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Biofuels may power Purdue
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Purdue University took another step toward using an alternative fuel at its power plant this fall by moving switchgrass baled at a university farm to the Wade Utility Plant, which supplies electricity, steam and chilled water to the university.
The switchgrass, which was grown at Throckmorton-Purdue Agricultural Center, will be burned along with coal in one of the boilers in tests to be conducted next year, according to Klein Ileleji, assistant professor of agricultural and biological engineering. The switchgrass will generate 5-10 percent of the energy coming from the boiler during the tests, he says.
Purdue researchers are developing a delivery system for the switchgrass, because it and the coal will have to be introduced into the boiler separately. The switchgrass will be monitored to see how much is used and how much energy it creates.
Robin Ridgway, an environmental engineer at Purdue, says information from the tests will help university officials determine whether biofuels are a viable alternative.
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