The Society for Biotechnology, Japan. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Greenhouse gas mitigation for U.S. plastics production: energy first, feedstocks later

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Posen, I. Daniel; Jaramillo, Paulina; Landis, Amy E.; Griffin, W. Michael

2017-03-01

Plastics production is responsible for 1% and 3% of U.S. greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and primary energy use, respectively. Replacing conventional plastics with bio-based plastics (made from renewable feedstocks) is frequently proposed as a way to mitigate these impacts. Comparatively little research has considered the potential for green energy to reduce emissions in this industry. This paper compares two strategies for reducing greenhouse gas emissions from U.S. plastics production: using renewable energy or switching to renewable feedstocks. Renewable energy pathways assume all process energy comes from wind power and renewable natural gas derived from landfill gas. Renewable feedstock pathways assume that all commodity thermoplastics will be replaced with polylactic acid (PLA) and bioethylene-based plastics, made using either corn or switchgrass, and powered using either conventional or renewable energy. Corn-based biopolymers produced with conventional energy are the dominant near-term biopolymer option, and can reduce industry-wide GHG emissions by 25%, or 16 million tonnes CO2e/year (mean value). In contrast, switching to renewable energy cuts GHG emissions by 50%-75% (a mean industry-wide reduction of 38 million tonnes CO2e/year). Both strategies increase industry costs—by up to 85/tonne plastic (mean result) for renewable energy, and up to 3000 tonne-1 plastic for renewable feedstocks. Overall, switching to renewable energy achieves greater emission reductions, with less uncertainty and lower costs than switching to corn-based biopolymers. In the long run, producing bio-based plastics from advanced feedstocks (e.g. switchgrass) and/or with renewable energy can further reduce emissions, to approximately 0 CO2e/year (mean value).

Homo-fermentative production of D-lactic acid by Lactobacillus sp. employing casein whey permeate as a raw feed-stock.

PubMed

Prasad, Saurav; Srikanth, Katla; Limaye, Anil M; Sivaprakasam, Senthilkumar

2014-06-01

Casein whey permeate (CWP), a lactose-enriched dairy waste effluent, is a viable feed stock for the production of value-added products. Two lactic acid bacteria were cultivated in a synthetic casein whey permeate medium with or without pH control. Lactobacillus lactis ATCC 4797 produced D-lactic acid (DLA) at 12.5 g l(-1) in a bioreactor. The values of Leudking-Piret model parameters suggested that lactate was a growth-associated product. Batch fermentation was also performed employing CWP (35 g lactose l(-1)) with casein hydrolysate as a nitrogen supplement in a bioreactor. After 40 h, L. lactis produced 24.3 g lactic acid l(-1) with an optical purity >98 %. Thus CWP may be regarded as a potential feed-stock for DLA production.

Process for generation of hydrogen gas from various feedstocks using thermophilic bacteria

DOEpatents

Ooteghem, Suellen Van

2005-09-13

A method for producing hydrogen gas is provided comprising selecting a bacteria from the Order Thermotogales, subjecting the bacteria to a feedstock and to a suitable growth environment having an oxygen concentration below the oxygen concentration of water in equilibrium with air; and maintaining the environment at a predetermined pH and at a temperature of at least approximately 45.degree. C. for a time sufficient to allow the bacteria to metabolize the feedstock.

Improved sustainability of feedstock production with sludge and interacting mycorrhiza.

PubMed

Seleiman, Mahmoud F; Santanen, Arja; Kleemola, Jouko; Stoddard, Frederick L; Mäkelä, Pirjo S A

2013-05-01

Recycling nutrients saves energy and improves agricultural sustainability. Sewage sludge contains 2.6% P and 3.1% N, so the availability of these nutrients was investigated using four crops grown in either soil or sand. Further attention was paid to the role of mycorrhiza in improvement of nutrient availability. The content of heavy metals and metalloids in the feedstock was analyzed. Sewage sludge application resulted in greater biomass accumulation in ryegrass than comparable single applications of either synthetic fertilizer or digested sludge. Sewage sludge application resulted in more numerous mycorrhizal spores in soil and increased root colonization in comparison to synthetic fertilizer. All plants studied had mycorrhizal colonized roots, with the highest colonization rate in maize, followed by hemp. Sewage sludge application resulted in the highest P uptake in all soil-grown plants. In conclusion, sewage sludge application increased feedstock yield, provided beneficial use for organic wastes, and contributed to the sustainability of bioenergy feedstock production systems. It also improves the soil conditions and plant nutrition through colonization by mycorrhizal fungi as well as reducing leaching and need of synthetic fertilizers. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Transgenic perennial biofuel feedstocks and strategies for bioconfinement

EPA Science Inventory

The use of transgenic tools for the improvement of plant feedstocks will be required to realize the full economic and environmental benefits of cellulosic and other biofuels, particularly from perennial plants. Traits that are targets for improvement of biofuels crops include he...

Fuel alcohol production from agricultural lignocellulosic feedstocks

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Farina, G.E.; Barrier, J.W.; Forsythe, M.L.

1988-01-01

A two-stage, low-temperature, ambient pressure, acid hydrolysis process that utilizes separate unit operations to convert hemicellulose and cellulose in agricultural residues and crops to fermentable sugars is being developed and tested. Based on the results of the bench-scale tests, an acid hydrolysis experimental plant to demonstrate the concepts of low-temperature acid hydrolysis on a much larger scale was built. Plant tests using corn stover have been conducted for more that a year and conversion efficiences have equaled those achieved in the laboratory. Laboratory tests to determine the potential for low-temperature acid hydrolysis of other feedstocks - including red clover, alfalfa,more » kobe lespedeza, winter rape, and rye grass - are being conducted. Where applicable, process modifications to include extraction before or after hydrolysis also are being studied. This paper describes the experimental plant and process, results obtained in the plant, results of alternative feedstocks testing in the laboratory, and a plan for an integrated system that will produce other fuels, feed, and food from crops grown on marginal land.« less

Development of High Yield Feedstocks and Biomass Conversion Technology for Renewable Energy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hashimoto, Andrew G.; Crow, Susan; DeBeryshe, Barbara

2015-04-09

This project had two main goals. The first goal was to evaluate several high yielding tropical perennial grasses as feedstock for biofuel production, and to characterize the feedstock for compatible biofuel production systems. The second goal was to assess the integration of renewable energy systems for Hawaii. The project focused on high-yield grasses (napiergrass, energycane, sweet sorghum, and sugarcane). Field plots were established to evaluate the effects of elevation (30, 300 and 900 meters above sea level) and irrigation (50%, 75% and 100% of sugarcane plantation practice) on energy crop yields and input. The test plots were extensive monitored including:more » hydrologic studies to measure crop water use and losses through seepage and evapotranspiration; changes in soil carbon stock; greenhouse gas flux (CO 2, CH 4, and N 2O) from the soil surface; and root morphology, biomass, and turnover. Results showed significant effects of environment on crop yields. In general, crop yields decrease as the elevation increased, being more pronounced for sweet sorghum and energycane than napiergrass. Also energy crop yields were higher with increased irrigation levels, being most pronounced with energycane and less so with sweet sorghum. Daylight length greatly affected sweet sorghum growth and yields. One of the energy crops (napiergrass) was harvested at different ages (2, 4, 6, and 8 months) to assess the changes in feedstock characteristics with age and potential to generate co-products. Although there was greater potential for co-products from younger feedstock, the increased production was not sufficient to offset the additional cost of harvesting multiple times per year. The feedstocks were also characterized to assess their compatibility with biochemical and thermochemical conversion processes. The project objectives are being continued through additional support from the Office of Naval Research, and the Biomass Research and Development Initiative. Renewable

Identification and thermochemical analysis of high-lignin feedstocks for biofuel and biochemical production

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Lignin is a highly abundant biopolymer synthesized by plants as a complex component of plant secondary cell walls. Efforts to utilize lignin-based bioproducts are needed. Results Herein we identify and characterize the composition and pyrolytic deconstruction characteristics of high-lignin feedstocks. Feedstocks displaying the highest levels of lignin were identified as drupe endocarp biomass arising as agricultural waste from horticultural crops. By performing pyrolysis coupled to gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, we characterized lignin-derived deconstruction products from endocarp biomass and compared these with switchgrass. By comparing individual pyrolytic products, we document higher amounts of acetic acid, 1-hydroxy-2-propanone, acetone and furfural in switchgrass compared to endocarp tissue, which is consistent with high holocellulose relative to lignin. By contrast, greater yields of lignin-based pyrolytic products such as phenol, 2-methoxyphenol, 2-methylphenol, 2-methoxy-4-methylphenol and 4-ethyl-2-methoxyphenol arising from drupe endocarp tissue are documented. Conclusions Differences in product yield, thermal decomposition rates and molecular species distribution among the feedstocks illustrate the potential of high-lignin endocarp feedstocks to generate valuable chemicals by thermochemical deconstruction. PMID:22018114

Fatty acid profile of 25 alternative lipid feedstocks

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

This study reports the fatty acid profiles of 25 alternative lipid feedstocks for the production of bio-based fuels and chemicals. Lipids were extracted using hexane from oil-bearing seeds using a standard Soxhlet apparatus. Fatty acid profiles were measured using gas chromatography-flame ionization...

Potential land competition between open-pond microalgae production and terrestrial dedicated feedstock supply systems in the U.S.

DOE PAGES

Coleman, Andre M.; Wigmosta, Mark S.; Hellwinckel, Chad M.; ...

2016-03-03

To date, feedstock resource assessments have evaluated cellulosic and algal feedstocks independently, without consideration of demands for, and resource allocation to, each other. We assess potential land competition between algal and terrestrial feedstocks in the United States, and evaluate a scenario in which 41.5 × 10 9 L yr –1 of second-generation biofuels are produced on pastureland, the most likely land base where both feedstock types may be deployed. Under this scenario, open-pond microalgae production is projected to use 1.2 × 10 6 ha of private pastureland, while terrestrial biomass feedstocks would use 14.0 × 10 6 ha of privatemore » pastureland. A spatial meta-analysis indicates that potential competition for land under this scenario would be concentrated in 110 counties, containing 1.0 and 1.7 × 10 6 ha of algal and terrestrial dedicated feedstock production, respectively. Furthermore, a land competition index applied to these 110 counties suggests that 38 to 59 counties could experience competition for upwards of 40% of a county's pastureland, representing 2%–5% of total pastureland in the U.S.; therefore suggesting little overall competition between algae production, terrestrial energy feedstocks and alternative uses for existing agricultural production such as livestock grazing.« less

Impact of Various Biofuel Feedstock Production Scenarios on Water Quality in the Upper Mississippi River Basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, M.; Demissie, Y.; Yan, E.

2010-12-01

The impact of increased biofuel feedstock production on regional water quality was examined. This study focused on the Upper Mississippi River Basin, from which a majority of U.S. biofuel is currently produced. The production of biofuel from both conventional feedstock and cellulosic feedstock will potentially increase in the near future. Historically, this water basin generates the largest nitrogen loading to the waterway in the United States and is often cited as a main contributor to the anoxic zone in the Gulf of Mexico. To obtain a quantitative and spatial estimate of nutrient burdens at the river basin, a SWAT (Soil and Water Assessment Tool) model application was developed. The model was equipped with an updated nutrient cycle feature and modified model parameters to represent current crop and perennial grass yield as a result of advancements in breeding and biotechnology. Various biofuel feedstock production scenarios were developed to assess the potential environmental implications of increased biofuel production through corn, agriculture residue, and perennial cellulosic feedstock (such as Switchgrass). Major factors were analyzed, including land use changes, feedstock types, fertilizer inputs, soil property, and yield. This tool can be used to identify specific regional factors affecting water quality and examine options to meet the requirement for environmental sustainability, thereby mitigating undesirable environmental consequences while strengthening energy security.

Ensuring Environmentally Sustainable Production of Dedicated Biomass Feedstocks

Treesearch

V.R. Tolbert; D.A. Mays; A. Houston; D.D. Tyler; C.H. Perry; K.E. Brooks; F.C. Thornton; B.R. Bock; J.D. Joslin; Carl C. Trettin; J. Isebrands

2000-01-01

Ensuring acceptance of dedicated biomass feedstocks by landowners, agricultural communities, environmental and public interest groups, requires that the environmental benefits, concerns, and risks associated with their production be quantified. Establishment and management measures to benefit soil and water quality are being identified by ongoing research. Field...

Developing a sustainable bioprocessing strategy based on a generic feedstock.

PubMed

Webb, C; Koutinas, Wang R; Wang, R

2004-01-01

Based on current average yields of wheat per hectare and the saccharide content of wheat grain, it is feasible to produce wheat-based alternatives to many petrochemicals. However, the requirements in terms of wheat utilization would be equivalent to 82% of current production if intermediates and primary building blocks such as ethylene, propylene, and butadiene were to be produced in addition to conventional bioproducts. If only intermediates and bioproducts were produced this requirement would fall to just 11%, while bioproducts alone would require only 7%. These requirements would be easily met if the global wheat yield per hectare of cultivated land was increased from the current average of 2.7 to 5.5 tonnes ha(-1) (well below the current maximum). Preliminary economic evaluation taking into account only raw material costs demonstrated that the use of wheat as a generic feedstock could be advantageous in the case of bioproducts and specific intermediate petrochemicals. Gluten plays a significant role considering the revenue occurring when it is sold as a by-product. A process leading to the production of a generic fermentation feedstock from wheat has been devised and evaluated in terms of efficiency and economics. This feedstock aims at providing a replacement for conventional fermentation media and petrochemical feedstocks. The process can be divided into four major stages--wheat milling; fermentation of whole wheat flour by A. awamori leading to the production of enzymes and fungal cells; glucose enhancement via enzymatic hydrolysis of flour suspensions; and nitrogen/micronutrient enhancement via fungal cell autolysis. Preliminary costings show that the operating cost of the process depends on plant capacity, cereal market price, presence and market value of added-value by-products, labour costs, and mode of processing (batch or continuous).

An overview of palm, jatropha and algae as a potential biodiesel feedstock in Malaysia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yunus, S.; Abdullah, N. R.; Mamat, R.; Rashid, A. A.

2013-12-01

The high demand to replace petroleum fuel makes renewable and sustainable sources such as Palm oil, Jatropha oil and Algae a main focus feedstock for biodiesel production in Malaysia. There are many studies conducted on Palm oil and Jatropha oil, however, the use of Algae as an alternative fuel is still in its infancy. Malaysia already implemented B5 based Palm oil as a feedstock and this biodiesel has been proven safe and can be used without any engine modification. The use of biodiesel produced from these feedstock will also developed domestic economic and provide job opportunities especially in the rural area. In addition, biodiesel has many advantages especially when dealing with the emissions produce as compared to petroleum fuel such as; it can reduce unwanted gases and particulate matter harmful to the atmosphere and mankind. Thus, this paper gathered and examines the most prominent engine emission produced from Palm oil and Jatropha feedstock and also to observe the potential of Algae to be one of the sources of alternative fuel in Malaysia.

Demand and supply of hydrogen as chemical feedstock in USA

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Huang, C. J.; Tang, K.; Kelley, J. H.; Berger, B. J.

1979-01-01

Projections are made for the demand and supply of hydrogen as chemical feedstock in USA. Industrial sectors considered are petroleum refining, ammonia synthesis, methanol production, isocyanate manufacture, edible oil processing, coal liquefaction, fuel cell electricity generation, and direct iron reduction. Presently, almost all the hydrogen required is produced by reforming of natural gas or petroleum fractions. Specific needs and emphases are recommended for future research and development to produce hydrogen from other sources to meet the requirements of these industrial sectors. The data and the recommendations summarized in this paper are based on the Workshop 'Supply and Demand of Hydrogen as Chemical Feedstock' held at the University of Houston on December 12-14, 1977.

Clofazimine drug susceptibility testing for Mycobacterium tuberculosis: the case of using the right diluent.

PubMed

Sng, Li-Hwei; Peh, Justine Woei Ling; Lee Kee, Melody Tai; Ya'akob, Nurhazirah Bte Mohd; Ong, Rick Twee-Hee; Wong, Christopher W; Chee, Cynthia Bin Eng; Wang, Yee Tang

2018-06-08

Accurate and reliable drug susceptibility testing (DST) is essential for the effective treatment and control of tuberculosis. With the increase in drug-resistant organisms, newer and less conventional antimicrobial agents are used for treatment. Recently, we found an unprecedented rise in the number of clofazimine-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates in our laboratory. An investigation found that this phenomenon was due to a change in the method of drug preparation. We performed studies to assess the impact of water and dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) as a final diluent for clofazimine drug testing. Based on our findings, the use of DMSO as a solvent for M. tuberculosis DST was optimised using the BACTEC MGIT 960 platform. Copyright © 2018 Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Process for improving the energy density of feedstocks using formate salts

DOEpatents

Wheeler, Marshall Clayton; van Heiningen, Adriaan R.P.; Case, Paige A.

2015-09-01

Methods of forming liquid hydrocarbons through thermal deoxygenation of cellulosic compounds are disclosed. Aspects cover methods including the steps of mixing a levulinic acid salt-containing feedstock with a formic acid salt, exposing the mixture to a high temperature condition to form hydrocarbon vapor, and condensing the hydrocarbon vapor to form liquid hydrocarbons, where both the formic acid salt and the levulinic acid salt-containing feedstock decompose at the high temperature condition and wherein one or more of the mixing, exposing, and condensing steps is carried out a pressure between about vacuum and about 10 bar.

Crop residue considerations for sustainable biomass feedstock supplies

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Corn (Zea mays, L.) stover was identified as an important feedstock for second generation biofuel production in the U.S. because of the extensive area upon which the crop is grown. This presentation will summarize 239 site-years of field research examining effects of zero, moderate, and high stover ...

Benefits of supplementing an industrial waste anaerobic digester with energy crops for increased biogas production

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Nges, Ivo Achu, E-mail: Nges.Ivo_Achu@biotek.lu.se; Escobar, Federico; Fu Xinmei

2012-01-15

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer This study demonstrates the feasibility of co-digestion food industrial waste with energy crops. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Laboratory batch co-digestion led to improved methane yield and carbon to nitrogen ratio as compared to mono-digestion of industrial waste. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Co-digestion was also seen as a means of degrading energy crops with nutrients addition as crops are poor in nutrients. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Batch co-digestion methane yields were used to predict co-digestion methane yield in full scale operation. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer It was concluded that co-digestion led an over all economically viable process and ensured a constant supply of feedstock. - Abstract: Currently, there is increasing competitionmore » for waste as feedstock for the growing number of biogas plants. This has led to fluctuation in feedstock supply and biogas plants being operated below maximum capacity. The feasibility of supplementing a protein/lipid-rich industrial waste (pig manure, slaughterhouse waste, food processing and poultry waste) mesophilic anaerobic digester with carbohydrate-rich energy crops (hemp, maize and triticale) was therefore studied in laboratory scale batch and continuous stirred tank reactors (CSTR) with a view to scale-up to a commercial biogas process. Co-digesting industrial waste and crops led to significant improvement in methane yield per ton of feedstock and carbon-to-nitrogen ratio as compared to digestion of the industrial waste alone. Biogas production from crops in combination with industrial waste also avoids the need for micronutrients normally required in crop digestion. The batch co-digestion methane yields were used to predict co-digestion methane yield in full scale operation. This was done based on the ratio of methane yields observed for laboratory batch and CSTR experiments compared to full scale CSTR digestion of industrial waste. The economy of crop

Advanced Systems for Preprocessing and Characterizing Coal-Biomass Mixtures as Next-Generation Fuels and Feedstocks

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Karmis, Michael; Luttrell, Gerald; Ripepi, Nino

The research activities presented in this report are intended to address the most critical technical challenges pertaining to coal-biomass briquette feedstocks. Several detailed investigations were conducted using a variety of coal and biomass feedstocks on the topics of (1) coal-biomass briquette production and characterization, (2) gasification of coal-biomass mixtures and briquettes, (3) combustion of coal-biomass mixtures and briquettes, and (4) conceptual engineering design and economic feasibility of briquette production. The briquette production studies indicate that strong and durable co-firing feedstocks can be produced by co-briquetting coal and biomass resources commonly available in the United States. It is demonstrated that binderlessmore » coal-biomass briquettes produced at optimized conditions exhibit very high strength and durability, which indicates that such briquettes would remain competent in the presence of forces encountered in handling, storage and transportation. The gasification studies conducted demonstrate that coal-biomass mixtures and briquettes are exceptional gasification feedstocks, particularly with regard to the synergistic effects realized during devolatilization of the blended materials. The mixture combustion studies indicate that coal-biomass mixtures are exceptional combustion feedstocks, while the briquette combustion study indicates that the use of blended briquettes reduces NO x, CO 2, and CO emissions, and requires the least amount of changes in the operating conditions of an existing coal-fired power plant. Similar results were obtained for the physical durability of the pilot-scale briquettes compared to the bench-scale tests. Finally, the conceptual engineering and feasibility analysis study for a commercial-scale briquetting production facility provides preliminary flowsheet and cost simulations to evaluate the various feedstocks, equipment selection and operating parameters.« less

Thermogravimetric characterization of irrigated bermudagrass as a combustion feedstock

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The bioenergy production industry can benefit from a greater understanding of potential differences among the various feedstock materials and production influences on thermochemical conversion processes such as combustion. The thermal degradation of biomass during combustion can quickly be assessed ...

MODEL BASED BIOMASS SYSTEM DESIGN OF FEEDSTOCK SUPPLY SYSTEMS FOR BIOENERGY PRODUCTION

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

David J. Muth, Jr.; Jacob J. Jacobson; Kenneth M. Bryden

Engineering feedstock supply systems that deliver affordable, high-quality biomass remains a challenge for the emerging bioenergy industry. Cellulosic biomass is geographically distributed and has diverse physical and chemical properties. Because of this feedstock supply systems that deliver cellulosic biomass resources to biorefineries require integration of a broad set of engineered unit operations. These unit operations include harvest and collection, storage, preprocessing, and transportation processes. Design decisions for each feedstock supply system unit operation impact the engineering design and performance of the other system elements. These interdependencies are further complicated by spatial and temporal variances such as climate conditions and biomassmore » characteristics. This paper develops an integrated model that couples a SQL-based data management engine and systems dynamics models to design and evaluate biomass feedstock supply systems. The integrated model, called the Biomass Logistics Model (BLM), includes a suite of databases that provide 1) engineering performance data for hundreds of equipment systems, 2) spatially explicit labor cost datasets, and 3) local tax and regulation data. The BLM analytic engine is built in the systems dynamics software package PowersimTM. The BLM is designed to work with thermochemical and biochemical based biofuel conversion platforms and accommodates a range of cellulosic biomass types (i.e., herbaceous residues, short- rotation woody and herbaceous energy crops, woody residues, algae, etc.). The BLM simulates the flow of biomass through the entire supply chain, tracking changes in feedstock characteristics (i.e., moisture content, dry matter, ash content, and dry bulk density) as influenced by the various operations in the supply chain. By accounting for all of the equipment that comes into contact with biomass from the point of harvest to the throat of the conversion facility and the change in

Oxidation resistance of biochars as a function of feedstock and pyrolysis condition.

PubMed

Han, Lanfang; Ro, Kyoung S; Wang, Yu; Sun, Ke; Sun, Haoran; Libra, Judy A; Xing, Baoshan

2018-03-01

Assessing biochar's ability to resist oxidation is fundamental to understanding its potential to sequester carbon. Chemical oxidation exhibits good performance in estimating the oxidation resistance of biochar. Herein, oxidation resistance of 14 types of biochars produced from four feedstocks at different pyrolysis conditions (hydrothermal versus thermal carbonization) was investigated via hydrogen peroxide oxidation with varying concentrations. The oxidation resistance of organic carbon (C) of hydrochars was relatively higher than that of 250°C pyrochars (P250) but was comparable to that of 450°C pyrochars (P450). Both hydrochars and P450 from ash-rich feedstocks contained at least three different C pools (5.9-18.3% labile, 43.2-56.5% semi-labile and 26.9-45.9% stable C). Part (<33%) of aromatic C within 600°C pyrochars (P600) was easily oxidizable, which consisted of amorphous C. The influence of pyrolysis temperature upon oxidation resistance of biochars depended on the feedstock. For ash-rich feedstock (rice straw, swine manure and poultry litter), the oxidation resistance of biochars was determined by both aromaticity and mineral components, and mineral protection was regulated by pyrolysis conditions. The amorphous silicon within hydrochars and P450 could interact with C, preventing C from being oxidized, to some extent. Nevertheless, this type of protection did not occur for P250 and P600. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Conversion of cellulose rich municipal solid waste blends using ionic liquids: feedstock convertibility and process scale-up

DOE PAGES

Liang, Ling; Li, Chenlin; Xu, Feng; ...

2017-07-24

For this study, sixteen cellulose rich municipal solid waste (MSW) blends were developed and screened using an acid-assisted ionic liquid (IL) deconstruction process. Corn stover and switchgrass were chosen to represent herbaceous feedstocks; non-recyclable paper (NRP) and grass clippings (GC) collected from households were chosen as MSW candidates given their abundance in municipal waste streams. The most promising MSW blend: corn stover/non-recyclable paper (CS/NRP) at 80/20 ratio was identified in milliliter-scale screening based on the sugar yield, feedstock cost, and availability. A successful scale-up (600-fold) of the IL-acidolysis process on the identified CS/NRP blend has been achieved. The sugar andmore » lignin streams were recovered and characterized. Mass and material energy flows of the optimized process were presented. Feedstock cost for MSW blends was also discussed. Results suggest the promising potential of using MSW as a feedstock blending agent for biorefineries while maintaining sufficient performance and low feedstock cost. The bench scale (6 L) study is an essential step in demonstrating the scalability of this IL technology.« less

Conversion of cellulose rich municipal solid waste blends using ionic liquids: feedstock convertibility and process scale-up

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Liang, Ling; Li, Chenlin; Xu, Feng

For this study, sixteen cellulose rich municipal solid waste (MSW) blends were developed and screened using an acid-assisted ionic liquid (IL) deconstruction process. Corn stover and switchgrass were chosen to represent herbaceous feedstocks; non-recyclable paper (NRP) and grass clippings (GC) collected from households were chosen as MSW candidates given their abundance in municipal waste streams. The most promising MSW blend: corn stover/non-recyclable paper (CS/NRP) at 80/20 ratio was identified in milliliter-scale screening based on the sugar yield, feedstock cost, and availability. A successful scale-up (600-fold) of the IL-acidolysis process on the identified CS/NRP blend has been achieved. The sugar andmore » lignin streams were recovered and characterized. Mass and material energy flows of the optimized process were presented. Feedstock cost for MSW blends was also discussed. Results suggest the promising potential of using MSW as a feedstock blending agent for biorefineries while maintaining sufficient performance and low feedstock cost. The bench scale (6 L) study is an essential step in demonstrating the scalability of this IL technology.« less

Compost supplementation with nutrients and microorganisms in composting process.

PubMed

Sánchez, Óscar J; Ospina, Diego A; Montoya, Sandra

2017-11-01

The composting is an aerobic, microorganism-mediated, solid-state fermentation process by which different organic materials are transformed into more stable compounds. The product obtained is the compost, which contributes to the improvement of physical, chemical and microbiological properties of the soil. However, the compost usage in agriculture is constrained because of its long-time action and reduced supply of nutrients to the crops. To enhance the content of nutrients assimilable by the plants in the compost, its supplementation with nutrients and inoculation with microorganisms have been proposed. The objective of this work was to review the state of the art on compost supplementation with nutrients and the role played by the microorganisms involved (or added) in their transformation during the composting process. The phases of composting are briefly compiled and different strategies for supplementation are analyzed. The utilization of nitrogenous materials and addition of microorganisms fixing nitrogen from the atmosphere or oxidizing ammonia into more assimilable for plants nitrogenous forms are analyzed. Several strategies for nitrogen conservation during composting are presented as well. The supplementation with phosphorus and utilization of microorganisms solubilizing phosphorus and potassium are also discussed. Main groups of microorganisms relevant during the composting process are described as well as most important strategies to identify them. In general, the development of this type of nutrient-enriched bio-inputs requires research and development not only in the supplementation of compost itself, but also in the isolation and identification of microorganisms and genes allowing the degradation and conversion of nitrogenous substances and materials containing potassium and phosphorus present in the feedstocks undergoing the composting process. In this sense, most important research trends and strategies to increase nutrient content in the compost

Thermal conversion of biomass to valuable fuels, chemical feedstocks and chemicals

DOEpatents

Peters, William A [Lexington, MA; Howard, Jack B [Winchester, MA; Modestino, Anthony J [Hanson, MA; Vogel, Fredreric [Villigen PSI, CH; Steffin, Carsten R [Herne, DE

2009-02-24

A continuous process for the conversion of biomass to form a chemical feedstock is described. The biomass and an exogenous metal oxide, preferably calcium oxide, or metal oxide precursor are continuously fed into a reaction chamber that is operated at a temperature of at least 1400.degree. C. to form reaction products including metal carbide. The metal oxide or metal oxide precursor is capable of forming a hydrolizable metal carbide. The reaction products are quenched to a temperature of 800.degree. C. or less. The resulting metal carbide is separated from the reaction products or, alternatively, when quenched with water, hydolyzed to provide a recoverable hydrocarbon gas feedstock.

Potential land competition between open-pond microalgae production and terrestrial dedicated feedstock supply systems in the U.S.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Langholtz, Matthew H.; Coleman, Andre M.; Eaton, Laurence M.

Biofuels produced from both terrestrial and algal biomass feedstocks can contribute to energy security while providing economic, environmental, and social benefits. To assess the potential for land competition between these two feedstock types in the United States, we evaluate a scenario in which 41.5 x 109 L yr-1 of second-generation biofuels are produced on pastureland, the most likely land base where both feedstock types may be deployed. This total includes 12.0 x 109 L yr-1 of biofuels from open-pond microalgae production and 29.5 x 109 L yr-1 of biofuels from terrestrial dedicated feedstock supply systems. Under these scenarios, open-pond microalgaemore » production is projected to use 1.2 million ha of private pastureland, while terrestrial dedicated feedstock supply systems would use 14.0 million ha of private pastureland. A spatial meta-analysis indicates that potential competition for land under these scenarios would be concentrated in 110 counties, containing 1.0 and 1.7 million hectares of algal and terrestrial dedicated feedstock production, respectively. A land competition index applied to these 110 counties suggests that 38 to 59 counties could experience competition for upwards of 40% of a county’s pastureland. However, this combined 2.7 million ha represents only 2%-5% of total pastureland in the U.S., with the remaining 12.5 million ha of algal or terrestrial dedicated feedstock production on pastureland in non-competing areas.« less

Impact of Technology and Feedstock Choice on the Environmental Footprint of Biofuels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schultz, P. B.; Dodder, R. S.

2012-12-01

The implementation of the U.S. Renewable Fuel Standard program (RFS2) has led to a dramatic shift in the use of biofuel in the U.S. transportation system over the last decade. To satisfy this demand, the production of U.S. corn-based ethanol has grown rapidly, with an average increase of over 25% annually from 2002 to 2010. RFS2 requires a similarly steep increase in the production of advanced biofuels, such as cellulosic ethanol. Unlike corn-based ethanol, which is derived from the biochemical fermentation of sugars in wet and dry mills, it is likely that a more diverse suite of technologies will need to be developed to be able to meet the advanced biofuel RFS2 targets, including biochemical as well as thermochemical (e.g., gasification and pyrolysis) approaches. Rather than relying on energy crops, a potential advantage of thermochemical approaches is the ability to use a wider variety of feedstocks, including municipal solid waste and wood waste. In this work, we conduct a system-level analysis to understand how technology and feedstock choice can impact the environmental footprint of biofuels in the U.S. We use a least-cost optimization model of the U.S. energy system to account for interactions between various components of the energy system: industrial, transportation, electric, and residential/commercial sectors. The model was used to understand the scale of feedstock demand required from dedicated energy crops, as well as other biomass feedstocks, in order to meet the RFS2 mandate. On a regional basis, we compare the overall water-consumption and land requirements for biofuels production given a suite of liquid-fuel production technologies. By considering a range of scenarios, we examine how the use of various feedstocks (e.g., agricultural residues, wood wastes, mill residues and municipal wastes) can be used to off-set environmental impacts as compared to relying solely on energy crops.

Aerobic granular sludge inoculated microbial fuel cells for enhanced epoxy reactive diluent wastewater treatment.

PubMed

Cheng, Kai; Hu, Jingping; Hou, Huijie; Liu, Bingchuan; Chen, Qin; Pan, Keliang; Pu, Wenhong; Yang, Jiakuan; Wu, Xu; Yang, Changzhu

2017-04-01

Microbial consortiums aggregated on the anode surface of microbial fuel cells (MFCs) are critical factors for electricity generation as well as biodegradation efficiencies of organic compounds. Here in this study, aerobic granular sludge (AGS) was assembled on the surface of the MFC anode to form an AGS-MFC system with superior performance on epoxy reactive diluent (ERD) wastewater treatment. AGS-MFCs successfully shortened the startup time from 13d to 7d compared to the ones inoculated with domestic wastewater. Enhanced toxicity tolerance as well as higher COD removal (77.8% vs. 63.6%) were achieved. The higher ERD wastewater treatment efficiency of AGS-MFC is possibly attributed to the diverse microbial population on MFC biofilm, as well as the synergic degradation of contaminants by both the MFC anode biofilm and AGS granules. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Comparison of several Brassica species in the north central U.S. for potential jet fuel feedstock

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Hydrotreated renewable jet fuel (HRJ) derived from crop oils has been commercially demonstrated but full-scale production has been hindered by feedstock costs that make the product more costly than petroleum-based fuels. Maintaining low feedstock costs while developing crops attractive to farmers to...

Potential feedstock sources for ethanol production in Florida

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rahmani, Mohammad; Hodges, Alan

This study presents information on the potential feedstock sources that may be used for ethanol production in Florida. Several potential feedstocks for fuel ethanol production in Florida are discussed, such as, sugarcane, corn, citrus byproducts and sweet sorghum. Other probable impacts need to be analyzed for sugarcane to ethanol production as alternative uses of sugarcane may affect the quantity of sugar production in Florida. While citrus molasses is converted to ethanol as an established process, the cost of ethanol is higher, and the total amount of citrus molasses per year is insignificant. Sorghum cultivars have the potential for ethanol production.more » However, the agricultural practices for growing sweet sorghum for ethanol have not been established, and the conversion process must be tested and developed at a more expanded level. So far, only corn shipped from other states to Florida has been considered for ethanol production on a commercial scale. The economic feasibility of each of these crops requires further data and technical analysis.« less

Synthetic carbonaceous fuels and feedstocks

DOEpatents

Steinberg, Meyer

1980-01-01

This invention relates to the use of a three compartment electrolytic cell in the production of synthetic carbonaceous fuels and chemical feedstocks such as gasoline, methane and methanol by electrolyzing an aqueous sodium carbonate/bicarbonate solution, obtained from scrubbing atmospheric carbon dioxide with an aqueous sodium hydroxide solution, whereby the hydrogen generated at the cathode and the carbon dioxide liberated in the center compartment are combined thermocatalytically into methanol and gasoline blends. The oxygen generated at the anode is preferably vented into the atmosphere, and the regenerated sodium hydroxide produced at the cathode is reused for scrubbing the CO.sub.2 from the atmosphere.

Dislocation formation in seed crystals induced by feedstock indentation during growth of quasimono crystalline silicon ingots

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Trempa, M.; Beier, M.; Reimann, C.; Roßhirth, K.; Friedrich, J.; Löbel, C.; Sylla, L.; Richter, T.

2016-11-01

In this work the dislocation formation in the seed crystal induced by feedstock indentation during the growth of quasimono (QM) silicon ingots for photovoltaic application was investigated. It could be shown by special laboratory indentation experiments that the formed dislocations propagate up to several millimeters deep into the volume of the seed crystal in dependence on the applied pressure of the feedstock particles on the surface of the seed crystal. Further, it was demonstrated that these dislocations if they were not back-melted during the seeding process grow further into the silicon ingot and drastically reduce its material quality. An estimation of the apparent pressure values in a G5 industrial crucible/feedstock setup reveals that the indentation phenomenon is a critical issue for the industrial production of QM silicon ingots. Therefore, some approaches to avoid/reduce the indentation events were tested with the result, that the most promising solution should be the usage of suitable feedstock particles as coverage of the seed.

Pine Needles as Potential Energy Feedstock: Availability in the Central Himalayan State of Uttarakhand, India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kala, L. D.; Subbarao, P. M. V.

2017-11-01

The amount of pine needles (pinus roxburgii) potentially available for use as energy feedstock in the Central Himalayan state of Uttarakhand in India has been estimated. It involves estimating the gross annual amount of pine needle yield followed by a comprehensive identification and quantification of the factors that affect the net annual pine needle yield available as energy feedstock. These factors include considerations such as accessibility, alternative uses, forest fires, other losses, etc., that are influenced by aspects ranging from physical constraints to traditional societal traits. Tree canopy cover method has been used for estimating the gross annual pine needle yield. The information on canopy density is obtained from remote sensing data, that forms the basis for forest classification. The annual gross pine needle yield has been estimated at 1.9 million tonnes while the annual net pine needle yield at 1.33 million tonnes. The annual primary energy potential of pine needles available as energy feedstock has also been estimated. For annual net energy potential estimation, thermal and electrical routes are considered. Electrical energy generation from pine needles using thermochemical conversion has been examined and the corresponding potential for electricity generation been estimated. An installed capacity of 789 MW can be supported with pine needles feedstock for supplying electricity in rural areas for five hours a day. For round the clock generation, an installed capacity of 165 MW can be supported by the pine needle energy feedstock.

A Comprehensive Study on Chlorella pyrenoidosa for Phenol Degradation and its Potential Applicability as Biodiesel Feedstock and Animal Feed.

PubMed

Das, Bhaskar; Mandal, Tapas K; Patra, Sanjukta

2015-07-01

The present work evaluates the phenol degradative performance of microalgae Chlorella pyrenoidosa. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis showed that C. pyrenoidosa degrades phenol completely up to 200 mg/l. It could also metabolize phenol in refinery wastewater. Biokinetic parameters obtained are the following: growth kinetics, μ max (media) > μ max (refinery wastewater), K s(media) < K s(refinery wastewater), K I(media) > K I(refinery wastewater); degradation kinetics, q max (media) > q max (refinery wastewater), K s(media) < K s(refinery wastewater), K I(media) > K I(refinery wastewater). The microalgae could cometabolize the alkane components present in refinery wastewater. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) fingerprinting of biomass indicates intercellular phenol uptake and breakdown into its intermediates. Phenol was metabolized as an organic carbon source leading to higher specific growth rate of biomass. Phenol degradation pathway was elucidated using HPLC, liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) and ultraviolet-visible (UV-visible) spectrophotometry. It involved both ortho- and meta-pathway with prominence of ortho-pathway. SEM analysis shows that cell membrane gets wrinkled on phenol exposure. Phenol degradation was growth and photodependent. Infrared analysis shows increased intracellular accumulation of neutral lipids opening possibility for utilization of spent biomass as biodiesel feedstock. The biomass after lipid extraction could be used as protein supplement in animal feed owing to enhanced protein content. The phenol remediation ability coupled with potential applicability of the spent biomass as biofuel feedstock and animal feed makes it a potential candidate for an environmentally sustainable process.

Method for hydrocracking a heavy polynuclear hydrocarbonaceous feedstock in the presence of a molten metal halide catalyst

DOEpatents

Gorin, Everett

1981-01-01

A method for hydrocracking a heavy polynuclear hydrocarbonaceous feedstock to produce lighter hydrocarbon fuels by contacting the feedstock with hydrogen in the presence of a molten metal halide catalyst, the method comprising: mixing the feedstock with a heavy naphtha fraction which has an initial boiling point from about 100.degree. to about 160.degree. C. with a boiling point difference between the initial boiling point and the final boiling point of no more than about 50.degree. C. to produce a mixture; thereafter contacting the mixture with partially spent molten metal halide and hydrogen under temperature and pressure conditions so that the temperature is near the critical temperature of the heavy naphtha fraction; separating at least a portion of the heavy naphtha fraction and lighter hydrocarbon fuels from the partially spent molten metal halide, unreacted feedstock and reaction products; thereafter contacting the partially spent molten metal halide, unreacted feedstock and reaction products with hydrogen and fresh molten metal halide in a hydrocracking zone to produce additional lighter hydrocarbon fuels and separating at least a major portion of the lighter hydrocarbon fuels from the spent molten metal halide.

Polyolefin backbone substitution in binders for low temperature powder injection moulding feedstocks.

PubMed

Hausnerova, Berenika; Kuritka, Ivo; Bleyan, Davit

2014-02-27

This paper reports the substitution of polyolefin backbone binder components with low melting temperature carnauba wax for powder injection moulding applications. The effect of various binder compositions of Al₂O₃ feedstock on thermal degradation parameters is investigated by thermogravimetric analysis. Within the experimental framework 29 original feedstock compositions were prepared and the superiority of carnauba wax over the polyethylene binder backbone was demonstrated in compositions containing polyethylene glycol as the initial opening agent and governing the proper mechanism of the degradation process. Moreover, the replacement of synthetic polymer by the natural wax contributes to an increase of environmental sustainability of modern industrial technologies.

