Posted on 07/19/2007 11:12:13 AM PDT by Uncledave
From Wales, a box to make biofuel from car fumes
By Michael Szabo Thu Jul 19, 7:22 AM ET
QUEENSFERRY (Reuters) - The world's richest corporations and finest minds spend billions trying to solve the problem of carbon emissions, but three fishing buddies in North Wales believe they have cracked it.
They have developed a box which they say can be fixed underneath a car in place of the exhaust to trap the greenhouse gases blamed for global warming -- including carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide -- and emit mostly water vapor.
The captured gases can be processed to create a biofuel using genetically modified algae.
Dubbed "Greenbox," the technology developed by organic chemist Derek Palmer and engineers Ian Houston and John Jones could, they say, be used for cars, buses, lorries and eventually buildings and heavy industry, including power plants.
"We've managed to develop a way to successfully capture a majority of the emissions from the dirtiest motor we could find," Palmer, who has consulted for organizations including the World Health Organisation and GlaxoSmithKline, told Reuters.
The three, who stumbled across the idea while experimenting with carbon dioxide to help boost algae growth for fish farming, have set up a company called Maes Anturio Limited, which translates from Welsh as Field Adventure.
With the backing of their local member of parliament they are now seeking extra risk capital either from government or industry: the only emissions they are not sure their box can handle are those from aviation.
CAPTURE RATE
Although the box the men currently use for demonstration is about the size of a bar stool, they say they can build one small enough to replace a car exhaust that will last for a full tank of petrol.
The crucial aspect of the technology is that the carbon dioxide is captured and held in a secure state, said Houston. Other carbon capture technologies are much more cumbersome or energy-intensive, for example using miles of pipeline to transport the gas.
"The carbon dioxide, held in its safe, inert state, can be handled, transported and released into a controlled environment with ease and a minimal amount of energy required," Houston said at a demonstration using a diesel-powered generator at a certified UK Ministry of Transportation emissions test centre.
More than 130 tests carried out over two years at several testing centers have, the three say, yielded a capture rate between 85 and 95 percent. They showed the box to David Hansen, a Labour MP for Delyn, North Wales, who is now helping them.
"Based on the information, there is a clear reduction in emissions," Hansen told Reuters.
"As a result, I'm facilitating meetings with the appropriate UK government agencies, as we want to ensure that British ownership and manufacturing is maintained."
The men are also in contact with car-makers Toyota Motor Corp of Japan and General Motors Corp. of the United States. Houston said they have also received substantial offers from two unnamed Asian companies.
Both Toyota and General Motors declined to comment.
SECRETS
If the system takes off, drivers with a Greenbox would replace it when they fill up their cars and it would go to a bioreactor to be emptied.
Through a chemical reaction, the captured gases from the box would be fed to algae, which would then be crushed to produce a bio-oil. This extract can be converted to produce a biodiesel almost identical to normal diesel.
This biodiesel can be fed back into a diesel engine, the emptied Greenbox can be affixed to the car and the cycle can begin again.
The process also yields methane gas and fertilizer, both of which can be captured separately. The algae required to capture all of Britain's auto emissions would take up around 1,000 acres
.
The three estimate that 10 facilities could be built across the UK to handle the carbon dioxide from the nearly 30 million cars on British roads.
The inventors say they have spent nearly 170,000 pounds ($348,500) over two years developing the "three distinct technologies" involved and are hoping to secure more funding for health and safety testing.
Not surprisingly, the trio won't show anyone -- not even their wives -- what's inside the box.
After every demonstration they hide its individual components in various locations across North Wales and the technology is divided into three parts, with each inventor being custodian of one section.
"Our three minds hold the three keys and we can only unlock it together," said Houston.
Fess up! You didn’t read the whole article.
I did, but the part about where they will put it, a containment facility reminds me too much of Ghost Busters when they have to put the ghosts in a Laser Grid Containment system and Mr Peck from The EPA suts it down.
As someone else has said, if it works, companies would be jumping all over themselves to get it. Every dept. store, gas station and mini market would be knocking their doors down!
Be very wary of dealing with these with people from the same country as Englebert Humperdink. (Not his real name) Or Tom Jones (Not his real name, either ... Whoa Oh Oh)
Well, nobody believed two bicycle mechanics from Ohio could do what the finest minds of the age couldn't do...build a machine that flies.
Do they get sued when global cooling starts a new Ice Age?
It is bad enough that we have to pump gas. Now they want us to change nappies, too.
The “Pond Scum” solution!
Anyone else remember the Lil’ Abner series about a car that ran on smog?
Celtic ping list-
Slow day....
Though a lymiric or two might carry it:
Three men were in a Welsh pub
They had an idea for a scrub
They’d sell you a box
Claiming carbon, it locks
Now what price is this rub?
Thank you, that’s my only attempt- if you visit this thread!
“Although the box the men currently use for demonstration is about the size of a bar stool, they say they can build one small enough to replace a car exhaust that will last for a full tank of petrol.”
10 gallons of gas weighs about 66 pounds; when burned that produces about 220 pounds of CO2.
It takes about five minutes to fill your gas tank, how long would it take to change your 250 pound muffler?
I think I know why the writer uses a bar stool as his frame of reference.
We passed that signpost five months ago; we’re on “The road to riches” now.
Avoid redundancy; eschew obfuscation; respect your betters.
But there was a real Englebert Humperdinck, Hansel...
By then they’ll be rich enough to hide out in Equador.
Now they need to make a model suitable for municipal coal-fired powerplants. They could recycle all the carbon and we would never run out of anything again. Forever.
Why does my green box car have to look so pussified?
Just curious really... Why can’t it look like a big old giant Ford F250 or a ‘64 Camaro?
Be very wary of dealing with these with people from the same country as Englebert Humperdink. (Not his real name) Or Tom Jones (Not his real name, either ... Whoa Oh Oh)
Those guys above are from South Wales... if these three are in Queensferry (the by-line) then they are almost in Cheshire and don’t even need a funny Welsh name for their company...:^)
Und in a frimlous manner.
Are you new here?
Anything that is remotely deemed “green” or “Environmentally friendly” Freepers must bash it and question it’s validity then follow up with a quip about their 8 cylinder caddy or hummer.
Get with the group think, man!
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