Turning coal into diesel fuel.

[CStockton]

Fuel Frontiers, Inc. Launches Coal-To-Liquid Engineering Program With Shaw, Stone, and Webster

 

[FOXY005]

The Germans ran all their tanks on Diesel from Coal during WWII, beleive back then it was called a Liquafaction Process.

I did a college term paper on it many many moons ago.

There is a startup company in Pennsylvania that got I beleive a Federal Grant about a year ago to start building a plant using this process also.

 

[CATCRACKER]

off topic but i remember when i got out of college and shaw was a little mom and pop shop in BR. my how things have changed!

 

[rbattelle]

The Fischer-Tropsch process was invented by the Germans back before WWII, I believe.

It's not very efficient, which makes it quite expensive. So it's only now, with ordinary petroleum products being increasingly expensive, that it becomes economically feasible to use it.

A USAF testing program for F-T fuel has been ongoing for a few years now in a B-52. I believe they're scheduled to approve it for use in B-52 this year. I think the C-17 is up for testing next.

The military interest in domestically-produced liquid hydrocarbon fuel is obvious. I don't see it being offered for private consumption until the price of petroleum goes quite a bit higher (which will happen, of course).

Ryan

 

[DWest]

Sasol

A South Afican company named Sasol has the rights to most of the German synthetic fuel technologies and is a world leader in that field. Also German tanks ran on gasoline in WW2 and there lack of power in relation to weight was one of there few shortcomings. DW

 

[CWebster]

YouTube - Mountaintop Removal Movie from iLoveMountains.org



The downside to coal. I don't really have a dog in this fight, but I understand that a price is paid for this "energy"... . is it too much?



Chris

 

[steved]

I've read the cost of converting from coal to fuel is actually not saving anything in term of energy consumption...

 

[MOates]

A South Afican company named Sasol has the rights to most of the German synthetic fuel technologies and is a world leader in that field. Also German tanks ran on gasoline in WW2 and there lack of power in relation to weight was one of there few shortcomings. DW

No, German tanks ran on diesel - US tanks ran on gasoline. When we gave our allies our gasoline-powered tanks, after the first few times in action they started referring to them as "Ronsons" or "one shot lighters" - one shot and they'd catch on fire.

 

[DWest]

Check your facts

Panther: Maybach HL230P30 V-12 23. 1 Liters 700 HP at 3000 RPM's Gasoline. Tiger: Maybach HL210P45 V-12 21. 4 Liters 690 HP ar 3000 RPM's Gasoline. King Tiger: Same motor as the Panther. Why do you think it was so important for the Germans to capture our fuel depots in the Battle of the Bulge? We had no diesel powered vehicles. The Russian T-34 had a Diesel power plant. DW Edit: Some M10 tank destroyers were diesel powered.

 

[DWest]

Why petrol for tanks

Heres a link to a web site with info on German tanks, it explains why they ran on gas rather than diesel. DW











Why petrol for Panzers? - Armchair General Forums

 

[biggy238]

Mountain Top removal is nothing compared to an economic collapse?!?



Also, local government (state level) controls what get reclaimed and when. Mine copanies only get away with what they are let to get away with.



I'm not going to say that mine sites are put back to original condition, however it can be very close with the right level of backing.



People want energy either clean or cheap. They don't realize they can't have both.

 

[jamnram]

The AF has aproved the B-52. They are almost done testing the C-17, if I remember right they use the same engines as the 757. AF goal is to have the whole flight certified by 2012. A small company in Ok. produced the fuel for the B52. The fuel for the C17 is coming from the company in Africa. If I remeber reading right around 65 dollars a barrel was the cost effective point, DOD is largest consumer of fuel with AF being #1. AF is proposing a plant in Great Falls at the ?closed? air base. Congress is the sticking point as alot of start up money is needed and they are againist because of CO2 released in the production. AF says they won't do anything that causes more polution and one plan is to pump CO2 back into oil wells. There are some that say CO2 isn't a problem and good for vegatation... . AF puts out something called Aimpoints that has been following this from time to time... . I get it a work via email, not sure if a person can get the Aimpoints at home from a none DOD computer... . It is interesting to see how the AF is pushing alternative energy... . They installed a big solar panal array here at Nellis... Also testing oxygenated diesel in small ramp vehicles, etc... .