Progress 07/01/09 to 06/30/19
Outputs
Target Audience:Scientists and engineers working in the biofuels industry Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?
Nothing Reported
How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?
Nothing Reported
What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?
Nothing Reported
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Our research and activities improvedthe cost-effectiveness of producing biofuels, bioenergy, industrial chemicals, biobased products, and animal feeds from corn and soybeans and alternative cellulosic feedstocks such as corn grain fiber, corn cobs, corn stover, switchgrass and other sources of biomass. We worked to increase profitability to the grain-based biofuels industry,to enablebiofuels production to be produced in sustainable ways with much reduced nutrient loss,to enablefarmers to achieve great income from their land and labor investments,to reducegreenhouse gas emission and increasing carbon sequestration to reduce global warming,and to establishrobust new businesses and high-quality jobs in rural areas thereby enhancing the rural economy and enhancing our national security by reducing our dependence on foreign petroleum.
Publications
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Progress 10/01/11 to 09/30/12
Outputs
Target Audience: We target the biofuels industry, biomass supply chain companies, agricultural equipment manufacturers, and farmers who wish to supply biomass to cellulosic biorefineries. We gave 123 tours with 2180 visitors, including compamies, farmers, high school stundents, and the general public. Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? We provided nearly 50 students practical training experiences that are in extreme demand by industry. Nowhere else can such extensive and valuable training on biomass production and conversion in a biorefinery environment be achieved. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? We host workshops, publsih scientific manuscripts, assist trade journal editors, give tours and meet regularly with industry. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? We will continue to work on externally funded research projects and grants, provide services for fee to other research groups and assist Iowa companies in developing a biorefinery industry based on cellulosic biomass.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Approximately 16 tons of loblolly pine and 10 tons of single-pass corn stover were processed for the National Advanced Biofuels Consortium (NABC). Red oak was ground and shipped to a ConocoPhillips facility in Bartlesville, OK, to be used in pyrolysis research that is part of the biofuels research collaboration between Iowa State University and ConocoPhillips. Biomass was processed and sent to other companies, research facilities, and universities including DuPont Cellulosic Ethanol, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Virent, and Washington State University. Pioneer Hi-Bred International held a conference for 50 of their field agronomists at the BioCentury Research Farm (BCRF). Attendees toured the farm’s facilities and listened to presentations about the DuPont Cellulosic Ethanol corn stover collection project, an overview of the BCRF, and the state of biomass in chemicals and fuels research at the BCRF. Over 2,000 bales arrived at the BCRF to evaluate the effects of various harvest techniques on stover quality and long-term storage in hoop structures, under tarps and without protection. This research was done in cooperation with DuPont Cellulosic Ethanol. A “super stack” of corn stover bales was built at the BCRF. The stack consisted of 700 large square bales, each weighing over 1,000 pounds. The purpose of the experiment was to test stack designs for industrial corn stover storage. Researchers learned how forces are transmitted through large bale stacks and how to design large stacks that will best preserve biomass feedstock quality. Nearly 18,000 acres of corn stover were harvested and baled all over central Iowa for DuPont’s stover harvest collection project. We processed 1,000 ash samples per quarter to understand the variability of quality within industrially produced corn stover and measured dry matter loss during extended storage periods. DuPont broke ground on its cellulosic ethanol facility in Nevada, IA, on November 30. It will produce 30 million gallons annually of cellulosic biofuel produced from corn stover, a non-food feedstock that consists of corn stalks and leaves. We collaborated with DuPont to improve the productivity of using corn stover for ethanol. Research experiments are based at the BCRF and include a dedicated lab for quantifying corn stover moisture and ash content as well as extensive biomass storage trials. Three hoop structures were built by DuPont to evaluate storage advantages compare alternative biomass storage methods. Construction on the fine particle biomass preparation lab in the Biomass Storage and Pretreatment Building at the BCRF was completed. The lab will be used for fine grinding, sieving, size