[billnotgatez]

I am embarking on a web search to find information on this topic. If anyone knows something about this please sound off. I just do not want to reinvent the wheel so to speak if someone has information off the top of their head. I can do my own searching if no one pipes up.
I will give you an example of what I am looking for that is not real but to give you the gist.

Corn oil is put in a low energy process that polymerizes it to blahblah oil, which is not very flammable. The blahblah oil will break down to ethanol when in contact with platinum at 20C. The ethanol then is burned in a special diesel engine, which drive a prop on an aircraft. Should the aircraft crash very little ethanol is present at any one time and the blahblah oil does not ignite during crashes.

Answer only if you have some information or ideas you wish to share. Otherwise I do not want to take up your time in helping others.

By the way, I am not thinking this is a new idea I can invent. I am sure if it has been patented already several times over. I am thinking that it just cannot compete price wise with the current fuel environment.


Regards
Bill

[xiankai]

i have read a recent newspaper report of biofuels providing energy through catalytic breakdown by enzymes, could be economical

[billnotgatez]

Yes, that is the sort of idea I was thinking about, but in the other direction. The enzyme would cause the corn oil (for example only) to become a liquid Nomex (for example only). The part I like is using something that has zero net carbon dioxide impact. The breakdown back into a burnable fuel would have to work faster than the typical enzyme. Also I would not want the catalyst to be degraded in the process.

Thanks for your input.

[Borek]

There are two problems with biofuels. One - we are using arable land that could be used for food; I think Mexiacans are already seeing corn flour getting expensive. Second - it is not clear what is the net energy balance - estimates vary from negative to gain of about 20-30%. Trick is it is probably enough to change people priorities and customs to save this amount of energy without huge changes in the quality of life.

[billnotgatez]

You and I could discuss the pros and cons of using bio-fuels for this purpose extensively. As you know, there is already a thread doing that in the General forum. My goal here is for the process and not necessarily the source. If you have suggestions not using bio-products please post them. I just picked bio-products to negate the carbon dioxide issue and take it out of discussion, but that is not the point of this question. Sorry for the confusion.

[billnotgatez]

I wonder if there is a way to lure some of the organic chemists to respond here. I am drawing a blank as to what compounds and processes to use. My organic chemistry knowledge is so rusty it could be used as iron oxide.

In the meantime, I just thought of a possibility and will start searching on this soon. There is a substance that is derived from soap (borax whatever) that I think holds hydrogen until it is catalyst released. This may be a possibility. That would even lend itself to engine technology other than diesel.

If anyone has other ideas here is your chance.