| Integration of bioproducts and bioenergy production with agricultural waste treatment | 1000222 | Hu, B | 10/01/2013 | 09/30/2016 | COMPLETE | MINNEAPOLIS | anaerobic digestion, fungal pelletization, biogas, nutrient removal | Several technical barriers are preventing the application of anaerobic digestion in the livestock farms. The foremost technical change needed to improve the economics of digester systems is to modify and amend the anaerobic digestion process to maximize biogas production for electricity produced as well as to generate other cash products to utilize the heat and offset the cost. AD converts organic N and P to ammonia and phosphate while total N and P remain constant. Further treatment processes need to be developed to remove and utilize the remaining N and P in the waste stream. To solve the above mentioned issues, firstly, we will be focusing on two additional processes that can be integrated into current AD systems so that the benefits of the whole system can be maximized. These two processes include pretreatment for anaerobic digestion and culture of filamentous fungi for phosphorus removal. A final case study will integrate all the research components: (i) co-digesting swine manure with other carbon-rich waste materials to increase the biogas generation and pretreat the biomass for phosphorus recovery; (ii) thermally treat the digestion effluents for fungal growth; (iii) growing filamentous fungal cells on to produce fungal biomass as biological phosphorous fertilizer and to enable the digestion effluent with a more balanced nitrogen/phosphorous ratio for use as a soil conditioner and plant fertilizer. | We are proposing to develop a new two-stage anaerobic digestion, including the first phase as the thermal/thermochemical treatment process, where solids from dairy manure and organic food waste materials are hydrolyzed and solubilized, and then the second stage as the anaerobic co-digestion on the UASB reactor. We also want to develop a new concept of pelletized cell cultivation for the production of microbial cell biomass via filamentous fungi and other microorganisms. |
| BIOLOGICAL TREATMENT OF MANURE AND ORGANIC RESIDUALS TO CAPTURE NUTRIENTS AND TRANSFORM CONTAMINANTS | 0420063 | MULBRY III W W | 04/03/2010 | 04/02/2015 | COMPLETE | BELTSVILLE | SWINE, WASTE, SOIL, POULTRY, MANAGEMENT, DAIRY, EMMISION, MANURE, TREATMENT, ENVIRONMENTAL, BYPRODUCTS, FATE, ORGANIC, BIOENERGY, COMPOST, RESIDUE, DESTRUCTION, NUTRIENTS, APPLICATIONS, ANAEROBIC, DIGESTION, ALGAL, METHANE, AMMONIA, ANTIBIOTIC | Not applicable | Development and evaluation of manure treatment systems. Specific objectives: (1) Develop treatment technologies and management practices to reduce the concentrations of pharmaceutically active compounds (antibiotics and natural hormones) in manures, litters, and biosolids utilized in agricultural settings; (2) Develop management practices and technologies to minimize greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from manure and litter storage and from composting operations by manipulating the biological, chemical, and physical processes influencing production and release of ammonia and greenhouse gases during composting; (3) Develop technology and management practices that improve the economics and treatment efficiency of anaerobic digestion of animal manures and other organic feedstocks (e.g. food wastes, crops/residues) for waste treatment and energy production. |
| Microbial Processes for Bioproducts and Biofuels Production | 0231133 | Liu, Yan | 09/01/2012 | 08/31/2017 | COMPLETE | EAST LANSING | algal cultivation, biofuels, biopesticide, bioproducts, chitosan, enzyme, fungal fermentation, high value protein, lipid, mix culture, transgenic algae | Biobased fuels and chemicals can make important contributions to U.S. energy security, rural economic development, and the environment. Heterotrophic conversion of organic substances (fungi and bacteria) and autotrophic conversion of inorganic compounds (algae and cyanobacteria) are two major microbial systems to produce these biofuels and chemicals. Numerous studies have been conducted in the past several decades. However, significant challenges still exist in successful realization of these microbial processes for biofuels and chemical production The recalcitrant structure of organic substances (lignocellulosic materials), dispersed nature of energy crops and agricultural residues, and limited capacity of current available industrial strains to co-utilize C5 and C6 sugars, are main barriers for heterotrophic conversion; while, long-term system stability, water and nutrient requirements, and harvesting of biomass hurdle autotrophic conversion. Addressing these challenges should be of the highest research priority in order to develop next-generation biofuels and chemicals. In response to researching and developing new routes towards effective and sustainable biofuels/chemical production systems, my research foci are mainly on heterotrophic fungal platform and autotrophic algal platform. Studies on the fungal platform include fungal cellulosic enzyme production, fungal biojet conversion, and fungi-based pesticides production, and studies on the algal platform include mixture culture of algal assemblage for lipid accumulation