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A box to make biofuel from car fumes

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I'd give it about a 95% chance of being a scam, or at least grossly overstated. At least it doesn't obviously violate the laws of thermodynamics, like these "free energy" schemes we keep hearing about. However, in any new technology, there are ALWAYS problems and limitations. When you read something like this, and it seems so simple and effective, with no downside, it's guaranteed that they're not telling the whole story.
 
welll... It's not out of the realm of possibility, but it reeks of snake oil....
Time will tell.
 
Well it relies on three different technologies, all of which exists, but are still experimental.

1. capturing the CO2, no idea how they are doing this, but it seems to be the only proprietary bit of technology here.

2. growing algae this does exist and is a fairly efficient method of capturing solar energy, but it is very difficult. there is a group planning on building a large algae growing tank in Texas (I think) for creating energy. They are planning on using CO2 directly from a gas powered electric generating station. The CO2 is very important for this since it provides the basic raw material needed along with the sun for the algae to grow.

3. converting the algae to oil: the correct breeds of algae have a high percentage of oil but there is no clear best method of extracting it yet.

Parts 2 and 3 are being actively pursued by many research and commercial groups because they have the potential for being a very effective method of capturing solar energy (much more so than conventional agriculture) of course humans have thousands of year experience with conventional agriculture vs. virtually no experience farming algae.
 
1. capturing the CO2, no idea how they are doing this, but it seems to be the only proprietary bit of technology here.

Soda Lime?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soda_lime
Just an idea.

Make some sode lime water and bubble the gas through. Alot of restriction, but it might work.

Paul
 
Possible, what they need is an easy method to capture the CO2 and then release it. The problem is that entropy (2nd law of thermodynamics) implies that if you have a "cheap" or low energy required method to capture the CO2, then it is going to take significantly more energy to release it. If they have a good solution to this problem (and their may well be one) then there could be a process like what they are suggesting, but it seems to me that there are still 3 different technologies which require development for it to work and there are much easier to obtain sources of CO2 which could be used (stationary power plants!)
Step 2 of their process needs the CO2.
 
Sounds interesting... the CO2 capture is interesting, but...

I'm more taken with the idea of using Algae to produce oils that are then converted to Bio-diesel.

It seems to be a good way of avoinding the economic impact of increasing Bio-fuel use on food costs.

And if the oil is suitable it could even be urned without further processing. I'm experimentally running my car on a 20/80 vegetable oil/diesel mix and so far its run absolutlely fine. I may even try it on 100% oil- it seems feasible during the summer, anyway.
 
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