Corn Cob CNG tanks?
TENILLE BONOGUORE
Globe and Mail Update
February 20, 2007 at 11:18 AM EST
Farm waste has been turned into a high-density gas tank that could unlock the secret to methane-fuelled cars.
Using the waste material from corn cobs, researchers from the University of Missouri-Columbia and the Midwest Research Institute in Kansas City have created carbon briquettes that use tiny complex pores – called nanopores – to store natural gas in unprecedented densities.
The methane storage system is slim enough that it could replace gasoline tanks in cars and encourage mass-market natural gas automobiles. Methane is an abundant fuel that burns cleaner than gasoline.
The technology is already being used in a pickup truck used regularly by the Kansas City Office of Environmental Quality, and principal project leader Peter Pfeifer says the breakthrough could revolutionize vehicle design.
“We are very excited about this breakthrough because it may lead to a flat and compact tank that would fit under the floor of a passenger car, similar to current gasoline tanks,” Dr. Pfeifer said.
The carbon briquettes are made from cobs left over from kernel harvesting. The state of Missouri alone could supply the raw material for more than 10 million cars per year, the researchers say.
“It would be a unique opportunity to bring corn to the market for alternative fuels – corn kernels for ethanol production, and corncob for natural-gas tanks,” Dr. Pfeifer said.
The carbon briquettes can store natural gas at an unprecedented density of 180 times their own volume and a pressure of only 3,450 kilopascals, which is the same pressure as natural gas pipelines.
That could mean the end of cumbersome high-pressure tanks that currently keep gas at 24,800 kPa and can fill up an entire car trunk.
The test pickup truck, part of a fleet of more than 200 natural-gas vehicles operated by Kansas City, has been in use since mid-October and the researchers are monitoring the technology's performance, from mileage data to measurements of the stability of the briquettes.
The briquettes are the first technology to meet the 180-to-1 storage-to-volume target set by the U.S. Department of Energy in 2000.
Globe and Mail Update
February 20, 2007 at 11:18 AM EST
Farm waste has been turned into a high-density gas tank that could unlock the secret to methane-fuelled cars.
Using the waste material from corn cobs, researchers from the University of Missouri-Columbia and the Midwest Research Institute in Kansas City have created carbon briquettes that use tiny complex pores – called nanopores – to store natural gas in unprecedented densities.
The methane storage system is slim enough that it could replace gasoline tanks in cars and encourage mass-market natural gas automobiles. Methane is an abundant fuel that burns cleaner than gasoline.
The technology is already being used in a pickup truck used regularly by the Kansas City Office of Environmental Quality, and principal project leader Peter Pfeifer says the breakthrough could revolutionize vehicle design.
“We are very excited about this breakthrough because it may lead to a flat and compact tank that would fit under the floor of a passenger car, similar to current gasoline tanks,” Dr. Pfeifer said.
The carbon briquettes are made from cobs left over from kernel harvesting. The state of Missouri alone could supply the raw material for more than 10 million cars per year, the researchers say.
“It would be a unique opportunity to bring corn to the market for alternative fuels – corn kernels for ethanol production, and corncob for natural-gas tanks,” Dr. Pfeifer said.
The carbon briquettes can store natural gas at an unprecedented density of 180 times their own volume and a pressure of only 3,450 kilopascals, which is the same pressure as natural gas pipelines.
That could mean the end of cumbersome high-pressure tanks that currently keep gas at 24,800 kPa and can fill up an entire car trunk.
The test pickup truck, part of a fleet of more than 200 natural-gas vehicles operated by Kansas City, has been in use since mid-October and the researchers are monitoring the technology's performance, from mileage data to measurements of the stability of the briquettes.
The briquettes are the first technology to meet the 180-to-1 storage-to-volume target set by the U.S. Department of Energy in 2000.
Views: 160
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Skip Peel - Mineral Consultant on -
Pete. Cool concept. If the economic stimulus plan provides incentives for alternate fuel vehicles, I suspect we will see other creative ideas and some technological break throughs. A few of the right ones would help ng as a vehicle fuel become an affordable and acceptable alternative for many of us. This may be one.
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Permalink Reply by intrepid on
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Wow. That sounds great! Obama should spend more money for R&D on this.
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Permalink Reply by P.G. on
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They need to save the corn cobs for the tanks and just feed the corn to the livestock!
Maybe groceries would be more affordable, huh?
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Permalink Reply by Big Daddy, bcnr on
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I'm with Snake, the chances of having a crash that would produce the correct mixture (BTW what Snake spoke of is known as the LEL - Lower Explosive Limit 5% and UEL - Upper Explosive Limit 15%) is highly uncommon, let alone the correct mixture accompanied with a 1100 degree ignition source. Personally, I believe gasoline is just as if not more a hazard due to it's pooling nature. NG is indeed lighter than air, it dissapates and follows the path of least resistance quite readily.
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Permalink Reply by The_Baron on
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Once natural gas is release and disipates it is no longer explosive. It will explode only in high concentrations. Gasoline vapours are heavier than air and can hover near the gound in a high enough concentration to explode. This is why you are not suppose to store gasoline or lawn equipment near a gas water heater as the pilot can ignite the gasoline vapours. Propane acts in the same way.
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Permalink Reply by Skip Peel - Mineral Consultant on
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Thanks, Snake and Cannie. You guys obviously know something beyond us laymen on this subject. It's a relief because many of us seem to have a sincere interest in supporting CNG as a vehicle fuel.
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Permalink Reply by Skip Peel - Mineral Consultant on
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And thanks to you also, Baron. Might I suggest that we could use more of the members to join the Natural Gas Cars Group. We were at 52 the last time I checked. It may be getting close to the time to discuss some efforts toward lobbying on this issue.
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Permalink Reply by Coyote Ugly on
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Skip
This is Pete
I would like to join the Natural Gas Cars Group. But, I cannot figure out how. When I click on the Natural Gas Cars Group link it goes there and then reverts back to the main page of GoHS before I can look around there. What am I doing wrong? Can you give me some guidance?
Pete
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Permalink Reply by Skip Peel - Mineral Consultant on
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Pete. I am not sure that you are doing anything wrong. The site has been experiencing some hiccups of late. I will try it myself after this response. If I experience the same problem, I will let Haynesville know. If I can send you an invite from the group page, I will do so.
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Permalink Reply by Skip Peel - Mineral Consultant on
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Pete. I was able to access the page from the group list at the bottom of the main page. Please try again and let me know if you are still having a problem.
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Permalink Reply by Coyote Ugly on
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Skip. That worked for me. I am there. Thanks much.
Pete
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Permalink Reply by Skip Peel - Mineral Consultant on
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Thanks for joining, Pete. I would appreciate it if you and other members reading this thread would consider sending a group invitation to all your GHS friends.
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