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OKIsItJustMe

(19,938 posts)
Mon Jun 4, 2012, 05:58 PM Jun 2012

Energy-dense biofuel from cellulose close to being economical

http://www.purdue.edu/newsroom/research/2012/120604TynerBioOil.html
[font face=Serif][font size=5]Energy-dense biofuel from cellulose close to being economical[/font]

June 4, 2012

[font size=3]WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – A new Purdue University-developed process for creating biofuels has shown potential to be cost-effective for production scale, opening the door for moving beyond the laboratory setting.

A Purdue economic analysis shows that the cost of the thermo-chemical H2Bioil method is competitive when crude oil is about $100 per barrel when using certain energy methods to create hydrogen needed for the process. If a federal carbon tax were implemented, the biofuel would become even more economical.

H2Bioil is created when biomass, such as switchgrass or corn stover, is heated rapidly to about 500 degrees Celcius in the presence of pressurized hydrogen. Resulting gases are passed over catalysts, causing reactions that separate oxygen from carbon molecules, making the carbon molecules high in energy content, similar to gasoline molecules.



"The process is quite fast and converts entire biomass to liquid fuel," Agrawal said. "As a result, the yields are substantially higher. Once the process is fully developed, due to the use of external hydrogen, the yield is expected to be two to three times that of the current competing technologies."

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http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s13399-012-0043-5
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Energy-dense biofuel from cellulose close to being economical (Original Post) OKIsItJustMe Jun 2012 OP
Trees growing in the bed of my truck... branches protruding from the 2on2u Jun 2012 #1
Liquids fuels research can help transitioning FogerRox Jun 2012 #2
 

2on2u

(1,843 posts)
1. Trees growing in the bed of my truck... branches protruding from the
Mon Jun 4, 2012, 07:20 PM
Jun 2012

fuel tank... PLEASE MAKE THIS A REALITY AND SOON!!!! Great news, thanks for posting.

FogerRox

(13,211 posts)
2. Liquids fuels research can help transitioning
Mon Jun 4, 2012, 08:12 PM
Jun 2012

energy usage to long term renewables. In the long term liquids fuels need to become niche.

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