Joule Creates Renewable Fossil Fuels At Unlimited Quantity.

Tefal · 4 Jun 2011 at 20:52

vonhelmet said:
Hydrocarbons are made of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen. The idea would be that the bacterium would "eat" the CARBON diOXIDE and somehow combine that with the diHYDROGEN monOXIDE around it to form hydrocarbons. However, to create hydrocarbons it would have to be imparting energy to the molecules in order to form them, and where is it going to get that energy from? And if it has to take in energy from somewhere in order to impart that into the hydrocarbons, then unless we are hooked on forming hydrocarbons, then there would be more efficient ways using the bacterium's energy source.

It isn't even a matter of chemistry - physics can tell you that this isn't likely to be viable.

it sunlight.

Photosynthesis normally turns carbon dioxide into sugar and all the carbohydrates the plant needs to build and feed it's self, now though these bacteria also produce a extra hydrocarbon and excrete it.

it's like modified photosynthesis.

And all the mas of the plant life around you shows you how capable that is of turning the co2 in the atmosphere into a solid (or liquid) product.

mcast · 4 Jun 2011 at 20:54

Burnsy2023 said:
I'll believe it when I see it. Going by other similar stories I see on the net makes me think this will be the last I hear about it.

couldn't agree more, we get at least 2 of these stories a year.

Common sense says to me "why not", all fossils fuels are just trapped sunlight anyway, but obviously it's not that simple.

Vonhelmet · 4 Jun 2011 at 20:54

AcidHell2 said:
It already says it takes the energy from sunlight.

Whoops.

I wonder how much work it is to keep the bacteria alive and in working order. It might be that it's more energy intensive to maintain their conditions than makes it worthwhile.

Deadbeat · 4 Jun 2011 at 20:56

Dihydrogen monoxide? Long time since I heard such a fancy name for water

Hairybudda · 4 Jun 2011 at 20:57

I wonder if andrea rossi and this company can combine their revolutionary technologies into the biggest energy fraud ever

Tefal · 4 Jun 2011 at 20:57

vonhelmet said:
Whoops.

I wonder how much work it is to keep the bacteria alive and in working order. It might be that it's more energy intensive to maintain their conditions than makes it worthwhile.

one problem all the other ones found is the algae just grows on the surface of the pipes/bags/tank and blocks all the light, so 90% of the space is wasted as they an only grow on the very edge where there's light.

A few I've seen are lots of glass tubes/pipes to increase area, one did lots of little plastic bags (that's this one i think)

mufcmark · 4 Jun 2011 at 21:00

vonhelmet said:
Hydrocarbons are made of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen.

Hydrocarbons are compounds that contain hydrogen and carbon atoms only. They do not contain oxygen and hence the name hydrocarbons.

I've been revising too much

Vonhelmet · 4 Jun 2011 at 21:00

Deadbeat said:
Dihydrogen monoxide? Long time since I heard such a fancy name for water

I only used it to highlight the elements involved

Vonhelmet · 4 Jun 2011 at 21:01

mufcmark said:
Hydrocarbons are compounds that contain hydrogen and carbon atoms only. They do not contain oxygen and hence the name hydrocarbons.

I've been revising too much

Spot the physicist with minimal chemistry knowledge

Energize · 4 Jun 2011 at 21:03

Don't believe that this will lead to anything and probably for the best, the environment has been damaged enough through emissions of sulphur dioxide and other toxic byproducts of fossil fuels.

mufcmark · 4 Jun 2011 at 21:03

vonhelmet said:
Spot the physicist with minimal chemistry knowledge

but...but the mark scheme and the textbooks :confused:

Explain please.

DAnDan · 4 Jun 2011 at 21:07

mufcmark said:
Hydrocarbons are compounds that contain hrogen and carbon atoms only. They do not contain oxygen and hence the name hydrocarbons.

I've been revising too much

As has been said, hydrocarbons can contain near enough any element.

Glaucus · 4 Jun 2011 at 21:09

Energize said:
, the environment has been damaged enough through emissions of sulphur dioxide and other toxic byproducts of fossil fuels.

this would be pure hydrocarbons more or less, where would the sulphur come from?

PermaBanned · 4 Jun 2011 at 21:10

DAnDan said:
As has been said, hydrocarbons can contain near enough any element.

I don't believe this to be true?

Glaucus · 4 Jun 2011 at 21:12

DAnDan said:
As has been said, hydrocarbons can contain near enough any element.

In organic chemistry, a hydrocarbon is an organic compound consisting entirely of hydrogen and carbon.

DAnDan · 4 Jun 2011 at 21:12

PermaBanned said:
I don't believe this to be true?

It is, I'm on my phone posting at the moment so can't post you any links but check some wii pages and I'm sure you'll see.

mufcmark · 4 Jun 2011 at 21:13

I always thought for it to be a hydrocarbon it has to contain only carbon and hydrogen such as ethene (C2H4) whereas ethanol is not a hydrocarbon as it contains oxygen
(C2H5OH).

Are there other types of hydrocarbons other than alkenes and alkanes?

Energize · 4 Jun 2011 at 21:14

AcidHell2 said:
this would be pure hydrocarbons more or less, where would the sulphur come from?

Bacteria are themselves comprised of sulphur containing compounds as well as producing them during metabolism.

jaybee · 4 Jun 2011 at 21:15

This will never happen. Ever.

RDM · 4 Jun 2011 at 21:16

mufcmark said:
but...but the mark scheme and the textbooks

Explain please.

I believe he meant himself.