distribution determination, pelletizing, milling and briquetting. A multi-station dust control system along with climate controls and electrical drops were installed. The gas-cleaning system located in the thermochemical train became operational. The cleaning system, downstream of the gasifier, removes contaminants using several techniques. Tar and residual particulate matter are removed by oil scrubbing, sulfur removal is performed through fixed-bed adsorption, and water scrubbing removes ammonia via absorption. Testing the fluidized bed and gas-cleaning system was completed for a project funded by ConocoPhillips and the Department of Energy. The 500-liter fermentor in the Fermentation Train at the BCRF was used to produce plant hemoglobins for Arch Chemicals. This protein will be used in cosmetics and production may fit well into biorefineries as a high value product. The rotary steam-tube dryer system was used to produce MycoMeal, a dried fungal biomass product that is produced by secondary fermentation of corn ethanol thin stillage. The mold was harvested by a unique screening process to drain the leftover water from the product. Further water removal was done using a centrifuge filter. The BCRF rotary steam-tube dryer system is a pilot-scale version of those types of dryers, and the dryer worked very well at drying the fungal biomass. The dried fungal biomass is currently being used in pig nutrition trials. A pilot-plant distillation column and evaporator were installed in the Fermentation Train at the BCRF. The new equipment completes the system that can be used for ethanol research at the BCRF, which also includes a 500-liter fermentor, a 1,000-liter fermentor, and a rotary drying system. The equipment is designed to obtain mass balance data and generate product qualities similar to industry. The distillation column is capable of vacuum distillation when product quality is sensitive to heat and atmospheric pressure distillation, which is commonly used in the industry. The equipment can process beer from cellulosic crops as well as corn grain. A student-constructed shell and tube heat exchanger was built for the Biomass Processing Facility's biochemical processing train. It is used to heat up whole beer from the beer well holding tank before it is fed into the distillation column. Direvo Industrial Biotechnology GmbH from Cologne, Germany, collaborated with the Center for Crops Utilization Research (CCUR) and the BCRF to test a new enzyme technology that could improve the economics of the dry-grind ethanol and livestock feeding industries. According to Direvo, its enzymes substantially improve the nutritional value of distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS) offering a cost effective alternative to corn and soybean meal in broiler production. DDGS is a co-product of ethanol production and is primarily used as feed for beef and dairy cattle. Feeding DDGS to swine and poultry remains limited, mainly due to its high fiber content and low digestibility. The ISU team conducted lab-scale and pilot-scale trials to test the effects of the enzyme treatment during ethanol production and prepared samples of enzyme-modified DDGS and unmodified DDGS for comparison purposes. The pilot-scale facilities for dry-grind ethanol production at the BCRF and CCUR offered Direvo the opportunity to test a new technology prior to full-scale production. CCUR scaled-up the process for larger broiler feeding trials. Hybrid processing is the combined use of biochemical and thermochemical processes to transform biomass into products with usable energy applications. Two key techniques involved with thermochemical processing include pyrolysis and gasification. The future of hybrid processing in the context of energy and chemical production was discussed at the “Hybrid Processing for Biorenewable Fuels and Chemicals Production Symposium” on May 9-10 at Iowa State University. A mixture of academic professionals, industry leaders, and government officials attended the symposium to speak on research and discuss ways hybrid processing is emerging within the industry. The BCRF hosted 320 visitors during the Farm Progress Show, August 28-30. Guests were mostly farmers and agribusinesses, some coming from as far away as Argentina, Australia, Brazil, France, Germany, Mexico, Portugal and South Africa. Approximately 200 people attended the New Technology Expo held September 12 at the BCRF. Attendees included 45 state agriculture departments and members of a regional Gulf of Mexico Hypoxia Task Force. Bill Northey, Iowa Secretary of Agriculture gave the opening address. The expo activities included field equipment demonstrations, research posters and presentations, an educational trade show, self-guided tours of the BCRF and a tour of Iowa State's Reynoldson Farm that compares cropping systems for biofuels feedstocks. The expo was hosted by the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture, the Mississippi River Gulf of Mexico Watershed Nutrient Task Force, the Soil and Water Conservation Society and Iowa State University.
