BioFuels Journal

The following Sun Grant Initiave awards were presented this year from the South Central SGI Region, Oklahoma State University:

Integrated Projects • Effects of Syngas Sources on Ethanol Production via Fermentation, Mark Wilkins, Oklahoma State University (3 year project; $337,194 DOT, $421,489 Total Project).

Objective: Analysis of biomass-syngas generated from switchgrass, corn gluten, wheat straw and coal mixed with switchgrass and wheat straw (co-firing).

• Development of a Skid-mounted Gasification System for On-site Heat, Fuel and Power Production, Sergio Capareda, Texas Agricultural Experiment Station (3 year project; $279,380 DOT, $ 349,222 Total Project).

Objective: Develop and evaluate the technical, economic, (including commercialization) and environmental feasibility of on-site thermal gasification systems for biowastes in the region.

• Designer sorghums: Development of high yielding sorghum cultivars with modified endosperm matrices for optimized low energy input ethanol production and high nutrition feed, Dirk Hays, Texas A & M University (3 year project; $337,500 DOT, $355,110 Total Project).

Objective: To develop a systems approach for designer sorghum cultivars to optimize the grain’s endosperm matrix for bio-ethanol conversion and distiller’s feed for low rain fall Texas environments.

• Evaluation of Sweet Sorghum Hybrids as a Bioenergy Feedstock—Germplasm Development, Agronomic Practices, and Conversion Efficiency William Rooney, Texas Agricultural Experiment Station (3 year project; $327,125 DOT, Total Project $415,339).

Objective: Breeding, development, and release of sweet sorghum for commercial production.

Production, processing, and conversion issues of sweet sorghum cultivars and hybrids.

• Evaluation of the Energy and Cost Advantages of Modules for Packaging and Transporting Biomass Energy Crops, Stephen Searcy, Texas Agricultural Experiment Station (3 year project; $246,236 DOT, Total Project $331,319).

Objective: Address the engineering and economic aspects of using modular packages for switchgrass.

• Evaluation of the Nutritional and Feeding Value of Ethanol By-products for Animal Production, Travis Whitney, Texas Agricultural Experiment Station (2 year project; $116,103 DOT, Total Project $145,129). Objective: Determine how animal performance, metabolism, digestibility, and wool and carcass characteristics of growing lambs and kids are affected by replacing protein (cotton seedmeal) and energy (milo) feeds with direct distiller’s grain.

• Breeding and testing of new switchgrass cultivars for increased biomass production in Oklahoma, Arkansas, Texas and Kansas, Yanqui Wu, Oklahoma State University (3 year project; $200,000 DOT, $250,000 Total Project).

Objective: Develop switchgrass cultivars with increased biomass yield and wide adaptation through breeding program and testing network throughout region.

Seed Projects

• Cofiring Animal Waste in Low NOx Burners for NOx and Hg Reduction in Coal Fired Plants, Kalyan Annamalai, Texas Engineering Experiment Station (2 year project; $70,000 DOT, $87,513 Total Project).

Objective: Develop new technology and provide additional market for cat tle biowaste (manure) as fuel in coal fired plants.

• Advanced technologies for biodiesel production, Dorin Boldor, Louisiana State University Agricultural Center (2 year project; $70,000 DOT, $98,844 Total Project).

Objective: Utilizing batch and continuous microwave technology to extract oil from traditional (soybeans) and alternative (rice bran, Chinese tallow tree seeds) feedstocks and convert oils into biodiesel, and determine the technological feasibility and economic viability of process. • Vibrio furnissii: a biotechnology platform for biomass bioconversion, Paul de Figueiredo, Texas A & M University (2 year project; $70,000 DOT, $89,588 Total Project).

Objective: Develop an efficient and economical platform for the direct bioconversion of biomass into kerosene and other long-chain alkanes.

• Optimizing a new downdraft gasification system for synthesis gas production from low bulk density biomass materials, Krushna Patil, Oklahoma State University (2 year project; $69,997 DOT, $87,496 Total Project).

Objective: Further developing a unique downdraft gassifer design capable of utilizing low density feedstocks.

• Saline extractive distillation for ethanol separation, Peter Pfromm, Kansas State University (2 year period; $69,988 DOT, $87,495 Total Project).

Objective: Reduce the capital and operating costs, especially energy demand, of the current multi-stage separation process for the recovery of fuel grade ethanol from fermentation broth through the extractive distillation of salt by electrodialysis.

• Breaking the cost barrier for bio-ethanol: reactive adsorption of fermentation broth, Mary Rezac, Kansas State University (2 year period; $70,000 DOT, $87,514 Total Project).

Objective: Developing an ethanol recovery system using reactive adsorption technology that eliminates the highly energy intensive distillation process and makes substantial reductions in the cost of ethanol production. • Nanoparticle systems for delivery of biological antimicrobial compounds to limit microbial contamination in industrial yeast fermentation, Steven Ricke, University of Arkansas (2 year period; $70,000 DOT, $93,638 Total Project).

Objective: Identify a feasible antimicrobial invention method(s) that can be routinely integrated with economical delivery systems in large scale industrial yeast fermentation systems.

• Biodiesel Feedstock Development for the Southern Great Plains, Michael Stamm, Kansas State University (2 year period; $63,680 DOT, $79,916 Total Project).

Objective: Development of specialty canola cultivars adapted to winter with superior oil quality for production of a high quality feedstock to produce biodiesel.

•Develop Comprehensive Understanding and Utilization of Sorghum Stover and Brown Midrib Forage Sorghum for Ethanol Production, Donghai Wang, Kansas State University (2 year period; $70,000 DOT, $89,992 Total Project).

Objective: Develop comprehensive understanding and utilization of regular sorghum stover and brown midrib sorghum (sorghum biomass) for ethanol production by evaluating the physical properties and chemical composition, pretreatment technologies to increase fermentable sugar yields, increase ethanol yields by identifying and reducing inhibitors and investigate energy balance issues (inputs and outputs). • A multifunctional frequency-response permittivity sensor for biodiesel concentration measurement and impurity detection, Naiqian Zhang, Kansas State University (2 year period; $69,770 DOT, $97,170 Total Project).

Objective: Developing of a portable sensor for quick and reliable measurement of blend ratio and impurities concentration for biodiesel, and an embedded sensor for use in diesel engines.

See Related Websites/Articles:

• Sun Grant Initiatives 2007 Awards Announced

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