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The firing and co-firing of biomass in pulverized coal fired power plants around the world is expected to increase in the coming years. Torrefaction may prove to be a suitable way of upgrading biomass for such an application. For transport and storage purposes, the torrefied biomass will tend to be in pellet form. Whilst standard methods for the assessment of the milling characteristics of coal exist, this is not the case for torrefied materials—whether in pellet form or not. The grindability of the fuel directly impacts the overall efficiency of the combustion process and as such it is an important parameter. In the present study, the grindability of different torrefied biomass pellets was tested in three different laboratory mill types; cutting mill (CM), hammer mill (HM) and impact mill (IM). The specific grinding energy (SGE) required for a defined mass throughput of pellets in each mill was measured and results were compared to other pellet characterization methods (e.g., durability, and hardness) as well as the modified Hardgrove Index. Seven different torrefied biomass pellets including willow, pine, beech, poplar, spruce, forest residue and straw were used as feedstock. On average, the particle-size distribution width (across all feedstock) was narrowest for the IM (0.41 mm), followed by the HM (0.51 mm) and widest for the CM (0.62 mm). Regarding the SGE, the IM consumed on average 8.23 Wh/kg while CM and HM consumed 5.15 and 5.24 Wh/kg, respectively. From the three mills compared in this study, the IM seems better fit for being used in a standardized method that could be developed in the future, e.g., as an ISO standard.

Background and objectives The genetic cause of medullary cystic kidney disease type 1 was recently identified as a cytosine insertion in the variable number of tandem repeat region of MUC1 encoding mucoprotein-1 (MUC1), a protein that is present in skin, breast, and lung tissue, the gastrointestinal tract, and the distal tubules of the kidney. The purpose of this investigationwas to analyze the clinical characteristics of families and individuals with this mutation. Design, setting, participants, & measurements Families with autosomal dominant interstitial kidney diseasewere referred for genetic analysis over a 14-year period. Families without UMOD or REN mutations prospectively underwent genotyping for the presence of the MUC1 mutation. Clinical characteristics were retrospectively evaluated in individuals with the MUC1 mutation and historically affected individuals (persons who were both related to genetically affected individuals in such a way that ensured that they could be genetically affected and had a history of CKD stage IV or kidney failure resulting in death, dialysis, or transplantation). Results Twenty-four families were identified with the MUC1 mutation. Of 186 family members undergoing MUC1 mutational analysis, the mutation was identified in 95 individuals, 91 individuals did not have the mutation, and111 individuals were identified as historically affected. Individuals with the MUC1 mutation suffered from chronic kidney failure with a widely variable age of onset of end stage kidney disease ranging from 16 to.80 years. Urinalyses revealed minimal protein and no blood. Ultrasounds of 35 individuals showed no medullary cysts. There were no clinical manifestations of the MUC1 mutation detected in the breasts, skin, respiratory system, or gastrointestinal tract. ConclusionMUC1 mutation results in progressive chronic kidney failurewith a bland urinary sediment. The age of onset of end stage kidney disease is highly variable, suggesting that gene-gene or gene-environment interactions contribute to phenotypic variability. © 2014 by the American Society of Nephrology. 9 527 535 Cited By :15

In the following study a method is described which determines the grindability of torrefied biomass pellets. Therefore the amount of grinding energy required during the milling process is measured by grinding a defined weight of pellets in a cutting mill while recording the power consumption. Additionally the calculation of the specific grinding energy is explained using the measured values. The method is applied for five different torrefied biomass pellets including willow, pine, beech, poplar and straw., Proceedings of the 22nd European Biomass Conference and Exhibition, 23-26 June 2014, Hamburg, Germany, pp. 426-429

In the recent years, along with a growing demand for wood as solid fuel, technological innovations have been made that focus on improving biomass by-products and residue biomasses for combustion. Three innovative pre-treatment technologies are torrefaction, hydrothermal carbonization and mechanical leaching. The purpose of this study is to compare solid fuel characteristics as well as the resulting combustion and emission behavior of fuels from these three technologies under defined small-scale combustion conditions. We analyzed chemical composition of the produced fuels as well as their combustion characteristics in small-scale units (30, 50kW), gaseous emissions (CO, NOx, SO2, HCl), particulate matter and bottom ash composition. Furthermore, the emission values were compared to the German legislation for emissions from small scale boilers < 100kW (1. BImschV) and the bottom ash was compared to the German legislation for fertilizer application (DüMV). We analyzed the following fuels: torrefied wheat straw pellets (STRTOR), hydrothermally carbonized brewer’s spent grain (BSGHTC) and pellets from mechanically leached foliage (FOLML).Their specific advantages and challenges regarding solid fuels for small-scale application are discussed., Proceedings of the 22nd European Biomass Conference and Exhibition, 23-26 June 2014, Hamburg, Germany, pp. 998-1003

