Skip to main content
Log in

Physical characterisation and yield stress of a concentrated Miscanthus suspension

  • Original Contribution
  • Published:
Rheologica Acta Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

We present yield stress measurements of a concentrated suspension of Miscanthus x giganteus, a biomass substrate for the production of biofuels and chemicals. The particle porosity and the apparent solid packing fraction are quantified, and a simple relationship between volume and mass fractions proposed. The relationship between yield stress and solid concentration was measured with the maximum torque method of Dzuy and Boger (J Rheol 27: 321–349, 1983) for concentrations between 11 and 15 %, just below maximum packing. In the range of concentrations considered, the measured dependence of the yield stress on concentration appears to be significantly stronger than that reported for corn stover, a plant for which reliable data is available: the apparent power law exponent is found to be larger than 10, while the corresponding exponent reported for corn is in the range 4–6. We argue that differences in particle rigidity between corn and Miscanthus may play a role in explaining this result.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Fig. 11

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Andreotti B et al (2013) Granular media: between fluid and solid. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Beale CV, Long SP (1995) Can perennial C-4 grasses attain high efficiencies of radiant energy-conversion in cool climates. Plant Cell and Environ 18:641–650

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bennington CPJ et al (1990) The yield stress of fiber suspensions. Can J Chem Eng 68:748–757

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brown E et al (2011) Shear thickening and jamming in densely packed suspensions of different particle shapes. Phys Rev E 84

  • Bychkov AL et al (2012) Ultrastructural changes of cell walls under intense mechanical treatment of selective plant raw material. Biomass Bioenergy 47:260–267

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chang CY, Powell RL (2002) Hydrodynamic transport properties of concentrated suspensions. Aiche J 48:2475–2480

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chhabra RP, Richardson JF (2011) Non-Newtonian flow and applied rheology: engineering applications. Butterworth-Heinemann, Oxford

    Google Scholar 

  • Coussot P, Piau JM (1995) A large-scale field coaxial cylinder rheometer for the study of the rheology of natural coarse suspensions. J Rheol 39:105–124

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cox R (1970) The motion of long slender bodies in a viscous fluid. Part 1. General theory. J Fluid Mech 44:790–810

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dasari RK, Berson RE (2007) The effect of particle size on hydrolysis reaction rates and rheological properties in cellulosic slurries. Appl Biochem Biotechnol 137:289–299

    Google Scholar 

  • Delaney GW et al. (2011) Defining random loose packing for nonspherical grains. Physical Review E 83

  • Derakhshandeh B et al (2011) Rheology of pulp fibre suspensions: a critical review. Chem Eng Sci 66:3460–3470

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dohleman FG, Long SP (2009) More productive than maize in the Midwest: how does Miscanthus do it? Plant Physiol 150:2104–2115

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dresboll DB, Magid J (2006) Structural changes of plant residues during decomposition in a compost environment. Bioresour Technol 97:973–981

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dunn GH, Dabney SM (1996) Modulus of elasticity and moment of inertia of grass hedge stems. Trans ASAE 39:947–952

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dzuy NQ, Boger DV (1983) Yield stress measurement for concentrated suspensions. J Rheol 27:321–349

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ehrhardt MR et al (2010) Rheology of dilute acid hydrolyzed corn stover at high solids concentration. Appl Biochem Biotechnol 160:1102–1115

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Flatt RJ, Bowen P (2006) Yodel: a yield stress model for suspensions. J Am Ceram Soc 89:1244–1256

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Heaton EA et al (2008) Meeting US biofuel goals with less land: the potential of Miscanthus. Glob Chang Biol 14:2000–2014

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Heaton EA et al (2010) Miscanthus: a promising biomass crop. Adv Bot Res 56(56):75–137

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Igathinathane C et al (2010) Corn stalk orientation effect on mechanical cutting. Biosyst Eng 107:97–106

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Johnson PC et al (2012) Cutting energy characteristics of Miscanthus x giganteus stems with varying oblique angle and cutting speed. Biosyst Eng 112:42–48

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jorgensen H et al (2007) Liquefaction of lignocellulose at high-solids concentrations. Biotechnol Bioeng 96:862–870

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kaack K, Schwarz KU (2001) Morphological and mechanical properties of Miscanthus in relation to harvesting, lodging, and growth conditions. Ind Crop Prod 14:145–154

