Biomedical subjects

Thomas R Hanley

Publications and source records attributed to Thomas R Hanley.

11 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

Reintroduced solids increase inhibitor levels in a pretreated corn stover hydrolysate.

Following detoxification of the liquid hydrolysate produced in a corn stover pretreatment process, inhibitor levels are seen to increase with the re-addition of solids for the ensuing hydrolysis and fermentation processes. The solids that were separated from the slurry before detoxification of the liquor contain approx 60% (w/w) moisture, and contamination occurs owing to the diffusion of inhibitors from the moisture entrained in the porous structure of the corn stover solids into the bulk fluid. This evidence suggests the need for additional separation and detoxification steps to purge residual inhibitors entrained in the moisture in the solids. An overliming process to remove furans from the hydrolysate failed to reduce total organic acids concentration, so acids were removed by treatment with an activated carbon powder. Smaller carbon doses proved more efficient in removing organic acids in terms of grams of acid removed per gram of carbon powder. Sugar adsorption by the activated carbon powder was minimal.

Charcoal↗

PubMed2006

Modeling of a continuous pretreatment reactor using computational fluid dynamics.

Computational fluid dynamic simulations are employed to predict flow characteristics in a continuous auger driven reactor designed for the dilute acid pretreatment of biomass. Slurry containing a high concentration of biomass solids exhibits a high viscosity, which poses unique mixing issues within the reactor. The viscosity increases significantly with a small increase in solids concentration and also varies with temperature. A well-mixed slurry is desirable to evenly distribute acid on biomass, prevent buildup on the walls of the reactor, and provides an uniform final product. Simulations provide flow patterns obtained over a wide range of viscosities and pressure distributions, which may affect reaction rates. Results provide a tool for analyzing sources of inconsistencies in product quality and insight into future design and operating parameters.

Bioreactors↗

PubMed2005

Detoxification of actual pretreated corn stover hydrolysate using activated carbon powder.

A technique for the removal of acetic acid from an actual pretreated corn stover hydrolysate was investigated. A powdered form of activated carbon previously shown to be effective in the removal of acetic acid from a synthetic hydrolysate was utilized. The method proved to be effective at lowering acetic acid levels while exhibiting minimal adsorption of the desired sugars from the hydrolysate, although at a lower efficiency in the actual hydrolysate than in the synthetic hydrolysate. Results are obtained for temperatures between 25 and 35 degrees C and agitation rates between 150 and 350 rpm in shake flasks. Adsorption isotherm and kinetic rate data are presented. Temperature differences over this range did not have an effect on adsorption characteristics. Five stages of detoxification were necessary to lower acetic acid concentration to the maximum 2 g/L desired for fermentation.

Acetic Acid↗

PubMed2005

Use of computational fluid dynamics simulations for design of a pretreatment screw conveyor reactor.

Computational fluid dynamics simulations were employed to compare performance of various designs of a pretreatment screw conveyor reactor. The reactor consisted of a vertical screw used to create cross flow between the upward conveying solids and the downward flow of acid. Simulations were performed with the original screw design and a modified design in which the upper flights of the screw were removed. Results of the simulations show visually that the modified design provided favorable plug flow behavior within the reactor. Pressure drop across the length of the reactor without the upper screws in place was predicted by the simulations to be 5 vs 40 kPa for the original design.

Acids↗

PubMed2004

Effect of corn stover concentration on rheological characteristics.

Corn stover, a well-known example of lignocellulosic biomass, is a potential renewable feed for bioethanol production. Dilute sulfuric acid pretreatment removes hemicellulose and makes the cellulose more susceptible to bacterial digestion. The rheologic properties of corn stover pretreated in such a manner were studied. The Power Law parameters were sensitive to corn stover suspension concentration becoming more non-Newtonian with slope n, ranging from 0.92 to 0.05 between 5 and 30% solids. The Casson and the Power Law models described the experimental data with correlation coefficients ranging from 0.90 to 0.99 and 0.85 to 0.99, respectively. The yield stress predicted by direct data extrapolation and by the Herschel-Bulkley model was similar for each concentration of corn stover tested.

Biomass↗

PubMed2004

Measurement of rheology of distiller's grain slurries using a helical impeller viscometer.

Current research is focused on developing a process to convert the cellulose and hemicellulose in distiller's grains into fermentable sugars, increasing both ethanol yield and the amount of protein in the remaining solid product. The rheologic properties of distiller's grain slurries were determined for concentrations of 21, 23, and 25%. Distiller's grain slurries are non-Newtonian, heterogeneous fluids subject to particle settling. Traditional methods of viscosity measurement, such as cone-and-plate and concentric cylinder viscometers, are not adequate for these fluids. A helical impeller viscometer was employed to measure impeller torque over a range of rotational speeds. Newtonian and non-Newtonian calibration fluids were utilized to obtain constants that relate shear stresses and shear rates to the experimental data. The Newtonian impeller constant, c, was 151; the non-Newtonian shear rate constant, k, was 10.30. Regression analysis of experimental data was utilized for comparison to power law, Herschel-Bulkley, and Casson viscosity models with regression coefficients exceeding 0.99 in all cases.

