Little gem

AUSTRALIAN engineers have invented a they claim can eliminating up to 70 per cent of harmful emissions.

Their microwave emissions converter, is about the size of a wine bottle. It microwaves the exhaust gas, heating its core to as much as 5000 degrees. At this temperature, the exhaust gases break down, creating a plasma.

As the mix cools, the ions re-combine to form less harmful substances. "Under ideal lab conditions, we get up to a 90 per cent reduction in carbon monoxide. Carbon dioxide and hydrocarbons, On the road, it will probably fall to around 70 per cent," says Elias Siores from the University of Technology in Melbourne, who developed the converter with Caries Destefam, both of whom have filed a patent on the device.

The converter works on diesel and petrol engines, and can be used downstream of a catalytic converter to further reduce emissions, yet it has a downside. It increases the number of tiny carbon particles spewed out in the exhaust, To combat this. the pair have developed a way of harvesting the carbon and producing industrial diamond from it.

An filter, downstream of the first microwave emissions converter, lining the exhaust pipe attracts the carbon particles. These particles are collected and used to feed a separate process called microwave plasma spray deposition. Here comes the science bit. This heats up a supply of inert gas, ionising it into a plasma, this plasma picks up the carbon particles in the exhaust creating a liquid that can condense as industrial diamonds. The filter can then be replaced at each service and sent off to extract the now valuable carbon.

If the prototype makes it to the production line, cleaner exhausts would have an immediate impact on people's health, and help cut levels of greenhouse gases. It may also be used to scrub industrial chimneys of harmful particles.

Source: New Scientist

End of Fuel Crisis in Sight?

Boffins have come up with a way of cracking the fuel problem - by using hazelnuts shells to produce hydrogen.

The ingenious attempt at providing an alternative to oil is the end result of a five year research project at the University of Newcastle. Scientists there found that by heating a special container filled with hazelnuts for a short time, the shells then burnt producing the hydrogen. They say the gas can then be easily converted into liquid and used to powered a car, adding that the new fuel source would cost motorists just 3p a litre.

Researchers are now hoping manufacturers will look more closely at the idea. A BMW spokesman said they had already built 40 cars which run on hydrogen and the idea hazelnut shells could also be used was fantastic.