this is the greatest thing ever

[rone]

devonapple brought to my attention this little device that, by judicious application of microwaves, extracts oil and gas from plastics, rubber, and just about anything that has a hydrocarbon base, and leaves a remainder of pure carbon.  The video linked therein is a mediocre production, but it's still impressive.

Comments

[mrbalihai.livejournal.com]

I'm skeptical. I remember the many garbage-into-oil schemes being reported in the press a year or so ago when oil prices first started to spike, and nothing came of any of them.

[ronebofh.livejournal.com]

I wonder if New Scientist will be following up on this. The article does mention that Gershow Recycling will be buying a Hawk-10, but they don't exactly seem to be a squeaky-clean company (http://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=NEWS_RELEASES&p_id=11747). They had a PR release (http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=ind_focus.story&STORY=/www/story/05-30-2007/0004598210&EDATE=WED+May+30+2007,+10:10+AM), so it might be for real, or it might be a joint scam.

[mrbalihai.livejournal.com]

After reading that press release, I think the old adage, "If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is" applies.

[ronebofh.livejournal.com]

Well, it is a press release.

[palecur.livejournal.com]

To the best of my knowledge the thermal depolymerization plant in Carthage is still running, still turning turkey guts into oil. I'd love to have a look at their balance sheets, but the tech as far as I can tell from this remove seems sound enough.

[scothen-krau.livejournal.com]

TDP isn't a cold fusion scam, I'll say that much. I do suspect they aren't getting the efficiencies they want out of it yet, but I don't blame the guys for playing it close to the vest - there are many interests that want to see them fail, who are poised to spring into action to kill the Carthage plant. Ethanol isn't really efficient either, of course, but it has a huge, organized lobby.

As for the microwave process, I'd like to see more info. But it's a lovely idea.

[dagbrown.livejournal.com]

The biggest warning bell for me is that the microwave oven in the video is ridiculously tiny. I'd like to see something where they run industrial quantities of waste through the thing.

Plus, well, we all know about the fireworks that result when you toss metals into a microwave. What do they do about those?