Trash into Diesel
Dave Greenfield | Date: 02-08-10 | Comments: 0
- A startup thinks it's got the alchemical smarts to turn trash into diesel fuel.
Covanta Energy is working with a
$1.5 million grant from the Army Corps of Engineers that might provide a
solution for growing fuel demand, as well as another problem facing the
American military—trash. And it’s in the trash that Covanta is looking for an
answer.
The American military is an
oil-guzzling beast that is constantly hungry. In 2008, it demanded in excess of
68 million gallons of fuel each month for support forces in both Iraq
and Afghanistan,
and the problem is compounded by attacks that, in June 2008 alone, cost the United
States more than 200,000 gallons of fuel and
44 diesel-delivery trucks.
There are no permanent bases in
either Afghanistan
or Iraq. Because
of this, disposing of trash at remote locations is difficult and dangerous. Burn
pits are not safe for those exposed to them, and incinerators are too expensive
to set up for short-term use. In essence, it uses valuable fuel and manpower to
remove trash, which puts both at risk.
Covanta is working on a project
that would turn solid waste into fuel. The benefits:
Covanta would mix solid waste with
heavy oil and a catalyst (which contains aluminum, silicon and sodium), heat it
to 500 degrees in a unique turbine reactor, and produce liquid diesel. This
recipe is dependent on the 3,000-rpm turbine, which can handle liquids, solids
and vapor. Because the turbine can treat solid waste at relatively low
temperatures, it can reduce the amount of fuel it takes to convert trash into
diesel, and chemical reactions and toxins are less likely to be produced.
While there have been attempts made
to turn trash into energy for generators, Covanta is the first company that is
working on making diesel from trash, the result of which is molecularly
identical to diesel, not biodiesel. Currently, there are no programs in widespread
use to fuel military operations in part with alternative energies. Covanta is
hoping to change that and solve two pressing problems for the price of one.
