A recent conference on electroengineering concluded that the phenomenon of ball lightning still remains one of the greatest mysteries in the field of electromagnetism. Despite enormous contemporary advancements into the micro-universe--the structure of atoms, nuclei, elementary particles, and the origin, evolution, and structure of the universe, the natural phenomenon of ball lightning, which literally appears right in front of our eyes during a storm or in an electrical appliance in our houses, still remains baffling.
But why has this interesting phenomenon failed to attract the serious attention of physicists? Why has ball lightning not yet been artificially produced? First, because nobody expects to realize any great benefit for humankind from understanding the nature of ball lightning. A common belief is that the energy of ball lightning is negligible and comes from an external source. Second, to reproduce a natural phenomenon under controlled conditions requires a clear understanding of what, exactly, the natural phenomenon is. So far, modern scientists are not clear about the nature of ball lightning. Observations, not experimentation, remain the only source of information; and these observations are based on statistical analyses of reported sightings of ball lightning by members of the general public. yet to discover the nature of the ball lightning will require active experiments and new ideas.
After drafting this chapter on ball lightning, I came across an interesting article about the first international conference on ball lightning, held in 1989 at Waseda University in Tokyo, Japan. Here are some excerpts from a report of this article as it was published in the Bulgarian magazine Nauka i Technika (Science and Technology) in September 1989.
Ball lightning "is a phenomenon of qualitatively new character, similar to radioactivity discovered at the end of the previous century, that might prove to be a new, precious source of energy in the future."
The most widely held opinion is that ball lightning is "a new and unfamiliar form of stable plasma or ionized gas."
If scientific study of the phenomenon increases, as most participants hoped, "the results might prove quite surprising and will determine an unexpected turn in the future energy production."
such a realm of study would be "new, unprecedented, fantastic."
Aaron wrote:Storage... well actually transmission, since there really is no "electrical storage", per se.
lowem wrote:Giant ultra-capacitors, huge banks of lead-acid batteries, some breakthrough in Li-Ion, or NiMH, compressed air under the ground, electrolysis to split water into H2 and O2 ... what's best?
The Vanadium Redox Battery was invented at The University of New South Wales
The Redox Flow Cell is an electrochemical system which allows energy to be stored in two solutions containing different redox couples with electrochemical potentials sufficiently separated from each other to provide an electromotive force to drive the oxidation-reduction reactions needed to charge and discharge the cell. Unlike conventional batteries, the redox flow cell stores energy in the solutions, so that the capacity of the system is determined by the size of the electrolyte tanks, while the system power is determined by the size of the cell stacks. The redox flow cell is therefore more like a rechargeable fuel cell than a battery (see Figure 1 - use link above).
Technical Benefits
ENERGY STORED IN TANKS, SEPARATE FROM THE CELL STACK.VANADIUM SOLUTION IN BOTH HALF-CELLS.
- The system's capacity can be readily increased simply by adding more solution.
- The cost per kWh decreases as the energy storage capacity increases.
- Land space can be saved by building underground electrolyte storage tanks.
- This system offers greater safety since there is less risk of instantaneously mixing the electrolytes and causing a sudden release of energy.
SAME SOLUTION PUMPED THROUGH EACH CELL IN STACK MEANS THAT EVERY CELL IS AT THE SAME STATE OF CHARGE.
- As the solutions are pumped through cell stack, they act as coolants allowing for better heat exchange and reducing thermal management problems.
- The solutions have an indefinite life so that replacement costs are low (only the battery stacks would need replacement at the end of their life).
- Indefinite life of solution means that they can be continuously recycled so that there are no waste disposal problems.
- Vanadium redox couples are electrochemically reversible so that high energy efficiencies are possible.
- The system can be recharged at high rates at a fraction of the time needed for the lead-acid battery.
- Vanadium is readily available and relatively low cost, so that manufacturing or capital costs are low.
Redox cell batteries are thus the only type of battery systems which offer the possibility of efficient "instant recharge". Although the aluminium/air and zinc slurry/air systems allow mechanical recharge, in both cases the recycling of the active materials is much more complicated and energy inefficient (e.g. the Hall-Heroult process for producing metallic aluminium has less than a 50% energy efficiency).
- System monitoring and maintenance is simple since each individual cell does not need to be carefully controlled and adjusted.
- By monitoring electrolyte state-of-charge, the capacity of the battery can be easily measured and therefore the capacity of the whole system can be easily controlled.
- Cells can be stacked in series and parallel with no cell reversal problems.
- Trim cells can be used to adjust the voltage as required.
- The system does not require overcharging for cell equalization so the hydrogen explosion hazard is eliminated.
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