Auburn University Mobile Gasifier Demonstration

Mon, 02 Dec 2013 19:00:00 -0500

o The mobile gasifier has been successfully operated with a wide range of biomass resources including, wood pellets, switchgrass pellets, chicken litter, and several others. It is a wonderful way to illustrate the potential for alternative energy generation to a broad audience and allows the AU-IGERT trainees from very different backgrounds (forestry, agriculture, sciences, and engineering) to explain how their contribution fits within the big picture. During this reporting period the unit has been utilized in more than 25 education and outreach activities across three states, Alabama, Georgia and Tennessee. For example, in February 2013, the mobile gasifier was on display as part of the Auburn University College of Engineering Open House (E-Day), where more than 3,000 high school students and teachers visited the Auburn campus to learn about engineering. AU-IGERT faculty, trainees and associates helped in explaining the technology to these aspiring engineers. Similarly, in April 2013, the unit was part of the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport Earth Day celebration as well as the Clean Coast Expo in Gulf Shores, AL. In total over the past 5 years, the unit has been seen by nearly 15,000 people at events ranging from Oklahoma City, OK to Washington, DC.