Research: Pig Manure Can Become Crude Oil

Yahoo ^ | 04/13/04 | JIM PAUL

[m1-lightning]

URBANA, Ill. - A University of Illinois research team is working on turning pig manure into a form of crude oil that could be refined to heat homes or generate electricity.

Years of research and fine-tuning are ahead before the idea could be commercially viable, but results so far indicate there might be big benefits for farmers and consumers, lead researcher Yanhui Zhang said.

"This is making more sense in terms of alternative energy or renewable energy and strategically for reducing our dependency on foreign oil," said Zhang, an associate professor of agricultural and biological engineering. "Definitely, there is potential in the long term."

The thermochemical conversion process uses intense heat and pressure to break down the molecular structure of manure into oil. It's much like the natural process that turns organic matter into oil over centuries, but in the laboratory the process can take as little as a half-hour.

A similar process is being used at a plant in Carthage, Mo., where tons of turkey entrails, feathers, fat and grease from a nearby Butterball turkey plant are converted into a light crude oil, said Julie DeYoung, a spokeswoman for Omaha, Neb.-based Conagra Foods, which operates the plant in a joint venture with Changing World Technologies of Long Island, N.Y.

Converting manure is sure to catch the attention of swine producers. Safe containment of livestock waste is costly for farmers, especially at large confinement operations where thousands of tons of manure are produced each year. Also, odors produced by swine farms have made them a nuisance to neighbors.

"If this ultimately becomes one of the silver bullets to help the industry, I'm absolutely in favor of it," said Jim Kaitschuk, executive director of the Illinois Pork Producers Association.

Zhang and his research team have found that converting manure into crude oil is possible in small batches, but much more research is needed to develop a continuously operating reaction chamber that could handle large amounts of manure. That is key to making the process practicable and economically viable.

Zhang predicted that one day a reactor the size of a home furnace could process the manure generated by 2,000 hogs at a cost of about $10 per barrel.

Big oil refineries are unlikely to purchase crude oil made from converted manure, Zhang said, because they aren't set up to refine it. But the oil could be used to fuel smaller electric or heating plants, or to make plastics, ink or asphalt, he said.

"Crude oil is our first raw material," he said. "If we can make it value-added, suddenly the whole economic picture becomes brighter."

Zhang's site: Zhang's site: http://www.age.uiuc.edu/faculty/yhz/index.htm

[newgeezer]

No, not at all. Neither is newgeezer.

C'mon. We're not the only windpower advocates on FR.







(Are we? ;O)

[E.G.C.]

BTTT!!!!!!

[biblewonk]

Uh, that's peak gigawatts.

True

Most of the time, those contraptions just sit there.

False

(The ones that aren't broken, that is.)

Sometimes they need maintenance, just like every other power plant on the planet.

[biblewonk]

LOL! I think there were 2 or 3 more out of 10,000 or so.

[CedarDave]

Low flush toilets are a prime example of eco fairy tales that ended up to be real stinkers and messes.

Huh? Happens with your's, too?

[snopercod]

Start by sealing the container, and heating it to ~400 F

Let's see, ignoring the cost of the heating equipment and the ASME pressure vessel, it would take roughly 10⁶ BTUs of heat to heat up a ton of pig shit to 400F and an equal amount to heat up the pressure vessel. It would probably take another million or four to get it up to 600F and hold it there for long enough for the reaction to take place.

So just to heat up 2000# of the mess would cost from $50 to $125 in fuel costs alone. Fuel cost calculator

How much oil did you say a ton of pig shit would make?

(The above analysis ignores the labor costs of the thousands of pig shit shovelers.)

[Anitius Severinus Boethius]

Instead of hearing about fairy tales, why don't you go to the website, read independent studies (like this one from U of I) and come see the actual plant currently running in Carthage.

Most of these scams go away because the science isn't there to back it up. But sadly, most of the doubters on this site don't care about "science" or "facts", they just can't imagine that this can be true. Probably the same treatment "electric lights" and "aeroplanes" got during their early days.

[Hodar]

I understand this facility and the prototype on the east coast some place was to be about 85% efficient. That would mean 85% of what goes in comes out as a useful/sellable product.

From what I have read, the efficiency is a basis of how much power (fuel) is required to run the process versus how much power (fuel) is produced. Thus, for an 85% efficient plant, this means that 15% of the fuel produced needs to be used by the plant.

As for what percentage of the product is useful/sellable ... that would depend upon the input material. In the case of turkey offal, the waste products are water, fertilizer and various grades of oil.

[Dark Knight]

Here's a quick rundown on the Thermal Depolymerzation done at the Turkey Guts into oil program.

http://www.changingworldtech.com/pdf/NaturalGasTechConf2_11_04.pdf

These guys have gone from a pilot plant to a production plant. I just have not seen it expressed enough in various literature to believe it totally yet. But the pig manure thing sounds like an extremely similar project.

The upshot of all of this is turn organic garbage into minerals, water and oil. Any organic garbage. Tires, landfills, paper, animals...anything. The only changes in the process is how long to do the different stages and of course the mix of the output of water, minerals and oil. They were even talking about using this process for circuit boards. Gee, just talking about is exciting. Can you imagine a change in our culture if landfills could efficiently be turned into oil producers? How about sewage treatment plants? Those mounds of millions of tires?

Heck, I'm sounding like a commercial.

