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Alcohol fuels and TVA's biomass research

Journal Article · · Forum Appl. Res. Publ. Pol.; (United States)
OSTI ID:6073181
The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) Forest Resource Development Program began its biomass work in 1952 with the planting of trees for biomass energy applications. Biomass RandD activities have emphasized supply (forest biomass, harvesting residues, and mill residues) and markets (residential, industrial, and institutional). TVA research into converting wood to sugar, an initial and crucial step in fuel-alcohol production, dates to 1950, when a wood-to-sugar (hydrolysis) pilot plant was built and operated at Muscle Shoals, Alabama. TVA researchers are now exploring ways to convert more wood cellulose to sugars that can be fermented to fuel alcohol. TVA's current goal is to develop processes that make the technology attractive for private industry applications. Research efforts are under way to (1) define optimum conditions and commercially available equipment for hydrolysis of biomass to simple sugars, (2) define and develop bioconversion processes (including equipment specifications and operating conditions) to produce ethanol form both hemicellulosic and cellulosic sugars, and (3) develop processes for producing marketable products from ethanol-process waste streams. Ethanol-from-wood yields have been increased from about 40 gallons per ton of wood to more than 60 gallons per ton.
OSTI ID:
6073181
Journal Information:
Forum Appl. Res. Publ. Pol.; (United States), Journal Name: Forum Appl. Res. Publ. Pol.; (United States) Vol. 3:4; ISSN FARPE
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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Related Subjects

09 BIOMASS FUELS
090222* -- Alcohol Fuels-- Preparation from Wastes or Biomass-- (1976-1989)
29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY
299003 -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Unconventional Sources & Power Generation-- Other-- (-1989)
ALCOHOL FUELS
BIOCONVERSION
BIOMASS
CARBOHYDRATES
CELLULOSE
ENERGY SOURCES
FERMENTATION
FUELS
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
POLYSACCHARIDES
RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES
RESEARCH PROGRAMS
SACCHARIDES
SYNTHETIC FUELS
TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER
TENNESSEE VALLEY AUTHORITY
US ORGANIZATIONS