Diesel powered bike, will run on biodiesel

[DSK]

biodiesel on your intercontinental cruises? I reckon a good utility
bicycle would be lighter, easier to stow on board, cleaner, cheaper,
less time consuming, and 98% as useful. Sounds like a good tradeoff to
me.

Wrong

"Civilization" can be defined as seeking to avoid any form
of physical exertion, whatever, no matter how productive or
healthy.

DSK

 

[Eeyore]

Wrong

"Civilization" can be defined as seeking to avoid any form
of physical exertion, whatever, no matter how productive or
healthy.

Civilisation is defined as living in cities actually.

Only Americans need personal vehicles at all times to avoid using their legs.

Graham

 

[Harbin Osteen]

Larry:
I don't own, or sell these, and I don't know anybody that has one.
I did not know that there is such a problem with all centrifugal
clutches, but if there is a problem that you know of, would it not
be prudent to carry a spare or two? Kind of save you some time
for crusing bar to bar, right?

 

[Harbin Osteen]

Snip.....

Biodiesel is just replacing one type of emission with another - and it
takes a lot of power to harvest/process the stuff. For these types of
purposes, there is an ancient form of power, called human power.

Snip....

Yes, it does replace one emmission with another, but it is at least
a closed carbon cycle. You take up carbon when you grow the
crop (and my prefered crop is alge, which will double in 24 to
48 hours) and relese it when burned in combustion.
Human power is great, but not for everything, just as the
diesel bike is not good for everything, but fills a nitch that
could be useful to some.

--

SeeYaa Harbin Osteen KG6URO

!sdohtem noitpyrcne devorppa-tnemnrevog troppus I
-

 

[Harbin Osteen]

Grow alge, no tractor required.

One square mile is 640 acres.
One square mile is 5280 feet by 5280 feet.
A tractor pulling a 30 foot wide disc plow will require:

5280/30 = 176 passes. That's 176 linear miles to plow the entire 640
acres.

Now the next question is, how much horsepower (fuel consumed) to cover the
176 miles?

And then there are the herbicide/pesticide/fertilizer/harvest passes also.

Take it away Nick.

 

[[email protected]]

... how much horsepower (fuel consumed) to cover the 176 miles?

Take it away Nick.

Foist, the question might be "how many horsepower-HOURS" of energy?"

And how much force times 176 miles?

Nick

 

[Harbin Osteen]

Hi Dale:
This site claims 2641 gallons per hector:
http://www.oilgae.com/algae/oil/yield/yield.html

Gallons of Oil per Acre per Year

Corn . . . . . . . 18

Soybeans . . . .48

Safflower. . . . . 83

Sunflower . . . 102

Rapeseed. . . 127

Oil Palm . . . . 635

Micro Algae . .5000-15000:
http://peswiki.com/index.php/Directory:Biodiesel_from_Algae_Oil
The highest yield feedstock for biodiesel is hydroponic algae, which can
produce 250 times the amount per acre as soybeans.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biodiesel

Micro algaes present the best option for producing Bio Fuel such as
biodiesel in quantities sufficient to completely replace petroleum. While
traditional crops have yields of around 50-150 gallons of biodiesel per acre
per year, algaes can yield 5,000-20,000 gallons per acre per year.
http://www.solaroof.org/wiki/SolaRoof/MassAlgaeCulture

a.. Different algae species produce different amounts of oil. Some algae (
diatoms for instance) produce up to 50% oil by weight.
http://www.castoroil.in/reference/plant_oils/uses/fuel/sources/algae/biodiesel_algae.html

a.. Soybean: 40 to 50 US gal/acre (40 to 50 m³/km²)
b.. Rapeseed: 110 to 145 US gal/acre (100 to 140 m³/km²)
c.. Mustard: 140 US gal/acre (130 m³/km²)
d.. Jatropha: 175 US gal/acre (160 m³/km²)
e.. Palm oil: 650 US gal/acre (610 m³/km²) [2]
f.. Algae: 10,000 to 20,000 US gal/acre (10,000 to 20,000 m³/km²)
http://www.biodieseltechnologiesindia.com/biodieselsources.html

These are just a few sites, and I'm sure there are some more detailed sites
out there.

--

SeeYaa Harbin Osteen KG6URO

!sdohtem noitpyrcne devorppa-tnemnrevog troppus I
-

 

[digitalmaster]

Yes. That is the question required for a starting point...

And I dunno the answer.

