FMF - Friends of Minerals Forum, discussion and message board

[James Catmur]

Off topic but this struck we as an interesting idea. Could we use all the oxides in our collections as part of a sustainable cycle to power our houses? They might be of more interest as they are but could they be a future source of fuel?

Hydrogen is a metal and is being suggested as a sustainable fuel, why not do the same with other common metals?

https://www.chemistryworld.com/news/burning-metal-to-make-clean-energy/4014723.article

[alfredo]

re "...a future source of fuel?"

Keep in mind that neither hydrogen gas nor metal powders are a "source" of energy, because they are not freely available in Nature and it takes us more energy to make them than what we get back when we burn them, which is why the article calls them a "carrier" of energy rather than a "source". A huge amount of electricity from solar, wind, nuclear or hydropower, etc, sources would be needed to make the hydrogen or metal dust.

[James Catmur]

Alfredo

Good point - 'carrier' is a better term.

The issue of bulk transport of fine powders, and dust explosions, would take some consideration (I worked in a carbon back plant at one point in my life so had some knowledge of dust explosions). But the general public would see iron dust as far safer than hydrogen gas.

There have been some really bad dust explosions in the past - wheat flour was one I remember

[Aniol Soler]

I might not understand it well but, is all this about electrolysis cells? like the ones used in cars to reduce fuel consumption...? because I see the cell on the squeme with pictures of the process. If that's the case, as Alfredo said, huge energy consumption will be needed to make the electrolysis and reduce the oxides on metal and get new iron for the industry and H₂ to power things. For what I see, this is a way to use the H₂ chain to recycle iron wastes, am I wrong? If you make a closed cycle with electrolysis and H₂ to power genys to get the energy for the cells again, that would be a closed circle and free energy, which is impossible. I think this system is used also to restore old chassis parts with oxide on cars. What I don't get is why they call the metal as a source of energy, I don't get where it contributes the whole process of getting energy with water and the hydrogen cell, because I guess you can't burn metal without involving more wood or energy in the process, so the only place where I figure it can fit is as an addition to the process to get new usable metal after electrolysis, which should clean the oxides on it, making more profitable this technology.

Cheers.