Source: TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY submitted to NRP
ADVANCED BIO-ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY RESEARCH FOR SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE
Sponsoring Institution
National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Project Status
COMPLETE
Funding Source
HATCH
Reporting Frequency
Annual
Accession No.
1000009
Grant No.
(N/A)
Cumulative Award Amt.
(N/A)
Proposal No.
(N/A)
Multistate No.
(N/A)
Project Start Date
May 29, 2013
Project End Date
May 19, 2018
Grant Year
(N/A)
Program Code
[(N/A)]- (N/A)
Recipient Organization
TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY
750 AGRONOMY RD STE 2701
COLLEGE STATION,TX 77843-0001
Performing Department
Biological & Agricultural Engineering
Non Technical Summary
This project aims to develop cost effective processes for the production of useful heat, biofuels and electrical power from various biomass resources and to evaluate environmental issues associated with the production and use of emerging biofuels.
Animal Health Component
40%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
40%
Applied
40%
Developmental
20%
Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)Subject of Investigation (SOI)Field of Science (FOS)Percent
4021899202010%
4022150202010%
4021719202030%
4032410202010%
4031510202010%
4035370202030%
Knowledge Area
403 - Waste Disposal, Recycling, and Reuse; 402 - Engineering Systems and Equipment;

Subject Of Investigation
1510 - Corn; 1719 - Cotton, other; 5370 - Sewage and waste disposal facilities and systems; 1899 - Oilseed and oil crops, general/other; 2410 - Cross-commodity research--multiple crops; 2150 - Aquatic plants;

Field Of Science
2020 - Engineering;
Goals / Objectives
The goal of this research work is to focus on researchable aspects of bio-fuels and bio-power production that will have a significant role in the future economy of the US.
Project Methods
Pyrolysis of biomass using fast pyrolyzers. Gasification of biomass using fluidized bed gasification system. Trans-esterification of various oil crops and micro-algae. Fermentation and saccharification of sugar, starchy and lignocellulosic biomass. Life cycle analysis of various biomass conversion processes.

Progress 05/29/13 to 05/19/18

Outputs
Target Audience:Target Audience Agricultural Engineers Biofuels Experts Industry Groups Renewable Energy Experts Farmers and Ranchers Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Opportunities The research and publications generated are potential resource materials for training and professional development. The development of gasification and pyrolysis are potential intellectual property for clientele How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Results Dissemination Research results are published in national meetings and seminars Journal publications have been downloaded by interested target audience What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Plan for the next reporting period (on a new Hatch Project) Continue to present papers in national meetings Continue to published research reports in refereed journal publications

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Major Goals of the Project Development of mobile gasification and pyrolysis technology Publication of numerous refereed journal articles Publication of textbook in renewable energy and biofuels

