Can we call it Mr. Fusion? The tactical biorefinery

It's big. - Image 1It doesn’t look like it does anything, but the picture on your right actually takes trash and turns it into energy. Some scientists over at Purdue University created this “tactical biorefinery,” a generator that uses refuse as a main fuel source.

According to the scientists, the whole thing was made due to a request from the US military. The tactical biorefinery, however, can serve more than military purposes, such as in providing emergency power for relief operations and hospitals.

While diesel actually starts the process of creating power, the trash is what really gets the whole contraption going:

The machine separates food material into a bioreactor that uses the yeast ferments to create ethanol.

Other materials go to a gasifier and are converted into propane gas and methane, which then fuel the diesel engine that creates electricity. 

Purdue scientists also mention that the device may actually be more environmentally friendly, as the biomass-powered generator takes less diesel to run, and because plants absorb carbon dioxide, which is supposed to be one of its byproducts.

It's big. - Image 1It doesn’t look like it does anything, but the picture on your right actually takes trash and turns it into energy. Some scientists over at Purdue University created this “tactical biorefinery,” a generator that uses refuse as a main fuel source.

According to the scientists, the whole thing was made due to a request from the US military. The tactical biorefinery, however, can serve more than military purposes, such as in providing emergency power for relief operations and hospitals.

While diesel actually starts the process of creating power, the trash is what really gets the whole contraption going:

The machine separates food material into a bioreactor that uses the yeast ferments to create ethanol.

Other materials go to a gasifier and are converted into propane gas and methane, which then fuel the diesel engine that creates electricity. 

Purdue scientists also mention that the device may actually be more environmentally friendly, as the biomass-powered generator takes less diesel to run, and because plants absorb carbon dioxide, which is supposed to be one of its byproducts.

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