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stephenkohnle53
I know very little about engineering and I would like to know if its possible to create a generator that uses salt water similarly to a salt water battery and generates electricity by simply being placed in salt water.
The salt water is not the source of energy in such a battery, it is just the electrolyte. The energy is stored in the electrode (anode) material.stephenkohnle53 said:I know very little about engineering and I would like to know if its possible to create a generator that uses salt water similarly to a salt water battery and generates electricity by simply being placed in salt water.
Vitro said:Take a magnesium rod and a graphite rod, stick them in salt water, or even in your back yard soil, hook up wires to them and you have a 1.8V battery. As you use this battery the magnesium rod will consume away, that's where the energy comes from. Once the magnesium is depleted the battery is dead. You can replace the magnesium rod and the battery works again, but keep in mind that the magnesium (or other material you could use) is not free so neither is the energy.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sodium-ion_battery said:SIBs store energy in chemical bonds of the anode. Charging the battery forces Na+ ions to de-intercalate from the cathode and migrate towards the anode. Charge balancing electrons pass from the cathode through the external circuitcontaining the charger and into the anode. During discharge the process reverses. Once a circuit is completed electrons pass back from the anode to the cathode and the Na+ ions travel back to the cathode.
Judging from the word "generator" in the title I think the OP is wondering about some method of extracting energy from sea water, not a (rechargeable) battery as an energy storage device. I'm pointing out to him that the energy in a galvanic cell is in the electrodes not in the electrolyte.anorlunda said:What you said is correct, but I think the salt water battery in this thread is not like that. Neither anone nor cathode are conserved. It is rechargeable.
That's not a real article, that's an ad. Someone should replace it with actually useful information.anorlunda said:That is very interesting promising technology. I think the simple answer to your question is that sea water is not salty enough. In fact, the Wikipedia article below says that they may increase the salinity so far that it is not salty water, but closer to a bed of wet salt.
The less simple answer is that if that company could produce infinite cheap energy from the sea, they would be the richest people on earth, but they're not.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salt_water_battery
DrZoidberg said:That's not a real article, that's an ad. Someone should replace it with actually useful information.
stephenkohnle53 said:My plan is preferably a generator that uses salt water or a battery that can store massive amounts of power (for a salt water battery that is). Either way it must be easy to use and not require say a forklift to lift if needed to be lifted out of the water. I would like it to be something that automatically creates or stores electricity while in salt water. Thanks for the info, as you can tell I have barely even touched engineering.
anorlunda said:batteries don't create energy, they store it.
stephenkohnle53 said:I know very little about engineering and I would like to know if its possible to create a generator that uses salt water similarly to a salt water battery and generates electricity by simply being placed in salt water.
A saltwater generator is a device that uses the chemical reaction between salt water and a metal to produce electricity. This process is known as galvanic corrosion and has been used to power small electronic devices such as calculators and watches.
A saltwater generator works by using an anode (typically made of zinc or magnesium) and a cathode (usually made of copper or aluminum) that are placed in salt water. The anode and cathode are connected by a wire, which allows electrons to flow from the anode to the cathode, producing an electrical current.
One of the main benefits of using a saltwater generator is that it is a renewable and environmentally friendly source of energy. Salt water is readily available and does not produce any harmful byproducts. Additionally, saltwater generators can be used in remote locations where traditional sources of electricity are not available.
One limitation of using a saltwater generator is that it produces a relatively low amount of electricity, making it more suitable for powering small devices rather than larger appliances. Additionally, the metal used in the generator can corrode over time and will need to be replaced.
Saltwater generators have been used in a variety of applications, including powering small electronic devices in remote areas, powering small boats and other watercraft, and even generating electricity for small homes or buildings. They can also be used in emergency situations where traditional sources of electricity are unavailable.