Construction Cost Sensitivity of a Lignocellulosic Ethanol Biorefinery

The technology has been developed to convert feedstock with cellulose content into ethanol. However, ethanol produced from cellulosic feedstock is the same as ethanol distilled from grain. The objective of research is to determine the price per gallon of ethanol needed so that producing lignocellulosic based ethanol become economically feasible.Environmental Economics and Policy, Production Economics,

Kraft Pulp and Papermaking Properties of Phanerochaete Chrysosporium Degraded Red Oak

The kraft pulp and papermaking properties of Phanerochaete chrysosporium degraded red oak (Quercus rubra) were investigated. Phanerochaete chrysosporium was grown on rye media, and the rye spawn was used to establish mycelia growth on glucose-supplemented red oak wood chips for 0-, 10-, 20- and 30 days, respectively. Kraft pulps were produced from biodegraded and nondegraded red oak wood chips and evaluated for pulp yield, pulp refinability, and handsheet properties.Results showed that as time (0, 10, 20, and 30 days) of vegetative mycelial growth on wood chips increased, significant changes in pulp yield, kappa number, water retention value, and handsheet properties occurred. At a given pulp kappa number, higher kraft pulp yields were obtained from wood chips fungally degraded for 30 days (3-5% yield advantage) compared to pulps obtained from non-degraded red oak wood chips. Data indicated that pulps prepared from P. chrysosporium degraded red oak wood chips were more hydrophylic, responded faster to beating, and at comparable freeness levels had higher tensile, burst, and fold properties than pulps prepared from nondegraded wood. Sheet opacity was not affected by fungal degradation. Handsheets made from fungally degraded wood, however, showed marked reductions in brightness as fungal incubation time increased

Heavy Lift Launch Capability with a New Hydrocarbon Engine

The Advanced Concepts Office at NASA's George C. Marshall Space Flight Center was tasked to define the thrust requirement of a new liquid oxygen rich staged combustion cycle hydrocarbon engine that could be utilized in a launch vehicle to meet NASA s future heavy lift needs. Launch vehicle concepts were sized using this engine for different heavy lift payload classes. Engine out capabilities for one of the heavy lift configurations were also analyzed for increased reliability that may be desired for high value payloads or crewed missions. The applicability for this engine in vehicle concepts to meet military and commercial class payloads comparable to current ELV capability was also evaluated