Publications

  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Accepted Year Published: 2013 Citation: 2013 Refereed Publications  Capareda Group 1. Placido, Jersson, Tahmina Imam and Sergio Capareda. 2013. Evaluation of Ligninolytic Enzymes, Ultrasonication and Liquid Hot Water as pretreatments for Bioethanol Production from Cotton Gin Trash. Bioresource Technology 139 (2013) 203-208. Elsevier Science Direct Publications. April 2013. 2. Teiseh, Eliasu A. and Sergio Capareda. 2013. Maximizing the Concentrations of Hydrogen, carbon Monoxide and Methane Produced from Pyrolysis of a MixAlco Process Derived Sludge. Journal of Analytical and Applied Pyrolysis 102 (2013) 76-82. Elsevier Science Direct Publications. April 2013. 3. Capunitan, Jewel A. and Sergio C. Capareda. 2013. Characterization and Separation of Corn Stover Biooil by Fractional Distillation. Fuel 112 (2013) 60-73. Elsevier Science Direct Publications. May 2013. 4. Farmer, Michael C., Aaron Benson, Xiaolan Liu, Sergio Capareda, and Marty Middleton. 2013. Feasibility of an Adaptable Biorefinery Platform: Addressing the Delivery Scale Dilemma under Drought Risk. Journal of Agricultural and Applied Economics. Accepted for Publications June 26, 2013 by JAAE, Sheridan Press, Hanover, PA. 5. Kongkasawan, Jinjuta and Sergio C. Capareda. 2013. Jatropha Oil Refining Process and Biodiesel Conversion: Mass and Energy Balance. International Energy Journal, Regional Resources Information Center (RERIC), Asian Institute of Technology (AIT), Bangkok, Thailand. Accepted for publication July 16, 2013. 6. Santos, Bjorn, Sergio Capareda, Jewel Capunitan. 2013. Engine Performance and Exhaust Emissions of Peanut Oil Biodiesel. Journal of Sustainable Bioeneregy Systems (JSBS), Copyright by Scientific Research. Volume 3, No. 4, pp. 272-286. 2013.. 7. Maguyon, M. C. C and S. C. Capareda. 2013 Evaluating the Effects of Temperature on Pressurized Pyrolysis of Nannochloropsis Oculata Based on Product Yields and Characteristics. Energy Conservation and Management Journal, Elsevier Publications, London, Volume 76 (2013) 764-773. 8. Cubio, G., F. B. Alagao, S. C. Capareda. 2013. Real-time Analysis of Engine Power, Thermal Efficiency and Emission Charactereristics Using Refined and Trans-esterified Waste Vegetable Oil. Journal of Energy Resources Technology (of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers). Accepted for publications on September 20, 2013. 9. Santos, Bjorn, Sergio Canzana Capareda, Jewel Capunitan. 2013. Sunflower Methyl Ester as an Engine Fuel: Performance Evaluation and Emissions Analysis. ISRN Journal of Renewable Energy, Hindawi Publishing Corporation, Volume 2013, Article ID 352024, pp.1-12. http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2013/352024.


Progress 10/01/16 to 09/30/17

Outputs
Target Audience:The target audiences for the above projects are as follows The Cotton Industry The Dairy Industry The Cattle Feeders Associations ASABE Members and Engineers USDA Agricultural Research and Extension Specialists Other commodity-based Industry such as The Almond Industry and Confined Animal Feeding Operations (dairy, cattle feedyards and poultry) Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?The project conducted full scale demonstration and lecture series to various clienteles such as Dairy Producers. Continuing education credits were issued to participating Dairy Producers. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?The results were disseminated in technical presentations to annual conferences of the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers as well as in various demonstrations and lecture series including workshops. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Numerous technical presentations will be made in various annual meetings to expand the audience base. Paper will also be written to popular magazines and other venues most read by producers.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Research Outputs Gasification Research. A USDA-NRCS CIG Grant completed its full-scale demonstration for the project entitled "Demonstration of Water Purification-Treatment-Recycling and Power Generation with Net Metering in a Commercial Dairy Operated by the Dairy Industry". We submitted our final report to USDA head office. Arriba Energy (Houston, Texas), the private company has licensed the TAMU gasification technology. Lummus Inc. has provided funding to AgriLife Research for pre-commercialization work to deploy the gasification system in a commercial gin in Lubbock, Texas. Pyrolysis Research. Pyrolysis of Jatropha wastes has been completed. Biodiesel Research. An exchange student from the Philippines, Paulo Cercado (from the University of the Philippines in Diliman) has completed his dissertation research on new method of producing biodiesel from various oils. Air Quality Research. A new Air quality research project funded by the California Air District and Almond Board to establish new PM2.5 emissions from harvesting machineries. Likewise, a new protocol for the actual measurements and generation of PM2.5 has been completed at BETA Lab through the work of MS student El Jirie Baticados. Other Renewable Energy Research. Other renewable research being implemented include the installation of a 1 kW small wind power, 2 kW solar power and 200 kW biopower system at the Agricultural Engineering research lab in College Station, Texas.