and water reclamation, and transgenic algal strains for pharmaceutical/neutraceutical production. The outcomes of the proposed research will lead to novel bioprocesses for biofuel/chemical production with minimum water/nutrient/energy consumption. The implementation of these processes will create great economic value for the agricultural industry, and further stimulate job creation, farm profit, and rural development. | The long-term research goal is to develop environmentally benign bioprocesses to effectively utilize various renewable resources (crop residues, animal wastes, industrial organic wastes and carbon dioxide) for value-added energy/chemical production, with a specific aim towards making scientific and technological advances to meet demands of the emerging bioeconomy. The objective of the proposed research is to demonstrate novel fuel/chemical production systems that apply advanced fungal and algal cultivation technologies to produce enzymes, lipids, biopesticides from agricultural/industrial wastes. The objective will be achieved by pursuing following specific aims under fungal and algal platforms in five years. Specific Aims for Fungal Platform: 1. Investigating enzyme production using pelletized fungal culture; 2. Enhancing lipid accumulation in fungal biomass; 3. Enhancing biopesticide (chitosan) production from fungal cultivation. Specific Aims for Algal Platform: 1. Constructing algal/bacterial consortium to improve lipid accumulation and facilitate biomass precipitation; 2. Developing a culture strategy to enhance lipid/starch accumulation; 3. Developing transgenic algal culture for biofuels and value-added protein production. The expected outputs from the project include: 1. Peer reviewed articles and book chapters Publishing peer reviewed journal articles on those high-impact journals in the biofuels/chemical field is one of the best approaches to disseminate the research outcomes in relevant scientific communities. 2. Workshops Smaller groups of targeted parties from both academia and industries with much higher and more active engagement on specific research topics (algal or fungal related) will be invited to MSU campus. Research presentation, group discussion, system demonstration, and facility tour will be organized for the workshops to give the audience the first-hand information, and let them better understand the outcomes of the on-going biofuel/chemical research. 3. Media Potential media for biofuel/chemical research are Discovery Channel, Lansing State Journal, Biomass Products & Technology, Resource - Engineering & Technology for Sustainable World etc. 4. Industrial partners Collaborating with industrial and agricultural partnerships will enable applied and relevant research to be quickly commercialized. Considering the intellectual merits related with some of the proposed research, MSU technologies will be invited to be part of the conversation with the partners to protect potential intellectual properties. 5. Internet The research group website will be upgraded to include a dynamic web-based database. All updated research news and outcomes, educational and training materials will be updated in a timely manner. A much larger audience from different area such as agriculture, food/pharmaceutical/biofuels industries, K-16 educators, and general public will be targeted by the internet dissemination approach. |
| US Dairy Adoption of Anaerobic Digestion Systems Integrating Multiple Emerging Clean Technologies:Climate, Environmental and Economic Impact | 0230080 | Kruger, Chad | 08/01/2012 | 07/31/2016 | COMPLETE | Pullman | CAFOs, anaerobic digestion, anaerobic digestion systems, biofertilizers, clean water, climate mitigation, dairies, nutrient recovery, pyrolysis, renewable energy, techno-economic evalation, water recovery | Based on considerable preliminary research, we propose that anaerobic digestion (AD) systems are the most effective means for reducing agricultural greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions while also improving air/water quality, nutrient cycling impacts, and farm economics. Our projects goals are to quantify the climate, air, water, nutrient and economic impacts of integrating next generation technologies in AD systems within US animal feeding operations (AFOs), contribute to increased AD adoption rates, and reduce GHG impacts. The project focuses on AD for dairy operations, although lessons learned are readily applicable to feedlot, swine, and poultry operations. We emphasize a systems approach in order to address AFO nutrient and economic concerns while enhancing GHG mitigation. Evidence suggests that addressing these nutrient and economic issues improves marginal returns on investment and could enhance currently poor U.S. AD adoption rates. Successful AD systems will integrate emerging technologies, complementary to AD, which are being developed by the project team through leveraged research: pyrolysis (P), nutrient recovery (NR), and water recovery (WR).