Estimating Biofuel Feedstock Water Footprints Using System Dynamics

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Inman, Daniel; Warner, Ethan; Stright, Dana

Increased biofuel production has prompted concerns about the environmental tradeoffs of biofuels compared to petroleum-based fuels. Biofuel production in general, and feedstock production in particular, is under increased scrutiny. Water footprinting (measuring direct and indirect water use) has been proposed as one measure to evaluate water use in the context of concerns about depleting rural water supplies through activities such as irrigation for large-scale agriculture. Water footprinting literature has often been limited in one or more key aspects: complete assessment across multiple water stocks (e.g., vadose zone, surface, and ground water stocks), geographical resolution of data, consistent representation of manymore » feedstocks, and flexibility to perform scenario analysis. We developed a model called BioSpatial H2O using a system dynamics modeling and database framework. BioSpatial H2O could be used to consistently evaluate the complete water footprints of multiple biomass feedstocks at high geospatial resolutions. BioSpatial H2O has the flexibility to perform simultaneous scenario analysis of current and potential future crops under alternative yield and climate conditions. In this proof-of-concept paper, we modeled corn grain (Zea mays L.) and soybeans (Glycine max) under current conditions as illustrative results. BioSpatial H2O links to a unique database that houses annual spatially explicit climate, soil, and plant physiological data. Parameters from the database are used as inputs to our system dynamics model for estimating annual crop water requirements using daily time steps. Based on our review of the literature, estimated green water footprints are comparable to other modeled results, suggesting that BioSpatial H2O is computationally sound for future scenario analysis. Our modeling framework builds on previous water use analyses to provide a platform for scenario-based assessment. BioSpatial H2O's system dynamics is a flexible and user

Irrigated Corn Cob Production and Quality: Potential Cellulosic Feedstock

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Escalating fossil fuel cost and concern over global climate change have accelerated interest in cellulosic feedstocks, such as corn cobs, for liquid fuel production. Little information is available about corn cob yield and its N and C content. Available cob data was compiled and summarized from seve...

Microalgae as a feedstock for biofuel precursors and value-added products: Green fuels and golden opportunities

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Tang, Yuting; Rosenberg, Julian N.; Bohutskyi, Pavlo

In this study, the prospects of biofuel production from microalgal carbohydrates and lipids coupled with greenhouse gas mitigation due to photosynthetic assimilation of CO 2 have ushered in a renewed interest in algal feedstock. Furthermore, microalgae (including cyanobacteria) have become established as commercial sources of value-added biochemicals such as polyunsaturated fatty acids and carotenoid pigments used as antioxidants in nutritional supplements and cosmetics. This article presents a comprehensive synopsis of the metabolic basis for accumulating lipids as well as applicable methods of lipid and cellulose bioconversion and final applications of these natural or refined products from microalgal biomass. For lipids,more » one-step in situ transesterification offers a new and more accurate approach to quantify oil content. As a complement to microalgal oil fractions, the utilization of cellulosic biomass from microalgae to produce bioethanol by fermentation, biogas by anaerobic digestion, and bio-oil by hydrothermal liquefaction are discussed. Collectively, a compendium of information spanning green renewable fuels and value-added nutritional compounds is provided.« less

Microalgae as a feedstock for biofuel precursors and value-added products: Green fuels and golden opportunities

DOE PAGES

Tang, Yuting; Rosenberg, Julian N.; Bohutskyi, Pavlo; ...

2015-11-16

In this study, the prospects of biofuel production from microalgal carbohydrates and lipids coupled with greenhouse gas mitigation due to photosynthetic assimilation of CO 2 have ushered in a renewed interest in algal feedstock. Furthermore, microalgae (including cyanobacteria) have become established as commercial sources of value-added biochemicals such as polyunsaturated fatty acids and carotenoid pigments used as antioxidants in nutritional supplements and cosmetics. This article presents a comprehensive synopsis of the metabolic basis for accumulating lipids as well as applicable methods of lipid and cellulose bioconversion and final applications of these natural or refined products from microalgal biomass. For lipids,more » one-step in situ transesterification offers a new and more accurate approach to quantify oil content. As a complement to microalgal oil fractions, the utilization of cellulosic biomass from microalgae to produce bioethanol by fermentation, biogas by anaerobic digestion, and bio-oil by hydrothermal liquefaction are discussed. Collectively, a compendium of information spanning green renewable fuels and value-added nutritional compounds is provided.« less

Structure Property Relationships of Biobased Epoxy Resins

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maiorana, Anthony Surraht

The thesis is about the synthesis, characterization, development, and application of epoxy resins derived from sustainable feedstocks such as lingo-cellulose, plant oils, and other non-food feedstocks. The thesis can be divided into two main topics 1) the synthesis and structure property relationship investigation of new biobased epoxy resin families and 2) mixing epoxy resins with reactive diluents, nanoparticles, toughening agents, and understanding co-curing reactions, filler/matrix interactions, and cured epoxy resin thermomechanical, viscoelastic, and dielectric properties. The thesis seeks to bridge the gap between new epoxy resin development, application for composites and advanced materials, processing and manufacturing, and end of life of thermoset polymers. The structures of uncured epoxy resins are characterized through traditional small molecule techniques such as nuclear magnetic resonance, high resolution mass spectrometry, and infrared spectroscopy. The structure of epoxy resin monomers are further understood through the process of curing the resins and cured resins' properties through rheology, chemorheology, dynamic mechanical analysis, tensile testing, fracture toughness, differential scanning calorimetry, scanning electron microscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, and notched izod impact testing. It was found that diphenolate esters are viable alternatives to bisphenol A and that the structure of the ester side chain can have signifi-cant effects on monomer viscosity. The structure of the cured diphenolate based epoxy resins also influence glass transition temperature and dielectric properties. Incorporation of reactive diluents and flexible resins can lower viscosity, extend gel time, and enable processing of high filler content composites and increase fracture toughness. Incorpora-tion of high elastic modulus nanoparticles such as graphene can provide increases in physical properties such as elastic modulus and fracture toughness. The synthesis

Process simulation and economic assessment of hydrothermal pretreatment and enzymatic hydrolysis of multi-feedstock lignocellulose - Separate vs combined processing.

PubMed

Ashraf, Muhammad Tahir; Schmidt, Jens Ejbye

2018-02-01

Biorefinery based on multi-feedstock lignocellulose can be viable where a sustainable supply of a single substrate is limited, for example in arid regions. Processing of mixed feedstocks has been studied in lab scale, however, its economics are less studied. In this study, an economic comparison was made between separate and combined (mixed) processing approaches for multi-feedstock lignocellulose for the production of monomeric sugars. This modular approach of focusing on sugar platform makes the results applicable for many applications using the sugars as feedstock. Feedstock considered in this study were the green and woody lignocellulose residues: Bermuda grass, Jasmine hedges, and date palm fronds. Results showed that, at an identical total feed rate, combined processing was more advantageous as compared to separate processing. A further sensitivity analysis on mixed combined processing showed that the cellulase enzyme price and feed price are the two major factors affecting the production cost. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Assessment of bermudagrass and bunch grasses as feedstock for conversion to ethanol.

PubMed

Anderson, William F; Dien, Bruce S; Brandon, Sarah K; Peterson, Joy Doran

2008-03-01

Research is needed to allow more efficient processing of lignocellulose from abundant plant biomass resources for production to fuel ethanol at lower costs. Potential dedicated feedstock species vary in degrees of recalcitrance to ethanol processing. The standard dilute acid hydrolysis pretreatment followed by simultaneous sacharification and fermentation (SSF) was performed on leaf and stem material from three grasses: giant reed (Arundo donax L.), napiergrass (Pennisetum purpureum Schumach.), and bermudagrass (Cynodon spp). In a separate study, napiergrass, and bermudagrass whole samples were pretreated with esterase and cellulose before fermentation. Conversion via SSF was greatest with two bermudagrass cultivars (140 and 122 mg g(-1) of biomass) followed by leaves of two napiergrass genotypes (107 and 97 mg g(-1)) and two giant reed clones (109 and 85 mg g(-1)). Variability existed among bermudagrass cultivars for conversion to ethanol after esterase and cellulase treatments, with Tifton 85 (289 mg g) and Coastcross II (284 mg g(-1)) being superior to Coastal (247 mg g(-1)) and Tifton 44 (245 mg g(-1)). Results suggest that ethanol yields vary significantly for feedstocks by species and within species and that genetic breeding for improved feedstocks should be possible.

Assessment of Bermudagrass and Bunch Grasses as Feedstock for Conversion to Ethanol

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anderson, William F.; Dien, Bruce S.; Brandon, Sarah K.; Peterson, Joy Doran

Research is needed to allow more efficient processing of lignocellulose from abundant plant biomass resources for production to fuel ethanol at lower costs. Potential dedicated feedstock species vary in degrees of recalcitrance to ethanol processing. The standard dilute acid hydrolysis pretreatment followed by simultaneous sacharification and fermentation (SSF) was performed on leaf and stem material from three grasses: giant reed (Arundo donax L.), napiergrass (Pennisetum purpureum Schumach.), and bermudagrass (Cynodon spp). In a separate study, napiergrass, and bermudagrass whole samples were pretreated with esterase and cellulose before fermentation. Conversion via SSF was greatest with two bermudagrass cultivars (140 and 122 mg g-1 of biomass) followed by leaves of two napiergrass genotypes (107 and 97 mg g-1) and two giant reed clones (109 and 85 mg g-1). Variability existed among bermudagrass cultivars for conversion to ethanol after esterase and cellulase treatments, with Tifton 85 (289 mg g) and Coastcross II (284 mg g-1) being superior to Coastal (247 mg g-1) and Tifton 44 (245 mg g-1). Results suggest that ethanol yields vary significantly for feedstocks by species and within species and that genetic breeding for improved feedstocks should be possible.

Bioenergy grass feedstock production in the southern Coastal Plain

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The Renewable Fuels Standard within the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA)(Pub L.) requires that by the year 2022, 36 billion gallons of biofuels be added to gasoline and that 21 billion gallons would come from non-cornstarch products such as sugar or cellulosic feedstock. The Sout...

A laboratory-scale pretreatment and hydrolysis assay for determination of reactivity in cellulosic biomass feedstocks.

PubMed

Wolfrum, Edward J; Ness, Ryan M; Nagle, Nicholas J; Peterson, Darren J; Scarlata, Christopher J

2013-11-14

The rapid determination of the release of structural sugars from biomass feedstocks is an important enabling technology for the development of cellulosic biofuels. An assay that is used to determine sugar release for large numbers of samples must be robust, rapid, and easy to perform, and must use modest amounts of the samples to be tested.In this work we present a laboratory-scale combined pretreatment and saccharification assay that can be used as a biomass feedstock screening tool. The assay uses a commercially available automated solvent extraction system for pretreatment followed by a small-scale enzymatic hydrolysis step. The assay allows multiple samples to be screened simultaneously, and uses only ~3 g of biomass per sample. If the composition of the biomass sample is known, the results of the assay can be expressed as reactivity (fraction of structural carbohydrate present in the biomass sample released as monomeric sugars). We first present pretreatment and enzymatic hydrolysis experiments on a set of representative biomass feedstock samples (corn stover, poplar, sorghum, switchgrass) in order to put the assay in context, and then show the results of the assay applied to approximately 150 different feedstock samples covering 5 different materials. From the compositional analysis data we identify a positive correlation between lignin and structural carbohydrates, and from the reactivity data we identify a negative correlation between both carbohydrate and lignin content and total reactivity. The negative correlation between lignin content and total reactivity suggests that lignin may interfere with sugar release, or that more mature samples (with higher structural sugars) may have more recalcitrant lignin. The assay presented in this work provides a robust and straightforward method to measure the sugar release after pretreatment and saccharification that can be used as a biomass feedstock screening tool. We demonstrated the utility of the assay by

Hydrologic and water quality impacts of biofuel feedstock production in the Ohio River Basin

DOE PAGES

Demissie, Yonas; Yan, Eugene; Wu, May

2017-07-10

Our study addresses the uncertainties related to potential changes in land use and management and associated impacts on hydrology and water quality resulting from increased production of biofuel from the conventional and cellulosic feedstock. The Soil Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) was then used to assess the impacts on regional and field scale evapotranspiration, soil moisture content, stream flow, sediment, and nutrient loadings in the Ohio River Basin. The model incorporates spatially and temporally detailed hydrologic, climate and agricultural practice data that are pertinent to simulate biofuel feedstock production, watershed hydrology and water quality. Three future biofuel production scenarios in themore » region were considered, including a feedstock projection from the DOE Billion-Ton (BT2) Study, a change in corn rotations to continuous corn, and harvest of 50% corn stover. The impacts were evaluated on the basis of relative changes in hydrology and water quality from historical baseline and future business-as-usual conditions of the basin. The overall impact on water quality is an order of magnitude higher than the impact on hydrology. For all the three future scenarios, the sub-basin results indicated an overall increase in annual evapotranspiration of up to 6%, a decrease in runoff up to 10% and minimal change in soil moisture. The sediment and phosphorous loading at both regional and field levels increased considerably (up to 40–90%) for all the biofuel feedstock scenario considered, while the nitrogen loading increased up to 45% in some regions under the BT2 Study scenario, decreased up to 10% when corn are grown continuously instead of in rotations, and changed minimally when 50% of the stover are harvested. Field level analyses revealed significant variability in hydrology and water quality impacts that can further be used to identify suitable locations for the feedstock productions without causing major impacts on water quantity and quality.« less

Hydrologic and water quality impacts of biofuel feedstock production in the Ohio River Basin

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Demissie, Yonas; Yan, Eugene; Wu, May

Our study addresses the uncertainties related to potential changes in land use and management and associated impacts on hydrology and water quality resulting from increased production of biofuel from the conventional and cellulosic feedstock. The Soil Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) was then used to assess the impacts on regional and field scale evapotranspiration, soil moisture content, stream flow, sediment, and nutrient loadings in the Ohio River Basin. The model incorporates spatially and temporally detailed hydrologic, climate and agricultural practice data that are pertinent to simulate biofuel feedstock production, watershed hydrology and water quality. Three future biofuel production scenarios in themore » region were considered, including a feedstock projection from the DOE Billion-Ton (BT2) Study, a change in corn rotations to continuous corn, and harvest of 50% corn stover. The impacts were evaluated on the basis of relative changes in hydrology and water quality from historical baseline and future business-as-usual conditions of the basin. The overall impact on water quality is an order of magnitude higher than the impact on hydrology. For all the three future scenarios, the sub-basin results indicated an overall increase in annual evapotranspiration of up to 6%, a decrease in runoff up to 10% and minimal change in soil moisture. The sediment and phosphorous loading at both regional and field levels increased considerably (up to 40–90%) for all the biofuel feedstock scenario considered, while the nitrogen loading increased up to 45% in some regions under the BT2 Study scenario, decreased up to 10% when corn are grown continuously instead of in rotations, and changed minimally when 50% of the stover are harvested. Field level analyses revealed significant variability in hydrology and water quality impacts that can further be used to identify suitable locations for the feedstock productions without causing major impacts on water quantity and quality.« less

Renewable Enhanced Feedstocks for Advanced Biofuels and Bioproducts (REFABB)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Peoples, Oliver; Snell, Kristi

The basic concept of the REFABB project was that by genetically engineering the biomass crop switchgrass to produce a natural polymer PHB, which is readily broken down by heating (thermolysis) into the chemical building block crotonic acid, sufficient additional economic value would be added for the grower and processor to make it an attractive business at small scale. Processes for using thermolysis to upgrade biomass to densified pellets (char) or bio-oil are well known and require low capital investment similar to a corn ethanol facility. Several smaller thermolysis plants would then supply the densified biomass, which is easier to handlemore » and transport to a centralized biorefinery where it would be used as the feedstock. Crotonic acid is not by itself a large volume commodity chemical, however, the project demonstrated that it can be used as a feedstock to produce a number of large volume chemicals including butanol which itself is a biofuel target. In effect the project would try to address three key technology barriers, feedstock logistics, feedstock supply and cost effective biomass conversion. This project adds to our understanding of the potential for future biomass biorefineries in two main areas. The first addressed in Task A was the importance and potential of developing an advanced value added biomass feedstock crop. In this Task several novel genetic engineering technologies were demonstrated for the first time. One important outcome was the identification of three novel genes which when re-introduced into the switchgrass plants had a remarkable impact on increasing the biomass yield based on dramatically increasing photosynthesis. These genes also turned out to be critical to increasing the levels of PHB in switchgrass by enabling the plants to fix carbon fast enough to support both plant growth and higher levels of the polymer. Challenges in the critical objective of Task B, demonstrating conversion of the PHB in biomass to crotonic acid at

Processes for liquefying carbonaceous feedstocks and related compositions

DOEpatents

MacDonnell, Frederick M.; Dennis, Brian H.; Billo, Richard E.; Priest, John W.

2017-02-28

Methods for the conversion of lignites, subbituminous coals and other carbonaceous feedstocks into synthetic oils, including oils with properties similar to light weight sweet crude oil using a solvent derived from hydrogenating oil produced by pyrolyzing lignite are set forth herein. Such methods may be conducted, for example, under mild operating conditions with a low cost stoichiometric co-reagent and/or a disposable conversion agent.

Biomass Program 2007 Program Peer Review - Feedstock Platform Summary

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

none,

This document discloses the comments provided by a review panel at the U.S. Department of Energy Office of the Biomass Program Peer Review held on November 15-16, 2007 in Baltimore, MD and the Feedstock Platform Portfolio Peer Review held on August 21st through 23rd in Washington D.C.

The role of microalgae as biodiesel feedstock in a tropical setting: Economics, agro-energy competitiveness, and potential impacts on regional agricultural feedstock production

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boll, Matias G.

The objective of this study is to obtain a realistic evaluation of the potential role of microalgae as a biodiesel feedstock in a tropical setting. First, microalgae economics are estimated, including the detailed design of a 400 ha microalgae open pond production farm together with the microalgae biomass and crude oil production costs calculations. Sensitivity analysis and a stochastic evaluation of the microalgae venture chances for profit are also included. Next, microalgae potential for biodiesel production is compared to traditional oil crops such as soybeans and African palm. This comparison is performed using the Northeast Region (NER) of Brazil as background. Six potential biodiesel feedstock sources produced in the NER and microalgae are compared considering selected environmental, economic and social sustainability indicators. Finally, in the third chapter, the study proposes a cropland allocation model for the NER. The model aims to offer insights to the decision maker concerning biofuel development strategies and their impact on regional agricultural feedstock production. In the model, cropland allocation among three agriculture feedstock sectors, namely staple food, commodity export and biofuel is optimized through the use of the multiple objective technique referred to as compromise programming (CP). Our results indicate a projected microalgae total production cost of R 78,359 ha-1 (US43,533), which has a breakdown as follows: R 34,133 ha-1 (US18,963) for operating costs and R 44,226 ha-1 (US24,570) for overhead (ownership) costs. Our stochastic analysis indicates that microalgae production under the conditions assumed in the baseline scenario of this study has a 0% chance to present a positive NPV for a microalgae crude oil price of R 1.86. This price corresponds to an international oil price around US 77 bbl-1. To obtain a reasonable investment return (IRR = 12%) from the microalgae farm, an international oil price as high as US 461 bbl-1 is

Bioenergy grass feedstock: current options and prospects for trait improvement using emerging genetic, genomic, and systems biology toolkits

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

For lignocellulosic bioenergy to become a viable alternative to traditional energy production methods, rapid increases in conversion efficiency and biomass yield must be achieved. Increased productivity in bioenergy production can be achieved through concomitant gains in processing efficiency as well as genetic improvement of feedstock that have the potential for bioenergy production at an industrial scale. The purpose of this review is to explore the genetic and genomic resource landscape for the improvement of a specific bioenergy feedstock group, the C4 bioenergy grasses. First, bioenergy grass feedstock traits relevant to biochemical conversion are examined. Then we outline genetic resources available bioenergy grasses for mapping bioenergy traits to DNA markers and genes. This is followed by a discussion of genomic tools and how they can be applied to understanding bioenergy grass feedstock trait genetic mechanisms leading to further improvement opportunities. PMID:23122416

Bioenergy grass feedstock: current options and prospects for trait improvement using emerging genetic, genomic, and systems biology toolkits.

PubMed

Feltus, Frank Alex; Vandenbrink, Joshua P

2012-11-02

For lignocellulosic bioenergy to become a viable alternative to traditional energy production methods, rapid increases in conversion efficiency and biomass yield must be achieved. Increased productivity in bioenergy production can be achieved through concomitant gains in processing efficiency as well as genetic improvement of feedstock that have the potential for bioenergy production at an industrial scale. The purpose of this review is to explore the genetic and genomic resource landscape for the improvement of a specific bioenergy feedstock group, the C4 bioenergy grasses. First, bioenergy grass feedstock traits relevant to biochemical conversion are examined. Then we outline genetic resources available bioenergy grasses for mapping bioenergy traits to DNA markers and genes. This is followed by a discussion of genomic tools and how they can be applied to understanding bioenergy grass feedstock trait genetic mechanisms leading to further improvement opportunities.

Bridging the gap between feedstock growers and users: the study of a coppice poplar-based biorefinery.

PubMed

Dou, Chang; Gustafson, Rick; Bura, Renata

2018-01-01

In the biofuel industry, land productivity is important to feedstock growers and conversion process product yield is important to the biorefinery. The crop productivity, however, may not positively correlate with bioconversion yield. Therefore, it is important to evaluate sugar yield and biomass productivity. In this study, 2-year-old poplar trees harvested in the first coppice cycle, including one low-productivity hybrid and one high-productivity hybrid, were collected from two poplar tree farms. Through steam pretreatment and enzymatic hydrolysis, the bioconversion yields of low- and high-productivity poplar hybrids were compared for both sites. The low-productivity hybrids had 9-19% higher sugar yields than the high-productivity hybrids, although they have the similar chemical composition. Economic calculations show the impact on the plantation and biorefinery of using the two feedstocks. Growing a high-productivity hybrid means the land owner would use 11-26% less land (which could be used for other crops) or collect $2.53-$3.46 MM/year extra revenue from the surplus feedstock. On the other side, the biorefinery would receive 5-10% additional revenue using the low-productivity hybrid. We propose a business model based on the integration of the plantation and the biorefinery. In this model, different feedstocks are assessed using a metric of product tonnage per unit land per year. Use of this new economic metric bridges the gap between feedstock growers and users to maximize the overall production efficiency.

Development of feedstocks for cellulosic biofuels

PubMed Central

Somerville, Chris

2012-01-01

The inclusion of cellulosic ethanol in the Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA) of 2007 and the revised Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS2) has spurred development of the first commercial scale cellulosic ethanol biorefineries. These efforts have also revived interest in the development of dedicated energy crops selected for biomass productivity and for properties that facilitate conversion of biomass to liquid fuels. While many aspects of developing these feedstocks are compatible with current agricultural activities, improving biomass productivity may provide opportunities to expand the potential for biofuel production beyond the classical research objectives associated with improving traditional food and feed crops. PMID:22615716

Marine and Freshwater Feedstocks as a Precursor for Nitrogen-Containing Carbons: A Review

PubMed Central

Ilnicka, Anna; Lukaszewicz, Jerzy P.

2018-01-01

Marine-derived as well as freshwater feedstock offers important benefits, such as abundance, morphological and structural variety, and the presence of multiple elements, including nitrogen and carbon. Therefore, these renewal resources may be useful for obtaining N- and C-containing materials that can be manufactured by various methods, such as pyrolysis and hydrothermal processes supported by means of chemical and physical activators. However, every synthesis concept relies on an efficient transfer of nitrogen and carbon from marine/freshwater feedstock to the final product. This paper reviews the advantages of marine feedstock over synthetic and natural but non-marine resources as precursors for the manufacturing of N-doped activated carbons. The manufacturing procedure influences some crucial properties of nitrogen-doped carbon materials, such as pore structure and the chemical composition of the surface. An extensive review is given on the relationship between carbon materials manufacturing from marine feedstock and the elemental content of nitrogen, together with a description of the chemical bonding of nitrogen atoms at the surface. N-doped carbons may serve as effective adsorbents for the removal of pollutants from the gas or liquid phase. Non-recognized areas of adsorption-based applications for nitrogen-doped carbons are presented, too. The paper proves that nitrogen-doped carbon materials belong to most of the prospective electrode materials for electrochemical energy conversion and storage technologies such as fuel cells, air–metal batteries, and supercapacitors, as well as for bioimaging. The reviewed material belongs to the widely understood field of marine biotechnology in relation to marine natural products. PMID:29701697

Fractional condensation of pyrolysis vapors produced from Nordic feedstocks in cyclone pyrolysis

DOE PAGES

Johansson, Ann-Christine; Lisa, Kristiina; Sandström, Linda; ...

2016-12-06

Pyrolysis oil is a complex mixture of different chemical compounds with a wide range of molecular weights and boiling points. Due to its complexity, an efficient fractionation of the oil may be a more promising approach of producing liquid fuels and chemicals than treating the whole oil. In this work a sampling system based on fractional condensation was attached to a cyclone pyrolysis pilot plant to enable separation of the produced pyrolysis vapors into five oil fractions. The sampling system was composed of cyclonic condensers and coalescing filters arranged in series. Our objective was to characterize the oil fractions producedmore » from three different Nordic feedstocks and suggest possible applications. The oil fractions were thoroughly characterized using several analytical techniques including water content; elemental composition; heating value, and chemical compound group analysis using solvent fractionation, quantitative 13C NMR and 1H NMR and GC x GC - TOFMS. The results show that the oil fractions significantly differ from each other both in chemical and physical properties. The first fractions and the fraction composed of aerosols were highly viscous and contained larger energy-rich compounds of mainly lignin-derived material. The middle fraction contained medium-size compounds with relatively high concentration of water, sugars, alcohols, hydrocarbonyls and acids and finally the last fraction contained smaller molecules such as water, aldehydes, ketones and acids. But, the properties of the respective fractions seem independent on the studied feedstock types, i.e. the respective fractions produced from different feedstock are rather similar. Furthermore, this promotes the possibility to vary the feedstock depending on availability while retaining the oil properties. Possible applications of the five fractions vary from oil for combustion and extraction of the pyrolytic lignin in the early fractions to extraction of sugars from the early and middle

Development and use of bioenergy feedstocks for semi-arid and arid lands

DOE PAGES

Cushman, John C.; Davis, Sarah C.; Yang, Xiaohan; ...

2015-04-01

Here we report that global climate change is predicted to increase heat, drought, and soil-drying conditions, and thereby increase crop sensitivity to water vapour pressure deficit, resulting in productivity losses. Increasing competition between agricultural freshwater use and municipal or industrial uses suggest that crops with greater heat and drought durability and greater water-use efficiency will be crucial for sustainable biomass production systems in the future. Agave (Agavaceae) and Opuntia (Cactaceae) represent highly water-use efficient bioenergy crops that could diversify bioenergy feedstock supply yet preserve or expand feedstock production into semi-arid, abandoned, or degraded agricultural lands, and reclaim drylands. Agave andmore » Opuntia are crassulacean acid metabolism species that can achieve high water-use efficiencies and grow in water-limited areas with insufficient precipitation to support traditional C 3 or C 4 bioenergy crops. Both Agave and Opuntia have the potential to produce above-ground biomass rivalling that of C 3 and C 4 crops under optimal growing conditions. The low lignin and high amorphous cellulose contents of Agave and Opuntia lignocellulosic biomass will be less recalcitrant to deconstruction than traditional feedstocks, as confirmed by pretreatments that improve saccharification of Agave. Refined environmental productivity indices and geographical information systems modelling have provided estimates of Agave and Opuntia biomass productivity and terrestrial sequestration of atmospheric CO 2; however, the accuracy of such modelling efforts can be improved through the expansion of field trials in diverse geographical settings. Lastly, we note that life cycle analysis indicates that Agave would have productivity, life cycle energy, and greenhouse gas balances comparable or superior to those of traditional bioenergy feedstocks, but would be far more water-use efficient.« less

Development and use of bioenergy feedstocks for semi-arid and arid lands

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cushman, John C.; Davis, Sarah C.; Yang, Xiaohan

Here we report that global climate change is predicted to increase heat, drought, and soil-drying conditions, and thereby increase crop sensitivity to water vapour pressure deficit, resulting in productivity losses. Increasing competition between agricultural freshwater use and municipal or industrial uses suggest that crops with greater heat and drought durability and greater water-use efficiency will be crucial for sustainable biomass production systems in the future. Agave (Agavaceae) and Opuntia (Cactaceae) represent highly water-use efficient bioenergy crops that could diversify bioenergy feedstock supply yet preserve or expand feedstock production into semi-arid, abandoned, or degraded agricultural lands, and reclaim drylands. Agave andmore » Opuntia are crassulacean acid metabolism species that can achieve high water-use efficiencies and grow in water-limited areas with insufficient precipitation to support traditional C 3 or C 4 bioenergy crops. Both Agave and Opuntia have the potential to produce above-ground biomass rivalling that of C 3 and C 4 crops under optimal growing conditions. The low lignin and high amorphous cellulose contents of Agave and Opuntia lignocellulosic biomass will be less recalcitrant to deconstruction than traditional feedstocks, as confirmed by pretreatments that improve saccharification of Agave. Refined environmental productivity indices and geographical information systems modelling have provided estimates of Agave and Opuntia biomass productivity and terrestrial sequestration of atmospheric CO 2; however, the accuracy of such modelling efforts can be improved through the expansion of field trials in diverse geographical settings. Lastly, we note that life cycle analysis indicates that Agave would have productivity, life cycle energy, and greenhouse gas balances comparable or superior to those of traditional bioenergy feedstocks, but would be far more water-use efficient.« less

Fractional condensation of pyrolysis vapors produced from Nordic feedstocks in cyclone pyrolysis

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Johansson, Ann-Christine; Lisa, Kristiina; Sandström, Linda

Pyrolysis oil is a complex mixture of different chemical compounds with a wide range of molecular weights and boiling points. Due to its complexity, an efficient fractionation of the oil may be a more promising approach of producing liquid fuels and chemicals than treating the whole oil. In this work a sampling system based on fractional condensation was attached to a cyclone pyrolysis pilot plant to enable separation of the produced pyrolysis vapors into five oil fractions. The sampling system was composed of cyclonic condensers and coalescing filters arranged in series. Our objective was to characterize the oil fractions producedmore » from three different Nordic feedstocks and suggest possible applications. The oil fractions were thoroughly characterized using several analytical techniques including water content; elemental composition; heating value, and chemical compound group analysis using solvent fractionation, quantitative 13C NMR and 1H NMR and GC x GC - TOFMS. The results show that the oil fractions significantly differ from each other both in chemical and physical properties. The first fractions and the fraction composed of aerosols were highly viscous and contained larger energy-rich compounds of mainly lignin-derived material. The middle fraction contained medium-size compounds with relatively high concentration of water, sugars, alcohols, hydrocarbonyls and acids and finally the last fraction contained smaller molecules such as water, aldehydes, ketones and acids. But, the properties of the respective fractions seem independent on the studied feedstock types, i.e. the respective fractions produced from different feedstock are rather similar. Furthermore, this promotes the possibility to vary the feedstock depending on availability while retaining the oil properties. Possible applications of the five fractions vary from oil for combustion and extraction of the pyrolytic lignin in the early fractions to extraction of sugars from the early and middle

Methods of refining and producing dibasic esters and acids from natural oil feedstocks

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Snead, Thomas E; Cohen, Steven A; Gildon, Demond L

2015-04-07

Methods are provided for refining natural oil feedstocks and producing dibasic esters and/or dibasic acids. The methods comprise reacting a terminal olefin with an internal olefin in the presence of a metathesis catalyst to form a dibasic ester and/or dibasic acid. In certain embodiments, the olefin esters are formed by reacting the feedstock in the presence of a metathesis catalyst under conditions sufficient to form a metathesized product comprising olefins and esters, separating the olefins from the esters in the metathesized product, and transesterifying the esters in the presence of an alcohol to form a transesterified product having olefin esters.

Methods of refining and producing dibasic esters and acids from natural oil feedstocks

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Snead, Thomas E.; Cohen, Steven A.; Gildon, Demond L.

2016-03-15

Methods are provided for refining natural oil feedstocks and producing dibasic esters and/or dibasic acids. The methods comprise reacting a terminal olefin with an internal olefin in the presence of a metathesis catalyst to form a dibasic ester and/or dibasic acid. In certain embodiments, the olefin esters are formed by reacting the feedstock in the presence of a metathesis catalyst under conditions sufficient to form a metathesized product comprising olefins and esters, separating the olefins from the esters in the metathesized product, and transesterifying the esters in the presence of an alcohol to form a transesterified product having olefin esters.

Lignin-based monomers: Utilization in high-performance polymers and the effects of their structures on polymer properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stanzione, Joseph F., III

With the uncertainty of petroleum reserves and future crude oil prices, lignocellulosic biomass is becoming an increasingly valuable resource for the sustainable development of fuels, chemicals, and materials, including vinyl ester resins (VERs). Petroleum-based VERs are used to produce polymer composites for a wide variety of commercial applications. Although possessing relatively high moduli, strengths, and glass transition temperatures, commercial VERs typically contain high concentrations of a reactive diluent, such as styrene. However, these reactive diluents are often considered hazardous air pollutants (HAPs), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and anticipated carcinogens. Moreover, bisphenol-A, which has gained considerable attention due to potential associated health-related issues, is utilized as a precursor in the synthesis of VERs. A green chemistry and engineering approach in the development of new VERs and renewable reactive diluents that are based on lignin is presented in this dissertation. Lignin, which is currently an abundant, renewable waste product of the paper and pulping industry, is primarily burned as a low value fuel. However, lignin has the potential to be a low cost feedstock in future lignocellulosic biorefineries that could yield highly valuable aromatic chemicals (lignin model compounds, LMCs) when strategically depolymerized. The incorporation of aromaticity in a resin's chemical structure is known to improve overall polymer composite performance and the high aromatic content found in lignin is ideal for novel resin development. Highlighted in this dissertation are three projects: (1) the synthesis and characterization of a lignin-based bio-oil resin/reactive diluent, (2) the use of functionalized LMCs as styrene replacements in VERs, and (3) the synthesis and characterization of a vanillin-based resin. Through the use of traditional and new polymer theory coupled with spectroscopic, thermal, and mechanical techniques, structure

Phenolic acid sorption to biochars from mixtures of feedstock materials

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

In an effort to customize biochars for soil amendments, multiple feedstocks have been combined in various ratios prior to pyrolysis. The resulting variation in the chemistry and structure can affect a biochar’s adsorption capacity, which influences the bioavailability of many chemical compounds in t...

Utilizing LEAF to increase biomass feedstock supplies from agricultural land

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The start-up of three full-scale corn stover bioenergy conversion facilities in 2014 will require a substantial increase in sustainable biomass feedstock. Supplying crop residues without having a negative impact on ecosystem services is indeed a “grand challenge” associated with sustainable food and...

Seeded-yet-sterile biomass feedstocks: Kinggrass and pearl millet-napiergrass

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Kinggrass (Pennisetum purpureum Schumach. x P. glaucum [L.] R. Br.) and Pearl Millet-Napiergrass (PMN; P. glaucum x P. purpureum) are unique among energy grasses as 'Seeded-yet-Sterile' feedstocks, derived from fertile parents capable of producing significant quantities of hybrid seed while being st...

Comparing Effects of Feedstock and Run Conditions on Pyrolysis Products Produced at Pilot-Scale

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dunning, Timothy C; Gaston, Katherine R; Wilcox, Esther

2018-01-19

Fast pyrolysis is a promising pathway for mass production of liquid transportable biofuels. The Thermochemical Process Development Unit (TCPDU) pilot plant at NREL is conducting research to support the Bioenergy Technologies Office's 2017 goal of a $3 per gallon biofuel. In preparation for down select of feedstock and run conditions, four different feedstocks were run at three different run conditions. The products produced were characterized extensively. Hot pyrolysis vapors and light gasses were analyzed on a slip stream, and oil and char samples were characterized post run.

Forecasting the zeolite-containing catalyst activity in catalytic cracking technology taking into account the feedstock composition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ivashkina, Elena; Nazarova, Galina; Shafran, Tatyana; Stebeneva, Valeriya

2017-08-01

The effect of the feedstock composition and the process conditions on the current catalyst activity in catalytic cracking technology using a mathematical model is performed in this research. The mathematical model takes into account the catalyst deactivation by coke for primary and secondary cracking reactions. The investigation results have shown that the feedstock has significant effect on the yield and the content of coke on the catalyst. Thus, the relative catalyst activity is significantly reduced by 7.5-10.7 %. With increasing the catalytic cracking temperature due to the catalyst flow temperature rising, the coke content and the yield per feedstock increase and the catalyst activity decreases by 5.3-7.7%. Rising the process temperature together with the catalyst circulation ratio contributes to increase of the coke yield per feedstock in the catalytic cracking and decrease of the coke content on the catalyst. It is connected with the catalyst flow rising to the riser and the contact time decreasing in the reaction zone. Also, the catalyst activity decreases in the range of 3.8-5.5% relatively to the regenerated catalyst activity (83 %).

Drought effects on composition and yield for corn stover, mixed grasses, and Miscanthus as bioenergy feedstocks

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rachel Emerson; Amber Hoover; Allison Ray

2014-11-01

Drought conditions in 2012 were some of the most severe reported in the United States. It is necessary to explore the effects of drought on the quality attributes of current and potential bioenergy feedstocks. Compositional analysis data for corn stover, Miscanthus, and CRP grasses from one or more locations for years 2010 (normal precipitation levels) and 2012 (a known severe drought year nationally) was collected. Results & discussion: The general trend for samples that experienced drought was an increase in extractives and a decrease in structural sugars and lignin. The TEY yields were calculated to determine the drought effects onmore » ethanol production. All three feedstocks had a decrease of 12-14% in TEY when only decreases of carbohydrate content was analyzed. When looking at the compounded effect of both carbohydrate content and the decreases in dry matter loss for each feedstock there was a TEY decrease of 25%-59%. Conclusion: Drought had a significant impact on the quality of all three bioenergy crops. In all cases where drought was experienced both the quality of the feedstock and the yield decreased. These drought induced effects could have significant economic impacts on biorefineries.« less

Genetic Improvement of Switchgrass and Other Herbaceous Plants for Use as Biomass Fuel Feedstock

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Vogel, K.P.

2001-01-11

It should be highly feasible to genetically modify the feedstock quality of switchgrass and other herbaceous plants using both conventional and molecular breeding techniques. Effectiveness of breeding to modify herbages of switchgrass and other perennial and annual herbaceous species has already been demonstrated. The use of molecular markers and transformation technology will greatly enhance the capability of breeders to modify the plant structure and cell walls of herbaceous plants. It will be necessary to monitor gene flow to remnant wild populations of plants and have strategies available to curtail gene flow if it becomes a potential problem. It also willmore » be necessary to monitor plant survival and long-term productivity as affected by genetic changes that improve forage quality. Information on the conversion processes that will be used and the biomass characteristics that affect conversion efficiency and rate is absolutely essential as well as information on the relative economic value of specific traits. Because most forage or biomass quality characteristics are highly affected by plant maturity, it is suggested that plant material of specific maturity stages be used in research to determining desirable feedstock quality characteristics. Plant material could be collected at various stages of development from an array of environments and storage conditions that could be used in conversion research. The same plant material could be used to develop NIRS calibrations that could be used by breeders in their selection programs and also to develop criteria for a feedstock quality assessment program. Breeding for improved feedstock quality will likely affect the rate of improvement of biomass production per acre. If the same level of resources are used, multi-trait breeding simply reduces the selection pressure and hence the breeding progress that can be made for a single trait unless all the traits are highly correlated. Since desirable feedstock traits are

Non-flowering Sorghum spp. hybrids: Perennial, sterile, high-biomass feedstocks

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Perennial Sorghum spp. hybrids such as Columbusgrass (Sorghum almum Parodi; S. bicolor [L.] Moench x S. halepense [L.] Pers.) and the reciprocal hybridization (S. halepense x S. bicolor; e.g. Cv 'Krish') are high-biomass forage feedstocks. Utilization of such hybrids is limited, however, by both th...

Native Silk Feedstock as a Model Biopolymer: A Rheological Perspective.

PubMed

Laity, Peter R; Holland, Chris

2016-08-08

Variability in silk's rheology is often regarded as an impediment to understanding or successfully copying the natural spinning process. We have previously reported such variability in unspun native silk extracted straight from the gland of the domesticated silkworm Bombyx mori and discounted classical explanations such as differences in molecular weight and concentration. We now report that variability in oscillatory measurements can be reduced onto a simple master-curve through normalizing with respect to the crossover. This remarkable result suggests that differences between silk feedstocks are rheologically simple and not as complex as originally thought. By comparison, solutions of poly(ethylene-oxide) and hydroxypropyl-methyl-cellulose showed similar normalization behavior; however, the resulting curves were broader than for silk, suggesting greater polydispersity in the (semi)synthetic materials. Thus, we conclude Nature may in fact produce polymer feedstocks that are more consistent than typical man-made counterparts as a model for future rheological investigations.

Biodiesel production with microalgae as feedstock: from strains to biodiesel.

