h a l f b a k e r yWhy not imagine it in a way that works?
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It's been reported that cow flatulence is responsible for a rather large percentage of greenhouse gases; methane is 12x worse than CO2.
For your consideration, a device attached to the cow's tail, basically just small solar panel, methane detector, coil, and spark-plug; when methane is detected a
spark is produced, converting the methane to CO2 and water.
For those cattle that spend their life indoors, stationary in a pen: same thing minus the coil/plug and plus a pump and tube; the cow farts, methane is detected and the methane-rich air surrounding the cow's butt is evacuated somewhere else where it's combusted or powers a fuel cell
(hi, this is my first posting)
this category is better
http://www.halfbake...energy_3a_20Methane
we have discussed this before [dentworth, Dec 10 2007]
The Straight Dope on the subject.
http://www.straight...lassics/a4_176.html
[jutta, Dec 10 2007]
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Could be done catalytically. Also note that the CO2 you get from burning methane is heavier than the methane you started with. What will you do with the energy produced? |
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the "free-range" version would just be burnt: bovine blue-angel; the indoors model would help power the evacuation pump. Note that both are external devices... may have to find some way of fireproofing the tail. |
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Would the amount of CO2 produced be more harmful than the original methane ?... in which case this is simply a novel method of annoying cattle. |
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btw welcome to the halfbakery. You can search for previous ideas by clicking on "search" and type in any one or two main words in your idea. |
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I like this purely for the entertainment value. Cow pastures would be spectacular at night. |
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[Admin: moved to the right category; thanks, dentworth.] |
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Obligatory reality check - much as you may enjoy writing about shoving machinery down a cow's ass, the main methane emission happens via burps, not farts. |
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Back to the drawing board, which, I hope, is far from the keyboard. |
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dentworth - thankyou for the pointer to (previously unnoticed) Search function; I believe I like the "catalytic converter" idea (FrostyBeard) for the outdoors-version; more expensive and *much* less entertaining, though. |
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I suppose a more realistic solution would be to use (create) a more efficient stomach bacteria, or, failing that, tubes surgically implanted in the most offensive stomach(s) to siphon gas off to an aforementioned catalytic converter; this wouldn't interfere with breathing, eating or crapping. |
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Decent attempt at a first post. Clear, concise, etc. |
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