4th Progress Report BE474

1. BioSysEng Venture Capital Corporation
An Affiliate of
The Department of Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences
441 Bracket Hall, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634-0357
Tel: 864.656.4041 Fax: 864.656 1041
To: Dr. Tom Owino
From: Jessica Ketchum
Date: Monday, December 1st, 2014
Subject: Four-Week Progress Report
I want to report to you the progress I have made in the last four weeks at BioEng Venture Capital
Corporation.
In the past four weeks, both team members of the group from BioEng Venture Capital Corporation
have met several times.
 November 2 –Continued to research papers and methods regarding the use of ADM1
modeling software, volatile solids concentration and dryness factor.
 November 5-Spoke with Dr. Drapcho about ADM1 and how to sink with MATLAB.
 November 9-Research most important parameters of the 32 total kinetics listed in AD.
 November 10-Research rate constants for hydrolysis of carbohydrates, lipids and proteins.
 November 17-Calculated volume and dimension of reactor for 165 annual tons of FW
 November 18-Met with Biting to outline plan of action. Decided to take Curry method along
with reducing Buswell by 300%.
 November 19-Continued working on food waste volume to biogas volume and reactor
dimensions. Met with Dr. Drapcho to verify method was correct.
 November 24-Discusssed options for alternative design and settle on 2 stage anaerobic
CLEMSON UNIVERSITY OFFERS ITS PROGRAMS TO PEOPLE OF ALL AGES REGARDLESS OF RACE, COLOR, SEX, RELIGION
OR NATIONAL ORIGIN AND IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER
CSTR.
 November 29-Reseached and did preliminary calculations for pump-ability and impeller.
 November 30-Brainstorm and research on baffle system for reactor. Discussed with Biting
whether steel or concrete material for reactor and fabrication.
Outside the class in the past three weeks, our group of two members, Jessica and I have met
several times.
 November 8 –New paper clarifying ADM1 written by Curry outlines 300% overestimation of
previous Buswell method of methane calculation.
 November 12-Verified tonnage of food waste with David Thorton and recalculated the annual
metric tonnage to obtain volume.
 November 16-Talked about what substrate to add to increase C:N ratio to the required 30:1.

2. BioSysEng Venture Capital Corporation
An Affiliate of
The Department of Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences
441 Bracket Hall, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634-0357
Tel: 864.656.4041 Fax: 864.656 1041
 November 20-Calculated the mass flow rate for paper towels to increase C:N to 30:1.
 November 23-Pressure and flammability concerns discussed.
 November 27-Power flow of impellers and general safety procautions.
 November 30-Rupture disk, vacuum breaker and burst disc selection and pricing.
CLEMSON UNIVERSITY OFFERS ITS PROGRAMS TO PEOPLE OF ALL AGES REGARDLESS OF RACE, COLOR, SEX, RELIGION
OR NATIONAL ORIGIN AND IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER