A Start of a Collaboration? Biochar for Cattle Ranchers in the State of Oregon. A Decision Management Model

Sent to an Important Organization:

'I am a Jack Welch Management Institute's Operation and Management Program graduate student. I have a class project due in 2 weeks, but the project results will be a foundation for future detailed and accurate analysis. An analysis where you can benefit me. My noble goal will benefit cattle ranchers and the State of Oregon.

Discernible Spectrum will initially pick 4 cities with substantial cattle in the major seat county (host), and the surrounding county seats (customers). Afterward, we will choose the shortest practical travel path from the host county to the customers. This data will be used to estimate the delivery charge of biochar (c_ij). This is commonly called a "path problem" and/or a "Travelling Salesman Problem (TSP)."

Since we lack prospective biochar adoption and usage data from prospective cattle ranchers, which I hope you will collaborate with me in the future and provide contact to associations in the host counties at minimum, we will create a biochar demand (d_ij) by randomly assigning tons of biochar per acreage of each county.

We will assume a simplified fixed cost until I can get a more accurate data set that uses rental per acre cost (f_i).

I am building this Excel data from State of Oregon Agricultural Data of 2022. Once complete, I will do a Single Source Capacitated Facility Locator Problem (CFLP) in Southeastern Oregon, where most cattle exist, to determine the maximum profit based on my random biochar allotment per acre. This will be one potential location, and I would like you to help me find a representative of the cattle coalitions for Malheur, Morrow, Harney, Lake, Baker, Umatilla, Wallow, Grant, and Union counties. I am assuming you could have a database with these contacts.

I will then do a Capacitated Facility Locator Problem (CFLP) and choose the best Host City between Roseburg, Eugene, and Salem. One location will be chosen, initially, and an economic analysis similar to REF [1], will be performed to find the most profitable host site in a seat county.

Ideally, I will create two different co-ops. One in the Malheur region and one in the Oregon Valley, the second host site region. These co-ops will be ranchers who want to buy biochar at a reduced price that is engineered for their soil science.

Discernible Spectrum has experience with OpenFOAM computational fluid dynamics. Still, it will take a deeper dive to learn OpenFOAM solver manipulation and creation that will be applied to NetSMOKE pyrolysis software, which is aligned with OpenFOAM. We have done a paper design of the spouted-bed dryer's mass and energy balance requirements. The OpenFOAM and NetSMOKE computational analysis will allow Discernible Spectrum to model the geometry and design of a more feasible spouted-bed dryer and reactor. These units will have the approximate dimentions 4.7 meters or greater tall, 0.91 meters in diameter, and have a conical base with a 0.31-meter inlet diameter for the spout annulus creation. This is the weeds of the technical details.

Oregon State University collaborated with Montana and a University from California to show that biochar benefits cattle ranch land. I can share this article with you if you desire.

Discernible Spectrum has a board of two male Ph.D chemical engineers. There is also a retired Airforce Lt. Col female with a Harvard degree. She has a specialty in Operations Art and Science.

As I mentioned, this is a class project where the estimated skeleton must be accomplished in two weeks. What I would like from you is a connection to various cattle rancher coalitions in the other cities that I will be concentrating on in the future. Will you assist me?

Biochar is a soil amendment that increases fertility, root diameter, nodes, and length of forbs and perennial grasses. It can, based on the diameter of particle size, help with water retention or water mobility. Within cattle rangelands, it helps reduce the compaction of the soil. It also stores carbon in the soil and helps reduce greenhouse gasses.

Ideally, the host will have the biochar production equipment on their site and sell the engineered biochar to co-op members at a reduced price because the co-ops will distribute the costs but pay the host a fee so that they earn some additional income. Grants and Carbon Credits are available for Biochar, and it is the most studied Carbon Dioxide Removal Method.

References:

1. Harding, Chris. (2024). Minimizing the Sum of Facility Activation Costs and Transportation Costs at Specified Demands. Discernible Spectrum. https://www.dhirubhai.net/pulse/minimizing-sum-facility-activation-costs-specified-demands-harding-fy0ac/

Cheers,

Chris Harding, President of Nonprofit Discernible Spectrum

Jack Welch Management Institute MBA Program Graduate Student | BS Chemical Engineering and BS in Biological Sciences | 100% Total And Permanent Disabled US Veteran | Affiliate of MIT Alumni Association | Affiliate Member of MIT Alumni for Climate Action (MACA) | Past Member of The Economist Global Advisory Council (The Economist Group) | Affiliate of Johns Hopkins University Energy Policy and Climate Program Students and Alumni LinkedIn Network