Microreactor for biodiesel production

April 21, 2006 Another wonderous enabling technology has been announced - a microreactor, about half the size of a credit card that produces biodiesel by combining alcohol and vegetable oil directly, greatly speeding and simplifying production compared to traditional methods. By stacking many of these microreactors in parallel, a device the size of a small suitcase could produce hundreds of thousands of gallons per year of biodiesel – enough to power several farms. The device could significantly reduce farmer dependence on mass-produced petroleum. "This is all about producing energy in such a way that it liberates people," said inventor and OSU Professor Goran Jovanovic. "Most people think large-scale, central production of energy is cheaper, because we've been raised with that paradigm. But distributed energy production means you can use local resources - farmers can produce all the energy they need from what they grow on their own farms." Jovanovic is seeking to partner in order to commercialize the technology.

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