HYGROELECTRICITY
Concept: Extracting electricity out of humidity
Not just a pie in the sky
Atmosphere : A great source of electricity
Could be of great utility in region of high humidity
WHAT IS THE NEED ?
Humans : A creative creature but still acts as virus when it comes to energy consumption
The end of fossil fuel Global population Demand for Energy Global Warming Conclusion: A need to look for alternative and
renewable source of energy
HYGROELECTRICITY : THE BASIC PRINCIPLE
A metal placed in humid environment develops charge on its surface.
The charge increases with the increase in relative humidity
The amount of charge depends onNature of metal
Exposure time Relative humidity Surface area
CONTRAST WITH ELECTRONEUTRALITY PRINCIPLE
Electroneutrality principle statement water droplets in the atmosphere were electrically neutral, and remained so even after coming into contact with the electrical charges on dust particles and droplets of other liquids Recent researches shows ion imbalancesNot actually contradiction water has ion imbalances that could allow it to produce a charge. The principle of electroneutrality states that if you consider the liquid as a whole that the net charge within the liquid will be neutral . The principle does not state that if you subdivide a liquid and only consider a portion of its volume that the charge in that portion has to be neutral
UNEXPECTED PATTERN OF R H V/S STATIC ELECTRICITY
Decreases with increase in RH .
Due to increase in conductance,the charge dissipation increases.
Actually this idea was for dielectrics.
Charge deposition on metals due to humidity remain undiscovered.
Recent researches shows opposite behaviour in case of metals
GAMEBLACK’S REPORT
Presented on Aug 25 at 240th meeting of ACS Revealed his research showing unexpected
electric charge distribution on metals and insulator surfaces.
Questioning the well proved concept of electrostatics.
Our lack of knowledge about the identity of charge forming species.
Builds and tests models explaining adsorption of H+ and OH- on metal in humid environment.
Aims at capturing this electricity calling it hygroelectricity.
EXPERIMENTAL OBSERVATIONS
According to the previous theory of charge dissipation, static electricity decreases with increase in RH
BEHAVIOUR OF HUMIDITY
Dual behaviour of humidity Encourages reproducibility of electrostatic
experiments . Electric shocks experienced from boiler surfaces Age old mystery unfold The idea was actually given by Faraday long ago
but was buried in grave of time due to technological limitations
Isolated metals within faraday cages acquire charge spontaneously
Aluminium and CPB becomes negative
SS rendered positive First observed during faraday
cup experiment Electric charge on isolated
metal should remain zero if it is grounded
Sample made of brass or electrolytic copper mounted within but electrically isolated from an outer hollow CPB.
Charge drifts slowly to negative values
Independent of RH
Different behaviour when outer hollow cylinder is made of aluminium
Similar behaviour at low Humidity
But at 50% or more RH , sharp steep on the curve.
Aluminium acquiresnegative charge, SS acquires positive charge.
POSSIBLE EXPLANATION
Acidic behaviour of Aluminium oxides attracts OH-
Basic behaviour of SS oxide attracts H+
Charge flows through conducive wires
H+ and OH- left out in atmosphere recombines
VERIFICATION OF ADSORPTION THERY
Coating the aluminium and SS cylinder with silicone oil
Silicone oil reduces water vapour contact Charge accumulation negligible upto relative
humidity =95%
HYGROPANELS All the results encourages development of
device to capture the charge to produce electricity
Charge on metal easily transferable to circuitry
CONSTRUCTION
Stacked sheets of filter paper, Al, filter, SS, filter
paper and so on in this order. Acts as capacitor The electrodes to be chosen so as to form oxide
layer on its surface One should be acidic in nature, the other basic Filter paper used because it is an excellent
dielectric and great adsorbent of moisture A large number of capacitor bank should be
connected in parallel by means of conducive wires
Allowing it to charge and short circuiting after certain intervals shows the following pattern
Quite reproducible at high humidity
Thus electricity can
be generated continuously
POSSIBLE APPLICATION AND QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS
The hygropanels can be mounted on the roof tops and electricity generated can be utilized like solar panels
As a supplement to solar panels A 5cm2 area sheet can develop 10-4 C charge at RH>
60%we use 10 cm thick stacks or piles made of Aluminium or SS sheet (thickness-0.3-0.4 mm)
A stack of 10 cm thickness approx. equals to 200 sheets Let n be the number of sheets in 1 m2 area, 10 cm thick
panel n=(100*100/5)*200*10
=4*105
Energy generated by one capacitor bank =0.8(v)*10-5(C/s) W
This multiplied by n gives 3.2W of energy
Cost analysis of the proposed hygropanels We have calculated the approximate cost as given
below: The hygro panel taken is of 1m2 area 10 cm thick Materials used where aluminium, stainless steel, filter
paper, conducive wires, etc. Supposing 33% of the panel is made with aluminium
and another 33% by stainless steel, and the rest with filter paper, conducive wiring, etc.
Density of aluminium = 2700kg/m3 Hence amount of aluminium used = 2700/1*1*0.1*3
= 85 kg approx Similarly density of stainless steel = 8000 kg/m3
Hence amount of SS used = 240 kg
Rates Aluminium = Rs 70 per kg SS = Rs 100 per kg Total cost on metal = 70*85+240*100= Rs 29950 Extra cost on wiring panel and filter paper = Rs 10000 Total cost of hygropanel = Rs 39500 approx Although in this amount of money we can have a 224 W
solar panel, but further researches and developments would for sure bring down the cost per unit of electricity produced .
Efficiency Talking of the efficiency , we don’t have any idea about the exact
value because it has never been practically implemented but it could be well around 90% due to the static nature of the device.
WHY TO INVEST MONEY ON DEVELOPMENT OF THIS TECHNOLOGY ?
Other possible future energy sources are using waste heats , body electricity etc.
But in this technology small electricity needs not to be stored because of the static nature of the system
Unlike solar technology, doesn’t work only in day time Need not to be mounted on roof tops only Doesn’t involve manual interference Can be employed as supplement to solar technology Can prove to be of great utility in coastal areas The metals used are not so costly Can act as absorber of atmospheric electricity formed
during lightning Thus useful in country like Brazil
CHALLENGES Since theoretically fascinating but practical application still a
dream Low level of current produced Can only work in high humidity areas Development of reverse potential between the electrodes
due to desorbed or left out charges
CONCLUSION This technology will be challenged on many practical grounds
but that doesn’t concern me a lot because
“That's how science works”
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