catalytic converter

[garethace]

I received this reply to a post of mine at http://www.aceshardware.com/forum....

 

Just thought that I should share it with you guys, for your entertainment/interest.... not a bad post by any standards, and it does raise a quite interesting point in relation to the environment.... I notice that environmental science is part of architecture curriculum more these days....

 

There is a company that claims to have a relatively efficient

process for turning any organic waste into oil, natural gas,

and other fuels. I heard about it on an episode of Techknowledge

on the Science Channel tonight, but there doesn't seem to be

too much information about it on the web.

 

http://www.ecologicinvestor.com/news/readfullnews.asp?NewsID=358

 

They seem to be building, or have built a 20 million dollar

facility, so hopefully it actually works and isn't environmentally

harmful. If it does work, then it wouldn't matter if you

burn the resulting fuels since it is a renewable resource.

It would just be part of the cycle unlike oil from the ground

which adds to the carbon dioxide and takes oxygen out of the

atmosphere.

 

There is still a need for hydrogen or electric vehicles though.

In valleys like Los Angeles and Silicon Valley, not producing

carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, and other polutants would be

usefull since it sticks around and causes smog.

 

I have found that a persons level of environmental concern

depends on where they live a lot. I grew up in Michigan,

which is mostly flat, and has a low population. Polution

just blows away. There is very little environmental concern.

Most people drive gas guzzling vehicles and a lot of people

just burn their trash and heat their house with wood. I

remember one of my friends who is into high powered vehicles

saying that you could just bash all of the stuff in a catalytic

converter out for better exhaust flow. He would just put a

piece of pipe on there if a catalytic converter wasn't required

by law. They don't check to make sure that the catalytic converter

is actually working though. He just rebuilt the engine in his

truck with a bunch of aftermarket parts. It is a 390 (old, very

large engine; used to be used in busses and such, I believe).

He spent about $4000. He used an expensive aluminum head,

aftermarket crank shaft, headers, aftermarket carburator, and

various other parts. He was planning on driving it to work

every day, about 32 miles there and back. It requires premium

gas, and it may get 5 miles to the gallon or so, I don't really

know. It would definately be under 10 miles to the gallon.

Hopefully he has reconsidered with the higher gas prices.

 

This wouldn't work in Silicon Valley. I believe it is illegal

here to install wood burning fireplaces in new houses. In

California, you also have to get a smog check for your car every

year or two, to make sure it is putting out acceptable levels

of polution. This means that your engine must be in good running

condition. It can't be burning much oil. I know a lot of people

driving cars back in Michigan that they have to add oil to all

of the time. One of my friends here has an older car, and he

had to have the engine rebuilt to get it to pass the smog check

(it needed a rebuild anyway). A few years later he had to put

a new catalytic converter on it to get it to pass.

 

 

 

Just read through some of the other replies, some excellent points of views and slants coming into that thread. The prospect of a 'hydrogen economy' is mentioned amongst other things....

 

http://www.aceshardware.com/forum?read=115069973