Swedish scientists have proposed utilizing extra wind and solar energy to burn metals corresponding to aluminum and iron, to generate warmth that can be utilized to generate electrical energy or hydrogen.
Researchers at Lund College in Sweden have developed a method to retailer electrical energy produced by wind and photo voltaic installations, by burning scrap steel. The storage method makes use of wind and photo voltaic electrical energy in electrical methods that burn steel energy, normally iron or aluminum, and react with sizzling air or steam.
“The warmth launched can be utilized to drive generators which in flip produce electrical energy“stated the scientists, saying that on the finish of this course of, the steel oxide stays as a powder. “Alternatively, one can select to make hydrogen fuel, the place combustion takes place in sizzling steam.”
They stated that by utilizing photo voltaic or wind energy, the oxidized powder might be turned again into bizarre steel. Claimed that the method is protected, low cost and fossil-free.
“Utilizing electrolysis, steel oxide might be transformed again to steel,” the researchers stated. “This may be executed by pouring steel oxide powder into an answer containing cryolite the place two current-carrying electrodes are inserted to start out a chemical response.
The analysis group plans to construct a facility based mostly on the round technique of a beer in southern Sweden, the place electrical energy manufacturing must be expanded. Their work builds on years of analysis efforts in burn metals corresponding to iron and aluminum.
“The pilot plant will likely be like a small coal-fired energy plant, however the place coal is changed by iron,” stated researcher Marcus Aldén.
The group hopes to copy the plan in different areas in Sweden Area of Skåne.
“Along with some analysis teams in Germany, Canada and Holland, we concluded that these widespread metals are so good as an power supply and an power service that they’ll act as a provide ingredient of power,” the lecturers stated. , with out offering additional technical particulars.
The researchers are probably referring to the Max-Planck-Institut für Eisenforschung in Germany and TU Eindhoven within the Netherlands, which revealed a paper in Journal of Supplies in October to current an identical expertise.
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