Posted on 08/04/2005 6:35:33 AM PDT by Extremely Extreme Extremist
MOSCOW, Idaho - A University of Idaho graduate student believes the answer to the world's crude oil crisis grows on trees. Juan Andres Soria says he has developed a process that turns wood into bio-oil, a substance similar to crude oil.
The process — in which sawdust and methanol are heated to 900 degrees Fahrenheit to create the bio-oil — is already drawing some interest from energy and wood product companies, Soria said.
"But because it's quite novel, there's a bit of reserve," he said.
Soria is testing his theory with the help of Armando McDonald, associate professor of wood chemistry and composites in the University of Idaho's College of Natural Resources.
Though the idea may sound far-fetched, Soria and McDonald say the theory has precedent in nature — coal is the result of trees being subjected to high amounts of heat and pressure.
"We're trying to speed up the process," McDonald said. "Rather than doing it in millions of years, can we do it in minutes?"
So far, Soria's research has focused on sawdust from Ponderosa pine trees, although he said any variety of tree could be used, including fast-growing varieties like those being cultivated for wood pulp. Only about 2 percent of the mass is lost in the heating process, he said. After the bio-oil is produced, he separates it by boiling points, or grades. So far, he said, he's identified oil grades that could someday replace gasoline, tar, glues and resins that make things like lawn furniture.
Ponderosa pine sawdust is only the beginning, Soria and McDonald claim. Next, they will begin testing to see if they can get bio-oil from pine needles and bark.
The two are doing the research without grant money. Soria plans to use the research in his dissertation for his doctorate. If the private sector likes the idea enough to back it financially, Soria said he could put together an industrial-size bio refinery in five years.
Still, he said, the bio-oil isn't likely to be an immediate competitor to crude oil. Crude oil currently costs about $60 a barrel, and bio-oil will only be competitive when the cost of crude oil reaches $80 a barrel, Soria said.
There is a huge new development being built across the road from where I live. Step one seems to be bulldoze all of the trees down, while Step two is pile them up and burn them. I guess the air wasn't dirty enough or maybe it was too cool at 90 degrees.
At ~$2.50/gallon, methanol ain't exactly cheap as a feedstock.
Probably an electric furnace.
Great post
Starting with William Randolph Hearst's campaign to criminalize hemp when a hemp gin was perfected that threatened his newsprint empire.
HEMP BUMP
Same as bio diesel but a different plant.
Perhaps you think normal oil is refined without heat?
In related news, grade schooler believes that people can all walk to work, high school student believes that solar powered vehicles are practical, Democrats believe that wealth should be distributed rather than earned.
I hope Eileen Collins does not have a heart attack after she reads this theory.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1456822/posts
After reading this, I envision the little lady having a half-baked design for a perpetual-motion machine lying around somewhere.
Oh, Soria is a guy. So, strike that "little lady" remark, and replace it with any of a number of nutty-professor epithets. :)
Firewood ?
I think it's probably not the most efficient way to get your bio product for conversion. I'm sure there is an optimum in converting sunlight to the right plant and converting that plant into oil with the least energy.
I'm no scientist but, this one sounds silly (even if oil is $80/bbl).
I don't see why it sounds silly, except I think it would take a ton of energy to convert wood to sawdust. Why not just grow that crack grass or whatever that one kind of grass is that is grown for burning?
Of course. That's where he got the sawdust in the first place.
BWA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-...
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