AN EVALUATION OF THE BIOCONVERSION OF WOODY BIOMASS TO CALCIUM ACETATE DEICING SALT

A competitive process is described using local woody biomass residues, which may also include associated pulp and paper wastes, or municipal solid waste, as potential feedstocks for bioconversion to calcium acetate, an alternative deicing salt. The process first involves "suppressed methane" fermentation of these woody biomass residues in a "packed bed" fermentor for the production of acetic acid. In earlier experimental work, operation of conventional anaerobic digestion systems in this suppressed methane mode has yielded a product of over 85% acetic acid, the remainder primarily being other organic acids such as propionic and butyric acids; operation at thermophilic conditions (60 deg C) yielded essentially all acetic acid. In the process described, recovery of the dilute organic acids (=3.5% acetic acid) will be by liquid ion exchange extraction. Product calcium acetate is formed by back extraction of liquid ion exchange with calcium hydroxide. After spray drying, this calcium acetate is ready for use as an organic deicing salt. Pretreatment of woody biomass may be by "steam explosion" or by mild alkali treatment to breakdown the lignin fraction for fermentation to acetic acid; however, if cellulosic wastes are used, no pretreatment step will be needed. Essentially, only technology transfer is involved in commercialization of this process, rather than the development of new technology. Our cost analysis, the objective of this present work, projects calcium acetate costs of 0.258 $U.S./kg ($0.117/lb) for a full-scale plant of 454 metric tons/day (500 U.S. tons/day).

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/0038092X
• Corporate Authors:

  Pergamon Press, Incorporated

  Maxwell House, Fairview Park
  Elmsford, NY  United States  10523
• Authors:
  • Wise, D L
  • Augenstein, D
• Publication Date: 1988

Media Info

• Features: Appendices; Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: p. 453-463
• Serial:
  • Solar Energy
  • Volume: 41
  • Issue Number: 5
  • Publisher: Pergamon Press, Incorporated
  • ISSN: 0038-092X

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Acetates; Biomass; Calcium; Costs; Deicers (Equipment); Wood
• Uncontrolled Terms: Conversion; Deicers; Wood pulp
• Old TRIS Terms: Calcium acetate
• Subject Areas: Finance; Geotechnology; Highways; Maintenance and Preservation; Materials; Vehicles and Equipment; I35: Miscellaneous Materials; I62: Winter Maintenance;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00621708
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Apr 30 1992 12:00AM