A fire-starting material is disclosed. The fire-starting material may include metal powder, fibers, oxidizers, other powdered fuels, and a binder. The binder may be a hydrocarbon or a combination of hydrocarbons made up of molecules with about 10 to about 80 carbon atoms. The binder may hold the metal powder and the fibers in suspension. Additionally, the binder (and hence the fire-starting material overall) may be manually pliable between about 5 and about 50 degrees Celsius. To use the fire-starting material, a user may manually deform the fire-starting material to tear off a piece thereof. The piece may be applied to a fuel source and lit on fire.

Provided herein are soluble engineered polypeptides for oxidizing hydrocarbons, and methods of use, manufacture, and design thereof. In particular, soluble, polypeptides capable of oxidizing methane to methanol (e.g., hydroxylation) are provided.

Provided is mineral functional water including beneficial efficacy, such as improving action of combustion efficiency. Electromagnetic waves irradiated by mineral components contained in the mineral functional water according to the present invention reveals combustion-promoting action on hydrocarbons, such as hydrocarbons fuel.

A method of introducing carbon to an Electric Arc Furnace (EAF) used for melting steel, and a composition of matter including carbon, and made in a briquette form. The composition comprises between 45 and 96 weight percent of a carbon-containing material, between 2 and 30 weight percent of a basic oxide, and between 2 and 25 weight percent of a binder material. The method comprises mixing between 45 and 96 weight percent of a carbon-containing material, between 2 and 30 weight percent of a basic oxide, and between 2 and 25 weight percent of a binder material to form a solid material mixture; compressing individual portions of the solid material mixture into compressed briquettes; curing the compressed briquettes into solid briquettes; and adding the solid briquettes into the molten steel in the electric arc steelmaking furnace.

A fuel for use in internal combustion engines, wherein the fuel includes a mixture of at least one alcohol, water, urea and/or Ammonium Nitrate. The water is included in a quantity which renders the Ammonium Nitrate and/or urea dissolved in the at least one alcohol. The at least one alcohol is methanol included in a concentration having a range of 90-97 weight %. The Ammonium Nitrate is included in a concentration having a range of 0.5-10 weight %; more optionally, the Ammonium Nitrate is included in a concentration having a range of 1-5 weight %. Further, the urea is included in a concentration having a range of 1-10 weight %.

Systems and methods for processing and sorting a municipal solid waste stream are described herein. A system can include a processing sub-system configured to receive a municipal solid waste stream and to remove the non-processable waste, a processing apparatus configured and disposed to receive constituents of the municipal solid waste stream from the processing sub-system and reduce the size of the constituents of the waste stream to an average particle size of less than about inch, and separators configured to sort the waste stream into constituents based on density.

A process for the conversion of a feedstock containing one or more fatty acid triglycerides to a mixture containing one or more fatty acid alkyl esters and t-alkyl glycerols, including reacting the feedstock with a compound of formula (I):
ROR.sup.I(I) wherein: R.sup.I is an alkyl, alkenyl or alkynyl having 1-18 carbon atoms; R is H or a tertiary alkyl group, wherein the reaction takes place in the presence of an acid transesterification catalyst by irradiation with microwaves and/or ultrasound and/or radio waves.

A combustion enhancer designed for solid and liquid hydrocarbon and organic fuels increases solid and liquid hydrocarbon and organic fuels' thermal efficiency and promotes more favorable environmental outcomes. The fuel additive consists of a composition containing natural minerals that can be added to solid and liquid hydrocarbon and organic fuels before their entry into a combustion chamber. This additive interacts with the fuel during combustion in various settings, including direct-fired burners, furnaces, or open flames.

A fuel additive composition comprising an anthocyanidin; an amino acid; and a catalyst. The anthocyanidin may comprise delphinidin chloride. The amino acid may comprise aspartic acid, leucine acid, glutamic acid, a non-natural amino acid, or a combination thereof. Embodiments of the present invention also relate to a method for making of fuel additive, the method comprising: providing an anthocyanidin; contacting the anthocyanidin with an amino acid to form an anthocyanidin-amino acid mixture; contacting the anthocyanidin-amino acid mixture with a catalyst. The method may further comprise contacting the anthocyanidin-amino acid mixture with ethanol and/or an acid. The method may further comprise adjusting the pH of the anthocyanidin-amino acid mixture to less than 7.

A secondary fluid is provided for use in an internal combustion engine that burns a primary fuel. The secondary fluid comprises about 15 vol % to about 30 vol % of alcohol; and about 0.0025 vol % to about 0.5 vol % of a lubricity enhancer which optionally is a castor oil. The secondary fluid is a thermodynamically stable microemulsion with water being the continuous phase.