During the past year, this project has finished two important experiments. One is high fermentation conversion from wheat straw fibers to soluble low-molecular weight molecules, such as 2-carbons, 3-carbons and 4-carbons fermentation products The results show that ~33.7% of the fibers was degraded.
The fermented mixture and the fermented mixture plus salt were compared with commercial Deicing Samples 46 and Sample 47. Controls included non-fermented wheat straw mixture and non-fermented wheat straw mixture with salt. The freezing temperature of the Commercial Deicing Samples and the experimental fermentation mixture were too low to measure in available instrumentation. Subsequently, the experimental fermentation formula, sample 46 and sample 47 were diluted 5 times with Milli-Q water. This dilution reasonably mimics that observed in the field due to natural water precipitation. After dilution, the freezing temperature and melting temperature are shown in Table 2.
The results show that the fermented product A obtained from this study, its freezing temperature is slightly higher and the melting temperature is slightly lower than control that without bacteria added for fermentation. This result implied that during fermentation, part of the chemstat in the culture medium was consumed by the bacteria. Meanwhile, the fermented products play no important role in influencing the temperature. The fermented product A and CK respectively mixed with salt and followed 5 times dilution with Milli-Q water, their freezing temperature is different less than 1 degree in Celsius, but melting temperature more than 2.87 degree difference in Celsius. These results indicate that although product A freezes at a similar air temperature with control, the product A will melt quite earlier than control. For a practical deicing product, this is also an important characteristic. If compared with the Commercial Sample 46 and 47, it is found that the product A remains between Sample 46 and 47 in freezing temperature, but lower at melting temperature, indicating product A is superior to Sample 46 or 47.
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