Publications

  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2017 Citation: 8. Cercado, A.P.I., F. C. Ballesteros, and S. C. Capareda. 2017. Biodiesel frommicroalgae using synthesized novel alkali catalyst. Applied Ecology and Environmental Research 15(4): 1859-1870. http://www.aloki.hu. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15666/aeer/1504_18591870.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2017 Citation: 9. Al-Mashhadani, Husam A.M., Sergio C. Capareda, Ronald E. Lacey and Sandun Fernando. 2017. Catalytic valorization of glycerol for producing biodiesel-compatible biofuel blends. Biofuels, DOI: 10.1080/17597269.2017.1387746.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2017 Citation: 5. Genuino, Divine Angela D., Butch G. Bataller, Sergio C. Capareda and Mark Daniel G. de Luna. 2017. Application of artificial neural network in the modeling and optimization of humic acid extraction from municipal solid waste biochar. Journal of Environmental Chemical engineering 5 (2017) 4101-4107.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2017 Citation: 6. Choi, Julius, Hyungseok Nam, Seaborn carter and Sergio C. Capareda. 2017. Tuning the physicochemical properties of biochar derived from Ashe juniper by vacuum pressure and temperature. Journal of Environmental Chemical engineering 5 (2017) 3649-3655.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2017 Citation: 7. Maguyon-Detras, Monet Concepcion and Sergio C. Capareda. 2017. Determining the operating condition for maximum biooil production from pyrolysis of nannochloropsis oculata. Philippine Journal of Crop Science (PJCS) August 2017, 41 (2): 37-47.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2017 Citation: 1. Arazo, R., M. D. de Luna and S. C. Capareda. 2017. Bio-oil production from dry sewage sludge by fast pyrolysis in an electrically-heated fluidized bed reactor. Journal for Sustainable Environment Research 27 (2017) 7-14, Science Direct Elsevier Publications, UK.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2017 Citation: 2. Maguyon-Detras, Monet Concepcion and Sergio Capareda. 2017. Upgrading of biooil and aqueous liquid product from pyrolysis of microalgae ((Nannochloropsis oculata) by fractional distillation. International Journal of Biosciences (IJB)., Vol. 10, No. 1, p. 218-231, 2017.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2017 Citation: 3. Nam, H, A. L. Maglinao and S. C. Capareda. 2017. Effective use of dairy manure mixed with sand bedding for gasification. Transactions of the ASABE, Vol. 60(1): 5-16. 2017. ASABE, St. Joseph, MI, USA.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2017 Citation: 4. Arazo, R. O., M. D. G. de Luna and S. C. Capareda. 2017. Assessing biodiesel production from sewage sludge-derived bio-oil. Biocatalysis and Agricultural Biotechnology 10 (2017) 189-196. Elsevier Science Direct Publications, UK.


Progress 10/01/15 to 09/30/16

Outputs
Target Audience:The target audiences for the above projects are as follows The Cotton Industry Cattle Feeders Associations ASABE Members and Engineers USDA Agricultural Research and Extension Specialists Other commodity-based Industry such as The Almond Industry and Confined Animal Feeding Operations (dairy, cattle feedyards and poultry) Changes/Problems:A no cost extension was made for one of the projects to complete the written final report as well as to present the project output to other venues attended by dairy producers and target clientele. Another full scale demonstration is also being planned to generate wider audience. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?The project conducted full scale demonstration and lecture series to various clienteles such as Dairy Producers. Continuing education credits were issued to participating Dairy Producers. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?The results were disseminated in technical presentations to annual conferences of the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers as well as in various demonstrations and lecture series including workshops. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Numerous technical presentations will be made in various annual meetings to expand the audience base. Paper will also be written to popular magazines and other venues most read by producers.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? - Investigate and develop sustainable technologies to convert biomass resources into chemicals, energy, materials and other value added products.

