Japanese Make Gasoline From Cattle Dung

AP ^ | 3-3-06 | KOZO MIZOGUCHI

[tallhappy]

Japanese Make Gasoline From Cattle Dung

By KOZO MIZOGUCHI, Associated Press WriterFri Mar 3, 7:57 AM ET

Scientists in energy-poor Japan said Friday they have found a new source of gasoline — cattle dung.

Sakae Shibusawa, an agriculture engineering professor at the Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, said his team has successfully extracted 1.4 milliliters (0.042 ounces) of gasoline from every 100 grams (3.5 ounces) of cow dung by applying high pressure and heat.

"The new technology will be a boon for livestock breeders" to reduce the burden of disposing of large amounts of waste, Shibusawa said.

About 500,000 metric tons (551,155 U.S. tons) of cattle dung are produced each year in Japan, he said.

Gasoline extracted from cow dung is unheard of, said Tomiaki Tamura, an official of the Natural Resources and Energy Agency. Japan relies almost totally on imports for its oil and gasoline needs.

The team, helped by staff from the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology near Tokyo, produced gasoline by adding several unspecified metal catalysts to the dung inside a container and applying a 30-atmosphere pressure and heat of up to 300 degrees Celsius (572 Fahrenheit), Shibusawa said. Details of the catalysts could not be disclosed, he added.

The team hopes to improve the technology so that it can be used commercially within five years, Shibusawa said.

In a separate experiment revealing another unusual business potential for cow dung, another group of researchers has successfully extracted an aromatic ingredient of vanilla from cattle dung, said Miki Tsuruta, a Sekisui Chemical Co. spokeswoman. The extracted ingredient, vanillin, can be used as fragrance in shampoo and candles, she said.

Tsuruta said the vanillin was extracted from a dung solution in a pressurized cooker in a project co-organized by a Japanese medical research institute.

[tallhappy]

This is rather an extraordinary story that I think merits breaking news.

A lot of puns and bad jokes possibe, I know, possible, but, if this is true ...

[MineralMan]

Now, if they can master making Shinola out of that stuff, I'm going to invest heavily.

[mnehrling]

1.4 milliliters (0.042 ounces) of gasoline from every 100 grams (3.5 ounces) of cow dung by applying high pressure and heat.

Is the 1.4 mil result accounting for the fuel needed to apply heat and pressure to the 100 grams of original source material or does it use more energy to create the fuel than it produces?

[TXBSAFH]

TX once again will be on the forefront of energy production. That and Washington DC.

[AZRepublican]

If they can make it from Dummyrat dung we are all set...

[Junior]

In a separate experiment revealing another unusual business potential for cow dung, another group of researchers has successfully extracted an aromatic ingredient of vanilla from cattle dung, said Miki Tsuruta, a Sekisui Chemical Co. spokeswoman. The extracted ingredient, vanillin, can be used as fragrance in shampoo and candles, she said.

Japanese Cattle: Their stuff don't stink.

[Malsua]

Sounds like another application of thermal depolymerization.

[rellimpank]

--yeah---sonds like the "hydrogen" economy--all it takes is unlimited free electricity--

[domenad]

This translates to 1,849,204 gallons of gasoline. I would imagine the US cattle industry is much, much larger. Hmmmmmm......

God I'd love to say to the ragheads : "Oh, sorry, we don't need your oil. We'd rather use COW DUNG."

[tallhappy]

Gosh, practical questions.

I'd guess it needs more than it generates.

[Malsua]

Strike that...from a Wiki Article...

* Thermochemical conversion (TCC) is limited to the changing of manure to crude oil.

* Thermal conversion process (TCP) is limited to the changing of manure and vegetable waste to crude oil.

[tallhappy]

God I'd love to say to the ragheads : "Oh, sorry, we don't need your oil. We'd rather use COW DUNG."

That'd be pretty fantastic.

[Designer]

"That and Washington DC."

I call dibs on the D.C. poop! You all heard me! I'll be RICH I tell you!

RICH!

[Designer]

"..by applying high pressure and heat.."

Hhmmm...Superman use to do that with coal, and he got a diamond!

[RichInOC]

Gasoline from bulls**t, huh? Praise God! Finally, Bill Clinton is good for something.

[N. Theknow]

Sakae Shibusawa, an agriculture engineering professor at the Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology

His friends call him Chip.

[FreePaul]

Great news. We have one of the world's largest producing areas of cattle dung. Washington DC.

[tallhappy]

Superman use to do that with coal, and he got a diamond!

