Energy Workshop Features Numerous SERC Researchers

By Patrick Young

Over 150 people attended the 2nd Annual Energy Workshop on April 15 at Mississippi State University (MSU).
The workshop was organized by the MSU Energy Institute and the MSU Energy Working Group. Attendees came from all over the state of Mississippi to examine and discuss research being conducted by MSU graduate students and faculty.
Chairman of the workshop and Sustainable Energy Research Center (SERC) thrust leader Louay Chamra said the event was a success.
“Turnout for the event was very good and I personally believe everyone who attended the event enjoyed it,” Charmra said.
Throughout the event graduate students and distinguished faculty presented alternative energy research findings from projects conducted over the past school year. 
Over 30 posters were present at the workshop and featured the work of SERC members Rafael Hernandez, Todd French and Phil Steele.
Both Hernandez and French presented a poster titled “An Examination of the Interaction Between Rhodoturula Glutinis and Several Industrial Solvents with Different Densities”. Researchers Mary Hetrick, Bill Holmes, Kristen Blaylock and Corey Holt were also authors on the project.
Their research examined the removal of water from triacylglycerol (TAG) to help create a more economically feasible form of biodiesel. By using a two phase system, researchers have created a way for high-TAG cells to float on top of an aqueous material.  This enables them to easily capture the “TAG-fat” cells with little to no water present.
SERC bio-oil thrust leader Steele, along with MSU researchers and other bio-oil thrust members Qi Li, Fei Yu, El-barbary Hassan and Leonard Ingram, showed how they have been able to increase levoglucosan production through pyrolysis by nearly six percent.  These findings have enabled Steele and others to increase the yield of bio-oil by over eighteen percent by combining biomass pretreatment with modified pyrolysis reactor technology.  Such findings are a major accomplishment for the SERC bio-oil thrust as they continue to make bio-oil an attractive alternative to transportation fuels. 
Chamra said the event is an important one for MSU, SERC and the Energy Institute because of the potential networking possibilities between students and faculty members.
“This workshop encouraged collaboration between the various energy departments here on campus and students and let them exchange ideas,” he said. “Students and researchers were able to see what different things each other were doing and whether they can work together on future projects.”
While this year’s workshop featured only poster presentations, Chamra said next year’s event will also include presentations and keynote speakers.  The 2010 Energy Workshop will be in the spring and again take place on the MSU campus.

For more information about the workshop, contact Louay Chamra at chamra@me.msstate.edu.