Japanese Company Turns Diapers Into Energy Source 65
greenrainbow writes "A Japanese company called Super Faith has developed a new machine that turns used adult diapers into a clean fuel source in about 24 hours. You simply place the bag of dirty diapers in the machine, and once set it motion it pulverizes, sanitizes and dries the material in the diapers and then forms it into small pellets that contain 5000 kcal of heat per kilogram and are meant to be used in biomass heating and electricity systems. Super Faith has reportedly installed two SFD systems at a hospital in Tokyo's Machida area. Each is capable of turning 700 pounds of used diapers — and everything they hold — into fuel every day."
It says adult diapers (Score:2)
but even so, how efficient is this for a household using baby diapers and/or could this be connected to a general household 'waste' line? How much does it cost and can I get one.
Re:It says adult diapers (Score:5, Funny)
It's like The Matrix but with old people.
SHIT! (Score:2)
Shit! Goddamn!
Get off yo' ass and jam!
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It's like The Matrix but with old people.
Depending on your taste in animation, either the Solid State Society, or the Near-Death Star.
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I was thinking a cross between the matrix and logan's run. Whaddya think of THAT silver-top?
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More like Soylent Get Off My Lawn Darnit! Now what was I (pfffft) oh darn I better go take care (pffffplop) oh noes my britches!
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It's like The Matrix but with old people.
Will it also work with the diapers worn by crazy astronauts as they drive across state lines to kidnap the person that's sleeping with their crush?
YES!!! (Score:3, Funny)
Finally I'm able to fill in the missing piece of my business plan that I've been working on for years:
1. collect poopy diapers
2. ???
3. Profit!
Re:It says adult diapers (Score:4, Interesting)
this is just a guess...
they are burning the fiber in the waste material. buffalo "chips" (shit) were used in this same manner by the early settlers crossing the plains, the indigested plant material burned great!
baby's don't eat very much fiber for the first six months, so you wouldn't get as much out of them. still, the diaper material should release some energy when burnt, and baby's diet is high in fat, so it would be an interesting experiment! anyone have access to lab equipment? i've got plenty of baby diapers to give ya!
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Yes, but is it a . . . (Score:5, Funny)
. . . Depend-able energy supply?
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even more important, will it be flexible enough to deal with my inquisitive nature, and is it absorbent or will I end up with nappy rash? :(
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I don't want to imagine the 'maintenance' involved when this thing needs servicing.
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I think you switched the definitions of 'machine' and 'diaper'
Seriously though, I don't see anything about these machines that looks disposable...got a link?
Re:Yes, but is it a . . . (Score:4, Informative)
Here's a link [wikipedia.org] that explains how the machine is disposable, and why the parent poster felt it was important provide this information.
makes sense (Score:3, Interesting)
Paper and plastic, the two main components of diapers, are already burned for energy in WTE plants. Poop is already used for energy after being treated at a wastewater treatment plant. Why not do it all in one step?!
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Paper and plastic, the two main components of diapers,
Not exactly paper, and not much plastic.
SAP (Superabsorbent Polymer [wikipedia.org]) is the expensive modern major ingredient. (from Wikipedia: "The largest use of SAP is found in personal disposable hygiene products, such as baby diapers, adult protective underwear and sanitary napkins") SAP actually locks away liquid instead of absorbing it, (you can't wring water out of SAP) and it costs a lot more than wood pulp, so the SAP-to-pulp ratio is usually a direct reflec
I don't know about this... (Score:3, Funny)
It really looks like crapware.
Here we go again! (Score:3, Funny)
a dupe?? (Score:2)
Are you saying this story is a big Number Two?
Anyway, you're right, this stinks. This company is full of crap.
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SNL beat them to it (Score:2)
http://www.hulu.com/watch/55587/saturday-night-live-pampers [hulu.com]
Just one question... (Score:2)
Re:Just one question... (Score:4, Funny)
I think it might already be used for cooking by KFC and White Castle.
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What exactly does plastic, dried feces, and urine smell like when you burn it? Could this heat be used for cooking?
well, burning urine smells like ...
like some laws of physics being broken.
....Profit (Score:1)
2. Buy Diapers for babies
3. Buy SFD system
4.
5. Profit
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1, it's about adult diaper
2, Japan has much more old people than babies
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2, Japan has much more old people than babies
I thought that was Korea?
So they're burning them (Score:3, Insightful)
Wonderful.... burning is a great way to reduce trash, as long as you don't care about air pollution.
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What type of air pollution are you concerned about?
most plastics have highly toxic emissions [anl.gov] when burned
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Energy Doesn't Stink (Score:2)
Diapers? (Score:1)
Two Questions (Score:3, Insightful)
I wonder why Super Faith is targeting adult diapers specifically. Wouldn't it work for other kinds of diaper, too? And just how common are adult diapers in Japan, anyway?
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Re:How common are adult diapers (Score:2)
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I wonder why Super Faith is targeting adult diapers specifically.
Maybe they're the only one who have that level of Faith? (and TFA thought it was a mis-translation...)
I bet this is net energy negative! (Score:2)
It takes quite a lot of energy to completely dry/sterilize a diaper, I have a hard time believing you can get that back when burning the end product.
The article seems to imply that each diaper results in one fuel pellet, but this is obviously false: Each pellet is stated to contain 5000 kcal after processing, and since 1 kcal is what you need to heat one liter of water one degree (Celcius/Kelvin), this is sufficient energy to bring 50 liters from freezing to boil or enough to completely evaporate somewhat l
Efficiency, much? (Score:2)
...and once set it motion it pulverizes, sanitizes and dries the material in the diapers and then forms it into small pellets that contain 5000 kcal of heat per kilogram...
Somehow I doubt that the energy stored in those pellets is more than the energy used to create them.
I guess it might be better than putting them in a landfill, but if that's the main reasoning behind this, we should be looking more into making the diapers biodegradable than wasting energy in a somehow "green" process.
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A match contains more energy then it takes to light it.
Some of this is a sunk cost in the making or the original diaper. SO for this purpose, you shouldn't take the energy cost of make the diaper into account because your going to be doing that no matter what.
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I guess it might be better than putting them in a landfill, but if that's the main reasoning behind this,
You may be onto something there. Japan is really short on landfills and graveyards, due to the astronomical cost of land over there. They're on an island, land's an extremely limited resource. It's no surprise they're really big on any recycling, even if it doesn't end up with the bonus of reclaiming energy.
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or at least a piss-poor idea.
Emissions (Score:1)
Can you imagine... (Score:2)
You gotta tell them! (Score:2)