Dependence on fossil fuels is among the most serious problems of the modern world. Transition to renewable energy sources is too difficult a task that can not be done quickly, because a large part of the existing infrastructure and available technologies depend entirely on oil or coal. Replacing them with new sources of energy is expensive and slow process. However, the possibility to use more often synthetic fuels is a good option, especially if production does not pollute the environment. In this respect, the German company Sunfire present a machine that by completely clean process converts water into fuel. Technology "Power-to-liquid" uses a complex chemical process to achieve the objective, and for the moment it is only used for demonstrations.
The capacity of the machine does is to 1 barrel of fuel per day. "Power-to-liquid" is based on the development process in 1925, the Fischer-Troshs' whereby the hydrogen and carbon monoxide are synthesized to obtain synthetic fuel.
Sunfire German company introduced the first of its kind machine that converts water sintentichno fuel. Technology named "Power-to-Liquid" and is based on the process developed in 1925 by researchers Franz Fischer and Hans Tropsch, in combination with the so-called. "Solid oxide electrolysis cells" (SOECs). This type of cells used in the conversion of electricity produced from renewable sources in steam. From the resulting vapor is removed, oxygen and hydrogen produced.
The next step of the process is the conversion of hydrogen to carbon dioxide, and then with carbon monoxide. Then the substance was synthesized by the Fischer-Tropsch process to obtain sintentichnoto fuel. At the same time, the machine uses the heat generated to produce new steam, making the level of efficiency of about 70%.
For now, the device is only used for demonstrations, and its capacity is 1 barrel of fuel per day. The creation of the machine is worth "seven-digit sum", the company said producer. Part of the money is public funds provided by the German Ministry of Education and Science.
The platform allows us to prove the technical feasibility on an industrial scale, "said Director of technological Sunfire Christian Olshauzen. "It is now a matter of regulatory factors to allow Investors to evaluate the product. When this happens, it will be possible step by step to replace fossil fuels. If we want to achieve energy independence in the long term, will have to start today, "he commented, as quoted by CNET.