PubMed

Gong, Yangmin; Jiang, Mulan

2011-07-01

Due to negative environmental influence and limited availability, petroleum-derived fuels need to be replaced by renewable biofuels. Biodiesel has attracted intensive attention as an important biofuel. Microalgae have numerous advantages for biodiesel production over many terrestrial plants. There are a series of consecutive processes for biodiesel production with microalgae as feedstock, including selection of adequate microalgal strains, mass culture, cell harvesting, oil extraction and transesterification. To reduce the overall production cost, technology development and process optimization are necessary. Genetic engineering also plays an important role in manipulating lipid biosynthesis in microalgae. Many approaches, such as sequestering carbon dioxide from industrial plants for the carbon source, using wastewater for the nutrient supply, and maximizing the values of by-products, have shown a potential for cost reduction. This review provides a brief overview of the process of biodiesel production with microalgae as feedstock. The methods associated with this process (e.g. lipid determination, mass culture, oil extraction) are also compared and discussed.

Evaluating the Potential of Marginal Land for Cellulosic Feedstock Production and Carbon Sequestration in the United States.

PubMed

Emery, Isaac; Mueller, Steffen; Qin, Zhangcai; Dunn, Jennifer B

2017-01-03

Land availability for growing feedstocks at scale is a crucial concern for the bioenergy industry. Feedstock production on land not well-suited to growing conventional crops, or marginal land, is often promoted as ideal, although there is a poor understanding of the qualities, quantity, and distribution of marginal lands in the United States. We examine the spatial distribution of land complying with several key marginal land definitions at the United States county, agro-ecological zone, and national scales, and compare the ability of both marginal land and land cover data sets to identify regions for feedstock production. We conclude that very few land parcels comply with multiple definitions of marginal land. Furthermore, to examine possible carbon-flow implications of feedstock production on land that could be considered marginal per multiple definitions, we model soil carbon changes upon transitions from marginal cropland, grassland, and cropland-pastureland to switchgrass production for three marginal land-rich counties. Our findings suggest that total soil organic carbon changes per county are small, and generally positive, and can influence life-cycle greenhouse gas emissions of switchgrass ethanol.

Co-production of bioethanol and probiotic yeast biomass from agricultural feedstock: application of the rural biorefinery concept.

PubMed

Hull, Claire M; Loveridge, E Joel; Donnison, Iain S; Kelly, Diane E; Kelly, Steven L

2014-01-01

Microbial biotechnology and biotransformations promise to diversify the scope of the biorefinery approach for the production of high-value products and biofuels from industrial, rural and municipal waste feedstocks. In addition to bio-based chemicals and metabolites, microbial biomass itself constitutes an obvious but overlooked by-product of existing biofermentation systems which warrants fuller attention. The probiotic yeast Saccharomyces boulardii is used to treat gastrointestinal disorders and marketed as a human health supplement. Despite its relatedness to S. cerevisiae that is employed widely in biotechnology, food and biofuel industries, the alternative applications of S. boulardii are not well studied. Using a biorefinery approach, we compared the bioethanol and biomass yields attainable from agriculturally-sourced grass juice using probiotic S. boulardii (strain MYA-769) and a commercial S. cerevisiae brewing strain (Turbo yeast). Maximum product yields for MYA-769 (39.18 [±2.42] mg ethanol mL(-1) and 4.96 [±0.15] g dry weight L(-1)) compared closely to those of Turbo (37.43 [±1.99] mg mL(-1) and 4.78 [±0.10] g L(-1), respectively). Co-production, marketing and/or on-site utilisation of probiotic yeast biomass as a direct-fed microbial to improve livestock health represents a novel and viable prospect for rural biorefineries. Given emergent evidence to suggest that dietary yeast supplementations might also mitigate ruminant enteric methane emissions, the administration of probiotic yeast biomass could also offer an economically feasible way of reducing atmospheric CH4.

Effects of Humidity On the Flow Characteristics of PS304 Plasma Spray Feedstock Powder Blend

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stanford, Malcolm K.; DellaCorte, Christopher

2002-01-01

The effects of environmental humidity on the flow characteristics of PS304 feedstock have been investigated. Angular and spherical BaF2-CaF2 powder was fabricated by comminution and by atomization, respectively. The fluorides were added incrementally to the nichrome, chromia, and silver powders to produce PS304 feedstock. The powders were dried in a vacuum oven and cooled to a Tom temperature under dry nitrogen. The flow of the powder was studied from 2 to 100 percent relative humidity (RH) The results suggest that the feedstock flow is slightly degraded with increasing humidity below 66 percent RH and is more affected above 66 percent RH. There was no flow above 88 percent RH. Narrower particle size distributions of the angular fluorides allowed flow up to 95 percent RH. These results offer guidance that enhances the commercial potential for this material system.

Analysis of Biomass Feedstock Availability and Variability for the Peace River Region of Alberta, Canada

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Stephen, Jamie; Sokhansanj, Shahabaddine; Bi, X.T.

2009-11-01

Biorefineries or other biomass-dependent facilities require a predictable, dependable feedstock supplied over many years to justify capital investments. Determining inter-year variability in biomass availability is essential to quantifying the feedstock supply risk. Using a geographic information system (GIS) and historic crop yield data, average production was estimated for 10 sites in the Peace River region of Alberta, Canada. Four high-yielding potential sites were investigated for variability over a 20 year time-frame (1980 2000). The range of availability was large, from double the average in maximum years to nothing in minimum years. Biomass availability is a function of grain yield, themore » biomass to grain ratio, the cropping frequency, and residue retention rate to ensure future crop productivity. Storage strategies must be implemented and alternate feedstock sources identified to supply biomass processing facilities in low-yield years.« less

The Effect of Particles Shape and Size on Feedstock Flowibility and Chemical content of As-sintered NiTi Alloys

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kadir, R. A. Abdul; Razali, R.; Mohamad Nor, N. H.; Subuki, I.; Ismail, M. H.

2018-05-01

This paper presents a comparative study of two different titanium powders in fabrication of NiTi alloys by metal injection moulding (MIM) route. Two batches of powder mixture consisted of Ni-Ti and Ni-TiH2 with atomic ratio (at%) of 50-50 were prepared. TiH2 powder was used as a substitution for pure Ti powder owing to its relatively cheaper cost and has been claimed favourable in producing less impurity uptake in sintering process. The binder system used for both mixtures comprised of composite binder of palm stearin (PS) and polyethylene (PE) at weigth ratio (wt%) of 60-40. The flow behaviour of the mixtures was analysed using a capillary rheometer at different shear rates and temperatures. The results showed that owing to irregular shape of TiH2 compared to Ti powder, the viscosity of the feedstock was significantly higher, thus required greater temperature in order to improve the mouldability of the feedstock. Nevertheless, both feedstocks exhibited pseudoplastic, a shear thinning behavior with shear rate and temperature, desirable properties for injection moulding process. Samples prepared with Ni-Ti feedstock were sintered in a high vacuum furnace, while Ni-TiH2 feedstock was sintered in a tube furnace under a flowing of Argon gas. The results showed that the impurity contents (Carbon and Oxygen) for both feedstocks were almost comparable, suggesting NiTi alloy samples prepared with TiH2 powder is an attractive route for manufacturing of NiTi alloys.

Corn stover hydrolysate, a lignocellulosic feedstock for polyhydroxyalkanoate biosynthesis: property manipulation using a co-feed strategy with levulinic acid

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Lignocellulosic feedstocks are interesting materials for bio-based product synthesis because of their availability and cheap cost. Our laboratory utilized corn stover hydrolysate (CSH) as a base feedstock for bacterially-derived polyhydroxyalkanoate biopolymer synthesis. Burkholderia sacchari DSM 17...

Aquatic weeds as the next generation feedstock for sustainable bioenergy production.

PubMed

Kaur, Manpreet; Kumar, Manoj; Sachdeva, Sarita; Puri, S K

2018-03-01

Increasing oil prices and depletion of existing fossil fuel reserves, combined with the continuous rise in greenhouse gas emissions, have fostered the need to explore and develop new renewable bioenergy feedstocks that do not require arable land and freshwater resources. In this regard, prolific biomass growth of invasive aquatic weeds in wastewater has gained much attention in recent years in utilizing them as a potential feedstock for bioenergy production. Aquatic weeds have an exceptionally higher reproduction rates and are rich in cellulose and hemicellulose with a very low lignin content that makes them an efficient next generation biofuel crop. Considering their potential as an effective phytoremediators, this review presents a model of integrated aquatic biomass production, phytoremediation and bioenergy generation to reduce the land, fresh water and fertilizer usage for sustainable and economical bioenergy. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Process for the conversion of carbonaceous feedstocks to particulate carbon and methanol

DOEpatents

Steinberg, M.; Grohse, E.W.

1995-06-27

A process is described for the production of a pollutant-free particulate carbon (i.e., a substantially ash-, sulfur- and nitrogen-free carbon) from carbonaceous feedstocks. The basic process involves de-oxygenating one of the gas streams formed in a cyclic hydropyrolysis-methane pyrolysis process in order to improve conversion of the initial carbonaceous feedstock. De-oxygenation is effected by catalytically converting carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, and hydrogen contained in one of the pyrolysis gas streams, preferably the latter, to a methanol co-product. There are thus produced two products whose use is known per se, viz., a substantially pollutant-free particulate carbon black and methanol. These products may be admixed in the form of a liquid slurry of carbon black in methanol. 3 figs.

Process for the conversion of carbonaceous feedstocks to particulate carbon and methanol

DOEpatents

Steinberg, Meyer; Grohse, Edward W.

1995-01-01

A process for the production of a pollutant-free particulate carbon (i.e., a substantially ash-, sulfur- and nitrogen-free carbon) from carbonaceous feedstocks. The basic process involves de-oxygenating one of the gas streams formed in a cyclic hydropyrolysis-methane pyrolysis process in order to improve conversion of the initial carbonaceous feedstock. De-oxygenation is effected by catalytically converting carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, and hydrogen contained in one of the pyrolysis gas streams, preferably the latter, to a methanol co-product. There are thus produced two products whose use is known per se, viz., a substantially pollutant-free particulate carbon black and methanol. These products may be admixed in the form of a liquid slurry of carbon black in methanol.

Novel Biocatalytic Platform for Ethanol Production from Lignocellulosic Feedstock

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chen, Chyi-Shin; Tachea, Firehiwot; Brown, Sarah

2017-01-23

The goals of the CRADA were achieved by illustrating the scalability of immobilized yeast technology, demonstrating lignocellulosic feedstock consumption by the immobilized cells, and confirming Microvi’s proprietary polymer matrix ethanol toxicity tolerance. We conducted fermentations at 2L and 300L scales. For carbon source, we performed pretreatment and saccharification at 100L scale to produce lignocellulosic sugars with glucose and xylose.

Prediction of carboxylic and polyphenolic chemical feedstock quantities in sweet sorghum

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Quantitative chemical phenotyping is on increasing demand to develop sweet sorghum genotypes targeted to accumulate carboxylate and polyphenolic secondary products as the plant-derived feedstocks for renewable biobased products including plastics. Of 24 sweet sorghum genotypes investigated, No.5 Ga...

Optimization of pineapple pulp residue hydrolysis for lipid production by Rhodotorula glutinis TISTR5159 using as biodiesel feedstock.

PubMed

Tinoi, Jidapha; Rakariyatham, Nuansri

2016-08-01

The higher lipid productivity of Rhodotorula glutinis TISTR5159 was achieved by optimizing the pineapple pulp hydrolysis for releasing the high sugars content. The sequential simplex method operated by varied; solid-to-liquid ratio, sulfuric acid concentration, temperature, and hydrolysis time were successfully applied and the highest sugar content (83.2 g/L) evaluated at a solid-to-liquid ratio of 1:10.8, 3.2% sulfuric acid, 105 °C for 13.9 min. Moreover, the (NH4)2SO4 supplement enhanced the lipid productivity and gave the maximum yields of biomass and lipid of 15.2 g/L and 9.15 g/L (60.2%), respectively. The C16 and C18 fatty acids were found as main components included oleic acid (55.8%), palmitic acid (16.6%), linoleic acid (11.9%), and stearic acid (7.8%). These results present the possibility to convert the sugars in pineapple pulp hydrolysate to lipids. The fatty acid profile was also similar to vegetable oils. Thus, it could be used as potential feedstock for biodiesel production.

Jet fuel from 18 cool-season oilseed feedstocks in a semi-arid environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Allen, Brett; Jabro, Jay

2017-04-01

Renewable jet fuel feedstocks can potentially offset the demand for petroleum based transportation resources, diversify cropping systems, and provide numerous ecosystem services . However, identifying suitable feedstock supplies remains a primary constraint to adoption. A 4-yr, multi-site experiment initiated in fall 2012 investigated the yield potential of six winter- and twelve spring-types of cool-season oilseed feedstocks. Sidney, MT (250 mm annual growing season precipitation) was one of eight sites in the western USA with others in Colorado, Idaho, Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota, Oregon, and Texas. Winter types of Camelina sativa (1), Brassica napus (4), and B. rapa (1) were planted in mid-September, while spring types of Camelina sativa (1), B. napus (4), B. rapa (1), B. juncea (2), B. carinata (2), and Sinapis alba (2) were planted in early to late April. Seeding rates varied by entry and were between 4 to 11 kg/ha. All plots were under no-till management. Plots were 3 by 9 m with each treatment (oilseed entry) replicated four times. Camelina 'Joelle' was the only fall-seeded entry that survived winters with little to no snow cover on plots and where minimum air temperature reached -32°C. Stands of 'Joelle' in the spring of all years were excellent. 'Joelle' plots were typically harvested in July, while spring types were harvested 2-6 weeks later. Severe hailstorms during the late growing seasons of 2013 and 2015 resulted in up to 95% seed loss, preventing normal seed yield harvest of spring types. The B. carinata and spring camelina were the least and most susceptible to hail damage during plant maturity, respectively. 'Joelle' winter camelina was harvested before the severe weather in both years, showing the benefit of an early maturing crop in regions prone to late season hail. Overall, camelina was the only winter type that showed potential as an oilseed feedstock due to its superior winter hardiness. For spring types, B. napus, Camelina sativa, and B

Replication of microchannel structures in WC-Co feedstock using elastomeric replica moulds by hot embossing process.

PubMed

Sahli, M; Gelin, J-C; Barrière, T

2015-10-01

Hot embossing is a net shaping process that is able to produce the micro-components of polymers with intrinsic and complex shapes at lower cost compared with machining and injection moulding. However, the emboss of hard metals, such as WC-Co, is more challenging due to their high thermal conductivity and ease of agglomeration. Thus, a WC-Co alloy mixed with a wax-based binder feedstock was selected. The formed feedstock exhibited pseudo-plastic flow and was successfully embossed (green part). Here, we developed a novel process that is used to replicate polymer microfluidic chips while simultaneously reducing the channel surface roughness of the mould insert, yielding optical-grade (less than 100 nm surface roughness) channels and reservoirs. This paper concerns the replication of metallic microfluidic mould inserts in WC-Co and the parameters associated with feedstock formation via a hot embossing process. A suitable formulation for micro-powder hot embossing has been established and characterised by thermogravimetric analyses and measurements of mixing torques to verify and quantify the homogeneity of the proposed feedstocks. The relative density of the samples increased with processing temperature, and almost fully dense materials were obtained. In this work, the effects of the sintering temperature on the physical properties were systematically analysed. The evolution of the metal surface morphology during the hot embossing process was also investigated. The results indicate that the feedstock can be used to manufacture micro-fluidic die mould cavities with a low roughness, proper dimensions and good shape retention. The shrinkage of the sintered part was approximately 19-24% compared with that of the brown part. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Rapid analysis of composition and reactivity in cellulosic biomass feedstocks with near-infrared spectroscopy.

PubMed

Payne, Courtney E; Wolfrum, Edward J

2015-01-01

Obtaining accurate chemical composition and reactivity (measures of carbohydrate release and yield) information for biomass feedstocks in a timely manner is necessary for the commercialization of biofuels. Our objective was to use near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy and partial least squares (PLS) multivariate analysis to develop calibration models to predict the feedstock composition and the release and yield of soluble carbohydrates generated by a bench-scale dilute acid pretreatment and enzymatic hydrolysis assay. Major feedstocks included in the calibration models are corn stover, sorghum, switchgrass, perennial cool season grasses, rice straw, and miscanthus. We present individual model statistics to demonstrate model performance and validation samples to more accurately measure predictive quality of the models. The PLS-2 model for composition predicts glucan, xylan, lignin, and ash (wt%) with uncertainties similar to primary measurement methods. A PLS-2 model was developed to predict glucose and xylose release following pretreatment and enzymatic hydrolysis. An additional PLS-2 model was developed to predict glucan and xylan yield. PLS-1 models were developed to predict the sum of glucose/glucan and xylose/xylan for release and yield (grams per gram). The release and yield models have higher uncertainties than the primary methods used to develop the models. It is possible to build effective multispecies feedstock models for composition, as well as carbohydrate release and yield. The model for composition is useful for predicting glucan, xylan, lignin, and ash with good uncertainties. The release and yield models have higher uncertainties; however, these models are useful for rapidly screening sample populations to identify unusual samples.

Breeding Energy Cane Cultivars as a Biomass Feedstock for Coal Replacement

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Research and advanced breeding have demonstrated that energy cane possesses all of the attributes desirable in a biofuel feedstock: extremely good biomass yield in a small farming footprint; negative/neutral carbon footprint; maximum outputs from minimum inputs; well-established growing model for fa...

Nutrient contributions and biogas potential of co-digestion of feedstocks and dairy manure.

PubMed

Ma, Guiling; Neibergs, J Shannon; Harrison, Joseph H; Whitefield, Elizabeth M

2017-06-01

This study focused on collection of data on nutrient flow and biogas yield at a commercial anaerobic digester managed with dairy manure from a 1000 cow dairy and co-digestion of additional feedstocks. Feedstocks included: blood, fish, paper pulp, out of date beverages and grease trap waste. Mass flow of inputs and outputs, nutrient concentration of inputs and outputs, and biogas yield were obtained. It was determined that manure was the primary source of nutrients to the anaerobic digester when co-digested with feedstocks. The percentage of contribution from manure to the total nutrient inputs for total nitrogen, ammonia-nitrogen, phosphorus and total solids was 46.3%, 67.7%, 32.8% and 23.4%, respectively. On average, manure contributed the greatest amount of total nitrogen and ammonia-nitrogen. Grease trap waste contributed the greatest amount of phosphorus and total solids at approximately 50%. Results demonstrated that a reliable estimate of nutrient inflow could be obtained from the product of the nutrient analyses of a single daily composite of influent subsamples times the total daily flow estimated with an in-line flow meter. This approach to estimate total daily nutrient inflow would be more cost effective than testing and summing the contribution of individual feedstocks. Data collected after liquid-solid separation confirmed that the majority (>75%) of nutrients remain with the liquid effluent portion of the manure stream. It was demonstrated that the ash concentration in solids before and after composting could be used to estimate the mass balance of total solids during the compost process. This data confirms that biogas or methane yield could be accurately measured from the ratio of % volatile solids to % total solids. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Water Atomization of Barium Fluoride: Calcium Fluoride for Enhanced Flow Characteristics of PS304 Feedstock Powder Blend

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stanford, Malcolm K.; DellaCorte, Christopher

2003-01-01

PS304 is a plasma spray deposited solid lubricant coating with feedstock composed of NiCr, Cr2O3, Ag, and BaF2-CaF2 powders. The effects of rounded BaF2-CaF2 particles on the gravity-fed flow characteristics of PS304 feedstock have been investigated. The BaF2-CaF2 powder was fabricated by water atomization using four sets of process parameters. Each of these powders was then characterized by microscopy and classified by screening to obtain 45 to 106 micron particles and added incrementally from 0 to 10 wt% to the other constituents of the PS304 feedstock, namely nichrome, chromia, and silver powders. The relationship between feedstock flow rate, measured with the Hall flowmeter, and concentration of fluorides was found to be linear in each case. The slopes of the lines were between those of the linear relationships previously reported using angular and spherical fluorides and were closer to the relationship predicted using the rule of mixtures. The results offer a fluoride fabrication technique potentially more cost-effective than gas atomization processes or traditional comminution processes.

Evaluating the Potential of Marginal Land for Cellulosic Feedstock Production and Carbon Sequestration in the United States

DOE PAGES

Emery, Isaac; Mueller, Steffen; Qin, Zhangcai; ...

2016-12-01

Land availability for growing feedstocks at scale is a crucial concern for the bioenergy industry. Feedstock production on land not well-suited to growing conventional crops, or marginal land, is often promoted as ideal, although there is a poor understanding of the qualities, quantity, and distribution of marginal lands in the United States. In this paper, we examine the spatial distribution of land complying with several key marginal land definitions at the United States county, agro-ecological zone, and national scales, and compare the ability of both marginal land and land cover data sets to identify regions for feedstock production. We concludemore » that very few land parcels comply with multiple definitions of marginal land. Furthermore, to examine possible carbon-flow implications of feedstock production on land that could be considered marginal per multiple definitions, we model soil carbon changes upon transitions from marginal cropland, grassland, and cropland–pastureland to switchgrass production for three marginal land-rich counties. Finally, our findings suggest that total soil organic carbon changes per county are small, and generally positive, and can influence life-cycle greenhouse gas emissions of switchgrass ethanol.« less

Evaluating the Potential of Marginal Land for Cellulosic Feedstock Production and Carbon Sequestration in the United States

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Emery, Isaac; Mueller, Steffen; Qin, Zhangcai

Land availability for growing feedstocks at scale is a crucial concern for the bioenergy industry. Feedstock production on land not well-suited to growing conventional crops, or marginal land, is often promoted as ideal, although there is a poor understanding of the qualities, quantity, and distribution of marginal lands in the United States. In this paper, we examine the spatial distribution of land complying with several key marginal land definitions at the United States county, agro-ecological zone, and national scales, and compare the ability of both marginal land and land cover data sets to identify regions for feedstock production. We concludemore » that very few land parcels comply with multiple definitions of marginal land. Furthermore, to examine possible carbon-flow implications of feedstock production on land that could be considered marginal per multiple definitions, we model soil carbon changes upon transitions from marginal cropland, grassland, and cropland–pastureland to switchgrass production for three marginal land-rich counties. Finally, our findings suggest that total soil organic carbon changes per county are small, and generally positive, and can influence life-cycle greenhouse gas emissions of switchgrass ethanol.« less

Ultrasound-assisted oxidative process for sulfur removal from petroleum product feedstock.

PubMed

Mello, Paola de A; Duarte, Fábio A; Nunes, Matheus A G; Alencar, Mauricio S; Moreira, Elizabeth M; Korn, Mauro; Dressler, Valderi L; Flores, Erico M M

2009-08-01

A procedure using ultrasonic irradiation is proposed for sulfur removal of a petroleum product feedstock. The procedure involves the combination of a peroxyacid and ultrasound-assisted treatment in order to comply with the required sulfur content recommended by the current regulations for fuels. The ultrasound-assisted oxidative desulfurization (UAOD) process was applied to a petroleum product feedstock using dibenzothiophene as a model sulfur compound. The influence of ultrasonic irradiation time, oxidizing reagents amount, kind of solvent for the extraction step and kind of organic acid were investigated. The use of ultrasonic irradiation allowed higher efficiency for sulfur removal in comparison to experiments performed without its application, under the same reactional conditions. Using the optimized conditions for UAOD, the sulfur removal was about 95% after 9min of ultrasonic irradiation (20kHz, 750W, run at 40%), using hydrogen peroxide and acetic acid, followed by extraction with methanol.

Computer Vision and Machine Learning for Autonomous Characterization of AM Powder Feedstocks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

DeCost, Brian L.; Jain, Harshvardhan; Rollett, Anthony D.; Holm, Elizabeth A.

2017-03-01

By applying computer vision and machine learning methods, we develop a system to characterize powder feedstock materials for metal additive manufacturing (AM). Feature detection and description algorithms are applied to create a microstructural scale image representation that can be used to cluster, compare, and analyze powder micrographs. When applied to eight commercial feedstock powders, the system classifies powder images into the correct material systems with greater than 95% accuracy. The system also identifies both representative and atypical powder images. These results suggest the possibility of measuring variations in powders as a function of processing history, relating microstructural features of powders to properties relevant to their performance in AM processes, and defining objective material standards based on visual images. A significant advantage of the computer vision approach is that it is autonomous, objective, and repeatable.

Development of a new genetic algorithm to solve the feedstock scheduling problem in an anaerobic digester

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cram, Ana Catalina

As worldwide environmental awareness grow, alternative sources of energy have become important to mitigate climate change. Biogas in particular reduces greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to global warming and has the potential of providing 25% of the annual demand for natural gas in the U.S. In 2011, 55,000 metric tons of methane emissions were reduced and 301 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions were avoided through the use of biogas alone. Biogas is produced by anaerobic digestion through the fermentation of organic material. It is mainly composed of methane with a rage of 50 to 80% in its concentration. Carbon dioxide covers 20 to 50% and small amounts of hydrogen, carbon monoxide and nitrogen. The biogas production systems are anaerobic digestion facilities and the optimal operation of an anaerobic digester requires the scheduling of all batches from multiple feedstocks during a specific time horizon. The availability times, biomass quantities, biogas production rates and storage decay rates must all be taken into account for maximal biogas production to be achieved during the planning horizon. Little work has been done to optimize the scheduling of different types of feedstock in anaerobic digestion facilities to maximize the total biogas produced by these systems. Therefore, in the present thesis, a new genetic algorithm is developed with the main objective of obtaining the optimal sequence in which different feedstocks will be processed and the optimal time to allocate to each feedstock in the digester with the main objective of maximizing the production of biogas considering different types of feedstocks, arrival times and decay rates. Moreover, all batches need to be processed in the digester in a specified time with the restriction that only one batch can be processed at a time. The developed algorithm is applied to 3 different examples and a comparison with results obtained in previous studies is presented.

Production of bacterial cellulose from alternate feedstocks

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

D. N. Thompson; M. A. Hamilton

2000-05-07

Production of bacterial cellulose by Acetobacter xylinum ATCC 10821 and 23770 in static cultures was tested from unamended food process effluents. Effluents included low- and high-solids potato effluents (LS and HS), cheese whey permeate (CW), and sugar beet raffinate (CSB). Strain 23770 produced 10% less cellulose from glucose than did 10821, and diverted more glucose to gluconate. Unamended HS, CW, and CSB were unsuitable for cellulose production by either strain, while LS was unsuitable for production by 10821. However, 23770 produced 17% more cellulose from LS than from glucose, indicating unamended LS could serve as a feedstock for bacterial cellulose.

Production of Bacterial Cellulose from Alternate Feedstocks

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Thompson, David Neil; Hamilton, Melinda Ann

2000-05-01

Production of bacterial cellulose by Acetobacter xylinum ATCC 10821 and 23770 in static cultures was tested from unamended food process effluents. Effluents included low- and high-solids potato effluents (LS & HS), cheese whey permeate (CW), and sugar beet raffinate (CSB). Strain 23770 produced 10% less cellulose from glucose than did 10821, and diverted more glucose to gluconate. Unamended HS, CW, and CSB were unsuitable for cellulose production by either strain, while LS was unsuitable for production by 10821. However, 23770 produced 17% more cellulose from LS than from glucose, indicating unamended LS could serve as a feedstock for bacterial cellulose.

Recovery of Pyruvic Acid using Tri-n-butylamine Dissolved in Non-Toxic Diluent (Rice Bran Oil)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pal, Dharm; Keshav, Amit

2016-04-01

An attempt has been made to investigate the effectiveness of the vegetable oil based biocompatible solvent for the separation of pyruvic acid from fermentation broth, by using rice bran oil as natural, non-toxic diluent. Reactive extraction of pyruvic acid (0.1-0.5 k mol/m3) from aqueous solutions has been studied using tri-n-butylamine (TBA; 10-70 %) as an extractant dissolved in non toxic rice bran oil at T = 30 ± 1 °C. Results were presented in terms of distribution coefficient (Kd), extraction efficiency (E %), loading ratio (Z), and complexation constant (\\varphi_{α β }). Extraction equilibrium was interpreted using mass action modeling approach. Based on the extent of loading (Z < 0.5) only (1:1), pyruvic acid: TBA complex was proposed. Equilibrium complexation constant was evaluated to 1.22 m3/k mol. Results obtained are useful in understanding the extraction mechanism.

Rapid analysis of composition and reactivity in cellulosic biomass feedstocks with near-infrared spectroscopy

DOE PAGES

Payne, Courtney E.; Wolfrum, Edward J.

2015-03-12

Obtaining accurate chemical composition and reactivity (measures of carbohydrate release and yield) information for biomass feedstocks in a timely manner is necessary for the commercialization of biofuels. Our objective was to use near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy and partial least squares (PLS) multivariate analysis to develop calibration models to predict the feedstock composition and the release and yield of soluble carbohydrates generated by a bench-scale dilute acid pretreatment and enzymatic hydrolysis assay. Major feedstocks included in the calibration models are corn stover, sorghum, switchgrass, perennial cool season grasses, rice straw, and miscanthus. Here are the results: We present individual model statistics tomore » demonstrate model performance and validation samples to more accurately measure predictive quality of the models. The PLS-2 model for composition predicts glucan, xylan, lignin, and ash (wt%) with uncertainties similar to primary measurement methods. A PLS-2 model was developed to predict glucose and xylose release following pretreatment and enzymatic hydrolysis. An additional PLS-2 model was developed to predict glucan and xylan yield. PLS-1 models were developed to predict the sum of glucose/glucan and xylose/xylan for release and yield (grams per gram). The release and yield models have higher uncertainties than the primary methods used to develop the models. In conclusion, it is possible to build effective multispecies feedstock models for composition, as well as carbohydrate release and yield. The model for composition is useful for predicting glucan, xylan, lignin, and ash with good uncertainties. The release and yield models have higher uncertainties; however, these models are useful for rapidly screening sample populations to identify unusual samples.« less

Rapid analysis of composition and reactivity in cellulosic biomass feedstocks with near-infrared spectroscopy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Payne, Courtney E.; Wolfrum, Edward J.

Obtaining accurate chemical composition and reactivity (measures of carbohydrate release and yield) information for biomass feedstocks in a timely manner is necessary for the commercialization of biofuels. Our objective was to use near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy and partial least squares (PLS) multivariate analysis to develop calibration models to predict the feedstock composition and the release and yield of soluble carbohydrates generated by a bench-scale dilute acid pretreatment and enzymatic hydrolysis assay. Major feedstocks included in the calibration models are corn stover, sorghum, switchgrass, perennial cool season grasses, rice straw, and miscanthus. Here are the results: We present individual model statistics tomore » demonstrate model performance and validation samples to more accurately measure predictive quality of the models. The PLS-2 model for composition predicts glucan, xylan, lignin, and ash (wt%) with uncertainties similar to primary measurement methods. A PLS-2 model was developed to predict glucose and xylose release following pretreatment and enzymatic hydrolysis. An additional PLS-2 model was developed to predict glucan and xylan yield. PLS-1 models were developed to predict the sum of glucose/glucan and xylose/xylan for release and yield (grams per gram). The release and yield models have higher uncertainties than the primary methods used to develop the models. In conclusion, it is possible to build effective multispecies feedstock models for composition, as well as carbohydrate release and yield. The model for composition is useful for predicting glucan, xylan, lignin, and ash with good uncertainties. The release and yield models have higher uncertainties; however, these models are useful for rapidly screening sample populations to identify unusual samples.« less

Wood pellets, what else? Greenhouse gas parity times of European electricity from wood pellets produced in the south-eastern United States using different softwood feedstocks

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hanssen, Steef V.; Duden, Anna S.; Junginger, Martin

Several EU countries import wood pellets from the south-eastern United States. The imported wood pellets are (co-)fired in power plants with the aim of reducing overall greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from electricity and meeting EU renewable energy targets. To assess whether GHG emissions are reduced and on what timescale, we construct the GHG balance of wood-pellet electricity. This GHG balance consists of supply chain and combustion GHG emissions, carbon sequestration during biomass growth, and avoided GHG emissions through replacing fossil electricity. We investigate wood pellets from four softwood feedstock types: small roundwood, commercial thinnings, harvest residues, and mill residues. Permore » feedstock, the GHG balance of wood-pellet electricity is compared against those of alternative scenarios. Alternative scenarios are combinations of alternative fates of the feedstock material, such as in-forest decomposition, or the production of paper or wood panels like oriented strand board (OSB). Alternative scenario composition depends on feedstock type and local demand for this feedstock. Results indicate that the GHG balance of wood-pellet electricity equals that of alternative scenarios within 0 to 21 years (the GHG parity time), after which wood-pellet electricity has sustained climate benefits. Parity times increase by a maximum of twelve years when varying key variables (emissions associated with paper and panels, soil carbon increase via feedstock decomposition, wood-pellet electricity supply chain emissions) within maximum plausible ranges. Using commercial thinnings, harvest residues or mill residues as feedstock leads to the shortest GHG parity times (0-6 years) and fastest GHG benefits from wood-pellet electricity. Here, we find shorter GHG parity times than previous studies, for we use a novel approach that differentiates feedstocks and considers alternative scenarios based on (combinations of) alternative feedstock fates, rather than on

Biocatalysis for the application of CO2 as a chemical feedstock.

PubMed

Alissandratos, Apostolos; Easton, Christopher J

2015-01-01

Biocatalysts, capable of efficiently transforming CO2 into other more reduced forms of carbon, offer sustainable alternatives to current oxidative technologies that rely on diminishing natural fossil-fuel deposits. Enzymes that catalyse CO2 fixation steps in carbon assimilation pathways are promising catalysts for the sustainable transformation of this safe and renewable feedstock into central metabolites. These may be further converted into a wide range of fuels and commodity chemicals, through the multitude of known enzymatic reactions. The required reducing equivalents for the net carbon reductions may be drawn from solar energy, electricity or chemical oxidation, and delivered in vitro or through cellular mechanisms, while enzyme catalysis lowers the activation barriers of the CO2 transformations to make them more energy efficient. The development of technologies that treat CO2-transforming enzymes and other cellular components as modules that may be assembled into synthetic reaction circuits will facilitate the use of CO2 as a renewable chemical feedstock, greatly enabling a sustainable carbon bio-economy.

Sun Grant Initiative Regional Biomass Feedstock Partnership Competitive Grants Program

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Owens, Vance

The Sun Grant Initiative partnered with the US Department of Energy (DOE) in 2008 to create the Regional Biomass Feedstock Partnership Competitive Grants Program. The overall goal of this project was to utilize congressionally directed funds to leverage the North Central Regional Sun Grant’s Competitive Grant program at South Dakota State University (SDSU) to address key issues and research gaps related to development of the bioeconomy. Specific objectives of this program were to: 1. Identify research projects through a Regional Competitive Grants program that were relevant to the sustainable production, harvest, transport, delivery, and processing/conversion of cost-competitive, domestically grown biomass.more » 2. Build local expertise and capacity at the North Central Regional Sun Grant Center at SDSU through an internal selection of key bioenergy research projects. To achieve these, three nationwide Request for Applications (RFA) were developed: one each in 2008, 2009, and 2010. Internal, capacity building projects at SDSU were also selected during each one of these RFAs. In 2013 and 2015, two additional Proof of Concept RFAs were developed for internal SDSU projects. Priority areas for each RFA were 1) Biomass feedstock logistics including biomass harvesting, handling, transportation, storage, and densification; 2) Sustainable biomass feedstock production systems including biomass crop development, production, and life-cycle analysis; 3) Biomass production systems that optimize biomass feedstock yield and economic return across a diverse landscape while minimizing negative effects on the environment and food/feed production; and 4) Promotion of knowledge-based economic development in science and technology and to advance commercialization of inventions that meet the mission of the Sun Grant Initiative. A total of 33 projects were selected for funding through this program. Final reports for each of these diverse projects are included in this summary report

Drought effects on composition and yield for corn stover, mixed grasses, and Miscanthus as bioenergy feedstocks

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Emerson, Rachel; Hoover, Amber; Ray, Allison

Drought conditions in 2012 were some of the most severe in recent history. The purpose of this study is to examine the impact of drought on quality, quantity, and theoretical ethanol yield (TEY) of three bioenergy feedstocks, corn stover, mixed grasses from Conservation Reserve Program lands, and Miscanthus × giganteus. To assess drought effects on these feedstocks, samples from 2010 (minimal to no drought) and 2012 (severe drought) were compared from multiple locations in the US. In all feedstocks, drought significantly increased extractives and reduced structural sugars and lignin; subsequently, TEYs were reduced 10–15%. Biomass yields were significantly reduced formore » M. × giganteus and mixed grasses. When reduction in quality and quantity were combined, TEYs decreased 26–59%. Drought negatively affected biomass quality and quantity that resulted in significant TEY reductions. As a result, such fluctuations in biomass quality and yield may have significant consequences for developing lignocellulosic biorefineries.« less

Drought effects on composition and yield for corn stover, mixed grasses, and Miscanthus as bioenergy feedstocks

DOE PAGES

Emerson, Rachel; Hoover, Amber; Ray, Allison; ...

2014-07-04

Drought conditions in 2012 were some of the most severe in recent history. The purpose of this study is to examine the impact of drought on quality, quantity, and theoretical ethanol yield (TEY) of three bioenergy feedstocks, corn stover, mixed grasses from Conservation Reserve Program lands, and Miscanthus × giganteus. To assess drought effects on these feedstocks, samples from 2010 (minimal to no drought) and 2012 (severe drought) were compared from multiple locations in the US. In all feedstocks, drought significantly increased extractives and reduced structural sugars and lignin; subsequently, TEYs were reduced 10–15%. Biomass yields were significantly reduced formore » M. × giganteus and mixed grasses. When reduction in quality and quantity were combined, TEYs decreased 26–59%. Drought negatively affected biomass quality and quantity that resulted in significant TEY reductions. As a result, such fluctuations in biomass quality and yield may have significant consequences for developing lignocellulosic biorefineries.« less

The effect of switchgrass loadings on feedstock solubilization and biofuel production by Clostridium thermocellum

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Verbeke, Tobin J.; Garcia, Gabriela M.; Elkins, James G.

High solids loading fermentations are necessary for the industrialization of lignocellulosic ethanol. To date, only a few studies have investigated the effect of solids loadings on microorganisms of interest for consolidated bioprocessing (CBP). Here, the effect that various switchgrass loadings have on Clostridium thermocellum solubilization and bioconversion are investigated. C. thermocellum was grown for ten days on 10, 25 or 50 g/L switchgrass or Avicel at equivalent glucan loadings. Avicel was completely consumed at all loadings, but total cellulose solubilization decreased from 63% to 37% as switchgrass loadings increased from 10 g/L to 50 g/L. Washed, spent switchgrass could bemore » additionally hydrolyzed and fermented in second-round fermentations suggesting access to fermentable substrates was not the limiting factor at higher feedstock loadings. Fermentations of Avicel or cellobiose using culture medium supplemented with 50% spent fermentation broth identified that compounds present in the samples collected from the 25 or 50 g/L switchgrass loadings were the most inhibitory to continued fermentation. Finally, recalcitrance alone cannot fully account for differences in solubilization and end-production formation between switchgrass and Avicel at increased substrate loadings. Effort to decouple metabolic inhibition from inhibition of hydrolysis suggest that C. thermocellum’s hydrolytic machinery is more vulnerable to inhibition from switchgrass-derived inhibitors than is the bacterium’s metabolism.« less

The effect of switchgrass loadings on feedstock solubilization and biofuel production by Clostridium thermocellum

DOE PAGES

Verbeke, Tobin J.; Garcia, Gabriela M.; Elkins, James G.

2017-11-30

High solids loading fermentations are necessary for the industrialization of lignocellulosic ethanol. To date, only a few studies have investigated the effect of solids loadings on microorganisms of interest for consolidated bioprocessing (CBP). Here, the effect that various switchgrass loadings have on Clostridium thermocellum solubilization and bioconversion are investigated. C. thermocellum was grown for ten days on 10, 25 or 50 g/L switchgrass or Avicel at equivalent glucan loadings. Avicel was completely consumed at all loadings, but total cellulose solubilization decreased from 63% to 37% as switchgrass loadings increased from 10 g/L to 50 g/L. Washed, spent switchgrass could bemore » additionally hydrolyzed and fermented in second-round fermentations suggesting access to fermentable substrates was not the limiting factor at higher feedstock loadings. Fermentations of Avicel or cellobiose using culture medium supplemented with 50% spent fermentation broth identified that compounds present in the samples collected from the 25 or 50 g/L switchgrass loadings were the most inhibitory to continued fermentation. Finally, recalcitrance alone cannot fully account for differences in solubilization and end-production formation between switchgrass and Avicel at increased substrate loadings. Effort to decouple metabolic inhibition from inhibition of hydrolysis suggest that C. thermocellum’s hydrolytic machinery is more vulnerable to inhibition from switchgrass-derived inhibitors than is the bacterium’s metabolism.« less

Manipulating microRNAs for improved biomass and biofuels from plant feedstocks.

