Fuel of the Next Generation of Clean Vehicles Is in Missouri's Soil
April 9, 2009
Story Contact: Kelsey Jackson, (573) 882-8353, JacksonKN@missouri.edu
COLUMBIA, Mo. -Natural-gas-fueled cars would be more eco-friendly and cost efficient than current petroleum-fueled cars. However, natural-gas-fueled vehicles face a few road blocks before they can cruise on every U.S. highway. The Alliance for Collaborative Research in Alternative Fuel Technology (ALL-CRAFT), a partnership among the University of Missouri, the Midwest Research Institute (MRI) and nine other institutes, is working to make natural-gas-fueled cars a reality by using existing Missouri resources, such as corncob waste and methane from landfills.
"Missouri's corn can supply raw material for natural gas tanks for all the cars in the United States," said Peter Pfeifer, professor and chair of the Department of Physics in the MU College of Arts and Science. "The recovery of natural gas from Missouri's landfills would turn a pollutant into renewable energy and could provide an opportunity for economic growth in rural areas."
Although natural-gas-fueled cars would reduce smog, greenhouse emissions and dependence on foreign oil, challenges remain. Currently, natural gas stations are not widely available and storage tanks are bulky.
To make a smaller storage tank, MU researchers have developed carbon briquettes, nicknamed
"Missouri hockey pucks." These "hockey pucks" are made from waste corncobs that are abundant in
Missouri. When corncobs are reduced to carbon briquettes and "activated" they develop a space-filling network on nanopores, which are responsible for their unique ability to store natural gas with high capacity at low pressure, a discovery that allows for more flexible and less bulky fuel tank designs.
In 2007, researchers manufactured 300 disk-shaped briquettes, loaded them in a prototype tank and fueled delivery system constructed by MRI, and installed the system on a natural gas vehicle on loan from the Kansas City Office of Environmental Quality. The tank, in a road test that began in January 2007, is performing flawlessly.
"For the same amount of energy, combustion of natural gas produces significantly less CO2 than combustion of gasoline, reducing the production of greenhouse gases," said Carlos Wexler, associate professor of physics in the MU College of Arts and Science. "Ultimately, hydrogen-fueled cars are the goal, but natural gas can serve as a stepping stone to move the economy in the direction of hydrogen by setting up natural gas fuel stations and pipelines, which could be later converted to hydrogen."
The production of natural gas tanks could bring economic opportunities to Missouri, including:
Producing natural gas tanks for 10 million cars per year: approximately $10 billion per year.
Producing and operating natural gas tanks from corn cob for 2,500 landfills: approximately $10 billion per year.
Producing natural gas tanks for large-scale natural gas shipping: approximately $5 billion per year.
Partners of the project include MU; Lincoln University; Midwest Research Institute; DBHORNE, LLC; Renewable Alternatives, LLC; Missouri Biotechnology Association; Clean Vehicle Education Foundation; Missouri Department of Natural Resources; City of Columbia; Kansas City Office of Environmental Quality/Central Fleet; and EMPA Materials Science and Technology.
The research is funded by the National Science Foundation, California Energy Commission, U.S. Department of Energy and the U.S. Department of Defense.
Pfeifer will speak about ALL-CRAFT at the 2009 Missouri Energy Summit Campus held on the Columbia campus. For more information, visit http://www.umsystem.edu/summits/energy2009/program/schedule/.
Story Contact: Kelsey Jackson, (573) 882-8353, JacksonKN@missouri.edu
COLUMBIA, Mo. -Natural-gas-fueled cars would be more eco-friendly and cost efficient than current petroleum-fueled cars. However, natural-gas-fueled vehicles face a few road blocks before they can cruise on every U.S. highway. The Alliance for Collaborative Research in Alternative Fuel Technology (ALL-CRAFT), a partnership among the University of Missouri, the Midwest Research Institute (MRI) and nine other institutes, is working to make natural-gas-fueled cars a reality by using existing Missouri resources, such as corncob waste and methane from landfills.
"Missouri's corn can supply raw material for natural gas tanks for all the cars in the United States," said Peter Pfeifer, professor and chair of the Department of Physics in the MU College of Arts and Science. "The recovery of natural gas from Missouri's landfills would turn a pollutant into renewable energy and could provide an opportunity for economic growth in rural areas."
Although natural-gas-fueled cars would reduce smog, greenhouse emissions and dependence on foreign oil, challenges remain. Currently, natural gas stations are not widely available and storage tanks are bulky.
