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Explore GizmagMicrowaves utilized to convert used motor oil into fuel
By Ben Coxworth
14:56 March 29, 2011
Scientists from the University of Cambridge have developed a system that uses microwaves to convert waste oil into vehicle fuel
It has been estimated that over 8 billion US gallons (30.3 billion liters) of used motor oil are produced every year by the world's cars and trucks. While some of that is re-refined into new oil or burned in furnaces for heat, neither of those processes are entirely environmentally-innocuous. In other cases, it is simply discarded. Today, however, researchers from the University of Cambridge announced the development of a process that uses microwaves to convert waste oil into vehicle fuel.
Scientists have already been using a process known as pyrolysis for recycling oil. It involves heating the oil to a high temperature in the absence of oxygen, and causes the oil to break down into a mixture of gases, liquids, and solids. While the gases and liquids can be converted to fuel, the Cambridge scientists state that traditional pyrolysis doesn't heat the oil very evenly, making the fuel conversion process difficult and impractical.
What they did, however, was to add a microwave-absorbent material to samples of waste oil, before subjecting it to pyrolysis by heating it with microwaves. The addition of the material caused the oil to heat more evenly, allowing almost 90 percent of it to easily be converted into a mixture of conventional gasoline and diesel.
Study leader Howard Chase, a professor of Biochemical Engineering, believes that their unique brand of pyrolysis shows great potential for being scaled up to the commercial level.
The research was presented today in Anaheim, California, at the 241st National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society.
hope we could start makin fuel at home or even in our states from waste oil and help reduce the darn prices bloody politicians put up for the sake of fuel scarcity!!!!
Facebook User
- March 30, 2011 @ 06:10 am PDT
Well Michael, given the comment of "Facebook User' I guess you are right.
Page Schorer
- March 30, 2011 @ 09:40 am PDT
Even 8 billion gallons of waste oil would only supply about 3 weeks of fuel nation-wide.Oh well,every little bit helps,I guess.
michael_dowling
- March 30, 2011 @ 11:46 am PDT
The important thing about this is that pyrolisis can be used to produce fuel from Oil, plastic and even old rubber tyres.
Rubbish doesn't need to be a burden. It should be seen as a resource.
Sorting and then reusing it isn't the best option.
A short thermal shock breaks most complex packaging down to its parts.
This is just another method.
China and India already see it like that, and western countries pay them to take it away.
Two Ugandian fly tippers have started making fuel from plastic/rubber rubbish and are selling it at a profit.
You just have to think outside the standard box.
Facebook User
- March 30, 2011 @ 02:30 pm PDT
Yeah, but how much electricity does it take to heat up the used motor oil to the proper temperature for the reaction to take place, and of course the other costs involved such as transporting the stuff at each end of the process as well as all of the other stuff in between?? Methinks we're looking at a false economy here. But hey, just apply for a government subsidy by making the conversion plant minority/female owned!!
Randy
Expanded Viewpoint
- March 30, 2011 @ 07:47 pm PDT
Mike, if someone is that stupid as to try something like you described that person should always have adult supervision. Just think of it a cleaning up the gene pool. It sounds great let's get some investors, pay off some politicians and get going. If the Administration won't let us drill let's reuse what we got.
Cmdrdpaul
- March 30, 2011 @ 08:34 pm PDT
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UG.. Come on .. PLEASE PUT A WARNING MESSAGE in the title.. some curious person is going to read the head line and say "let me try". There is water in the oil the oil will become hot, there are metal particles and organic debris. There is a good chance someone might put used oil in a microwave that could result in burns, harmful vapors or cause a fire.
I KNOW the microwaves they are talking about are part of the electro magnetic spectrum. That said microwaves are also a household appliance. There is a small fraction of complete idiots out there that do really stupid things.
EITHER change "microwave" to "high frequency radiation" or something similar, OR put a clear disclaimer that says "Don't Heat used motor oil in your home" or something similar.