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Full-Text Articles in Biotechnology

Fractionation Of Distillers Dried Grains With Solubles (Ddgs) Through A Narrowing Of Particle Size Distribution Followed By Aspiration, Rafael A. Garcia, Kurt A. Rosentrater Aug 2012

Fractionation Of Distillers Dried Grains With Solubles (Ddgs) Through A Narrowing Of Particle Size Distribution Followed By Aspiration, Rafael A. Garcia, Kurt A. Rosentrater

Kurt A. Rosentrater

Distiller's dried grains with solubles (DDGS) may have more value and utility if they can be separated into high protein and high fiber fractions. A variety of such separation processes have been proposed; two of the most promising processes involve three screening and three air classification unit operations. In the present study, an alternative process involving fewer unit operations is demonstrated. DDGS are subjected to a single screening, and the oversize particles are processed in a mill setup so that it narrows the particle size distribution of the oversize fraction. The milled DDGS is then processed in an air classification …


Surface Roughness And Diametral Consistency Of Holes Drilled Into Ddgs/Phenolic Resin Blends, J. W. Shanafield, A. W. Otieno, R. A. Tatara, D. J. Schroeder, Kurt A. Rosentrater Jan 2012

Surface Roughness And Diametral Consistency Of Holes Drilled Into Ddgs/Phenolic Resin Blends, J. W. Shanafield, A. W. Otieno, R. A. Tatara, D. J. Schroeder, Kurt A. Rosentrater

Kurt A. Rosentrater

In this study, corn-based distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS) has been utilized as a filler and blended with phenolic resin. The blends were compression molded into rectangular test specimens, into which holes have been machined using a standard 9.52 mm (3/8 in) diameter, two-fluted twist drill. A series of tests was then conducted to examine the effects of DDGS content, cutting speed, and feed rate upon the surface finish (roughness) of the interior hole slot, as well as the consistency of the drilled hole diameter. DDGS content was 0, 25, 50, and 75%, by weight. Cutting speed was 17, …


Overview Of Corn-Based Fuel Ethanol Coproducts: Production And Use, Kurt A. Rosentrater Aug 2011

Overview Of Corn-Based Fuel Ethanol Coproducts: Production And Use, Kurt A. Rosentrater

Kurt A. Rosentrater

Modern societies face many challenges, including growing populations, increased demands for food, clothing, housing, consumer goods, and the raw materials required to produce all of these. Additionally, there is a growing need for energy, which is most easily met by use of fossil fuels (e.g., coal, natural gas, petroleum). For example, in 2008, the overall U.S. demand for energy was 99.3 x 1015 Btu (1.05 x 1014 MJ); 84% of this was supplied by fossil sources. Transportation fuels accounted for 28% of all energy consumed during this time, and nearly 97% of this came from fossil sources. Domestic production of …


Developing Criteria For Evaluating The Sustainability Of Emerging Energy, Kurt A. Rosentrater, Elif Kongar Apr 2011

Developing Criteria For Evaluating The Sustainability Of Emerging Energy, Kurt A. Rosentrater, Elif Kongar

Kurt A. Rosentrater

Over the last decade, the interest in and production of biofuels has grown rapidly. Renewable transportation fuels can be produced from a variety of substrates, using various processing strategies. Feedstock preference and factory scale are geographic dependent. However, it is important to understand the implications of deploying these types of systems on a large scale, both throughout the U.S. as well as globally. To assess the sustainability of various biofuel options, it is crucial to evaluate their performance according to a number of attributes. This has been done using Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). Even so, comparisons among biofuel options are …


Effect Of Starch Sources And Protein Content On Extruded Aquaculture Feed Containing Ddgs, Sankaranandh Kannadhason, Kasiviswanathan Muthukumarappan, Kurt A. Rosentrater Feb 2011

Effect Of Starch Sources And Protein Content On Extruded Aquaculture Feed Containing Ddgs, Sankaranandh Kannadhason, Kasiviswanathan Muthukumarappan, Kurt A. Rosentrater

Kurt A. Rosentrater

A 3 × 3 × 3 completely randomized design was used to investigate extrusion cooking behavior and product characteristics of distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS), protein levels, and various starch sources in a laboratory scale single screw extruder. Cassava, corn, and potato starches with varying levels of DDGS (20%, 30%, and 40% wet basis (wb)) were extruded with three different proportions of protein levels (28%, 30%, and 32% wb). The extrusion cooking was performed at a constant feed moisture content of 20% wb, barrel temperature of 120 °C, and a preset screw speed of 130 rpm (13.6 rad/s). Extrudate …