Based on the general rising energy demand and the ambitious climate protection targets, the use of biomass for combustion will gain even more importance than it already has. One alternative biomass feedstock is hay which is no longer required as fodder because of decreasing animal livestock. However, high chlorine and sulfur emissions as well as ash slagging tendencies are common problems related to the combustion of hay. Therefore, the combustion behavior of two different hay assortments and its potential optimization via the addition of mineral additives were studied. Combustion experiments were performed with a commercially available boiler (30 kW) measuring the gaseous content of CO, O2, TOC, NOx, SO2 and HCl in the flue gas as well as the particulate matter emissions. These particle samples were also analyzed for inorganic material. Results show great differences in the emissions behavior of the two hay types and a positive influence of both additives. Particle emissions have been reduced about 15 to 30 w.­% depending on the fuel composition., Proceedings of the 22nd European Biomass Conference and Exhibition, 23-26 June 2014, Hamburg, Germany, pp. 684-688

For different woody and non-woody biomass types as well as various mixtures with and without additives thermal degradation behavior and ignition temperatures were determined. The experiments were carried out using simultaneous thermal analysis (STA) in oxidizing and inert atmosphere. Based on its fuel composition, every fuel has its own combustion and pyrolysis characteristics. There is evidence that mixtures show the cumulative behavior of the single fuels. Additionally, the effect of an additive used to improve pelletization or combustion properties was investigated. Thus, the obtained data can be integrated in the process of optimizing the quality of alternative solid biomass fuels., Proceedings of the 20th European Biomass Conference and Exhibition, 18-22 June 2012, Milan, Italy, pp. 1722-1732

Alternative solid biofuels like Miscanthus are experiencing a growing interest for energy related use. In particular Miscanthus pellets have a high potential to accomplish the requirements of small scale combustion units – a homogenous fuel with constant properties. The production of Miscanthus pellets is comparable to the production of wood pellets. Due to the similar technical requirements pellet plants used for the production of wood pellets can be modified for the production of high quality Miscanthus pellets. Nevertheless, several technical details and process parameters need to be modified to meet the required quality standards of the DIN EN 14961-6. In the present work, pelletization experiments have been carried out with a ring die press in pilot plant scale to investigate the influence of different process and material parameters. Varied parameters are the die speed, the gap between the rollers and the die, i.e. the pressure gap as well as the press channel length and geometry. The produced Miscanthus pellets were evaluated according to their physical- mechanical properties and according to the energy demand of the pelletization process., Proceedings of the 20th European Biomass Conference and Exhibition, 18-22 June 2012, Milan, Italy, pp. 1502-1507

Todays unused biomass potentials may play an important role in future energy market. Due to an in­creasing demand of wood for material use and simultaneous expansion of energetic biomass utilization a competitive situation is unavoidable. An exploitation of waste materials and by­products of biological origin lead to a potential enhancement of biofuels and so a less expensive energy source may be opened up. The often referred disadvanta­geous thermo­chemical characteristics of alternative biomasses can be counteracted by addition of biomass with de­fined properties. This study is primarily concerned with preparation, characterization and classification of blended fu­els based on miscanthus and wood according to current fuel standards. Therefore biomass blends with systematically varied ratios are pelletized. The aim of pelletizing is to ensure accurate blending ratios and the production of a mar­ketable fuel. Using the flat die mechanical durabilities in the range of 93.5 wt.­% to 96.9 wt.­% were reached. Further improvement can be achieved by optimization of the process parameters. However, the mechanical durability in­creases with higher wood proportions caused by higher lignin contents. Proximate analysis and ash behavior of the pelletized blends are also presented. Thereby the ash content increases with higher miscanthus content in the blend. In contrast the volatile content decreases with higher miscanthus admixing. The sintering temperature of all wood­miscanthus blends lies between 700 °C and 750 °C. Blends with a miscanthus rate of 40 ­ 80 wt.­% show similar be­havior with a lower ash softening temperature compared to the unblended fuels. Only blends with a miscanthus con­tent of 20 wt.­% reach an softening temperature above 1050 °C ­ a property being dominantly influenced by wood., Proceedings of the 19th European Biomass Conference and Exhibition, 6-10 June 2011, Berlin, Germany, pp. 1980-1984

Pelletizing biomass, especially straw and stalky materials, require a product-specific size reduction and liberation. This paper characterizes the cereal straws (rye and wheat) and specifies the necessities for production of energy pellets. The product-specific size reduction was achieved with the help of impact mill and twin-screw extrusion processes. Further, the moisture content and the particle size distribution play an important role in the pelletisation process and also with respect to the energy characteristics. Cereal straw pellets have a lower heating value of 17.2MJ/kg. The objective of this work is to increase the heating value from 17.2 MJ/kg to a value in between 18 and 18.5 MJ/kg. The pellets are prepared with increasing water contents and with the biogenous and fossil additives. The biogenous and fossil additives are chosen such that they ensure the necessary binding and simultaneously increase the heating value. Besides the heating value, the main pellet quality parameters such as mechanical stability, abrasion resistance, and combustion technical characteristics have been tested according to the existing norms (DIN51731, ÖNORM-M7135, DINplus). The particle size characteristics indicate an ideal distribution of the particles for the combustion in furnaces. The durability and mechanical stability of the pellets were in acceptance with the existing norms. Particle size characteristics, abrasion values, and strength characteristics showed a good correlation and displayed optimal combustion characteristics., Proceedings of the 19th European Biomass Conference and Exhibition, 6-10 June 2011, Berlin, Germany, pp. 1878-1883