PubMed

Trumbo, Jennifer Lynn; Zhang, Baohong; Stewart, Charles Neal

2015-04-01

Petroleum-based fuels are nonrenewable and unsustainable. Renewable sources of energy, such as lignocellulosic biofuels and plant metabolite-based drop-in fuels, can offset fossil fuel use and reverse environmental degradation through carbon sequestration. Despite these benefits, the lignocellulosic biofuels industry still faces many challenges, including the availability of economically viable crop plants. Cell wall recalcitrance is a major economic barrier for lignocellulosic biofuels production from biomass crops. Sustainability and biomass yield are two additional, yet interrelated, foci for biomass crop improvement. Many scientists are searching for solutions to these problems within biomass crop genomes. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are involved in almost all biological and metabolic process in plants including plant development, cell wall biosynthesis and plant stress responses. Because of the broad functions of their targets (e.g. auxin response factors), the alteration of plant miRNA expression often results in pleiotropic effects. A specific miRNA usually regulates a biologically relevant bioenergy trait. For example, relatively low miR156 overexpression leads to a transgenic feedstock with enhanced biomass and decreased recalcitrance. miRNAs have been overexpressed in dedicated bioenergy feedstocks such as poplar and switchgrass yielding promising results for lignin reduction, increased plant biomass, the timing of flowering and response to harsh environments. In this review, we present the status of miRNA-related research in several major biofuel crops and relevant model plants. We critically assess published research and suggest next steps for miRNA manipulation in feedstocks for increased biomass and sustainability for biofuels and bioproducts. © 2015 Society for Experimental Biology, Association of Applied Biologists and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Feedstock and process influence on biodiesel produced from waste sewage sludge.

PubMed

Capodaglio, Andrea G; Callegari, Arianna

2018-06-15

Disposal of sewage sludge is one of the most important issues in wastewater treatment throughout Europe, as EU sludge production, estimated at 9.5 million tons dry weight in 2005, is expected to approach 13 million tons in 2020. While sludge disposal costs may constitute 30-50% of the total operation costs of wastewater treatment processes, waste sewage sludge still contains resources that may be put to use, like nutrients and energy, that can be recovered through a variety of approaches. Research has shown that waste sewage sludge can be a valuable and very productive feedstock for biodiesel generation, containing lipids (the fats from which biofuels are extracted) in amounts that would require large areas cultivated with typical biodiesel feedstock, to produce, and at a much lower final cost. Several methods have been tested for the production of biodiesel from sewage sludge. To date, among the most efficient such process is pyrolysis, and in particular Microwave-Assisted Pyrolysis (MAP), under which process conditions are more favorable in energetic and economic terms. Sludge characteristics are very variable, depending on the characteristics of the wastewater-generating service area and on the wastewater treatment process itself. Each sludge can be considered a unique case, and as such experimental determination of the optimal biodiesel yields must be conducted on a case-by-case basis. In addition to biodiesel, other pyrolysis products can add to the energetic yield of the process (and not only). This paper discusses how feedstock properties and process characteristics may influence biodiesel (and other products) yield from pyrolytic (and in particular, MAP) processes, and discusses future possible technological developments. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Metatranscriptomic profiles of Eastern subterranean termites, Reticulitermes flavipes (Kollar) fed on second generation feedstocks.

PubMed

Rajarapu, Swapna Priya; Shreve, Jacob T; Bhide, Ketaki P; Thimmapuram, Jyothi; Scharf, Michael E

2015-04-22

Second generation lignocellulosic feedstocks are being considered as an alternative to first generation biofuels that are derived from grain starches and sugars. However, the current pre-treatment methods for second generation biofuel production are inefficient and expensive due to the recalcitrant nature of lignocellulose. In this study, we used the lower termite Reticulitermes flavipes (Kollar), as a model to identify potential pretreatment genes/enzymes specifically adapted for use against agricultural feedstocks. Metatranscriptomic profiling was performed on worker termite guts after feeding on corn stover (CS), soybean residue (SR), or 98% pure cellulose (paper) to identify (i) microbial community, (ii) pathway level and (iii) gene-level responses. Microbial community profiles after CS and SR feeding were different from the paper feeding profile, and protist symbiont abundance decreased significantly in termites feeding on SR and CS relative to paper. Functional profiles after CS feeding were similar to paper and SR; whereas paper and SR showed different profiles. Amino acid and carbohydrate metabolism pathways were downregulated in termites feeding on SR relative to paper and CS. Gene expression analyses showed more significant down regulation of genes after SR feeding relative to paper and CS. Stereotypical lignocellulase genes/enzymes were not differentially expressed, but rather were among the most abundant/constitutively-expressed genes. These results suggest that the effect of CS and SR feeding on termite gut lignocellulase composition is minimal and thus, the most abundantly expressed enzymes appear to encode the best candidate catalysts for use in saccharification of these and related second-generation feedstocks. Further, based on these findings we hypothesize that the most abundantly expressed lignocellulases, rather than those that are differentially expressed have the best potential as pretreatment enzymes for CS and SR feedstocks.

CONTEXT MATTERS: THE IMPORTANCE OF MARKET CHARACTERISTICS IN THE VOLATILITY OF FEEDSTOCK COSTS FOR BIOGAS PLANTS.

PubMed

Mertens, A; Van Meensel, J; Mondelaers, K; Buysse, J

2015-01-01

Recently, biogas plant managers in Flanders face increased financial uncertainty. Between 2011 and 2012, 20% of the Flemish biogas plants went bankrupt. Difficulties in obtaining feedstock at stable and affordable prices is one reason why the biogas sector struggles. In literature, contracting is often proposed as a way to decrease the volatility of the feedstock costs. However, these studies generally do not consider the context in which the biogas plant manager needs to buy the feedstock. Yet, this context could be of specific importance when biogas plant managers are in competition with other users of the same biomass type. Silage maize is an example of such a feedstock, as it is both used by dairy farmers and biogas plant managers. Using a combination of qualitative research and agent-based modelling, we investigated the effect of specific characteristics of the silage maize market on the acquisition of local silage maize by biogas plant managers. This paper details the institutional arrangements of the silage maize market in Flanders and the results of a scenario analysis, simulating three different scenarios. As shown by the results, the time of entry into the market, as well as the different institutional arrangements used by the biogas plant managers as opposed to dairy farmers could explain the difficulties in obtaining a stable supply of local silage maize by biogas plants. Our findings can help to develop mitigation strategies addressing these difficulties.

Preozonation of primary-treated municipal wastewater for reuse in biofuel feedstock generation

EPA Science Inventory

The results of a laboratory scale investigation on ozone pretreatment of primary treated municipal wastewater for potential reuse in fermentation processes for the production of biofuels and bio-based feedstock chemicals were presented. Semi-batch preozonation with 3.0 % (w/w) oz...

Genetic Modification of Short Rotation Poplar Biomass Feedstock for Efficient Conversion to Ethanol

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dinus, R.J.

2000-08-30

The Bioenergy Feedstock Development Program, Environmental Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory is developing poplars (Populus species and hybrids) as sources of renewable energy, i.e., ethanol. Notable increases in adaptability, volume productivity, and pest/stress resistance have been achieved via classical selection and breeding and intensified cultural practices. Significant advances have also been made in the efficiencies of harvesting and handling systems. Given these and anticipated accomplishments, program leaders are considering shifting some attention to genetically modifying feedstock physical and chemical properties, so as to improve the efficiency with which feedstocks can be converted to ethanol. This report provides an in-depthmore » review and synthesis of opportunities for and feasibilities of genetically modifying feedstock qualities via classical selection and breeding, marker-aided selection and breeding, and genetic transformation. Information was collected by analysis of the literature, with emphasis on that published since 1995, and interviews with prominent scientists, breeders, and growers. Poplar research is well advanced, and literature is abundant. The report therefore primarily reflects advances in poplars, but data from other species, particularly other shortrotation hardwoods, are incorporated to fill gaps. An executive summary and recommendations for research, development, and technology transfer are provided immediately after the table of contents. The first major section of the report describes processes most likely to be used for conversion of poplar biomass to ethanol, the various physical and chemical properties of poplar feedstocks, and how such properties are expected to affect process efficiency. The need is stressed for improved understanding of the impact of change on both overall process and individual process step efficiencies. The second part documents advances in trait measurement instrumentation and

Bicarbonate supplementation enhanced biofuel production potential as well as nutritional stress mitigation in the microalgae Scenedesmus sp. CCNM 1077.

PubMed

Pancha, Imran; Chokshi, Kaumeel; Ghosh, Tonmoy; Paliwal, Chetan; Maurya, Rahulkumar; Mishra, Sandhya

2015-10-01

The aim of the present study was to find out the optimum sodium bicarbonate concentration to produce higher biomass with higher lipid and carbohydrate contents in microalgae Scenedesmus sp. CCNM 1077. The role of bicarbonate supplementation under different nutritional starvation conditions was also evaluated. The results clearly indicate that 0.6 g/L sodium bicarbonate was optimum concentration resulting in 20.91% total lipid and 25.56% carbohydrate along with 23% increase in biomass production compared to normal growth condition. Addition of sodium bicarbonate increased the activity of nutrient assimilatory enzymes, biomass, lipid and carbohydrate contents under different nutritional starvation conditions. Nitrogen starvation with bicarbonate supplementation resulted in 54.03% carbohydrate and 34.44% total lipid content in microalgae Scenedesmus sp. CCNM 1077. These findings show application of bicarbonate grown microalgae Scenedesmus sp. CCNM 1077 as a promising feedstock for biodiesel and bioethanol production. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Roadmap for Agriculture Biomass Feedstock Supply in the United States

DTIC Science & Technology

2003-11-01

the high-priority areas for biomass supply forecasts and analysis . Top research needs in sustainability and plant sciences areas are listed in the...petroleum. Lignocellulosic biomass is the nonstarch, fibrous part of plant material that is inherently moist and lightweight. The sugar platform...include: •“Biotechnology, genetics and plant physiology for improved feedstocks, • Optimize agronomic practices, including land use availability and soil

Analyzing hydrotreated renewable jet fuel (HRJ) feedstock availability using crop simulation modeling

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

While hydrotreated renewable jet fuel (HRJ) has been demonstrated for use in commercial and military aviation, a challenge to large-scale adoption is availability of cost competitive feedstocks. Brassica oilseed crops like Brassica napus, B. rapa, B. juncea, B. carinata, Sinapis alba, and Camelina s...

Application of air classification and formulation to manage feedstock cost, quality and availability for bioenergy

DOE PAGES

Thompson, Vicki S.; Lacey, Jeffrey A.; Hartley, Damon; ...

2016-04-22

Biomass such as agricultural residues, energy crops and yard waste has significant potential to be used as renewable feedstocks for production of fuels, chemicals and energy. However, in a given location, biomass availability, cost and quality can vary markedly. Strategies to manage these traits must be identified and implemented so that consistent low-cost and high-quality feedstocks can be delivered to biorefineries year round. In this study, we examine air classification as a method to mitigate high ash concentrations in corn stover, switchgrass, and grass clippings. Formulation techniques were then used to produce blends that met ash quality and biomass quantitymore » specifications at the lowest possible cost for biopower and biochemical conversion applications. It was found that air classification can separate the biomass into light fractions which contain concentrated amounts of elemental ash components introduced through soil contamination such as sodium, alumina, silica, iron and titania; and heavy fractions that are depleted in these components and have relatively lower total ash content. Light fractions of corn stover and grass clippings were found to be suitable for combustion applications since they had less propensity to slag than the whole biomass material. The remaining heavy fractions of corn stover or grass clippings could then be blended with switchgrass to produce blends that met the 5% total ash specifications suggested for biochemical conversions. However, ternary blends of the three feedstocks were not possible due to the high ash content of grass clippings. Lastly, it was determined that air classification by itself was not suitable to prepare these feedstocks for pyrolysis due to high ash content.« less

Application of air classification and formulation to manage feedstock cost, quality and availability for bioenergy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Thompson, Vicki S.; Lacey, Jeffrey A.; Hartley, Damon

Biomass such as agricultural residues, energy crops and yard waste has significant potential to be used as renewable feedstocks for production of fuels, chemicals and energy. However, in a given location, biomass availability, cost and quality can vary markedly. Strategies to manage these traits must be identified and implemented so that consistent low-cost and high-quality feedstocks can be delivered to biorefineries year round. In this study, we examine air classification as a method to mitigate high ash concentrations in corn stover, switchgrass, and grass clippings. Formulation techniques were then used to produce blends that met ash quality and biomass quantitymore » specifications at the lowest possible cost for biopower and biochemical conversion applications. It was found that air classification can separate the biomass into light fractions which contain concentrated amounts of elemental ash components introduced through soil contamination such as sodium, alumina, silica, iron and titania; and heavy fractions that are depleted in these components and have relatively lower total ash content. Light fractions of corn stover and grass clippings were found to be suitable for combustion applications since they had less propensity to slag than the whole biomass material. The remaining heavy fractions of corn stover or grass clippings could then be blended with switchgrass to produce blends that met the 5% total ash specifications suggested for biochemical conversions. However, ternary blends of the three feedstocks were not possible due to the high ash content of grass clippings. Lastly, it was determined that air classification by itself was not suitable to prepare these feedstocks for pyrolysis due to high ash content.« less

Prediction of microalgae hydrothermal liquefaction products from feedstock biochemical composition

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Leow, Shijie; Witter, John R.; Vardon, Derek R.

Hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) uses water under elevated temperatures and pressures (200–350 °C, 5–20 MPa) to convert biomass into liquid “biocrude” oil. Despite extensive reports on factors influencing microalgae cell composition during cultivation and separate reports on HTL products linked to cell composition, the field still lacks a quantitative model to predict HTL conversion product yield and qualities from feedstock biochemical composition; the tailoring of microalgae feedstock for downstream conversion is a unique and critical aspect of microalgae biofuels that must be leveraged upon for optimization of the whole process. This study developed predictive relationships for HTL biocrude yield and othermore » conversion product characteristics based on HTL of Nannochloropsis oculata batches harvested with a wide range of compositions (23–59% dw lipids, 58–17% dw proteins, 12–22% dw carbohydrates) and a defatted batch (0% dw lipids, 75% dw proteins, 19% dw carbohydrates). HTL biocrude yield (33–68% dw) and carbon distribution (49–83%) increased in proportion to the fatty acid (FA) content. A component additivity model (predicting biocrude yield from lipid, protein, and carbohydrates) was more accurate predicting literature yields for diverse microalgae species than previous additivity models derived from model compounds. FA profiling of the biocrude product showed strong links to the initial feedstock FA profile of the lipid component, demonstrating that HTL acts as a water-based extraction process for FAs; the remainder non-FA structural components could be represented using the defatted batch. These findings were used to introduce a new FA-based model that predicts biocrude oil yields along with other critical parameters, and is capable of adjusting for the wide variations in HTL methodology and microalgae species through the defatted batch. Lastly, the FA model was linked to an upstream cultivation model (Phototrophic Process Model

Prediction of microalgae hydrothermal liquefaction products from feedstock biochemical composition

DOE PAGES

Leow, Shijie; Witter, John R.; Vardon, Derek R.; ...

2015-05-11

Hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) uses water under elevated temperatures and pressures (200–350 °C, 5–20 MPa) to convert biomass into liquid “biocrude” oil. Despite extensive reports on factors influencing microalgae cell composition during cultivation and separate reports on HTL products linked to cell composition, the field still lacks a quantitative model to predict HTL conversion product yield and qualities from feedstock biochemical composition; the tailoring of microalgae feedstock for downstream conversion is a unique and critical aspect of microalgae biofuels that must be leveraged upon for optimization of the whole process. This study developed predictive relationships for HTL biocrude yield and othermore » conversion product characteristics based on HTL of Nannochloropsis oculata batches harvested with a wide range of compositions (23–59% dw lipids, 58–17% dw proteins, 12–22% dw carbohydrates) and a defatted batch (0% dw lipids, 75% dw proteins, 19% dw carbohydrates). HTL biocrude yield (33–68% dw) and carbon distribution (49–83%) increased in proportion to the fatty acid (FA) content. A component additivity model (predicting biocrude yield from lipid, protein, and carbohydrates) was more accurate predicting literature yields for diverse microalgae species than previous additivity models derived from model compounds. FA profiling of the biocrude product showed strong links to the initial feedstock FA profile of the lipid component, demonstrating that HTL acts as a water-based extraction process for FAs; the remainder non-FA structural components could be represented using the defatted batch. These findings were used to introduce a new FA-based model that predicts biocrude oil yields along with other critical parameters, and is capable of adjusting for the wide variations in HTL methodology and microalgae species through the defatted batch. Lastly, the FA model was linked to an upstream cultivation model (Phototrophic Process Model

Overview of feedstock research in the United States, Canada, and Brazil

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ferrell, J.; Tardif, M.L.; Couto, L.

1993-12-31

This is an overview of the current biomass feedstock efforts in Brazil, Canada, and the United States. The report from Brazil provides an historical perspective of incentive programs, the charcoal and fuelwood energy programs, the alcohol program, and other biomass energy efforts. The efforts in Brazil, particularly with the sugar cane to ethanol and the charcoal and fuelwood programs, dwarfs other commercial biomass systems in the Americas. One of the bright spots in the future is the Biomass Integrated Gasification/Gas Turbine Electricity Project initially funded in 1992. The sugar cane-based ethanol industry continues to develop higher yielding cane varieties andmore » more efficient microorganisms to convert the sugar cane carbohydrates into alcohol. In Canada a number of important institutions and enterprises taking part in the economical development of the country are involved in biomass research and development including various aspects of the biomass such as forestry, agricultural, industrial, urban, food processing, fisheries and peat bogs. Biomass feedstock research in the United States is evolving to reflect Department of Energy priorities. Greater emphasis is placed on leveraging research with the private sector contributing a greater share of funds, for both research and demonstration projects. The feedstock program, managed by ORNL, is focused on limited model species centered at a regional level using a multidisciplinary approach. Activities include a stronger emphasis on emerging environmental issues such as biodiversity, sustainability and habitat management. DOE also is a supporter of the National Biofuels Roundtable, which is developing principles for producing biomass energy in an economically viable and ecologically sound manner. Geographical Information Systems are also being developed as tools to quantify and characterize the potential supply of energy crops in various regions.« less

Quantifying the sensitivity of feedstock properties and process conditions on hydrochar yield, carbon content, and energy content.

PubMed

Li, Liang; Wang, Yiying; Xu, Jiting; Flora, Joseph R V; Hoque, Shamia; Berge, Nicole D

2018-08-01

Hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) is a wet, low temperature thermal conversion process that continues to gain attention for the generation of hydrochar. The importance of specific process conditions and feedstock properties on hydrochar characteristics is not well understood. To evaluate this, linear and non-linear models were developed to describe hydrochar characteristics based on data collected from HTC-related literature. A Sobol analysis was subsequently conducted to identify parameters that most influence hydrochar characteristics. Results from this analysis indicate that for each investigated hydrochar property, the model fit and predictive capability associated with the random forest models is superior to both the linear and regression tree models. Based on results from the Sobol analysis, the feedstock properties and process conditions most influential on hydrochar yield, carbon content, and energy content were identified. In addition, a variational process parameter sensitivity analysis was conducted to determine how feedstock property importance changes with process conditions. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effect of biochemical factors from mixed animal wastes feedstock in biogas production

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Animal wastes can serve as the feedstock for biogas production (mainly methane) that could be used as alternative energy source. The green energy derived from animal wastes is considered to be carbon neutral and offsetting those generated from fossil fuels. In this study, an evaluation of methane...

Evaluation of biochemical factors from mixed animal wastes feedstock in biogas production

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Animal wastes can serve as the feedstock for biogas production (mainly methane) that could be used as alternative energy source. The green energy derived from animal wastes is considered to be carbon neutral and offsetting those generated from fossil fuels. In this study, an evaluation of methane ...

Screening microalgae isolated from urban storm- and wastewater systems as feedstock for biofuel.

PubMed

Massimi, Rebecca; Kirkwood, Andrea E

2016-01-01

Exploiting microalgae as feedstock for biofuel production is a growing field of research and application, but there remain challenges related to industrial viability and economic sustainability. A solution to the water requirements of industrial-scale production is the use of wastewater as a growth medium. Considering the variable quality and contaminant loads of wastewater, algal feedstock would need to have broad tolerance and resilience to fluctuating wastewater conditions during growth. As a first step in targeting strains for growth in wastewater, our study isolated microalgae from wastewater habitats, including urban stormwater-ponds and a municipal wastewater-treatment system, to assess growth, fatty acids and metal tolerance under standardized conditions. Stormwater ponds in particular have widely fluctuating conditions and metal loads, so microalgae from this type of environment may have desirable traits for growth in wastewater. Forty-three algal strains were isolated in total, including several strains from natural habitats. All strains, with the exception of one cyanobacterial strain, are members of the Chlorophyta, including several taxa commonly targeted for biofuel production. Isolates were identified using taxonomic and 18S rRNA sequence methods, and the fastest growing strains with ideal fatty acid profiles for biodiesel production included Scenedesmus and Desmodesmus species (Growth rate (d(-1)) > 1). All isolates in a small, but diverse taxonomic group of test-strains were tolerant of copper at wastewater-relevant concentrations. Overall, more than half of the isolated strains, particularly those from stormwater ponds, show promise as candidates for biofuel feedstock.

A Saponification Method for Chlorophyll Removal from Microalgae Biomass as Oil Feedstock

PubMed Central

Li, Tao; Xu, Jin; Wu, Hualian; Wang, Guanghua; Dai, Shikun; Fan, Jiewei; He, Hui; Xiang, Wenzhou

2016-01-01

Microalgae oil is an optimal feedstock for nutraceutical, pharmaceutical and biodiesel production, but its high levels of chlorophyll limit its large-scale application. To date, few effective approaches have been developed to remove chlorophyll from microalgae oil. The main purpose of this study was to present a preprocessing method of algae oil feedstock (Scenedesmus) to remove chlorophyll by saponification. The results showed that 96% of chlorophyll in biomass was removed. High quality orange transparent oil could be extracted from the chlorophyll reduced biomass. Specifically, the proportion of neutral lipids and saturation levels of fatty acids increased, and the pigments composition became carotenoids-based. The critical parameters of chlorophyll reduced biodiesel conformed to the standards of the USA, China and EU. Sodium copper chlorophyllin could be prepared from the bleaching effluent. The results presented herein offer a useful pathway to improve the quality of microalgae oil and reduce the cost of microalgae biodiesel. PMID:27618070

A Saponification Method for Chlorophyll Removal from Microalgae Biomass as Oil Feedstock.

PubMed

Li, Tao; Xu, Jin; Wu, Hualian; Wang, Guanghua; Dai, Shikun; Fan, Jiewei; He, Hui; Xiang, Wenzhou

2016-09-07

Microalgae oil is an optimal feedstock for nutraceutical, pharmaceutical and biodiesel production, but its high levels of chlorophyll limit its large-scale application. To date, few effective approaches have been developed to remove chlorophyll from microalgae oil. The main purpose of this study was to present a preprocessing method of algae oil feedstock (Scenedesmus) to remove chlorophyll by saponification. The results showed that 96% of chlorophyll in biomass was removed. High quality orange transparent oil could be extracted from the chlorophyll reduced biomass. Specifically, the proportion of neutral lipids and saturation levels of fatty acids increased, and the pigments composition became carotenoids-based. The critical parameters of chlorophyll reduced biodiesel conformed to the standards of the USA, China and EU. Sodium copper chlorophyllin could be prepared from the bleaching effluent. The results presented herein offer a useful pathway to improve the quality of microalgae oil and reduce the cost of microalgae biodiesel.

Modifying lignin to improve bioenergy feedstocks: strengthening the barrier against pathogens?†

PubMed Central

Sattler, Scott E.; Funnell-Harris, Deanna L.

2013-01-01

Lignin is a ubiquitous polymer present in cell walls of all vascular plants, where it rigidifies and strengthens the cell wall structure through covalent cross-linkages to cell wall polysaccharides. The presence of lignin makes the cell wall recalcitrant to conversion into fermentable sugars for bioenergy uses. Therefore, reducing lignin content and modifying its linkages have become major targets for bioenergy feedstock development through either biotechnology or traditional plant breeding. In addition, lignin synthesis has long been implicated as an important plant defense mechanism against pathogens, because lignin synthesis is often induced at the site of pathogen attack. This article explores the impact of lignin modifications on the susceptibility of a range of plant species to their associated pathogens, and the implications for development of feedstocks for the second-generation biofuels industry. Surprisingly, there are some instances where plants modified in lignin synthesis may display increased resistance to associated pathogens, which is explored in this article. PMID:23577013

Effects of in ovo injection of carbohydrates on somatic characteristics and liver nutrient profiles of broiler embryos and hatchlings.

PubMed

Zhai, W; Bennett, L W; Gerard, P D; Pulikanti, R; Peebles, E D

2011-12-01

Effects of the in ovo injection of commercial diluent supplemented with dextrin or with dextrin in combination with various other carbohydrates on the somatic characteristics and liver nutrient profiles of Ross × Ross 708 broiler embryos and chicks were investigated. Results include information concerning the gluconeogenic energy status of the liver before and after hatch. Eggs containing live embryos were injected in the amnion on d 18 of incubation using an automated multiple-egg injector for the delivery of the following carbohydrates dissolved in 0.4 mL of commercial diluent: 1) 6.25% glucose and 18.75% dextrin; 2) 6.25% sucrose and 18.75% dextrin; 3) 6.25% maltose and 18.75% dextrin; and 4) 25% dextrin. Also, a noninjected control and a 0.4-mL diluent-injected control were included. Body weight relative to set egg weight on d 19 of incubation (E19) was increased by the injection of all carbohydrate solutions, and on the day of hatch was increased by the injection of diluent, sucrose and dextrin, and maltose and dextrin solutions. Hatchability of the fertilized eggs, residual yolk sac weight, and liver weight were not affected by any injection treatment; however, as compared with the 0.4 mL diluent-injected group, all of the supplementary carbohydrates, except for the glucose and dextrin combination group, increased liver glycogen and glucose concentrations on E19. Furthermore, all carbohydrates, except for the 25% dextrin treatment, decreased liver fat concentration on E19. From E19 to the day of hatch, liver glycogen concentrations dropped dramatically from an average of 3.2 to 0.6%. Despite treatment differences observed on E19 for liver glycogen, glucose, and fat concentrations, these differences were lost by the day of hatch. Nevertheless, liver glycogen and glucose concentrations were positively correlated on the day of hatch. In conclusion, the in ovo injection of various supplemental carbohydrates dissolved in 0.4 mL of commercial diluent altered the

Ecological sustainability of alternative biomass feedstock production for environmental benefits and bioenergy

Treesearch

Ronald S., Jr. Zalesny; Jill A. Zalesny; Edmund O. Bauer

2007-01-01

The incorporation of intensive forestry with waste management fills a much-needed niche throughout numerous phytotechnology applications. There is a growing opportunity to incorporate sustainable recycling of waste waters as irrigation and fertilization for alternative biomass feedstock production systems. However, the success of short rotation woody crops is largely...

Designing relevant biochars as soil amendments using lignocellulosic-based and manure-based feedstocks

EPA Science Inventory

Purpose: Biochars are a soil amendment produced from lignocellulosic and manure feedstocks. Not all biochars are viable soil amendments because of differences in their physical and chemical properties. Biochar could deliver more effective service as a soil amendment if its chemis...

Dedicated industrial oilseed crops as metabolic engineering platforms for sustainable industrial feedstock production

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Feedstocks for industrial applications ranging from polymers to lubricants are largely derived from petroleum, a non-renewable resource. Vegetable oils with fatty acid structures and storage forms tailored for specific industrial uses offer renewable and potentially sustainable sources of petrochemi...

Impacts of near-future cultivation of biofuel feedstocks on atmospheric composition and local air quality

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ashworth, K.; Folberth, G.; Hewitt, C. N.; Wild, O.

2012-01-01

Large-scale production of feedstock crops for biofuels will lead to land use changes. We quantify the effects of realistic land use change scenarios for biofuel feedstock production on isoprene emissions and hence atmospheric composition and chemistry using the HadGEM2 model. Two feedstocks are considered: oil palm for biodiesel in the tropics and short rotation coppice (SRC) in the mid-latitudes. In total, 69 Mha of oil palm and 9 Mha of SRC are planted, each sufficient to replace just over 1% of projected global fossil fuel demand in 2020. Both planting scenarios result in increases in total global annual isoprene emissions of about 1%. In each case, changes in surface concentrations of ozone and biogenic secondary organic aerosol (bSOA) are substantial at the regional scale, with implications for air quality standards. However, the changes in tropospheric burden of ozone and the OH radical, and hence effects on global climate, are negligible. Over SE Asia, one region of oil palm planting, increases in annual mean surface ozone and bSOA concentrations reach over 3 ppbv (+11%) and 0.4 μg m-3 (+10%) respectively for parts of Borneo, with monthly mean increases of up to 6.5 ppbv (+25%) and 0.5 μg m-3 (+12%). Under the SRC scenario, Europe experiences monthly mean changes of over 0.6 ppbv (+1%) and 0.1 μg m-3 (+5%) in June and July, with peak increases of over 2 ppbv (+3%) and 0.5 μg m-3 (+8 %). That appreciable regional atmospheric impacts result from low level planting scenarios demonstrates the need to include changes in emissions of reactive trace gases such as isoprene in life cycle assessments performed on potential biofuel feedstocks.

Impacts of near-future cultivation of biofuel feedstocks on atmospheric composition and local air quality

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ashworth, K.; Folberth, G.; Hewitt, C. N.; Wild, O.

2011-09-01

Large-scale production of feedstock crops for biofuels will lead to land-use changes. We quantify the effects of realistic land use change scenarios for biofuel feedstock production on isoprene emissions and hence atmospheric composition and chemistry using the HadGEM2 model. Two feedstocks are considered: oil palm for biodiesel in the tropics and short rotation coppice (SRC) in the mid-latitudes. In total, 69 Mha of oil palm and 92 Mha of SRC are planted, each sufficient to replace just over 1 % of projected global fossil fuel demand in 2020. Both planting scenarios result in increases in total global annual isoprene emissions of about 1 %. In each case, changes in surface concentrations of ozone and biogenic secondary organic aerosol (bSOA) are significant at the regional scale and are detectable even at a global scale with implications for air quality standards. However, the changes in tropospheric burden of ozone and the OH radical, and hence effects on global climate, are negligible. The oil palm plantations and processing plants result in global average annual mean increases in ozone and bSOA of 38 pptv and 2 ng m-3 respectively. Over SE Asia, one region of planting, increases reach over 2 ppbv and 300 ng m-3 for large parts of Borneo. Planting of SRC causes global annual mean changes of 46 pptv and 3 ng m-3. Europe experiences peak monthly mean changes of almost 0.6 ppbv and 90 ng m-3 in June and July. Large areas of Central and Eastern Europe see changes of over 1.5 ppbv and 200 ng m-3 in the summer. That such significant atmospheric impacts from low level planting scenarios are discernible globally clearly demonstrates the need to include changes in emissions of reactive trace gases such as isoprene in life cycle assessments performed on potential biofuel feedstocks.

Evaluation of degree of blending colored diluents using color difference signal method.

PubMed

Miyazaki, Yasunori; Uchino, Tomonobu; Kagawa, Yoshiyuki

2014-01-01

We developed a color difference signal method to evaluate the degree of blending powdered medicines in pharmacies. In the method, the degree of blending is expressed as the relative standard deviation of the color difference signal value (Cb or Cr) of the YCbCr color space after digital photos of the blended medicines are analyzed by image processing. While the method is effective to determine the degree of blending colored medicines, it remains unknown whether it can be applied to uncolored or white-colored medicines. To investigate this, we examined colored diluents to identify an indicator of the degree mixtures are blended. In this study, we applied this method to Pontal® and Prednisolone® powders, which were used as uncolored and white-colored medicines, respectively. Each of these medicines was blended with the colored lactose using a pestle and mortar, and then the uniformity of blending was evaluated. The degree of blending was well-monitored in both mixtures with various blending ratios (1 : 9-9 : 1), showing a sufficient uniformity at 60 rotations of the pestle. Moreover, the Cr values of the mixtures with various blending ratios were correlated with the concentration of active pharmaceutical ingredients in these medicines, which was determined using HPLC. This indicated the usefulness of the color difference signal method for the quantitative determination of medicines. Thus, we demonstrated the applicability and effectiveness of this method to check dispensing powders.

Pretreating lignocellulosic biomass by the concentrated phosphoric acid plus hydrogen peroxide (PHP) for enzymatic hydrolysis: evaluating the pretreatment flexibility on feedstocks and particle sizes.

PubMed

Wang, Qing; Wang, Zhanghong; Shen, Fei; Hu, Jinguang; Sun, Fubao; Lin, Lili; Yang, Gang; Zhang, Yanzong; Deng, Shihuai

2014-08-01

In order to seek a high-efficient pretreatment path for converting lignocellulosic feedstocks to fermentable sugars by enzymatic hydrolysis, the concentrated H₃PO₄ plus H₂O₂ (PHP) was attempted to pretreat different lignocellulosic biomass for evaluating the pretreatment flexibility on feedstocks. Meanwhile, the responses of pretreatment to particle sizes were also evaluated. When the PHP-pretreatment was employed (final H₂O₂ and H₃PO₄ concentration of 1.77% and 80.0%), 71-96% lignin and more than 95% hemicellulose in various feedstocks (agricultural residues, hardwood, softwood, bamboo, and their mixture, and garden wastes mixture) can be removed. Consequently, more than 90% glucose conversion was uniformly achieved indicating PHP greatly improved the pretreatment flexibility to different feedstocks. Moreover, when wheat straw and oak chips were PHP-pretreated with different sizes, the average glucose conversion reached 94.9% and 100% with lower coefficient of variation (7.9% and 0.0%), which implied PHP-pretreatment can significantly weaken the negative effects of feedstock sizes on subsequent conversion. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Biodiesel from Citrus reticulata (Mandarin orange) seed oil, a potential non-food feedstock

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Oil extracted from Citrus reticulata (Mandarin orange) seeds was investigated as a potential feedstock for the production of biodiesel. The biodiesel fuel was prepared by sodium methoxide-catalyzed transesterification of the oil with methanol. Fuel properties that were determined include cetane numb...

Optimization and cost estimation of novel wheat biorefining for continuous production of fermentation feedstock.

PubMed

Arifeen, Najmul; Wang, Ruohang; Kookos, Ioannis; Webb, Colin; Koutinas, Apostolis A

2007-01-01

A wheat-based continuous process for the production of a nutrient-complete feedstock for bioethanol production by yeast fermentation has been cost-optimized. This process could substitute for the current wheat dry milling process employed in industry for bioethanol production. Each major wheat component (bran, gluten, starch) is extracted and processed for different end-uses. The separate stages, liquefaction and saccharification, used currently in industry for starch hydrolysis have been integrated into a simplified continuous process by exploiting the complex enzymatic consortium produced by on-site fungal bioconversions. A process producing 120 m3 h-1 nutrient-complete feedstock for bioethanol production containing 250 g L-1 glucose and 0.85 g L-1 free amino nitrogen would result in a production cost of $0.126/kg glucose.

Strategies for efficiently selecting PHA producing mixed microbial cultures using complex feedstocks: Feast and famine regime and uncoupled carbon and nitrogen availabilities.

PubMed

Oliveira, Catarina S S; Silva, Carlos E; Carvalho, Gilda; Reis, Maria A

2017-07-25

Production of polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) by open mixed microbial cultures (MMCs) has been attracting increasing interest as an alternative technology to PHA production by pure cultures, due to the potential for lower costs associated with the use of open systems (eliminating the requirement for sterile conditions) and the utilisation of cheap feedstock (industrial and agricultural wastes). Such technology relies on the efficient selection of an MMC enriched in PHA-accumulating organisms. Fermented cheese whey, a protein-rich complex feedstock, has been used previously to produce PHA using the feast and famine regime for selection of PHA accumulating cultures. While this selection strategy was found efficient when operated at relatively low organic loading rate (OLR, 2g-CODL -1 d -1 ), great instability and low selection efficiency of PHA accumulating organisms were observed when higher OLR (ca. 6g-CODL -1 d -1 ) was applied. High organic loading is desirable as a means to enhance PHA productivity. In the present study, a new selection strategy was tested with the aim of improving selection for high OLR. It was based on uncoupling carbon and nitrogen supply and was implemented and compared with the conventional feast and famine strategy. For this, two selection reactors were fed with fermented cheese whey applying an OLR of ca. 8.5g-CODL -1 (with 3.8g-CODL -1 resulting from organic acids and ethanol), and operated in parallel under similar conditions, except for the timing of nitrogen supplementation. Whereas in the conventional strategy nitrogen and carbon substrates were added simultaneously at the beginning of the cycle, in the uncoupled substrates strategy, nitrogen addition was delayed to the end of the feast phase (i.e. after exogenous carbon was exhausted). The two different strategies selected different PHA-storing microbial communities, dominated by Corynebacterium and a Xantomonadaceae, respectively with the conventional and the new approaches. The new

Non-destructive analysis of the conformational differences among feedstock sources and their corresponding co-products from bioethanol production with molecular spectroscopy.

PubMed

Gamage, I H; Jonker, A; Zhang, X; Yu, P

2014-01-24

The objective of this study was to determine the possibility of using molecular spectroscopy with multivariate technique as a fast method to detect the source effects among original feedstock sources of wheat and their corresponding co-products, wheat DDGS, from bioethanol production. Different sources of the bioethanol feedstock and their corresponding bioethanol co-products, three samples per source, were collected from the same newly-built bioethanol plant with current bioethanol processing technology. Multivariate molecular spectral analyses were carried out using agglomerative hierarchical cluster analysis (AHCA) and principal component analysis (PCA). The molecular spectral data of different feedstock sources and their corresponding co-products were compared at four different regions of ca. 1800-1725 cm(-1) (carbonyl CO ester, mainly related to lipid structure conformation), ca. 1725-1482 cm(-1) (amide I and amide II region mainly related to protein structure conformation), ca. 1482-1180 cm(-1) (mainly associated with structural carbohydrate) and ca. 1180-800 cm(-1) (mainly related to carbohydrates) in complex plant-based system. The results showed that the molecular spectroscopy with multivariate technique could reveal the structural differences among the bioethanol feedstock sources and among their corresponding co-products. The AHCA and PCA analyses were able to distinguish the molecular structure differences associated with chemical functional groups among the different sources of the feedstock and their corresponding co-products. The molecular spectral differences indicated the differences in functional, biomolecular and biopolymer groups which were confirmed by wet chemical analysis. These biomolecular and biopolymer structural differences were associated with chemical and nutrient profiles and nutrient utilization and availability. Molecular spectral analyses had the potential to identify molecular structure difference among bioethanol feedstock

Non-destructive analysis of the conformational differences among feedstock sources and their corresponding co-products from bioethanol production with molecular spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gamage, I. H.; Jonker, A.; Zhang, X.; Yu, P.

2014-01-01

The objective of this study was to determine the possibility of using molecular spectroscopy with multivariate technique as a fast method to detect the source effects among original feedstock sources of wheat and their corresponding co-products, wheat DDGS, from bioethanol production. Different sources of the bioethanol feedstock and their corresponding bioethanol co-products, three samples per source, were collected from the same newly-built bioethanol plant with current bioethanol processing technology. Multivariate molecular spectral analyses were carried out using agglomerative hierarchical cluster analysis (AHCA) and principal component analysis (PCA). The molecular spectral data of different feedstock sources and their corresponding co-products were compared at four different regions of ca. 1800-1725 cm-1 (carbonyl Cdbnd O ester, mainly related to lipid structure conformation), ca. 1725-1482 cm-1 (amide I and amide II region mainly related to protein structure conformation), ca. 1482-1180 cm-1 (mainly associated with structural carbohydrate) and ca. 1180-800 cm-1 (mainly related to carbohydrates) in complex plant-based system. The results showed that the molecular spectroscopy with multivariate technique could reveal the structural differences among the bioethanol feedstock sources and among their corresponding co-products. The AHCA and PCA analyses were able to distinguish the molecular structure differences associated with chemical functional groups among the different sources of the feedstock and their corresponding co-products. The molecular spectral differences indicated the differences in functional, biomolecular and biopolymer groups which were confirmed by wet chemical analysis. These biomolecular and biopolymer structural differences were associated with chemical and nutrient profiles and nutrient utilization and availability. Molecular spectral analyses had the potential to identify molecular structure difference among bioethanol feedstock sources

Ligncellulosic feedstock supply systems with intermodal and overseas transportation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ric Hoefnagels; Kara Cafferty; Erin Searcy

2014-12-01

With growing demand for biomass from industrial uses and international trade, the logistic operations required to economically move the biomass from the field or forest to the end users have become increasingly complex. In addition to economics, understanding energy and GHG emissions is required to design cost effective, sustainable logistic process operations; in order to improve international supply chains it is also important to understate their interdependencies and related uncertainties. This article presents an approach to assess lignocellulosic feedstock supply systems at the operational level. For this purpose, the Biomass Logistic Model (BLM) has been linked with the Geographic Informationmore » Systems based Biomass Intermodal Transportation model (BIT-UU) and extended with inter-continental transport routes. Case studies of herbaceous and woody biomass, produced in the U.S. Midwest and U.S. Southeast, respectively, and shipped to Europe for conversion to Fischer-Tropsch (FT) diesel are included to demonstrate how intermodal transportation and, in particular, overseas shipping integrates with the bioenergy supply chains. For the cases demonstrated, biomass can be supplied at 99 € Mg-1 to 117 € Mg-1 (dry) and converted to FT-diesel at 19 € GJ-1 to 24 € GJ-1 depending on the feedstock type and location, intermediate (chips or pellets) and size of the FT-diesel production plant. With the flexibility to change the design of supply chains as well as input variables, many alternative supply chain cases can be assessed.« less

[Rapid determination of componential contents and calorific value of selected agricultural biomass feedstocks using spectroscopic technology].