Predicting Stability Of Distiller’S Wet Grains (Dwg) With Color Analysis, R. M. Lehman, Kurt A. Rosentrater Mar 2010

Predicting Stability Of Distiller’S Wet Grains (Dwg) With Color Analysis, R. M. Lehman, Kurt A. Rosentrater

Kurt A. Rosentrater

Distiller’s wet grain (DWG) is one of the coproducts from the fuel ethanol industry. Although many studies have investigated the nutritional properties of DWG, little work has investigated the storability and shelf life for these feed products or how to measure these quantities. The objectives of this research were to measure the development of microorganisms and their respiration over time in freshly produced DWG and to determine if there was a quantitative relationship between these microbiological parameters and a more easily measured physical property, DWG color. The numbers of aerobic heterotrophic bacteria, molds and yeasts, and carbon dioxide generated by …


Effects Of Processing Conditions On Single Screw Extrusion Of Feed Ingredients Containing Ddgs, Nehru Chevanan, Kurt A. Rosentrater, Kasiviswanathan Muthukumarappan Feb 2010

Effects Of Processing Conditions On Single Screw Extrusion Of Feed Ingredients Containing Ddgs, Nehru Chevanan, Kurt A. Rosentrater, Kasiviswanathan Muthukumarappan

Kurt A. Rosentrater

Distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS), a feed coproduct from the fuel ethanol industry, has been shown to be a viable potential alternative protein source for aquaculture feeds. To investigate this, three isocaloric (3.5kcal/g) ingredient blends containing 20, 30, and 40% DDGS, with a net protein adjusted to 28% (wet basis, wb), were prepared for use as Nile tilapia feed. Extrusion processing was then conducted using three DDGS contents (20, 30, and 40%, wb), three moisture contents (15, 20, and 25%, wb), three barrel temperature gradients (90–100–100°C, 90–130–130°C, and 90–160–160°C), and five screw speeds (80, 100, 120, 140, and 160rpm) …


Physical And Flow Properties Of Regular And Reduced Fat Distillers Dried Grains With Solubles (Ddgs), Vykundeshwari Ganesan, Kurt A. Rosentrater, Kasiviswanathan Muthukumarappan Jun 2009

Physical And Flow Properties Of Regular And Reduced Fat Distillers Dried Grains With Solubles (Ddgs), Vykundeshwari Ganesan, Kurt A. Rosentrater, Kasiviswanathan Muthukumarappan

Kurt A. Rosentrater

With the remarkable growth of the US fuel ethanol industry in the past decade, large quantities of corn-based distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS) are now being produced. Flowability of DDGS has become a problem throughout the industry, as it is often restricted by caking and bridging during storage and transport. The objective of this study was to quantify physical and flow properties of commercially produced unmodified (9.3% db fat) and reduced fat (2.1% db) DDGS to determine if fat level affects flowability. The compressive modulus of reduced fat DDGS was 28.2% higher than unmodified DDGS, but shear stress resistance …


Extrusion Studies Of Aquaculture Feed Using Distillers Dried Grains With Solubles And Whey, Nehru Chevanan, Kasiviswanathan Muthukumarappan, Kurt A. Rosentrater Jun 2009

Extrusion Studies Of Aquaculture Feed Using Distillers Dried Grains With Solubles And Whey, Nehru Chevanan, Kasiviswanathan Muthukumarappan, Kurt A. Rosentrater

Kurt A. Rosentrater

Three isocaloric (3.5 kcal/g) ingredient blends containing 20, 30, and 40% distiller-dried grains with solubles (DDGS) along with 5% whey were prepared with a net protein content adjusted to 28% (wet basis [wb]). Other ingredients in the blends included soy flour, corn flour, fish meal, vitamin, and mineral mix. These blends were extruded in a single-screw extruder at 15, 20, and 25% (wb) moisture content and at 130 and 160 rpm screw speeds. Compared to previous research, the durability and unit density of the extrudates in this study were found to increase substantially by the addition of whey to the …


Quantifying Total And Sustainable Agricultural Biomass Resources In South Dakota—A Preliminary Assessment, Kurt A. Rosentrater, Dennis Todey, Russell Persyn Jan 2009

Quantifying Total And Sustainable Agricultural Biomass Resources In South Dakota—A Preliminary Assessment, Kurt A. Rosentrater, Dennis Todey, Russell Persyn

