Dr. Douglas M. Goodale
Dr. Douglas M. Goodale, a tenured Professor of Agronomy, has been appointed as the Project Manager and Principal Investigator (PI) for SUNY Cobleskill’s Biowaste Conversion to Bioenergy through Gasification project. Professor Goodale holds a Ph.D. in Agricultural Education with a minor in Agronomy, and has 34 years of college teaching and research experience, including expertise in Plant and Animal Sciences. His administrative experience includes 12 years as a Department Head and 6.5 years as a Dean of Agriculture and Natural Resources. This project will be administered by Dr. Goodale and his expert team of scientists/colleagues. The PI is recognized by his peers as an Outstanding Educator and Teacher Fellow. He has authored and presented numerous research articles.
Gasification Feedstock Hydrokinetics
Converting biowaste into syngas to yield the greatest bioenergy per standard cubic foot of gas is significantly influenced by various gasification feedstock hydrokinetics. Ideally, feedstocks will be introduced into the gasifier on an “as received” basis with no pre-combustion drying. The gasification system producing the syngas is designed to be self-sustaining with a portion of the excess heat channeled to a pre-gasification moisture reduction system. Feedstock energy will be calculated in advance of gasification and then the necessary portion of this energy that is needed for moisture reduction will be determined. Gasification system operators can then predict the kinetic differential to forecast how much electrical yield there is in a feedstock unit. The objective of this study is to compare various biowaste feedstocks to identify their upper and lower moisture limits and corresponding hydrokinetics to pinpoint the ideal moisture percentage at the point of kiln entry. Ultimately, this will produce a biowaste electrical yield prediction model.