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SBIR Phase II:Cost- and Energy-Efficient Conversion of Cellulosic Biomass to Bio-Fuel Feedstock of Consistent and Preferred Geometry

Award Information
Agency: National Science Foundation
Branch: N/A
Contract: 1026686
Agency Tracking Number: 0839505
Amount: $484,965.00
Phase: Phase II
Program: SBIR
Solicitation Topic Code: BC
Solicitation Number: NSF 08-548
Timeline
Solicitation Year: 2010
Award Year: 2010
Award Start Date (Proposal Award Date): N/A
Award End Date (Contract End Date): N/A
Small Business Information
1402 E Sharon Ave, Ste 1001
Houghton, MI 49931
United States
DUNS: 171376440
HUBZone Owned: Yes
Woman Owned: No
Socially and Economically Disadvantaged: No
Principal Investigator
 William Endres
 (906) 487-9364
 wjendres@endresmachining.com
Business Contact
 William Endres
Phone: (906) 487-9364
Email: wjendres@endresmachining.com
Research Institution
N/A
Abstract

This SBIR Phase II project will develop and commercialize a new energy efficient long-lifed cutting attachment for chipping cellulosic biomass into bio-fuel feedstock while achieving reduced specific energy, significantly longer knife-change intervals, and controllably-fine chips needed by various bio-fuel applications. The innovation involves an adaptation of advanced metal-cutting technology to replace traditional chipper knives.
The broader impact/commercial potential of the project will derive from creating technology to use inexpensive and readily accessible local feedstock for the production of bio-fuels, reducing the cost of feedstock processing upstream of enzymatic hydrolysis. Energy independence and sustainability along with environmental issues strongly motivate the inclusion of biomass to diversify the national and global energy portfolios. Cellulosic bio-fuels applications are poised to grow, but exhibit technical and economic challenges, one of which relates to the need for finer feedstock particles and the inefficiencies of increased chipping energy and knife wear that come with finer chipping.

* Information listed above is at the time of submission. *

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