Research and Development of Soy Based Road Dust Suppressants at NDSU - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Research and Development of Soy Based Road Dust Suppressants at NDSU

by James Bahr April 20, 2016

The Problem

• Over 1.3 million miles of unpaved roads in US
• Fugitive road dust generated is a hazard for people, livestock and crops
• Current widespread use of magnesium and calcium chloride create environmental

concerns and cause corrosion to vehicles and infrastructure

• With population growth, more roads are being treated with chlorides
• Better options for road dust mitigation are needed

Objectives

• Utilize waste glycerol from biodiesel production to synthesize road dust

suppressants (~200 million gallons generated per year)

• Combine crude glycerol with soy based products to create a dust suppression

agent that is water dispersible and crosslink forming

• Reduce the current use of corrosive salts on gravel roads by developing

alternative technologies

• Produce a dust control product that wont easily wash away

in the rain (longer lasting)

• Produce a dust control product that is non-toxic, non-corrosive and

biodegradable (safe for the environment)

Laboratory Synthesis

• Dual 10 liter glass reactors
• Excellent thermal control
• Vacuum distillation
• Periodic sample collection
• Extensive track record of

Soy based material synthesis

• High pressure reactor

available- 6 liter 3,000 psi

Materials Made

HPLC analysis to monitor conversion Apply to class 5 gravel Form emulsion in water Over 40 batches yielding 160 samples

Technical Approach Testing

Apply treatments to 10 lbs.

• f class 5 gravel

Dry/cure treated samples Modified cement mixer for dust collection

Preliminary Findings

• Non hardening, low odor
• Product easily dispersed in water
• Forms a stable emulsion
• Works in very dry conditions
• Is not easily washed away
• One step synthesis in less than 2 hrs
• Provisional patent filed last fall

Benefits of this Technology

• Increased demand for biodiesel waste products
• More options for dust control on gravel roads
• Non-corrosive and biodegradable
• Minimize the use of corrosive salts currently used on gravel roads
• Expanded market for soybean oil

Future Work- 2nd Year Funding

• Transition from lab scale testing to road testing
• Synthesize large quantities of soy based dust control agent
• Work with state and local agencies to test on gravel roads
• Apply dust control agents to roadbed and monitor for 3 months
• Find an industrial partner that can commercialize the technology

Future Road Testing

• Section of gravel road on the

NDSU campus (daily monitoring)

• Section of rural Cass County road

(heavy traffic) TBD

Road Dust Measurement

Road dust generation will be measured with a vehicle mounted particulate monitoring system similar to this setup developed at Penn State. Respirable aerosol concentrations of PM10 will be measured in real-time.

Partnering with NDSU

Center for Advanced Technology Development and Commercialization (CATCOM)

• Purpose- Improve and refine NDSU and/or private sector inventions leading to

the manufacturing of new products

• Match requirements- $2 from private sector (cash/in-kind) per $1 of state funds

Research ND

• Purpose- Create a long term positive economic impact on the state through the

development of new markets

• Match Requirements- $1 from private sector per $1 of state funds, no in-kind

Acknowledgment

Questions?