Biotechnology↗

PubMed2004

Computational fluid dynamics simulation and redesign of a screw conveyor reactor.

National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) designed a shrinking-bed reactor to maintain a constant bulk packing density of cellulosic biomass. The high solid-to-liquid ratio in the pretreatment process allows a high sugar yield and avoids the need to flush large volumes of solution through the reactor. To scale up the shrinking-bed reactor, NREL investigated a pilot-scale screw conveyor reactor in which an interrupted flight between screws was employed to mimic the "shrinking-bed" effect. In the experiments with the screw conveyor reactor, overmixing and uneven flow occurred. These phenomena produce negative effects on biomass hydrolysis. The flow behavior inside the reactor was analyzed to allow redesign of the screw to achieve adequate mixing and even flow. In the present study, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) was utilized to simulate the fluid flow in the porous media, and a new screw design was proposed. CFD analysis performed on the redesigned reactor indicated that an even flow pattern was achieved.

Biomass↗

PubMed2003

Effect of agitation on removal of acetic acid from pretreated hydrolysate by activated carbon.

The effect of agitation on the adsorption of acetic acid by activated carbon was tested utilizing an external mass transfer-diffusion model. Simulated pretreated biomass was contacted with activated carbon under prescribed conditions of temperature and agitation. Adsorption isotherm studies are presented as well as batch kinetic rate studies. Use of these data enabled the determination of isotherm constants, an external mass transfer coefficient, and an effective diffusivity for each agitation rate studied. The external film coefficient results ranged from 33.62 microm/s to a complete absence of external mass transfer resistance, and the diffusivity results ranged from 0.8625 to 10.70 microm(2)/s. The optimum combination of no external film resistance, and highest diffusivity, 10.70 microm(2)/s, occurred at 250 rpm and 25 degrees C. The results of these models and the experimental parameters suggested an efficacious method and conditions for the removal of this undesirable chemical.

Acetic Acid↗

PubMed2003

Measurement of rheological properties of corn stover suspensions.

Corn stover is currently being evaluated as a feedstock for ethanol production. The corn stover suspensions fed to reactors typically range between 10 and 40% solids. To simulate and design bioreactors for processing highly loaded corn stover suspensions, the rheologic properties of the suspension must be measured. In systems with suspended solids, rheologic measurements are difficult to perform owing to settling in the measurement devices. In this study, viscosities of corn stover suspensions were measured using a helical ribbon impeller viscometer. A calibration procedure is required for the impeller method in order to obtain the shear rate constant, k, which is dependent on the geometry of the measurement system. The corn stover suspensions are described using a power law flow model.

Animal Feed↗

PubMed2003

Flow field in a shrinking-bed reactor for pretreatment of cellulosic biomass.

A shrinking-bed reactor was designed by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory to maintain a constant bulk packing density of cellulosic biomass. The high solid-to-liquid ratio in the pretreatment process allows a high sugar yield and avoids the need to flush large volumes of solution through the reactor. The shrinking-bed reactor is a promising pretreatment reactor with the potential for scale-up for commercial applications. To scale up the shrinking-bed reactor, it is necessary to understand the flow pattern in the reactor. In this study, flow field is simulated with computational fluid dynamics using a porous medium model. Different discrete "snapshots" and multiple steady states are utilized. The bulk flow pattern, velocity distribution, and pressure drop are determined from the simulation and can be used to guide reactor design and scale-up.

Biomass↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Enhanced mixing and mass transfer in a recirculation loop results in high cell densities in a roller bottle reactor.

A recirculation loop added to a large-scale roller bottle reactor resulted in high cell densities as compared to standard roller bottles. Four different mammalian cell lines reached an average maximum density equal to 5.4 x 10(6) cells /mL (sigma = 0.263), which was between 2.13 and 2.95 times greater than the densities in roller bottles without recirculation using the same cell lines. The high densities were maintained over long durations (>25 days) while the reactor operated with continuous perfusion. The increased densities are attributed to enhanced liquid mixing and oxygen transfer that occur as a result of the recirculation loop. Models were developed that describe axial liquid flow and oxygen transfer in both the sample loop and the reactor growth chamber. Axial dispersion and oxygen transfer coefficients are presented for a variety of operating conditions. The increased oxygen transfer characteristics of the reactor allow for easy scale-up of roller bottle cultures by operating at larger volumes with greater liquid depths than conventional roller bottles permit. The surface-area-to-volume ratio in the tests performed was 0.206 versus 1.16 cm(-1) in a standard roller bottle.

Animals↗