A new way to speed up biofuel production

Researchers around the world are racing to find new ways to replace the gasoline in automobiles. Gasoline is getting more expensive and its not environment friendly. So, researchers at Ohio State University have found a new method to double the production of biofuel butanol, and they are hoping that it soon will replace gasoline in automobiles.

bacteria could only produce a certain amount of butanol — perhaps 15 grams of the chemical for every liter of water in the tank — before the tank would become too toxic for the bacteria to survive, explained Shang-Tian Yang, professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering at Ohio State.

Yang and his colleagues developed a mutant strain of the bacterium Clostridium beijerinckii in a bioreactor containing bundles of polyester fibers. In that environment, the mutant bacteria produced up to 30 grams of butanol per liter.

Right now, butanol is mainly used as a solvent, or in industrial processes that make other chemicals. But experts believe that this form of alcohol holds potential as a biofuel.

Once developed as a fuel, butanol could potentially be used in conventional automobiles in place of gasoline, while producing more energy than another alternative fuel, ethanol.

Yang said that this use of his patented fibrous-bed bioreactor would ultimately save money.

“Today, the recovery and purification of butanol account for about 40 percent of the total production cost,” explained Yang, “Because we are able to create butanol at higher concentrations, we believe we can lower those recovery and purification costs and make biofuel production more economical.”

Currently, a gallon of butanol costs approximately $3.00 — a little more than the current price for a gallon of gasoline.

The engineers are applying for a patent on the mutant bacterium and the butanol production methodology, and will work with industry to develop the technology.

Full post credit – Newswise.com

Electronic human exoskeleton gives paralyzed people their life back

Radi Kaiof, a 41 year old male from Israel paralyzed for around 20 years now walks down the street with a dim mechanical hum. This revolutionary invention by a Amit Goffer, gave Radi his life back and made his dream come true.

‘I never dreamed I would walk again. After I was wounded, I forgot what it’s like,’ said Kaiof, who was injured while serving in the Israeli military in 1988.”

‘Only when standing up can I feel how tall I really am and speak to people eye to eye, not from below.’

The new device is called “ReWalk”, and its a human electronic exoskeleton consist of motorized leg support, body sensors and back pack containing a computerized control box and chargeable batteries. But users need crutches to help with balance.

ReWalk will be in the market in 2010, and according to the company, it will cost around 20,000$.

Source – Yahoo News

Garbage For Gas As Alternative Fuel

Many U.S companies have announced plans to build plants that would take in material like wood chips, garbage or crop waste and turn out motor fuels. With the insane increase of gas prices which reached over 130$ a barrel and gasoline above 4$ a gallon, the waste-to-fuel industry now is working to develop a new system to convert waste into usable energy “fuel”.

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