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The Southeastern Regional
Sun Grant Center
2506 Jacob Drive
Knoxville, TN 37996-4570
Phone: (865) 946-1124
Fax: (865) 946-1109
Email: sungrant@tennessee.edu

Regional Competitive Grants

Project Title:  Agglomeration of Biomass Feedstocks for Bioenergy Applications

Principal Investigators and affiliations:

  • PI: Oladiran Fasina (Auburn University, Department of Biosystems Engineering)
  • Co-PI: Tim McDonald (Auburn University, Department of Biosystems Engineering)
  •  Co-PI: John Fulton (Auburn University, Department of Biosystems Engineering)   

Start Date: 10/1/2007      End Date: 9/30/2008

Project Abstract:

The overall objective of this project is to develop farm-level, low-pressure methods for agglomerating biomass feedstocks that are indigenous to the southeastern part of the United States into forms (cubes/compacts) that are suitable for economical and efficient handling, storage and transportation of biomass. The specifc objectives of the research are to investigate the: (a) Effects of moisture, pressure and particle size on the agglomeration of biomass feedstocks using a single compaction unit. (b) Interactions between densification type (compacts vs pellets vs raw) and the rate of physical and biological/chemical degradation during storage of poultry litter, switchgrass and wood residue.

To achieve the objectives of the project, three biomass feedstocks (switchgrass, poultry litter and wood shavings) will be compacted in a low pressure (1 MPa to 40 MPa) rectangular single compaction unit. The effects of pressure, moisture and particle size on the compactibility (size, density) of these feedstocks will be studied. Storage stability studies (size, mass, density, moisture content, energy value, ash content and mineral composition) will be carried out on the compacts during a 2 month period.

About 86% of the energy that is used in the United States comes from fossil fuels. Factors such as high energy prices, energy security, national security and environmental concerns have proven the need to dramatically reduce the dependence of the country on fossil fuel. Energy from biomass has been identified as one of the viable alternatives because of (a) its abundance nature in the country (over 1 billon ton of biomass feedstocks can be produce that will replace 30% of the country's petroleum consumption); and (b) biomass is the only renewable source of carbon that can be used to replace carbon-based liquid transportation fuels, chemicals and products that are currently obtained from petroleum. The Southeastern part of the country will be a signficance source of biomass for bioenergy because of its abundance forest land (over 60%, significant amount of farm land that can be used to produce energy crops and animal and crop production and processing that general large amount of residues that can be used for energy. Unfortunately, these biomass feedstocks are lightly densed (<150 kg/m^3) and therefore cannot be efficiently and economically transported over long distances to areas where they can be effectively converted into bioenergy, biofuels and products. Presently, agricultural materials that need to be aggomerated are mostly pelleted (a high pressure agglomeration procedure). The drawback of these agglomeration method is that the materials are still transported to a central processing pelleting site thus defeating the main goal of agglomerating especially in the case of the low-value biomass feedstocks. There are also biosecurity issues that are associated with the transportation of raw/unagglomerated agricultural wastes residues. There is therefore the need to develop on-farm low pressure aggomeration system hence the proposed study.

It is anticipated that this study will lead to the development of a low-cost farm level agglomeration system for compacting biomass feedstocks and other agricultural materials. We expect that the extent to which agglomeration can be achieved will be biomass feedstock dependent and that this process will in turn be affected by pressure applied and moisture content of the feedstock. Particle size is also expected to play a major role in the ability to agglomerate these biomass feedstocks.

Reports and Publications (pdf):

Quarter 1 - 2008
Quarter 2 - 2008
Quarters 3-4 - 2008
Project Final Report