efficient way to store solar energy

[zak]

a new method of storing solar heat recently from MIT by using a modified carbon nanotubes in combination with a compound called azobenzene, as i understand the subject the piece of that material can retain solar energy in its chemical bonds for a long time, you can take that piece with you in a trip to the prairie then you apply a trigger called heat catalyst then the stored solar energy released as heat, then enjoy cooking. also generating electric power from heating water can be less expensive.
from the news it is very promising, i think the oil companies are not happy ,they want to continue buying oil very cheaply (or practicaly for free ) and selling it high priced. so they may try to put obstacles for this achievement.
http://www.tgdaily.com/sustainability-features/57438-new-compound-improves-solar-heat-storage
http://www.earthtechling.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/graphical_abstract.jpg

[danbaron]

I thought you were going to write about how to store some data structure.

It's interesting, the trigger to release the stored heat, is the addition of heat.

I agree, the oil companies (corporations) will do whatever they can to sabotage making life easier for people.

[Charles Pegge]

AzoBenzine - sounds like an oil product to me. They should be pleased. It must be more profitable than providing lubricants for wind turbines :)

Charles

[danbaron]

Benzene is C6H6.

Azobenzene is C12H10N2.

A benzene molecule (ring) is 6 carbon atoms chemically attached to each other in a hexagon, with a hydrogen atom chemically attached to each of the carbon atoms.

An azobenzene molecule is two benzene rings, each with one of the hydrogen atoms replaced by a nitrogen atom, and the two nitrogen atoms chemically attached to each other.

They are organic molecules - carbon, hydrogen, oxygen (I think), which means oil.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benzene

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Azobenzene

(One semester of organic chemistry was wasted on me.)

[zak]

what is interesting is that after releasing the heat the molecules revert to ground state, so you can use that object again and again , it is not damaged like a coal. exactly like a rechargable battery but instead of pluging the battery in the wall for charging you put the heat battery under the sun.
but what i wish to see is how much heat it produce and for how much time (some equation here) .and if the trigger can be a pressure (hammer stroke ??), . in the case of a candle the trigger is a tiny flame from a match, and so on ...

more info here:
http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/plugged-in/2011/07/25/molecular-level-energy-storage/

[danbaron]

The molecules absorb the sunlight, so, it seems the material would have to be thin.

I guess you couldn't have a big block of it, because, the sunlight would not reach the interior.

So, if you have a big sheet of it, and you trigger the release, how do you capture the heat?

Maybe you could immerse many parallel sheets in a tank of water, trigger the release, boil the water, and use the steam to drive a turbine and generate electricity.

[zak]

Dan
I guess you couldn't have a big block of it, because, the sunlight would not reach the interiorthis is what is still ambiguous, is it the sun light (the certain frequency) which change the molecules shape (like bending a stick) then your opinion is true it must be thin. or the infrared from the sun , if it is the infrared then it will reach the interior of the rocky object by conduction; in this case we can charge the heat batteries by putting it in a volcanoe and after a day the merchant will distribute it to the houses . in any case i have strong feeling that this is the invention of the century.

[danbaron]

Yes, it is ambiguous.

I agree with you, exactly.

One way or another, it is storing energy, but, what is the mechanism of transmission?

If it absorbs heat by conduction, then, like you said, you could lower it into a volcano and extract some of the volcano's energy.

In either case, I can imagine the material with its stored energy (like "a bent stick") remaining cool to the touch, until it is triggered, and then it imitating an exothermic reaction, and instantly becoming very hot.

(Incidentally, as you probably know, carbon remains a solid, until a higher temperature than any other element, 3642 degrees Celsius.)

(And, if I'm correct, carbon has a higher thermal conductivity than iron - which seems impossible.)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iron

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbon

[danbaron]

If it is, "the invention of the century", then, my guess is that the oil companies (corporations) will attempt to buy the idea.

And, if they are successful, we'll never hear about it again.

In this country we are constantly "buried" in advertising propaganda from the oil companies, telling us that no one is working as hard as they are, to find alternative energy sources. The television commercials are designed to have maximum psychological effect - serious looking people speaking with conviction - "optimistic", "we can do it" music playing in the background.

This year, we have especially been exposed to television and radio commercials from Chevron. For instance, the television shows a split screen, with a Chevron scientist speaking on one side (on the screen is written his first name and Chevron title), and an "average" American woman (on the screen is written the woman's first name, and her occupation, usually a teacher or a nurse), on the other. They both talk about how we need alternative forms of energy. Or, they say that Chevron has indeed made huge profits, but that, "every cent and more" is being "poured" into research.

Other Chevron commercials tell about how much money it is "pouring" into "American communities".

http://amazonwatch.org/news/2011/0214-ecuadoran-court-slaps-chevron-with-8-billion-fine

(http://amazonwatch.org/news/2011/0214-ecuadoran-court-slaps-chevron-with-8-billion-fine)Corporate legal strategy is simple, right? The corporation knows that it has more money than the opposition (the people). So, it always refuses to pay any judgment against it. It continues to fight in court until the opposition runs out of money. "The color of the plaintiffs socks unfairly influenced the jury!" The primacy of money always insures that justice prevails, correct?

http://www.chevron.com/ecuador/?gclid=CMK-wOL4yqsCFR5CgwodaUVm3A

This one is funny, look here.

:p http://chevron-weagree.com/ (http://chevron-weagree.com/):D

Chevron started the "weagree" advertising campaign in October of 2010, and the judgment was rendered against it in February of 2011.
Look at how happy that Ecuadoran (?) old man is! You can see his beautiful estate in the background!! :bom:

If things continue going the way they are, how long will it be until corporations begin having their own militaries? In that case, what will be the effective difference between a country and a corporation (besides the fact that the corporation has more money)? Does this headline seem so impossible, "Chevron's forces battle Ecuadoran army"? And, Wall Street, the banks, the corporations, and the mainstream media would portray it as a war between good and evil - who do you think would be the "good"?

[zak]

the group who wants to have more HAPs (units of happiness) (1) is the evil, and of course the oil corporations with its politicians and the Banks are the evil.
because the units of happiness are limited so any one wants to collect more from that units have a meaning that he want to suck those units from the others and as a result making them miserable and himself happier, so who is the evil ? is who sucks the other's blood to feel more joy . not much different from a Bat or a mosquito

(1) http://www.thinbasic.com/community/showthread.php?11377-Hobbit-House-%A33000