HyperKat Support and Tester Forum
Mars Challenger V1.0 => MCO Early Discussions => Topic started by: Marco2001 on February 10, 2011, 07:54:21 PM
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Make Hydrogen from Human Waste
(Microbes can create Hydrogen from waste material, which could be extremely needed on Mars)
Currently we make water and fertilizer from waste material. There is another thing you could produce: Hydrogen.
On Mars Hydrogen is needed in every main reaction. We can produce Hydrogen on Earth from waste material - why not use that knowledge on Mars?
http://www.livescience.com/217-jolted-bacteria-hydrogen-human-waste.html (http://www.livescience.com/217-jolted-bacteria-hydrogen-human-waste.html)
http://www.greenpacks.org/2009/01/06/fuel-cells-from-human-waste-cookie-dough/ (http://www.greenpacks.org/2009/01/06/fuel-cells-from-human-waste-cookie-dough/)
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You can also make methane in a similar method.
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In fact - you can make power that way. How much power? 6 people make enough waste material to make enough power to sustain life support for 1 person.
http://www.astrobio.net/exclusive/2331/power-in-space-time-for-a-biological-solution (http://www.astrobio.net/exclusive/2331/power-in-space-time-for-a-biological-solution)
http://www.geobacter.org/publications/bioenergy.pdf (http://www.geobacter.org/publications/bioenergy.pdf)
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While the hydrogen from waste material would be useful, I think we will have surplus hydrogen from the electrolysis of water for O2.
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Its a nice concept, but I think waste proccesing as it is in the sim is the way to go. Making fert from waste works for the sim.