Ethanol from Perennial Grasses & Biobased Plastics from Canola

Dr. Scott PryorAssistant Professor

Agricultural and Biosystems EngineeringNational Farm Business Management Conference June 13 - 17, 2010Fargo - Moorhead

Topic Areas

1: Protein-based Plastics

2: Sugar Beet Pulp Ethanol

3: Ethanol with Mixed Perennial

Feedstocks

4: Biobased Energy Course

1: Protein-Based Plastics & Composites

Canola Seed Canola Protein Isolate

Plastic Test Specimens

Protein Isolates:1. Solubilize proteins

at high pH2. Filter/separate fiber and

other solids3. Precipitate proteins

at low pH

Solubilization pH

Prec

ipita

tion

pH

13.012.512.011.511.0

5.5

5.0

4.5

4.0

3.5

> – – – – – < 21.0

21.0 22.522.5 24.024.0 25.525.5 27.027.0 28.5

28.5

Yield

Influence of Solubilization and Precipitation pH on Protein Yield

Solubilization pH

Prec

ipita

tion

pH

13.012.512.011.511.0

5.5

5.0

4.5

4.0

3.5> – – – – – < 0

0 11 22 33 44 5

5

(MPa)StrengthTensile

Influence of Solubilization and Precipitation pH on Tensile Strength

+

Area of Maximum Yield

Potential Plastic Improvements with Yield Sacrifice

0% 2% 4% 6%0%

200%

400%

600%

800%

1000%

1200%

Tensile Strength Toughness

Elongation

Reduction from Maximum Yield

Impr

ovem

ent i

n M

echa

nica

l Pro

pert

ies

By-product of table sugar industry

54% produced in North Dakota and

Minnesota annually

Moisture Content = 71%

2: Sugar Beet Pulp Ethanol

Challenges for Cellulosic Ethanol“Typical” Biomass Beet Pulp

Harvest New Equipment Nothing Extra

Transportation Expensive Nothing Extra

Storage Challenge Nothing Extra

Hydrolysis (Pretreatment)

Expensive pretreatment and enzymes

No pretreatmentInexpensive enzymes

Fermentation OK More of a challenge

3: Mixed Perennial Feedstocks

?

Gretz, Warren; NREL

Paradeis, Breanna; NDSU Range Science.

Switchgrass MonocultureDiverse Species Perennials

3: Mixed Perennial Feedstocks

Target Species•Wheatgrass -Crested, Tall, Intermediate•Switchgrass

-Sunburst, Trailblazer•Smooth Brome•Wildrye •Alfalfa

“Weeds”•Green Needlegrass •Yellow Sweet Clover•Wild Buckwheat•Flixweed•Goat's Beard•Yarrow•Field Pennycress

Brome

All photos via Bugwood.org: Dave Powell, USDA Forest Service; Ohio State Weed Lab Archive, The Ohio State University; Mary Ellen (Mel) Harte;Charles T. Bryson, USDA Agricultural Research Service.

Ethanol Yields from Mixed Grasses

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

Tall

Whe

atgr

ass

Switc

hgra

ss (D

ak)

Int.

& T

all W

heat

gras

s

Switc

hgra

ss (S

B) &

Tal

l W

heat

gras

s

Inte

rmed

iate

Whe

atgr

ass

Mag

nar B

asin

&

Mus

tang

Wild

rye

Alfa

lfa, S

wee

t Clo

ver

&

Int.

Whe

atgr

ass

Switc

hgra

ss (S

B) &

Big

B

lues

tem

Switc

hgra

ss (S

B)

Switc

hgra

ss (S

B) &

M

usta

ng W

ildry

e

Gal

lons

per

acr

e

Gal

lons

per

ton

Gal/dry ton

Gal/Ac

Biomass yield data provided from Q. Xue and P. Nyren for biomass harvested from irrigated plots at the Williston NDSU REC

Perennial Grass Mixtures

0

20

40

60

80

100

0 20 40 60 80

Sacc

hari

ficat

ion

Yie

ld [%

]

Time [h]

Tall Wheatgrass (W)S:W, 1:2S:W, 2:1Switchgrass (S)

4. Biobased Energy Course

Motivation• Environmental• Economic• Political

Resources• What?• Where?• How much?• How?

Technologies• Corn Ethanol• Biodiesel• Thermochemic

al• Sugar Platform• Biogas

Thank you!

Collaborators

ABEN• N. Nahar• A. Manamperi• R. Rorick• E. Monono• Dr. D.

Wiesenborn• Dr. Q. Xue• C. Sietsema• Dr. B. Karki

ME• Dr. C. Ulven• M. Fuqua• S. Rathnasinghe

CFS• Dr. K.C. Chang

NRM• Dr. M. Biondini• Paul Nyren• Brea Paradeis