Biomass fractionation

The objective of this master's thesis was to develop a process to increase the value of residual fungal biomass as an animal feed. The increase in value is achieved by enriching the protein content in the biomass and potentially isolating other valuable fractions for productisation. In the literature part of this thesis the composition of fungal biomass and fungal cell wall and the factors affecting them during cultivation are presented. The possible processing options are also presented and evaluated. The soy protein and single cell protein product manufacturing processes are used as examples due to the lack of fungal biomass fractionation processes found in published literature. The second part of this thesis was performed by making laboratory experiments on the developed process, which consisted of acid hydrolysis with subsequent ethanol extraction. Chitin was precipitated from the acid hydrolysate filtrate. The experiments were conducted with three different hydrolysis temperatures and three different acid concentrations. The optimal hydrolysis conditions were 60 °C with 10 %-vol acid concentration. Optimal conditions in hydrolysis resulted in 30 % increase in protein content in the final biomass. The conceptual process was modelled to scale of 10 000 t/a biomass feed. The mass and energy balances were based on the laboratory experiments. Economic calculations were performed to determine the maximal capital expense while achieving 10 % internal rate of return for the investment. For the basic case the capital expense threshold was 25.8 M€. Four optional cases and parameter sensitivity analysis were performed to determine the effects of changes in the process. The chitin sales had the greatest impact of the individual parameters.

Changes in understorey biomass and species composition after water level drawdown on pine mires in southern Finland

Tiivistelmä: Vedenpinnan alenemisen vaikutus sararämeen pintakasvillisuuden biomassaan ja lajistoon

Production of fungal volatile organic compounds in bedding materials

Selostus: Haihtuvien orgaanisten yhdisteiden muodostuminen kuivikkeissa

Effect of fertilizer treatment on the biomass production and nutrient uptake of short-rotation willow on cut-away peatlands

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Effect of repeated fertilizer application on the nutrient status and biomass production of salix 'Aquatica' plantations on cut-away peatland areas

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Biomass production and nutrient uptake of short-rotation plantations

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Nursery Practices and Management of Fungal Diseases in Forest Nurseries in Finland : a review

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Selection of Salix myrsinifolia clones for biomass forestry in Finland

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Clonal variation in nutrient content in woody biomass of hybrid aspen (Populus tremula L. x P. tremuloides Michx.)

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Nutrient allocation, accumulation and above-ground biomass in grey alder and hybrid alder plantations

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