<p> Our approach utilizes a multi-disciplinary team to quantify (against baseline) multiple scenarios for AD systems with varying combinations of complementary technology. Analysis against various levels of technology incorporation and farm scenarios will allow us to determine both direct as well as upstream and downstream impacts of a system or technology on total and component (CO2, CH4, N2O) GHG emissions, nutrient and energy flows, project economics, and crop yields. Project outputs will provide accessible technical information to industry, regulatory agencies, and private carbon market entities, overcoming previously identified barriers to new technology adoption. Together, the project will assist US AFOs, rural communities, and the AD industry in adopting improved agricultural waste management and move AFOs from a GHG source to a carbon sink. We will leverage relevant research (completed or ongoing) to complete assigned objectives and tasks, thereby allowing for a wealth of outputs using a relatively short timeline and budget. Specific project objectives include: (1) enhancement of pyrolysis platform through modification of resulting bio-char for nutrient recovery; (2) agronomic evaluation of AD system bio-fertilizer and co-products to determine potential for carbon sequestration, GHG mitigation, and crop yield; (3) GHG emissions, nutrient-flow, and crop yield modeling analysis; (4) techno-economic analysis; and (5) extension of relevant research results to key stakeholders best positioned to facilitate AD system adoption on AFOs. | Project goals are to quantify the climate, air, water, nutrient and economic impacts of integrating emerging, next generation technologies within anaerobic digestion (AD) systems on US animal feeding operations (AFOs), primarily dairies, although lessons learned apply to feedlot, swine, and poultry operations. Systems are emphasized as evidence suggests that addressing AFO concerns regarding nutrients and economics improves marginal returns on investment and could enhance currently poor U.S. AD adoption rates. Successful AD systems will integrate emerging technologies, complementary to AD, which are being developed by the project team through leveraged research: pyrolysis, nutrient recovery, and water recovery. Analysis against various levels of technology incorporation and farm scenarios will allow for determination of both direct as well as upstream and downstream impacts of a system or technology on total and component (CO2, CH4, N2O) greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, nutrient and energy flows, project economics, and crop yields. Project objectives include: (1) enhancement of pyrolysis platform through modification of bio-char for nutrient recovery; (2) agronomic evaluation of AD system bio-fertilizer and co-products; (3) GHG emissions, nutrient-flow, and crop yield modeling analysis; (4) techno-economic analysis; and (5) extension of relevant research results to key stakeholders. Project outputs will provide accessible technical information to industry, regulatory agencies, and private carbon market entities, overcoming previously identified barriers to new technology adoption. This proposal addresses priority areas related to research and extension for GHG mitigation and carbon sequestration within AFOs for reductions in agricultural emissions while improving sustainable joint use of nitrogen and water. |
| A Biogas Heat Engine for Small to Mid-Sized Farms | 0226184 | Tesar, Joseph | 09/01/2011 | 02/28/2015 | COMPLETE | Ann Arbor | anaerobic digester, pathogen-free effluent, renewable energy,, biogas,, co-feeds., energy scavenging,, heat pump,, solar thermal,, tes,, thermal storage, | Non-technical Summary: The profitability of small and mid-sized dairy farms is strongly affected by increases in feed costs and energy costs. Unfortunately, farm operators have limited control of these factors, especially in the long term. New technology is needed to allow farmers to manage energy costs on their farms. One excellent solution is to use existing organic farm waste material to create energy via anaerobic digestion. Dairy operations (as well as other feeding sites) create copious amount of manure each day. By collecting this waste into an anaerobic digester, valuable biogas can be created and used by the farmer for pasteurization or hot water generation. Other organic materials can be used as feedstocks to enhance biogas production. The Biogas Heat Engine from Quantalux is an energy solution that generates valuable biogas from agricultural waste. Biogas has a large fraction of methane, and with suitable cleaning of the gas, can be used as a drop-in replacement for fossil fuels such as propane and natural gas. Our system includes a novel method for stabilizing biogas production using a thermal energy storage (TES). Renewable thermal sources are coupled to the Heat Engine via thermal storage cache, allowing the system to produce biogas more consistently. In order to show the viability of this technology for smaller farming operations, Quantalux will prototype and demonstrate that a simplified, thermally stable anaerobic digester system, We will show that the smaller farmer can self-generate biogas for use on his/her farm (decreasing energy costs), and that same farmer can also earn additional revenue (from selling enhanced digestate.) We also will show enhanced biogas production via the use of thermally stabilized digestion vessels, and by the addition of different farm-based feedstocks to the base manure feedstock. The Biogas