PubMed

Sheng, Kui-Chuan; Shen, Ying-Ying; Yang, Hai-Qing; Wang, Wen-Jin; Luo, Wei-Qiang

2012-10-01

Rapid determination of biomass feedstock properties is of value for the production of biomass densification briquetting fuel with high quality. In the present study, visible and near-infrared (Vis-NIR) spectroscopy was employed to build prediction models of componential contents, i. e. moisture, ash, volatile matter and fixed-carbon, and calorific value of three selected species of agricultural biomass feedstock, i. e. pine wood, cedar wood, and cotton stalk. The partial least squares (PLS) cross validation results showed that compared with original reflection spectra, PLS regression models developed for first derivative spectra produced higher prediction accuracy with coefficients of determination (R2) of 0.97, 0.94 and 0.90, and residual prediction deviation (RPD) of 6.57, 4.00 and 3.01 for ash, volatile matter and moisture, respectively. Good prediction accuracy was achieved with R2 of 0.85 and RPD of 2.55 for fixed carbon, and R2 of 0.87 and RPD of 2.73 for calorific value. It is concluded that the Vis-NIR spectroscopy is promising as an alternative of traditional proximate analysis for rapid determination of componential contents and calorific value of agricultural biomass feedstock

Oxidation resistance of biochars as a function of feedstock and pyrolysis condition

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

This study investigated the chemical stability of a wide range of biochar samples (pyrochars from ash-poor (pine wood) and ash-rich feedstocks (rice straw, swine solids and poultry litter) at 250, 450 and 600 Celsius, and 250 °C hydrochars from swine solids and poultry litter) to short- and long-ter...

Compositional Analysis of Lignocellulosic Feedstocks. 1. Review and Description of Methods

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

As interest in lignocellulosic biomass feedstocks for conversion into transportation fuels grows, the summative compositional analysis of biomass, or plant-derived material, becomes ever more important. The sulfuric acid hydrolysis of biomass has been used to measure lignin and structural carbohydrate content for more than 100 years. Researchers have applied these methods to measure the lignin and structural carbohydrate contents of woody materials, estimate the nutritional value of animal feed, analyze the dietary fiber content of human food, compare potential biofuels feedstocks, and measure the efficiency of biomass-to-biofuels processes. The purpose of this paper is to review the history and lineage of biomass compositional analysis methods based on a sulfuric acid hydrolysis. These methods have become the de facto procedure for biomass compositional analysis. The paper traces changes to the biomass compositional analysis methods through time to the biomass methods currently used at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). The current suite of laboratory analytical procedures (LAPs) offered by NREL is described, including an overview of the procedures and methodologies and some common pitfalls. Suggestions are made for continuing improvement to the suite of analyses. PMID:20669951

The potential of freshwater macroalgae as a biofuels feedstock and the influence of nutrient availability on freshwater macroalgal biomass production

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yun, Jin-Ho

environmental change. In Chapter 2, I performed a review and an analysis of data from the published literature on the large-cultivation of freshwater macroalgae. This study revealed that the large-scale cultivation of freshwater macroalgae is feasible at relatively low cost using currently available technologies such as the Algal Turf Scrubber system (ATS). In addition, graphical analyses of published data obtained from ATS systems of varying sizes in operation worldwide revealed that both macroalgal biomass productivity and nutrient removal rates are hyperbolically related to the areal loading rates of both total nitrogen and total phosphorus. An assessment of the limited existing literature on carbon dioxide amendments suggested that the effectiveness and need for CO2 supplementation of macroalgal production systems like the ATS has not yet been conclusively demonstrated. Overall, this thesis demonstrates that filamentous freshwater macroalgae have great potential as a feedstock for both liquid and solid fuels, especially if nutrient-rich wastewater can be used as the supply of water and mineral nutrients. In addition, this thesis highlights the importance of studying the algal cultivation conditions that influence trade-offs between nutrient loading, biomass productivity, and biomass energy content. In particular, the hyperbolic relationship between algal biomass productivity and the areal loading rates of both total nitrogen and total phosphorus should provide critical insight when considering the production costs of macroalgal biomass at the commercial-scale.

The potential impacts of biomass feedstock production on water resource availability.

PubMed

Stone, K C; Hunt, P G; Cantrell, K B; Ro, K S

2010-03-01

Biofuels are a major topic of global interest and technology development. Whereas bioenergy crop production is highly dependent on water, bioenergy development requires effective allocation and management of water. The objectives of this investigation were to assess the bioenergy production relative to the impacts on water resource related factors: (1) climate and weather impact on water supplies for biomass production; (2) water use for major bioenergy crop production; and (3) potential alternatives to improve water supplies for bioenergy. Shifts to alternative bioenergy crops with greater water demand may produce unintended consequences for both water resources and energy feedstocks. Sugarcane and corn require 458 and 2036 m(3) water/m(3) ethanol produced, respectively. The water requirements for corn grain production to meet the US-DOE Billion-Ton Vision may increase approximately 6-fold from 8.6 to 50.1 km(3). Furthermore, climate change is impacting water resources throughout the world. In the western US, runoff from snowmelt is occurring earlier altering the timing of water availability. Weather extremes, both drought and flooding, have occurred more frequently over the last 30 years than the previous 100 years. All of these weather events impact bioenergy crop production. These events may be partially mitigated by alternative water management systems that offer potential for more effective water use and conservation. A few potential alternatives include controlled drainage and new next-generation livestock waste treatment systems. Controlled drainage can increase water available to plants and simultaneously improve water quality. New livestock waste treatments systems offer the potential to utilize treated wastewater to produce bioenergy crops. New technologies for cellulosic biomass conversion via thermochemical conversion offer the potential for using more diverse feedstocks with dramatically reduced water requirements. The development of bioenergy

Modularized Production of Value-Added Products and Fuels from Distributed Waste Carbon-Rich Feedstocks

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Weber, Robert S.; Holladay, Johnathan E.

Here, we have adapted and characterized electrolysis reactors to complement the conversion of regional- and community-scale quantities of waste into fuel or chemicals. The overall process must be able to contend with a wide range of feedstocks, must be inherently safe, and should not rely on external facilities for co-reactants or heat rejection and supply. Our current approach is based on the upgrading of bio-oil produced by the hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) of carbon-containing waste feedstocks. HTL can convert a variety of feedstocks into a bio-oil that requires much less upgrading than the products of other ways of deconstructing biomass. Wemore » are now investigating the use of electrochemical processes for the further conversions needed to transform the bio-oil from HTL into fuel or higher value chemicals. We, and others, have shown that electrochemical reduction can offer adequate reaction rates and at least some of the necessary generality. In addition, an electrochemical reactor necessarily both oxidizes (removes electrons) on one side of the reactor and reduces (adds electrons) on the other side. Therefore, the two types of reactions could, in principle, be coupled to upgrade the bio-oil and simultaneously polish the water that is employed as a reactant and a carrier in the upstream HTL. Here, we overview a notional process, the possible conversion chemistry, and the economics of an HTL-electrochemical process.« less

Modularized Production of Value-Added Products and Fuels from Distributed Waste Carbon-Rich Feedstocks

DOE PAGES

Weber, Robert S.; Holladay, Johnathan E.

2018-05-22

Here, we have adapted and characterized electrolysis reactors to complement the conversion of regional- and community-scale quantities of waste into fuel or chemicals. The overall process must be able to contend with a wide range of feedstocks, must be inherently safe, and should not rely on external facilities for co-reactants or heat rejection and supply. Our current approach is based on the upgrading of bio-oil produced by the hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) of carbon-containing waste feedstocks. HTL can convert a variety of feedstocks into a bio-oil that requires much less upgrading than the products of other ways of deconstructing biomass. Wemore » are now investigating the use of electrochemical processes for the further conversions needed to transform the bio-oil from HTL into fuel or higher value chemicals. We, and others, have shown that electrochemical reduction can offer adequate reaction rates and at least some of the necessary generality. In addition, an electrochemical reactor necessarily both oxidizes (removes electrons) on one side of the reactor and reduces (adds electrons) on the other side. Therefore, the two types of reactions could, in principle, be coupled to upgrade the bio-oil and simultaneously polish the water that is employed as a reactant and a carrier in the upstream HTL. Here, we overview a notional process, the possible conversion chemistry, and the economics of an HTL-electrochemical process.« less

Current and potential sustainable corn stover feedstock for biofuel production in the United States

USGS Publications Warehouse

Tan, Zhengxi; Liu, Shu-Guang; Tieszen, Larry L.; Bliss, Norman

2012-01-01

Increased demand for corn (Zea mays L.) stover as a feedstock for cellulosic ethanol raises concerns about agricultural sustainability. Excessive corn stover harvesting could have long-term impacts on soil quality. We estimated current and future stover production and evaluated the potential harvestable stover amount (HSA) that could be used for biofuel feedstock in the United States by defining the minimum stover requirement (MSR) associated with the current soil organic carbon (SOC) content, tillage practices, and crop rotation systems. Here we show that the magnitude of the current HSA is limited (31 Tg y−1, dry matter) due to the high MSR for maintaining the current SOC content levels of soils that have a high carbon content. An alternative definition of MSR for soils with a moderate level of SOC content could significantly elevate the annual HSA to 68.7 Tg, or even to 132.2 Tg if the amount of currently applied manure is counted to partially offset the MSR. In the future, a greater potential for stover feedstock could come from an increase in stover yield, areal harvest index, and/or the total planted area. These results suggest that further field experiments on MSR should be designed to identify differences in MSR magnitude between maintaining SOC content and preventing soil erosion, and to understand the role of current SOC content level in determining MSR from soils with a wide range of carbon contents and climatic conditions.

Increasing feedstock production for biofuels : economic drivers, environmental implications, and the role of research

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2008-01-01

The goal of this report is to inform research recommendations to address the constraints surrounding availability of biomass feedstocks. To meet this goal, an economic assessment, which links to an analysis of the consequences for greenhouse gas emis...

Secondary fuel delivery system

DOEpatents

Parker, David M.; Cai, Weidong; Garan, Daniel W.; Harris, Arthur J.

2010-02-23

A secondary fuel delivery system for delivering a secondary stream of fuel and/or diluent to a secondary combustion zone located in the transition piece of a combustion engine, downstream of the engine primary combustion region is disclosed. The system includes a manifold formed integral to, and surrounding a portion of, the transition piece, a manifold inlet port, and a collection of injection nozzles. A flowsleeve augments fuel/diluent flow velocity and improves the system cooling effectiveness. Passive cooling elements, including effusion cooling holes located within the transition boundary and thermal-stress-dissipating gaps that resist thermal stress accumulation, provide supplemental heat dissipation in key areas. The system delivers a secondary fuel/diluent mixture to a secondary combustion zone located along the length of the transition piece, while reducing the impact of elevated vibration levels found within the transition piece and avoiding the heat dissipation difficulties often associated with traditional vibration reduction methods.

Fatty acid profile of alternative feedstocks for biodiesel production and implications for fuel properties

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Feedstock accounts for approximately 80% of biodiesel production expenses when commodity lipids such as soybean oil are utilized. Furthermore, commodity lipids have competing food-related applications. Consequently, low-cost alternatives that do not displace existing food production are of interest ...

Projecting future grassland productivity to assess thesustainability of potential biofuel feedstock areas in theGreater Platte River Basin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gu, Yingxin; Wylie, Bruce K.; Boyte, Stephen; Phuyal, Khem P.

2014-01-01

This study projects future (e.g., 2050 and 2099) grassland productivities in the Greater Platte River Basin (GPRB) using ecosystem performance (EP, a surrogate for measuring ecosystem productivity) models and future climate projections. The EP models developed from a previous study were based on the satellite vegetation index, site geophysical and biophysical features, and weather and climate drivers. The future climate data used in this study were derived from the National Center for Atmospheric Research Community Climate System Model 3.0 ‘SRES A1B’ (a ‘middle’ emissions path). The main objective of this study is to assess the future sustainability of the potential biofuel feedstock areas identified in a previous study. Results show that the potential biofuel feedstock areas (the more mesic eastern part of the GPRB) will remain productive (i.e., aboveground grassland biomass productivity >2750 kg ha−1 year−1) with a slight increasing trend in the future. The spatially averaged EPs for these areas are 3519, 3432, 3557, 3605, 3752, and 3583 kg ha−1 year−1 for current site potential (2000–2008 average), 2020, 2030, 2040, 2050, and 2099, respectively. Therefore, the identified potential biofuel feedstock areas will likely continue to be sustainable for future biofuel development. On the other hand, grasslands identified as having no biofuel potential in the drier western part of the GPRB would be expected to stay unproductive in the future (spatially averaged EPs are 1822, 1691, 1896, 2306, 1994, and 2169 kg ha−1 year−1 for site potential, 2020, 2030, 2040, 2050, and 2099). These areas should continue to be unsuitable for biofuel feedstock development in the future. These future grassland productivity estimation maps can help land managers to understand and adapt to the expected changes in future EP in the GPRB and to assess the future sustainability and feasibility of potential biofuel feedstock areas.

Processes for converting biomass-derived feedstocks to chemicals and liquid fuels

DOEpatents

Held, Andrew; Woods, Elizabeth; Cortright, Randy; Gray, Matthew

2017-05-23

The present invention provides processes, methods, and systems for converting biomass-derived feedstocks to liquid fuels and chemicals. The method generally includes the reaction of a hydrolysate from a biomass deconstruction process with hydrogen and a catalyst to produce a reaction product comprising one of more oxygenated compounds. The process also includes reacting the reaction product with a condensation catalyst to produce C.sub.4+ compounds useful as fuels and chemicals.

Processes for converting biomass-derived feedstocks to chemicals and liquid fuels

DOEpatents

Held, Andrew; Woods, Elizabeth; Cortright, Randy; Gray, Matthew

2016-07-05

The present invention provides processes, methods, and systems for converting biomass-derived feedstocks to liquid fuels and chemicals. The method generally includes the reaction of a hydrolysate from a biomass deconstruction process with hydrogen and a catalyst to produce a reaction product comprising one of more oxygenated compounds. The process also includes reacting the reaction product with a condensation catalyst to produce C.sub.4+ compounds useful as fuels and chemicals.

Processes for converting biomass-derived feedstocks to chemicals and liquid fuels

DOEpatents

Held, Andrew; Woods, Elizabeth; Cortright, Randy; Gray, Matthew

2018-04-17

The present invention provides processes, methods, and systems for converting biomass-derived feedstocks to liquid fuels and chemicals. The method generally includes the reaction of a hydrolysate from a biomass deconstruction process with hydrogen and a catalyst to produce a reaction product comprising one of more oxygenated compounds. The process also includes reacting the reaction product with a condensation catalyst to produce C.sub.4+ compounds useful as fuels and chemicals.

Cellulosic feedstock production on Conservation Reserve Program land: Potential yields and environmental effects

DOE PAGES

LeDuc, Stephen D.; Zhang, Xuesong; Clark, Christopher M.; ...

2016-02-26

Producing biofuel feedstocks on current agricultural land raises questions of a ‘food-vs.-fuel’ trade-off. The use of current or former Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) land offers an alternative; yet the volumes of ethanol that could be produced and the potential environmental impacts of such a policy are unclear. Here, we applied the Environmental Policy Integrated Climate model to a US Department of Agriculture database of over 200 000 CRP polygons in Iowa, USA, as a case study. We simulated yields and environmental impacts of growing three cellulosic biofuel feedstocks on CRP land: (i) an Alamo-variety switchgrass ( Panicum virgatum L.); (ii)more » a generalized mixture of C4 and C3 grasses; (iii) and no-till corn ( Zea mays L.) with residue removal. We simulated yields, soil erosion, and soil carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) stocks and fluxes. We found that although no-till corn with residue removal produced approximately 2.6–4.4 times more ethanol per area compared to switchgrass and the grass mixture, it also led to 3.9–4.5 times more erosion, 4.4–5.2 times more cumulative N loss, and a 10% reduction in total soil carbon as opposed to a 6–11% increase. Switchgrass resulted in the best environmental outcomes even when expressed on a per liter ethanol basis. Our results suggest planting no-till corn with residue removal should only be done on low slope soils to minimize environmental concerns. Altogether, this analysis provides additional information to policy makers on the potential outcome and effects of producing biofuel feedstocks on current or former conservation lands.« less

Long-term variability in sugarcane bagasse feedstock compositional methods: Sources and magnitude of analytical variability

DOE PAGES

Templeton, David W.; Sluiter, Justin B.; Sluiter, Amie; ...

2016-10-18

In an effort to find economical, carbon-neutral transportation fuels, biomass feedstock compositional analysis methods are used to monitor, compare, and improve biofuel conversion processes. These methods are empirical, and the analytical variability seen in the feedstock compositional data propagates into variability in the conversion yields, component balances, mass balances, and ultimately the minimum ethanol selling price (MESP). We report the average composition and standard deviations of 119 individually extracted National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) bagasse [Reference Material (RM) 8491] run by seven analysts over 7 years. Two additional datasets, using bulk-extracted bagasse (containing 58 and 291 replicates each),more » were examined to separate out the effects of batch, analyst, sugar recovery standard calculation method, and extractions from the total analytical variability seen in the individually extracted dataset. We believe this is the world's largest NIST bagasse compositional analysis dataset and it provides unique insight into the long-term analytical variability. Understanding the long-term variability of the feedstock analysis will help determine the minimum difference that can be detected in yield, mass balance, and efficiency calculations. The long-term data show consistent bagasse component values through time and by different analysts. This suggests that the standard compositional analysis methods were performed consistently and that the bagasse RM itself remained unchanged during this time period. The long-term variability seen here is generally higher than short-term variabilities. It is worth noting that the effect of short-term or long-term feedstock compositional variability on MESP is small, about $0.03 per gallon. The long-term analysis variabilities reported here are plausible minimum values for these methods, though not necessarily average or expected variabilities. We must emphasize the importance of training and

Long-term variability in sugarcane bagasse feedstock compositional methods: Sources and magnitude of analytical variability

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Templeton, David W.; Sluiter, Justin B.; Sluiter, Amie

In an effort to find economical, carbon-neutral transportation fuels, biomass feedstock compositional analysis methods are used to monitor, compare, and improve biofuel conversion processes. These methods are empirical, and the analytical variability seen in the feedstock compositional data propagates into variability in the conversion yields, component balances, mass balances, and ultimately the minimum ethanol selling price (MESP). We report the average composition and standard deviations of 119 individually extracted National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) bagasse [Reference Material (RM) 8491] run by seven analysts over 7 years. Two additional datasets, using bulk-extracted bagasse (containing 58 and 291 replicates each),more » were examined to separate out the effects of batch, analyst, sugar recovery standard calculation method, and extractions from the total analytical variability seen in the individually extracted dataset. We believe this is the world's largest NIST bagasse compositional analysis dataset and it provides unique insight into the long-term analytical variability. Understanding the long-term variability of the feedstock analysis will help determine the minimum difference that can be detected in yield, mass balance, and efficiency calculations. The long-term data show consistent bagasse component values through time and by different analysts. This suggests that the standard compositional analysis methods were performed consistently and that the bagasse RM itself remained unchanged during this time period. The long-term variability seen here is generally higher than short-term variabilities. It is worth noting that the effect of short-term or long-term feedstock compositional variability on MESP is small, about $0.03 per gallon. The long-term analysis variabilities reported here are plausible minimum values for these methods, though not necessarily average or expected variabilities. We must emphasize the importance of training and

Engineering of Escherichia coli to facilitate efficient utilization of isomaltose and panose in industrial glucose feedstock.

PubMed

Abe, Kenji; Kuroda, Akio; Takeshita, Ryo

2017-03-01

Industrial glucose feedstock prepared by enzymatic digestion of starch typically contains significant amounts of disaccharides such as maltose and isomaltose and trisaccharides such as maltotriose and panose. Maltose and maltosaccharides can be utilized in Escherichia coli fermentation using industrial glucose feedstock because there is an intrinsic assimilation pathway for these sugars. However, saccharides that contain α-1,6 bonds, such as isomaltose and panose, are still present after fermentation because there is no metabolic pathway for these sugars. To facilitate more efficient utilization of glucose feedstock, we introduced glvA, which encodes phospho-α-glucosidase, and glvC, which encodes a subunit of the phosphoenolpyruvate-dependent maltose phosphotransferase system (PTS) of Bacillus subtilis, into E. coli. The heterologous expression of glvA and glvC conferred upon the recombinant the ability to assimilate isomaltose and panose. The recombinant E. coli assimilated not only other disaccharides but also trisaccharides, including alcohol forms of these saccharides, such as isomaltitol. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report to show the involvement of the microbial PTS in the assimilation of trisaccharides. Furthermore, we demonstrated that an L-lysine-producing E. coli harboring glvA and glvC converted isomaltose and panose to L-lysine efficiently. These findings are expected to be beneficial for industrial fermentation.

Graphene growth with ‘no’ feedstock

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qing, Fangzhu; Jia, Ruitao; Li, Bao-Wen; Liu, Chunlin; Li, Congzhou; Peng, Bo; Deng, Longjiang; Zhang, Wanli; Li, Yanrong; Ruoff, Rodney S.; Li, Xuesong

2017-06-01

Synthesis of graphene by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) from hydrocarbons on Cu foil substrates can yield high quality and large area graphene films. In a typical CVD process, a hydrocarbon in the gas phase is introduced for graphene growth and hydrogen is usually required to achieve high quality graphene. We have found that in a low pressure CVD system equipped with an oil mechanical vacuum pump located downstream, graphene can be grown without deliberate introduction of a carbon feedstock but with only trace amounts of C present in the system, the origin of which we attribute to the vapor of the pump oil. This finding may help to rationalize the differences in graphene growth reported by different research groups. It should also help to gain an in-depth understanding of graphene growth mechanisms with the aim to improve the reproducibility and structure control in graphene synthesis, e.g. the formation of large area single crystal graphene and uniform bilayer graphene.

Quantifying and mitigating the environmental impacts of using corn stover as a biofuel feedstock

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Background/Question/Methods Corn stover has been suggested as a viable biomass feedstock for bioenergy production. However, unharvested corn stover provides two important ecosystem services: it reduces soil erosion and replenishes soil carbon, both of which help maintain soil productivity. There are...

Growth and fatty acid characterization of microalgae isolated from municipal waste-treatment systems and the potential role of algal-associated bacteria in feedstock production

PubMed Central

Stemmler, Kevin; Massimi, Rebecca

2016-01-01

Much research has focused on growing microalgae for biofuel feedstock, yet there remain concerns about the feasibility of freshwater feedstock systems. To reduce cost and improve environmental sustainability, an ideal microalgal feedstock system would be fed by municipal, agricultural or industrial wastewater as a main source of water and nutrients. Nonetheless, the microalgae must also be tolerant of fluctuating wastewater quality, while still producing adequate biomass and lipid yields. To address this problem, our study focused on isolating and characterizing microalgal strains from three municipal wastewater treatment systems (two activated sludge and one aerated-stabilization basin systems) for their potential use in biofuel feedstock production. Most of the 19 isolates from wastewater grew faster than two culture collection strains under mixotrophic conditions, particularly with glucose. The fastest growing wastewater strains included the genera Chlorella and Dictyochloris. The fastest growing microalgal strains were not necessarily the best lipid producers. Under photoautotrophic and mixotrophic growth conditions, single strains of Chlorella and Scenedesmus each produced the highest lipid yields, including those most relevant to biodiesel production. A comparison of axenic and non-axenic versions of wastewater strains showed a notable effect of commensal bacteria on fatty acid composition. Strains grown with bacteria tended to produce relatively equal proportions of saturated and unsaturated fatty acids, which is an ideal lipid blend for biodiesel production. These results not only show the potential for using microalgae isolated from wastewater for growth in wastewater-fed feedstock systems, but also the important role that commensal bacteria may have in impacting the fatty acid profiles of microalgal feedstock. PMID:26989618

dEMBF: A Comprehensive Database of Enzymes of Microalgal Biofuel Feedstock.

PubMed

Misra, Namrata; Panda, Prasanna Kumar; Parida, Bikram Kumar; Mishra, Barada Kanta

2016-01-01

Microalgae have attracted wide attention as one of the most versatile renewable feedstocks for production of biofuel. To develop genetically engineered high lipid yielding algal strains, a thorough understanding of the lipid biosynthetic pathway and the underpinning enzymes is essential. In this work, we have systematically mined the genomes of fifteen diverse algal species belonging to Chlorophyta, Heterokontophyta, Rhodophyta, and Haptophyta, to identify and annotate the putative enzymes of lipid metabolic pathway. Consequently, we have also developed a database, dEMBF (Database of Enzymes of Microalgal Biofuel Feedstock), which catalogues the complete list of identified enzymes along with their computed annotation details including length, hydrophobicity, amino acid composition, subcellular location, gene ontology, KEGG pathway, orthologous group, Pfam domain, intron-exon organization, transmembrane topology, and secondary/tertiary structural data. Furthermore, to facilitate functional and evolutionary study of these enzymes, a collection of built-in applications for BLAST search, motif identification, sequence and phylogenetic analysis have been seamlessly integrated into the database. dEMBF is the first database that brings together all enzymes responsible for lipid synthesis from available algal genomes, and provides an integrative platform for enzyme inquiry and analysis. This database will be extremely useful for algal biofuel research. It can be accessed at http://bbprof.immt.res.in/embf.

dEMBF: A Comprehensive Database of Enzymes of Microalgal Biofuel Feedstock

PubMed Central

Misra, Namrata; Panda, Prasanna Kumar; Parida, Bikram Kumar; Mishra, Barada Kanta

2016-01-01

Microalgae have attracted wide attention as one of the most versatile renewable feedstocks for production of biofuel. To develop genetically engineered high lipid yielding algal strains, a thorough understanding of the lipid biosynthetic pathway and the underpinning enzymes is essential. In this work, we have systematically mined the genomes of fifteen diverse algal species belonging to Chlorophyta, Heterokontophyta, Rhodophyta, and Haptophyta, to identify and annotate the putative enzymes of lipid metabolic pathway. Consequently, we have also developed a database, dEMBF (Database of Enzymes of Microalgal Biofuel Feedstock), which catalogues the complete list of identified enzymes along with their computed annotation details including length, hydrophobicity, amino acid composition, subcellular location, gene ontology, KEGG pathway, orthologous group, Pfam domain, intron-exon organization, transmembrane topology, and secondary/tertiary structural data. Furthermore, to facilitate functional and evolutionary study of these enzymes, a collection of built-in applications for BLAST search, motif identification, sequence and phylogenetic analysis have been seamlessly integrated into the database. dEMBF is the first database that brings together all enzymes responsible for lipid synthesis from available algal genomes, and provides an integrative platform for enzyme inquiry and analysis. This database will be extremely useful for algal biofuel research. It can be accessed at http://bbprof.immt.res.in/embf. PMID:26727469

Effects of in ovo injection of organic zinc, manganese, and copper on the hatchability and bone parameters of broiler hatchlings

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Effects of the in ovo injection of commercial diluent containing supplemental microminerals (Zn, Mn, and Cu) on hatchability and hatching chick quality variables in Ross × Ross 708 broilers were examined. On 17 d of incubation (doi) eggs were subjected to 1 of 4 treatments using a commercial multi-e...

Characterization and Screening of Native Scenedesmus sp. Isolates Suitable for Biofuel Feedstock

PubMed Central

Gour, Rakesh Singh; Chawla, Aseem; Singh, Harvinder; Chauhan, Rajinder Singh; Kant, Anil

2016-01-01

In current study isolates of two native microalgae species were screened on the basis of growth kinetics and lipid accumulation potential. On the basis of data obtained on growth parameters and lipid accumulation, it is concluded that Scenedesmus dimorphus has better potential as biofuel feedstock. Two of the isolates of Scenedesmus dimorphus performed better than other isolates with respect to important growth parameters with lipid content of ~30% of dry biomass. Scenedesmus dimorphus was found to be more suitable as biodiesel feedstock candidate on the basis of cumulative occurrence of five important biodiesel fatty acids, relative occurrence of SFA (53.04%), MUFA (23.81%) and PUFA (19.69%), and more importantly that of oleic acid in its total lipids. The morphological observations using light and Scanning Electron Microscope and molecular characterization using amplified 18S rRNA gene sequences of microalgae species under study were also performed. Amplified 18S rRNA gene fragments of the microalgae species were sequenced, annotated at the NCBI website and phylogenetic analysis was done. We have published eight 18S rRNA gene sequences of microalgae species in NCBI GenBank. PMID:27195694

Characterization and Screening of Native Scenedesmus sp. Isolates Suitable for Biofuel Feedstock.

PubMed

Gour, Rakesh Singh; Chawla, Aseem; Singh, Harvinder; Chauhan, Rajinder Singh; Kant, Anil

2016-01-01

In current study isolates of two native microalgae species were screened on the basis of growth kinetics and lipid accumulation potential. On the basis of data obtained on growth parameters and lipid accumulation, it is concluded that Scenedesmus dimorphus has better potential as biofuel feedstock. Two of the isolates of Scenedesmus dimorphus performed better than other isolates with respect to important growth parameters with lipid content of ~30% of dry biomass. Scenedesmus dimorphus was found to be more suitable as biodiesel feedstock candidate on the basis of cumulative occurrence of five important biodiesel fatty acids, relative occurrence of SFA (53.04%), MUFA (23.81%) and PUFA (19.69%), and more importantly that of oleic acid in its total lipids. The morphological observations using light and Scanning Electron Microscope and molecular characterization using amplified 18S rRNA gene sequences of microalgae species under study were also performed. Amplified 18S rRNA gene fragments of the microalgae species were sequenced, annotated at the NCBI website and phylogenetic analysis was done. We have published eight 18S rRNA gene sequences of microalgae species in NCBI GenBank.

Aquatic plant Azolla as the universal feedstock for biofuel production.

PubMed

Miranda, Ana F; Biswas, Bijoy; Ramkumar, Narasimhan; Singh, Rawel; Kumar, Jitendra; James, Anton; Roddick, Felicity; Lal, Banwari; Subudhi, Sanjukta; Bhaskar, Thallada; Mouradov, Aidyn

2016-01-01

The quest for sustainable production of renewable and cheap biofuels has triggered an intensive search for domestication of the next generation of bioenergy crops. Aquatic plants which can rapidly colonize wetlands are attracting attention because of their ability to grow in wastewaters and produce large amounts of biomass. Representatives of Azolla species are some of the fastest growing plants, producing substantial biomass when growing in contaminated water and natural ecosystems. Together with their evolutional symbiont, the cyanobacterium Anabaena azollae, Azolla biomass has a unique chemical composition accumulating in each leaf including three major types of bioenergy molecules: cellulose/hemicellulose, starch and lipids, resembling combinations of terrestrial bioenergy crops and microalgae. The growth of Azolla filiculoides in synthetic wastewater led up to 25, 69, 24 and 40 % reduction of NH 4 -N, NO 3 -N, PO 4 -P and selenium, respectively, after 5 days of treatment. This led to a 2.6-fold reduction in toxicity of the treated wastewater to shrimps, common inhabitants of wetlands. Two Azolla species, Azolla filiculoides and Azolla pinnata, were used as feedstock for the production of a range of functional hydrocarbons through hydrothermal liquefaction, bio-hydrogen and bio-ethanol. Given the high annual productivity of Azolla, hydrothermal liquefaction can lead to the theoretical production of 20.2 t/ha-year of bio-oil and 48 t/ha-year of bio-char. The ethanol production from Azolla filiculoides, 11.7 × 10 3  L/ha-year, is close to that from corn stover (13.3 × 10 3  L/ha-year), but higher than from miscanthus (2.3 × 10 3  L/ha-year) and woody plants, such as willow (0.3 × 10 3  L/ha-year) and poplar (1.3 × 10 3  L/ha-year). With a high C/N ratio, fermentation of Azolla biomass generates 2.2 mol/mol glucose/xylose of hydrogen, making this species a competitive feedstock for hydrogen production compared with other bioenergy crops

Double layer, diluent and anode effects upon the electrodeposition of aluminium from chloroaluminate based ionic liquids.

PubMed

Abbott, Andrew P; Qiu, Fulian; Abood, Hadi M A; Ali, M Rostom; Ryder, Karl S

2010-02-28

The deposition of aluminium from a chloroaluminate based ionic liquid was studied to elucidate the effect of a diluent (toluene) and electrolyte (LiCl) on the deposit morphology. A wide variety of analytical techniques was applied to this system to determine the speciation and mechanism of material growth. These included: (27)Al NMR, FAB-MS, cyclic voltammetry, chronocoulometry, chronopotentiometry, scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy. It was found that under-potential deposition (upd) causes a change in the way in which metal grows on the electrode surface. Metal grows in two regimes which are believed to be nano-material and bulk material. The addition of toluene causes a change in speciation and a decrease in upd which in turn changes the morphology of the deposit obtained and can lead to mirror finish aluminium. The addition of LiCl has the opposite effect encouraging upd and leading to larger crystallites and a dark grey deposit. It is also shown for the first time that under many conditions the rate of the anodic dissolution process is overall rate controlling and one effect of the addition of toluene is to increase the rate of anodic dissolution.

Photosynthetic light reactions increase total lipid accumulation in carbon-supplemented batch cultures of Chlorella vulgaris.

PubMed

Woodworth, Benjamin D; Mead, Rebecca L; Nichols, Courtney N; Kolling, Derrick R J

2015-03-01

Microalgae are an attractive biofuel feedstock because of their high lipid to biomass ratios, lipid compositions that are suitable for biodiesel production, and the ability to grow on varied carbon sources. While algae can grow autotrophically, supplying an exogenous carbon source can increase growth rates and allow heterotrophic growth in the absence of light. Time course analyses of dextrose-supplemented Chlorella vulgaris batch cultures demonstrate that light availability directly influences growth rate, chlorophyll production, and total lipid accumulation. Parallel photomixotrophic and heterotrophic cultures grown to stationary phase reached the same amount of biomass, but total lipid content was higher for algae grown in the presence of light (an average of 1.90 mg/mL vs. 0.77 mg/mL over 5 days of stationary phase growth). Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Numerical simulation of multi-rifled tube drawing - finding proper feedstock dimensions and tool geometry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bella, P.; Buček, P.; Ridzoň, M.; Mojžiš, M.; Parilák, L.'

2017-02-01

Production of multi-rifled seamless steel tubes is quite a new technology in Železiarne Podbrezová. Therefore, a lot of technological questions emerges (process technology, input feedstock dimensions, material flow during drawing, etc.) Pilot experiments to fine tune the process cost a lot of time and energy. For this, numerical simulation would be an alternative solution for achieving optimal parameters in production technology. This would reduce the number of experiments needed, lowering the overall costs of development. However, to claim the numerical results to be relevant it is necessary to verify them against the actual plant trials. Searching for optimal input feedstock dimension for drawing of multi-rifled tube with dimensions Ø28.6 mm × 6.3 mm is what makes the main topic of this paper. As a secondary task, effective position of the plug - die couple has been solved via numerical simulation. Comparing the calculated results with actual numbers from plant trials a good agreement was observed.

Compost feedstock characteristics and ratio modelling for organic waste materials co-composting in Malaysia.

PubMed

Chai, E W; H'ng, P S; Peng, S H; Wan-Azha, W M; Chin, K L; Chow, M J; Wong, W Z

2013-01-01

In Malaysia, large amounts of organic materials, which lead to disposal problems, are generated from agricultural residues especially from palm oil industries. Increasing landfill costs and regulations, which limit many types of waste accepted at landfills, have increased the interest in composting as a component of waste management. The objectives of this study were to characterize compost feedstock properties of common organic waste materials available in Malaysia. Thus, a ratio modelling of matching ingredients for empty fruit bunches (EFBs) co-composting using different organic materials in Malaysia was done. Organic waste materials with a C/N ratio of < 30 can be applied as a nitrogen source in EFB co-composting. The outcome of this study suggested that the percentage of EFB ranged between 50% and 60%, which is considered as the ideal mixing ratio in EFB co-composting. Conclusively, EFB can be utilized in composting if appropriate feedstock in term of physical and chemical characteristics is coordinated in the co-composting process.

Multi-scale process and supply chain modelling: from lignocellulosic feedstock to process and products

PubMed Central

Hosseini, Seyed Ali; Shah, Nilay

2011-01-01

There is a large body of literature regarding the choice and optimization of different processes for converting feedstock to bioethanol and bio-commodities; moreover, there has been some reasonable technological development in bioconversion methods over the past decade. However, the eventual cost and other important metrics relating to sustainability of biofuel production will be determined not only by the performance of the conversion process, but also by the performance of the entire supply chain from feedstock production to consumption. Moreover, in order to ensure world-class biorefinery performance, both the network and the individual components must be designed appropriately, and allocation of resources over the resulting infrastructure must effectively be performed. The goal of this work is to describe the key challenges in bioenergy supply chain modelling and then to develop a framework and methodology to show how multi-scale modelling can pave the way to answer holistic supply chain questions, such as the prospects for second generation bioenergy crops. PMID:22482032

Fostering sustainable feedstock production for advanced biofuels on underutilised land in Europe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mergner, Rita; Janssen, Rainer; Rutz, Dominik; Knoche, Dirk; Köhler, Raul; Colangeli, Marco; Gyuris, Peter

2017-04-01

Background In context of growing competition between land uses, bioenergy development is often seen as one of possible contributors to such competition. However, the potential of underutilized land (contaminated, abandoned, marginal, fallow land etc.) which is not used or cannot be used for productive activities is not exhausted and offers an attractive alternative for sustainable production of different biomass feedstocks in Europe. Depending on biomass feedstocks, different remediation activities can be carried out in addition. Bioenergy crops have the potential to be grown profitably on underutilized land and can therefore offer an attractive source of income on the local level contributing to achieving the targets of the Renewable Energy Directive (EC/2009). The FORBIO project The FORBIO project demonstrates the viability of using underutilised land in EU Member States for sustainable bioenergy feedstock production that does not affect the supply of food, feed and land currently used for recreational or conservation purposes. Project activities will serve to build up and strengthen local bioenergy value chains that are competitive and that meet the highest sustainability standards, thus contributing to the market uptake of sustainable bioenergy in the EU. Presented results The FORBIO project will develop a methodology to assess the sustainable bioenergy production potential on available underutilized lands in Europe at local, site-specific level. Based on this methodology, the project will produce multiple feasibility studies in three selected case study locations: Germany (lignite mining and sewage irrigation fields in the metropolis region of Berlin and Brandenburg), Italy (contaminated land from industrial activities in Sulcis, Portoscuso) and Ukraine (underutilised marginal agricultural land in the North of Kiev). The focus of the presentation will be on the agronomic and techno-economic feasibility studies in Germany, Italy and Ukraine. Agronomic

Extraction and characterization of triglycerides from coffeeweed and switchgrass seeds as potential feedstocks for biodiesel production.

PubMed

Armah-Agyeman, Grace; Gyamerah, Michael; Biney, Paul O; Woldesenbet, Selamawit

2016-10-01

Although switchgrass has been developed as a biofuel feedstock and its potential for bioethanol and bio-oil from fast pyrolysis reported in the literature, the use of the seeds of switchgrass as a source of triglycerides for biodiesel production has not been reported. Similarly, the potential for extracting triglycerides from coffeeweed (an invasive plant of no current economic value) needs to be investigated to ascertain its potential economic use for biodiesel production. The results show that coffeeweed and switchgrass seeds contain known triglycerides which are 983 and 1000 g kg(-1) respectively of the fatty acids found in edible vegetable oils such as sunflower, corn and soybean oils. In addition, the triglyceride yields of 53-67 g kg(-1) of the seed samples are in the range of commercial oil-producing seeds such as corn (42 g kg(-1) ). The results also indicate that the two non-edible oils could be used as substitutes for edible oil for biodiesel production. In addition, the use of seeds of switchgrass for non-edible oil production (as a feedstock for the production of biodiesel) further increases the total biofuel yield when switchgrass is cultivated for use as energy feedstock for pyrolysis oil and biodiesel production. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.

Review: Balancing Limiting Factors and Economic Drivers to Achieve Sustainable Midwestern US Agricultural Residue Feedstock Supplies

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wally W. Wilhelm; J. Richard Hess; Douglas L. Karlen

2010-10-01

Advanced biofuels will be developed using cellulosic feedstock rather than grain or oilseed crops that can also be used for food and feed. To be sustainable, these new agronomic production systems must be economically viable without degrading soil resources. This review examines six agronomic factors that collectively define many of the limits and opportunities for harvesting crop residue for biofuel feedstock. These six “limiting factors” are discussed in relationship to economic drivers associated with harvesting corn (Zea mays L.) stover as a potential cellulosic feedstock. The limiting factors include soil organic carbon, wind and water erosion, plant nutrient balance, soilmore » water and temperature dynamics, soil compaction, and off-site environmental impacts. Initial evaluations using the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation 2.0 (RUSLE2) show that a single factor analysis based on simply meeting tolerable soil loss might indicate stover could be harvested sustainably, but the same analysis based on maintaining soil organic carbon shows the practice to be non-sustainable. Modifying agricultural management to include either annual or perennial cover crops is shown to meet both soil erosion and soil carbon requirements. The importance of achieving high yields and planning in a holistic manner at the landscape scale are also shown to be crucial for balancing limitations and drivers associated with renewable bioenergy production.« less

Interactions of woody biofuel feedstock production systems with water resources: Considerations for sustainability

Treesearch

Carl C. Trettin; Devendra Amatya; Mark Coleman

2008-01-01

Water resources are important for the production of woody biofuel feedstocks. It is necessary to ensure that production systems do not adversely affect the quantity or quality of surface and ground water. The effects of woody biomass plantations on water resources are largely dependent on the prior land use and the management regime. Experience from both irrigated and...

