Ultrasonic Vibration-Assisted Pelleting of Cellulosic Biomass for Biofuel Manufacturing

该奖项支持对纤维生物质的超声波振动辅助(UV-A)造粒的基础研究，以实现具有成本效益的纤维生物燃料的制造。具体的研究任务包括(1)调查超声波振动对造粒机制的影响，(2)检验UV-A造粒如何增加造粒的潜在机制的假说？(3)研究UV-A制粒提高糖和乙醇产量的机理，以及(4)检验UV-A制粒可以改进前处理程序的假设。这些任务将涉及广泛的生物质类型，包括高粱秸秆、柳枝草、小麦秸秆、玉米秸秆、芒草和剪草。研究成果将提供必要的知识，以克服一些阻碍纤维素生物燃料大规模生产的技术障碍。大规模生产纤维素生物燃料将极大地有利于美国经济、能源安全、环境和整个社会。这项研究的特点是在制造工程、生物工程和行业之间进行了独特的合作。这种合作为项目资源提供了出色的协同效应，确保了研究与行业的相关性，并加快了技术商业化。这项研究的跨学科性质将对堪萨斯州立大学的工程教育产生积极影响，堪萨斯州立大学是EPSCoR的一个机构。

This award supports fundamental research on ultrasonic vibration-assisted (UV-A) pelleting of cellulosic biomass in order to enable cost-effective manufacturing of cellulosic biofuels. Specific research tasks include (1) investigating effects of ultrasonic vibration on pelleting mechanisms, (2) testing a hypothesis of the underlying mechanism of how UV-A pelleting can increase pellets? strength and durability, (3) investigating mechanisms through which UV-A pelleting enhances sugar and ethanol yields, and (4) testing the hypothesis that UV-A pelleting can result in improved pretreatment procedures. These tasks will be conducted over a wide range of biomass types including sorghum stalks, switchgrass, wheat straw, corn stover, Miscanthus, and grass clippings.Research results will provide the knowledge needed to overcome some technical barriers that have hindered large-scale manufacturing of cellulosic biofuels. Large-scale manufacturing of cellulosic biofuels will greatly benefit the U.S. economy, energy security, the environment, and society in general. This research features a unique collaboration across manufacturing engineering, biological engineering, and industry. This collaboration provides excellent synergy for project resources, ensures the relevance of the research to industry, and expedites technology commercialization. The interdisciplinary nature of the research will have a positive impact on engineering education at Kansas State University, an EPSCoR institution.