According to a report by the World Science and Technology Research News Network in November, scientists from Duluth University in Minnesota, USA, have developed a man-made coal made from wood scrap and agricultural waste that can replace fossil fuels and become renewable new energy.
As a hydrocarbon derivatives, fossil fuels deposited from the fossils of ancient organisms, is an energy source, easy to produce toxic and harmful gases when incomplete combustion.In order to find a renewable energy that can replace it, Duluth University Renewable Energy Laboratory scientists have invented 'real-time' coal, which not only maintains the high efficiency of natural coal without adverse environmental effects such as environmental pollution, but also avoids mining machinery from destroying topography.
The laboratory compared the energy data for the new biofuels to coal from the Powder River Basin coal fields in Montana and Wyoming and found that about 8,000 to 9,500 British thermal units per pound of coal were produced per pound of man-made coal Can produce 10,000 British thermal units.If manufacturing man-made coal slightly deformed, processed into the form of 'energy mud', you can further improve energy efficiency.
Production of energy Slurry requires the addition of a process using an alternative system like a pressure cooker, called hydrothermal carbonization, which takes the place of the drying stage of the original process.
According to the researchers, the process of producing artificial coal is similar to that of coffee roasting. First, industrial and agricultural wastes need to be dried, heated to a high temperature of 249 ° C in a low oxygen environment, and finally compressed at a high pressure. To produce energy slurries, Developed a process called "hydrothermal carbonization" that replaced the drying process in the original program with a similar pressure cooker replacement system, allowing the carbonized lignin to precipitate directly from the waste black liquor without mechanical dehydration.
Artificial coal has the characteristics of non-absorbent, more natural than natural coal transport.
The researchers also said that if you want to learn from nature how to make fossil coal, then you must pay attention to three major conditions: time, pressure and heat.Original millions of years ago to form the coal, placed in laboratory artificial environment , Only a few hours to complete.Production of pure conditions to ensure that the production of products will not be mixed with other minerals, so there is no pollution of artificial coal impurities.
To date, renewable energy laboratories have been able to produce 4 to 6 tons of man-made coal per day, and in the future, more research is needed to determine the potential impact of new fuels.
Foreign media believe that if the artificial coal to replace fossil fuels, then it will significantly reduce carbon dioxide, mercury and sulfur emissions from coal-fired power plants and other places, reduce coal mining, directly to the steam locomotive to provide kinetic energy, and to promote more industrial areas Focus on steel production or other more valuable products.
Artificial coal production process with good business development potential, can reduce dependence on fossil fuels, while the trees and other plant waste reuse, is a high-level way to deal with garbage now, the atmosphere of carbon dioxide has reached 300 The highest value in thousands of years, in response to the greenhouse effect, man-made coal and other new energy technologies will be more welcomed in the future.
