Biomass to Fuel
It sounds incredible to convert trees, grass, food wastes into gasoline like fuels.
But, yes, that's what I am working on in Biofuels and Bioproducts Laboratory at University of Washington.
Currently, ethanol production in the United States is mostly depended on corn, and approximately 40% of corn is made into ethanol (2014). It raises an ethical concern that we are making fuels from food while there are still populations fighting against hunger. Also, starch (e.g. corn) based ethanol does not necessarily reduce the greenhouse gas emission, since the starch production relies on fossil fuel consumption (like fertilizer).
Without competing with food supply security, lignocellulosic biomass can be a good alternative as it can provide quantities of sugars. One of the key benefits of cellulosic ethanol is it reduces greenhouse gas emissions significantly over starch based and fossil fuel based fuels. And it's renewable as photosynthesis keeps on.
My master project focused on introducing one unit process -- mechanical refining -- in the current biofuel production scheme. Refining is a traditional process applied in paper industry to alter the physical quality of the pulp. Our findings showed that refining facilitates the glucose conversion for over 20% by reducing the particle size and increasing the fiber surface area. The economic analysis shows that it may help to mitigate upsets in conversion processes and to maintain reasonable sugar and fuel yield. That can be a significant benefit to commercial-scale biofuel production.
But, yes, that's what I am working on in Biofuels and Bioproducts Laboratory at University of Washington.
Currently, ethanol production in the United States is mostly depended on corn, and approximately 40% of corn is made into ethanol (2014). It raises an ethical concern that we are making fuels from food while there are still populations fighting against hunger. Also, starch (e.g. corn) based ethanol does not necessarily reduce the greenhouse gas emission, since the starch production relies on fossil fuel consumption (like fertilizer).
Without competing with food supply security, lignocellulosic biomass can be a good alternative as it can provide quantities of sugars. One of the key benefits of cellulosic ethanol is it reduces greenhouse gas emissions significantly over starch based and fossil fuel based fuels. And it's renewable as photosynthesis keeps on.
My master project focused on introducing one unit process -- mechanical refining -- in the current biofuel production scheme. Refining is a traditional process applied in paper industry to alter the physical quality of the pulp. Our findings showed that refining facilitates the glucose conversion for over 20% by reducing the particle size and increasing the fiber surface area. The economic analysis shows that it may help to mitigate upsets in conversion processes and to maintain reasonable sugar and fuel yield. That can be a significant benefit to commercial-scale biofuel production.
Publications:
Chang Dou, Shannon Ewanick, Renata Bura. Post-treatment mechanical refining as a method to improve overall sugar recovery of steam pretreated hybrid poplar [J] Bioresource technology 2016 May;207:157-65
Azra Vajzovic, Chang Dou, Shannon Ewanick, Neethi Nagarajan, Renata Bura. Enhanced xylitol and ethanol yields by fermentation inhibitors in steam pretreated hydrolysates [J] J Ind Microbiol Biotechnol (Working paper)
Chang Dou, Shannon Ewanick, Renata Bura. Post-treatment mechanical refining as a method to improve overall sugar recovery of steam pretreated hybrid poplar [J] Bioresource technology 2016 May;207:157-65
Azra Vajzovic, Chang Dou, Shannon Ewanick, Neethi Nagarajan, Renata Bura. Enhanced xylitol and ethanol yields by fermentation inhibitors in steam pretreated hydrolysates [J] J Ind Microbiol Biotechnol (Working paper)