Ozone Conversion Of Low Quality Feed Stocks

Many crop residues, feed byproducts, forages and other biomass have little or no nutritional value asanimal feed. Lignin in these materials is the most significant factor that limits the availability ofstructural carbohydrate (i.e., cellulose and hemicellulose) to microbial flora of ruminant animals.Many chemical treatment methods have been investigated and most result in the production ofundesirable or toxic residues or have not been found to be cost effective. Ozone treatment has beenshown to be one of the more desirable methods; however, the cost of ozone generation and lack ofoptimized treatment systems have presented cost limitations. In this Phase I project, we willdemonstrate the feasibility of a complete reactor system incorporating a new electrochemicaltechnology for generating high concentration ozone and a new ozone reactor system for treatment ofbiomass. The process will be optimized using both chemical analyses and in situ animal digestibilitystudies. A team consisting of Lynntech scientists with broad based experience in ozone generation andanimal nutrition experts from Texas A&M University will carry out the needed work. The result ofthis work will provide a comprehensive cost estimate of ozone treatment to convert low energy feedstock to high energy feeds.