Making hydrogen from cow dung
Before our favorite anti-hydrogen commenter Howard chimes in, let's be clear and say that researchers at New Mexico State University are working on a hydrogen production method that is truly BS. The professors at NMSU are trying to get hydrogen out of cow manure and other organic waste materials. The idea is that biological production of hydrogen could be much more cost effective because it doesn't require as much energy input as electro-chemical and thermo-chemical methods.
The team, led by civil engineering professor Nirmala Khandan, is using a two-stage process to turn the dung into hydrogen gas. They are starting with anaerobic hydrolysis and fermentation, and in the second stage more hydrogen is produced by photo-fermentation. In the first stage they are using bacteria to consume the manure and produce hydrogen and other gases, and then the leftovers from that go into the second stage. If they could use the same types of processes to consume other kinds of animal waste, it may be an excellent way to deal with the problem of waste from industrial livestock farms.
[New Mexico State University]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Mahmood Khwaja 8:46AM (5/14/2008)
Just wonder if cow dung microbial activity could be be effective for remediation of chemically contaminated site/soil. Any study being reported or in progress?
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Alex Nunez 8:38PM (12/02/2006)
I may be wrong here, Sam, but I'd hazard that your lead photo is the first of its type on any automotive site...
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Sam Abuelsamid 9:29PM (12/02/2006)
Alex, I'm pretty sure that images of the Pontiac Aztec have been published previously.
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Alex Nunez 10:27PM (12/02/2006)
I so wish I had thought of that...
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Phil L. 9:30AM (12/03/2006)
Sam rocks.
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lukky 4:48PM (9/04/2007)
This is great news. Thinking highly futuristically with an eco-friendly view, if organic waste could be harvested to manufacture hydrogen to power hydrogen-based-automobiles that give out only steam as effusion, it may be a way out to solve the issue of global warming! As of now, though hydrogen buses are being tried out as low effusion vehicles, the process of making hydrogen for these from hydrocarbons is said to give out harmfful effusions, therafter making the bus no different from hybrid vehicles. If this could lead to a way around that bottleneck, it would be invaluable.
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Chris M 7:04PM (9/04/2007)
Lukky, the problem is that in converting manure into methane, then into H2 (via steam reformation) produces CO2, a greenhouse gas.
Also, it would be more efficient and far less costly to use compressed methane to power cars than to convert methane into H2 for H2 cars.
Sorry, but H2 cars are not economically practical, and never will be.
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Chris M 7:04PM (9/04/2007)
Lukky, the problem is that in converting manure into methane, then into H2 (via steam reformation) produces CO2, a greenhouse gas.
Also, it would be more efficient and far less costly to use compressed methane to power cars than to convert methane into H2 for H2 cars.
Sorry, but H2 cars are not economically practical, and never will be.
Reply