Biomass feedstock preparation and logistics (BFPL)

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

My goal is to develop efficient ways to convert raw bulky biomass to a clean dry and dense feedstock. A pelletized biomass is dry, clean, and uniform in shape and size and as such has logistical advantages over wood chips or baled biomass. In 2017, Canada produced and exported roughly 2.5 million metric tons of wood pellets valued at about $500 million, creating hundreds of direct and indirect jobs in rural areas of the country. At the present, the exported pellets replace coal for heat and power production. In future, the contents of a pellet like ash and moisture can be engineered to meet strict specifications including size and geometry for trouble free feeding to biorefinery. The demand for wood pellets is increasing especially from Pacific Rim countries of Japan and Korea. The availability of high quality low cost sawdust has been a key factor in Canada's success for producing and exporting high quality pellets on a consistent basis. However, economical availability of sawdust is diminishing due to a reduction in saw milling and the overall increase in demand for sawdust. The BC pellet plants are increasingly blending sub quality logging residue with sawdust. Nevertheless, a low quality contaminated forest residue does not produce high quality durable pellets. Much progress has been made in adding binders to improve pellet durability but the effectiveness and cost of binders are major concerns. Conventional strategies like raising pellet press temperature or devising steam treatment of biomass prior to densification have serious technological and cost limitations. The objective of this discovery grant is to investigate the feasibility of coating a pellet with a protective membrane as a means of making pellets to resists deterioration due to moisture ingress and mechanical loads. The coat will act as a barrier against moisture ingress and will preserve the contents of the pellet from mechanical damage. In other words, the coat act like an impermeable sac whose contents will be isolated from outside elements. Agricultural grains have a natural barrier (testa) that preserves the internal contents of a kernel during handling. Pharmaceutical tablets are coated routinely for preserving the precise drug dosages within the tablet. I plan to investigate the most suitable coating material and relevant tablet coating technique applicable to coating pellets. I believe the idea opens up new frontiers in converting raw biomass to a robust granulated material for efficient storage and transport. This Discovery Grant will engage two doctoral students and five undergraduate students during the next 5 years. In addition to conducting a complex multidisciplinary research, the students will interact with the wood pellet industry to gain industrial experience.