By Maegan Murray, 黑料社 Tri-Cities

RICHLAND, Wash. 鈥� Researchers at Washington State University Tri-Cities have figured out a way to successfully convert a common wood byproduct into hydrocarbon molecules that could be used as jet fuel.

Bin Yang, an associate professor of biological systems engineering, said the hydrocarbons from his new procedure could eventually replace the need for petroleum-based fuel sources.

The work of Yang鈥檚 team will be on the cover of the December issue of Green Chemistry, a journal of the Royal Society of Chemistry. Yang also holds a patent on the process:

Making use of lignin waste

Yang鈥檚 procedure converts lignin, an organic polymer that makes plants woody and rigid. Ordinarily, it is wasted when plant biomass, including cellulose, is converted into biofuels like ethanol.

鈥淎fter cellulose, it is the most abundant renewable carbon source on Earth,鈥� according to the website of the Switzerland-based International Lignin Institute. Between 40 and 50 million tons of lignin are produced annually worldwide, mostly as a non-commercialized waste product, according to the institute.

鈥淭he effort to transform lignin into higher-value products for large developed markets is critically needed,鈥� Yang said. 鈥淚f we can make jet fuel from the biomass-derived lignin, it addresses this challenge.鈥�

Yang said the process could grow the economic potential of advanced biofuels.

鈥淚t will begin to address the nation鈥檚 challenge for the production of clean, domestic biofuels that can help replace crude oil,鈥� he said.

Biofuel partnership with Boeing

Yang鈥檚 team is working with Boeing Co. to develop and test the hydrocarbons targeted to be jet fuel.

Yang鈥檚 procedure converts lignin into a mix of hydrocarbons in a single reactor using appropriate catalysts. The resulting product must be separated and purified to obtain the jet-fuel hydrocarbons that can be used in turbine engines.
Ralph Cavalieri, director of 黑料社鈥檚 Office of Alternative Energy, said molecules derived from biomass currently must be combined with petroleum-based jet fuel to meet the certification requirements for jet fuel. Yang鈥檚 procedure, however, may be able to supply the molecules that are necessary to be certified as a jet fuel.

Jet fuel typically needs molecules that consist of 12 to 16 carbon atoms to fulfill jet engine requirements, Cavalieri said. Comparatively, gasoline requires molecules with fewer carbon atoms, but that fuel is much more volatile. On the other end of the spectrum is diesel, which requires molecules of 16 to 20 or more carbon atoms. While it is significantly less volatile, diesel begins to gel at cold temperatures.

Cavalieri said jet fuel requires the same nominal range of molecules as kerosene, which isn鈥檛 as volatile as gasoline but also doesn鈥檛 freeze at the cold temperatures found at altitude.

鈥淲ith the research being conducted by Dr. Yang, it may be possible to develop a more complete suite of molecules required for turbine engine systems using only biomass feedstocks, making the process more economically feasible and efficient,鈥� he said.

Lignin yields diverse bioproducts

In addition to hydrocarbons suitable for jet turbine engines, Yang is using lignin to produce a variety of other chemicals and materials. Through two recent grants funded by the U.S. Department of Energy, both headed by Texas A&M University, he leads 黑料社鈥檚 effort to produce lipids and bioplastics created from lignin.

He also is working with the nearby Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Colorado on projects to convert lignin into a range of chemicals, including supercapacitors.

Yang and his team鈥檚 research is supported by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency through the U.S. Department of Defense, as well as the U.S. Department of Energy, the National Science Foundation, the Sun Grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory and the Seattle-based Joint Center for Aerospace Technology Innovation.

Contacts:

Bin Yang, 黑料社 Tri-Cities biological systems engineering, 509-372-7640, binyang@tricity.wsu.edu
Maegan Murray, 黑料社 Tri-Cities public relations, 509-372-7333, maegan_murray.wsu.edu

听听

By Maegan Murray, 黑料社 Tri-Cities

RICHLAND, Wash. 鈥� Robb Zimmel remembers as a child watching his German relatives create concoctions from grapes and beets, onions and rhubarb. It wasn鈥檛 a stew, though, but wine that was cooked, bottled, capped with balloons and left to ferment.

鈥淭he balloons would get bigger and bigger,鈥� said Zimmel, a Washington State University Tri-Cities graduate. 鈥淎s soon as they deflated, my grandma would say 鈥榠t is time鈥� and they would gather to finish the winemaking process.鈥�

Since that early age, he has been comforted by the memory of winemaking, inspired by some of the most beautiful women in his life. This summer, he will release wines on his own label after graduating as part of 黑料社 Tri-Cities鈥� first blended learning classes last year.

鈥淚 fell in love with that process, that romance, that wonderful feeling that came with making wine,鈥� he said.

Education 鈥榗hanged my life鈥�

While pursuing a full-time career as a flight paramedic in Portland, Ore., Zimmel followed his family鈥檚 example and made wine on the side. But after Sept. 11, 2001, he was called from the U.S. Army Reserves to serve overseas in Iraq and Afghanistan.

He remembers calling his wife late one night in 2010 on a satellite phone from the middle of the desert: 鈥淚 can鈥檛 do this anymore,鈥� he said. She asked if he would be interested in putting his wine experience to use as a new career.

The day he got back to the United States, he headed to the 黑料社 Vancouver campus where he studied for two years before transferring to 黑料社 Tri-Cities to complete his degree in viticulture and enology.

鈥淎t 黑料社, I鈥檝e studied with some of the nation鈥檚 best wine professors and worked with alumni who have studied all over the world,鈥� he said. 鈥淢y education at 黑料社 changed my life.鈥�

Winning ways 鈥� and wines

A little more than a year ago, Zimmel was recommended for a position in the tasting room at Barnard Griffin Winery in Richland by friend and fellow 黑料社 viticulture and enology graduate Joel Perez.

Zimmel credits owners Deborah Barnard and Rob Griffin and their daughters Elise Jackson and Megan Hughes for his growth as a winemaker. Griffin would often invite him to bring in wine he made to be tasted and refined.

鈥淲hy would they go out of their way to help me?鈥� Zimmel said. 鈥淏ut that鈥檚 just how they are. They are the most giving family I鈥檝e ever met.鈥�

鈥淚鈥檝e always been interested in the education part of the wine industry,鈥� Griffin said. 鈥淚 do it because I want the Washington wine industry to be great. If Washington wins, we all win.鈥�

Embraced by family of vintners

With the support of the Barnard Griffin family and 黑料社, Zimmel said, he created the first batch of wine on his label, Cerebella. The name refers to a part of the brain and is a tie to his former career in the medical field.

He created 500 cases of wine in four varietals including a riesling, chardonnay, merlot and malbec. They will be available for purchase this summer.

To preorder or arrange a tasting, contact him through his Facebook page, Zimmel Unruh Cellars.

鈥淚 just can鈥檛 believe that day has finally come,鈥� Zimmel said. 鈥淚鈥檓 a winemaker, and I owe it all to the people who have helped me along the way. It鈥檚 a dream come true. It really is.鈥