Bio Fule

Medicine, Science & Technology Forum

www.grassolean.com

I guess I'm just wondering what everyone's thoughts are on this. Here's what I've learned:

As rescently as a couple of years ago, scientist-genius's in America have nearly perfected manipulating soy-bean oil on a molecular level by mixing it with some chemical. In doing so, they've eliminated 2 problems that were keeping this product from becomming our new source of fule; in the winter it will no longer freeze, and in the summer it will no longer break apart.

5 or 6 car companies in America are making desiel-engine cars this year since desiel engines have a better economy. (40% of Britain already has desiel cars).

Thoughts?

Maybe they can figure out how to make cars out of soy beans. When we get tired of our cars, we can eat them and grow a new one.

... that's pretty funny...

But I'm serious Does anyone know anything about this?

This is the first I've ever heard of it. I've heard of "gasoline" made from corn, but I think they had to ban its use because cars were being chased down the road by horses and cattle. It caused serious accidents.

Ok, being serious now. I have heard of corn use, but not soy beans. I will say this much... I hope they hurry up and make something to replace fuel. I hate being dependent on other countries for necessities. All you have to do is hear a rumor about the Middle East, and walla... gas prices are hiked.

I checked out that site link you gave. What exactly are looking for?

I'm sorry... just one more. I honestly told my hands not to type but they wouldn't listen.

Does this mean that instead of putting STP gas treatment in our cars, we have to start buying BeanO by the case in order to treat our cars for burps?

Ok, Ok... I'm done!

Soybean Car Promoting Biodiesel
04/06/2001
By:
Matt Gouras
Los Angeles Times
Bismark, ND
http://www.latimes.com Categories:
· Clean Energy


Preview:
With two rooftop tanks and a dashboard built to hold a computer and toggle switches, Dwight Baumann's car doesn't look like a regular 1984 Volvo diesel. And when it's running on soybean oil, it doesn't smell like one either.

Article:

With two rooftop tanks and a dashboard built to hold a computer and toggle switches, Dwight Baumann's car doesn't look like a regular 1984 Volvo diesel. And when it's running on soybean oil, it doesn't smell like one either.

Baumann pointed to the Volvo's exhaust pipe outside the state Capitol Friday, inviting farmers and members of the state's Senate Agriculture Committee to take a whiff.

Farmers have an obvious interest in the bean-mobile -they have a lock on the fuel.

"No, it doesn't smell like french fries," Baumann said. "But no smoke, and it doesn't smell bad, either."

Baumann, who is a native of Ashley, N.D., teaches engineering design at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh. He converted his 1984 Volvo to run on the alternative oil to show farmers it can work.

North Dakota lawmakers are considering a tax break for biodiesel, a term used to describe diesel fuel that is blended with vegetable or animal fat oils.

Baumann wants the Legislature to approve the tax incentive, and he spent three days driving to Bismarck from Pittsburgh to show off his Volvo, which can run entirely on vegetable oil.

A frame on the car's roof holds two fuel tanks filled with vegetable oil. Baumann uses mostly soybean or sunflower oil, but even peanut oil will work, he said.

He starts the car on regular diesel, then switches to vegetable oil after it warms up enough to flow through the fuel lines.

The car goes just as fast on vegetable oil as it does on regular diesel fuel, and gets the same mileage, he said. At 90 cents a gallon, vegetable oil is about 55 cents a gallon cheaper than diesel fuel sold in Bismarck.

But Baumann said it is sometimes difficult finding vegetable oil on long road trips, and he had to burn regular diesel for half of his journey from Pittsburgh.

The Agriculture Committee's chairman, Sen. Terry Wanzek, R-Cleveland, is a soybean farmer, but he said he's never seen someone use soybeans to power a car.

"But I truly believe there's a big potential to use soybeans this way commercially," he said.

Terry Goerger, a director of the North Dakota Soybean Council, said putting soybean oil in more fuel tanks will help the nation's energy situation.

"We hope the ag sector can be an energy source," he said.

If they succeed, we're going to have another problem. Supply in demand will hike the prices of soybeans or any kind of vegetable oil.

I can just see Wal-mart now. Due to the increase in Crisco Oil for the consumption of fuel, we have now bottled motor oil for use in deep frying. Don't worry though, we know most of your body is made up of silicone, so what's one more synthetic product going to hurt?

If you keep digging, you'll find very cool recourses. It's interesting huh?