Browsing by Subject "Biomass energy."
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Item The fate of phosphate in the MixAlco process and its applicability to a Central Texas watershed.(2007-01-19T16:21:19Z) Doyle, Erin E.; Van Walsum, G. Peter (Gerard Peter), 1963-; Environmental Studies.; Baylor University. Dept. of Environmental Studies.The MixAlco process is proposed as a means to reduce phosphorus concentrations in dairy cow manure in order to help improve water quality in the Lake Waco watershed. Numerous dairy farms and intensive agricultural practices are located in this Central Texas watershed, and dairy manure is a major source of nutrients, particularly phosphorus. Nutrients, such as nitrogen and phosphorus, are the main causes of eutrophication. The MixAlco process, which can use dairy manure as a source of biomass to produce a mixed alcohol fuel, may reduce phosphorous levels in manure wastes. The dairy manure filtrate was analyzed for soluble reactive phosphorous (SRP) before and after the first two steps of the MixAlco process. An average reduction of 86 percent was observed from beginning to end. A reduction in SRP may ease the impact dairy manure has on eutrophication in the Lake Waco watershed to help improve water quality.Item The Green Airport concept and the International Flight Academy on biofuels.(2008-04-15T17:47:40Z) Zanin, Maria Grazia.; Olson, Larry W.; Air Science.; Baylor University. Institute for Air Science.Although aviation plays an indispensable role in today’s global economy, it is presently at the center of rising controversy due to its disproportionate contribution to greenhouse gases and the potential to become one of the major causes of anthropogenic climate change. The Baylor Institute for Air Science has been involved in programs aimed at alleviating the environmental impact of aviation. This study identifies ideal conditions for the implementation of a "Green Airport" on the Island of Hispaniola. The island has sufficient natural resources to become energy independent. The implementation of an off-the-grid airport will serve locally as a catalyst to promote energy independence while improving economic conditions; and globally, as a model to be reproduced around the world. This document focuses on the first step of implementation: the world's first flight academy operating solely on biofuels that will provide the foundation to support the establishment of an off-the-grid "Green Airport".Item High-performance liquid chromatographic methods for quantitative assessment of degradation products and extractives in pretreated lignocellulose.(Amsterdam : Elsevier B. V., 2006) Chen, Shou-Feng.; Chambliss, C. Kevin.; Chemistry and Biochemistry.; Baylor University. Dept. of Chemistry and Biochemistry.Long-term economic, national security, and environmental concerns have motivated research into renewable fuels from lignocellulosic biomass. Among energy alternatives, biomass-derived ethanol represents one of the more promising commodities for long-term sustainability of transportation fuels. Herbaceous agricultural residues, such as corn stover, represent a major source of lignocellulosic material with considerable potential for use in biomass-to-ethanol schemes. Currently, the technology for conversion of biomass to ethanol involves dilute acid pretreatment of lignocellulosic materials, followed by enzymatic hydrolysis of cellulose and fermentation of monomeric sugars to produce ethanol. However, a variety of degradation products are produced upon dilute acid pretreatment of lignocellulosic biomass, which exert an inhibitory effect on downstream fermentation processes and reduce bioethanol conversion. Thus there is increased the demand for reliable analytical methods to advance a more understanding of lignocellulose pretreatment. Several liquid chromatographic methods are developed for a systematic analysis of various degradation products. High-performance liquid chromatography is the most widely used analytical separation technique, because of its reproducibility, sensitivity, and suitability for separating nonvolatile species, which makes the method ready for accurate quantitative determinations. A reversed-phase HPLC method with UV detection is developed for simultaneous separation and quantitation of organic acids and neutral degradation products present in the corn stover hydrolysate. On the other hand, inorganic ions and some organic anions which present in water extractive from corn stover are separated and quantitated by the developed ion chromatographic method with conductivity mode. Sugars and alditols are determined using high-performance anion chromatography with pulsed amperometric detection.Item Synthesis, characterization, and applications of redox-mediated ion exchangers.(2007-12-04T19:51:40Z) Feazell, Monica N.; Chambliss, C. Kevin.; Chemistry and Biochemistry.; Baylor University. Dept. of Chemistry and Biochemistry.The technology for conversion of lignocellulosic biomass resources to fuels and chemicals has been under development for decades. There are many process configurations for conversion of biomass to ethanol, one of the well-studied technologies is to use a dilute-acid-catalyzed pretreatment followed by enzymatic hydrolysis and fermentation to produce the ethanol. However, the pretreatment product mixture, typically called hydrolysate, contains a variety of degradation products such as aliphatic and aromatic acids, phenols, and aromatic aldehydes. These degradation products formed can be considered potential fermentation inhibitors, and they can be a restricting factor in the achievability of biotechnological conversions of lignocellulosics to ethanol. This project seeks to contribute to the development of biomass conversion technologies by demonstrating a novel process enabling: 1) simultaneous extraction of organic acids and phenols through reactive ion exchange, 2) quantitative recovery of extracted components into aqueous solution, and 3) regeneration of reactive ion exchangers using redox chemistry. The organometallic complex Fe([eta]5-C5H5)([eta]5-10-C2B9H8(n-C12H25)2) is used in combination with tetra-n-heptylammonium hydroxide salt to demonstrate an improved R2ER for the extraction of acids from aqueous solutions. The metal complex itself remains in its neutral state and only acts as a spectator during the extraction step. New synthetic approaches to a single-component reagent have been developed in this study. The new organometallics synthesized have the principal advantage of reducing the process to a one-reagent. In this case the organometallic complex acts as an extractant instead of a spectator. Seven new compounds were synthesized and characterized, and the uses of Fe([eta]5–C5H5)([eta]5-10-(N(CH3)3)-7,8-C2B9H8(n-C12H25)2)] in a R2ER process were studied for the extraction of perchlorate from aqueous solutions.