Chemical Engineering Commons^™

The Price Of Oil, R. W. Clack

UMR-MEC Conference on Energy / UMR-DNR Conference on Energy

An examination of major forces in the petroleum market with primary emphasis on the decade of the 1970s. The market force (s) responsible for the factor-of-ten increase in the price of crude oil is isolated, if not identified. The market's "message" is set forth for energy policy planners.

The Oil Industry And Antitrust Merger Policy, Pauline Weber

UMR-MEC Conference on Energy / UMR-DNR Conference on Energy

This paper examines the trends in merger activity in the petroleum industry in light of over-all merger activity and of the Justice Department's merger guidelines. Supreme Court precedents and economic conditions within the petroleum area are discussed. Some conclusions concerning the Justice Department's merger policy are included.

Low Btu Producer Gas -- A Fuel Of The Past And A Fuel Of The Future, Lee Carter

UMR-MEC Conference on Energy / UMR-DNR Conference on Energy

A prime purpose of this paper is to give conscious emphasis to an important type of coal gasification, one that does not demand hundreds of millions of dollars to launch an experimental program but instead is essentially ready to use after a reasonable and straightforward engineering check-out of the local coal sources and the prospective gas demand.

That type of coal gasification results in low Btu producer gas. This paper deals with its history, its technology and its economics. In the light of that information, the future of low Btu producer gas in America then is assessed.

Comparison Of Stirred And Immobilized Cell Reactors For Ethanol Production, Oliver C. Sitton, J. L. Gaddy

UMR-MEC Conference on Energy / UMR-DNR Conference on Energy

Biomass can be converted to sugars by hydrolysis with enzymes or mineral acids. These sugars can be converted into a number of chemical intermediates in biological reactors. Biological reactions are generally slow and selection of the most efficient reactor is important in these applications.

Immobilized cell reactors allow high cell densities and high throughput by attaching microorganisms to a fixed support. This paper compares the rate of production of ethanol from glucose by Saccharomyces Cerevisiae in a packed column and a stirred reactor.

Continuous stirred reactor studies showed a washout rate of .27 hr^-1. The optimum rate of …

Effective Utilization Of Energy From Biomass Residues In Agricultural Applications, Harry W. Parker

UMR-MEC Conference on Energy / UMR-DNR Conference on Energy

Biomass is one of the more attractive alternative energy sources. Use of existing biomass residues within the farm and ranch economy can be accomplished with a minimum of organizational problems since the producer, processor, and consumer may be the same person or organization. The major task is to provide potential agricultural biomass users with accurate cost estimates for the energy made available from the biomass, and contemporary technology for its utilization.

Specific examples are given with regard to powering irrigation well engines with cotton gin trash via a producer gas generator, and conversion of harvested mesquite wood to digestible energy …

Gasification Of Municipal Solid Waste In A Fluidized Bed Reactor, Craig W. Mosley, Radon Tolman

UMR-MEC Conference on Energy / UMR-DNR Conference on Energy

Results of pilot plant municipal solid waste gasification studies conducted at the Adolph Coors Company, Golden, Colorado, are presented. The nominal one ton per hour, 150 psig, fluidized bed gasification system was operated during 1973- 1974 using steam and air as oxidants and fluidizing media. These studies show the feasibility of a one-stage, air blown, fluid bed MSW conversion system.

Burning Wood As A Supplement To Solid Waste, Andrew R. Banta, William P. Smith

UMR-MEC Conference on Energy / UMR-DNR Conference on Energy

The University of Kansas at Lawrence uses natural gas and oil to generate steam for heating and other campus needs. The projected price increase of these fuels has led to a study of burning solid waste and wood. This study discusses the technical and economic considerations of burning wood. Topics included are sources and availability, collection and transportation, preparation and burning, and environmental effects. It is concluded that sufficient wood is available; truck transport is the only feasible option; drying some wood is desirable; and that the burning can be done separately or directly with the solid waste.

University Of Missouri--Rolla Wood Energy Research, Yildirim Omurtag, V. J. Flanigan, Nathan E. Welch

UMR-MEC Conference on Energy / UMR-DNR Conference on Energy

The overall objective of this project is to conduct a research and development program which will lead to the early commercialization of wood gasification technology to process wood residues typical of those found in the Ozark region.

Energy - Minerals - Environment: How Now Brown Cow?, Bobby G. Wixson

UMR-MEC Conference on Energy / UMR-DNR Conference on Energy

Energy, technical, social, political, economic, and environmental problems are all people related problems which will continue to increase along with the world's population. With the growing demands for more energy and minerals along with the constraints of protecting the environment, new approaches must be considered to these complex problems.

Energy sources, modifications, alternatives, and new developments must be considered for the present as short term resources (next 25- 30 years) and in the future as long range research necessary to develop and implement new technology (25 years on). Major energy sources and their environmental considerations are generally classified as:

I. …