Jan 12 2011
The University of Idaho has received funds amounting to $25,000 from Texas-based APT Advanced Trailer and Equipment owned by Randy Hill for researching the possibility of extracting energy from wood biomass.
With this donation, the university will install a model pyrolysis unit, which can burn without oxygen. When it is used with organic substances such as wood, a biofuel and a bit of charcoal is produced. According to Armando McDonald, professor of wood chemistry and wood composites, who does research on pyrolysis to make bio-oil, the process involves thermally cutting the wood into small pieces, giving rise to about 60 % bio-oil; 20 % syn-gas, which is a gas mixture; and 20 % char, While the gas mixture fuels the whole experiment, the char can be used as a conditioner to treat the soil.
The company has also gifted and paid for the installation of a biomass drying trailer at the university steam plant. In June 2010, the company had proposed to the university that it would set up a national bioenergy research center at the university, promising more than $700,000 for future bioenergy research.
Source: http://www.advancedtrailer.com