Characterization and Measurement of Corn Stover Material Properties Brittany Nicole Schon Iowa State University
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Iowa State University Capstones, Theses and Graduate Theses and Dissertations Dissertations 2012 Characterization and Measurement of Corn Stover Material Properties Brittany Nicole Schon Iowa State University Follow this and additional works at: https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/etd Part of the Agriculture Commons, and the Bioresource and Agricultural Engineering Commons Recommended Citation Schon, Brittany Nicole, "Characterization and Measurement of Corn Stover Material Properties" (2012). Graduate Theses and Dissertations. 15860. https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/etd/15860 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Iowa State University Capstones, Theses and Dissertations at Iowa State University Digital Repository. It has been accepted for inclusion in Graduate Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Iowa State University Digital Repository. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Characterization and measurement of corn stover material properties by Brittany Schon A thesis submitted to the graduate faculty in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF SCIENCE Co-Majors: Industrial & Agricultural Technology Biorenewable Resources & Technology Program of Study Committee: Matthew Darr, Major Professor D. Raj Raman Kurt Rosentrater Thomas Brumm Iowa State University Ames, Iowa 2012 Copyright ©Brittany Schon, 2012. All rights reserved. ii Table of Contents List of Figures ............................................................................................................. vii List of Tables…………………………………………………………………………xii Abstract………………………………………………………………………………xiii Chapter 1. Thesis Organization ................................................................................1 Chapter 2. Literature Review ...................................................................................3 2.1. Introduction and Background .....................................................................3 2.2. Corn Stover as a Feedstock ........................................................................5 2.3. Evaluation of Probable Bioprocesses .........................................................8 2.4. Sampling Methods....................................................................................12 2.5. Ash Content and its Problems ..................................................................15 2.6. Moisture Measurement .............................................................................19 2.7. Conclusion ................................................................................................22 2.8. References ................................................................................................23 Chapter 3. Overview and Objectives for Corn Stover Material Property Analysis ………………………………………………………………………………………..26 3.1. Overview ..................................................................................................26 3.2. Objectives .................................................................................................26 3.2.1. Specific Goal #1: Assess the Accuracy of Subsampling and Rapid Moisture Analyzers for Commercial-Scale in Biomass Feedstock Assessment. ...................26 3.2.2. Specific Goal #2: Determine the Influence of Sample Size and Processing on Quantifying Ash and Moisture Content in Corn Stover Bales. ...............................27 3.2.3. Specific Goal #3: Quantifying Ash and Moisture Content Variability within Corn Stover Bales. ...................................................................................................27 iii 3.2.4. Specific Goal #4: Analyze corn Stover Material Property Variability within a Set of Bales Harvested from the Same Field. ..........................................................27 Chapter 4. Assessing the Accuracy of Subsampling and Rapid Moisture Analyzers for Commercial-Scale Use in Biomass Feedstock Assessment.........................................28 4.1. Abstract ....................................................................................................28 4.2. Introduction ..............................................................................................28 4.3. Experimental Design ................................................................................31 4.3.1. Objective ..................................................................................................31 4.3.2. Corn Stover Supply ..................................................................................31 4.3.3. Sampling Tools and Experimental Design ...............................................31 4.3.3.1. Delmhorst Probe Testing for Moisture.....................................................31 4.3.3.2. Microwave Testing for Moisture..............................................................32 4.3.3.3. Subsampling for Rapid Quality Analysis .................................................33 4.3.4. Statistical Analysis ...................................................................................34 4.4. Results and Discussion .............................................................................34 4.4.1. Delmhorst Probe Testing for Moisture.....................................................34 4.4.2. Microwave Testing for Moisture..............................................................39 4.4.3. Subsampling for Rapid Quality Analysis .................................................41 4.5. Conclusions ..............................................................................................45 4.6. Acknowledgements ..................................................................................45 4.7. Bibliography .............................................................................................46 4.8. Appendix ..................................................................................................47 4.8.1. One-way ANOVA: Difference Moisture Content versus Screen Size (mil)………………………………………………………………………………..47 4.8.2. One-way ANOVA: Diff AC versus Screen Size (mil) ............................47 iv Chapter 5. Influence of Sample Size and Processing on Quantifying Ash and Moisture Content in Corn Stover Bales ......................................................................................48 5.1. Abstract ....................................................................................................48 5.2. Introduction ..............................................................................................48 5.3. Experimental Design ................................................................................50 5.3.1. Objective ..................................................................................................50 5.3.2. Corn Stover Bales.....................................................................................51 5.3.3. Sampling Tools ........................................................................................51 5.3.4. Sampling Procedure .................................................................................53 5.3.5. Analytical Procedure ................................................................................53 5.3.6. Statistical Analysis ...................................................................................54 5.4. Results and Discussion .............................................................................54 5.5. Conclusions ..............................................................................................58 5.6. Acknowledgements ..................................................................................59 5.7. Bibliography .............................................................................................60 Chapter 6. Quantifying Ash and Moisture Content Variability in Corn Stover Bales………...………………………………………………………………………...61 6.1. Abstract ....................................................................................................61 6.2. Introduction ..............................................................................................61 6.3. Experimental Design ................................................................................64 6.3.1. Objective ..................................................................................................64 6.3.2. Corn Stover Bales.....................................................................................65 6.3.3. Sampling and Analytical Tools ................................................................65 6.3.4. Design of Experiment...............................................................................66 6.3.5. Analysis Procedure ...................................................................................68 v 6.3.6. Statistical Analysis ...................................................................................68 6.4. Results and Discussion .............................................................................69 6.4.1. Moisture Content Analysis Results ..........................................................69 6.4.2. Ash Content Analysis ...............................................................................75 6.5. Conclusions ..............................................................................................80 6.6. Acknowledgements ..................................................................................81 6.7. Bibliography .............................................................................................81 6.8.