Ultrasound technology to ensure cheaper bio-fuel production
Man is relentlessly dabbling with technology in search for newer and cheaper bio-fuels to ensure a civilizational shift to alternative fuel resources that are environmentally friendly. One of the major reasons that prevents large scale use of bio-fuel is the complicated and time-consuming process involved in producing it.
Who would have thought something as novel as ultrasound technology used in imaging a fetus, could help resolve the problem. Koc, an agriculture and biological engineer at University of Missouri applied the same to bio-fuel production. The new method makes ultrasonic waves pass through a mixture of methanol and vegetable oil. The higher pressure and temperature generated as a result of ultrasonic energy ensures that the molecular bonds break faster, to produce glycerine and biodiesel.
While the conventional process would take an hour to produce a few milliliters, this process takes about 5 minutes to make the same amount of bio-fuel. This is good news for the biodiesel industry which has been hankering since long to scale down the huge production cost.
Via: Discovery News
