CHE 439Alternative Fuels from Biomass Sources

3 credits · Chemical Engineering · Penn State

This course will examine technologies of bio-based sources for power generation and transportation, the effect on the environment, and the viability of the use of bio-based energy sources to mitigate energy needs and minimize environmental effects. The course will include examination of a wide variety of biomass sources for use in industrial boilers, conversion into transportation fuel, and use of by-products for chemical and materials production, as would probably be incorporated into a bio-refining facility. The focus will be on the use of biomass or biomass products as fuels. The students will be asked to do a report on the development of a bio-refining facility (based on feedstock, type of chemistry, and location constraints), utilizing the information learned throughout the semester.