Publications

  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Accepted Year Published: 2016 Citation: 1. Hanif, Muhammad Usman, Renato O. Arazo, Sergio C. Capareda, Hamid Iqbal, Muhammad Adnan Hanif and Muhammad Anwar Baig. 2016. Optimization of bio-oil pH with co-pyrolysis of cotton gin trash, animal manure and micro-algae. International Journal of Biosciences (IJB) Vol. 8, No. 5, p. 8-14, 2016. Article published on May 18, 2016.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2016 Citation: 2. Placido, Jersson and Sergio Capareda. 2016. Conversion of residues and by-products from the biodiesel industry into value-added products. Bioresources and Bioprocessing Volume 3:23, pp. 1-12. Available at: http://bioresourcesbioprocessing.springeropen.com/articles/10.1186/s40643-016-0100-1
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2016 Citation: 3. Nam, Hyungseok, Amado L. Maglinao Jr., Sergio C. Capareda and David Aaron Rodriguez-Alejandro. 2016. Enrich-air fluidized bed gasification using bench and pilot scale reactors of dairy manure with sand bedding based on response surface methods. Energy 95 (2016) 187-199. Elsevier Science Direct, UK.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2016 Citation: 4. Kongkasawan, Jinjuta, Hyungseok Nam and Sergio C. Capareda. 2016. Jatropha waste meal as an alternative energy source via pressurized pyrolysis: A study on temperature effects. Energy 113 (2016) 631-642. Science Direct an Elsevier Science Publication. Available at htpp://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.energy.2016.07.030/.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2016 Citation: 5. Rodriguez-Alejandro, D. A., H. Nam, A. L. Maglinao Jr., S. C. Capareda and A. F. Aguilera-Alvarado. 2016. Development of a Modified Equilibrium Model for Biomass Pilot-Scale Fluidized Bed Gasifier Performance Predictions. Energy, 2016. Accepted for Publications 9-11, 2016.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2016 Citation: 6. Jin, H., Hanif, M. U., Capareda, S., Chang, Z., Huang, H., and Ai, Y. (2016). Copper (II) removal potential from aqueous solution by pyrolysis biochar derived from anaerobically digested algae-dairy-manure and effect of KOH activation. Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering, 4(1), 365372.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2016 Citation: 7. Hanif, M.U., Capareda S.C., Kongkasawan J., Iqbal H., Arazo, R.O., and Baig, M.A. (2016). Effects of Pyrolysis Temperature on Product Yields and Energy Recovery from Co-Feeding of Cotton Gin Trash, Cow Manure, and Microalgae: A Simulation Study. PLoS ONE 11(4): e0152230. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0152230.


Progress 10/01/14 to 09/30/15

Outputs
Target Audience:The target audiences for the above projects are as follows The Cotton Industry Cattle Feeders Associations ASABE Members and Engineers USDA Agricultural Research and Extension Specialists Other commodity-based Industry such as The OilIndustry and Confined Animal Feeding Operations (dairy, cattle feedyards and poultry) Changes/Problems:Nomajor problems or issues were encountered. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Undergraduate and graduate students including visiting scientists and exchange students were trained on all aspect of research for this project. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?The results were dissseminated in ASABE annual meetings and USDA S-1041 Multi-State Committee meeting. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Continued work on gasification, pyrolysis and air quality research will be pursued.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? The USDA-NRCS-CIG Grant project entitled "Demonstration of Water Purification-Treatment-Recycling and Power Generation with Net Metering in a Commercial Dairy Operated by the Dairy Industry" is continuing through 2015. This is a two year project that will end in September 2016 whose outcome will be a week-long demonstration in a commercial dairy in Stephenville Texas. A dairy manure dryer and sand separation system was developed for the process. The algae pyrolysis research project is continuing with student dissertation research. The BETA Lab is successful in developing a process to convert the oil extracted from algae directly into diesel fuel. Biochar was used as a catalyst for the process. The biochar was impregnated with novel metals for the deoxygenation and hydrogenation process. In one run, 94% of the product were in the diesel range and 6% in the gasoline range. Biodiesel research has focused on converting Jatropha meal into hydrocarbon fuels via fast pyrolysis. A PhD student from Thailand (Jinjuta Kongkasawan) is completing this research studies. A continuing project conceptualized by Visiting Research Scholar Dr. Nanjappa Ashwath (from Central Queensland University, Australia) converts oil from native Australian plants directly into biodiesel using a one-step transesterification process using biochar as catalyst. Various oil crops indigenous from Australia has been processed to generate biodiesel and biofuels via transesterification of the refined oil or through fast pyrolysis of either the oil or the whole oil crops. Air quality research for the year was focused primarily on the development of PM2.5 emission factors from concentrated animal farm operations. The BETA Lab is in charge of developing the contribution of RVOCs in the formation of PM2.5. RVOCs are supposed to be precursors for PM2.5 generation. Other renewable research being implemented include the following: Installation of a 1 kW small wind power generation system in a farmstead Solar energy studies to compare the performance of a GaAs and Si solar PV in various configuration of fixed and mobile systems that tracks the sun. A paper was published showing improvement in efficiencies as well as economics of these PV systems. A new solar concentrating collector was also used to implement pyrolysis of biomass by converting the solar steam generator into a solar pyrolysis reactor. The lab was successful in generating temperature above 300oC which is in the pyrolysis region.

