Seminar Announcement, 09/16/2008

Levich Institute Seminar Announcement, 09/16/2008

Tuesday, 09/16/2008
2:00 PM
Steinman Hall, Room #312
(Chemical Engineering Conference Room)

Professor Daniel Klingenberg
University of Wisconsin
Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering

"Rheology of Biomass"

[This is a CCNY/Columbia NSF-IGERT Soft Materials seminar]

ABSTRACT

The production of fuels and chemicals from lignocellulosic biomass must overcome several technological obstacles before it can successfully compete economically with more established processes. Processing of biomass at high solids concentration can improve process economics, by reducing the energy requirements for high-temperature treatments and by decreasing storage and separation demands. However, concentrated biomass is a rheologically-complex material that is difficult to transport (e.g., pump), mix and heat. Thus, optimizing biomass processes will require understanding the relationships between rheological properties, biomass composition, and operating conditions.

Our recent research has focused on understanding the rheology of concentrated corn stover slurries. In this presentation, we will illustrate advantages and disadvantages of various rheometric methods as we examine the rheological behavior of corn stover slurries. We will conclude with a discussion of particle-level modeling efforts aimed at understanding the mechanisms of the observed behavior.

BRIEF ACADEMIC/EMPLOYMENT BACKGROUND:

BS ChE, Univ. of Missouri, Rolla (1985)

PhD ChE, Univ. of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana (1991)

Postdoc, Univ. of British Columbia (1991)

University of Wisconsin, 1992-present

Visiting Scientist, General Motors, 2/07-5/07

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