Keith Curtis Flanegan
Engineers at Smt Blvd, Rapid City, SD

License number

South Dakota 9767

Expiration Date

Dec 31, 2018

Professional information

Keith Flanegan, Pe

Position:

R&D Team Leader at KL Energy Corp, Inc

Location:

Rapid City, South Dakota Area

Industry:

Chemicals

Work:

KL Energy Corp, Inc since Feb 2009 - R&D Team Leader KL Energy Corp, Inc Feb 2007 - Feb 2009 - Senior Process Engineer Cargill Jun 2004 - Feb 2007 - Project Engineer South Dakota School of Mines and Technology Jan 2002 - Aug 2004 - Research Assistant ADM May 2001 - Dec 2001 - Engineering Intern

Education:

South Dakota School of Mines and Technology 1998 - 2004
BS, MS, Chemical EngineeringBiochemical engineering focus, MS thesis topic: coal biogasification [anaerobic digestion]

Skills:

Biomass pretreatment and cellulosic-ethanol process design

Interests:

Hiking, biking, travel, technology development

Process For Thermal-Mechanical Pretreatment Of Biomass

US Patent:

2011008, Apr 7, 2011

Filed:

Oct 6, 2010

Appl. No.:

12/899441

Inventors:

Keith C. Flanegan - Rapid City SD, US
David B. Litzen - Rapid City SD, US
Dennis A. Harstad - Rapid City SD, US
James D. Schultze - Rapid City SD, US

Assignee:

KL ENERGY CORPORATION - Rapid City SD

International Classification:

C12P 19/02, C12P 7/10, C12P 1/00

US Classification:

435105, 435165, 435 41

Abstract:

Disclosed is a process for the thermal-mechanical pretreatment of biomass. The process includes subjecting a biomass feedstock including fibers containing cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin, to thermal reaction under conditions exceeding atmospheric pressure, at a temperature exceeding ambient temperature, at a predetermined moisture content and for a predetermined amount of time. Subsequently, the pressure of said thermal reaction is reduced under conditions resulting in explosive decompression of said biomass. The decompressed biomass is then subjected to axial shear forces to mechanically reduce the size of the fibers of the biomass to obtain treated biomass. The resultant treated biomass has a high level of enzymatic digestability and a low concentration of degradation products.