Aqua Dulce, Aqua Sala: Fresh and Ocean Water Power New Type of Battery

The mouth of the Amazon River, where the world's largest drainage basin flows into the Atlantic Ocean. A location such as this, where fresh and sea water mix, is a good spot for generating electricity with Yi Cui's new battery. (Image: NASA.)

by Louis Bergeron, Stanford Report

Stanford and SLAC researchers have developed a battery that takes advantage of the difference in salinity between freshwater and seawater to produce electricity.

Anywhere freshwater enters the sea, such as river mouths or estuaries, could be potential sites for a power plant using such a battery, said Yi Cui, associate professor of materials science and engineering at Stanford and associate professor of photon science at SLAC, who led the research team. The work was partially supported by SLAC's Laboratory Directed Research and Development program.

The theoretical limiting factor, he said, is the amount of freshwater available. "We actually have an infinite amount of ocean water; unfortunately we don't have an infinite amount of freshwater," he said.

As an indicator of the battery's potential for producing power, Cui's team calculated that if all the world's rivers were put to use, their batteries could supply about 2 terawatts of electricity annually—roughly 13 percent of the world's current energy consumption.

The battery itself is simple, consisting of two electrodes—one positive, one negative—immersed in a liquid containing electrically charged particles, or ions. In water, the ions are sodium and chlorine, the components of ordinary table salt.

Tips for Successful Procurement:
Statement of Work Writing Workshop April 6

by Alan Kong

SLAC's Supply Chain Management Department will host a 90-minute workshop entitled "Preparing a Statement of Work" on Wednesday, April 6 from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. in the Kavli Auditorium. The review is intended for all SLAC employees who find it necessary to seek an outside source for a product or service.

Frequently, requestors are challenged with what to include in a Statement of Work, or SOW, and how to ensure that they obtain the product or service they require. The SOW is the foundation for an outside subcontract and the omission of key elements can delay the procurement process. Please join us as we describe the key components that lead to placing a successful subcontract.

Events

Today (12:30 p.m.) Experimental Seminar: Gravitational Wave Detection with Atom Interferometers
Today (4:15 p.m.) Stanford Physics Colloquium: Baron von Munchhausen and the Cat--Swimming in Curved Space

Access

Announcements

Lab Announcements

RWT II, LCRA Training Now Online

Community Bulletin Board

Steve Williams' Retirement Party Today

Training

Lab Training

Calendar
Registration

Today (8:00 a.m.)
Forklift Operator Training
Today (8:30 a.m.) Project Management II, Session Two

News

Exotic Antimatter Particle Exhibits New Conduct BBC News
Suzaku Shows Clearest Picture Yet Of Perseus Galaxy Cluster NASA news release
Royal Society Report Documents Globalization of Science Science Insider

<% Response.AddHeader "Last-modified", getArticleDate() 'Response.AddHeader "Last-modified","Mon, 01 Sep 1997 01:03:33 GMT" 'Monday, December 06, 2010 %>

View online at http://today.slac.stanford.edu/.

Aqua Dulce, Aqua Sala: Fresh and Ocean Water Power New Type of Battery The mouth of the Amazon River, where the world's largest drainage basin flows into the Atlantic Ocean. A location such as this, where fresh and sea water mix, is a good spot for generating electricity with Yi Cui's new battery. (Image: NASA.) by Louis Bergeron, Stanford Report Stanford and SLAC researchers have developed a battery that takes advantage of the difference in salinity between freshwater and seawater to produce electricity. Anywhere freshwater enters the sea, such as river mouths or estuaries, could be potential sites for a power plant using such a battery, said Yi Cui, associate professor of materials science and engineering at Stanford and associate professor of photon science at SLAC, who led the research team. The work was partially supported by SLAC's Laboratory Directed Research and Development program. The theoretical limiting factor, he said, is the amount of freshwater available. "We actually have an infinite amount of ocean water; unfortunately we don't have an infinite amount of freshwater," he said. As an indicator of the battery's potential for producing power, Cui's team calculated that if all the world's rivers were put to use, their batteries could supply about 2 terawatts of electricity annually—roughly 13 percent of the world's current energy consumption. The battery itself is simple, consisting of two electrodes—one positive, one negative—immersed in a liquid containing electrically charged particles, or ions. In water, the ions are sodium and chlorine, the components of ordinary table salt. Read more in Stanford Report... Tips for Successful Procurement: Statement of Work Writing Workshop April 6 by Alan Kong SLAC's Supply Chain Management Department will host a 90-minute workshop entitled "Preparing a Statement of Work" on Wednesday, April 6 from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. in the Kavli Auditorium. The review is intended for all SLAC employees who find it necessary to seek an outside source for a product or service. Frequently, requestors are challenged with what to include in a Statement of Work, or SOW, and how to ensure that they obtain the product or service they require. The SOW is the foundation for an outside subcontract and the omission of key elements can delay the procurement process. Please join us as we describe the key components that lead to placing a successful subcontract.	Events Today (12:30 p.m.) Experimental Seminar: Gravitational Wave Detection with Atom Interferometers Today (4:15 p.m.) Stanford Physics Colloquium: Baron von Munchhausen and the Cat--Swimming in Curved Space Access Bldg. 28 Driveway Access Bldg. 28 Renovation RSB Project Info and Updates Announcements Lab Announcements RWT II, LCRA Training Now Online Community Bulletin Board Steve Williams' Retirement Party Today Training Lab Training Calendar Registration Today (8:00 a.m.) Forklift Operator Training Today (8:30 a.m.) Project Management II, Session Two News Exotic Antimatter Particle Exhibits New Conduct BBC News Suzaku Shows Clearest Picture Yet Of Perseus Galaxy Cluster NASA news release Royal Society Report Documents Globalization of Science Science Insider
	Flea Market Linear Café Menu Employee Milestones Search the Archives Subscribe non-SLAC e-mail Send Us Your Feedback

<% Response.AddHeader "Last-modified", getArticleDate() 'Response.AddHeader "Last-modified","Mon, 01 Sep 1997 01:03:33 GMT" 'Monday, December 06, 2010 %> View online at http://today.slac.stanford.edu/.


	Tuesday - March 29, 2011