Biofuels Journal - January/February 2008 - (Page 68)

Cob Harvest Options POET’s Study: Methods For Cellulosic Feedstock Collection and Development Mark Stowers. “This is the most comprehensive research study of cobs ever done,” Stowers said. The two main commercial methods to harvest cobs are: • Cob Caddy—A wagon that can be towed by any type of combine. The Cob Caddy collects all of the stover with cobs coming off the back of the combine from the other stover. The cobs are then conveyed into a dump wagon and the stover is returned to the field by aspiration. • Corn Cob Mix (CCM)—A corn and cob mix in which the combine harvests the cobs with the corn in a co-mingled product. This requires modifications to any brand combine. The mix is then separated into corn and cobs. Barry Nelson, Deere public relations manager (913-310-8324) said the CCM prototype was not a radical change to equipment. “A corn cob mix has been used in Europe for swine feed for years,” Nelson said. “This is nothing too revolutionary.” Other combine manufacturers are also developing prototypes for these two systems of harvest, Stowers said. POET Biomass Manager Reed Mayberry said the Case IH combine required minor modifications to pull the Cob Caddy and the Deere combine required minor modifications to collect the CCM. The separator which takes the chopped cobs out of the CCM was developed especially for POET’s harvest tests, according to Feterl President Randy M. Bauer (605-425-2206). Bauer said the machine includes traditional auger equipment which Feterl manufactures for the grain industry. He was approached by POET in late May to develop a prototype for the fall harvest of 2007. “I think POET is on the right track with this cob harvest project,” Bauer said. Mayberry said there are advantages and disadvantages to both systems. The whole cob system requires more labor by the farmer, but less capital investment. The CCM system requires less labor with a higher capital cost to the farmer. “The unique thing about farmers is there is no silver bullet,” Mayberry said. “Of the two systems, one may not work for every farmer.” Storage Tests POET CEO Jeff Broin holds whole cobs harvested for cellulosic ethanol. POET’s new technology to convert corn cobs to ethanol is also requiring new and innovative ideas in the harvesting and storing of cobs. POET, Sioux Falls, SD (605-965-2200), is working with several agricultural equipment manufacturers to refine methods for harvesting, storing and transporting cobs for commercial cellulosic ethanol production. “We are going to do something that has never been done before—produce cellulosic ethanol from corn combs on a commercial scale,” said POET CEO Jeff Broin, Oct. 30 at a cob harvest demonstration in Chancellor, SD. “When our Emmetsburg, IA plant is in operation in 2011, it will necessitate harvesting, storing and transporting 275,000 acres of corn cobs,” Broin continued. Two Systems Methods to store cobs (both chopped and whole) are currently being tested on the South Dakota farm. POET’s Mark Dilts, feedstock development engineer, said there are five different orientations of cobs being tested, four different moisture ratios, and a number of different aeration systems. “We want to know what’s going on inside the pile of cobs,” Dilts said. Last fall, the company conducted its first harvest tests. POET is utilizing 20 different pieces of farm equipment in 100 experiments on a 4,000 acre farm in South Dakota, according to POET Vice President of Research One system being tested by POET to harvest cobs involves a combine that mixes chopped cobs with corn kernels. 68 BFJ | JAN/FEB 08

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Biofuels Journal - January/February 2008

Biofuels Journal - January/February 2008 Contents Biofuels Safety Lockout/Tagout Managing Safety Ethanol Incidents Hot Work Safety Arresting Falls Firefighting Foam Confined Spaces Natural Fiber Clothing LifeLine Foods - St. Joseph, MO Sen. Richard Lugar, R-Indiana A New Energy Era POET - Portland, IN Company Profile, OPW State Ethanol Promotion State Report: Nebraska Anti-Lignin Beetles Sequential Extraction Developing Energy Crops Stover Logistics Cellulosic Ground Covers DDGS to Feed Fish Miscanthus: Energy Crop Webinar Series Launched New Fractionation Process Tropical Maize Ethanol Synthetic Fuel High Starch Corn Testing Abengoa's Cellulosic Ethanol Plans Credits and Incentives POET Cob Harvest High Oil Corn SunOpta Steam Explosion Process Enough Water? Ethanol Water Use Seth Snyder, Argonne National Laboratory Continuous Fermentation ACE Blend Study Wood Waste Ethanol Fodder Beet Ethanol Monthly Ethanol Production Ethanol Terminal Wood Feedstock Carbon Credits Bio Motor Oil Ethanol Bacteria Ethanol Pipeline Ethanol Plant Construction - Canada Cellulosic Ethanol Plants Under Consideration Cellulosic Ethanol Plants Construction Map In the Pipeline Ethanol Blending History Ethanol World Calendar Profile: Zabler, Pine Lake Corn Processors Industry News Western Dubuque Biodiesel - Farley, IA Profile: Winkel, Central Iowa Energy Biodiesel Construction List Biodiesel Plants Under Construction Map Wet vs. Dry Biomass Storage Book Review Green Earth Fuels - Houston, TX Biodiesel News Alternative Feedstocks Glycerol as Feed EPA Requires Standards Mustard Biodiesel Sun Grant Initiatives Biodiesel Jet Glycerol Alternatives Platts Advanced Biofuels Seminar Cellulosic Heating Oil Glycerine Used for Ethanol Blackmer Fremont Industries Biomass Association DOE Grants $7.7 Million for Biofuels Aecometric Corp. Civacon Viking Pump, Inc. SimplexGrinnell ICM Inc. Applied Milling Systems Ad Index

Biofuels Journal - January/February 2008

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