Title: Techno-Economic Assessment of a Chopped Feedstock Logistics Supply Chain for Corn Stover

Abstract

Storing corn stover in wet, anaerobic conditions is an active management approach to reduce the risk of significant aerobic degradation and catastrophic loss due to fire. An estimated 50% of the corn stover available in the U.S. is too wet at the time of harvest to be stored safely in baled formats and is compatible with wet, anaerobic storage through ensiling. A fully wet, bulk logistics system based on field-chopping and particle size reduction early in the supply chain removes the dependency on field-drying of corn stover prior to baling, allowing for an expanded harvest window and resulting in diminished size reduction requirements at the biorefinery. The unit operations were defined for this wet, bulk logistics system, which included on-site preprocessing to meet biorefinery size and ash specifications, industrial-scale storage through ensiling, and delivery of wet corn stover at a rate of 2,000 tonnes per day to a biorefinery for approximately 50% of the year. The wet system was compared to the conventional bale system for 30% moisture (wet basis) corn stover, a likely delivered moisture content for baled corn stover harvested wet. Techno-economic analysis showed that the wet, bulk logistics system is cost competitive, costing only 10% more thanmore » the baled logistics system, meanwhile reducing the energy consumption by 48% and greenhouse gas release by 60%. In conclusion, a wet logistics system centered around on-site preprocessing and storage at a biorefinery gate is an economically viable approach to provide a stable source of corn stover for use when dry bales are not available, meanwhile reducing the risk of loss in long-term storage.« less

Authors:

Wendt, Lynn M.; Smith, William A.; Hartley, Damon S.; Wendt, Daniel S.; Ross, Jeffrey A.; Sexton, Danielle M.; Lukas, John C.; Nguyen, Quang A.; Murphy, J. Austin; Kenney, Kevin L.

Publication Date:

Tue Sep 18 00:00:00 EDT 2018

Research Org.:

Idaho National Laboratory (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)

Sponsoring Org.:

USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Sustainable Transportation Office. Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO)

OSTI Identifier:

1471249

Alternate Identifier(s):

OSTI ID: 1471493

Report Number(s):

INL/JOU-18-44913-Rev000
Journal ID: ISSN 2296-598X; 90

Grant/Contract Number:  

AC07-05ID14517

Resource Type:

Published Article

Journal Name:

Frontiers in Energy Research

Additional Journal Information:

Journal Name: Frontiers in Energy Research Journal Volume: 6; Journal ID: ISSN 2296-598X

Publisher:

Frontiers Media SA

Country of Publication:

Switzerland

Language:

English

Subject:

09 BIOMASS FUELS; Corn stover; wet logistics; ensiling; techno-economic analysis; sustainability; forage chopping