Ian J. Bonner

Practical considerations of moisture in baled biomass feedstocks

Background: The biomass industry requires low-cost, moisture-tolerant storage solutions to preserve herbaceous feedstocks. Methodology: We examined moisture movement in storage and identified patterns of migration, as well as their impacts on moisture measurement and dry matter recovery. Baled corn stover and energy sorghum were stored outdoors in uncovered, tarp-covered or wrapped stacks, and sampled to measure moisture and dry matter losses. Results: Interpolation between sampling locations showed clear patterns of moisture accumulation and redeposition. Exposure, orientation and contact with barriers caused the greatest amount of moisture heterogeneity within stacks. Although the bulk moisture content remained in the range suitable for aerobic stability, regions of high moisture supported microbial activity, resulting in dry matter loss. Conclusion: Stack configuration, orientation and coverage methods improve moisture management and dry matter preservation.

Impact of ammonia fiber expansion (AFEX) pretreatment on energy consumption during drying, grinding, and pelletization of corn stover

ABSTRACT Pretreatment and densification of biomass can increase the viability of bioenergy production by providing a feedstock that is readily hydrolyzed and able to be transported over greater distances. Ammonia fiber expansion (AFEX™) is one such method targeted for use at distributed depots to create a value-added and densified feedstock for bioenergy use. However, the pretreatment process results in a high-moisture material that must be dried, further size reduced, and pelletized, all of which are energy-intensive processes. This work quantifies the energy consumption required to dry, grind, and densify AFEX-pretreated corn stover compared to non-pretreated stover and explores the potential of reduced drying as a means to conserve energy. The purpose of this work is to understand whether material property changes resulting from AFEX pretreatment influence the material performance in downstream formatting operations. Material properties, heat balance equations, and a rotary drum dryer model were used to model a commercial-scale rotary drum dryer for AFEX-pretreated corn stover, showing the potential to reduce dryer energy consumption by up to 36% compared to non-pretreated corn stover. Laboratory-measured grinding and pelleting energies were both very sensitive to material moisture content. Overall, the total energy required for drying, grinding, and pelleting amounts to a savings of up to 23 kWh/dry Mg for the AFEX-pretreated material when dried to a low moisture content, equating to up to 0.61

Impact of sequential ammonia fiber expansion (AFEX) pretreatment and pelletization on the moisture sorption properties of corn stover.

/Mg savings for gas and electricity. Grinding and pelleting of high-moisture AFEX-pretreated stover was shown to be more costlier than the savings collected through reduced drying. Although the energy and cost savings shown here are modest, the results help to highlight operational challenges and opportunities for continued improvement.

Feedstock Supply System Design and Economics for Conversion of Lignocellulosic Biomass to Hydrocarbon Fuels Conversion Pathway: Fast Pyrolysis and Hydrotreating Bio-Oil Pathway "The 2017 Design Case"

Combining ammonia fiber expansion (AFEX™) pretreatment with a depot processing facility is a promising option for delivering high-value densified biomass to the emerging bioenergy industry. However, because the pretreatment process results in a high moisture material unsuitable for pelleting or storage (40% wet basis), the biomass must be immediately dried. If AFEX pretreatment results in a material that is difficult to dry, the economics of this already costly operation would be at risk. This work tests the nature of moisture sorption isotherms and thin-layer drying behavior of corn (Zea mays L.) stover at 20°C to 60°C before and after sequential AFEX pretreatment and pelletization to determine whether any negative impacts to material drying or storage may result from the AFEX process. The equilibrium moisture content to equilibrium relative humidity relationship for each of the materials was determined using dynamic vapor sorption isotherms and modeled with modified Chung-Pfost, modified Halsey, and modified Henderson temperature-dependent models as well as the Double Log Polynomial (DLP), Peleg, and Guggenheim Anderson de Boer (GAB) temperature-independent models. Drying kinetics were quantified under thin-layer laboratory testing and modeled using the Modified Pages equation. Water activity isotherms for non-pelleted biomass were best modeled with the Peleg temperature-independent equation while isotherms for the pelleted biomass were best modeled with the Double Log Polynomial equation. Thin-layer drying results were accurately modeled with the Modified Pages equation. The results of this work indicate that AFEX pretreatment results in drying properties more favorable than or equal to that of raw corn stover, and pellets of superior physical stability in storage.

Opportunities for Energy Crop Production Based on Subfield Scale Distribution of Profitability

The U.S. Department of Energy promotes the production of liquid fuels from lignocellulosic biomass feedstocks by funding fundamental and applied research that advances the state of technology in biomass sustainable supply, logistics, conversion, and overall system sustainability. As part of its involvement in this program, Idaho National Laboratory (INL) investigates the feedstock logistics economics and sustainability of these fuels. Between 2000 and 2012, INL quantified and the economics and sustainability of moving biomass from the field or stand to the throat of the conversion process using conventional equipment and processes. All previous work to 2012 was designed to improve the efficiency and decrease costs under conventional supply systems. The 2012 programmatic target was to demonstrate a biomass logistics cost of

Modeled Impacts of Cover Crops and Vegetative Barriers on Corn Stover Availability and Soil Quality

55/dry Ton for woody biomass delivered to fast pyrolysis conversion facility. The goal was achieved by applying field and process demonstration unit-scale data from harvest, collection, storage, preprocessing, handling, and transportation operations into INL’s biomass logistics model.