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Alternative Fuels

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koj

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One of my engineering classes were doing research on alternative fuels when one of them came across "French Fry Diesel". I had them investigate further and they found loads of information on how to make it, efficiency, http://www.journeytoforever.org/biofuel_library/EthylWVO.pdf
emmisions and effect on your diesel engine. The website shows all of this information

I am going to get a lab set up so that my class can make this fuel. If all goes well, I plan on making this at home and using it myself. I will let you know our results.
 
Perdue U. has already done this with soy oil and cooking oil mixed with diesel fuel.
One of the BIGGEST deals is a GRAIN STOVE for heating.More efficient than fuel oil as a bushel of grain used in a grain furnace is worth $9.64 per bu. at the same btu.'s for heating water or air .
 
The diesel was originally invented to run on peanut oil or similar oils. Cheap petroleum won out. But that'll be changing. At our recent county fair they held an energy fair in conjunction with the regular fair. They had the whole ball of wax there, even a large wind turbine. They had two cars on display, for sale, that ran on vegetable oil. A VW and a Ford. And they were affoardable. We're also looking into the technology for ourselves.
 
Farmers Use Crops to Heat Homes

CENTRE HALL, Pa. (AP) -- On a cool, still day, there's a subtle scent of popcorn surrounding Ed Leightley's farm.

Something on the stove? Nope. The aroma is coming from the furnace.

Leightly is one of a growing number of farmers who find they can save money by using their crops to heat their homes.

``I just love it,'' said Leightley, a corn farmer who lives in a 100-year-old two-story home without insulation in central Pennsylvania. ``It hasn't varied 2 degrees in here all winter. And there's no way I could get heating oil for the same price I'd get for my corn -- this old house doesn't heat cheap.''

No one knows exactly how many people are burning grain for heat, but rising prices for fossil fuels and falling grain prices have prompted more farmers to switch to grain furnaces, which can burn corn, wheat, barley, rye, sorghum and even soybeans.

Dennis Buffington, a professor of agricultural and biological engineering at Penn State University, says one bushel of corn -- dried and off the cob -- will generate about as much heat as five gallons of liquid propane, which has long been the fuel of choice in farm country.

While prices vary based on location and dealer, Buffington said corn had a wholesale value of about $2 a bushel in late 2000, while propane cost about $1.30 per gallon. That means farmers could cut their heating costs by more than two-thirds by heating with corn.

And those savings can add up.

Eldon Higgins, who owns a sheet metal shop in Sandusky, Mich., said he saved close to $2,000 in the first month after switching from propane to corn and wheat to heat his shop. Higgins started using his grain furnace in January.

``My last bill for 28 days was $2,126 for propane,'' Higgins said. ``Now we're heating for about $8 per day.''

And, he said, he'll soon start saving even more after agreeing to take some substandard wheat from an area grower. Higgins said he'll get the grain -- three truckloads of it -- for free.

Buffington said that's one of the advantages of grain furnaces: the furnace doesn't know if kernels are too small to be marketable or if the grain is diseased.

``Where this has a real advantage is if the corn has lesser value,'' Buffington said. ``When corn is low-quality or is mildewed or for some other reason is unmarketable, it still burns just as well.''

Most farmers who use grain furnaces burn whatever crop they grow instead of buying grain. The furnaces have been most popular among corn and barley farmers because of the low prices for those crops.

While grain-fired furnaces are starting to catch on in farm country, grain specialist Dan Brann said most urban and suburban customers probably would find the heaters inconvenient.

``Somebody's got to make it where the homeowner does not need to bring in grain -- that the homeowner simply goes down, knocks the ashes out, and everything else operates just like their oil furnace,'' said Brann, who works for Virginia Tech Extension.

On the Net:
Penn State University College of Agricultural Sciences: http://www.cas.psu.edu
 
A-MAIZE-ING HEAT® CORN FURNACE/STOVE AND BOILER
MANUFACTURED BY LDJ MFG INC

INTRODUCING A TRULY EFFICIENT FURNACE AND BOILER
In these times of high energy costs, it makes sense to use a heat source that utilizes a resource that is readily available and cost effective. The A-Maize-Ing Heat® furnace and boiler burn shelled corn, a renewable local commodity. Corn costs less per BTU than other heat sources, plus benefits the local economy by generating business for farmers. The low cost of shelled corn, together with the efficient burning process of this furnace or boiler, produces an ecologically safe home heating system.