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kaliyan N, Morey RV (2009) Constitutive model for densification of corn stover and switchgrass. Biosyst Eng 104:47–63

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kim TH et al (2003) Pretreatment of corn stover by aqueous ammonia. Bioresour Technol 90:39–47

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kitano T et al (1981) An empirical-equation of the relative viscosity of polymer melts filled with various inorganic fillers. Rheol Acta 20:207–209

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Knutsen JS, Liberatore MW (2009) Rheology of high-solids biomass slurries for biorefinery applications. J Rheol 53:877–892

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lavenson DM et al (2011) Yield stress of pretreated corn stover suspensions using magnetic resonance imaging. Biotechnol Bioeng 108:2312–2319

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Li ZY et al (2012) Cell morphology and chemical characteristics of corn stover fractions. Ind Crop Prod 37:130–136

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Liddell PV, Boger DV (1996) Yield stress measurements with the vane. J Non-Newtonian Fluid Mech 63:235–261

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Martinie L et al (2010) Rheology of fiber reinforced cementitious materials: classification and prediction. Cem Concr Res 40:226–234

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Murnen HK et al (2007) Optimization of ammonia fiber expansion (AFEX) pretreatment and enzymatic hydrolysis of Miscanthus x giganteus to fermentable sugars. Biotechnol Prog 23:846–850

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nguyen QD, Boger DV (1992) Measuring the flow properties of yield stress fluids. Annu Rev Fluid Mech 24:47–88

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pimenova NV, Hanley TR (2003) Measurement of rheological properties of corn stover suspensions. Appl Biochem Biotechnol 105:383–392

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pimenova NV, Hanley AR (2004) Effect of corn stover concentration on rheological characteristics. Appl Biochem Biotechnol 113:347–360

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Roberts KM et al (2011) The effects of water interactions in cellulose suspensions on mass transfer and saccharification efficiency at high solids loadings. Cellulose 18:759–773

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Roche CM et al (2009) Particle concentration and yield stress of biomass slurries during enzymatic hydrolysis at high-solids loadings. Biotechnol Bioeng 104:290–300

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rosgaard L et al (2007) Effects of substrate loading on enzymatic hydrolysis and viscosity of pretreated barley straw. Appl Biochem Biotechnol 143:27–40

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rost TL (2006) Plant biology. Thomson Brooks/Cole, Belmont, CA

    Google Scholar 

  • Sacanna S et al (2007) Observation of a shape-dependent density maximum in random packings and glasses of colloidal silica ellipsoids. J Phys-Condens Matter 19:376108

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Samaniuk JR et al (2011) The effect of high intensity mixing on the enzymatic hydrolysis of concentrated cellulose fiber suspensions. Bioresour Technol 102:4489–4494

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stickel JJ et al (2009) Rheology measurements of a biomass slurry: an inter-laboratory study. Rheol Acta 48:1005–1015

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tongdi Q et al. (2011) Experimental study on flexural mechanical properties of corn stalks. Int Conf New Technol Agr Eng (ICAE). doi: 10.1109/ICAE.2011.5943766

  • Viamajala S et al (2009) Rheology of corn stover slurries at high solids concentrations—effects of saccharification and particle size. Bioresour Technol 100:925–934

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Waltz E (2008) Cellulosic ethanol booms despite unproven business models. Nat Biotechnol 26:8–9

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wiman M et al (2011) Rheological characterization of dilute acid pretreated softwood. Biotechnol Bioeng 108:1031–1041

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This study was supported by the UK Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BB/I00534X/2) and the IBTI Network. We wish to thank Dr. Jeremy Bartosiak-Jentys and Prof. David J. Leak, U. of Bath, for providing batches of Miscanthus and for helping with the characterisation of the material. We also thank Prof. Paul Luckam (Imperial College London) for stimulating discussions. Finally, we would like to thank undergraduate students Mian Gao and Qawie Sabli for helping with some preliminary results.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Lorenzo Botto.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Botto, L., Preuss, K., Robertson, L.X. et al. Physical characterisation and yield stress of a concentrated Miscanthus suspension. Rheol Acta 53, 805–815 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00397-014-0794-y

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00397-014-0794-y

Keywords

Navigation