Designing a biomass storage system: Part of a biomass production system

As part of a system for the pre-harvest, harvest, transportation, storage, and information systems in biomass production, in storage biomass is preserved, after harvest and before conversion to a bioenergy product such as ethanol. The purpose of storage is to deliver to the conversion plant the most cellulose and at the least recalcitrance level possible. Storage may occur indoors or in open air, and could entail heating, drying, and temperature or humidity control. Dry matter losses are affected by temperature, substrate availability, moisture content, porosity, and air diffusion rates into the biomass. A model could simulate dry these losses, which are reduced by sealing and compacting biomass, reducing bale contact with the ground in case of outdoor storage, drying, freezing or cooling, ensiling, and adding salts, acids, or carbon dioxide to the stored biomass. Biomass quality as affected by storage is determined by its moisture content, mechanical integrity (cutting forces), coefficient of friction and angle of repose, density, and chemical composition. The cost and effectiveness of a variety of storage technologies are considered when determining the optimal biomass storage system, given a set of constraints.