Near Infrared Biomass Probe and Deployment Methods for Real-time, Field-Based Biomass Quality Measurement

Improving quality control in delivered biomass feedstocks has been identified as a critical need in advancing deployment of biofuel, biochemical, and bioproduct processes. Development and deployment of a near infrared biomass probe for realtime biomass quality measurement at multiple points in the supply chain can satisfy the need for efficient and economic quality assessment, while facilitating improvements in feedstock quality and cost reduction. This is in line with the BETO Feedstock Supply & Logistics Subprogram goal of transforming renewable carbon sources into highquality, energy dense feedstocks. The team proposes to build upon SBIR Phase I engineering and commercialization efforts to improve product engineering for its biomass probe, expand the range of biomass materials that the probe can analyze, and improve software integration with an advanced commercial system for biomass supply chain management. In Phase I, the team improved the probe design, fabricated a nextgeneration probe and housing ruggedized for field and industrial applications, and demonstrated the collection and analysis of corn stover spectra using a truckmounted, hydraulically powered platform. The demonstration showed that the probe can withstand forces encountered in field applications. The effort demonstrated that predrilling holes in biomass can be eliminated, saving time and effort and proving the feasibility of deploying the probe in commercial industrial applications. The probe mounting can be utilized for truck or other vehiclemounted applications, scale house operations, and industrial process lines. The team developed spectral data quality control procedures and operating manuals for the probe and chemometric analysis software. Spectral data were imported into and manipulated using a commercial supply chain management system. The proposed Phase II effort includes expanding and improving spectral analysis methods for cellulosic and woody biomass, design and fabrication of a next generation biomass probe, and further improving product engineering for the probe and accessories. Additional deployment testing and planning for manufacturing along with software upgrades and integration with supply chain management systems are required, as is planning for leveraging and protection of intellectual property for the system. Coupling the probe with other harvest and supply chain management systems to facilitate a reduction in average biomass ash content from 12 to 5 percent can achieve estimated annual biorefinery cost savings of about $3.5 million.