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| Dr. Duane Dombek |
Evaluating Economic Potential for West Virginia
MATRIC, together with the WV Development Office, is undertaking two studies related to biomass conversion. Funding is provided by the Southeastern Regional Biomass Energy Partnership, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Energy. The studies will examine the economic feasibility of biodiesel production in West Virginia and evaluate opportunities for biorefinery operations in the state. According to Jeff Herholdt, WVDO’s Energy Efficiency Program Manager, “WVDO felt that MATRIC was uniquely qualified to conduct this research due to the quality of their in-house expertise and chemical industry affiliations.” The main objective of the biodiesel study will be to analyze the economic feasibility of a West Virginia biodiesel industry, which could be impacted by the existing manufacturing and chemical production infrastructure. Biodiesel can be produced from vegetable oils or animal fats, and another objective will be to identify the most economical sources of raw material for operations in the state. Biorefineries are facilities that produce fuels, power, and industrial and specialty chemicals from biomass. West Virginia produces significant quantities of wood byproducts that could serve as a raw material for biorefinery operation. The goal of this study will be to identify the most promising outlets for biomass utilization using the biorefinery concept. In addition to these studies, MATRIC scientists and engineers are working on a number of technologies for increased utilization of plant-derived resources. Our goals are to minimize pollution, reduce our dependence on fossil fuels, and find environmentally benign and more economical alternatives to some of the industrial products now in use. |
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| Dr. Duane Dombek |
MATRIC Experience Provides Value
An Australian company has recently experienced two unexpected events in a chemical process they are operating. They approached MATRIC for assistance in determining the causes of these events and modifying the design to avoid recurrences. Mid-Atlantic Commercial Research (MCR), a subsidiary of MATRIC, has assembled a team to study the design and operational history of the process. After a preliminary assessment of information provided by the company, members of the team are preparing to visit the plant site in Australia. There they will review the facility in detail, discuss the team findings, and recommend process improvements. MCR has already completed a number of safety-related projects for domestic and international organizations. According to Tom Maliszewski, team leader for the current project, “MATRIC has a number of employees who are very experienced in supporting production plant process safety issues, including incident investigation. We don’t think you can find a better consulting group in chemical plant operational safety.” |
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| Keith A. Pauley |
The Oil Age Poster A Tool for Examining the Geologic Realities and Social Ramifications of the Modern World's Most Prized Resource. http://www.oilposter.org/posterlarge- x.html
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