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Research: Pig Manure Can Become Crude Oil
Yahoo ^ | 04/13/04 | JIM PAUL

Posted on 04/13/2004 10:24:01 AM PDT by m1-lightning

URBANA, Ill. - A University of Illinois research team is working on turning pig manure into a form of crude oil that could be refined to heat homes or generate electricity.

Years of research and fine-tuning are ahead before the idea could be commercially viable, but results so far indicate there might be big benefits for farmers and consumers, lead researcher Yanhui Zhang said.

"This is making more sense in terms of alternative energy or renewable energy and strategically for reducing our dependency on foreign oil," said Zhang, an associate professor of agricultural and biological engineering. "Definitely, there is potential in the long term."

The thermochemical conversion process uses intense heat and pressure to break down the molecular structure of manure into oil. It's much like the natural process that turns organic matter into oil over centuries, but in the laboratory the process can take as little as a half-hour.

A similar process is being used at a plant in Carthage, Mo., where tons of turkey entrails, feathers, fat and grease from a nearby Butterball turkey plant are converted into a light crude oil, said Julie DeYoung, a spokeswoman for Omaha, Neb.-based Conagra Foods, which operates the plant in a joint venture with Changing World Technologies of Long Island, N.Y.

Converting manure is sure to catch the attention of swine producers. Safe containment of livestock waste is costly for farmers, especially at large confinement operations where thousands of tons of manure are produced each year. Also, odors produced by swine farms have made them a nuisance to neighbors.

"If this ultimately becomes one of the silver bullets to help the industry, I'm absolutely in favor of it," said Jim Kaitschuk, executive director of the Illinois Pork Producers Association.

Zhang and his research team have found that converting manure into crude oil is possible in small batches, but much more research is needed to develop a continuously operating reaction chamber that could handle large amounts of manure. That is key to making the process practicable and economically viable.

Zhang predicted that one day a reactor the size of a home furnace could process the manure generated by 2,000 hogs at a cost of about $10 per barrel.

Big oil refineries are unlikely to purchase crude oil made from converted manure, Zhang said, because they aren't set up to refine it. But the oil could be used to fuel smaller electric or heating plants, or to make plastics, ink or asphalt, he said.

"Crude oil is our first raw material," he said. "If we can make it value-added, suddenly the whole economic picture becomes brighter."

Zhang's site: Zhang's site: http://www.age.uiuc.edu/faculty/yhz/index.htm


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Front Page News; News/Current Events; US: Illinois; US: Missouri
KEYWORDS: crude; crudeoil; economy; manure; oil; pig; pigmanure; pigs; recycle; science
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There is irony here if you think about our dependency of arab oil and their muslim faith...
1 posted on 04/13/2004 10:24:04 AM PDT by m1-lightning
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To: m1-lightning
"Uses intense heat", where do we get that? This sounds like modern alchemy.
2 posted on 04/13/2004 10:26:37 AM PDT by junta
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To: m1-lightning
Sounds like a bunch of crap.
3 posted on 04/13/2004 10:27:10 AM PDT by xrp
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To: m1-lightning
They can call it Rosie's petroleum.
4 posted on 04/13/2004 10:30:41 AM PDT by Extremely Extreme Extremist (EEE)
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To: junta
The process generates methane gas which is used the heat the effluent. So out of about 100 btu's made into product only 15 btu's are used in heating.

This stuff may actually mean an end to foreign oil dependence for everyone, at least the countries with large land bodies.

DK
5 posted on 04/13/2004 10:31:12 AM PDT by Dark Knight
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To: junta
"Uses intense heat", where do we get that?

Fire.

6 posted on 04/13/2004 10:31:12 AM PDT by Blood of Tyrants (Even if the government took all your earnings, you wouldn't be, in its eyes, a slave.)
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To: junta
The process generates methane gas which is used the heat the effluent. So out of about 100 btu's made into product only 15 btu's are used in heating.

This stuff may actually mean an end to foreign oil dependence for everyone, at least the countries with large land bodies.

DK
7 posted on 04/13/2004 10:31:22 AM PDT by Dark Knight
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To: m1-lightning
Reminds me of one of the Mad Max/Road Warrior movies where there was a scene of pig manure being stirred as the gas from it was used to heat the living quarters compound.


LQ
8 posted on 04/13/2004 10:31:26 AM PDT by LizardQueen
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To: m1-lightning

9 posted on 04/13/2004 10:31:49 AM PDT by OXENinFLA
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To: m1-lightning
Wooo Pig!
10 posted on 04/13/2004 10:32:09 AM PDT by ItsTheMediaStupid
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To: m1-lightning
Great post. Thanks to technology, there's finally some use for Ted Kennedy.
11 posted on 04/13/2004 10:32:49 AM PDT by JeeperFreeper
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To: m1-lightning
I agree. The irony of their oil being replaced by an animal they despise. That is rich.
12 posted on 04/13/2004 10:32:50 AM PDT by FreeAtlanta (never surrender, this is for the kids)
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To: m1-lightning; newgeezer
I always appreciate energy threads so I can remind everyone that, we need more windmills. Lots of windmills.
13 posted on 04/13/2004 10:33:18 AM PDT by biblewonk (The only book worth reading, and reading, and reading.)
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To: Blood of Tyrants
I heard they were heating it by focusing the sun's rays through magnifying glasses.
14 posted on 04/13/2004 10:33:22 AM PDT by xrp
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To: m1-lightning
This will allow Democrats to realize their dream of a self-fueled automobile.
15 posted on 04/13/2004 10:34:02 AM PDT by Gulf War One
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To: m1-lightning
When do we start digging a holding area next to Teddy's house?
16 posted on 04/13/2004 10:34:02 AM PDT by gov_bean_ counter
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To: m1-lightning
Hogahol?
17 posted on 04/13/2004 10:34:35 AM PDT by pabianice
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To: m1-lightning
Will Islamists, Jews or vegetarians be able to drive a car that uses pig-poop fuel?
18 posted on 04/13/2004 10:34:41 AM PDT by NutmegDevil
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To: OXENinFLA
LMAO
19 posted on 04/13/2004 10:35:13 AM PDT by ThomasMore (Pax et bonum!)
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To: m1-lightning
No wonder the A-Rabs have a thing about pigs and all things related. LOL
20 posted on 04/13/2004 10:35:26 AM PDT by jslade (<IPeople who are easily offended, OFFEND ME!)
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