Loading...
Advancing biomass to biofuel conversion via multiple process technologies
Troxler, Jessie E.
Troxler, Jessie E.
Citations
Altmetric:
Editor
Date
Date Issued
2024
Date Submitted
Collections
Research Projects
Organizational Units
Journal Issue
Embargo Expires
Abstract
Lignocellulosic biomass is a renewable feedstock for fuels and other value-added products. The advancement of biofuel production requires a multifaceted approach. There are numerous ways to produce biofuels from biomass, many of which are not discussed in this work. Presented here are methods for improving three aspects of improving biofuel production: rheology of enzymatically hydrolyzed biomass, temperature modeling in biomass feeding systems, and cell free synthesis of fuel products.
Chapter 3 is a discussion of the influence of enzymatic hydrolysis on the rheological properties of biomass, such as yield stress and plastic viscosity. These properties change during enzymatic hydrolysis and alter the energy requirements for pumping and mixing, an important consideration for the design of processing equipment. The dynamic changes that occur in a corn stover feedstock undergoing enzymatic hydrolysis are characterized, and the influence on pressure losses in piping systems are estimated.
Chapter 4 is an exploration of temperature profiles in auger feeders for pyrolysis reactors. Auger feeders experience particle agglomeration and plugging of the auger screw. One-dimensional and two-dimensional simulations of heat transfer throughout the auger feeder are developed to investigate whether heat transfer from the reactor could be responsible for plugging of the screw auger. The one-dimensional model was used to determine the affect of changing operating parameters.
Chapter 5 includes a discussion of a Python model for a twenty-three step enzymatic pathway to convert glucose to monoterpenes. The Python model was developed by myself and coworkers and is validated with experimental results from Korman, et al. Key enzymes and co-factors are identified as potential bottlenecks for the production of monoterpenes.
In summary, this dissertation provides insights into key fundamental aspects of biofuel production that can be used to optimize biofuel production design in the future.
Associated Publications
Rights
Copyright of the original work is retained by the author.