La Universidad Purdue recibe una subvención del DOE para minimizar los atascos en biorrefinerías lignocelulósicas

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Tipo de entrada: NOTICIA BREVE.

Los problemas relacionados con la manipulación de materiales son muy importantes a la hora de escalar las tecnologías que transforman materias primas celulósicas en etanol. La biomasa lignocelulósica a menudo se acumula y se compacta al ser transportada por tornillos sin fin, provocando costosas paradas para limpieza y reparaciones. Un equipo de investigación va a recibir una subvención de la Oficina de Tecnologías de Bioenergía (BETO) del Departamento de Energía (DOE) para solucionar esa clase de problemas (véase nota de prensa, 29/5/2018).

Datos del proyecto
Objetivo
Transformar biomasa sólida en una pasta que pueda actuar de manera similar a un líquido fluyendo libremente a través de los sistemas de transporte de materiales en biorrefinerías.
Metodología
- Crear modelos que predigan las propiedades necesarias para el “flujo líquido” de materiales sólidos.
- Crear mapas de regímenes para una operación robusta, que puedan indicarle a los ingenieros y operadores la manera de ajustar los parámetros de operación de los alimentadores de tornillo y de los reactores.
- Desarrollar métodos para modificar la biomasa con el objetivo de cumplir con las especificaciones de los modelos, cambiando el tamaño, la forma y la carga de las partículas.
Materias primas
Los investigadores comenzarán con rastrojo de maíz.
El trabajo puede ser el fundamento para desarrollar tecnologías similares para otros productos biomásicos como astillas de madera, cáscaras de soja y paja de trigo.
Líder
Universidad Purdue
- Departmentos de Ingeniería Agrícola y Biológica, Ingeniería Mecánica e Ingeniería de Materiales.
- Discovery Park Energy Center
- Laboratorio de Ingeniería de Recursos Renovables (LORRE)
- Centro para Partículas y Procesos (CP3)
Socios
Laboratorios nacionales:
- Argonne National Laboratory
- Idaho National Laboratory
Socios industriales:
- Forest concepts
- AdvanceBio systems
Subvención
1,8 M$.
La cantidad total ascenderá a 2,3 M$ con costes compartidos por los socios.

Figura 1. Estudiante de doctorado de Ingeniería Mecánica trabajando en simulación del movimiento de las partículas de biomasa en un tornillo sin fin (cortesía de Purdue Ag Communication)

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