[Digestion] Biogas use in Assyria

[Duncan Martin]

Well done, Alex.

I'll take a look and will be happy to peer review. (I co-wrote the AD entry 
in the WHO's on-line Encyclopadia of Life Suppport Systems in about 2000)

BTW, I've been involved with AD for about 30 years and I've never heard that 
story of Assyria. Widely cited? Where?

Beware! Urban myths on the internet are widely cited - but that does not 
make them reliable.

As an example, there was quite a flurry of e-mail traffic a few years ago 
about a British inventor who had succeeded in running a car on biogas. Being 
British myself and old enough to recognise ancient car models that others 
might have never heard of, I checked the source. It was a story in, I think, 
the Daily Mirror, dating from the Second World War.

Some bright spark and a large bag of digested chicken manure on the roof of 
his car (an Austin A30, if I recall correctly).  All very well -- but I 
wonder what the range was before he had to stop for the bag to refill?  And 
I wonder what the weight of manure would do to his fuel efficiency when 
going uphill? Not to mention the effect of wind drag at any speed above a 
crawl. In fact, with the wind behind him and a full bag of gas, he could 
probably have switched the engine off - and "sailed" along! In a head wind, 
he might well have gone backwards.

Someone had raked up this story and republished it on the Internet, without 
a date or attribution, giving the impression of a recent advance -- and 
without any mention of the limitations of his "invention". A typical 
Internet story, in fact.

Best regards

Duncan J Martin

Centre Councillor
Republic of Ireland Centre
Chartered Institution of Wastes Management

================================
CONTACT DETAILS
Duncan J Martin, PhD, CEng, CSci, MIEI, MCIWM, MIChemE
24 Townsfield, Cloughjordan, N Tipperary, Ireland
Mobile: +353 86 8377 906
Home: +353 505 42087
Email: duncanjmartin at eircom.net
================================





----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Alex Marshall" <alexm at Clarke-Energy.com>
To: <digestion at listserv.repp.org>
Sent: Monday, October 22, 2007 10:07 AM
Subject: [Digestion] Biogas use in Assyria


> Hello Mailing Group,
>
> I am in the process of improving the wikipedia article on anaerobic
> digestion. I have improved it enough for it now to be listed as a good
> article and am working towards getting it listed as a featured article.
> One question that has been raised relates to the widely cited example of
> biogas being used to heat bath water in Assyria in the 10th century BC.
> I cannot however find the original citation for this or how is was used.
> Does anyone know how the Assyrians we said to have capture and utilise
> biogas? I cannot find the original source of this information anywhere.
>
> The editorial peer review comments can be seen here:
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Peer_review/Anaerobic_digestion#R
> eview_by_Jeff
>
> I would appreciate any support in improving the article which is located
> here, technical peer reviewing would also be welcome.
>
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anaerobic_digestion
>
> Please note I have left RPS and joined Clarke Energy working in a
> business development role for Haase AD systems for biowastes and Haase
> MBT systems for mixed municipal wastes. My new contact details can be
> found below.
>
> Kind regards
>
> Alex Marshall
> Product Manager- AD & MBT
> Clarke Energy Ltd
>
> Head Office, Senator Point, South Boundary Road, Knowsley Industrial
> Estate, Liverpool, L33 7RR
>
> Mobile: 07917 066 242
> Switchboard: 0151 546 4446
> Web: www.clarke-energy.com
> E-mail: alexm at clarke-energy.com
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Digestion mailing list
> Digestion at listserv.repp.org
> http://listserv.repp.org/mailman/listinfo/digestion_listserv.repp.org
> Beginner's Guide to Biogas
> http://www.adelaide.edu.au/biogas/
> http://info.bioenergylists.org
>
>
>
> -- 
> No virus found in this incoming message.
> Checked by AVG Free Edition.
> Version: 7.5.488 / Virus Database: 269.15.1/1079 - Release Date: 
> 19/10/2007 05:10
>
>