Publications

  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2015 Citation: Nam, Hyungseok and Sergio Capareda. 2015. Experimental Investigation of Torrefaction of Two Agricultural Wastes of Different Composition using RSM (Response Surface Method). Energy 91 (2015) 507-216. Elsevier Science Ltd., UK.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2015 Citation: Santos, B. S. and Capareda, S. C. 2015. A Comparative Study on the Engine Performance and Exhaust Emissions of Biodiesel from Various Vegetable Oils and Animal Fat. Journal of Sustainable Bio-energy Systems (JSBS), Volume 5, pp 89-103. Copyright by Scientific Research Publishing, UK. http://dx.doi.org/0.4236/jsbs.2015.53009.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2015 Citation: Maglinao, A., S. C. Capareda and Hyungseok Nam. 2015. Fluidized Bed Gasification of High Tonnage Sorghum, Cotton Gin Trash and Beef Cattle Manure: Evaluation of Synthesis Gas Production. Energy Conservation and Management, 105 (2015) 578-587, Elsevier Science Ltd., UK.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2015 Citation: Placido, Jersson, and Sergio Capareda. 2015. Ligninolytic Enzymes a Biotechnological Alternative for Bioethanol Production. Bioresources and Bioprocesssing a Springer Open Journal. (2015) 2:23. DOI 10.1186/s40643-015-0049-5. Available at: http://www.bioresourcesbioprocessing.com/content/pdf/s40643-015-0049-5.pdf
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2015 Citation: Mac an Bhaird, Se�n T., Eil�n Walsh, Phil Hemmingway, Amado L. Maglinao, Sergio C. Capareda, and Kevin P. McDonnell. 2015. Bubbling Fluidised Bed Gasification of Wheat Straw - Gasifier Performance Using Mullite as Bed Material. Chemical Engineering Research and Design, Volume 97 (2015) 36-44. Elsevier, Science Direct Ltd., UK.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2015 Citation: Lacey, David, Placido, Jersson* and Sergio Capareda. 2015. An Outline for Economical and Technical Analysis of Solar Panels for Agricultural Uses: A Case Study on Texas Weather Conditions. 2015. American Journal of Experimental Agriculture. Volume 6, Issue 4 (2015). Article No. AJEA.2015.082. Science Domain International.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2015 Citation: Hsieh, Daniel, Jersson Placido* and Sergio Capareda. 2015. Batch Pyrolysis of Acid-Treated Rice Straw and Potential Products for Energy and Biofuel Production. Waste Biomass Valor, Springer Science, Ltd. NY. Available online at doi: 10.1007/s12649-015-9360-9.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2015 Citation: Placido, J. E. and S. C. Capareda. 2015. Production of Silicon Compounds and Fulvic Acids from Cotton Wastes Biochar Using Chemical De-polymerization. Industrial Crops and Products Journal. 67 (2015) 270-280. Elsevier Science Direct, UK. . Available at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.indcrop.2015.01.027.


