258
Is this another one of these "eco-fuels" that take about ten times the energy they store just to produce them, and no one will tell you where that energy will come from?
I mean if you can get it from actually good sources (solar, geothermal) where that type of energy is in excess then use ships powered by it to transfer it around the world is that a huge problem?
It might be, if it's more efficient to use that energy for some other option.
load more comments
(1 replies)
No, see if it’s not the perfect solution to literally everything then it’s just not gonna work. /s
Together, the research team developed a process to convert human waste into a thick, black liquid that looks like crude oil and behaves like it. Using fractional distillation, the team can then derive the fuel of interest, much like oil refineries do.
Based on the (almost no) data available here, this does seem likely to be a lot of steps and a lot of energy required just to turn the poop into the substitute for crude oil, and then do all the standard further refining of that into jet fuel. I'd be very dubious about the actual real-world value until some magical further data is shared, because this innovation surely won't help anyone if the fuel it makes is more expensive than regular jet fuel.
I'd be completely unsurprised to learn they were using thermal depolymerization. The process was patented about 30 years ago and can take just about any organic material and turn it into essentially light oil. When there was a plant testing it with turkey carcasses in the US, way back in 2003, it was competitive with oil production costs, provided that turkey guts cost less than $20/ton and oil cost more than $80/barrel.
I have been saying we should use this for waste treatment plants since they first started testing this. The water we get at the end is more pure; drugs, most chemicals, and germs are broken down; and we get a saleable product at the end. Depending on the cost to build and run, we could get a better result for less money.
Now, let's talk about the efficacy of converting human remains and the price of cemetery plots...
load more comments
(2 replies)
Do you smell that Randy? It's chemtrails and they're brewing up a shit storm right over our heads.
RANDY
POOP FUEL CAN'T MELT STEEL JETS
Another stupid fuel idea. How many #2s do you need to fly from New York to Los Angeles? Probably a shitload...
But seriously, this is just another idiotic Idea. Yes, you can make fuel from a lot of sources, but neither the quantity is there, nor is this in any way efficient or cost-covering.
I once calculated that we would need to cover each and every square centimeter of agricultural area in my country with rapeseed plants without crop rotation to produce the bio-fuel that the jets in my country burn. And that does not even include the energy needed to plant it, harvest it, and process it.
Fun thing about calculations is that if you write them down you can pull them out and show it to people who are skeptic about your claims, like I am being right now of your claims.
I actually would if it had not been on the site that should not be named, and which has the most shitty search engine. Maybe I'll try Google, if my posts are still there.
That's a lot of Canola oil!
I mean I'm pretty sure a water treatment center can spare some shit for this test
This might actally power a few dozen flights a day nationwide. All the other ones will still have to rely on dead dinosaurs.
Yeah, screw every effort to get us away from dependency on fossil fuels, am I right?
load more comments
(1 replies)
load more comments
(1 replies)
You get a 10% discount if you use the lavatory during the flight
if I eat the fiber heavy in flight meal, will that be knocked up to 15%?
No because the meal is also made of 40% human poo
Not true, the FDA only allows 15%. You're thinking of rat feces.
load more comments
(1 replies)
I've always thought about how cool it would be to find a use for cat shit.
Imagine if every time your cats used the litter box, it made you money.
Have you tried grinding it into a powder and mixing it with your coffee?
I don't drink coffee.
You drink your cat shit straight, like god intended.
That’s why they call me Mr. Mistopoolees.
What about snorting it?
Don't go anywhere near the exhaust pipe.
well shit
shitter will never be full again
let poo return to the earth. jets also. we don’t need poo jets adding to the crap in the air.
load more comments
(2 replies)
Even if it works ... Human waste is so heavily contaminated by medications I don't think this is a good idea
It’s fine. The chemtrails will sprinkle us all with antidepressants offsetting the general state of despair.
Read about thermal depolymerization. Not only will there be no medication, there won't be anything more complicated than some moderately long carbon chain oils. That system can even break down the prions from mad cow disease, so it's safer than most methods for getting rid of biological waste.
Here's the summary for the wikipedia article you mentioned in your comment:
Thermal depolymerization (TDP) is the process of converting a polymer into a monomer or a mixture of monomers, by predominantly thermal means. It may be catalysed or un-catalysed and is distinct from other forms of depolymerisation which may rely on the use of chemicals or biological action. This process is associated with an increase in entropy. For most polymers thermal depolymerisation is chaotic process, giving a mixture of volatile compounds. Materials may be depolymerised in this way during waste management, with the volatile components produced being burnt as a form of synthetic fuel in a waste-to-energy process. For other polymers thermal depolymerisation is an ordered process giving a single product, or limited range of products, these transformations are usually more valuable and form the basis of some plastic recycling technologies.
load more comments
(2 replies)
Na kilo hoven, kilo cukru...
Fast as shit.
The environment would be saved if I could turn all the shit I experience at work into fuel.
As if flying wasnt a shitty enough experience as is.
Will it still pollute the atmosphere?
Yes. But the waste is likely to still produce methane that has a bigger climate warming effect that the equivalent co2 of burned but for a shorter period. The general consensus suggests it's better to burn methane than release it into the environment.
The better solution is to fly less, or wait till flying truly green. The big issue is the incredible amount of subsidy we allow for airlines. Tax or fuel for aircraft is very low. If we cut these subsidies and starting taxing aircraft fuel at similar rates to cars electric/hydrogen aircraft would come about much sooner.
Also, if its in human poo it's already in the carbon cycle and so really less of an issue. The problem is bringing up carbon that's been removed from the cycle (subterranean oil or gas pockets) and putting that back into circulation. Granted it would be better to pull carbon out of the atmosphere (somehow), but at least using poo wouldn't be adding NEW carbon. That's my understanding anyway.
It's raining shit. Hallelujah!
Idk if it's bad idea or not, but I'll happily provide them with some of the precious material to experiment on. For a small fee, obviously, for science!
They way you have environmentally friendly planes is by replacing them with trains. I doubt burning shit just to fly will be good for the environment.
Trains aren't the solution to every problem. They are slower than planes, don't work on water, and need infrastructure (tracks). They are great where they do work, but where electric planes work, there's no need to put them down.
They seem to be since electric planes don't really exist for passanger flight and are unlikely to exist in a future near enough to be meaningful. For water we got boats so that's the one place where trains aren't the solution.
Tracks are a lot cheaper than airports as far as infrastructure is concerned while also going to more places and the speed of travel is a worthwhile sacrifice to stop pollution from planes. Plus sleeper trains are so comfy compared to the hell that is the cramped airplane seat with less leg room than you need to actually fit your legs there.
load more comments
(1 replies)
view more: next ›
this post was submitted on 29 Dec 2023
258 points (100.0% liked)
Technology
59299 readers
3789 users here now
This is a most excellent place for technology news and articles.
Our Rules
- Follow the lemmy.world rules.
- Only tech related content.
- Be excellent to each another!
- Mod approved content bots can post up to 10 articles per day.
- Threads asking for personal tech support may be deleted.
- Politics threads may be removed.
- No memes allowed as posts, OK to post as comments.
- Only approved bots from the list below, to ask if your bot can be added please contact us.
- Check for duplicates before posting, duplicates may be removed
Approved Bots
founded 1 year ago
MODERATORS