Currently, small­scale combustion units in Europe are fired almost exclusively with high quality wood fuels. However, caused by the growing demand for material and energetic use wood is getting more scarce nowadays. Consequently, alternative solid biomass, like low quality wood or straw, is experiencing growing interest as alternative fuel source. In most European countries preliminary activities in industrial as well as in public sectors have been started to integrate these alternative solid biofuels. However, the market integration of alternative biomass pellets is still hindered by various constraints. To overcome these constraints and strengthen the drivers promising market introduction concepts have to be identified to enhance the relevance of alternative pellets in Europe. Thus, national conditions for the combustion of alternative pellets are emphasized. Furthermore, available raw materials and their associated production and combustion technologies are presented based on investigations and interviews with key actors in the different European countries., Proceedings of the 19th European Biomass Conference and Exhibition, 6-10 June 2011, Berlin, Germany, pp. 306-314

Besides the development and optimization of boiler systems the fuel and combustion properties of straw pellets should be improved for an increased utilization in small heating systems. Common problems related to the combustion of straw are high emissions of gaseous HCl and SO2, high particle emissions and ash slagging. Therefore in the presented work the combustion behavior of different straw pellets is investigated focusing on emission formation. Six different types of pellets, modified by different kinds of pre­processing and by addition of lignite and lime water were burnt in two small –scale boilers (~ 30 kW). Results from the measurements show no differences for the pre­processing methods whereas the addition of lignite and lime water led to significant reduction of 30 to 60 % of the total particle emissions. Concurrently the emissions of SO2 and HCl increased with the addition of both materials. The slagging tendency of the pellets was effected positively which led to better combustion behavior and lower CO­emissions., Proceedings of the 18th European Biomass Conference and Exhibition, 3-7 May 2010, Lyon, France, pp. 1592-1597

In adult rat lung the lectin Maclura pomifera agglutinin (MPA) binds apically to alveolar type II (ATII) cells but not to alveolar type I (ATI) cells. This suggests that the presence of MPA binding glycoproteins might be a criterion by which to distinguish the differentiated state of these two adult alveolar epithelial cells. The authors therefore studied MPA binding glycoproteins of ATII cells, comparing, biochemically and cytochemically, MPA binding glycoproteins in freshly isolated ATII cells with those in cultures of ATII cells that are "dedifferentiating" or have "dedifferentiated" as a result of growth on tissue culture plasticware. A MPA binding glycoprotein (185 kd) that is present in freshly isolated "differentiated" ATII cells and then is subsequently lost as isolated ATII cells "dedifferentiate" in tissue culture has been identified. This 185 kd MPA binding glycoprotein alone, or expressed in conjunction with other proteins, is a candidate for a differentiation marker for ATII cells. Preliminary data suggests that this 185 kd MPA binding glycoprotein is not found in ATI cells.

We have developed an improved isolation procedure for rat lung alveolar Type II (ATII) cells which yields a more representative sample of ATII cells with respect to their densities. This procedure includes an initial selection on a density gradient of approximately the complete density range of rat lung ATII cells. Subsequently, to exclude contaminating macrophages and lymphocytes from this fraction, the authors have exploited the fact that the contaminating cells have leukocyte common antigen (LC) on their surfaces, whereas the ATII cells do not. Our procedure yields 2 X 10(7) ATII cells per rat in a fraction which is 90% pure; the cells are immediately available for biochemical or pharmacologic analysis and represent a 90-95% recovery of the ATII cells loaded onto the density gradient. The cells retain their in vivo morphologic characteristics, including their polarity.

Introduction: Autosomal dominant tubulo-interstitial kidney disease due to UMOD mutations (ADTKD-UMOD) is a rare condition associated with high variability in the age of end-stage kidney disease (ESKD). The minor allele of rs4293393, located in the promoter of the UMOD gene, is present in 19% of the population and downregulates uromodulin production by approximately 50% and might affect the age of ESKD. The goal of this study was to better understand the genetic and clinical characteristics of ADTKD-UMOD and to perform a Mendelian randomization study to determine if the minor allele of rs4293393 was associated with better kidney survival. Methods: An international group of collaborators collected clinical and genetic data on 722 affected individuals from 249 families with 125 mutations, including 28 new mutations. The median age of ESKD was 47 years. Men were at a much higher risk of progression to ESKD (hazard ratio 1.78, P < 0.001). Results: The allele frequency of the minor rs4293393 allele was only 11.6% versus the 19% expected (P < 0.01), resulting in Hardy-Weinberg disequilibrium and precluding a Mendelian randomization experiment. An in vitro score reflecting the severity of the trafficking defect of uromodulin mutants was found to be a promising predictor of the age of ESKD. Conclusion: We report the clinical characteristics associated with 125 UMOD mutations. Male gender and a new in vitro score predict age of ESKD. publishersversion published