Heat Engine will be marketed directly to small to mid-sized dairy farmers who seek decreased costs and a diversified revenue source. Revenues come from avoided cost of energy, the sale of compost, or from tipping fees from co-digestion materials. The Biogas Heat Engine is a way for the small farmer their energy costs while improving the health management of their farm and of the surrounding ecosystem. | Goals: During the USDA Phase II effort, Quantalux will develop an optimized anaerobic digester solution targeted to the needs of small to mid-sized farms. This solution is called the Biogas Heat Engine, and will generate valuable biogas from existing on-farm organic matter (primarily manure). Anaerobic digester performance will be enhanced by the addition of thermal energy storage (TES) technology (researched in Phase I.) TES allows the digester to be operated cost-effectively at higher temperatures, leading to more rapid and stable biogas production. Additional heat also reduces the number of pathogens in the digested material substantially. In addition to TES, Quantalux will also design and prototype remote process monitoring and will test and evaluate available organic material co-feeds can be added to the system to further enhance the quantity of biogas. A system for cleaning and storing biogas will also be developed. Objectives: This project will take a step-wise approach to developing a Phase II prototype. In the first step, initial Phase I computer models for anaerobic digestion and renewable energy sources (solar thermal and energy scavenging) will be refined. Key process monitors of the digestion process will be evaluated and a method for remote data exchange will be developed. Safe and cost-effective methods for storing and using biogas for farm processes (such as heating and cooling) will be developed. In the next step, a detailed engineering design will be developed for the key modules, including the renewable energy sources and TES module, the remote monitoring module and the biogas cleaning/storing module. In the final step, all system elements will be integrated into a scaled version of the Biogas Heat Engine and performance will be validated. The core anaerobic digester will be augmented with TES technology will assure thermal stability during the biogas generation process. Biogas production will be assessed based on a variety of feedstocks (both single feedstocks and co-feeds). The degree of pathogen reduction will be measured and evaluated for a range of pathogens. An overall objective is to maximize the potential revenue to the farmer (via biogas and pathogen-free byproducts) by implementing a comprehensive management strategy. Expected Outputs: The demonstration of the Biogas Heat Engine will show that a biogas-only, thermally stable anaerobic digester system can be viable on small to mid-sized farms. Several key ancillary technologies will be part of the demonstration, including: a remote monitoring system that simplifies and automates process control in the digester, a simplified scrubbing and gas storage system, and a thermal management system that allows for higher performance at lower cost. We will also show that co-feeding the digester using different organic feedstocks will result in higher biogas production. |
| An Integrated BioGas-Solar Dehydration System: Increasing Sustainability through Value-Added Agriculture | 0226170 | Akiona II, William K. | 09/01/2011 | 08/31/2014 | COMPLETE | Waianae | Anaerobic Digester, Biogas, Jatropha Seedcake, Solar Dehydration, Value-Added Agriculture, biogas, jatropha, biodiesel, anaerobic digestion, low-value,, residues, seedcake, glycerin, methane gas, solar dehydration, food, waste, moringa, bioenergy, oilseed | Mandates for biofuels have resulted in the significant increase of biodiesel production in rural communities. Hawaii's Jatropha biodiesel production will produce nearly 650-700 kg of residues, consisting of Jatropha seedcake and fruit hulls for every metric ton of seeds harvested for oil production. In addition, the biodiesel conversion process will produce another 30-50 kg of crude glycerin, as a co-product for every metric ton of oilseed processed. In Hawaii, nearly 270 million gallons of petroleum diesel is consumed annually. As the local production of just one million gallons of Jatropha biodiesel will result in more than 20 metric tons of processed residuals each day. This substantial production of biofuels leaves a tremendous amount of low-value residues needing to be properly disposed of, on an island setting that is environmentally fragile. Thus, the onsite anaerobic digestion (AD) of these organic residues, into a methane gas, will not only generate energy - through the use of a combined heat and power (CHP) micro turbine - but will also resolve the issues of wastes disposal. The system will supply enough power and heat to efficiently operate a biodiesel production facility, as well as an adjacent solar dehydration plant, with all of its surplus power, sold to the utility grid. This integrated biogas-solar dehydration system is a natural progression, as Hawaii lays abundant in solar radiation, throughout the year. The project will build a scalable pilot system producing up to 50kW of electricity. Thermal recovery is integrated