In the U.S. alone, over 20 million new wood railroad ties are installed every year. While wood is currently the best option for railroad ties (and utility poles) the ability to re-use or dispose of treated wood coming is clearly a critical consideration. Regulatory, environmental, and the financial landscape for re-use and disposal are rapidly changing, with the goal being to re-use these creosote treated railroad ties and utility poles possibly as feedstocks for bio-oil production. A good proposed process is to use careful temperature and time control in commonly used pyrolysis techniques, such as intermediate and fast pyrolysis. As this exploration continues, it is always a consideration that the water-resistant chemicals and pesticides infused in the wood be properly dealt with. Disposing of used wooden railroad ties properly is important to the ecology, and pyrolysis appears to be a good solution.
Large renewable energy and biochemical consulting firms certainly have experts in biotechnologies like pyrolysis, as well as the more common areas like bio and renewable fuels, biomass and biomass power, feedstocks, biomaterials, and biochemicals. These larger groups will also have expertise in other technologies like agitation systems, anaerobic digestion, bio-oil extraction, bioreactors, carbon capture, carbon storage, carbonization, catalysis, cellulosic ethanol, cleantech, direct combustion, enzyme technologies, fermentation, Fischer-Tropsch, gasification, genetic engineering, hydrothermal, nanotechnology, organosynthesis, power generation, renewable technology due diligence, synthetic biology, thermochemical conversion, torrefaction, water treatment, and waste management.
Lee Enterprises Consulting is the world’s premier bioeconomy consulting group, with over 100 highly qualified experts serving in all these areas. Take a look at our experts and the services we provide. Most of our experts are also available to advise and serve as expert witnesses in bioeconomy litigation matters. For the larger projects, we specialize in putting together full service, interdisciplinary teams with one point of contact. Call us at 1+ (501) 833-8511 or email us for more information.