Publications
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Progress 01/01/11 to 09/30/11
Outputs
Target Audience: We target the biofuels industry, biomass supply chain companies and farmers who wish to supply biomass to cellulosic biorefineries. We gave 283 facility tours to 3353 visitors, including companies, interested parties and general public. The BioCentury Research Farm (BCRF) participated in the third annual Biofuels: Science and Sustainability Tour presented by the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association, which brought policy makers and regulators together with various renewable fuel experts and farmers in Iowa. Our goal was to present current sound, science-based information and a hands-on look at the practices applied in the biofuels industry. A workshop was held for agriculture and science high school teachers to provide them with information on climate change and curriculum resources on climate variability and agriculture. The workshop included a tour of BCRF-affiliated research plots that focus on sustainable cropping systems. Matt Liebman, a professor of agronomy, Henry A. Wallace Chair for Sustainable Agriculture, and BCRF affiliate, led a discussion at the plots on how water drainage varied for prairie versus cropland, and how different inputs impacted growth above and below ground. He also demonstrated the impacts of different rotation plans and how the use of cover crops and different input plans impacted crop growth. The workshop was hosted by the Climate and Corn-based Cropping Systems Coordinated Agricultural Project (CSCAP), a USDA-funded project. Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? We provided 48 students practical training experiences that put them in extreme demand by industry. Nowhere else can such extensive training on biomass production and conversion in a biorefinery envirnment be achieved. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? We host workshops, publish scientific manuscripts, assist trade jiournal eidtors, give tours and meet regularly with industry. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? We plan to continue to develop supply chain procedure to enable the highest quality feedstock to be delivered to biorefineries and to guide farmers interested in supplying biomass for the biofuels market. We will continue to develop new thermochemical and fermentation technologies to convert biomass into biofuels.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Corn stover bale storage trials were conducted in hoop structures, under tarps, and without protection. Two more hoop structures were constructed; all three structures are currently being used for biomass storage trials. Storing biomass in hoop structures is a common practice for feed, but we determined how well they preserve the materials’ condition for biofuel production. We completed a second year of logistics research in cooperation with DuPont Danisco Cellulosic Ethanol (DDCE), which announced plans to build a plant that would use stover instead of corn grain to make ethanol. Approximately 3,000 corn stover bales were harvested and received for analysis and long-term storage testing. This work is part of a much larger effort to harvest approximately 10,000 acres of stover. We continued work on advanced single-pass harvesting practices, and torrefaction and pellitization of stover material. We ashed samples to determine feedstock quality for the long-term bale storage project with DDCE. We developed torrefaction processes to enhance densification and long-term storage. A truck-mounted peanut dryer was evaluated in drying switchgrass, pine chips, and corn stover. We supplied the National Advanced Biofuels Consortium with materials for testing at members' locations. Several tons of woody material (provided by Catchlight Energy, LLC) and corn stover (provided by Iowa State University) were sized and dried to receiving member specifications and then shipped to Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Washington State University, the USDA, Virent Energy Systems, RTI International, UOP LLC, and others. We conducted several projects jointly funded by the Department of Energy and ConocoPhillips including testing of pyrolytic processes and completing the most recent phase of high-temperature gas filtration testing. Ground low-ash content stover and sized red oak were provided to ConocoPhillips. Construction of the new pilot-scale gasification and gas-cleaning system was completed. Start-up exercises for the gasifier began. The gasification unit underwent a thorough maintenance period and several equipment upgrades were made including power provisions, a control system expansion, and a new solids injection system. Research trials are underway to investigate fluidization and the new gas cleanup process. We resumed trial runs using the newly upgraded fast pyrolysis process development unit. The system was rebuilt from the ground up to generate better data and run more reliably. A solvent liquefaction unit control room was completed, the work platform is under construction, and the ventilation system addition was installed and is operational. The solvent liquefaction unit is part of a Department of Energy sponsored project. Soft woods were processed in the Thermochemical Train at the BioCentury Research Farm (BCRF), and are working well in the pyrolysis unit. Work was completed on a moving bed granule filter on the pyrolysis unit. The filter removes fine particulate from the pyrolysis vapor stream. Current filtration techniques used in the production of bio-oil leave very fine particles in the vapor stream, which can affect the quality of the oil. Research on the moving-bed filter will evaluate the effectiveness of the filter at reducing the particulate content of collected bio-oil. Two fermentation projects were completed in the Biochemical Train at the BCRF using the 1,000-liter fermentor. Both projects focused on finding more efficient ways to produce ethanol while producing higher quality co-products. A corn-to-ethanol fermentation using soy skim was moved from the Fermentation Facility on campus to the BCRF for large pilot-scale testing. Soybean skim from an aqueous extraction of soybean oil process was used in an integrated corn/soybean biorefinery concept to replace part or all of the water used in dry-grind corn ethanol fermentation. We are also evaluating the quality of the dried distillers grains with solubles (DDGS) co-product, which has been shown to have increased protein content in the bench-scale fermentations. Trial runs were begun on a new biological corn degerming process. This process extracts corn germ from dry-grind ethanol fermentation and increases the value of co-products like DDGS. We began a new study on composting at the BCRF. Composting and digestion test cells have been constructed to provide testing for biobased plastic products that claim compostability or biodegradability. The cells will test for biodegradation in accordance with standard testing methods ASTM D5338-98 and ASTM D5511-02.