To make a smaller storage tank, MU researchers have developed carbon briquettes, nicknamed
"Missouri hockey pucks." These "hockey pucks" are made from waste corncobs that are abundant in
Missouri. When corncobs are reduced to carbon briquettes and "activated" they develop a space-filling network on nanopores, which are responsible for their unique ability to store natural gas with high capacity at low pressure, a discovery that allows for more flexible and less bulky fuel tank designs.
In 2007, researchers manufactured 300 disk-shaped briquettes, loaded them in a prototype tank and fueled delivery system constructed by MRI, and installed the system on a natural gas vehicle on loan from the Kansas City Office of Environmental Quality. The tank, in a road test that began in January 2007, is performing flawlessly.
"For the same amount of energy, combustion of natural gas produces significantly less CO2 than combustion of gasoline, reducing the production of greenhouse gases," said Carlos Wexler, associate professor of physics in the MU College of Arts and Science. "Ultimately, hydrogen-fueled cars are the goal, but natural gas can serve as a stepping stone to move the economy in the direction of hydrogen by setting up natural gas fuel stations and pipelines, which could be later converted to hydrogen."
The production of natural gas tanks could bring economic opportunities to Missouri, including:
Producing natural gas tanks for 10 million cars per year: approximately $10 billion per year.
Producing and operating natural gas tanks from corn cob for 2,500 landfills: approximately $10 billion per year.
Producing natural gas tanks for large-scale natural gas shipping: approximately $5 billion per year.
Partners of the project include MU; Lincoln University; Midwest Research Institute; DBHORNE, LLC; Renewable Alternatives, LLC; Missouri Biotechnology Association; Clean Vehicle Education Foundation; Missouri Department of Natural Resources; City of Columbia; Kansas City Office of Environmental Quality/Central Fleet; and EMPA Materials Science and Technology.
The research is funded by the National Science Foundation, California Energy Commission, U.S. Department of Energy and the U.S. Department of Defense.
Pfeifer will speak about ALL-CRAFT at the 2009 Missouri Energy Summit Campus held on the Columbia campus. For more information, visit http://www.umsystem.edu/summits/energy2009/program/schedule/.
Views: 60
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by sesport on -
I like those economic opportuniy $$$$, that's $25 billion/yr. alone from producing & operating natural gas tanks. But I'm now seeing what I've seen recently in other readings, that what is in essence more a bio fuel (gas from landfill) is now being labeled as "natural gas." I'm not opposed, but just think things are going to become confusing, especially as some of this legislation for incentives is being passed. Are we giving incentives for NGVs that use HS gas, or ones that use the bio type gas, or both?
Thanks Les, I'm off to find an asprin for the beginnings of this headache.
best - sesport :0)
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Permalink Reply by Les Bamburg on
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Sesport, let's not forget "natural gas" from cow manure, sewage plants & grease traps.
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Permalink Reply by sesport on
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I know ... I'm just envisioning allocation nightmares. But we may end up with "happy cows."
:0)
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Permalink Reply by jffree1 on
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When corncobs are reduced to carbon briquettes and "activated" they develop a space-filling network on nanopores, which are responsible for their unique ability to store natural gas with high capacity at low pressure, a discovery that allows for more flexible and less bulky fuel tank designs.
I think this is the most important statement found in this article...JMHO. Doesn't matter whether it's holding landfill methane or HA NG. If it powers vehicles from a less bulky "fuel" tank than what is out there right now, it's good.
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Permalink Reply by Les Bamburg on
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Jffree, it may also help overcone people's concern with a fuel tank full of CNG at 3500 psi.
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Permalink Reply by Mac Davis on
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Does anyone else remember 30(?) years ago when metal hydride was going to be the solution to storing hydrogen to fuel vehicles? It seems the laws of physics and economics intervened and it never became practical.
This sounds eerily reminiscent of that.
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Permalink Reply by Les Bamburg on
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Jim, these is the reason I have listened to hours of debate between college professors about the direct and indirect land use effects of biofuels such as ethanol.
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Permalink Reply by sesport on
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from above ... "Missouri's corn can supply raw material for natural gas tanks for all the cars in the United States,"
There we go, we only need cobs from one state to accomplish this task.
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Permalink Reply by sesport on
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I'm not sure, but aren't the stalks & foliage still left in the fields?
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Permalink Reply by Les Bamburg on
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Jim, corn stover is viewed as one of the potentional feedstocks for cellulosic ethanol. I don't know know if they are including the cobs in the "stover" feed for the plant.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corn_stover
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Permalink Reply by Les Bamburg on
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Jim, I concur regarding traditional corn & sugar cane ethanol but cellulosic ethanol holds great promise.
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