Kurt A. Rosentrater

Conversion of biomass is considered the next major advance in biorenewable fuels, energy, and products. Wholesale conversion to biomass utilization could result in removal of current crop residues from agricultural fields (on prime agricultural lands) or even implementation of different crops and cropping strategies (i.e., switchgrass on marginal lands). To date, the driver for biomass processing has been economics and limitations on the conversion of the lignocellulose. Over the last forty years significant investments and resultant changes in management practices in the agricultural sector have focused on soil and water conservation. One of the major efforts has focused on conservation-till …


Properties Of Solvent Extracted Low-Oil Corn Distillers Dried Grains With Solubles, Kurt A. Rosentrater, Jennifer A. Saunders Jan 2009

Properties Of Solvent Extracted Low-Oil Corn Distillers Dried Grains With Solubles, Kurt A. Rosentrater, Jennifer A. Saunders

Kurt A. Rosentrater

Corn-based ethanol is exponentially growing in the US, as is the need for valuable uses for coproducts of the production process, such as distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS). Currently, DDGS is used as livestock feed, thereby replacing some corn components in animal diets. As the industry continues to grow, there will be an increased need to find additional uses for DDGS. Physical and chemical properties of coproduct streams are becoming increasingly investigated, as these characteristics affect many aspects of utilization, such as target species, optimal dietary substitution rates, transportation, flowability, and behavior during storage. Potential avenues for future use …


Design Properties For Molded, Corn-Based Ddgs-Filled Phenolic Resin, R. A. Tatara, Kurt A. Rosentrater, S. Suraparaju Jan 2009

Design Properties For Molded, Corn-Based Ddgs-Filled Phenolic Resin, R. A. Tatara, Kurt A. Rosentrater, S. Suraparaju

Kurt A. Rosentrater

With the rapid growth in the ethanol fuel industry in recent years, considerable research is being devoted to maximizing the use of processing coproducts, such as distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS), typically for livestock diets. Because these residues contain high fiber levels, they may be amendable to incorporation into polymers as well, which is an option that could garner greater economic returns. Thus, the goal of this study was to demonstrate the viability of using corn-based DDGS as a biofiller with phenolic resin, in order to produce a novel biomaterial. DDGS was blended with phenolic resin at four levels …


Flowability And Handling Characteristics Of Bulk Solids And Powders—A Review With Implications For Ddgs, V. Ganesan, Kurt A. Rosentrater, Kasiviswanathan Muthukumarappan Dec 2008

Flowability And Handling Characteristics Of Bulk Solids And Powders—A Review With Implications For Ddgs, V. Ganesan, Kurt A. Rosentrater, Kasiviswanathan Muthukumarappan

Kurt A. Rosentrater

Much research regarding handling and storage characteristics of bulk solids has been conducted over the years. Physical properties of granular solids play a significant role in their resulting storage and flow behaviour, and are therefore essential to design appropriate, efficient, and economic bulk solids handling and storage equipment and structures. Distillers Dried Grains with Solubles (DDGS) is a bulk material that has been widely used as a protein source for ruminants and non-ruminants for more than two decades. Distillers grains are energy and nutrient dense, and are often used as a replacement for corn in animal diets. With the exponential …


Determination Of Machining Parameters Of Corn Byproduct Filled Plastics, Kurt A. Rosentrater Nov 2008

Determination Of Machining Parameters Of Corn Byproduct Filled Plastics, Kurt A. Rosentrater

Kurt A. Rosentrater

In a collaborative project between the USDA and Northern Illinois University, the use of ethanol corn processing by-products as bio-filler materials in the compression molding of phenolic plastics has been studied. This paper reports on the results of a machinability study in the milling of various grades of this material. Three types of samples were studied: 100%, 75% and 50% phenolic samples. The milling operation was carried out with a fixed depth of cut of 2.0 mm using a 12.5 mm diameter two-fluted end-mill. The cutting speed was varied between 120 and 160 m/min at feeds between 200 and 300 …


Flow Properties Of Ddgs With Varying Soluble And Moisture Contents Using Jenike Shear Testing, V. Ganesan, Kasiviswanathan Muthukumarappan, Kurt A. Rosentrater Oct 2008

Flow Properties Of Ddgs With Varying Soluble And Moisture Contents Using Jenike Shear Testing, V. Ganesan, Kasiviswanathan Muthukumarappan, Kurt A. Rosentrater