Publications
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Progress 01/01/10 to 12/31/10
Outputs
OUTPUTS: This project focuses on demonstrating and transferring new technologies to industry partners that utilize corn and soybean grain and biomass crops, and assisting companies to utilize those new technologies to drive economic development in rural communities of Iowa. Advanced technologies are needed to help meet the biofuel targets of the 2007 Energy Independence and Security Act. The project also seeks to break the dogma of food verses fuel by producing improved and healthy food and enhanced feed ingredients as biorefinery co-products. Much of the activity during the past year was focused on developing research and demonstration capacity and capabilities at the new unique facility, the BioCentury Research Farm. New pilot plant processing systems were installed for storing, drying, grinding, torrefaction, fast pyrolysis, gasification and fermentation. A granular filter system was developed to produce fractionated bio oil fractions with less contaminant. A large-scale biomass storage experiment was initiated using more than 2500 bales of corn stover. Different storage methods, chemical treatments and harvesting senarios are being tested. Peanut drying equipment was tested as biomass driers. These driers were used to dry eucalyptus wood chips for use by the startup company Frontline BioEnergy in biomass gasification demonstrations. Low-ash corn stover produced by direct baling from a corn harvester was produced for experiments to be conducted at the National Renewable Energy Lab in Golden, CO. Four fermentation trials were undertaken with a newly acquired 500-L fermenter to demonstrate four new ISU technologies to produce biofuels. A conference (about 100 attendees) on biochar to improve sustainability of soil quality was hosted. Approximately 100 tours of the facility were given to 1245 persons. A one-day workshop on biocomposite materials was held with 94 persons in attendance. Presentations were made to various civic groups. Brochures about the BioCentury Research Farm were developed. PARTICIPANTS: Individuals (Principle Investigators): Lawrence A. Johnson, Project Co-Director, Professor, Food Science & Human Nutrition, and Joe P. Colletti, Senior Associate Dean, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, responsible for administrative oversight of the BioCentury Research Farm; Andrew A. Suby, Manager of the BioCentury Research Farm, responsible for daily operations; Robert C. Brown, Director, Bioeconomy Institute, responsible for Bioeconomy programs; Darren Jarboe, Program Coordinator, Center for Crops Utilization Research, responsible for technology transfer and commercialization. Collaborators and Contacts: The team collaborated with the startup companies Avello Bioenergy, DuPont-Dansico Cellulosic Ethanol, Frontline BioEnergy, SoyWorks, and MycoInnovations. We also collaborated with established companies such as AGCO, Pioneer a DuPont Business, Vermeer, Rockwell Automation, Centecor (division of Johnson & Johnson), Genencor International, and Deere & Co. TARGET AUDIENCES: Target audiences include: soybean and corn farmers and growers associations, such as the American Soybean Association, the United Soybean Board, National Corn Growers Association; Feed Grains Council; renewable fuels associations; corn and soybean processing industries, such the National Oilseed Processors Association and Corn Refiners Association. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Not relevant to this project.
Impacts
The Iowa Department of Economic Development awarded a grant for $1,039,266 to purchase additional production and processing equipment. A new startup company, Avello, focused on commercializing ISU technology to fractionate bio oil produced by fast pyrolysis on cellulosic biomass located in the Farm's small business incubator program. Avello acquired a $2.5 million grant from Iowa's Power Fund to build a one-ton per day demonstration plant at the BioCentury Research Farm to commercialize the technology. Avello demonstrated the technology by doing two 2-week extended runs processing about 500 pounds of biomass per day. Sufficient amounts of one fraction were produced to demonstrate use as bioasphalt in a bike trail at Wayland Park, Des Moines, IA. The large-scale biomass storage effort has led DuPont-Danisco Cellulosic Ethanol to announce that they will build a new biomass conversion facility in central Iowa. Pioneer a DuPont Business, Vermeer, Rockwell Automation, AGCO, Deere & Co., and Centecor have made substantial donations to enhance capabilities at the BioCentury Research Farm. Two lectures on corn and soybean processing and utilization and one lecture on costs and lifecycle carbon footprints of biofuel feedstocks were videotaped and used to train 52 graduate students as part of an international two-week intensive course held at the University of Graz, Austria, on biorenewable resources for energy and fuel. This program was sponsored by a grant from the Atlantis Program and U.S. Department of Education, Fund for the Improvement of Post-secondary Education involving ISU, University of Arkansas, Kansas State University, University of Graz (Austria), University of Gent (Belgium) and Polytechnic University of Toulouse. Two undergraduate students were employed at the BioCentury Research Farm gaining experience as engineers in biomass processing and facilities management. The Biofuels Digest recognized the BioCentury Research Farm as the "Institutional Facility of the Year."
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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