Assessment of Conversion Technologies for Bioalcohol Fuel ...

waste paper are handled on one process train and sludge on a parallel process
train. The MSW is pre-sorted, including removal of recyclables, then shredded and
dried prior to being subjected to the process.
Wastewater biosolids or sludge is composed, on average, of eighty percent water
and twenty percent solids. The sludge is treated with acid, and then mixed with the
hydrolyzed cellulose. The solid fraction (lignin and biosolids) is collected,
dewatered and used as a renewable solid boiler fuel. This fuel can be used
internally to meet process energy requirements, or can be sold for use in solid fuel
boilers. The acidic sugar stream is treated to recover and recycle the acid and
concentrate the sugar stream. The resulting sugar stream is still too acidic for
biological fermentation, and is buffered with an agent to bring the sugar solution to
a normal pH. Buffering the sugar stream results in the precipitation of gypsum and
the removal of some heavy metals associated with MSW and sludge.
The sugar stream is then fermented into ethanol. During fermentation, the carbon
dioxide is captured, conditioned and sold as an industrial gas. The ethanol is
distilled, denatured and sold to the transportation fuels market. The process is said
to result in conversion to beneficial use of over 90 percent of the waste feedstock
streams.
Development Status–Much of the early research and development of Masada’s
process was conducted by Mississippi State University and the Tennessee Valley
Authority in Muscle Shoals, Alabama. This testing involved the acid recovery
portion of the technology in addition to key process system components, including
the successful conversion of cellulose to sugar and fermentation into ethanol, in
equipment supplied by third party vendors. Current research and development
efforts are being lead by Auburn University in Auburn, Alabama.
Since inception of the Middletown project, known as the Orange Recycling and
Ethanol Production Facility, MRG/PMO has pursued various aspects of
development of this project, including engineering and design, permitting and
community public relations, financing, feedstock supply and product off-take
agreements. The project is said to be fully permitted by the New York State
Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) and the federal
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). As part of the permitting process, all
energy and mass balances were reviewed by the NYSDEC. These reviews
included water usage and wastewater discharge, and air emissions.
Future Development Plans–MRG recently submitted a bid to purchase the
Tennessee Valey Authority’s facility in Muscle Shoals testing facility that was used for
the earlier testing of the CES OxyNol Process. This equipment consists of hydrolysis
units, centrifuges, fermentation and distillation units in addition to other key system
components. Masada intends to use the equipment in part or in whole at Auburn
University as part of its ongoing efforts to refine, commercialize and adapt the CES
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