Posted: 5/1/2006 8:50:33 AM EDT
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If we can make bio-diesel why can't we make bio-Gas? I am no chemist so please forgive my ignorance. I am under the impression that diesel is a bi-product of gas so why could we not add something to it to make is usable in gas engines? |
Conventional diesel can be "cracked" to form typical gasoline components. But biodiesel isn't like conventional diesel because of the presence of the carboxyl (COOH) components on each molecule of biodiesel prevents it. Too messy. Why? The carboxyl tails on all those fatty acid esters (biodiesel) tend to polymerize in conventional cracking processes, leading to eventual clogging of the processes. It would be far better to use the Fischer-Tropsch process to convert biomass into hydrogen and carbon monoxide as feedstock to produce synthetic hydrocarbons. But alas, the energy required to do this is currently cost-prohibitive unless the end product is synthetic lubricants...ever wonder why Mobil 1 is so expensive? Bingo. |
I made bio-gas last night. 
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