Kurt A. Rosentrater

Distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS) are an excellent source of energy, minerals, and bypass protein for ruminants and are used in monogastric rations as well. With the remarkable growth of the US fuel ethanol industry in the past decade, large quantities of distillers grains are now being produced. Flow of DDGS is often restricted by caking and bridging during its storage and transportation. In our previous works, the Carr powder tester was used to measure various flow properties of DDGS. The objective of this study was to measure the flow properties (cohesion, effective angle of friction, internal angle of …


Not Just Informative, But Necessary: Infusing Green And Sustainable Topics Into Engineering And Technology Curricula, Kurt A. Rosentrater, Elif Kongar Jun 2008

Not Just Informative, But Necessary: Infusing Green And Sustainable Topics Into Engineering And Technology Curricula, Kurt A. Rosentrater, Elif Kongar

Kurt A. Rosentrater

Generally accepted duties of engineers and technologists encompass designing and implementing solutions to problems. When so doing, it is their responsibility to be cognizant of the impacts of their designs on, and thus their accountability to, not only society in general, but also subsequent effects upon the environment. They need to be able to concurrently satisfy these competing needs, as well as constraints specific to the design challenges at hand. Responding to these requirements are the growing fields of green engineering and sustainable engineering. Both of these areas encompass many concepts, ideas, and tools, all of which are essential information …


The Biomass Bandwagon: Three Ideas For Engineering And Technology Programs To Get Onboard, Kurt A. Rosentrater, Jerry Visser Jun 2008

The Biomass Bandwagon: Three Ideas For Engineering And Technology Programs To Get Onboard, Kurt A. Rosentrater, Jerry Visser

Kurt A. Rosentrater

As society demands more energy and material goods, engineers and technologists will be relied upon to design and implement systems to produce and deliver these. There is growing interest in using renewable resources to produce fuels, chemicals, and finished products to meet these increasing needs. Additionally, popularity is gaining, both in research as well as industry, in developing and commercializing biobased products. Within this arena, there are tremendous opportunities for teaching innovations as well. To date, very limited discussions at ASEE regarding these potentials have occurred. The goal of this paper is to discuss possibilities for augmenting engineering and technology …


Modeling The Effects Of Value-Added Processing And Logistics Using Arena, Kurt A. Rosentrater, Elif Kongar Mar 2008

Modeling The Effects Of Value-Added Processing And Logistics Using Arena, Kurt A. Rosentrater, Elif Kongar

Kurt A. Rosentrater

Scarcity and cost of nonrenewable fossil fuels have been a growing focus of many energy-dependent nations, including the U.S., for the past couple of decades. There are mainly two ways to approach these problems: (1) reducing the energy dependency and/or (2) developing alternative means of energy production. Utilizing biofuels, which are renewable sources of energy, is a promising way to produce energy. But, as this industry grows, so too does the quantity of byproducts, which are known as DDGS. This paper discusses a model that has been developed to analyze the economic viability of DDGS processing, and includes both deterministic …


Determining Machining Parameters Of Corn Byproduct Filled Plastics, Kurt A. Rosentrater, Andrew W. Otieno, Pratyusha Melampati Jan 2008

Determining Machining Parameters Of Corn Byproduct Filled Plastics, Kurt A. Rosentrater, Andrew W. Otieno, Pratyusha Melampati

Kurt A. Rosentrater

In a collaborative project between the USDA and Northern Illinois University, the use of corn ethanol processing byproducts (i.e., DDGS) as bio-filler materials in the compression molding of phenolic plastics has been studied. This paper reports on the results of a machinability study in the milling of various grades of this material. Three types of samples were studied: 100% (0% DDGS), 75% (25% DDGS), and 50% (50% DDGS) phenolic samples. The milling operation was carried out with a fixed depth of cut of 2.0 mm using a 12.5 mm diameter two-fluted end-mill. The cutting speed was varied between 120 and …


Compression Molding Of Phenolic Resin And Corn-Based Ddgs Blends, Kurt A. Rosentrater, R. A. Tatara, S. Suraparaju Apr 2007

Compression Molding Of Phenolic Resin And Corn-Based Ddgs Blends, Kurt A. Rosentrater, R. A. Tatara, S. Suraparaju

Kurt A. Rosentrater

With the rapid growth in the ethanol fuel industry in recent years, considerable research is being devoted to optimizing the use of processing coproducts, such as distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS), in livestock diets. Because these residues contain high fiber levels, they may be amendable to incorporation into bio-based composites. Thus, the goal of this study was to demonstrate the viability of using corn-based DDGS as a biofiller with phenolic resin, in order to produce a novel biomaterial. DDGS was blended with phenolic resin at 0, 10, 25, 50, 75, and 90%, by weight, and then compression molded at …