Progress 10/01/13 to 09/30/14

Outputs
Target Audience: Target Audience Agricultural Engineers Biofuels and Renewable Energy Experts Industry Groups Farmers and Ranchers Teachers and Extension Specialists Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? Opportunities The research and publications generated are potential resource materials for training and professional development. The development of gasification and pyrolysis are potential intellectual property for clientele How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? Results Dissemination Research results are published in national meetings and seminars Journal publications have been downloaded by interested target audience What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Plan for the next reporting period Continue to present papers in national meetings Continue to published research reports in refereed journal publications

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Major Goals of the Project Development of mobile gasification and pyrolysis technology Publication of numerous refereed journal articles

Publications

  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Accepted Year Published: 2014 Citation: Mac an Bhaird, Se�n T. , Eil�n Walsh, Phil Hemmingway, Amado L. Maglinao, Sergio C. Capareda, and Kevin P. McDonnell. 2014. Analysis of Bed Agglomeration during Gasification of Wheat Straw in a Bubbling Fluidised Bed Gasifier Using Mullite as Bed Material. Powder Technology, Volume 254, March 2014, Pages 448-459. Elsevier, Science Ltd., UK
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Accepted Year Published: 2014 Citation: Farmer, Michael C., Aaron Benson, Xiaolan Liu, Sergio Capareda, and Marty Middleton. 2013. Feasibility of an Adaptable Biorefinery Platform: Addressing the Delivery Scale Dilemma under Drought Risk. Journal of Agricultural and Applied Economics. Volume 46 (1), February 2014: 57-71, Southern Agricultural Economics Association, Sheridan Press, Hanover, PA.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Accepted Year Published: 2014 Citation: Richardson, James. W., Myriah D. Johnson, Ronald Lacey, Jim Oyler and Sergio Capareda. 2014. Harvesting and Extraction Technology Contributions to Algae Biofuels Economic Viability. Algal Research Volume 5, July 2014, pp. 70-78. Elsevier Science Ltd., UK.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Accepted Year Published: 2014 Citation: Jin, Hongmei, Renato O. Arazo, Jun Gao, Sergio Capareda and Zhizhou Chang. 2014. Leaching of Heavy Metals from fast Pyrolysis Residues Produced from Different Particle Sizes of Sewage Sludge. Journal of Analytical and Applied Pyrolysis (2014). In Press. Accepted Manuscript, June 2014. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jaap.2014.06.016
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Accepted Year Published: 2014 Citation: Jin, Hongmei., Sergio Capareda, Zhizhou Chang, Jun Gao, Yueding Xu and Jianying Zhang. 2014. Biochar Pyrolytically Produced from Municipal Solid Wastes for Aqueous As(V) Removal: Adsorption Property and its Improvement with KOH Activation, Bioresource Technology (2014). Available online 14 July 2014. In Press. Accepted Manuscript. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2014.06.103
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Accepted Year Published: 2014 Citation: Cubio, G., F. B. Alagao, S. C. Capareda. 2014. Real-time Analysis of Engine Power, Thermal Efficiency and Emission Characteristics Using Refined and Trans-esterified Waste Vegetable Oil. Journal of Energy Resources Technology, Journal of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers. Volume 136, September 2014.


Progress 05/29/13 to 09/30/13

Outputs
Target Audience: Agricultural Engineers Agricultural Technicians Ranchers and Business Groups Changes/Problems: Research funding has been quite limited. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? We are in the continued process of training operators of the TAMU gasifier and these personnel have been hired by private companies commercializing the system. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? Papers are continually presented in annual meetings of ther ASABE and the Beltwide Cotton Conferences. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Continued work on finding new biomass feedstock that may be converted into electrical power and heat (e.g. animal manure). COntinued work on the production of hydrocarbon fuels from pyrolysis of various biomass. Production of ethanol from various wastes and the reduction in cost of processes.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Gasification Research. COmmercialization of the TAMU fludized bed gasifier for power generation. Pyrolysis Research. Hydrocarbon fuels are produced from various biomass wastes (corn stover and sorghum biomass) Ethanol Research. Ethanol is being produced from cotton gin trash using various innovative processes. A Air Quality Research. Reduction in cost of particulate removal via the use of cyclones has been achieved.

Publications

  • Type: Books Status: Published Year Published: 2013 Citation: Capareda, Sergio C. 2013. Introduction to Biomass Energy Conversions. CRC Press, Taylor and Francis Group, Boca Raton, FL. Hardbound, 585pp, ISBN 978-1-4665-1333-4