BSE 364: Engineering Properties of Food and Biological Materials
Course description: Study physical, mechanical, thermal, aero and hydrodynamic, electromagnetic and other properties of biomaterials. Learn the methods and technologies for determining the properties. Understand the importance of such property values in the design and operation of various agricultural, food and bioprocess engineering systems.
Link: http://courses.engr.wisc.edu/bse/bse364.html
BSE 460: Biorefining-Energy and Bioproducts from Renewable Resources
Course description: This course will provide an overview of biorefining for producing energy (fuels), chemicals and materials from renewable resources (biomass). The course convers the following topics.
- Fundamentals of biorefining: chemistry of natural polymers, structure and chemical composition of biomass, mass and energy balance, and microbiology in biomass bioconversion.
- Biomass production and processing: photosynthesis, biomass production, harvesting, storage, cleaning, drying, and size reduction
- Energy and fuels from biomass: heat and power, starch ethanol, cellulose ethanol, biodiesel, bio-hydrogen, biodiesel, hydrocarbons (bio-gasoline), thermochemical conversion (gasification, pyrolysis and liquefaction)
- Commodity chemicals from biomass: such as lactic acid and PLA, levulinic acid, furfural, succinic acid, xylitol, and sorbitol
- Materials from biomass: natural fibers, pulp & paper, cellulose derivatives, bio-composites, lignin application.
- Sustainability of bioeconomy: economical, ecological, environmental and social aspects of biorefineries.