I do know that the bigger tractors have 450+ horses available. We need a
farmer to give us (more like you ) some actual fuel consumption
figures.

I saw a show on discovery channel about the worlds largest tractors.IIRC
they used about 1 gallon per acre for one pass plowing.

 

[Larry]

Larry:
I don't own, or sell these, and I don't know anybody that has one.
I did not know that there is such a problem with all centrifugal
clutches, but if there is a problem that you know of, would it not
be prudent to carry a spare or two? Kind of save you some time
for crusing bar to bar, right?

Not an easy or fun change. I didn't see the space to carry around the gear
puller it takes to get one off the shaft and keyway, either. I've tore up
plenty in my "younger years"...(c;

This scooter is useless on most boats, anyway, as there's no place to STORE
it and if you left it on deck it would either end up a pile of solid rust
from the seawater spray or, due to its mass thrashing around, destroy the
boat and rigging on its way over the side, probably taking the handrails
with it.

Not many on the boat newsgroup have a 160' motoryacht with toy storage
garage in the stern....

 

[Eeyore]

............the initial point
was a biodiesel motorbike onboard a cruising sailboat, which I think is
impractical, un-neseccary, and better tools exist to do that particular
job, ie human power.

Using human power also keeps you fit ! Since this bike seems to be targeted at
the USA, I reckon its another ploy to increase the number of 400 lb ppl !

On my canal trips btw I've lost quite a bit of weight from running around,
working locks and the like and it feels great.

Graham

 

[digitalmaster]

Did you catch the width of the plow. Makes a little difference.

30' wide is approx.:
176/640 = .275 miles per acre.

Where 176 is the number of passes (1 mile each) with a 30' wide plow to
cover 640 acres (1 mi. sq.).

1 gallon per acre equals 1 gallon per .275 miles.
1/.275 = 3.64 gallons per mile (not miles per gallon).

Now I'll post this and then likely find somebody beat me to the punch.

Why assume a 30' plow? the tractors I saw would pull a 30 foot plow apart in
short order.There is such a thing as economy of scale.Just because someone
said 30 foot plow does not mean it has to be.Run the numbers with a 20 foot
and you will get even less efficiency.

 

[Harbin Osteen]

Howdy again Dale:
Algae is grown in what is called a raceway for large systems, but for
small systems
you can use bags, or tanks, but have more dark area than light area, or you
can grow
tubular reactors, which would be my choice for growing in a small system.
Here
is a link that you my want to check out to see what such a system might look
like.
http://www.variconaqua.com/bioreactors.htm
http://www.irccm.de/greenhouse/project.html

Photo of a large system can be seen here:
http://www.scripps.edu/newsandviews/e_20030127/algae.html

And this is a good read:
http://www.unh.edu/p2/biodiesel/article_alge.html

Another good read; Microreactor:
http://oregonstate.edu/dept/ncs/newsarch/2006/Feb06/microreactors.htm
http://www.capitalpress.info/print.asp?SectionID=67&SubSectionID=782&ArticleID=24256&TM=52092.43


--

SeeYaa Harbin Osteen KG6URO

!sdohtem noitpyrcne devorppa-tnemnrevog troppus I
-

Thank you. The links give me something to read...

And a little more hope in re: Peak Oil.

Hi Dale:
This site claims 2641 gallons per hector:
http://www.oilgae.com/algae/oil/yield/yield.html

Gallons of Oil per Acre per Year

Corn . . . . . . . 18

Soybeans . . . .48

Safflower. . . . . 83

Sunflower . . . 102

Rapeseed. . . 127

Oil Palm . . . . 635

Micro Algae . .5000-15000:
http://peswiki.com/index.php/Directory:Biodiesel_from_Algae_Oil
The highest yield feedstock for biodiesel is hydroponic algae, which can
produce 250 times the amount per acre as soybeans.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biodiesel

Micro algaes present the best option for producing Bio Fuel such as
biodiesel in quantities sufficient to completely replace petroleum. While
traditional crops have yields of around 50-150 gallons of biodiesel per
acre per year, algaes can yield 5,000-20,000 gallons per acre per year.
http://www.solaroof.org/wiki/SolaRoof/MassAlgaeCulture

a.. Different algae species produce different amounts of oil. Some algae
( diatoms for instance) produce up to 50% oil by weight.
http://www.castoroil.in/reference/plant_oils/uses/fuel/sources/algae/biodiesel_algae.html

a.. Soybean: 40 to 50 US gal/acre (40 to 50 m³/km²)
b.. Rapeseed: 110 to 145 US gal/acre (100 to 140 m³/km²)
c.. Mustard: 140 US gal/acre (130 m³/km²)
d.. Jatropha: 175 US gal/acre (160 m³/km²)
e.. Palm oil: 650 US gal/acre (610 m³/km²) [2]
f.. Algae: 10,000 to 20,000 US gal/acre (10,000 to 20,000 m³/km²)
http://www.biodieseltechnologiesindia.com/biodieselsources.html

These are just a few sites, and I'm sure there are some more detailed
sites out there.