through the CHP for drying food and co-products. Design benefits will facilitate rural replication, to where the AD system will utilize a broad range of locally-available low-value residues and waste materials that relies on a simple technology, which can be developed and supported locally, while being designed to minimize operational costs. The plan is to set-up and utilizes an integrated biogas facility that will fully utilize and appropriately capitalize on all the synergies provided by a biogas plant. The system biologically converts organic waste and residues into energy-rich biogas that also provides nutrient-rich digested solids that is utilized as an organic fertilizer. Thus, local food production, processing and preservation are realized benefits from this biogas facility's electrical and thermal generation. Hence, food and energy security can now be achieved for our geographically isolated rural communities. Therefore, commercialization plans will focus on the main Hawaiian Islands, first. And thereafter, pursue the market potential that exists throughout the American Pacific Protectorates of Micronesia and American Samoa. Wherever imports of nutrients, food and energy have outpaced rural production, there is a similar biogas development opportunity that exists. While incentives are substantial for renewable energy projects and realizing the financial benefits of tax credits, environmental credits and loan programs can be complex. Hawaii's generous feed-in-tariff will ultimately provide the needed financial support for smaller projects that cannot benefit from the economies of scale principal. | The goal of the project is to definitively determine the design, construction and operation of a modular anaerobic digestion (AD) facility, or biogas plant, that will utilize Jatropha biodiesel residues that consists of Jatropha seedcake, glycerin and fruit hulls; to include other co-digestion substrates, such as Moringa oleifera, agricultural residues, processed food waste, MSW (municipal solid waste) organic residuals and commercial food-waste materials. The AD system will convert these low-value residues into a renewable energy, in the form of biogas to generate electricity and thermal energy. The system will also produce valued co-products in the form of organic fertilizers. The objectives of this project are to utilize crop production residues, as a feedstock, to rid the farm of its wastes stream accumulation. Thus, we can further process these organic waste materials, into value-added energy products to power our food and fuel processing facilities, while utilizing the resulting effluent nutrients to enhance crop production. An integrated biogas-solar dehydration system will be installed, on the farm, to illustrate the proper utilization of waste materials to produce several lines of value-added products and revenue streams. Therefore, the biogas that is generated by the AD system will be utilized to operate a combined heat and power (CHP) unit to produce electrical power that will efficiently operate a biodiesel production facility and solar dehydration plant - selling its surplus power to the local utility grid. The system will also generate a stream of nutrient-rich materials that can be utilized as an organic fertilizer for use on the farm or bagged for the wholesale market. Thus, the waste stream generated from both the biodiesel production facility and solar dehydration plant, will become the primary throughput feedstock for the AD system; augmented with other co-substrates, that will include the receipt of MSW food- and green-waste materials that also generates an additional revenue stream, through tipping fees. The expected output will be that of a whole-systems model for meeting many of our predictable needs; in decentralized green energy production, job creation, watershed protection, regional food production, agricultural nutrient cycling, reduced greenhouse gas production and carbon sequestration. This project is an innovative concept that will spawn replication elsewhere in Hawaii and the American Pacific. |
| The Science and Engineering for a Biobased Industry and Economy | 0216889 | Capareda, Sergio | 10/01/2008 | 09/30/2013 | COMPLETE | COLLEGE STATION | anaerobic digestion, biodiesel, biogas, biomass energy, ethanol, gasification | We are investigating several biological and theremochemical processes for conversion of biomass to energy. In one project, we are evaluating thermochemical gasification combined with thermophilic anaerobic digestion for conversion of dairy manure for on-site energy production. In addition to producing energy, the mass and volume of wastes from the combined system will be significantly reduced which will allow more economical export of phosphorus and other nutrients from the watershed in which the dairy is located. This will help the overall dairy operation become more sustainable. We are investigating methods to increase biogas production from anaerobic digestion, for example, by incorporating the glycerol byproduct from biodiesel production in the feedstock to the digester. We are investigating conversion of different types of sorghum to ethanol, and we are developing alternative methods for production of biodiesel from oils and fats. | Not applicable |