BURNS CLEAN - NO MORE CREOSOTE
The A-Maize-Ing Heat® furnace and boiler feed the corn into the bottom of the combustion chamber, therefore providing the most efficient fuel consumption. The residual ashes are then spilled over the top of the combustion ring into the ash pan. This process, in effect, self cleans the combustion chamber.

THE FIRST UL LISTED
The A-Maize-Ing Heat® furnace and boiler are the first shelled corn fired central furnace and residential boiler to be listed by Underwriters Laboratories. Using a dual auger drive system to meter the fuel allows for the precise and safe control of combustion. The UL listing assures you of a safe and quality product.

SAFE, COMFORTABLE HEAT
Your home's thermostat electronically controls the fuel feed system and blower to provide a constant temperature. The furnace or boiler will remain lit as long as the bin contains corn, and will shut down automatically if the fuel supply is depleted. The low stack temperature and absence of creosote buildup eliminates the possibility of chimney fires.

A BETTER ALTERNATIVE
The A-Maize-Ing Heat® corn burning furnace and boiler have many advantages over wood heat. There is no daily maintenance. With 100,000 BTU or 165,000 BTU output you could easily heat an entire house. The large storage bin holds up to 10 days supply of fuel, which is automatically fed, into the combustion chamber as needed. There's no need to load the furnace several times a day. The use of corn also eliminates the bark mess, insects, splinters, and storage & handling problems connected with wood fuel. No chainsaws, wood splitters, or trailers to buy and maintain.

BURN OTHER BIOMASS FUEL
An LDJ A-Maize-Ing Heat® system can also burn other biomass fuels including wood pellets, wheat, grain, sorghum, soybeans, fruit pits, pelletized waste or other pelletized combustable materials that can be fed through the 2" augers.

QUALITY CONSTRUCTION
The A-Maize-Ing Heat® furnace and boiler feature quality construction for long-lasting performance. 14-gauge steel is used on the heat exchanger, and a large heavy cast iron fire pot ensures long life. A one year warranty is included on electrical parts, and a five year limited warranty on the burner and heat exchanger. LDJ Mfg Inc of Pella, Iowa builds their products with pride.
 
No MIDDLEMAN JACKING prices when you burn your own wheat, grain, sorghum, soybeans, corn and barley !!!!!!!!!! Just to bad we don't have steam tractors and steam pickups as the corn would make maybe 200 miles to the Bu.
 
Our little community heats the school and several other public buildings are either entirely or partially heated with the 155%+/- hot water before it goes into the cooling system to provide the water for the citizens of the town.

Community leaders have tried with little or no success to draw some business into the town to take advantage of the abundant supply of hot water......and provide jobs and bring in more people.

MRJ
 
It sure seems funny that some one would have to suggest using wood , as if that were a new or novel thought. We have always burned wood to heat our house and it has only been the last 10 years that we have had the "luxury" of a wood/oil combination furnace, rather than wood only.

Ontario has abundant hardhood forests in the south and softwood in the north. It is very common to see woodlots anywhere in the province that have hundreds of cords of firewood trees that will lay there till they rot.

The reason? It has been too easy and too cheap to just fill the oil tank and turn the thermostat up when the temperature drops. It seems that no one wants the work and mess of burning wood.

We have become a society conditioned to take the easy way and it was inevitable that the time would come to pay the piper. I think that $1.00 per liter for heating oil will be more than a little shocking for most users this winter.

I have been trying to come up with a way to heat our household water with the wood furnace. Since it is burning day and night in the fall and winter, it seems to me that it would be a cheap way to have hot water in the house. And that in spite of the fact that our oil-fired water heater is very efficient.

Sure would be easier than telling the kids that they don't need to FILL the bath tub with hot water! :x :roll:
 
We have an outdoor wood furnace with the broiler, so we make one fire to heat several buildings, works great. And you can hook it up to heat your hot water heater as well.
 
I still think this is the BIG DEAL One of the BIGGEST deals is a GRAIN STOVE for heating.More efficient than fuel oil as a bushel of grain used in a grain furnace is worth $9.64 per bu. at the same btu.'s for heating water or air .Fuel oil price yesterday quoted at $ 2.02 per gallon not delivered and when it takes 300-400 gallons a month,then the slowdown starts for the Western Hemisphere. New Slogan ,,,,Got Trees ,Cut WOOD or Got Grain ,Burn IT Don't Feed It.
 
