Influence of storage moisture and temperature on lignocellulosic degradation

Abstract

Feedstock degradation is a major source of financial risk for cellulosic biorefineries. To assess the impact of the feedstock loss and quality during storage, this study explored interactions of moisture content and temperature on the degradation of biomass. Specifically, this study evaluated the dry matter loss and compositional change of corn stover during storage conditions common at industrial biomass storage facilities. This lab-scale study allowed for increased measurement precision associated with quantifying how biomass degradation changes the quality of stored biomass. Results of this work define stable biomass storage moisture content of less than 20% in which there is low risk for degradation over time. At moisture levels above 20%, biomass degradation will be prevalent with hemicellulose being the most degraded fraction of the feedstock. Additionally, results demonstrate that temperature has a minimal impact on biomass degradation in non-frozen storage conditions.