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Results for “PRECONVERSION”

Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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5 records
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2023

Investigation of Biomass Fouling on Screw Feeder in Preconversion of Pyrolysis

Biomass is a source of renewable energy and can undergo thermochemical processes to be converted into gaseous and liquid fuels. Thermal decomposition-induced biomass fouling on the screw feeder is a major challenge in preconversion of pyrolysis, leading to plugging of the feed line. Here, this work intends to gain fundamental understanding of the biomass fouling phenomena across the heat gradient on the screw feeder via a combination of materials characterization and thermal simulation. An actual screw feeder that failed because of biomass fouling was examined to reveal the deposit’s morphology, composition, and mechanical properties. Thermal simulations were developed for both the screw feeder and the wood particles being transported using a combined analytical and numerical approach. The simulated temperature profiles correlated well with the deposit observations, based on which potential mitigations were proposed from both the operation and screw design perspectives and supported by preliminary experimental validation.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2013

Chemical Preconversion: Application of Low-Severity Pretreatment Chemistries for Commoditization of Lignocellulosic Feedstock

Securing biofuels project financing is challenging, in part because of risks in feedstock supply. Commoditization of the feedstock and decoupling its supply from the biorefinery will promote greater economies of scale, reduce feedstock supply risk and reduce the need for overdesign of biorefinery pretreatment technologies. We present benefits and detractions of applying low-severity chemical treatments or ‘chemical preconversion treatments’ to enable this approach through feedstock modification and densification early in the supply chain. General structural modifications to biomass that support cost-effective densification and transportation are presented, followed by available chemistries to achieve these modifications with minimal yield loss and the potential for harvesting value in local economies. A brief review of existing biomass pretreatment technologies for cellulolytic hydrolysis at biorefineries is presented, followed by a discussion toward economically applying the underlying chemistries at reduced severity in light of capital and operational limitations of small-scale feedstock depots.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗
DOE OSTI2014

Ash Reduction of Corn Stover by Mild Hydrothermal Preprocessing

Lignocellulosic biomass such as corn stover can contain high ash content, which may act as an inhibitor in downstream conversion processes. Most of the structural ash in biomass is located in the cross-linked structure of lignin, which is mildly reactive in basic solutions. Four organic acids (formic, oxalic, tartaric, and citric) were evaluated for effectiveness in ash reduction, with limited success. Because of sodium citrate’s chelating and basic characteristics, it is effective in ash removal. More than 75 % of structural and 85 % of whole ash was removed from the biomass by treatment with 0.1 g of sodium citrate per gram of biomass at 130 °C and 2.7 bar. FTIR, fiber analysis, and chemical analyses show that cellulose and hemicellulose were unaffected by the treatment. ICP–AES showed that all inorganics measured were reduced within the biomass feedstock, except sodium due to the addition of Na through the treatment. Sodium citrate addition to the preconversion process of corn stover is an effective way to reduced physiological ash content of the feedstock without negatively impacting carbohydrate and lignin content.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗
DOE OSTI2011

Biomass Research Program

INL's mission is to achieve DOE's vision of supplying high-quality raw biomass; preprocessing biomass into advanced bioenergy feedstocks; and delivering bioenergy commodities to biorefineries. You can learn more about research like this at the lab's facebook site http://www.facebook.com/idahonationallaboratory.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