Development Programs
Pilot Development and Operation
PureVision's bench-scale continuous process development unit (PDU) at a fractionation capacity of approximately 40 kg per day (dry weight) of cellulosic biomass was utilized for fractionating corn stover, wheat straw, bagasse (crushed sugarcane), triticale straw, corncobs and wood from 2004 through 2008. In addition to providing fractionation data, the PDU was used for providing vital information for scale-up to the next level Fractionator™. The PDU was sold to Auburn University in 2008.In October 2008, the half-ton per day extruder was delivered to PureVision headquarters. Since this time the company has been working to retrofit, shakedown and operate its prototype Fractionator™ to evaluate different cellulosic feedstocks under contract with industrial clients and to develop the design specifications for scale-up to the 20-ton per day pilot Fractionator™. In 2010, PureVision and their collaborators are planning to locate a 20-ton per day Fractionator™ at an existing corn ethanol facility. This important developmental program will provide critical data for converting diverse cellulosic biomass into sugars and biofuels at a continuous pilot scale. Data being generated at this pilot scale will be used to design and ultimately build a commercial-scale Fractionator™ that is anticipated to break ground in 2012