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Research: Pig Manure Can Become Crude Oil
Yahoo ^
| 04/13/04
| JIM PAUL
Posted on 04/13/2004 10:24:01 AM PDT by 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
TOPICS: Business/Economy; Front Page News; News/Current Events; US: Illinois; US: Missouri
KEYWORDS: crude; crudeoil; economy; manure; oil; pig; pigmanure; pigs; recycle; science
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There is irony here if you think about our dependency of arab oil and their muslim faith...
To: m1-lightning
"Uses intense heat", where do we get that? This sounds like modern alchemy.
2
posted on
04/13/2004 10:26:37 AM PDT
by
junta
To: m1-lightning
Sounds like a bunch of crap.
3
posted on
04/13/2004 10:27:10 AM PDT
by
xrp
To: m1-lightning
They can call it Rosie's petroleum.
To: junta
The process generates methane gas which is used the heat the effluent. So out of about 100 btu's made into product only 15 btu's are used in heating.
This stuff may actually mean an end to foreign oil dependence for everyone, at least the countries with large land bodies.
DK
To: junta
"Uses intense heat", where do we get that?Fire.
6
posted on
04/13/2004 10:31:12 AM PDT
by
Blood of Tyrants
(Even if the government took all your earnings, you wouldn't be, in its eyes, a slave.)
To: junta
The process generates methane gas which is used the heat the effluent. So out of about 100 btu's made into product only 15 btu's are used in heating.
This stuff may actually mean an end to foreign oil dependence for everyone, at least the countries with large land bodies.
DK
To: m1-lightning
Reminds me of one of the Mad Max/Road Warrior movies where there was a scene of pig manure being stirred as the gas from it was used to heat the living quarters compound.
LQ
To: m1-lightning
9
posted on
04/13/2004 10:31:49 AM PDT
by
OXENinFLA
To: m1-lightning
Wooo Pig!
To: m1-lightning
Great post. Thanks to technology, there's finally some use for Ted Kennedy.
To: m1-lightning
I agree. The irony of their oil being replaced by an animal they despise. That is rich.
12
posted on
04/13/2004 10:32:50 AM PDT
by
FreeAtlanta
(never surrender, this is for the kids)
To: m1-lightning; newgeezer
I always appreciate energy threads so I can remind everyone that, we need more windmills. Lots of windmills.
13
posted on
04/13/2004 10:33:18 AM PDT
by
biblewonk
(The only book worth reading, and reading, and reading.)
To: Blood of Tyrants
I heard they were heating it by focusing the sun's rays through magnifying glasses.
14
posted on
04/13/2004 10:33:22 AM PDT
by
xrp
To: m1-lightning
This will allow Democrats to realize their dream of a self-fueled automobile.
To: m1-lightning
When do we start digging a holding area next to Teddy's house?
To: m1-lightning
Hogahol?
To: m1-lightning
Will Islamists, Jews or vegetarians be able to drive a car that uses pig-poop fuel?
To: OXENinFLA
LMAO
19
posted on
04/13/2004 10:35:13 AM PDT
by
ThomasMore
(Pax et bonum!)
To: m1-lightning
No wonder the A-Rabs have a thing about pigs and all things related. LOL
20
posted on
04/13/2004 10:35:26 AM PDT
by
jslade
(<IPeople who are easily offended, OFFEND ME!)
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