monday, august 28, 1978
daily nebraskan
page 1 1
Today's garbage could be
tomorrow's energy source
One man's garbage may be another
man's energy source. Or so believes Verne
Traudt, UNL utilities manager.
Traudt has been studying conversion of
solid waste into steam for heating and
power generation on his own for the past
five years and the Nebraska State Energy
Office this summer awarded him a $4,785
research grant to broaden those horizons.
This is no pie in the sky idea. Traudt has
seen such boilers in operation in three
states and has monitored their use in
Europe and Japan.
Application on the local level could tap
a valuable alternative energy source. As an
example, Traudt notes, there is an
equivalent amount of energy in the solid
waste output of Lincoln to heat and air
condition all 150 buildings at the
university year around.
This could not only cut energy costs in
the future, he says, but would also save
space now used as a sanitary land fill and
the maintenance costs for keeping it up.
salvage of metals, estimated at 38 tons
per day in the city, would also save 75
percent in energy consumption, Traudt
points out.
Cost effectiveness of solid waste conver
sion is the main stumbling block today.
Even with the dramatic increase in energy
prices in recent years, solid waste energy
production is still not competitive, because
of the high initial investment and the
operating costs involved in converting the
boilers or purchasing new boilers to burn
the material. This may not always be the
case, Traudt countends and says an
investigation at this time may reap benefits
later on.
In the course of his study, Traudt is
gathering background data on solid waste
conversion methods for both processed and
nonprocessed material.
Energy conversion efficiency is slightly
better with processed material, Traudt said,
but noted that burning of non-processed
solid waste for fuel has been done
throughout Europe and Japan for the past
20 to 25 years and is now being done in
this country. Operating expenses are also
reduced with nonprocessed wastes,
although initial costs for specialized
incinerator-boilers may range somewhat
higher.
Two University mechanical engineering
professors - Keith N. Newhouse and James
W. Harper - are acting as consultants on
the project and Thomas Smith, an
engineering student from West Point, is
helping gather research data.
Fair, 'Sour Mash' on NETV
For the 12th consecutive year, the Ne
braska Educational Television Network will
offer coverage of the Nebraska State Fair.
Nightly State Fair coverage of the State
Fair, including exhibits, horse shows, trac
tor pulls and youth activities, will begin
Sept. 3.
Two new features have been added to
this year's coverage -a salute of the Future
Farmers of America, a 90-minute program
airing Sept. 10 at 9 p.m.; and the highlights
from the tractor pull competition, on Sat
urday, Sept. 9, at 8 p.m.
NETV also will offer live coverage of
the State Fair horse shows.
"Sour Mash," a Nebraska-based swing
country group, will perform in a two-part
special program this week on the Nebraska
ETV Network.
"Sour Mash, Set One" will be broadcast
Tuesday, September 5, at 8 p.m. and re
peates Friday, September 8, at 8 p.m.
"Sour Mash, Set Two" will air on Wednes
day, September 6 at 8 p.m. and again on
Sunday, September 10, at 6:30 p.m.
The two-part concert, taped at Omaha's
Howard Street Tavern, includes such selec
tions as "Mack the Knife," "I Will Always
Love You," "Walkin' the Floor Over You"
and "Crazy."
Te Hot Spot
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25th & "O"
10 cent drinks
1 cent draws
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