Posted by Krzysztof Lis on October 3, 2010
In many articles on this blog I used the term efficiency. It describes the ratio between the output power from any device (like an internal combustion engine) and the input to that device. For example, in internal combustion engine the output is the power transmitted via the shaft to the gearbox, while the input is the amount of energy stored in fuel, the heating value of the fuel. If we’re discussing electric engines, the output is the same, while the input is the amount of electrical power used by the engine while it is working.
When it comes to producing biofuels, or any fuels in general (even the ones derived from the petroleum), you use a similar factor, called EROEI. It is an abbreviation of Energy Return On Energy Invested. For a specific fuel it shows how much energy you obtain from this fuel when compared to the energy used to producing it. WAIT! There is more to read… read on »
Posted by Krzysztof Lis on August 2, 2010
If you’re at the moment in your life when you’re looking for a new car, and believe you’re going to use it for a while, you should make a wise choice. If you don’t want an electric or hybrid vehicle, you don’t have much to choose from, but only gasoline (spark ignition) or diesel (compression ignition) engines. Which one should you buy?
There is no simple answer to that question. Those engines differ a lot in power/torque and efficiency/MPG, the fuels cost is also different. There are many additional questions you might ask to help you make a decision, e.g. do you want to spend more on the engine that will be more efficient and use cheaper fuel?
So let’s take a look at this question only from one point of view: the ability to use alternative fuels if standard fuels become very expensive or even unobtainable. WAIT! There is more to read… read on »
- Wood gas usage – engines
Wood gas is an interesting fuel for internal combustion engines. It can be used in almost all fo...
- Ethanol as an engine fuel
When Otto invented his first internal combustion engine in 1872, people didn't know how to refine (d...
Posted by Krzysztof Lis on July 11, 2010
If you ever wondered how is it possible to make biogas at home, than you just found the right place. 
I’m going to show you two great books to read if you ever wanted to make biogas.
Biogas production, also known as anaerobic digestion, is a process in which a biodigestible matter (biomass) is transformed by bacteria to biogas. It is done in reactors called biodigesters, which you feed with all the waste biomass (cut grass, waste water — especially blackwater, . The remaining digestate is very nutrient-rich and can be used as a fertilizer. Because of that, I believe that anaerobic digestion is a better way to utilize waste biomass than composting, as the latter only produces fertilizer. Anaerobic digestion produces both fertilizer and biogas.
I posted here two years ago a short video on how to make small amounts of biogas, but today I will show you much better ways to make this fuel.
WAIT! There is more to read… read on »
- Biogas
Biogas is gaseous alternative fuel. It is produced when biodegradable matter (biomass) is broken dow...
- Biogas – article from Wikipedia
I put this article here as a reference to all other articles on biogas.
The site automatically do...
Posted by Krzysztof Lis on July 1, 2010
As the Wikipedia is a great source of information on many renewable subjects, I don’t want to write my own article about anaerobic digestion — a process that produces biogas.
Below you will find an exact copy of the Wiki’s article on anaerobic digestion. It’ll be used as a reference in my future articles.
WAIT! There is more to read… read on »
- Biogas
Biogas is gaseous alternative fuel. It is produced when biodegradable matter (biomass) is broken dow...
- DIY Biogas Plant
If you ever wondered how is it possible to make biogas at home, than you just found the right place....