Everyday Waste to Become Gasoline
An agreement between Texas Engineering Experiment Station (TEES) and Byogy Renewables Inc, has renewed hopes of a future where gasoline prices are back within everyone’s grasp. And according to those involved, the process could become a reality within the next two years.
“This technology is important because it addresses many issues - eliminating waste, producing economical fuel quickly and being friendly to our environment,” said Dr. Kenneth Hall, associate director of TEES. “It’s a win-win for industry and consumers. Furthermore, this technology is ready to be commercialized now and does not require any new scientific or technological breakthroughs to become a reality.”
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Hall, also the Jack E. & Frances Brown Chair and professor in the Artie McFerrin Department of Chemical Engineering at Texas A&M University, developed the process of converting biomass to high-octane gasoline with colleagues Mark T. Holtzapple, a professor in chemical engineering, and Sergio A. Capareda, a professor in biological and agricultural engineering.
The team believes that the “advanced process is possibly the only integrated system that converts biomass directly to gasoline,” rather than requiring a third step like many other processes, that convert biomass in to alcohol before blending it with gasoline. The process makes use of a range of materials including garbage, biosolids from wastewater treatment plants, green waste such as lawn clippings, food waste, and any type of livestock manure.
This new process also has additional benefits, apart from its apparent ease of production. It does not require food crops such as corn, thus it will not put a strain on food supplies. The process could also utilize non-food/feed crops grown specifically for biomass energy. In addition, as mentioned above by Hall, the technology already exists to make it commercially feasible.
“Our goal with this technology is to achieve as much as a 2 percent contribution to the nation¿s gasoline demand by 2022 through the building of 200 more bio-refineries,” said Benjamin J. Brant, President and Chief Technology Officer of Byogy. “We firmly believe the TEES technology combined with the Byogy team offers this possibility.”
Ethanol is superior to gasoline as a motor fuel. That’s why Indy racecars are switching to ethanol. It may have lower BTUs, but it has higher octane, it dissolves in water, its cheaper, and it burns cleaner and cooler, resulting in less heat loss. Proven technology that is here now.
The main problem with ethanol is that the majority of engines on the road today are not designed for it. The exception is the Saab 9-5 Biopower engine, which IS optimized for ethanol. It outperforms gasoline, getting 20% more power, 16% greater torque, and 10% better mileage. Within the next two years, Lotus, Suzuki, Ford, GM and numerous other car makers will introduce engines which exploit the advantages of ethanol.
Our system of blending 15% gasoline into ethanol is not necessary. Ethanol can be denatured without using gasoline. That was how politicians created an incentive for oil companies to distribute ethanol, by giving them a 51 cent per gallon tax credit to blend it with gasoline. Problem is, ethanol performs better when its mixed with water rather than gasoline. This is called hydrous ethanol.
A Pratt Community College engine testing team lead by instructor Greg Bacon, mixed 20% water with pure ethanol, and efficiency in the combustion chamber doubled. When the ethanol explodes, the water instantly turns into additional power in the form of steam and provides hydrogen and oxygen inside the cylinder. Next year, Ford is introducing the EcoBoost engine, which may also have advanced ethanol technology that doubles efficiency. Brazil has been using 4% hydrous ethanol for years. They laughed at us when we started mixing ethanol with gasoline. Water is the way. Louisiana is implementing an experimental hydrous ethanol program. Dongfeng, a major Chinese auto maker is introducing a car this year, with a slightly modified fuel system, that runs on 65% ethanol and 35% water. They claim hydrogen is formed. Toyota also has a similar hydrous ethanol reformer in the pipeline that produces on board hydrogen.
The BTU argument that ethanol is inferior to diesel and gasoline is not valid. With advanced engine technology, hydrous ethanol can outperform gasoline 2 to 1. Major automakers are scheduled to produce smaller, lighter, high compression and turbocharged ethanol optimized engines that are far more efficient than current gasoline and diesel engines. Maybe that’s why Toyota is building ethanol plants in Brazil, and GM is investing in ethanol development in the U. S…They must know something we don’t know about ethanol.