Numerical PDE Coupling for Water Vapor Transport in Baled Corn Stover

ORAL

Abstract

Drying baled corn stover is of interest to those in biofuels and agriculture research at Idaho National Laboratory. Dried bales are significantly easier to process in ethanol producing plants, easier to transport, and experience less dry matter loss. We investigate water transport inside a corn stover bale using analytic models and a numerical model of coupled PDEs. Heat exchange between water vapor and liquid water in the bale is considered along with effects from cellular respiration: oxygen diffusion and consumption, heat generation, and liquid water production. Boundary conditions and initial conditions are considered for ambient temperature, oxygen concentration, and humidity. COMSOL Multi-physics allows for high levels of complexity in the model, but as complexity increases, convergence to a solution becomes unreasonably long---changing from minutes to weeks.

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Authors

  • AJ Rasmusson

    Brigham Young University

  • William Stockwell

    Logan High School, University of Tsukuba, Department of Physics, University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX, Division of Engineering, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, Department of Neurologic Surgery, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, Utah Valley University, University of New Mexico, Brigham Young University, Moxtek, INC, New Mexico State University, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge TN 37830, USA, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Argonne National Laboratory, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, University of Newcastle, University of Sydney, Brigham Young University Provo, Rice University, Perimeter Institute and University of Guelph, University of Reims Champagne-Ardenne, France, Texas A&M University, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, University of Valencia, Spain, None, University of Texas at El Paso, Universidad Simon Bolivar, Universidad Autonoma de Ciudad Juarez, Brigham Young University - Provo, Morgan High School - Morgan, UT, Utah State University, University of Tsukaba, Chemistry Research Center, US Air Force Academy, USAFA, JILA, University of Colorado Boulder, Department of Physics, Border Biomedical Research Center, University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX, Department of Orthopedics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, Colorado State University, National Research Tomsk Polytechnic University \& New Mexico State University,, National Institute of Standards and Technology Center for Neutron Research, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, U of Utah, NMSU, Division of Engineering, Department of Neurologic Surgery, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, Chemical Science Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA, INM - Leibniz Institute for New Materials, Saarbrucken, Germany, Department of Physics, The University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, Texas, 7996, UTEP, Arizona State University, The University of Texas at El Paso, none, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Division of Engineering, Department of Neurologic Surgery, Mayo Clinic, Department of Physics, Border Biomedical Research Center, University of Texas at El Paso, Division of Engineering, Mayo Clinic, Department of Neurologic Surgery, Mayo Clinic, Department of Physics & Astronomy, Texas A&M University, Commerce,TX-75428, USA., INFN, Sezione di Pisa, Largo Pontecorvo 3, 56127 Pisa, Italy, Texas A&M University Commerce, Commerce, Texas-75429, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Texas A&M University-Commerce, Commerce, Texas 75429, USA, Cyclotron Institute, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, USA, Department of Physics, University of Texas at El Paso, University of Delaware, IIT INDORE, UT AUSTIN, Idaho Accelerator Center, Brigham Young University, Physics and Astronomy, Univesidad de Guanajuato, Fermilab, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, RadiaSoft, LLC, Weber State University, University of Texas at Dallas, National High Magnetic Field Laboratory, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, University of Alabama in Huntsville, Marshall Space Flight Center, NASA, Howard University