The Importance Of Emerging Biobased Industries To Engineering And Technology, Kurt A. Rosentrater, R. Balamuralikrishma Oct 2006

The Importance Of Emerging Biobased Industries To Engineering And Technology, Kurt A. Rosentrater, R. Balamuralikrishma

Kurt A. Rosentrater

Our society has developed an insatiable demand for energy and material goods. Historically, these needs have been met primarily by fossil fuels and other non-renewable raw materials. As environmental concerns grow, however, renewable resources are gaining increased attention. This paper examines the emergence and importance that biobased industries are increasingly beginning to play. A biobased enterprise, similar in concept to a traditional refinery or factory, utilizes conversion technologies to produce various products. These operations are rapidly increasing both in number as well as in capacity throughout this country, and are poised to add significantly to the nation’s energy and material …


The Global Relevance Of Bio-Based Industries To Engineering And Technology Education, Kurt A. Rosentrater, Radha Balamuralikrishma Jun 2006

The Global Relevance Of Bio-Based Industries To Engineering And Technology Education, Kurt A. Rosentrater, Radha Balamuralikrishma

Kurt A. Rosentrater

The society in which we live has developed an insatiable demand for energy and material goods. In particular, recent data reveals that the aggressive pursuit of improved standards of living in the highly populated countries of India and China has contributed to increased demand for fossil fuels, which has exacerbated the recent spike in energy costs. Historically, these needs have been met primarily by fossil fuels and other non-renewable raw materials. As environmental concerns grow, however, renewable resources are gaining increased attention. This paper examines the emergence and importance that bio-based industries are increasingly beginning to play. A bio-based enterprise, …


Renewable Energy Alternatives—A Growing Opportunity For Engineering And Technology Education, Kurt A. Rosentrater Jan 2006

Renewable Energy Alternatives—A Growing Opportunity For Engineering And Technology Education, Kurt A. Rosentrater

Kurt A. Rosentrater

A hallmark of the United States’ economic growth is an ever-increasing demand for energy, which has traditionally been met primarily by combusting the hydrocarbons found in fossil fuels. As national security and environmental concerns grow, renewable energy resources are gaining increased attention. Unfortunately, there is currently a dearth of renewable energy coverage in engineering and technology curricula. The objectives of this paper are to examine historical energy data for both traditional as well as alternative energy sources, and to motivate educators to address this gap. Even with the progressive developments of non-traditional energy sources over the years, the U.S. still …


Expanding The Role Of Systems Modeling: Considering Byproduct Generation From Biofuel Production, Kurt A. Rosentrater Jan 2006

Expanding The Role Of Systems Modeling: Considering Byproduct Generation From Biofuel Production, Kurt A. Rosentrater

Kurt A. Rosentrater

The bioethanol industry has been experiencing rapid growth over the past several years, and is expected to continue to increase production for the foreseeable future. A vital component to the success of this industry is the sales and marketing of processing residues, which are primarily sold as dried distillers grains with solubles (DDGS). Systems modeling, a technique that has been used to predict future demand for bioethanol, can also be used to determine potential byproduct generation rates. This paper discusses the development of one such model, and presents predicted generation of DDGS as well as carbon dioxide emissions from this …


Estrogen Content Of Dairy And Swine Wastes, D. Raj Raman, Elizabeth L. Williams, Alice C. Layton, Robert T. Burns, James P. Easter, Adam S. Daugherty, Michael D. Mullen, Gary S. Sayler Jul 2004

Estrogen Content Of Dairy And Swine Wastes, D. Raj Raman, Elizabeth L. Williams, Alice C. Layton, Robert T. Burns, James P. Easter, Adam S. Daugherty, Michael D. Mullen, Gary S. Sayler

D. Raj Raman

Naturally occurring estrogens in animal wastes may cause negative environmental impacts, yet their abundance in animal waste treatment and storage structures is poorly documented. To better quantify estrogen concentra tions in animal wastes, multiple waste samples were collected from treatment and storage structures at dairy and swine facilities and analyzed for concentrations of 17β-estradiol (E2), estrone (E1), and 17α-estradiol by gas chromatography−mass spectroscopy and by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (E2 only). Mass ratios of each estrogen to the macronutrients nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium were also determined. Because manure application rates are typically macronutrient-based, estrogen to macronutrient ratios are proportional to …