 

[[email protected]]

This scooter is useless on most boats, anyway, as there's no place to STORE

what abt keeping one of these on a boat?

http://www.bikefriday.com/

 

[Eeyore]

Howdy again Dale:

Please don't top-post.

Your answer seemed interesting but misplaced.

Graham

 

[(PeteCresswell)]

Per Eeyore:

On my canal trips btw I've lost quite a bit of weight from running around,
working locks and the like and it feels great.

I recently met an old windsurfing acquaintance. After he quit windsurfing, he
got *huge* - as in life-threateningly obese.

When I saw him last week, he looked great. Said he'd lost over 60 pounds.

The story is that before he was the owner of a data entry operation and never
got any exercise at all.

After data entry became a thing of the past, he eased into office
equipment/furniture: a job where a good bit of physical activity is involved.

He's not one to exercise for it's own sake... and he claims he didn't diet. It
was just the activity in the new job that made the diff.

Seems to support what I heard a long time ago: your body has a built-in appetite
regulating mechanism that makes you just the right amount of hungry - except
that it gets out of calibration without a certain minimum amount of physical
exercise.

 

[Eeyore]

Per Eeyore:

I recently met an old windsurfing acquaintance. After he quit windsurfing, he
got *huge* - as in life-threateningly obese.

When I saw him last week, he looked great. Said he'd lost over 60 pounds.

The story is that before he was the owner of a data entry operation and never
got any exercise at all.

After data entry became a thing of the past, he eased into office
equipment/furniture: a job where a good bit of physical activity is involved.

He's not one to exercise for it's own sake... and he claims he didn't diet. It
was just the activity in the new job that made the diff.

Seems to support what I heard a long time ago: your body has a built-in appetite
regulating mechanism that makes you just the right amount of hungry - except
that it gets out of calibration without a certain minimum amount of physical
exercise.

Sounds like a good explanation to me.

Shame that kids of school age are getting obese through being driven to school and
back and the absence of any physical games in the curriculum these days.

Graham

 

[Arnold Walker]

Presumably a narrower plow will require less horsepower however, which
will equate to a lower gph burn rate.

Of course,if you were burning biomass in a steam tractor that number would
be 0gph.
And a 10 horsepower steam tractor would not only pull the 30 ft ,but has
done 50ft plows
as well, in tractor meets.(10 horse at 200rpm)But then that is why steamers
are banned from
most tractor pulls........they can often start with a fully extended
sled.The inconvenience of the
firebox may not be so bad after diesel gets up high enorgh price.
The most powerful steam plowengine ever built was in 1959 by a German
company ......the Ottomeyer
up for sale at Preston steam website ,clocks 310horsepower at
100RPM.(translates out to a 3100hp diesel
tractor on plowdragging traction effort performace.....) Worked about
1000arces a day.on a Sugar cane plantation
burning stalks in the 250psi boiler....if I remember correctly.

 

[KLC Lewis]

Of course,if you were burning biomass in a steam tractor that number would
be 0gph.
And a 10 horsepower steam tractor would not only pull the 30 ft ,but has
done 50ft plows
as well, in tractor meets.(10 horse at 200rpm)But then that is why
steamers are banned from
most tractor pulls........they can often start with a fully extended
sled.The inconvenience of the
firebox may not be so bad after diesel gets up high enorgh price.
The most powerful steam plowengine ever built was in 1959 by a German
company ......the Ottomeyer
up for sale at Preston steam website ,clocks 310horsepower at
100RPM.(translates out to a 3100hp diesel
tractor on plowdragging traction effort performace.....) Worked about
1000arces a day.on a Sugar cane plantation
burning stalks in the 250psi boiler....if I remember correctly.

This has been a very enlightening thread. I'm planning to put in a few acres
of kelp this spring, and I've been trying to figure out how much it'll run
to plow the bottom. Now I know. ;-)