Corncob waste could enable methane use in vehicles

Aside from the obvious choice, there's vehicles scooting around on bioethanol, batteries, fuel cells, and all sorts of other alternatives, but a recent breakthrough in Kansas City, Missouri has opened up the possibility of using natural gas. Currently, the cheaper and cleaner burning methane isn't feasible in modern vehicles due to the extremely high pressure (3,600 psi) and gargantuous tanks required to actually use it. Researchers at the University of Missouri-Columbia and Midwest Research Institute in Kansas City have devised a way to change all that, however, by using corncob waste to create "carbon briquettes with complex nanopores capable of storing natural gas at an unprecedented density of 180 times their own volume and at one seventh the pressure of conventional natural gas tanks." In layman's terms, this discovery allows natural gas to be held under much less pressure and in thin-walled tanks similar to cells used on current vehicles, which could instantly make natural gas a viable (and readily available) alternative fuel source. A prototype system has been working just fine since last October, and the backers are currently crafting a second revision in hopes of storing even more natural gas and driving production costs down, but there's still no hard deets on when this invention could see commercial light.

[Via AutoblogGreen]

[Chris @ Feb 24th 2007 3:05PM]

what, no thunderdome reference?

[Chuckles McGee @ Feb 24th 2007 3:17PM]

"Carbon briquettes with complex nanopores capable of storing natural gas at an unprecedented density of 180 times their own volume and at one seventh the pressure of conventional natural gas tanks."

There's no limit to the wonders of magic!

[Ayle @ Feb 24th 2007 4:07PM]

And the easiest way to gather methane is to stick a tank in cows' behind....

[Dave @ Feb 24th 2007 4:49PM]

watch this plan go straight into the ground once it becomes practical...thanks a lot big oil!

[Nando @ Feb 24th 2007 6:39PM]

This isn't new, in my country (Colombia) we've had gas fueled cars for a long time, it is actually very cheap.

check one of the alternatives here http://portal.gasnatural.com/servlet/ContentServer?gnpage=1-40-2¢ralassetname=1-40-1-4-0-0-0

have too read spanish of course

[Nando @ Feb 24th 2007 6:44PM]

have TO read spanish

[guilt+1 @ Feb 24th 2007 8:20PM]

Isn't methane a greenhouse gas?

[pyro @ Feb 25th 2007 1:36AM]

Ya, but it's burned...to make CO2...which is also a greenhouse gas.

[Mark @ Feb 24th 2007 8:57PM]

This will never be available for commercial use. We all know why...

*cough* Big Oil *cough*

[scalp22 @ Feb 24th 2007 9:01PM]

Burning of methane still produce CO2.... and it's still limited, just like oil.
We're not going anywere with that.

[SR_G@m3r @ Feb 25th 2007 12:30AM]

wait... isn't methane gas...more explosive? especially under pressure...even if its less pressure? I would hate to get into a car crash and have no chance for survival =(

[Tiago @ Feb 25th 2007 1:41AM]

No, the tank is extremely safe, even safer than your fossil fuel car. And the tank is not "gargantuous" compared to what can be saved on pollution emission - even smaller if you compare the hummers people drive around.

It is at the same time tragic and comic that the automobile and fuel industries are now reviving this low emission projects. GM had the pleasure to destroy its fuel-cell battery car (greatly reproduced by the documentary "Who killed the electric car"). Now it talks like they are taking a NEW and INNOVATIVE path.

Because of this endless "commercial light" the whole planet are being trashed. Thanks Bush and Big Money Corps! See you guys in hell!

[GameboyRMH @ Feb 25th 2007 8:27AM]

While it does produce CO2, that CO2 isn't being pulled out of the ground and added to the atmosphere, it's C02 that's already in the environment, same as with ethanol or biodiesel.

[annu @ Mar 3rd 2007 6:44AM]

In Kansas City, Missouri has developed the possibility of using natural gas recently. The methane isn't feasible in modern Vehicles because of extremely high pressure tanks required to actually use it.
Due to this endless "commercial light" the whole World is being trashed.
Vehicles