Interactions of woody biofuel feedstock production systems with water resources: considerations for sustainability

Treesearch

Carl C. Trettin; Devendra Amatya; Mark Coleman

2008-01-01

Water resources are important for the production of woody biofuel feedstocks. It is necessary to ensure that production systems do not adversely affect the quantity or quality of surface and ground water. The effects of woody biomass plantations on water resources are largely dependent on the prior land use and the management regime. Experience from both irrigated and...

78 FR 49749 - Williams Olefins Feedstock Pipelines, L.L.C.; Notice of Petition for Declaratory Order

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-08-15

... order finding that a proposed Bayou Ethane Pipeline project is not subject to Commission's jurisdiction because the transported ethane will only be used as feedstock to produce ethylene, and not burned as fuel...

Assessment of the influence of energy density and feedstock transport distance on the environmental performance of methane from maize silages.

PubMed

Bacenetti, Jacopo; Lovarelli, Daniela; Ingrao, Carlo; Tricase, Caterina; Negri, Marco; Fiala, Marco

2015-10-01

In Europe, thanks to public subsidy, the production of electricity from anaerobic digestion (AD) of agricultural feedstock has considerably grown and several AD plants were built. When AD plants are concentrated in specific areas (e.g., Northern Italy), increases of feedstock' prices and transport distances can be observed. In this context, as regards low-energy density feedstock, the present research was designed to estimate the influence of the related long-distance transport on the environmental performances of the biogas-to-electricity process. For this purpose the following transport systems were considered: farm trailers and trucks. For small distances (<5 km), the whole plant silage shows the lowest impact; however, when distances increase, silages with higher energy density (even though characterised by lower methane production per hectare) become more environmentally sustainable. The transport by trucks achieves better environmental performances especially for distances greater than 25 km. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effects of Biochar Feedstock and Pyrolysis Temperature on Growth of Corn, Soybean, Lettuce and Carrot

EPA Science Inventory

Biochar, the carbon-rich material remaining after pyrolysis (low oxygen) of cellulosic feedstocks, has the potential as a soil amendment to sequester carbon, improve soil water-holding capacity, and increase nutrient retention thereby enhancing soil conditions to benefit plant gr...

Competitiveness of Second Generation Biofuel Feedstocks: Role of Technology and Policy (2010 JGI User Meeting)

ScienceCinema

Khanna, Madhu

2018-02-19

Madhu Khanna from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and the Energy Biosciences Institute on Competitiveness of Second Generation Biofuel Feedstocks: Role of Technology and Policy on March 25, 2010 at the 5th Annual DOE JGI User Meeting.

Assessing extension and outreach education levels for biofuel feedstock production in the Western United States

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

A growing biofuels industry requires the development of effective methods to educate farmers, government, and agribusiness about biofuel feedstock production if the market is going to significantly expand beyond first generation biofuels. Extension and outreach education provides a conduit for impor...

The National Biofuels Strategy - Importance of sustainable feedstock production systems in regional-based supply chains

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Region-based production systems are needed to produce the feedstocks that will be turned into the biofuels required to meet Federal mandated targets. Executive and Legislative actions have put into motion significant government responses designed to advance the development and production of domestic...

The Promise and Challenge of Producing Biofuel Feedstocks: An Ecological Perspective (2010 JGI User Meeting)

ScienceCinema

DeLucia, Evan

2018-02-13

Evan DeLucia of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and the Energy Biosciences Institute talks about The Promise and Challenge of Producing Biofuel Feedstocks: An Ecological Perspective on March 25, 2010 at the 5th Annual DOE JGI User Meeting.

Evaluating the usability of 19 effluents for heterotrophic cultivation of microalgal consortia as biodiesel feedstock

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

A key reason inhibiting commercialization of algal oil as biodiesel feedstock is cultivation cost. For this reason, the usability of 19 readily available industrial effluents (autoclaved and non-autoclaved) to support heterotrophic growth and lipid accumulation was evaluated using six mixed algal cu...

Impacts of second-generation biofuel feedstock production in the central U.S. on the hydrologic cycle and global warming mitigation potential

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harding, K. J.; Twine, T. E.; VanLoocke, A.; Bagley, J. E.; Hill, J.

2016-10-01

Biofuel feedstocks provide a renewable energy source that can reduce fossil fuel emissions; however, if produced on a large scale they can also impact local to regional water and carbon budgets. Simulation results for 2005-2014 from a regional weather model adapted to simulate the growth of two perennial grass biofuel feedstocks suggest that replacing at least half the current annual cropland with these grasses would increase water use efficiency and drive greater rainfall downwind of perturbed grid cells, but increased evapotranspiration (ET) might switch the Mississippi River basin from having a net warm-season surplus of water (precipitation minus ET) to a net deficit. While this scenario reduces land required for biofuel feedstock production relative to current use for maize grain ethanol production, it only offsets approximately one decade of projected anthropogenic warming and increased water vapor results in greater atmospheric heat content.

Engineered plant biomass feedstock particles

DOEpatents

Dooley, James H [Federal Way, WA; Lanning, David N [Federal Way, WA; Broderick, Thomas F [Lake Forest Park, WA

2012-04-17

A new class of plant biomass feedstock particles characterized by consistent piece size and shape uniformity, high skeletal surface area, and good flow properties. The particles of plant biomass material having fibers aligned in a grain are characterized by a length dimension (L) aligned substantially parallel to the grain and defining a substantially uniform distance along the grain, a width dimension (W) normal to L and aligned cross grain, and a height dimension (H) normal to W and L. In particular, the L.times.H dimensions define a pair of substantially parallel side surfaces characterized by substantially intact longitudinally arrayed fibers, the W.times.H dimensions define a pair of substantially parallel end surfaces characterized by crosscut fibers and end checking between fibers, and the L.times.W dimensions define a pair of substantially parallel top and bottom surfaces. The L.times.W surfaces of particles with L/H dimension ratios of 4:1 or less are further elaborated by surface checking between longitudinally arrayed fibers. The length dimension L is preferably aligned within 30.degree. parallel to the grain, and more preferably within 10.degree. parallel to the grain. The plant biomass material is preferably selected from among wood, agricultural crop residues, plantation grasses, hemp, bagasse, and bamboo.

Utilization of simultaneous saccharification and fermentation residues as feedstock for lipid accumulation in Rhodococcus opacus.

PubMed

Le, Rosemary K; Das, Parthapratim; Mahan, Kristina M; Anderson, Seth A; Wells, Tyrone; Yuan, Joshua S; Ragauskas, Arthur J

2017-09-29

Use of oleaginous microorganisms as "micro-factories" for accumulation of single cell oils for biofuel production has increased significantly to mitigate growing energy demands, resulting in efforts to upgrade industrial waste, such as second-generation lignocellulosic residues, into potential feedstocks. Dilute-acid pretreatment (DAP) is commonly used to alter the physicochemical properties of lignocellulosic materials and is typically coupled with simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF) for conversion of sugars into ethanol. The resulting DAP residues are usually processed as a waste stream, e.g. burned for power, but this provides minimal value. Alternatively, these wastes can be utilized as feedstock to generate lipids, which can be converted to biofuel. DAP-SSF residues were generated from pine, poplar, and switchgrass. High performance liquid chromatography revealed less than 0.13% monomeric sugars in the dry residue. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy was indicative of the presence of lignin and polysaccharides. Gel permeation chromatography suggested the bacterial strains preferred molecules with molecular weight ~ 400-500 g/mol. DAP-SSF residues were used as the sole carbon source for lipid production by Rhodococcus opacus DSM 1069 and PD630 in batch fermentations. Depending on the strain of Rhodococcus employed, 9-11 lipids for PD630 and DSM 1069 were observed, at a final concentration of ~ 15 mg/L fatty acid methyl esters (FAME) detected. Though the DAP-SSF substrate resulted in low FAME titers, novel analysis of solid-state fermentations was investigated, which determined that DAP-SSF residues could be a viable feedstock for lipid generation.

Projecting future grassland performance in the Greater Platte River Basin to assess sustainability for potential biofuel feedstock areas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gu, Y.; Wylie, B. K.; Phuyal, K.

2012-12-01

In previous studies, we used vegetation condition information from archival records of satellite data (i.e., 10-year time series of Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) data), site geophysical and biophysical features (e.g., elevation, slope and aspect, and soils), and weather and climate drivers to build ecosystem performance (EP) models to dynamically monitor EP (DMEP) in the Greater Platte River Basin (GPRB). Ecosystem performance is a surrogate approach for measuring ecosystem productivity. We estimated ecosystem site potentials (i.e., long-term ecosystem productivities), weather-based expected EP (EEP), and rangeland conditions based on these EP models. Validation of the EP results using ground observations (e.g., percentage of bare soil, LANDFIRE maps, stocking rate, and crop yield data) demonstrated the reliability of these EP models. We used this DMEP method to identify grasslands that are potentially suitable for cellulosic biofuel feedstock (e.g., switchgrass) development in the GPRB. The objectives of this study are to (1) project the future grassland EP; (2) assess the changes and trends of the future EP; and (3) examine the future sustainability of the identified biofuel feedstock areas in the GPRB. We used the EP models and future climate projections to estimate future (e.g., 2050 and 2099) climate-based projections of grassland performance in the GPRB. The future climate data were derived from the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) Community Climate System Model 3.0 (CCSM3) "SRES A1B" (a "middle" emissions path) obtained from the "Bias Corrected and Downscaled WCRP CMIP3 Climate Projections" archive (http://gdo-dcp.ucllnl.org/downscaled_cmip3_projections). Results show that, under climate scenario A1B, the potential biofuel feedstock areas in the more mesic Eastern part of the GPRB will remain productive in the future (the spatially averaged EPs for these areas are 3335 kg ha-1 year-1, 3355 kg ha-1 year-1, and 3341 kg ha-1 year

Conversion of Indigenous Agricultural Waste Feedstocks to Fuel Ethanol. Cooperative Research and Development Final Report, CRADA Number CRD-13-504

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Elander, Richard

This Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) is between the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), a world leader in biomass conversion research and Ecopetrol American Inc., Ecopetrol S.A.'s U.S. subsidiary. The research and development efforts described in the Joint Work Statement (JWS) will take advantage of the strengths of both parties. NREL will use its Integrated Biorefinery Facility and vast experience in the conversion of lignocellulosic feedstocks to fuel ethanol to develop processes for the conversion of Ecopetrol's feedstocks. Ecopetrol will establish the infrastructure in Columbia to commercialize the conversion process.

Valorization of guayule as a feedstock for lignocellulosic biorefineries using ammonia fiber expansion (AFEX) pretreatment

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Natural rubber latex extraction from guayule leaves behind greater than 80% (by weight) of agricultural residue as a feedstock suitable for conversion to biofuels via a thermochemical or biochemical route. Untreated guayule shrub and bagasse (after latex extraction) has shown to be very recalcitrant...

Apparatus and method for converting biomass to feedstock for biofuel and biochemical manufacturing processes

DOEpatents

Kania, John; Qiao, Ming; Woods, Elizabeth M.; Cortright, Randy D.; Myren, Paul

2015-12-15

The present invention includes improved systems and methods for producing biomass-derived feedstocks for biofuel and biochemical manufacturing processes. The systems and methods use components that are capable of transferring relatively high concentrations of solid biomass utilizing pressure variations between vessels, and allows for the recovery and recycling of heterogeneous catalyst materials.

Identifying grasslands suitable for cellulosic feedstock crops in the Greater Platte River Basin: dynamic modeling of ecosystem performance with 250 m eMODIS

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gu, Yingxin; Boyte, Stephen P.; Wylie, Bruce K.; Tieszen, Larry L.

2012-01-01

This study dynamically monitors ecosystem performance (EP) to identify grasslands potentially suitable for cellulosic feedstock crops (e.g., switchgrass) within the Greater Platte River Basin (GPRB). We computed grassland site potential and EP anomalies using 9-year (2000–2008) time series of 250 m expedited moderate resolution imaging spectroradiometer Normalized Difference Vegetation Index data, geophysical and biophysical data, weather and climate data, and EP models. We hypothesize that areas with fairly consistent high grassland productivity (i.e., high grassland site potential) in fair to good range condition (i.e., persistent ecosystem overperformance or normal performance, indicating a lack of severe ecological disturbance) are potentially suitable for cellulosic feedstock crop development. Unproductive (i.e., low grassland site potential) or degraded grasslands (i.e., persistent ecosystem underperformance with poor range condition) are not appropriate for cellulosic feedstock development. Grassland pixels with high or moderate ecosystem site potential and with more than 7 years ecosystem normal performance or overperformance during 2000–2008 are identified as possible regions for future cellulosic feedstock crop development (ca. 68 000 km2 within the GPRB, mostly in the eastern areas). Long-term climate conditions, elevation, soil organic carbon, and yearly seasonal precipitation and temperature are important performance variables to determine the suitable areas in this study. The final map delineating the suitable areas within the GPRB provides a new monitoring and modeling approach that can contribute to decision support tools to help land managers and decision makers make optimal land use decisions regarding cellulosic feedstock crop development and sustainability.

A national research & development strategy for biomass crop feedstocks

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wright, L.L.; Cushman, J.H.

Planning was initiated in 1996 with the objective of reevaluating current biomass feedstock research and development strategies to: (1) assure that by 2005, one or more commercial lignocellulosic to ethanol projects will be able to acquire a dependable supply of biomass crop feedstocks; (2) assure that recently initiated demonstrations of crops to electricity will be successful and; (3) assure that the research base needed to support future biomass industry expansion is being developed. Multiple trends and analyses indicate that biomass energy research and development strategies must take into account the fact that competition for land will define the upper limitsmore » of available biomass energy crop supplies and will largely dictate the price of those supplies. Only crop production and utilization strategies which contribute profit to the farmer or landowner and to energy producers will be used commercially for biomass energy production. Strategies for developing biomass {open_quotes}energy{close_quotes} crop supplies must take into consideration all of the methods by which biomass crops will enter biomass energy markets. The lignocellulosic materials derived from crops can be available as primary residues or crop by-products; secondary residues or processing by-products; co-products (at both the crop production and processing stages); or, as dedicated energy crops. Basic research and development (R&D) leading to yield improvement continues to be recommended as a major long-term focus for dedicated energy crops. Many additional near term topics need attention, some of which are also applicable to by-products and co-products. Switchgrass R&D should be expanded and developed with greater collaboration of USDA and state extension groups. Woody crop research should continue with significant cost-share from industries developing the crops for other commercial products. Co-product options need more investigation.« less

Hydrologic Impacts of Developing Forest-based Bioenergy Feedstock in Wisconsin, USA and Entre Rios, Argentina Watersheds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Heidari, A.; Mayer, A. S.; Watkins, D. W., Jr.

2017-12-01

Growing demand for biomass-derived fuels has resulted in an increase in bioenergy projects across the Americas in recent years, a trend that is expected to continue. However, the expansion of bioenergy feedstock production might cause unintended environmental consequences. Accordingly, the goal of this research is to investigate how forest-based bioenergy development across the Americas may affect hydrological systems on a watershed scale. This study focuses on biofuel feedstock production with hybrid poplar cultivation in a snow-dominated watershed in northern Wisconsin, USA, and eucalyptus cultivation in a warm and temperate watershed in Entre Rios, Argentina. The Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT), calibrated and validated for the two watersheds, is used to evaluate the effects of land use change corresponding to a range of biofuel development scenarios. The land use change scenarios include rules for limiting the location of the biofuel feedstock, and rotation time. These variables in turn impact the magnitude and timing of runoff and evapotranspiration. In Wisconsin, long term daily streamflow simulations indicate that planting poplar will increase evapotranspiration and decrease water yield, primarily through reduced baseflow contributions to streamflow. Results are also presented in terms of changes in flow relative to biomass production, to understand the sensitivity of potential biofuel generation to hydrologic impacts, and vice versa. In the end, alternative management practices were evaluated to mitigate the impacts. Keywords: Biofuel; Soil and Water Assessment Tool; Poplar; Baseflow; Evapotranspiration

Determinants of dietary supplement use--healthy individuals use dietary supplements.

PubMed

Kofoed, Christina L F; Christensen, Jane; Dragsted, Lars O; Tjønneland, Anne; Roswall, Nina

2015-06-28

The prevalence of dietary supplement use varies largely among populations, and previous studies have indicated that it is high in the Danish population compared with other European countries. The diversity in supplement use across countries indicates that cultural and environmental factors could influence the use of dietary supplements. Only few studies investigating the use of dietary supplements have been conducted in the Danish population. The present cross-sectional study is based on 54,948 Danes, aged 50-64 years, who completed self-administrated questionnaires on diet, dietary supplements and lifestyle between 1993 and 1997. A health index including smoking, physical activity, alcohol and diet, and a metabolic risk index including waist circumference, urinary glucose and measured hypertension were constructed. Logistic regression was used to investigate these determinants in relation to the intake of dietary supplements. We found that 71 % of the participants were dietary supplement users; female sex, older age groups and higher educated participants were more likely to be users of any dietary supplements. One additional point in the health index was associated with 19, 16 and 9 % higher likelihood of being user of any, more common and less common supplements, respectively. In the metabolic risk index, one additional point was associated with 17 and 16 % lower likelihood of being user of any supplement and more common supplements, respectively. No significant association was found for less common supplement use. In conclusion, those with the healthiest lifestyle were more likely to use dietary supplements. Thus, lifestyle and dietary composition should be considered as confounders on supplement use and health outcomes.

Metals and minerals as a biotechnology feedstock: engineering biomining microbiology for bioenergy applications.

PubMed

Banerjee, Indrani; Burrell, Brittany; Reed, Cara; West, Alan C; Banta, Scott

2017-06-01

Developing new feedstocks for the efficient production of biochemicals and biofuels will be a critical challenge as we diversify away from petrochemicals. One possible opportunity is the utilization of sulfide-based minerals in the Earth's crust. Non-photosynthetic chemolithoautotrophic bacteria are starting to be developed to produce biochemicals from CO 2 using energy obtained from the oxidation of inorganic feedstocks. Biomining of metals like gold and copper already exploit the native metabolism of these bacteria and these represent perhaps the largest-scale bioprocesses ever developed. The metabolic engineering of these bacteria could be a desirable alternative to classical heterotrophic bioproduction. In this review, we discuss biomining operations and the challenges and advances in the engineering of associated chemolithoautotrophic bacteria for biofuel production. The co-generation of biofuels integrated with mining operations is a largely unexplored opportunity that will require advances in fundamental microbiology and the development of new genetic tools and techniques for these organisms. Although this approach is presently in its infancy, the production of biochemicals using energy from non-petroleum mineral resources is an exciting new biotechnology opportunity. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Challenges in Additive Manufacturing of Space Parts: Powder Feedstock Cross-Contamination and Its Impact on End Products

PubMed Central

Brandão, Ana D.; Gerard, Romain; Gumpinger, Johannes; Beretta, Stefano; Makaya, Advenit; Pambaguian, Laurent; Ghidini, Tommaso

2017-01-01

This work studies the tensile properties of Ti-6Al-4V samples produced by laser powder bed based Additive Manufacturing (AM), for different build orientations. The results showed high scattering of the yield and tensile strength and low fracture elongation. The subsequent fractographic investigation revealed the presence of tungsten particles on the fracture surface. Hence, its detection and impact on tensile properties of AM Ti-6Al-4V were investigated. X-ray Computed Tomography (X-ray CT) scanning indicated that these inclusions were evenly distributed throughout the samples, however the inclusions area was shown to be larger in the load-bearing plane for the vertical specimens. A microstructural study proved that the mostly spherical tungsten particles were embedded in the fully martensitic Ti-6Al-4V AM material. The particle size distribution, the flowability and the morphology of the powder feedstock were investigated and appeared to be in line with observations from other studies. X-ray CT scanning of the powder however made the high density particles visible, where various techniques, commonly used in the certification of powder feedstock, failed to detect the contaminant. As the detection of cross contamination in the powder feedstock proves to be challenging, the use of only one type of powder per AM equipment is recommended for critical applications such as Space parts. PMID:28772882

Challenges in Additive Manufacturing of Space Parts: Powder Feedstock Cross-Contamination and Its Impact on End Products.

PubMed

Brandão, Ana D; Gerard, Romain; Gumpinger, Johannes; Beretta, Stefano; Makaya, Advenit; Pambaguian, Laurent; Ghidini, Tommaso

2017-05-12

This work studies the tensile properties of Ti-6Al-4V samples produced by laser powder bed based Additive Manufacturing (AM), for different build orientations. The results showed high scattering of the yield and tensile strength and low fracture elongation. The subsequent fractographic investigation revealed the presence of tungsten particles on the fracture surface. Hence, its detection and impact on tensile properties of AM Ti-6Al-4V were investigated. X-ray Computed Tomography (X-ray CT) scanning indicated that these inclusions were evenly distributed throughout the samples, however the inclusions area was shown to be larger in the load-bearing plane for the vertical specimens. A microstructural study proved that the mostly spherical tungsten particles were embedded in the fully martensitic Ti-6Al-4V AM material. The particle size distribution, the flowability and the morphology of the powder feedstock were investigated and appeared to be in line with observations from other studies. X-ray CT scanning of the powder however made the high density particles visible, where various techniques, commonly used in the certification of powder feedstock, failed to detect the contaminant. As the detection of cross contamination in the powder feedstock proves to be challenging, the use of only one type of powder per AM equipment is recommended for critical applications such as Space parts.

Characterization of structural cell wall polysaccharides in cattail (Typha latifolia): Evaluation as potential biofuel feedstock.

PubMed

Rebaque, Diego; Martínez-Rubio, Romina; Fornalé, Silvia; García-Angulo, Penélope; Alonso-Simón, Ana; Álvarez, Jesús M; Caparros-Ruiz, David; Acebes, José L; Encina, Antonio

2017-11-01

Second generation bioethanol produced from lignocellulosic biomass is attracting attention as an alternative energy source. In this study, a detailed knowledge of the composition and structure of common cattail (Typha latifolia L.) cell wall polysaccharides, obtained from stem or leaves, has been conducted using a wide set of techniques to evaluate this species as a potential bioethanol feedstock. Our results showed that common cattail cellulose content was high for plants in the order Poales and was accompanied by a small amount of cross-linked polysaccharides. A high degree of arabinose-substitution in xylans, a high syringyl/guaiacyl ratio in lignin and a low level of cell wall crystallinity could yield a good performance for lignocellulose saccharification. These results identify common cattail as a promising plant for use as potential bioethanol feedstock. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first in-depth analysis to be conducted of lignocellulosic material from common cattail. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Structural and Chemical Characterization of Hardwood from Tree Species with Applications as Bioenergy Feedstocks

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Çetinkol, Özgül Persil; Smith-Moritz, Andreia M.; Cheng, Gang

2012-12-28

Eucalypt species are a group of flowering trees widely used in pulp production for paper manufacture. For several decades, the wood pulp industry has focused research and development efforts on improving yields, growth rates and pulp quality through breeding and the genetic improvement of key tree species. Recently, this focus has shifted from the production of high quality pulps to the investigation of the use of eucalypts as feedstocks for biofuel production. Here the structure and chemical composition of the heartwood and sapwood of Eucalyptus dunnii, E. globulus, E. pillularis, E. urophylla, an E. urophylla-E. grandis cross, Corymbia citriodora ssp.more » variegata, and Acacia mangium were compared using nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and biochemical composition analysis. Some trends relating to these compositions were also identified by Fourier transform near infrared (FT-NIR) spectroscopy. These results will serve as a foundation for a more comprehensive database of wood properties that will help develop criteria for the selection of tree species for use as biorefinery feedstocks.« less

Structural and Chemical Characterization of Hardwood from Tree Species with Applications as Bioenergy Feedstocks

PubMed Central

Çetinkol, Özgül Persil; Smith-Moritz, Andreia M.; Cheng, Gang; Lao, Jeemeng; George, Anthe; Hong, Kunlun; Henry, Robert; Simmons, Blake A.; Heazlewood, Joshua L.; Holmes, Bradley M.

2012-01-01

Eucalypt species are a group of flowering trees widely used in pulp production for paper manufacture. For several decades, the wood pulp industry has focused research and development efforts on improving yields, growth rates and pulp quality through breeding and the genetic improvement of key tree species. Recently, this focus has shifted from the production of high quality pulps to the investigation of the use of eucalypts as feedstocks for biofuel production. Here the structure and chemical composition of the heartwood and sapwood of Eucalyptus dunnii, E. globulus, E. pillularis, E. urophylla, an E. urophylla-E. grandis cross, Corymbia citriodora ssp. variegata, and Acacia mangium were compared using nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and biochemical composition analysis. Some trends relating to these compositions were also identified by Fourier transform near infrared (FT-NIR) spectroscopy. These results will serve as a foundation for a more comprehensive database of wood properties that will help develop criteria for the selection of tree species for use as biorefinery feedstocks. PMID:23300786

Fresh water green microalga Scenedesmus abundans: A potential feedstock for high quality biodiesel production.

PubMed

Mandotra, S K; Kumar, Pankaj; Suseela, M R; Ramteke, P W

2014-03-01

Present investigation studied the potential of fresh water green microalga Scenedesmus abundans as a feedstock for biodiesel production. To study the biomass and lipid yield, the culture was grown in BBM, Modified CHU-13 and BG-11 medium. Among the tested nitrogen concentration using Modified CHU-13 medium, the highest biomass and lipid yield of 1.113±0.05g/L and 489±23mg/L respectively was found in the culture medium with 0.32g/L of nitrogen (KNO3). Different lipid extraction as well as transesterification methods were also tested. Fatty acid profile of alga grown in large scale indigenous made photobioreactor has shown abundance of fatty acids with carbon chain length of C16 and C18. Various biodiesel properties such as cetane number, iodine value and saponification value were found to be in accordance with Brazilian National Petroleum Agency (ANP255) and European biodiesel standard EN14214 which makes S. abundans as a potential feedstock for biodiesel production. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Algae as a Feedstock for Transportation Fuels. The Future of Biofuels?

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

McGill, Ralph

2008-05-15

Events in world energy markets over the past several years have prompted many new technical developments as well as political support for alternative transportation fuels, especially those that are renewable. We have seen dramatic rises in the demand for and production of fuel ethanol from sugar cane and corn and biodiesel from vegetable oils. The quantities of these fuels being used continue to rise dramatically, and their use is helping to create a political climate for doing even more. But, the quantities are still far too small to stem the tide of rising crude prices worldwide. In fact, the usemore » of some traditional crops (corn, sugar, soy, etc.) in making fuels instead of food is apparently beginning to impact the cost of food worldwide. Thus, there is considerable interest in developing alternative biofuel feedstocks for use in making fuels -- feedstocks that are not used in the food industries. Of course, we know that there is a lot of work in developing cellulosic-based ethanol that would be made from woody biomass. Process development is the critical path for this option, and the breakthrough in reducing the cost of the process has been elusive thus far. Making biodiesel from vegetable oils is a well-developed and inexpensive process, but to date there have been few reasonable alternatives for making biodiesel, although advanced processes such as gasification of biomass remain an option.« less

Algae as a Feedstock for Biofuels: An Assessment of the State of Technology and Opportunities. Final Report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sikes, K.; McGill, R.; Van Walwijk, M.

2011-05-15

The pursuit of a stable, economically-sound, and environmentally-friendly source of transportation fuel has led to extensive research and development (R&D) efforts focused on the conversion of various feedstocks into biofuels. Some feedstocks, such as sugar cane, corn and woody biomass, are targeted because their structures can be broken down into sugars and fermented into alcohols. Other feedstocks, such as vegetable oils, are appealing because they contain considerable amounts of lipids, which can be extracted and converted into biodiesel or other fuels. While significant R&D and commercial strides have been made with each of these feedstocks, technical and market barriers (e.g.,more » cost, scalability, infrastructure requirements, and 'food vs. fuel' debates) currently limit the penetration of the resultant biofuels into the mainstream. Because of algae's ability to potentially address several of these barriers, its use as a feedstock for biofuels has led to much excitement and initiative within the energy industry. Algae are highly diverse, singleor multi-cellular organisms comprised of mostly lipids, protein, and carbohydrates, which may be used to produce a wide variety of biofuels. Algae offer many competitive advantages over other feedstocks, including: 1) Higher potential lipid content than terrestrial plants, sometimes exceeding 50% of the cell's dry biomass (U.S. DOE, May '10; Tornabene et al., 1983) 2) Rapid growth rates that are 20-30 times higher than terrestrial crops (McDill, 2009) and, in some cases, capable of doubling in size with 10 hours 3) Diverse number of species that can collectively thrive in a wide range of environments throughout the world, presenting an overall high overall tolerance for climate, sunlight, nutrient levels, etc. 4) Daily harvesting potential instead of seasonal harvest periods associated with terrestrial crops 5) Potential to redirect CO2 from industry operations to algal cultivation facilities to be used in an algal

To supplement or not to supplement: a metabolic network framework for human nutritional supplements.

PubMed

Nogiec, Christopher D; Kasif, Simon

2013-01-01

Flux balance analysis and constraint based modeling have been successfully used in the past to elucidate the metabolism of single cellular organisms. However, limited work has been done with multicellular organisms and even less with humans. The focus of this paper is to present a novel use of this technique by investigating human nutrition, a challenging field of study. Specifically, we present a steady state constraint based model of skeletal muscle tissue to investigate amino acid supplementation's effect on protein synthesis. We implement several in silico supplementation strategies to study whether amino acid supplementation might be beneficial for increasing muscle contractile protein synthesis. Concurrent with published data on amino acid supplementation's effect on protein synthesis in a post resistance exercise state, our results suggest that increasing bioavailability of methionine, arginine, and the branched-chain amino acids can increase the flux of contractile protein synthesis. The study also suggests that a common commercial supplement, glutamine, is not an effective supplement in the context of increasing protein synthesis and thus, muscle mass. Similar to any study in a model organism, the computational modeling of this research has some limitations. Thus, this paper introduces the prospect of using systems biology as a framework to formally investigate how supplementation and nutrition can affect human metabolism and physiology.

Semisolid Metal Processing Techniques for Nondendritic Feedstock Production

PubMed Central

Mohammed, M. N.; Omar, M. Z.; Salleh, M. S.; Alhawari, K. S.; Kapranos, P.

2013-01-01

Semisolid metal (SSM) processing or thixoforming is widely known as a technology that involves the formation of metal alloys between solidus and liquidus temperatures. For the procedure to operate successfully, the microstructure of the starting material must consist of solid near-globular grains surrounded by a liquid matrix and a wide solidus-to-liquidus transition area. Currently, this process is industrially successful, generating a variety of products with high quality parts in various industrial sectors. Throughout the years since its inception, a number of technologies to produce the appropriate globular microstructure have been developed and applied worldwide. The main aim of this paper is to classify the presently available SSM technologies and present a comprehensive review of the potential mechanisms that lead to microstructural alterations during the preparation of feedstock materials for SSM processing. PMID:24194689

Methods of refining and producing isomerized fatty acid esters and fatty acids from natural oil feedstocks

DOEpatents

Snead, Thomas E.; Cohen, Steven A.; Gildon, Demond L.; Beltran, Leslie V.; Kunz, Linda A.; Pals, Tessa M.; Quinn, Jordan R; Behrends, Jr., Raymond T.; Bernhardt, Randal J.

2016-07-05

Methods are provided for refining natural oil feedstocks and producing isomerized esters and acids. The methods comprise providing a C4-C18 unsaturated fatty ester or acid, and isomerizing the fatty acid ester or acid in the presence of heat or an isomerization catalyst to form an isomerized fatty ester or acid. In some embodiments, the methods comprise forming a dibasic ester or dibasic acid prior to the isomerizing step. In certain embodiments, the methods further comprise hydrolyzing the dibasic ester to form a dibasic acid. In certain embodiments, the olefin is formed by reacting the feedstock in the presence of a metathesis catalyst under conditions sufficient to form a metathesized product comprising olefins and esters, separating the olefins from the esters in the metathesized product, and transesterifying the esters in the presence of an alcohol to form a transesterified product having unsaturated esters.

Dietary Supplements

MedlinePlus

... For Consumers Consumer Information by Audience For Women Dietary Supplements: Tips for Women Share Tweet Linkedin Pin it ... or 10877-382-4357. To Learn More about Dietary Supplements Information for Consumers on Using Dietary Supplements NIH ...

Catalytic Upgrading of Thermochemical Intermediates to Hydrocarbons: Conversion of Lignocellulosic Feedstocks to Aromatic Fuels and High Value Chemicals

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cortright, Randy; Rozmiarek, Bob; Van Straten, Matt

The principal objective of this project was to develop a fully integrated catalytic process that efficiently converts lignocellulosic feedstocks (e.g. bagasse, corn stover, and loblolly pine) into aromatic-rich fuels and chemicals. Virent led this effort with key feedstock support from Iowa State University. Within this project, Virent leveraged knowledge of catalytic processing of sugars and biomass to investigate two liquefaction technologies (Reductive Catalytic Liquefaction (USA Patent No. 9,212,320, 2015) and Solvolysis (USA Patent No. 9,157,030, 2015) (USA Patent No. 9,157,031, 2015)) that take advantage of proprietary catalysts at temperatures less than 300°C in the presence of unique solvent molecules generatedmore » in-situ within the liquefaction processes.« less

Design, scale-up, Six Sigma in processing different feedstocks in a fixed bed downdraft biomass gasifier

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boravelli, Sai Chandra Teja

This thesis mainly focuses on design and process development of a downdraft biomass gasification processes. The objective is to develop a gasifier and process of gasification for a continuous steady state process. A lab scale downdraft gasifier was designed to develop the process and obtain optimum operating procedure. Sustainable and dependable sources such as biomass are potential sources of renewable energy and have a reasonable motivation to be used in developing a small scale energy production plant for countries such as Canada where wood stocks are more reliable sources than fossil fuels. This thesis addresses the process of thermal conversion of biomass gasification process in a downdraft reactor. Downdraft biomass gasifiers are relatively cheap and easy to operate because of their design. We constructed a simple biomass gasifier to study the steady state process for different sizes of the reactor. The experimental part of this investigation look at how operating conditions such as feed rate, air flow, the length of the bed, the vibration of the reactor, height and density of syngas flame in combustion flare changes for different sizes of the reactor. These experimental results also compare the trends of tar, char and syngas production for wood pellets in a steady state process. This study also includes biomass gasification process for different wood feedstocks. It compares how shape, size and moisture content of different feedstocks makes a difference in operating conditions for the gasification process. For this, Six Sigma DMAIC techniques were used to analyze and understand how each feedstock makes a significant impact on the process.

Tools and methodologies to support more sustainable biofuel feedstock production.

PubMed

Dragisic, Christine; Ashkenazi, Erica; Bede, Lucio; Honzák, Miroslav; Killeen, Tim; Paglia, Adriano; Semroc, Bambi; Savy, Conrad

2011-02-01

Increasingly, government regulations, voluntary standards, and company guidelines require that biofuel production complies with sustainability criteria. For some stakeholders, however, compliance with these criteria may seem complex, costly, or unfeasible. What existing tools, then, might facilitate compliance with a variety of biofuel-related sustainability criteria? This paper presents four existing tools and methodologies that can help stakeholders assess (and mitigate) potential risks associated with feedstock production, and can thus facilitate compliance with requirements under different requirement systems. These include the Integrated Biodiversity Assessment Tool (IBAT), the ARtificial Intelligence for Ecosystem Services (ARIES) tool, the Responsible Cultivation Areas (RCA) methodology, and the related Biofuels + Forest Carbon (Biofuel + FC) methodology.

The Impact of Biomass Feedstock Supply Variability on the Delivered Price to a Biorefinery in the Peace River Region of Alberta, Canada

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Stephen, Jamie; Sokhansanj, Shahabaddine; Bi, X.T.

2010-01-01

Agricultural residue feedstock availability in a given region can vary significantly over the 20 25 year lifetime of a biorefinery. Since delivered price of biomass feedstock to a biorefinery is related to the distance travelled and equipment optimization, and transportation distance increases as productivity decreases, productivity is a primary determinant of feedstock price. Using the Integrated Biomass Supply Analysis and Logistics (IBSAL) modeling environment and a standard round bale harvest and delivery scenario, harvest and delivery price were modelled for minimum, average, and maximum yields at four potential biorefinery sites in the Peace River region of Alberta, Canada. Biorefinery capacitiesmore » ranged from 50,000 to 500,000 tonnes per year. Delivery cost is a linear function of transportation distance and can be combined with a polynomial harvest function to create a generalized delivered cost function for agricultural residues. The range in delivered cost is substantial and is an important consideration for the operating costs of a biorefinery.« less

Switchgrass response to nitrogen fertilizer across diverse environments in the USA: a regional feedstock partnership report

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The Regional Feedstock Partnership is a collaborative effort between the Sun Grant Initiative (through Land Grant Universities), the US Department of Energy, and the US Department of Agriculture. One segment of this partnership is the field-scale evaluation of switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) in di...

Field-to-Fuel Performance Testing of Lignocellulosic Feedstocks: An Integrated Study of the Fast Pyrolysis/Hydrotreating Pathway

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Howe, Daniel T.; Westover, Tyler; Carpenter, Daniel

2015-05-21

Feedstock composition can affect final fuel yields and quality for the fast pyrolysis and hydrotreatment upgrading pathway. However, previous studies have focused on individual unit operations rather than the integrated system. In this study, a suite of six pure lignocellulosic feedstocks (clean pine, whole pine, tulip poplar, hybrid poplar, switchgrass, and corn stover) and two blends (equal weight percentages whole pine/tulip poplar/switchgrass and whole pine/clean pine/hybrid poplar) were prepared and characterized at Idaho National Laboratory. These blends then underwent fast pyrolysis at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory and hydrotreatment at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. Although some feedstocks showed a highmore » fast pyrolysis bio-oil yield such as tulip poplar at 57%, high yields in the hydrotreater were not always observed. Results showed overall fuel yields of 15% (switchgrass), 18% (corn stover), 23% (tulip poplar, Blend 1, Blend 2), 24% (whole pine, hybrid poplar) and 27% (clean pine). Simulated distillation of the upgraded oils indicated that the gasoline fraction varied from 39% (clean pine) to 51% (corn stover), while the diesel fraction ranged from 40% (corn stover) to 46% (tulip poplar). Little variation was seen in the jet fuel fraction at 11 to 12%. Hydrogen consumption during hydrotreating, a major factor in the economic feasibility of the integrated process, ranged from 0.051 g/g dry feed (tulip poplar) to 0.070 g/g dry feed (clean pine).« less

Microalgae Feedstocks for Aviation Fuels

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wigmosta, Mark S.; Coleman, Andre; Venteris, Erik

(USDOE, 2013) to support the RFS through development of “…commercially viable biomass utilization technologies to encourage the creation of a new domestic bioenergy industry…”. BETO has also recognized the potential for aviation biofuels to support the bioenergy industry, seeing drop-in bio-based jet fuels one of the viable alternatives for the aviation industry and the military to meet their ambitious near-term GHG reduction targets (USDOE, 2014). One of the important Multi-year Program Plan Targets (USDOE, 2013) is to establish feedstock resource assessment models to evaluate the geographic, economic, quality and environmental criteria for which 20 million metric tons of ash free dry weight (AFDW) algal biomass can be produced by 2022. Toward meeting the EISA requirements, algal biofuels may offer a number of advantages. They can produce a range of biofuel feedstocks suitable for diesel and aviation fuels. Microalgae, on a strain-specific basis, can be cultivated using impaired water including saline, and/or brackish pumped groundwater or seawater, treated industrial wastewater, municipal sewage effluent, and produced water generated from oil and gas drilling operations. Additionally, microalgae require nitrogen and phosphates as essential nutrients and could provide water treatment co-benefits to municipalities, industry, and the environment.« less

Development of a system for characterizing biomass quality of lignocellulosic feedstocks for biochemical conversion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Murphy, Patrick Thomas

The purpose of this research was twofold: (i) to develop a system for screening lignocellulosic biomass feedstocks for biochemical conversion to biofuels and (ii) to evaluate brown midrib corn stover as feedstock for ethanol production. In the first study (Chapter 2), we investigated the potential of corn stover from bm1-4 hybrids for increased ethanol production and reduced pretreatment intensity compared to corn stover from the isogenic normal hybrid. Corn stover from hybrid W64A X A619 and respective isogenic bm hybrids was pretreated by aqueous ammonia steeping using ammonium hydroxide concentrations from 0 to 30%, by weight, and the resulting residues underwent simultaneous saccharification and cofermentation (SSCF) to ethanol. Dry matter (DM) digested by SSCF increased with increasing ammonium hydroxide concentration across all genotypes (P>0.0001) from 277 g kg-1 DM in the control to 439 g kg-1 DM in the 30% ammonium hydroxide pretreatment. The bm corn stover materials averaged 373 g kg-1 DM of DM digested by SSCF compared with 335 g kg-1 DM for the normal corn stover (P<0.0001). Of the bm mutations, bm3 had (i) the greatest effect on cell-wall carbohydrate hydrolysis of corn stover, (ii) the lowest initial cell-wall carbohydrate concentration, (iii) the lowest dry matter remaining after pretreatment, and (iv) the highest amount of monosaccharides released during enzymatic hydrolysis. However, bm corn stover did not reduce the severity of aqueous ammonia steeping pretreatment needed to maximize DM hydrolysis during SSCF compared with normal corn stover. In the remaining studies (Chapters 3 thru 5), a system for analyzing the quality of lignocellulosic biomass feedstocks for biochemical conversion to biofuels (i.e., pretreatment, enzymatic hydrolysis, and fermentation) was developed. To accomplish this, a carbohydrate availability model was developed to characterize feedstock quality. The model partitions carbohydrates within a feedstock material into

Dietary supplements.

