Science-Technology
See other Science-Technology Articles
Title: Scientists develop portable generator that turns trash into electricity
Source:
news.uns.purdue
URL Source: http://news.uns.purdue.edu/x/2007a/070201LadischBio.html
Published: Feb 1, 2007
Author: Douglas M Main, (765)496-2050, dmain@pur
Post Date: 2007-02-12 23:10:07 by A K A Stone
Keywords: None
Views: 2779
Comments: 5
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - A group of scientists have created a portable refinery that efficiently converts food, paper and plastic trash into electricity. The machine, designed for the U.S. military, would allow soldiers in the field to convert waste into power and could have widespread civilian applications in the future. Tactical biorefinery Download photo caption below "This is a very promising technology," said Michael Ladisch, the professor of agricultural and biological engineering at Purdue University who leads the project. "In a very short time it should be ready for use in the military, and I think it could be used outside the military shortly thereafter." The "tactical biorefinery" processes several kinds of waste at once, which it converts into fuel via two parallel processes. The system then burns the different fuels in a diesel engine to power a generator. Ladisch said the machine's ability to burn multiple fuels at once, along with its mobility, make it unique. Roughly the size a small moving van, the biorefinery could alleviate the expense and potential danger associated with transporting waste and fuel. Also, by eliminating garbage remnants - known in the military as a unit's "signature" - it could protect the unit's security by destroying clues that such refuse could provide to enemies. Researchers tested the first tactical biorefinery prototype in November and found that it produced approximately 90 percent more energy than it consumed, said Jerry Warner, founder of Defense Life Sciences LLC, a private company working with Purdue researchers on the project. He said the results were better than expected. The U.S. Army subsequently commissioned the biorefinery upon completion of a functional prototype, and the machine is being considered for future Army development. The tactical biorefinery first separates organic food material from residual trash, such as paper, plastic, Styrofoam and cardboard. The food waste goes to a bioreactor where industrial yeast ferments it into ethanol, a "green" fuel. Residual materials go to a gasifier where they are heated under low-oxygen conditions and eventually become low-grade propane gas and methane. The gas and ethanol are then combusted in a modified diesel engine that powers a generator to produce electricity. Ladisch and Warner said the machine eventually could be deployed in disaster situations, similar to Hurricane Katrina, or at any crisis location where people are stranded without power. Emergency crews could then use the machine to turn debris such as woodchips into much-needed electricity, Warner said. The refinery also could provide supplementary power for factories, restaurants or stores, Ladisch said. "At any place with a fair amount of food and scrap waste the biorefinery could help reduce electricity costs, and you might even be able to produce some surplus energy to put back on the electrical grid," he said. Much of the fuel the system combusts is carbon-neutral, said Nathan Mosier, a Purdue professor of agricultural and biological engineering involved in the project. Carbon-neutral fuels like ethanol do not cause an appreciable net increase in atmospheric levels of the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide. This is because the fuel releases carbon that has only recently been taken up by plants during photosynthesis, the process by which plants convert carbon dioxide to oxygen and sugars. The same is not true for petroleum, in which the carbon contents were removed from the atmosphere millions of years ago. The biorefinery generator initially runs on diesel oil for several hours until the gasifier and the bioreactor begin to produce fuel, Warner said. In the initial commissioning test, researchers measured the amount of diesel oil burned and electricity produced to calculate its efficiency. The machine produces a very small amount of its own waste, Warner said, mostly in the form of ash that the Environmental Protection Agency has designated as "benign," or non-hazardous. Any leftover materials from the bioreactor are put into the gasifier, which has to be emptied every two to three days. "It's about enough to fill a regular sized trash bag, and it represents about a 30-to-1 volume reduction," Warner said. Other companies collaborated in this project, including Bowen Engineering of Indianapolis, Huston Electric of Lafayette, Ind., and Community Power Corp. of Littleton, Colo.
Post Comment Private Reply Ignore Thread
Top • Page Up • Full Thread • Page Down • Bottom/Latest
#1. To: A K A Stone (#0)
This isn't a new development, it's just portable. Fact is, you can turn nearly anything into biodiesel, seed oils especially. The locals cook up B100 from restaurant frier grease. Yield has always been the real problem. In terms of yield per acre and practicality, algae is the most promising thing out there. (Yeah, that green shit you see in ponds) At around 10,000 gallons per acre, it's yield exceeds that of soybeans (Currently used in most biodiesel blends. And they are, by and large, blends.. with percentages of bio added to petroleum based diesel.) by over 200 times. It also gets around the shortage of arable land for fuel production. Using current processes and at current levels of consumption, even using the most efficient feedstocks available to produce fuel, we'd run short of arable land. (farm land) Leaving us nothing for food production. Algae doesn't have this problem. It can be grown in the desert or at sea, making it the first viable bio-fuel for a society and economy such as ours. Will we use it? Probably not. Why? I don't know.
I am currently at work on a machine that will turn blood into oil. Human blood, that is...
Bucks too hard plays too rough, 2000 pounds of dangerous stuff, The way he looks he wants to tear me apart, But the way he throws me nearly stops my heart,-Buck and Roll.
Cause nobody wants algea farms. I'll go with hog or chicken manure, myself.
Bucks too hard plays too rough, 2000 pounds of dangerous stuff, The way he looks he wants to tear me apart, But the way he throws me nearly stops my heart,-Buck and Roll.
Well, hell.. We'll just mine "K" street and the Weekly Standard, then.
"Shed Powers!!" Folks, when you're sitting there, thinkin' 'bout supportin' Kerry... Devolve Power, Prez'dent Dubyuh!! Devolve Power!! Now hear me, DemonRATS...Right did Liberate Iraq!! Devolve Power, RightWing Congress!! Devolve Power!! (guitar-pickin' and strummin' interlude) Devolve Power, Prez'dent Dubyuh!! Devolve Power!! Mudboy Slim (07/29/2004)
"Devolve Power Outta the Federal Leviathan and Back to the States,
#2. To: A K A Stone (#0)
#3. To: Jhoffa_ (#1)
Will we use it? Probably not. Why? I don't know.
#4. To: continental op (#3)
#5. To: continental op, Jhoffa_, MUD (#3)
(To be sung to the Rolling Stones' "Dead Flowers")
Votin' fer some rich bloke you don't know...
Well, Hanoi John LOATHES the FRee...prefers Sosh'list Tyranny!!
He's a Massachusetts Lib'ral to the bone!!
Our Righteous dreams can be real if Bush leads US now!!
That's Right...we can devolve Power to individuals...
Must devolve Power to the States...
States, devolve Power to the Counties...
Folks, it's time we Liberate the U.S. of A.!!
Folks're FRee 'cuz George Dubyuh led the way!!
Ol' MUD'll be in his basement room, laughin' while FReepin' Leftist tunes...8^D!!
In a Righteous Quest fer Independence Day!!
Our Righteous dreams can be real if Bush leads US now!!
That's Right...we can devolve Power to individuals!!
Must devolve Power to the States!!
States, devolve Power to the Counties!!
Bush, it's time we Liberate the U.S. of A. - yeah!!
Our Righteous dreams can be real if Bush leads US now!!
That's Right...we can devolve Power to individuals!!
Must devolve Power to the States!!
States, devolve Power to the Counties!!
Folks, it's time we Liberate the U.S. of A.!!
Bush, it's time we Liberate the U.S. of A.!!
Localities, and Individuals as Prescribed in the US Constitution."
Top • Page Up • Full Thread • Page Down • Bottom/Latest
[Home] [Headlines] [Latest Articles] [Latest Comments] [Post] [Mail] [Sign-in] [Setup] [Help] [Register]