An industrious team of volunteers from Teesdale Conservation in Durham, UK, has achieved a remarkable feat by transforming a V6 car to run on just coffee grinds. This innovative vehicle has now broken the existing Guinness World Record “for vehicles run on gas from organic waste,” setting a new speed record.
The car has been equipped with a gasifier, which burns organic material at high temperatures around 1292 F, creating combustible gases. These gases, after being cleaned and cooled, are then used as fuel to power the adapted combustion engine within the modified Rover SD1. Watch the video after the jump to see it in action and the technology used in its construction.
How the Coffee-Powered Car Works
The gasifier technology used in the coffee-powered car is a fascinating process. The gasifier burns coffee grinds at extremely high temperatures, producing a mixture of gases, primarily carbon monoxide, hydrogen, and methane. These gases are then filtered to remove impurities and cooled before being fed into the car’s engine. This process is not only innovative but also environmentally friendly, as it utilizes waste materials that would otherwise end up in landfills.
The coffee-powered car managed to achieve an impressive 77.5 miles per hour, smashing the previous speed record of 47.7 mph set by the wood-burning Beaver XR7 in 2010. The coffee car creators explain on their website that:
“Some of the clean gas is also being compressed to 150 PSI and injected directly into the manifold to achieve top speed,” – “The cooling system is configured using an intercooler with two 12-volt fans attached.”
Implications and Future Prospects
The success of the coffee-powered car opens up exciting possibilities for the future of sustainable transportation. By using organic waste as fuel, this technology could significantly reduce our reliance on fossil fuels and decrease greenhouse gas emissions. Moreover, it presents a practical solution for waste management, turning everyday waste into a valuable resource.
The team at Teesdale Conservation is already looking into other organic materials that could be used as fuel. For instance, agricultural waste, food scraps, and even certain types of plastics could potentially be converted into gas using similar technology. This could lead to a new era of eco-friendly vehicles that not only reduce pollution but also help manage waste more effectively.
Additionally, the coffee-powered car has garnered significant attention from both the media and the public. This increased awareness could drive further research and investment in alternative fuel technologies, accelerating the development of more sustainable transportation solutions.
Source: BBC
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