Maple Leaf, I envy you that furnace! Wish we had put one of those in. We just have a couple of quite efficient fireplaces, but finding time to cut the wood is a problem, too. Don't know how truly sustainable wood for heat would be if many people were to use it in this area. This is grass country, and the real trees are in pretty short supply and mostly not hardwoods. One of my brothers has a propane/wood combo furnace that has served him well for a long time. I do know there are retro-fit deals to take heat from your furnace and heat your hot water. Suppose it is imperative to design a system with good valves and whatever is required to relieve excessive pressures and prevent water from getting way too hot, though.

Porker, what would happen if grain prices should get too high? Though that is hard to imagine! Can those stoves/furnaces also burn non-processed wood, or does it have to be pelleted? Pelleted wood sounds great from a cleanliness point, and not having to wrestle those heavy pieces of wood so many times before it actually gets into the stove, but sure not totally self-sustaining in an emergency situation, either.

Too bad it took fuel costs to sort of force people into getting serious about more natural and sustainable sources of fuel for our energy needs. Many of us on the prairies should be producing wind energy and selling our excess electricity back to the cooperatives. Maybe now they will seriously consider allowing us to do that.

MRJ
 
I hear all these great claims about grain furnaces, but how is the efficiency? Technically speaking there might be more BTU's in a bushel of grain, but because of an inefficient burn they are not available. I have never talked with anyone who actually has saved money burning grain.

Straw bale burners/boilers on the other hand are a good deal in high straw areas, but those areas are limited, and fuel drives up the price of baling etc.

Wind power is just starting to be economical. Higher energy prices have been necesary to launch many of these alternatives. At 3 million dollars for a large wind turbine, you need to sell lots of power at 5 cents a kwh to pay for it.

I use wood, and have for many years, I don't even have a gas furnace. We have no trees either, just old lumber from granieries, fences, pallets etc. I have only ever bought 3 loads of wood for maybe $100 each. Once or twice we have gone to the forest reserve and cut deadfall.
 
Jason said:
I hear all these great claims about grain furnaces, but how is the efficiency? Technically speaking there might be more BTU's in a bushel of grain, but because of an inefficient burn they are not available. I have never talked with anyone who actually has saved money burning grain.

Straw bale burners/boilers on the other hand are a good deal in high straw areas, but those areas are limited, and fuel drives up the price of baling etc.

Wind power is just starting to be economical. Higher energy prices have been necesary to launch many of these alternatives. At 3 million dollars for a large wind turbine, you need to sell lots of power at 5 cents a kwh to pay for it.

I use wood, and have for many years, I don't even have a gas furnace. We have no trees either, just old lumber from granieries, fences, pallets etc. I have only ever bought 3 loads of wood for maybe $100 each. Once or twice we have gone to the forest reserve and cut deadfall.[/quote
]


Well,no wonder you dont know anything about ranching,spend all your time hauling wood................good luck
 
No Haymaker, I don't have 1600 posts on Ranchers.net, that's why I know ranching and can save thousands by burning wood.
 
Jason said:
No Haymaker, I don't have 1600 posts on Ranchers.net, that's why I know ranching and can save thousands by burning wood.

well get youself a decent furnance,then you will have more time for posting,I know those packers pay you well enough to afford a furnance?..............good luck
 
BUURRRRRNNNNNNN!! :)

ANd when this isn't enough, haymaker is over in Agriville stirring the pot!
 
Cattleman said:
BUURRRRRNNNNNNN!! :)

ANd when this isn't enough, haymaker is over in Agriville stirring the pot!

I aint sirring pots,I have some thing to tell those canuckle heads................good luck
 
Porker, what would happen if grain prices should get too high?
Just a DREAM ,MRJ

Though that is hard to imagine!
That's why when one fuel source gets too high another takes Over!

Can those stoves/furnaces also burn non-processed wood, or does it have to be pelleted?
Pellets ,kernals,free flowing grain,anything that can be augered from storage WORKS.


Pelleted wood sounds great from a cleanliness point, and not having to wrestle those heavy pieces of wood so many times before it actually gets into the stove, but sure not totally self-sustaining in an emergency situation, either.

At least you can raise your own fuel with the right furnace.

Too bad it took fuel costs to sort of force people into getting serious about more natural and sustainable sources of fuel for our energy needs.
*****YOU GOT THAT RIGHT

Many of us on the prairies should be producing wind energy and selling our excess electricity back to the cooperatives. Maybe now they will seriously consider allowing us to do that.

Just too MUCH INVESTMENT in Windpower. It's cheaper to pelletize parire grass.
 

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