Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®
Articles 1 - 3 of 3
Full-Text Articles in Engineering
Exploring Methodologies To Improve Lignin Utilization In Biorefineries, James Meyer
Exploring Methodologies To Improve Lignin Utilization In Biorefineries, James Meyer
McKelvey School of Engineering Theses & Dissertations
The increasing world population, coupled with an improving quality of life, has driven a rapidly increasing demand for fuels, chemicals, and materials. Fossil carbon feedstocks, such as petroleum, are currently being consumed to meet these demands. The utilization of these feedstocks has negative impacts on human and environmental health, which are undoubtedly intensifying as a result of the increased reliance required to meet these demands. As an alternative way to meet these demands, biorefineries generate a wide range of fuels, chemicals, and materials from biomass, a renewable and sustainable resource. Current second-generation biorefineries use a plant-based feedstock, lignocellulosic biomass, comprised …
Lignin Conversion To Value-Added Products Via Heterogeneous Catalysts, Yu Gao
Lignin Conversion To Value-Added Products Via Heterogeneous Catalysts, Yu Gao
McKelvey School of Engineering Theses & Dissertations
Increasing world population has led to great demands for fuels, chemicals, and materials, and has raised concerns over the depletion of non-renewable resources and the environmental impacts of their processing and utilization. However, the biorefinery concept suggests lignocellulosic biomass can be used as an alternative resource for producing a range of fuels, chemicals and materials to fulfill these demands in a sustainable way. Hence, fermentation technologies are widely developed to efficiently utilize lignocellulosic carbohydrates. However, the non-carbohydrate fraction of biomass, lignin, is still considered as waste and is under-utilized as low-grade fuel, mainly for local heat and electricity production. Since …
Effects Of Biomass Moisture Content On Volatile Flame Length During Cofiring With Coal, Matthew Pollard
Effects Of Biomass Moisture Content On Volatile Flame Length During Cofiring With Coal, Matthew Pollard
McKelvey School of Engineering Theses & Dissertations
Cofiring biomass with coal can contribute to meeting Renewable Portfolio Standards (RPS) and reduce pollutant emissions. The physical characteristics and composition of biomass can vary significantly, which can affect the combustion characteristics. When cofiring biomass with coal, these differences can impact the structure of the volatile flame, the region where combustion of volatiles dominates. The length and location of the volatile flame is important to flame stability and determines the location and extent of volatile release. This has an effect on pollutant emissions, such as NOx (nitrogen oxides). Previously, the effects of parameters such as cofiring ratio, particle size, and …