Integrated Biomass Supply and Logistics (IBSAL)
IBSAL is a decision-making support tool that has been used to understand the complexity and dynamics of the biomass supply chains. It is a dynamic tool that incorporates variability and uncertainty in the input parameters such as weather data, biomass yield and biomass quality and logistics equipment failure.
The heart of the IBSAL model is “engineering equations” for design of unit operations and to monitor changes in the system such as moisture content, dry matter loss, field working condition and equipment performance). These equations enable IBSAL to provide accurate information on the performance of the entire biomass supply chain in terms of cost, quantity and quality.
IBSAL Database
The IBSAL database has been developed gradually in the last 10 years in collaborations with the logistics equipment OEMs such as John Deere, AGCO, Vermeer, and Andritz. The database has detailed information on the equipment properties and their engineering economics. Examples of the logistics equipment are harvest and collection equipment, handling equipment, transportation equipment, preprocessing equipment, conveyors and storage configurations.
The biomass supply chains that have been developed, analyzed and optimized by IBSAL include agricultural residues (e.g. corn stover and wheat straw), dedicated biomass crops (e.g. Miscanthus and Willow), forest and sawmill residues, wood pellet, sugarcane bagasse, oilseed crops and municipal solid waste.
The following decisions can be made using the IBSAL model:
- Location of bio-processing facility
- Location of storage sites
- Number of biomass suppliers to contract and their location
- Ownership and custom operating costs ($/dry tonne)
- Biomass inventory planning
- Truck planning and scheduling
- Number of required logistics equipment
- Daily flow of biomass in the entire biomass supply chain
- Dry matter loss monitoring
- Moisture content monitoring
- Biomass delivered cost ($/dry tonne)
- Equipment energy consumption and its associated CO2 emissions
You can find more information about the IBSAL model and the previous projects here
List of the IBSAL publications
2018
Impact of Parcel Size, Field Shape, Crop Yield, Storage Location, and Collection Equipment on the Performance of Single-Pass Cut-and-Chip Harvest System in Commercial Shrub Willow Fields
2017
Impact of the biorefinery size on the logistics of corn stover supply–A scenario analysis
2016
2014
2013
Design and scheduling of agricultural biomass supply chain for a cellulosic ethanol plant
2011
A new simulation model for multi-agricultural biomass logistics system in bioenergy production
2010 and earlier
Technoeconomic analysis of wheat straw densification in the Canadian Prairie Province of Manitoba.
Development and implementation of integrated biomass supply analysis and logistics (IBSAL) model.