By the way, the pilot plant was turning turkey guts into oil for about $15 dollars/barrel and they think that a real production facility could do it for $7, and this oil is blonde and sweet, not black and full of other stuff (but I think that just may be the turkey guts).

Better stop here.

DK

[Hodar]

Are you saying that the class of chemicals produced by TDP are the same brew of paraffins as are found in crude oil?

According to the article published by Discover magazine, and supported by the experts in TDP ... yes; that is exactly what I'm stating.

The article may be found here.

[Anitius Severinus Boethius]

How much oil did you say a ton of pig shit would make?

The turkey plant in Carthage produces 500 barrels a day from 200 tons of turkey waste. So that is 2 1/2 barrels per ton. The estimated cost is $15 a barrel, but that isn't the end all be all of the financial side. They also produce tons of high nitrate fertilizer, tons of methane (used by the plant for heating, so cost to purchase fuel for heating would be partially offset) and they reduce the landfill destined waste by a large percent (80% or more) saving transport and storage fees for the turkey plant.

[Sam the Sham]

If you do a little research on the board of Changing World Technologies, the people behind TDP, you see a cross section of the American power elite. An ex CIA director, some ex-State Department types, Merrill-Lynch directors, etc. These are most definitely not some kids in a garage.

Powerful, serious people with the clout to get in on the ground floor of a good thing and with the muscle to run interference. No, this isn't a scam.

[Grampa Dave]

Your b$ quota has just been filled for the day and probably the week.

When valid alternative energy sources are out there, we investors will beat a path to the doors. Hell, I might camp on the doors to buy some stock.

Snooper Cod has used the hard nosed engineer's audit of the Pig $hit Energy $ham:

"To: Hodar; SierraWasp

Start by sealing the container, and heating it to ~400 F

Let's see, ignoring the cost of the heating equipment and the ASME pressure vessel, it would take roughly 106 BTUs of heat to heat up a ton of pig shit to 400F and an equal amount to heat up the pressure vessel. It would probably take another million or four to get it up to 600F and hold it there for long enough for the reaction to take place.

So just to heat up 2000# of the mess would cost from $50 to $125 in fuel costs alone. Fuel cost calculator

How much oil did you say a ton of pig shit would make?

(The above analysis ignores the labor costs of the thousands of pig shit shovelers.)


146 posted on 04/13/2004 1:44:47 PM PDT by snopercod (When the people are ready, a master will appear.)

[CedarDave]

Just in case someone making this calculation doesn't know, an oil barrel is 42 gallons, not the 55 gallons typically thought of as being in an oil drum.

[snopercod]

most of the doubters on this site don't care about "science" or "facts"

I'm an engineer and former building contractor, and DO care about science and facts. What's more - unlike many of the alternative energy advocates here - I have actually tried some of these fairy-tale schemes back in my Mother Earth News days.

The fact is that most of them are uneconomical outside of any government-funded laboratory setting. When you start adding in equipment costs, property taxes, interest, permits, maintenance costs, repairs, etc... like those of us in the real world have to do, most of them just aren't worth it.

(I do advocate solar hot water if the climate is right, you have permanent solar access, and if you can build and maintain the system yourself.)

[Hodar]

OK, for the sake of argument, let's say your figures are accurate. The container loses 10 MBTU due to poor insulation, the 2000 lbs of pig waste requires 10 MegaBTU plus 4 MegBTU to hold the temp.

This is true for the FIRST batch. The second batch will require far less; for the super-heated water is used to pre-heat the next batch.

I cannot speak as to the efficiency of hog waste .... but quoting from the article on TDP it is 85% efficient for complex mixtures of turkey offal. That is to say, for 100 BTU of fuel produced, 15 BTU of energy is required to run the process. Link may be found here.

[Anitius Severinus Boethius]

I think I responded to him. But as usual, you would rather go with what you "feel to be true" rather than read the material presented.

You say, I don't believe it!

I say, ok, please read the material.

You say, I don't believe it!

What else can I say. If you won't read the material, there is nothing I or anyone else can do to convince you. You won't read the studies, you won't listen to those trained in the field, you won't believe it simply because you won't believe it.

Have a great day! I'm sure you will, after all, I'm told ignorance is bliss.

[Hodar]

The fact is that most of them are uneconomical outside of any government-funded laboratory setting.

Ummm, materials cost is zero. Thus, any costs incurred are due to equipment, manpower and process expenses. With a zero materials cost, the feasability becomes much greater. I would encourage you to take a look at the link I provided.

[Grampa Dave]

Your posting name and this reply bring a real big smile to my face.

You noted: "the people behind TDP, you see a cross section of the American power elite. An ex CIA director, some ex-State Department types, Merrill-Lynch directors, etc. These are most definitely not some kids in a garage.

"Powerful, serious people with the clout to get in on the ground floor of a good thing and with the muscle to run interference. No, this isn't a scam."

As Liz knows, one of my requirements re investing in a company or mutual fund is to totally avoid left wing lunatic controlled companies. How many of these power people are card carrying rats, rat donors and rat voters? If GW is reelected their fairy tales/scams will not come true.

God forbid if Kerry gets elected, I may have to start investing in companies controlled by lunatic lefties. They love to get really creative with their books and their auditing companies. You have to buy quick and sell before the bubble of reality bursts with these companies.

[Mackey]

The irony of the possibility of destroying Islam's economy by using the feces of one of its most reviled animals is outstanding.

If this comes to pass, I shall bust a gut laughing! And send out many a taunting e-mail to the Saudi embassy!