PubMed

Maughan, Ron J; King, Doug S; Lea, Trevor

2004-01-01

For the athlete training hard, nutritional supplements are often seen as promoting adaptations to training, allowing more consistent and intensive training by promoting recovery between training sessions, reducing interruptions to training because of illness or injury, and enhancing competitive performance. Surveys show that the prevalence of supplement use is widespread among sportsmen and women, but the use of few of these products is supported by a sound research base and some may even be harmful to the athlete. Special sports foods, including energy bars and sports drinks, have a real role to play, and some protein supplements and meal replacements may also be useful in some circumstances. Where there is a demonstrated deficiency of an essential nutrient, an increased intake from food or from supplementation may help, but many athletes ignore the need for caution in supplement use and take supplements in doses that are not necessary or may even be harmful. Some supplements do offer the prospect of improved performance; these include creatine, caffeine, bicarbonate and, perhaps, a very few others. There is no evidence that prohormones such as androstenedione are effective in enhancing muscle mass or strength, and these prohormones may result in negative health consequences, as well as positive drug tests. Contamination of supplements that may cause an athlete to fail a doping test is widespread.

Screening of industrial wastewaters as feedstock for the microbial production of oils for biodiesel production and high-quality pigments

DOE PAGES

Schneider, Teresa; Graeff-Honninger, Simone; French, William Todd; ...

2012-01-01

The production of biodiesel has notably increased over the past decade. Currently, plant oil is the main feedstock for biodiesel production, but, due to concerns related to the competition with food production, alternative oil feedstocks have to be found. Oleaginous yeasts are known to produce high amounts of lipids, but no integrated process from microbial fermentation to final biodiesel production has reached commercial realization yet due to economic constraints. Therefore, growth and lipid production of red yeast Rhodotorula glutinis was tested on low-cost substrates, namely, wastewaters from potato, fruit juice, and lettuce processing. Additionally, the production of carotenoids as high-valuemore » by-products was examined. All evaluated wastewaters met the general criteria for microbial lipid production. However, no significant increase in lipid content was observed, probably due to lack of available carbon in wastewaters from fruit juice and lettuce processing, and excess of available nitrogen in potato processing wastewater, respectively. During growth on wastewaters from fruit juice and lettuce processing the carotenoid content increased significantly in the first 48 hours. The relations between carbon content, nitrogen content, and carotenoid production need to be further assessed. For economic viability, lipid and carotenoid production needs to be increased significantly. Lastly, the screening of feedstocks should be extended to other wastewaters.« less

Large-volume injection of sample diluents not miscible with the mobile phase as an alternative approach in sample preparation for bioanalysis: an application for fenspiride bioequivalence.

PubMed

Medvedovici, Andrei; Udrescu, Stefan; Albu, Florin; Tache, Florentin; David, Victor

2011-09-01

Liquid-liquid extraction of target compounds from biological matrices followed by the injection of a large volume from the organic layer into the chromatographic column operated under reversed-phase (RP) conditions would successfully combine the selectivity and the straightforward character of the procedure in order to enhance sensitivity, compared with the usual approach of involving solvent evaporation and residue re-dissolution. Large-volume injection of samples in diluents that are not miscible with the mobile phase was recently introduced in chromatographic practice. The risk of random errors produced during the manipulation of samples is also substantially reduced. A bioanalytical method designed for the bioequivalence of fenspiride containing pharmaceutical formulations was based on a sample preparation procedure involving extraction of the target analyte and the internal standard (trimetazidine) from alkalinized plasma samples in 1-octanol. A volume of 75 µl from the octanol layer was directly injected on a Zorbax SB C18 Rapid Resolution, 50 mm length × 4.6 mm internal diameter × 1.8 µm particle size column, with the RP separation being carried out under gradient elution conditions. Detection was made through positive ESI and MS/MS. Aspects related to method development and validation are discussed. The bioanalytical method was successfully applied to assess bioequivalence of a modified release pharmaceutical formulation containing 80 mg fenspiride hydrochloride during two different studies carried out as single-dose administration under fasting and fed conditions (four arms), and multiple doses administration, respectively. The quality attributes assigned to the bioanalytical method, as resulting from its application to the bioequivalence studies, are highlighted and fully demonstrate that sample preparation based on large-volume injection of immiscible diluents has an increased potential for application in bioanalysis.

Drought effects on composition and yield for corn stover, mixed grasses, and Miscanthus as bioenergy feedstocks

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Drought conditions in 2012 were some of the most severe in recent history. The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of drought on quality, quantity, and theoretical ethanol yield (TEY) of three bioenergy feedstocks, corn stover, mixed perennial grasses from Conservation Reserve Program de...

Conversion of grazed pastures to energy cane as a biofuel feedstock alters seasonal soil GHG fluxes

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Changes in land use can profoundly affect the climate through variations in the emission of soil GHG. Global demands for biofuel feedstock is accelerating land use change by prompting the conversion of marginal land and managed ecosystems to highly productive second-generation bioenergy crops such a...

Simulating and evaluating best management practices for integrated landscape management scenarios in biofuel feedstock production

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ha, Miae; Wu, May

Sound crop and land management strategies can maintain land productivity and improve the environmental sustainability of agricultural crop and feedstock production. With this study, it evaluates a strategy of incorporating landscape design and management concepts into bioenergy feedstock production. It examines the effect of land conversion and agricultural best management practices (BMPs) on water quality (nutrients and suspended sediments) and hydrology. The strategy was applied to the watershed of the South Fork Iowa River in Iowa, where the focus was on converting low-productivity land to provide cellulosic biomass and implementing riparian buffers. The Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) wasmore » employed to simulate the impact at watershed and sub-basin scales. The study compared the representation of buffers by using trapping efficiency and area ratio methods in SWAT. Landscape design and management scenarios were developed to quantify water quality under (i) current land use, (ii) partial land conversion to switchgrass, and (iii) riparian buffer implementation. Results show that implementation of vegetative barriers and riparian buffer can trap the loss of total nitrogen, total phosphorus, and sediment significantly. The effect increases with the increase of buffer area coverage. Implementing riparian buffer at 30 m width is able to produce 4 million liters of biofuels. When low-productivity land (15.2% of total watershed land area) is converted to grow switchgrass, suspended sediment, total nitrogen, total phosphorus, and nitrate loadings are reduced by 69.3%, 55.5%, 46.1%, and 13.4%, respectively. The results highlight the significant role of lower-productivity land and buffers in cellulosic biomass and provide insights into the design of an integrated landscape with a conservation buffer for future bioenergy feedstock production.« less

Simulating and evaluating best management practices for integrated landscape management scenarios in biofuel feedstock production

DOE PAGES

Ha, Miae; Wu, May

2015-09-08

Sound crop and land management strategies can maintain land productivity and improve the environmental sustainability of agricultural crop and feedstock production. With this study, it evaluates a strategy of incorporating landscape design and management concepts into bioenergy feedstock production. It examines the effect of land conversion and agricultural best management practices (BMPs) on water quality (nutrients and suspended sediments) and hydrology. The strategy was applied to the watershed of the South Fork Iowa River in Iowa, where the focus was on converting low-productivity land to provide cellulosic biomass and implementing riparian buffers. The Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) wasmore » employed to simulate the impact at watershed and sub-basin scales. The study compared the representation of buffers by using trapping efficiency and area ratio methods in SWAT. Landscape design and management scenarios were developed to quantify water quality under (i) current land use, (ii) partial land conversion to switchgrass, and (iii) riparian buffer implementation. Results show that implementation of vegetative barriers and riparian buffer can trap the loss of total nitrogen, total phosphorus, and sediment significantly. The effect increases with the increase of buffer area coverage. Implementing riparian buffer at 30 m width is able to produce 4 million liters of biofuels. When low-productivity land (15.2% of total watershed land area) is converted to grow switchgrass, suspended sediment, total nitrogen, total phosphorus, and nitrate loadings are reduced by 69.3%, 55.5%, 46.1%, and 13.4%, respectively. The results highlight the significant role of lower-productivity land and buffers in cellulosic biomass and provide insights into the design of an integrated landscape with a conservation buffer for future bioenergy feedstock production.« less

Particle Size Effects on Flow Properties of PS304 Plasma Spray Feedstock Powder Blend

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stanford, Malcolm K.; DellaCorte, Christopher; Eylon, Daniel

2002-01-01

The effects of BaF2-CaF2 particle size and size distribution on PS304 feedstock powder flowability have been investigated. Angular BaF2-CaF2 eutectic powders were produced by comminution and classified by screening to obtain 38 to 45 microns 45 to 106 microns, 63 to 106 microns, 45 to 53 microns, 63 to 75 microns, and 90 to 106 microns particle size distributions. The fluorides were added incrementally from 0 to 10 wt% to the other powder constituents of the PS304 feedstock: nichrome, chromia, and silver powders. The flow rate of the powder blends decreased linearly with increasing concentration of the fluorides. Flow was degraded with decreasing BaF2-CaF2 particle size and with increasing BaF2-CaF2 particle size distribution. A semiempirical relationship is offered to describe the PS304 powder blend flow behavior. The Hausner Ratio confirmed the funnel flow test results, but was slightly less sensitive to differences in BaF2-CaF2 particle size and size distribution. These findings may have applicability to other powders that do not flow easily, such as ceramic powders.

Optimizing biomass feedstock blends with respect to cost, supply, and quality for catalyzed and uncatalyzed fast pyrolysis applications

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Thompson, Vicki S.; Aston, John E.; Lacey, Jeffrey A.

Here, biomass cost, quality and quantity are important parameters to consider when choosing feedstocks and locations for biorefineries. Biomass cost is dependent upon type, location, quantities available in a given area and logistics costs as well the quality needed for the biorefinery. Biomass quality depends upon type, growth conditions, weather, harvesting methods, storage conditions as well as any preprocessing methods used to improve quality. Biomass quantity depends heavily on location as well as growth conditions, weather, harvesting methods and storage conditions. This study examines how all three of these parameters affect the biomass mixture that is needed in a biomassmore » depot or biorefinery to achieve the lowest cost with the highest quality and at the quantities needed for biorefinery operation. Four biomass depots were proposed in South Carolina that would each process the predominant type of biomass available in that area and each produce 200,000 tons of feedstock per year. These depots would then feed a centrally located 800,000 ton biorefinery that would convert the feedstocks to pyrolysis oil using either catalyzed or uncatalyzed fast pyrolysis. The four depots each needed to produce different blends of biomass based upon the quantities available to them but still meet the minimum quality requirements for the biorefinery. Costs were minimized by using waste biomass resources such as construction and demolition waste, logging residues and forest residuals. Depending upon the quality specification required by the biorefinery, it was necessary to utilize preprocessing methods such as air classification and acid leaching to upgrade biomass quality. In the case of uncatalyzed fast pyrolysis, all four depots could produce biomass blends that were lower cost than the the preferred pyrolysis feedstock, clean pine, and meet quality and quantity specifications. For catalyzed fast pyrolysis, three of the four depots were able to produce blends that met

Optimizing biomass feedstock blends with respect to cost, supply, and quality for catalyzed and uncatalyzed fast pyrolysis applications

DOE PAGES

Thompson, Vicki S.; Aston, John E.; Lacey, Jeffrey A.; ...

2017-05-24

Here, biomass cost, quality and quantity are important parameters to consider when choosing feedstocks and locations for biorefineries. Biomass cost is dependent upon type, location, quantities available in a given area and logistics costs as well the quality needed for the biorefinery. Biomass quality depends upon type, growth conditions, weather, harvesting methods, storage conditions as well as any preprocessing methods used to improve quality. Biomass quantity depends heavily on location as well as growth conditions, weather, harvesting methods and storage conditions. This study examines how all three of these parameters affect the biomass mixture that is needed in a biomassmore » depot or biorefinery to achieve the lowest cost with the highest quality and at the quantities needed for biorefinery operation. Four biomass depots were proposed in South Carolina that would each process the predominant type of biomass available in that area and each produce 200,000 tons of feedstock per year. These depots would then feed a centrally located 800,000 ton biorefinery that would convert the feedstocks to pyrolysis oil using either catalyzed or uncatalyzed fast pyrolysis. The four depots each needed to produce different blends of biomass based upon the quantities available to them but still meet the minimum quality requirements for the biorefinery. Costs were minimized by using waste biomass resources such as construction and demolition waste, logging residues and forest residuals. Depending upon the quality specification required by the biorefinery, it was necessary to utilize preprocessing methods such as air classification and acid leaching to upgrade biomass quality. In the case of uncatalyzed fast pyrolysis, all four depots could produce biomass blends that were lower cost than the the preferred pyrolysis feedstock, clean pine, and meet quality and quantity specifications. For catalyzed fast pyrolysis, three of the four depots were able to produce blends that met

Particle Morphology Effects on Flow Characteristics of PS304 Plasma Spray Coating Feedstock Powder Blend

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stanford, Malcolm K.; DellaCorte, Christopher; Eylon, Daniel

2002-01-01

The effects of BaF2-CaF 2 particle morphology on PS304 feedstock powder flow ability have been investigated. BaF2-CaF2 eutectic powders were fabricated by comminution (angular) and by gas atomization (spherical). The fluoride powders were added incrementally to the other powder constituents of the PS304 feedstock: nichrome, chromia, and silver powders. A linear relationship between flow time and concentration of BaF2-CaF2 powder was found. Flow of the powder blend with spherical BaF2-CaF2 was better than the angular BaF2-CaF2. Flow ability of the powder blend with angular fluorides decreased linearly with increasing fluoride concentration. Flow of the powder blend with spherical fluorides was independent of fluoride concentration. Results suggest that for this material blend, particle morphology plays a significant role in powder blend flow behavior, offering potential methods to improve powder flow ability and enhance the commercial potential. These findings may have applicability to other difficult-to-flow powders such as cohesive ceramics.

Novel storage technologies for raw and clarified syrup biomass feedstocks from sweet sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L. Moench)

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Attention is currently focused on developing sustainable supply chains of sugar feedstocks for new, flexible biorefineries. Fundamental processing needs identified by industry for the large-scale manufacture of biofuels and bioproducts from sweet sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L. Moench) include stabiliz...

Torrefaction reduction of coke formation on catalysts used in esterification and cracking of biofuels from pyrolysed lignocellulosic feedstocks

DOEpatents

Kastner, James R; Mani, Sudhagar; Hilten, Roger; Das, Keshav C

2015-11-04

A bio-oil production process involving torrefaction pretreatment, catalytic esterification, pyrolysis, and secondary catalytic processing significantly reduces yields of reactor char, catalyst coke, and catalyst tar relative to the best-case conditions using non-torrefied feedstock. The reduction in coke as a result of torrefaction was 28.5% relative to the respective control for slow pyrolysis bio-oil upgrading. In fast pyrolysis bio-oil processing, the greatest reduction in coke was 34.9%. Torrefaction at 275.degree. C. reduced levels of acid products including acetic acid and formic acid in the bio-oil, which reduced catalyst coking and increased catalyst effectiveness and aromatic hydrocarbon yields in the upgraded oils. The process of bio-oil generation further comprises a catalytic esterification of acids and aldehydes to generate such as ethyl levulinate from lignified biomass feedstock.

Complementarity in dietary supplements and foods: are supplement users vegetable eaters?

PubMed

Kang, Hyoung-Goo; Joo, Hailey Hayeon; Choi, Kyong Duk; Lee, Dongmin; Moon, Junghoon

2017-01-01

Background : The consumption of fruits, vegetables, and dietary supplements correlate. Most previous studies have aimed to identify the determinants of supplement uses or the distinct features of supplement users; this literature lacks a discussion on dietary supplement consumption as a predictor of fruit and vegetable consumption. Objective : This study examines how dietary supplement consumption correlates with fruit and vegetable consumption by combining scanner data and surveys of Korean household grocery shopping. Methods : Propensity score matching (PSM) is used to identify the relationship between dietary supplement consumption and fruit and vegetable consumption in a household. A logit regression using supplement consumption as the dependent variable is used. Then, the supplement takers (the treatment group) are matched with non-takers (the control group) based on the propensity scores estimated in the logit regression. The fruit and vegetable consumption levels of the groups are then compared. Results : We found that dietary supplement use is associated with higher fruit and vegetable consumption. This supports the health consciousness hypothesis based on attention bias, availability heuristics, the focusing effect, and the consumption episode effect. It rejects the health substitute hypothesis based on economic substitutes and mental accounting. Conclusions : Future research on the health benefits of dietary supplements should address the complementary consumption of fruits/vegetables and their health benefits to avoid misstating the health effects of supplements.

Complementarity in dietary supplements and foods: are supplement users vegetable eaters?

PubMed Central

Kang, Hyoung-Goo; Joo, Hailey Hayeon; Choi, Kyong Duk; Lee, Dongmin; Moon, Junghoon

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT Background: The consumption of fruits, vegetables, and dietary supplements correlate. Most previous studies have aimed to identify the determinants of supplement uses or the distinct features of supplement users; this literature lacks a discussion on dietary supplement consumption as a predictor of fruit and vegetable consumption. Objective: This study examines how dietary supplement consumption correlates with fruit and vegetable consumption by combining scanner data and surveys of Korean household grocery shopping. Methods: Propensity score matching (PSM) is used to identify the relationship between dietary supplement consumption and fruit and vegetable consumption in a household. A logit regression using supplement consumption as the dependent variable is used. Then, the supplement takers (the treatment group) are matched with non-takers (the control group) based on the propensity scores estimated in the logit regression. The fruit and vegetable consumption levels of the groups are then compared. Results: We found that dietary supplement use is associated with higher fruit and vegetable consumption. This supports the health consciousness hypothesis based on attention bias, availability heuristics, the focusing effect, and the consumption episode effect. It rejects the health substitute hypothesis based on economic substitutes and mental accounting. Conclusions: Future research on the health benefits of dietary supplements should address the complementary consumption of fruits/vegetables and their health benefits to avoid misstating the health effects of supplements. PMID:28904529

Restructuring upstream bioprocessing: technological and economical aspects for production of a generic microbial feedstock from wheat.

PubMed

Koutinas, A A; Wang, R; Webb, C

2004-03-05

Restructuring and optimization of the conventional fermentation industry for fuel and chemical production is necessary to replace petrochemical production routes. Guided by this concept, a novel biorefinery process has been developed as an alternative to conventional upstream processing routes, leading to the production of a generic fermentation feedstock from wheat. The robustness of Aspergillus awamori as enzyme producer is exploited in a continuous fungal fermentation on whole wheat flour. Vital gluten is extracted as an added-value byproduct by the conventional Martin process from a fraction of the overall wheat used. Enzymatic hydrolysis of gluten-free flour by the enzyme complex produced by A. awamori during fermentation produces a liquid stream rich in glucose (320 g/L). Autolysis of fungal cells produces a micronutrient-rich solution similar to yeast extract (1.6 g/L nitrogen, 0.5 g/L phosphorus). The case-specific combination of these two liquid streams can provide a nutrient-complete fermentation medium for a spectrum of microbial bioconversions for the production of such chemicals as organic acids, amino acids, bioethanol, glycerol, solvents, and microbial biodegradable plastics. Preliminary economic analysis has shown that the operating cost required to produce the feedstock is dependent on the plant capacity, cereal market price, presence and market value of added-value byproducts, labor costs, and mode of processing (batch or continuous). Integration of this process in an existing fermentation plant could lead to the production of a generic feedstock at an operating cost lower than the market price of glucose syrup (90% to 99% glucose) in the EU, provided that the plant capacity exceeds 410 m(3)/day. Further process improvements are also suggested. Copyright 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Organic waste as a sustainable feedstock for platform chemicals.

PubMed

Coma, M; Martinez-Hernandez, E; Abeln, F; Raikova, S; Donnelly, J; Arnot, T C; Allen, M J; Hong, D D; Chuck, C J

2017-09-21

Biorefineries have been established since the 1980s for biofuel production, and there has been a switch lately from first to second generation feedstocks in order to avoid the food versus fuel dilemma. To a lesser extent, many opportunities have been investigated for producing chemicals from biomass using by-products of the present biorefineries, simple waste streams. Current facilities apply intensive pre-treatments to deal with single substrate types such as carbohydrates. However, most organic streams such as municipal solid waste or algal blooms present a high complexity and variable mixture of molecules, which makes specific compound production and separation difficult. Here we focus on flexible anaerobic fermentation and hydrothermal processes that can treat complex biomass as a whole to obtain a range of products within an integrated biorefinery concept.

Organic waste as a sustainable feedstock for platform chemicals

PubMed Central

Martinez-Hernandez, E.; Abeln, F.; Raikova, S.; Donnelly, J.; Arnot, T. C.; Allen, M. J.; Hong, D. D.; Chuck, C. J.

2017-01-01

Biorefineries have been established since the 1980s for biofuel production, and there has been a switch lately from first to second generation feedstocks in order to avoid the food versus fuel dilemma. To a lesser extent, many opportunities have been investigated for producing chemicals from biomass using by-products of the present biorefineries, simple waste streams. Current facilities apply intensive pre-treatments to deal with single substrate types such as carbohydrates. However, most organic streams such as municipal solid waste or algal blooms present a high complexity and variable mixture of molecules, which makes specific compound production and separation difficult. Here we focus on flexible anaerobic fermentation and hydrothermal processes that can treat complex biomass as a whole to obtain a range of products within an integrated biorefinery concept. PMID:28654113

Flow rate of some pharmaceutical diluents through die-orifices relevant to mini-tableting.

PubMed

Kachrimanis, K; Petrides, M; Malamataris, S

2005-10-13

The effects of cylindrical orifice length and diameter on the flow rate of three commonly used pharmaceutical direct compression diluents (lactose, dibasic calcium phosphate dihydrate and pregelatinised starch) were investigated, besides the powder particle characteristics (particle size, aspect ratio, roundness and convexity) and the packing properties (true, bulk and tapped density). Flow rate was determined for three different sieve fractions through a series of miniature tableting dies of different orifice diameter (0.4, 0.3 and 0.2 cm) and thickness (1.5, 1.0 and 0.5 cm). It was found that flow rate decreased with the increase of the orifice length for the small diameter (0.2 cm) but for the large diameter (0.4 cm) was increased with the orifice length (die thickness). Flow rate changes with the orifice length are attributed to the flow regime (transitional arch formation) and possible alterations in the position of the free flowing zone caused by pressure gradients arising from the flow of self-entrained air, both above the entrance in the die orifice and across it. Modelling by the conventional Jones-Pilpel non-linear equation and by two machine learning algorithms (lazy learning, LL, and feed-forward back-propagation, FBP) was applied and predictive performance of the fitted models was compared. It was found that both FBP and LL algorithms have significantly higher predictive performance than the Jones-Pilpel non-linear equation, because they account both dimensions of the cylindrical die opening (diameter and length). The automatic relevance determination for FBP revealed that orifice length is the third most influential variable after the orifice diameter and particle size, followed by the bulk density, the difference between bulk and tapped densities and the particle convexity.

Metabolic engineering of plant oils and waxes for use as industrial feedstocks.

PubMed

Vanhercke, Thomas; Wood, Craig C; Stymne, Sten; Singh, Surinder P; Green, Allan G

2013-02-01

Society has come to rely heavily on mineral oil for both energy and petrochemical needs. Plant lipids are uniquely suited to serve as a renewable source of high-value fatty acids for use as chemical feedstocks and as a substitute for current petrochemicals. Despite the broad variety of acyl structures encountered in nature and the cloning of many genes involved in their biosynthesis, attempts at engineering economic levels of specialty industrial fatty acids in major oilseed crops have so far met with only limited success. Much of the progress has been hampered by an incomplete knowledge of the fatty acid biosynthesis and accumulation pathways. This review covers new insights based on metabolic flux and reverse engineering studies that have changed our view of plant oil synthesis from a mostly linear process to instead an intricate network with acyl fluxes differing between plant species. These insights are leading to new strategies for high-level production of industrial fatty acids and waxes. Furthermore, progress in increasing the levels of oil and wax structures in storage and vegetative tissues has the potential to yield novel lipid production platforms. The challenge and opportunity for the next decade will be to marry these technologies when engineering current and new crops for the sustainable production of oil and wax feedstocks. © 2012 CSIRO Plant Biotechnology Journal © 2012 Society for Experimental Biology, Association of Applied Biologists and Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Water quality effects of short-rotation pine management for bioenergy feedstocks in the southeastern United States

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Griffiths, Natalie A.; Jackson, C. Rhett; Bitew, Menberu M.

There is growing interest in renewable and domestically produced energy which motivates the evaluation of woody bioenergy feedstock production. In the southeastern U.S., woody feedstock plantations, primarily of loblolly pine (Pinus taeda), would be intensively managed over short rotations (10–12 years) to achieve high yields. The primary differences in managing woody feedstocks for bioenergy production vs for pulp/sawtimber production include a higher frequency of pesticide and fertilizer applications, whole-tree removal, and greater ground disturbance (i.e., more bare ground during stand establishment and more frequent disturbance). And while the effects of pulp/sawtimber production on water quality are well-studied, the effects ofmore » growing short-rotation loblolly pine on water quality and the efficacy of current forestry Best Management Practices (BMPs) have not been evaluated for this emerging management system. We used a watershed-scale experiment in a before-after, control-impact design to evaluate the effects of growing loblolly pine for bioenergy on water quality in the Upper Coastal Plain of the southeastern U.S. Intensive management for bioenergy production and implementation of current forestry BMPs occurred on ~50% of two treatment watersheds, with one reference watershed in a minimally managed pine forest. Water quality metrics (nutrient and pesticide concentrations) were measured in stream water, groundwater, and interflow (i.e., shallow subsurface flow) for a two-year pre-treatment period, and for 3.5 years post-treatment. After 3.5 years, there was little change to stream water quality. Here, we report on observations where there were a few occurrences of saturated overland flow, but there were sediments and water dissipated within the streamside management zones in over 75% of these instances. Stream nutrient concentrations were low and temporal changes mainly reflected seasonal patterns in nitrogen cycling. Nitrate concentrations

Water quality effects of short-rotation pine management for bioenergy feedstocks in the southeastern United States

DOE PAGES

Griffiths, Natalie A.; Jackson, C. Rhett; Bitew, Menberu M.; ...

2017-06-12

There is growing interest in renewable and domestically produced energy which motivates the evaluation of woody bioenergy feedstock production. In the southeastern U.S., woody feedstock plantations, primarily of loblolly pine (Pinus taeda), would be intensively managed over short rotations (10–12 years) to achieve high yields. The primary differences in managing woody feedstocks for bioenergy production vs for pulp/sawtimber production include a higher frequency of pesticide and fertilizer applications, whole-tree removal, and greater ground disturbance (i.e., more bare ground during stand establishment and more frequent disturbance). And while the effects of pulp/sawtimber production on water quality are well-studied, the effects ofmore » growing short-rotation loblolly pine on water quality and the efficacy of current forestry Best Management Practices (BMPs) have not been evaluated for this emerging management system. We used a watershed-scale experiment in a before-after, control-impact design to evaluate the effects of growing loblolly pine for bioenergy on water quality in the Upper Coastal Plain of the southeastern U.S. Intensive management for bioenergy production and implementation of current forestry BMPs occurred on ~50% of two treatment watersheds, with one reference watershed in a minimally managed pine forest. Water quality metrics (nutrient and pesticide concentrations) were measured in stream water, groundwater, and interflow (i.e., shallow subsurface flow) for a two-year pre-treatment period, and for 3.5 years post-treatment. After 3.5 years, there was little change to stream water quality. Here, we report on observations where there were a few occurrences of saturated overland flow, but there were sediments and water dissipated within the streamside management zones in over 75% of these instances. Stream nutrient concentrations were low and temporal changes mainly reflected seasonal patterns in nitrogen cycling. Nitrate concentrations

Selecting Metrics for Sustainable Bioenergy Feedstocks

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dale, Virginia H; Kline, Keith L; Mulholland, Patrick J

Key decisions about land-use practices and dynamics in biofuel systems affect the long-term sustainability of biofuels. Choices about what crops are grown and how are they planted, fertilized, and harvested determine the effects of biofuels on native plant diversity, competition with food crops, and water and air quality. Those decisions also affect economic viability since the distance that biofuels must be transported has a large effect on the market cost of biofuels. The components of a landscape approach include environmental and socioeconomic conditions and the bioenergy features [type of fuel, plants species, management practices (e.g., fertilizer and pesticide applications), typemore » and location of production facilities] and ecological and biogeochemical feedbacks. Significantly, while water (availability and quality) emerges as one of the most limiting factors to sustainability of bioenergy feedstocks, the linkage between water and bioenergy choices for land use and management on medium and large scales is poorly quantified. Metrics that quantify environmental and socioeconomic changes in land use and landscape dynamics provide a way to measure and communicate the influence of alternative bioenergy choices on water quality and other components of the environment. Cultivation of switchgrass could have both positive and negative environmental effects, depending on where it is planted and what vegetation it replaces. Among the most important environmental effects are changes in the flow regimes of streams (peak storm flows, base flows during the growing season) and changes in stream water quality (sediment, nutrients, and pesticides). Unfortunately, there have been few controlled studies that provide sufficient data to evaluate the hydrological and water quality impacts of conversion to switchgrass. In particular, there is a need for experimental studies that use the small watershed approach to evaluate the effects of growing a perennial plant as a

Improving fatty acid methyl ester production yield in a lipase-catalyzed process using waste frying oils as feedstock.

PubMed

Azócar, Laura; Ciudad, Gustavo; Heipieper, Hermann J; Muñoz, Robinson; Navia, Rodrigo

2010-06-01

The application of waste frying oil (WFO) mixed with rapeseed oil as a feedstock for the effective production of fatty acid methyl esters (FAME) in a lipase-catalyzed process was investigated. The response surface methodology (RSM) was used to optimize the interaction of four variables: the percentage of WFO in the mixed feedstock, the methanol-to-oil ratio, the dosage of Novozym 435 as a catalyst and the temperature. Furthermore, the addition of methanol to the reaction mixture in a second step after 8 h was shown to effectively diminish enzyme inhibition. Using this technique, the model predicted the optimal conditions that would reach 100% FAME, including a methanol-to-oil molar ratio of 3.8:1, 100% (wt) WFO, 15% (wt) Novozym 435 and incubation at 44.5 degrees C for 12 h with agitation at 200 rpm, and verification experiments confirmed the validity of the model. According to the model, the addition of WFO increased FAME production yield, which is largely due to its higher contents of monoacylglycerols, diacylglycerols and free fatty acids (in comparison to rapeseed oil), which are more available substrates for the enzymatic catalysis. Therefore, the replacement of rapeseed oil with WFO in Novozym 435-catalyzed processes could diminish biodiesel production costs since it is a less expensive feedstock that increases the production yield and could be a potential alternative for FAME production on an industrial scale. (c) 2009 The Society for Biotechnology, Japan. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Optimizing biomass feedstock logistics for forest residue processing and transportation on a tree-shaped road network

Treesearch

Hee Han; Woodam Chung; Lucas Wells; Nathaniel Anderson

2018-01-01

An important task in forest residue recovery operations is to select the most cost-efficient feedstock logistics system for a given distribution of residue piles, road access, and available machinery. Notable considerations include inaccessibility of treatment units to large chip vans and frequent, long-distance mobilization of forestry equipment required to process...

Life cycle environmental impacts of substituting food wastes for traditional anaerobic digestion feedstocks.

PubMed

Pérez-Camacho, María Natividad; Curry, Robin; Cromie, Thomas

2018-03-01

In this study, life cycle assessment has been used to evaluate life cycle environmental impacts of substituting traditional anaerobic digestion (AD) feedstocks with food wastes. The results have demonstrated the avoided GHG emissions from substituting traditional AD feedstocks with food waste (avoided GHG-eq emissions of 163.33 CO 2 -eq). Additionally, the analysis has included environmental benefits of avoided landfilling of food wastes and digestate use as a substitute for synthetic fertilisers. The analysis of the GHG mitigation benefits of resource management/circular economy policies, namely, the mandating of a ban on the landfilling of food wastes, has demonstrated the very substantial GHG emission reduction that can be achieved by these policy options - 2151.04 kg CO 2 eq per MWh relative to UK Grid. In addition to the reduction in GHG emission, the utilization of food waste for AD instead of landfilling can manage the leakage of nutrients to water resources and eliminate eutrophication impacts which occur, typically as the result of field application. The results emphasise the benefits of using life-cycle thinking to underpin policy development and the implications for this are discussed with a particular focus on the analysis of policy development across the climate, renewable energy, resource management and bioeconomy nexus and recommendations made for future research priorities. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

NIST-Traceable NMR Method to Determine Quantitative Weight Percentage Purity of Mustard (HD) Feedstock Samples

DTIC Science & Technology

2018-01-01

ECBC-TR-1506 NIST-TRACEABLE NMR METHOD TO DETERMINE QUANTITATIVE WEIGHT PERCENTAGE PURITY OF MUSTARD (HD) FEEDSTOCK SAMPLES David J...McGarvey RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY DIRECTORATE William R. Creasy LEIDOS, INC. Abingdon, MD 21009-1261 Theresa R. Connell EXCET, INC...be construed as an official Department of the Army position unless so designated by other authorizing documents. REPORT DOCUMENTATION PAGE

Biological conversion assay using Clostridium phytofermentans to estimate plant feedstock quality.

PubMed

Lee, Scott J; Warnick, Thomas A; Pattathil, Sivakumar; Alvelo-Maurosa, Jesús G; Serapiglia, Michelle J; McCormick, Heather; Brown, Virginia; Young, Naomi F; Schnell, Danny J; Smart, Lawrence B; Hahn, Michael G; Pedersen, Jeffrey F; Leschine, Susan B; Hazen, Samuel P

2012-02-08

There is currently considerable interest in developing renewable sources of energy. One strategy is the biological conversion of plant biomass to liquid transportation fuel. Several technical hurdles impinge upon the economic feasibility of this strategy, including the development of energy crops amenable to facile deconstruction. Reliable assays to characterize feedstock quality are needed to measure the effects of pre-treatment and processing and of the plant and microbial genetic diversity that influence bioconversion efficiency. We used the anaerobic bacterium Clostridium phytofermentans to develop a robust assay for biomass digestibility and conversion to biofuels. The assay utilizes the ability of the microbe to convert biomass directly into ethanol with little or no pre-treatment. Plant samples were added to an anaerobic minimal medium and inoculated with C. phytofermentans, incubated for 3 days, after which the culture supernatant was analyzed for ethanol concentration. The assay detected significant differences in the supernatant ethanol from wild-type sorghum compared with brown midrib sorghum mutants previously shown to be highly digestible. Compositional analysis of the biomass before and after inoculation suggested that differences in xylan metabolism were partly responsible for the differences in ethanol yields. Additionally, we characterized the natural genetic variation for conversion efficiency in Brachypodium distachyon and shrub willow (Salix spp.). Our results agree with those from previous studies of lignin mutants using enzymatic saccharification-based approaches. However, the use of C. phytofermentans takes into consideration specific organismal interactions, which will be crucial for simultaneous saccharification fermentation or consolidated bioprocessing. The ability to detect such phenotypic variation facilitates the genetic analysis of mechanisms underlying plant feedstock quality.

Biological conversion assay using Clostridium phytofermentans to estimate plant feedstock quality

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background There is currently considerable interest in developing renewable sources of energy. One strategy is the biological conversion of plant biomass to liquid transportation fuel. Several technical hurdles impinge upon the economic feasibility of this strategy, including the development of energy crops amenable to facile deconstruction. Reliable assays to characterize feedstock quality are needed to measure the effects of pre-treatment and processing and of the plant and microbial genetic diversity that influence bioconversion efficiency. Results We used the anaerobic bacterium Clostridium phytofermentans to develop a robust assay for biomass digestibility and conversion to biofuels. The assay utilizes the ability of the microbe to convert biomass directly into ethanol with little or no pre-treatment. Plant samples were added to an anaerobic minimal medium and inoculated with C. phytofermentans, incubated for 3 days, after which the culture supernatant was analyzed for ethanol concentration. The assay detected significant differences in the supernatant ethanol from wild-type sorghum compared with brown midrib sorghum mutants previously shown to be highly digestible. Compositional analysis of the biomass before and after inoculation suggested that differences in xylan metabolism were partly responsible for the differences in ethanol yields. Additionally, we characterized the natural genetic variation for conversion efficiency in Brachypodium distachyon and shrub willow (Salix spp.). Conclusion Our results agree with those from previous studies of lignin mutants using enzymatic saccharification-based approaches. However, the use of C. phytofermentans takes into consideration specific organismal interactions, which will be crucial for simultaneous saccharification fermentation or consolidated bioprocessing. The ability to detect such phenotypic variation facilitates the genetic analysis of mechanisms underlying plant feedstock quality. PMID:22316115

Low Cost and Energy Efficient Methods for the Manufacture of Semi-Solid (SSM) Feedstock

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Diran Apelian; Qingyue Pan; Makhlouf Makhlouf

2005-11-07

The SSM Consortium (now ACRC) at WPI has been carrying out fundamental, pre-competitive research in SSM for several years. Current and past research (at WPI) has generated many results of fundamental and applied nature, which are available to the SSM community. These include materials characterization, yield stress effects, alloy development, rheological properties, process modeling/simulation, semi-solid slurry formation, etc. Alternative method to produce SSM slurries at lower processing costs and with reduced energy consumption is a critical need. The production of low cost SSM feedstock will certainly lead to a dramatic increase in the tonnage of castings produced by SSM, andmore » will provide end users such as the transportation industry, with lighter, cheaper and high performance materials. In this program, the research team has addressed three critical issues in semi-solid processing. They are: (1) Development of low cost, reliable slurry-on-demand approaches for semi-solid processing; (2) Application of the novel permanent grain refining technology-SiBloy for the manufacture of high-quality SSM feedstock, and (3) Development of computational and modeling tools for semi-solid processing to enhance SSM process control. Salient results from these studies are summarized and detailed in our final technical report.« less

Waste-to-Energy biofuel production potential for selected feedstocks in the conterminous United States

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Skaggs, Richard L.; Coleman, Andre M.; Seiple, Timothy E.

Here, waste-to-Energy (WtE) technologies offer the promise of diverting organic wastes, including wastewater sludge, livestock waste, and food waste, for beneficial energy use while reducing the quantities of waste that are disposed or released to the environment. To ensure economic and environmental viability of WtE feedstocks, it is critical to gain an understanding of the spatial and temporal variability of waste production. Detailed information about waste characteristics, capture/diversion, transport requirements, available conversion technologies, and overall energy conversion efficiency is also required. Building on the development of a comprehensive WtE feedstock database that includes municipal wastewater sludge; animal manure; food processingmore » waste; and fats, oils, and grease for the conterminous United States, we conducted a detailed analysis of the wastes' potential for biofuel production on a site-specific basis. Our analysis indicates that with conversion by hydrothermal liquefaction, these wastes have the potential to produce up to 22.3 GL/y (5.9 Bgal/y) of a biocrude oil intermediate that can be upgraded and refined into a variety of liquid fuels, in particular renewable diesel and aviation kerosene. Conversion to aviation kerosene can potentially meet 23.9% of current U.S. demand.« less

Waste-to-Energy biofuel production potential for selected feedstocks in the conterminous United States

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Skaggs, Richard L.; Coleman, André M.; Seiple, Timothy E.

Waste-to-Energy (WtE) technologies offer the promise of diverting organic wastes, including wastewater sludge, livestock waste, and food waste, for beneficial energy use while reducing the quantities of waste that are disposed or released to the environment. To ensure economic and environmental viability of WtE feedstocks, it is critical to gain an understanding of the spatial and temporal variability of waste production. Detailed information about waste characteristics, capture/diversion, transport requirements, available conversion technologies, and overall energy conversion efficiency is also required. Building on the development of a comprehensive WtE feedstock database that includes municipal wastewater sludge; animal manure; food processing waste;more » and fats, oils, and grease for the conterminous United States, we conducted a detailed analysis of the wastes’ potential for biofuel production on a site-specific basis. Our analysis indicates that with conversion by hydrothermal liquefaction, these wastes have the potential to produce up to 22.3 GL/y (5.9 Bgal/y) of a biocrude oil intermediate that can be upgraded and refined into a variety of liquid fuels, in particular renewable diesel and aviation kerosene. Conversion to aviation kerosene can potentially meet 23.9% of current U.S. demand.« less

Waste-to-Energy biofuel production potential for selected feedstocks in the conterminous United States

DOE PAGES

Skaggs, Richard L.; Coleman, André M.; Seiple, Timothy E.; ...