I tought that was Underdog.

[JamesWilson]

It's all Bullsh*t these days!

[cogitator]

This is rather an extraordinary story that I think merits breaking news.

Emphasis on "breaking".

[tumblindice]

"Mr. Goodwrench, my engine keeps `back-firing'."

[Lekker 1]

God I'd love to say to the ragheads : "Oh, sorry, we don't need your oil. We'd rather use COW DUNG."

It would be funnier and more ironic if we used pig dung.

[AnnoyedOne]

They experimented with recycling old dems into toilet paper, but it did not work. It made your butt stink.

[Red Badger]

Dung Cow Ping!.........

[Turbopilot]

The numbers sounded small, but actually 1.4mL out of a gram of dung is a pretty good deal. Based on that ratio, it would take about 32.5 kg of dung to make enough gas to fill my 12 gallon tank. 32.5 kg is almost exactly what 12 gallons of gas would weigh, so this conversion process must be pretty efficient (assuming they're not adding other materials). Japan alone produces enough dung for almost 15 million gallons per year, and who knows how many times that could be produced in the U.S. from cows, pigs, chickens, etc.

[Hemingway's Ghost]

Bullsh*t.

[WIladyconservative]

They can have my composted manure when they pry it from my cold dead fingers . . . .

Gardeners unite!

[Designer]

In a separate experiment...extracted an aromatic ingredient of vanilla from cattle dung,

I'm sure glad it was seperate!

Remind me to never order any Japanese vanilla flavoring.

[Hoodat]

Now is the time to invest in Cattle Dung futures. Somebody better give Hillary a call.

[Flavius Josephus]

ISn't this the holy grail?

[WIladyconservative]

God I'd love to say to the ragheads : "Oh, sorry, we don't need your oil. We'd rather use COW DUNG."

I think you meant "sheet heads" . . . . .and it would be infinitely sweeter to use pork poo.

[CROSSHIGHWAYMAN]

how much energy does it take to produce the heat and pressure?

Nothing is cost free.

[Mercat]

and in other news, the South Koreans have cloned a cat.

[WIladyconservative]

Darn - you beat me to it!

[Feiny]

Gasoline & Vanilla....together at last.

[Spktyr]

That's what nuclear reactors are for. :-D

[NormsRevenge]

The extracted ingredient, vanillin, can be used as fragrance in shampoo and candles, she said.

-- now that sounds like a lot of BS if ya ask me.

would you use a product knowingly if it was extracted from dung? yyeeeee.. :-}

[AnnoyedOne]

If we can make gasoline out of bullsh*t, then we can become energy independant just off of what is generated in D.C.

[Designer]

Dung Cow Ping!.........

Hooaaa! ROTFLMAO !!!

Good one!

[Always Right]

Sakae Shibusawa, an agriculture engineering professor at the Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, said his team has successfully extracted 1.4 milliliters (0.042 ounces) of gasoline from every 100 grams (3.5 ounces) of cow dung by applying high pressure and heat.

This is the work of satan. It takes exactly 666 pounds of crap to make 1 gallon of gas.

[Feiny]

Gasoline & Vanilla....together at last.

[Feiny]

Sorry for the double post.....not sure what happened...delayed reaction? I am full of gas.

[DeFault User]

applying a 30-atmosphere pressure and heat of up to 300 degrees Celsius (572 Fahrenheit)

Heating up crude oil smells bad enough, but that refinery sure is going to make Japan a stinkhole.

[GeorgefromGeorgia]

It is a s----- job but somebody's got to do it.

[TheMightyQuinn]

1.4mL out of a gram

you're off by a factor of 100. It's 1.4 mL from 100 grams.

[Feiny]

I wonder if it works on pig poop....or dog dumps or human feces....we could all be flushing gas down the toilet right now. I am gonna start saving mine.

[DTogo]

Japan is certainly "energy poor" but it's not "cow rich" either.

Japan * ping * (kono risuto ni hairitai ka detai wo shirasete kudasai : let me know if you want on or off this list)

[tumblindice]

Did someone step in dog-poo? No, it's just algore.
I'm pretty sure Paula Abdul used to be Underdog's sweetheart, Polly Purebred. Check it out.
http://www.laurenharman.com/halloween/costumes/underdog.html

[Lekker 1]

All your cow dung are belong to us.

[CommandoFrank]

Scientists in energy-poor Japan said Friday they have found a new source of gasoline — cattle dung.

"You've got to be $hitting me...."