Scientists Develop Clean Diesel System

[Bossy Monkey]

Oct 28, 9:32 PM EDT

Scientists Develop Clean Diesel System

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (AP) -- Scientists at the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory say they have developed the first system to convert dirty diesel fuel into a quiet, self-contained and efficient energy source.

The system is the product of six years of research and a $25 million joint effort between the Office of Naval Research and fuel-cell company SOFCo-EFS.

In the future, the Navy's destroyers could run quieter, require half the fuel, pollute less and have a smaller heat signature for enemies to detect.

The system converts diesel fuel into a 30 percent hydrogen mixture. By using the diesel to run a fuel cell instead of burning it, the system produces twice the energy output, without sulfur or nitrous oxide pollution.

(more)

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/C/CLEAN_DIESEL?SITE=SCCOL&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

Just for naval vessels of course. Not like there aren't a zillion tractor-trailers running on diesel in the US or anything like that. (Ignore me; I'm just being cynical. I understand, really, that military research has civilian applications, and this actually sounds pretty promising.)

[sam sarrha]

1. how about clean Bio-diesel.... put the farmers back in the BLACK..!!

[Gold Metal Flake]

2. Very interesting.

Consider this:

"The 5-kilowatt experimental fuel cell that is running at the INEEL costs $200,000, and that doesn't include the cost of a system to isolate hydrogen from diesel.

Studies have shown that if the cost of the system came down to about $3,500, and could provide 5 kilowatts of electricity, plus heat, there would be a huge market among homeowners, Witmer said."

As is typical with such stories, they do not explain how they arrived at the $200K figure. Is that the cost from start to finish to build the current design? For sure we can assume that the development costs and the costs of various prototypes and test portions are not included in that figure. So, let's assume that they have a powersource design and it's on paper. Someone sez "go" and they transfer CADD files to their fav machine shop and then hit the Granger's catalog and start ordering. $200K later they have one powersource that costs $200K.

A lot of what costs is set-up for all the custom pieces.

Now, if they gear up for a production run of 1000 units, what would the price be then? When you can amortize the setup and material costs, the per-unit price goes down. Tell me about the custom parts. Tell me about the software it must use. There is so much here that we are not being told (not surprising, as the tech secrets must be protected). The $200K-for-the-only-one-in-the-world price tag, to me, is encouraging. If the story said $1.5 mil, I would think there would be no chance for getting anywhere near the $3500/5KW consumer target alluded to in the story.

The reason I am blathering on is this: Don't let the $200K price tag turn you off. This is emerging technology, and the tech will get around. The time from concept to knockoff is getting shorter all the time. Discoveries lead to more discoveries, and to profits. This sounds interesting, and it will only get more efficient as it is developed. Yup, it's still fossil fuel, but it could become veg. All part of the tinkering.

Then we can put wheels on the thing, take it to the lakes and see what she'll do!

[VegasWolf]

3. "Clean diesel", is that like MTBE in gas or "No Child Left behind"

New Information Shows Bush Indecisive, Paranoid, Delusional

[w4rma]

4. Nah, it's a new type of hybrid engine. One that combines a combustion

engine with a fuel cell, instead of an electric battery.

I bet combining all three types of engines would get some *serious* energy savings.

[Massacure]

5. It would probably be terribly complex too.

[reprobate]

6. And the engine in your car isn't?

[Massacure]

7. Not compared to a three way hybrid.

[goforit]

8. OMG!!!!.........Someone is thinking about our environment????