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I myself don't like much how my brain sees Musk everywhere, yet I think similar methanol production will first come from SpaceX for Mars. Also i wonder whether
by trhway 5y ago
I myself don't like much how my brain sees Musk everywhere, yet I think similar methanol production will first come from SpaceX for Mars.
Also i wonder whether moonshine style distillation is worse than the carbon nanotubes membrane filtration, especially if you have a source of cheap waste heat.
- uranium 5y agoDistillation is pretty expensive, energy-wise, and if you can't run continuously [e.g. if you're trying to use cheap intermittent renewables] you lose energy in the cooling-and-reheating cycles. I have yet to see a significant source of usable "waste" heat that's not already being used for something else. Low-grade heat isn't helpful--you generally need reasonably high temperature differentials in order to power large-scale industrial processes. [Disclosure: I've invested in Prometheus Fuels, but don't speak for them.]
- corpdronejuly 5y agoWell that answers my question about crypto waste heat and useful work.
- trhway 5y ago>Distillation is pretty expensive, energy-wise, Moonshining is less than 400 KJ per kg of source, i.e. about 1.5 KWh per kg of ethanol produced from 15% ethanol/water source. Given that one can use waste heat from almost any other industrial process the real monetary cost is way less than the cost of electrical 1.5 KWh. >I have yet to see a significant source of usable "waste" heat that's not already being used for something else. Low-grade heat isn't helpful--you generally need reasonably high temperature differentials in order to power large-scale industrial processes. Moonshining is 78 C degree - such cheap waste heat sources are plentiful exactly because it is hard to use for almost anything else. >you lose energy in the cooling-and-reheating cycles. not an issue for a 78 C process - basically like your water boiler, takes minimum of thermal isolation.
- alexose 5y agoHow were you able to invest, if you don't mind me asking?
- corpdronejuly 5y agoI've often wondered if I could justify a crypto mining rig if I used the waste heat for something, literally anything, useful. The tech is interesting and I want to for the sake of "doing something cool" but the environmental cost has me iffy on ever trying.
- uranium 5y agoHeat your house? https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg22530072-800-the-computer-that-crunches-cloud-data-to-heat-your-home/ https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg22530072-800-the-comp...
- corpdronejuly 5y agoEarthship, heatpump, and this... getting pretty close to a dream house TBH.