2017-10-18

Waste-to-Energy (WtE) technologies offer the promise of diverting organic wastes, including wastewater sludge, livestock waste, and food waste, for beneficial energy use while reducing the quantities of waste that are disposed or released to the environment. To ensure economic and environmental viability of WtE feedstocks, it is critical to gain an understanding of the spatial and temporal variability of waste production. Detailed information about waste characteristics, capture/diversion, transport requirements, available conversion technologies, and overall energy conversion efficiency is also required. Building on the development of a comprehensive WtE feedstock database that includes municipal wastewater sludge; animal manure; food processing waste;more » and fats, oils, and grease for the conterminous United States, we conducted a detailed analysis of the wastes’ potential for biofuel production on a site-specific basis. Our analysis indicates that with conversion by hydrothermal liquefaction, these wastes have the potential to produce up to 22.3 GL/y (5.9 Bgal/y) of a biocrude oil intermediate that can be upgraded and refined into a variety of liquid fuels, in particular renewable diesel and aviation kerosene. Conversion to aviation kerosene can potentially meet 23.9% of current U.S. demand.« less

Waste-to-Energy biofuel production potential for selected feedstocks in the conterminous United States

DOE PAGES

Skaggs, Richard L.; Coleman, Andre M.; Seiple, Timothy E.; ...

2017-10-18

Here, waste-to-Energy (WtE) technologies offer the promise of diverting organic wastes, including wastewater sludge, livestock waste, and food waste, for beneficial energy use while reducing the quantities of waste that are disposed or released to the environment. To ensure economic and environmental viability of WtE feedstocks, it is critical to gain an understanding of the spatial and temporal variability of waste production. Detailed information about waste characteristics, capture/diversion, transport requirements, available conversion technologies, and overall energy conversion efficiency is also required. Building on the development of a comprehensive WtE feedstock database that includes municipal wastewater sludge; animal manure; food processingmore » waste; and fats, oils, and grease for the conterminous United States, we conducted a detailed analysis of the wastes' potential for biofuel production on a site-specific basis. Our analysis indicates that with conversion by hydrothermal liquefaction, these wastes have the potential to produce up to 22.3 GL/y (5.9 Bgal/y) of a biocrude oil intermediate that can be upgraded and refined into a variety of liquid fuels, in particular renewable diesel and aviation kerosene. Conversion to aviation kerosene can potentially meet 23.9% of current U.S. demand.« less

Effect of Feedstock and Catalyst Impurities on the Methanol‐to‐Olefin Reaction over H‐SAPO‐34

PubMed Central

Vogt, Charlotte; Ruiz‐Martínez, Javier

2016-01-01

Abstract Operando UV/Vis spectroscopy with on‐line mass spectrometry was used to study the effect of different types of impurities on the hydrocarbon pool species and the activity of H‐SAPO‐34 as a methanol‐to‐olefins (MTO) catalyst. Successive reaction cycles with different purity feedstocks were studied, with an intermittent regeneration step. The combined study of two distinct impurity types (i.e., feed and internal impurities) leads to new insights into MTO catalyst activation and deactivation mechanisms. In the presence of low amounts of feed impurities, the induction and active periods of the process are prolonged. Feed impurities are thus beneficial in the formation of the initial hydrocarbon pool, but also aid in the unwanted formation of deactivating coke species by a separate, competing mechanism favoring coke species over olefins. Further, feedstock impurities strongly influence the location of coke deposits, and thus influence the deactivation mechanism, whereas a study of the organic impurities retained after calcination reveals that these species are less relevant for catalyst activity and function as “seeds” for coke formation only. PMID:28163792

The impact of cultivar diversity in bioenergy feedstock production systems on soil carbon sequestration rates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

De Graaff, M.; Morris, G.; Jastrow, J. D.; SIX, J. W.

2013-12-01

Land-use change for bioenergy production can create greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions through disturbance of soil carbon (C) pools, but native species with extensive root systems may rapidly repay the GHG debt, particularly when grown in diverse mixtures, by enhancing soil C sequestration upon land-use change. Native bioenergy candidate species, switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) and big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii) show extensive within-species variation, and our preliminary data show that increased cultivar diversity can enhance yield. We aim to assess how shifting C3-dominated nonnative perennial grasslands to C4-dominated native perennial grasslands for use as bioenergy feedstock affects soil C stocks, and how within-species diversity in switchgrass and big bluestem affects soil C sequestration rates. Our experiment is conducted at the Fermilab National Environmental Research Park, and compares different approaches for perennial feedstock production ranging across a biodiversity gradient, where diversity is manipulated at both the species- and cultivar level, and nitrogen (N) is applied at two levels (0 and 67 kg/ha). Preliminary results indicate that switchgrass and big bluestem differentially affect soil C sequstration, and that increasing diversity may enhance soil C sequestration rates.

Dedicated energy crops and crop residues for bioenergy feedstocks in the Central and Eastern U.S.A.

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Dedicated energy crops and crop residues will meet herbaceous feedstock demands for the new bioeconomy in the Central and Eastern USA. Perennial warm-season grasses and corn stover are well-suited to the eastern half of the USA and provide opportunities for expanding agricultural operations in the r...

Field based measurements of albedo for two candidate perennial cellulosic feedstocks and row crops in Central Illinois

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miller, J. N.; VanLoocke, A.; Bernacchi, C. J.

2012-12-01

The production of perennial cellulosic feedstocks for bioenergy present the potential to diversify regional economies and the national energy supply, while also serving as a climate 'regulators' due to a number of biogeochemical and biophysical differences relative to row crops. Numerous observationally and modeling based approaches, including life cycle analyses have investigated biogeochemical tradeoffs, such as increased carbon sequestration and biophysical increased water use, associated with growing cellulosic feedstocks. A less understood aspect is the biophysical changes associated with the difference in albedo, which will alter the local energy balance and could cause a local to regional cooling several times larger than that associated with offsetting carbon. To address this factor an experiment consisting of paired fields of Miscanthus and Switchgrass, two of the leading perennial cellulosic feedstock candidates, and traditional row crops was established in central Illinois. Data from the first two growing seasons indicate that this effect is most pronounced during the spring and fall as perennial biofuel crops green up earlier and senesce later than common annual row crops. The albedo of the perennials converges to that of the row crops during the growing season as the canopies develop. During the early winter, before the perennial crops are harvested, the albedo over fallow soybean and maize fields can vary greatly depending on snowfall and, to a lesser extent, soil moisture, whereas perennials show less variation. Thus, perennial biofuel crops also have the potential to buffer the local environment against short-term variations in climate. These factors should be considered when evaluating the tradeoffs and climate-regulation services associated with large-scale planting of bioenergy crops.

Waste wood as bioenergy feedstock. Climate change impacts and related emission uncertainties from waste wood based energy systems in the UK.

PubMed

Röder, Mirjam; Thornley, Patricia

2018-04-01

Considering the urgent need to shift to low carbon energy carriers, waste wood resources could provide an alternative energy feedstock and at the same time reduce emissions from landfill. This research examines the climate change impacts and related emission uncertainties of waste wood based energy. For this, different grades of waste wood and energy application have been investigated using lifecycle assessment. Sensitivity analysis has then been applied for supply chain processes and feedstock properties for the main emission contributing categories: transport, processing, pelletizing, urea resin fraction and related N 2 O formation. The results show, depending on the waste wood grade, the conversion option, scale and the related reference case, that emission reductions of up to 91% are possible for non-treated wood waste. Compared to this, energy from treated wood waste with low contamination can achieve up to 83% emission savings, similar to untreated waste wood pellets, but in some cases emissions from waste wood based energy can exceed the ones of the fossil fuel reference - in the worst case by 126%. Emission reductions from highly contaminated feedstocks are largest when replacing electricity from large-scale coal and landfill. The highest emission uncertainties are related to the wood's resin fraction and N 2 O formation during combustion and, pelletizing. Comparing wood processing with diesel and electricity powered equipment also generated high variations in the results, while emission variations related to transport are relatively small. Using treated waste wood as a bioenergy feedstock can be a valid option to reduce emissions from energy production but this is only realisable if coal and landfill gas are replaced. To achieve meaningful emission reduction in line with national and international climate change targets, pre-treatment of waste wood would be required to reduce components that form N 2 O during the energy conversion. Copyright © 2017

Next Generation Protein Interactomes for Plant Systems Biology and Biomass Feedstock Research

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ecker, Joseph Robert; Trigg, Shelly; Garza, Renee

Biofuel crop cultivation is a necessary step in heading towards a sustainable future, making their genomic studies a priority. While technology platforms that currently exist for studying non-model crop species, like switch-grass or sorghum, have yielded large quantities of genomic and expression data, still a large gap exists between molecular mechanism and phenotype. The aspect of molecular activity at the level of protein-protein interactions has recently begun to bridge this gap, providing a more global perspective. Interactome analysis has defined more specific functional roles of proteins based on their interaction partners, neighborhoods, and other network features, making it possible tomore » distinguish unique modules of immune response to different plant pathogens(Jiang, Dong, and Zhang 2016). As we work towards cultivating heartier biofuel crops, interactome data will lead to uncovering crop-specific defense and development networks. However, the collection of protein interaction data has been limited to expensive, time-consuming, hard-to-scale assays that mostly require cloned ORF collections. For these reasons, we have successfully developed a highly scalable, economical, and sensitive yeast two-hybrid assay, ProCREate, that can be universally applied to generate proteome-wide primary interactome data. ProCREate enables en masse pooling and massively paralleled sequencing for the identification of interacting proteins by exploiting Cre-lox recombination. ProCREate can be used to screen ORF/cDNA libraries from feedstock plant tissues. The interactome data generated will yield deeper insight into many molecular processes and pathways that can be used to guide improvement of feedstock productivity and sustainability.« less

Interactive association between biopolymers and biofunctions in carinata seeds as energy feedstock and their coproducts (carinata meal) from biofuel and bio-oil processing before and after biodegradation: current advanced molecular spectroscopic investigations.

PubMed

Yu, Peiqiang; Xin, Hangshu; Ban, Yajing; Zhang, Xuewei

2014-05-07

Recent advances in biofuel and bio-oil processing technology require huge supplies of energy feedstocks for processing. Very recently, new carinata seeds have been developed as energy feedstocks for biofuel and bio-oil production. The processing results in a large amount of coproducts, which are carinata meal. To date, there is no systematic study on interactive association between biopolymers and biofunctions in carinata seed as energy feedstocks for biofuel and bioethanol processing and their processing coproducts (carinata meal). Molecular spectroscopy with synchrotron and globar sources is a rapid and noninvasive analytical technique and is able to investigate molecular structure conformation in relation to biopolymer functions and bioavailability. However, to date, these techniques are seldom used in biofuel and bioethanol processing in other research laboratories. This paper aims to provide research progress and updates with molecular spectroscopy on the energy feedstock (carinata seed) and coproducts (carinata meal) from biofuel and bioethanol processing and show how to use these molecular techniques to study the interactive association between biopolymers and biofunctions in the energy feedstocks and their coproducts (carinata meal) from biofuel and bio-oil processing before and after biodegradation.

DEVELOPMENT OF A LOW-COST INFERENTIAL NATURAL GAS ENERGY FLOW RATE PROTOTYPE RETROFIT MODULE

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

E. Kelner; T.E. Owen; D.L. George

2004-03-01

In 1998, Southwest Research Institute{reg_sign} began a multi-year project co-funded by the Gas Research Institute (GRI) and the U.S. Department of Energy. The project goal is to develop a working prototype instrument module for natural gas energy measurement. The module will be used to retrofit a natural gas custody transfer flow meter for energy measurement, at a cost an order of magnitude lower than a gas chromatograph. Development and evaluation of the prototype retrofit natural gas energy flow meter in 2000-2001 included: (1) evaluation of the inferential gas energy analysis algorithm using supplemental gas databases and anticipated worst-case gas mixtures;more » (2) identification and feasibility review of potential sensing technologies for nitrogen diluent content; (3) experimental performance evaluation of infrared absorption sensors for carbon dioxide diluent content; and (4) procurement of a custom ultrasonic transducer and redesign of the ultrasonic pulse reflection correlation sensor for precision speed-of-sound measurements. A prototype energy meter module containing improved carbon dioxide and speed-of-sound sensors was constructed and tested in the GRI Metering Research Facility at SwRI. Performance of this module using transmission-quality natural gas and gas containing supplemental carbon dioxide up to 9 mol% resulted in gas energy determinations well within the inferential algorithm worst-case tolerance of {+-}2.4 Btu/scf (nitrogen diluent gas measured by gas chromatograph). A two-week field test was performed at a gas-fired power plant to evaluate the inferential algorithm and the data acquisition requirements needed to adapt the prototype energy meter module to practical field site conditions.« less

Evaluation of carbon fluxes and trends (2000-2008) in the Greater Platte River Basin: a sustainability study on the potential biofuel feedstock development

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gu, Yingxin; Wylie, Bruce K.; Zhang, Li; Gilmanov, Tagir G.

2012-01-01

This study evaluates the carbon fluxes and trends and examines the environmental sustainability (e.g., carbon budget, source or sink) of the potential biofuel feedstock sites identified in the Greater Platte River Basin (GPRB). A 9-year (2000–2008) time series of net ecosystem production (NEP), a measure of net carbon absorption or emission by ecosystems, was used to assess the historical trends and budgets of carbon flux for grasslands in the GPRB. The spatially averaged annual NEP (ANEP) for grassland areas that are possibly suitable for biofuel expansion (productive grasslands) was 71–169 g C m−2 year−1 during 2000–2008, indicating a carbon sink (more carbon is absorbed than released) in these areas. The spatially averaged ANEP for areas not suitable for biofuel feedstock development (less productive or degraded grasslands) was −47 to 69 g C m−2 year−1 during 2000–2008, showing a weak carbon source or a weak carbon sink (carbon emitted is nearly equal to carbon absorbed). The 9-year pre-harvest cumulative ANEP was 1166 g C m−2 for the suitable areas (a strong carbon sink) and 200 g C m−2 for the non-suitable areas (a weak carbon sink). Results demonstrate and confirm that our method of dynamic modeling of ecosystem performance can successfully identify areas desirable and sustainable for future biofuel feedstock development. This study provides useful information for land managers and decision makers to make optimal land use decisions regarding biofuel feedstock development and sustainability.

Differential scanning fluorimetry illuminates silk feedstock stability and processability.

PubMed

Dicko, C; Kasoju, N; Hawkins, N; Vollrath, F

2016-01-07

The ability to design and implement silk feedstock formulations for tailored spinning has so far eluded the bioengineers. Recently, the high throughput screening technique of differential scanning fluorimetry (DSF) demonstrated the link between the instability transition temperature (Ti) and the processability of the silk feedstock. Using DSF we screened a large set of chemicals known to affect solvent quality. A multivariate analysis of the results shows that, regardless of the diversity of chemicals, three groupings are significantly distinguishable: G1 = similar to native silk; G2 = largely dominated by electrostatic interactions; and G3 = dominated by chelating interactions. We propose a thermodynamic analysis based on a pre- and post-transition fit to estimate the van't Hoff enthalpies (ΔHv) and the instability temperature (Ti). Our analysis shows that the ΔTi and ΔHv values were distinct: G1 (ΔTi = 0.23 ± 0.2; ΔHv = -159.1 ± 5.6 kcal mol(-1)), G2 (ΔTi = -7.3 ± 0.7; ΔHv = -191.4 ± 5.5 kcal mol(-1)), and G3 (ΔTi = -19.9 ± 3.3; ΔHv = -68.8 ± 6.0 kcal mol(-1)). Our analysis further combined the ΔTi value and the ΔHv value using stability ΔΔG to find that G1 only marginally stabilizes native silks (ΔΔG = -0.15 ± 0.04 kcal mol(-1)), whereas G2 and G3 destabilize native silk (ΔΔG = 3.8 ± 0.11 and ΔΔG = 3.8 ± 0.3 kcal mol(-1), respectively). Here our analysis shows that native silk has a complex multistep transition that is possibly non-cooperative. However, all three groupings also show a direct and cooperative transition with varied stabilization effects. This analysis suggests that native silks are able to sample multiple substates prior to undergoing (or to delay) the final transition. We conclude by hypothesizing that the observed energetic plasticity may be mediated by a fragile packaging of the silk tertiary structure that is readily lost when the solvent quality changes.

The availability of second generation feedstocks for the treatment of acid mine drainage and to improve South Africa's bio-based economy.

PubMed

Westensee, Dirk Karl; Rumbold, Karl; Harding, Kevin G; Sheridan, Craig M; van Dyk, Lizelle D; Simate, Geoffrey S; Postma, Ferdinand

2018-10-01

South Africa has a wide range of mining activities making mineral resources important economic commodities. However, the industry is responsible for several environmental impacts; one of which is acid mine drainage (AMD). Despite several years of research, attempts to prevent AMD generation have proven to be difficult. Therefore, treatment of the resulting drainage has been common practice over the years. One of the recommended treatment methods is the use of second generation feedstocks (lignocellulosic biomass). This biomass is also acknowledged to be an important feedstock for bio-refineries as it is abundant, has a high carbon content and is available at minimal cost. It can also potentially be converted to fermentable sugars (e.g. glucose) through different treatment steps, which could further yield other valuable commodities (cellulase, poly-β-hydroxybutyric acid (PHB) and penicillin V). It is estimated by a generic flowsheet model that 7 tons of grass biomass can produce 1400 kg of glucose which can subsequently produce 205 kg, 438 kg and 270 kg of cellulase, PHB and Penicillin V, respectively. In this paper we investigate the feasibility of grass as feedstock for AMD treatment and the subsequent conversion of this acid pre-treated grass into valuable bio-products. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

NASA Thesaurus Supplement: A three part cumulative supplement to the 1982 edition of the NASA Thesaurus (supplement 2)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1984-01-01

The three part cumulative NASA Thesaurus Supplement to the 1982 edition of the NASA Thesaurus includes: part 1, hierarchical listing; part 2, access vocabulary, and part 3, deletions. The semiannual supplement gives complete hierarchies for new terms and includes new term indications for terms new to this supplement.

NASA Thesaurus Supplement: A three part cumulative supplement to the 1982 edition of the NASA Thesaurus (supplement 3)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1985-01-01

The three part cumulative NASA Thesaurus Supplement to the 1982 edition of the NASA Thesaurus includes Part 1, Hierarchical Listing, Part 2, Access Vocabulary, and Part 3, Deletions. The semiannual supplement gives complete hierarchies for new terms and includes new term indications for entries new to this supplement.

Integrating multimodal transport into cellulosic biofuel supply chain design under feedstock seasonality with a case study based on California.

PubMed

Xie, Fei; Huang, Yongxi; Eksioglu, Sandra

2014-01-01

A multistage, mixed integer programing model was developed that fully integrates multimodal transport into the cellulosic biofuel supply chain design under feedstock seasonality. Three transport modes are considered: truck, single railcar, and unit train. The goal is to minimize the total cost for infrastructure, feedstock harvesting, biofuel production, and transportation. Strategic decisions including the locations and capacities of transshipment hubs, biorefineries, and terminals and tactical decisions on system operations are optimized in an integrated manner. When the model was implemented to a case study of cellulosic ethanol production in California, it was found that trucks are convenient for short-haul deliveries while rails are more effective for long-haul transportation. Taking the advantage of these benefits, the multimodal transport provides more cost effective solutions than the single-mode transport (truck). Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Manufacturing Process Development to Produce Depleted Uranium Wire for EBAM Feedstock

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Alexander, David John; Clarke, Kester Diederik; Coughlin, Daniel Robert

2015-06-30

Wire produced from depleted uranium (DU) is needed as feedstock for the Electron-Beam Additive Manufacturing (EBAM) process. The goal is to produce long lengths of DU wire with round or rectangular cross section, nominally 1.5 mm (0.060 inches). It was found that rolling methods, rather than swaging or drawing, are preferable for production of intermediate quantities of DU wire. Trials with grooveless rolling have shown that it is suitable for initial reductions of large stock. Initial trials with grooved rolling have been successful, for certain materials. Modified square grooves (square round-bottom vee grooves) with 12.5 % reduction of area permore » pass have been selected for the reduction process.« less

Assessing Extension's Ability to Promote Family Forests as a Woody Biomass Feedstock in the Northeast United States

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Germain, Rene' H.; Ghosh, Chandrani

2013-01-01

The study reported here surveyed Extension educators' awareness and knowledge of woody biomass energy and assessed their desire and ability to reach out to family forest owners-a critical feedstock source. The results indicate Extension educators are aware of the potential of woody biomass to serve as a renewable source of energy. Respondents…

Improving Biofuel Feedstocks by Modifying Xylan Biosynthesis (2013 DOE JGI Genomics of Energy and Environment 8th Annual User Meeting)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lau, Jane

2013-03-01

Jane Lau of the Joint BioEnergy Institute on Improving biofuel feedstocks by modifying xylan biosynthesis at the 8th Annual Genomics of Energy Environment Meeting on March 28, 2013 in Walnut Creek, CA.

Agronomic comparison of several brassica species in the U.S. Corn Belt as feedstock for hydrotreated jet fuel

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Through a patented process developed in the U.S., hydrotreated renewable jet fuel (HRJ) derived from plant oils has been commercially demonstrated. However, full-scale production has not yet come to fruition because HRJ is not economically competitive with petroleum-based fuels due to high feedstock...

Financial return from traditional wood products, feedstock, and carbon sequestration in loblolly pine plantations in the Southern U.S

Treesearch

Umesh K. Chaudhan; Michael B. Kane

2015-01-01

We know that planting trees is a key approach for mitigating climate change; however, we are uncertain of what planting density per unit of land and what cultural regimes are needed to optimize traditional timber products, feedstock, and carbon sequestration.

Assessing Pinyon Juniper Feedstock Properties and Utilization Options

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gresham, Garold Linn; Kenney, Kevin Louis

2015-08-01

Pinyon-juniper woodlands are a major ecosystem type found in the Southwest and the Intermountain West regions of the United States. These ecosystems are characterized by the presence of several different species of pinyon pine and juniper as the dominant plant cover. Since the 1800s, pinyon-juniper woodlands have rapidly expanded their range at the expense of existing ecosystems. Additionally, existing woodlands have become more dense, potentially increasing fire hazards. Land managers responsible for these areas often desire to reduce pinyonjuniper coverage on their lands for a variety of reasons, including restoration to previous vegetative cover, mitigation of fire risk, and improvementmore » in wildlife habitat. However, the cost of clearing or thinning pinyon-juniper stands can be prohibitive. One reason for this is the lack of utilization options for the resulting biomass that could help recover some of the cost of pinyonjuniper stand management. The goal of this project was to assess the feedstock characteristics of biomass from a pinyon-juniper harvest so that potential applications for the biomass may be evaluated.« less

Camellia oleifera shell as an alternative feedstock for furfural production using a high surface acidity solid acid catalyst.

PubMed

Zhang, Luxin; He, Yunfei; Zhu, Yujie; Liu, Yuting; Wang, Xiaochang

2018-02-01

This paper focuses on the high-value transformation of camellia oleifera shell, which is an agricultural waste enriched in hemicellulose. An efficient catalytic route employing sulfonated swelling mesoporous polydivinylbenzene (PDVB-SO 3 H) as catalyst in monophasic or biphasic solvents was developed for the conversion of raw camellia oleifera shell into furfural. The reaction parameters were evaluated and optimized for improving the furfural yield. It was found that the solvent greatly influenced the hydrolysis of camellia oleifera shells, and the highest furfural yield of 61.3% was obtained in "γ-butyrolactone + water" system when the feedstock-to-catalyst ratio was 2 for 30 min at 443 K. Camellia oleifera shell exhibited a high potential as feedstock to produce furfural in high yields. The outcome of this study provides an attractive utilization option to camellia oleifera shell, which is currently burned or discarded for producing a bio-based chemical. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Fermentative production of high titer citric acid from corn stover feedstock after dry dilute acid pretreatment and biodetoxification.

PubMed

Zhou, Ping-Ping; Meng, Jiao; Bao, Jie

2017-01-01

The aim of this work is to study the citric acid fermentation by a robust strain Aspergillus niger SIIM M288 using corn stover feedstock after dry dilute sulfuric acid pretreatment and biodetoxification. Citric acid at 100.04g/L with the yield of 94.11% was obtained, which are comparable to the starch or sucrose based citric acid fermentation. No free wastewater was generated in the overall process from the pretreatment to citric acid fermentation. Abundant divalent metal ions as well as high titer of potassium, phosphate, and nitrogen were found in corn stover hydrolysate. Further addition of extra nutrients showed no impact on increasing citric acid formation except minimum nitrogen source was required. Various fermentation parameters were tested and only minimum regulation was required during the fermentation. This study provided a biorefining process for citric acid fermentation from lignocellulose feedstock with the maximum citric acid titer and yield. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Constructing xylose-assimilating pathways in Pediococcus acidilactici for high titer d-lactic acid fermentation from corn stover feedstock.

PubMed

Qiu, Zhongyang; Gao, Qiuqiang; Bao, Jie

2017-12-01

Xylose-assimilating pathway was constructed in a d-lactic acid producing Pediococcus acidilactici strain and evolutionary adapted to yield a co-fermentation strain P. acidilactici ZY15 with 97.3g/L of d-lactic acid and xylose conversion of 92.6% obtained in the high solids content simultaneous saccharification and co-fermentation (SSCF) of dry dilute acid pretreated and biodetoxified corn stover feedstock. The heterologous genes encoding xylose isomerase (xylA) and xylulokinase (xylB) were screened and integrated into the P. acidilactici chromosome. The metabolic flux to acetic acid in phosphoketolase pathway was re-directed to pentose phosphate pathway by substituting the endogenous phosphoketolase gene (pkt) with the heterologous transketolase (tkt) and transaldolase (tal) genes. The xylose-assimilating ability of the newly constructed P. acidilactici strain was significantly improved by adaptive evolution. This study provided an important strain and process prototype for high titer d-lactic acid production from lignocellulose feedstock with efficient xylose assimilation. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of Physicochemical Properties of South African Cashew Apple Juice as a Biofuel Feedstock

PubMed Central

Deenanath, Evanie Devi; Daramola, Michael; Falcon, Rosemary; Iyuke, Sunny

2015-01-01

Cashew apple juice (CAJ) is one of the feedstocks used for biofuel production and ethanol yield depends on the physical and chemical properties of the extracted juice. As far as can be ascertained, information on physical and chemical properties of South African cashew apple juice is limited in open literature. Therefore, this study provides information on the physical and chemical properties of the South African cashew apple juice. Physicochemical characteristics of the juice, such as specific gravity, pH, sugars, condensed tannins, Vitamin C, minerals, and total protein, were measured from a mixed variety of cashew apples. Analytical results showed the CAJ possesses specific gravity and pH of 1.050 and 4.52, respectively. The highest sugars were glucose (40.56 gL−1) and fructose (57.06 gL−1). Other chemical compositions of the juice were condensed tannin (55.34 mgL−1), Vitamin C (112 mg/100 mL), and total protein (1.78 gL−1). The minerals content was as follows: zinc (1.39 ppm), copper (2.18 ppm), magnesium (4.32 ppm), iron (1.32 ppm), sodium (5.44 ppm), and manganese (1.24 ppm). With these findings, South African CAJ is a suitable biomass feedstock for ethanol production. PMID:26345160

Dietary Supplements

MedlinePlus

Dietary supplements are vitamins, minerals, herbs, and many other products. They can come as pills, capsules, powders, drinks, ... possible Tell your health care provider about any dietary supplements you use Do not take a bigger dose ...

Impact of Defects in Powder Feedstock Materials on Microstructure of 304L and 316L Stainless Steel Produced by Additive Manufacturing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morrow, Benjamin M.; Lienert, Thomas J.; Knapp, Cameron M.; Sutton, Jacob O.; Brand, Michael J.; Pacheco, Robin M.; Livescu, Veronica; Carpenter, John S.; Gray, George T.

2018-05-01

Recent work in both 304L and 316L stainless steel produced by additive manufacturing (AM) has shown that in addition to the unique, characteristic microstructures formed during the process, a fine dispersion of sub-micron particles, with a chemistry different from either the powder feedstock or the expected final material, are evident in the final microstructure. Such fine-scale features can only be resolved using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) or similar techniques. The present work uses electron microscopy to study both the initial powder feedstock and microstructures in final AM parts. Special attention is paid to the chemistry and origin of these nanoscale particles in several different metal alloys, and their impact on the final build. Comparisons to traditional, wrought material will be made.

Resistance to densification, tensile strength and capsule-filling performance of some pharmaceutical diluents.

PubMed

Nikolakakis, I; Aragon, O B; Malamataris, S

1998-07-01

The purpose of this study was to compare some indicators of capsule-filling performance, as measured by tapped density under different conditions, and elucidate possible quantitative relationships between variation of capsule fill-weight (%CV) and gravitational and inter-particle forces (attractive or frictional) derived from measurements of particle size, true density, low compression and tensile strength. Five common pharmaceutical diluents (lactose, maize starch, talc, Emcocel and Avicel) were investigated and two capsule-filling methods (pouring powder and dosator nozzle) were employed. It was found that for the pouring-type method the appropriateness of Hausner's ratio (HR), Carr's compressibility index (CC%) and Kawakita's constant (alpha) as indicators of capsule fill-weight variation decreases in the order alpha > CC% > HR; the appropriateness of these indicators also decreases with increasing cylinder size and with impact velocity during tapping. For the dosator-type method the appropriateness of the indicators decreases in the order HR > CC% > alpha, the opposite of that for the pouring-type method; the appropriateness of the indicators increases with decreasing cylinder size and impact velocity. The relationship between %CV and the ratio of inter-particle attractive to gravitational forces calculated from measurements of particle size and true density (Fvdw/Wp) was more significant for the pouring-type capsule-filling method. For the dosator-type method a significant relationship (1% level) was found between %CV and the product of Fvdw/Wp and a function expressing the increase, with packing density (p(f)), in the ratio of frictional to attractive inter-particle forces derived from compression (P) and tensile-strength (T) testing, d(log(P/T))/d(p(f)). The value of tapped density in predictions of capsule-filling performance is affected by the testing conditions in a manner depending on the filling method applied. For the pouring-type method predictions

Identification of benzoquinones in pretreated lignocellulosic feedstocks and inhibitory effects on yeast.

PubMed

Stagge, Stefan; Cavka, Adnan; Jönsson, Leif J

2015-12-01

Pretreatment of lignocellulosic biomass under acidic conditions gives rise to by-products that inhibit fermenting microorganisms. An analytical procedure for identification of p-benzoquinone (BQ) and 2,6-dimethoxybenzoquinone (DMBQ) in pretreated biomass was developed, and the inhibitory effects of BQ and DMBQ on the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae were assessed. The benzoquinones were analyzed using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-triple quadrupole-mass spectrometry after derivatization with 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine. Pretreatment liquids examined with regard to the presence of BQ and DMBQ originated from six different lignocellulosic feedstocks covering agricultural residues, hardwood, and softwood, and were produced through impregnation with sulfuric acid or sulfur dioxide at varying pretreatment temperature (165-204 °C) and residence time (6-20 min). BQ was detected in all six pretreatment liquids in concentrations ranging up to 6 mg/l, while DMBQ was detected in four pretreatment liquids in concentrations ranging up to 0.5 mg/l. The result indicates that benzoquinones are ubiquitous as by-products of acid pretreatment of lignocellulose, regardless of feedstock and pretreatment conditions. Fermentation experiments with BQ and DMBQ covered the concentration ranges 2 mg/l to 1 g/l and 20 mg/l to 1 g/l, respectively. Even the lowest BQ concentration tested (2 mg/l) was strongly inhibitory to yeast, while 20 mg/l DMBQ gave a slight negative effect on ethanol formation. This work shows that benzoquinones should be regarded as potent and widespread inhibitors in lignocellulosic hydrolysates, and that they warrant attention besides more well-studied inhibitory substances, such as aliphatic carboxylic acids, phenols, and furan aldehydes.

Development and testing of cool-season grass species, varieties, and hybrids for biomass feedstock production in western North America

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Development and testing of cool-season grasses is needed to improve forage production and expand the range of bioenergy feedstocks throughout western North America. Basin wildrye (Leymus cinereus) and creeping wildrye (Leymus triticoides) are native to semiarid environments of western North America...

Crop residues of the contiguous United States: Balancing feedstock and soil needs with conservation tillage, cover crops, and biochar

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Crop residues are among the cellulosic feedstocks expected to provide renewable energy. The availability of crop species and residue availability varies across the United States. Estimates of harvestable residues must consider all the residues produced during the entire rotation. Inclusion of fallow...

A framework for the analysis of the security of supply of utilising carbon dioxide as a chemical feedstock.

PubMed

Fraga, Eric S; Ng, Melvin

2015-01-01

Recent developments in catalysts have enhanced the potential for the utilisation of carbon dioxide as a chemical feedstock. Using the appropriate energy efficient catalyst enables a range of chemical pathways leading to desirable products. In doing so, CO2 provides an economically and environmentally beneficial source of C1 feedstock, while improving the issues relating to security of supply that are associated with fossil-based feedstocks. However, the dependence on catalysts brings other supply chains into consideration, supply chains that may also have security of supply issues. The choice of chemical pathways for specific products will therefore entail an assessment not only of economic factors but also the security of supply issues for the catalysts. This is a multi-criteria decision making problem. In this paper, we present a modified 4A framework based on the framework suggested by the Asian Pacific Energy Research centre for macro-economic applications. The 4A methodology is named after the criteria used to compare alternatives: availability, acceptability, applicability and affordability. We have adapted this framework for the consideration of alternative chemical reaction processes using a micro-economic outlook. Data from a number of sources were collected and used to quantify each of the 4A criteria. A graphical representation of the assessments is used to support the decision maker in comparing alternatives. The framework not only allows for the comparison of processes but also highlights current limitations in the CCU processes. The framework presented can be used by a variety of stakeholders, including regulators, investors, and process industries, with the aim of identifying promising routes within a broader multi-criteria decision making process.

Combined hydrothermal liquefaction and catalytic hydrothermal gasification system and process for conversion of biomass feedstocks

DOEpatents

Elliott, Douglas C.; Neuenschwander, Gary G.; Hart, Todd R.

2017-09-12

A combined hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) and catalytic hydrothermal gasification (CHG) system and process are described that convert various biomass-containing sources into separable bio-oils and aqueous effluents that contain residual organics. Bio-oils may be converted to useful bio-based fuels and other chemical feedstocks. Residual organics in HTL aqueous effluents may be gasified and converted into medium-BTU product gases and directly used for process heating or to provide energy.

Design, modeling, and analysis of a feedstock logistics system.

PubMed

Judd, Jason D; Sarin, Subhash C; Cundiff, John S

2012-01-01

Given the location of a bio-energy plant for the conversion of biomass to bio-energy, a feedstock logistics system that relies on the use of satellite storage locations (SSLs) for temporary storage and loading of round bales is proposed. Three equipment systems are considered for handling biomass at the SSLs, and they are either placed permanently or are mobile and thereby travel from one SSL to another. A mathematical programming-based approach is utilized to determine SSLs and equipment routes in order to minimize the total cost. The use of a Side-loading Rack System results in average savings of 21.3% over a Densification System while a Rear-loading Rack System is more expensive to operate than either of the other equipment systems. The utilization of mobile equipment results in average savings of 14.8% over the equipment placed permanently. Furthermore, the Densification System is not justifiable for transportation distances less than 81 km. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Bermuda grass as feedstock for biofuel production: a review.

PubMed

Xu, Jiele; Wang, Ziyu; Cheng, Jay J

2011-09-01

Bermuda grass is a promising feedstock for the production of fuel ethanol in the Southern United States. This paper presents a review of the significant amount of research on the conversion of Bermuda grass to ethanol and a brief discussion on the factors affecting the biomass production in the field. The biggest challenge of biomass conversion comes from the recalcitrance of lignocellulose. A variety of chemical, physico-chemical, and biological pretreatment methods have been investigated to improve the digestibility of Bermuda grass with encouraging results reported. The subsequent enzymatic hydrolysis and fermentation steps have also been extensively studied and effectively optimized. It is expected that the development of genetic engineering technologies for the grass and fermenting organisms has the potential to greatly improve the economic viability of Bermuda grass-based fuel ethanol production systems. Other energy applications of Bermuda grass include anaerobic digestion for biogas generation and pyrolysis for syngas production. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of congruence among dietary supplement use and motivation for supplementation in young, Canadian athletes.

PubMed

Parnell, Jill A; Wiens, Kristin; Erdman, Kelly Anne

2015-01-01

Dietary supplement use is endemic in young athletes; however, it is unclear if their choices are congruent with their motivation for supplementation and the established benefits of the dietary supplements. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationships between dietary supplement use and self-reported rationale in young athletes. Canadian athletes (n = 567; 11-25 years; 76% club or provincial level, 24% national or higher) completed a questionnaire designed to assess supplementation patterns and motivation for supplementation. Chi square tests examined associations between dietary supplements and self-reported rationale for use. Vitamin and mineral supplements, including vitamin-enriched water, were associated with several health- and performance- related reasons (p < 0.001). Branched chain amino acids (BCAA) and glutamine were linked to improving diet and immune function (p < 0.01), but were more strongly associated with performance reasons, as were performance foods (protein powder, sport bars, sport gels, etc.). Plant extracts and fatty acids were primarily associated with health reasons, particularly immune support (p < 0.001). Congruencies exist between performance rationales and supplementation for common ergogenic aids, however, less so for vitamin and mineral supplements, vitamin-enriched water, and plant extracts. Incongruences were found between fatty acids, protein supplements, vitamin and mineral supplements, vitamin-enriched water, and plant extracts and health motivators for supplementation. Educational interventions are essential to ensure young athletes are using dietary supplements safely and effectively.

Supplement use by Young Athletes

PubMed Central

McDowall, Jill Anne

2007-01-01

This paper reviews studies of supplement use among child and adolescent athletes, focusing on prevalence and type of supplement use, as well as gender comparisons. Supplement use among adult athletes has been well documented however there are a limited number of studies investigating supplement use by child and adolescent athletes. A trend in the current literature revealed that the most frequently used supplements are in the form of vitamin and minerals. While health and illness prevention are the main reasons for taking supplements, enhanced athletic performance was also reported as a strong motivating factor. Generally, females are found to use supplements more frequently and are associated with reasons of health, recovery, and replacing an inadequate diet. Males are more likely to report taking supplements for enhanced performance. Both genders equally rated increased energy as another reason for engaging in supplement use. Many dietary supplements are highly accessible to young athletes and they are particularly vulnerable to pressures from the media and the prospect of playing sport at increasingly elite levels. Future research should provide more direct evidence regarding any physiological side effects of taking supplements, as well as the exact vitamin and mineral requirements for child and adolescent athletes. Increased education for young athletes regarding supplement use, parents and coaches should to be targeted to help the athletes make the appropriate choices. Key pointsSupplement use among the child and adolescent athlete population is widespread with the most frequently used supplement being a form of vitamin/mineral supplement.The effects of supplement use on the growth and development of children and adolescents remain unclear and thus use of supplements by this population should be discouraged.It is likely that there is a misunderstanding as to the role of vitamins and minerals in the diet, their function in maintaining overall health, their role

LANDSCAPE MANAGEMENT FOR SUSTAINABLE SUPPLIES OF BIOENERGY FEEDSTOCK AND ENHANCED SOIL QUALITY

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Douglas L. Karlen; David J. Muth, Jr.

2012-09-01

Agriculture can simultaneously address global food, feed, fiber, and energy challenges provided our soil, water, and air resources are not compromised in doing so. As we embark on the 19th Triennial Conference of the International Soil and Tillage Research Organization (ISTRO), I am pleased to proclaim that our members are well poised to lead these endeavors because of our comprehensive understanding of soil, water, agricultural and bio-systems engineering processes. The concept of landscape management, as an approach for integrating multiple bioenergy feedstock sources, including biomass residuals, into current crop production systems, is used as the focal point to show howmore » these ever-increasing global challenges can be met in a sustainable manner. Starting with the 2005 Billion Ton Study (BTS) goals, research and technology transfer activities leading to the 2011 U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Revised Billion Ton Study (BT2) and development of a residue management tool to guide sustainable crop residue harvest will be reviewed. Multi-location USDA-Agricultural Research Service (ARS) Renewable Energy Assessment Project (REAP) team research and on-going partnerships between public and private sector groups will be shared to show the development of landscape management strategies that can simultaneously address the multiple factors that must be balanced to meet the global challenges. Effective landscape management strategies recognize the importance of nature’s diversity and strive to emulate those conditions to sustain multiple critical ecosystem services. To illustrate those services, the soil quality impact of harvesting crop residues are presented to show how careful, comprehensive monitoring of soil, water and air resources must be an integral part of sustainable bioenergy feedstock production systems. Preliminary analyses suggest that to sustain soil resources within the U.S. Corn Belt, corn (Zea mays L.) stover should not be harvested if average

Botanical supplements: detecting the transition from ingredients to supplements

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Methods were developed using flow injection mass spectrometry (FIMS) and chemometrics for the comparison of spectral similarities and differences of 3 botanical ingredients and their supplements: Echinacea purpurea aerial samples and solid and liquid supplements, E. purpurea root samples and solid s...