Posted on 09/09/2018 7:19:16 AM PDT by ETL
Scientists have reached a “milestone” in a technique of semi-artificial photosynthesis that could eventually create an “unlimited source of renewable energy,” according to a new study.
Artificial photosynthesis has been around for decades, but scientists haven’t been able to develop it on a scale large enough to support an industrial level, or that could operate without the use of expensive or polluting devices.
Semi-artificial photosynthesis, a relatively new field of study, aims to address those concerns by combining manmade technologies with biological processes in order to mimic nature’s method of splitting water into oxygen and hydrogen.
In the latest study, researchers at the University of Cambridge focused on an enzyme found in algae called Hydrogenase – which has lied dormant for millennia. Their findings were published Sept. 3 in Nature Energy.
“Hydrogenase is an enzyme present in algae that is capable of reducing protons into hydrogen,” Katarzyna Sokól, first author of the study, said in a statement.
“During evolution, this process has been deactivated because it wasn’t necessary for survival but we successfully managed to bypass the inactivity to achieve the reaction we wanted — splitting water into hydrogen and oxygen.”
The hydrogenase also dramatically improves the amount of energy that’s produced and stored. Sokól believes this new process will enable new innovations in the world of renewable energy.
In addition to developing new technologies, these types of studies are essential for the future of space travel — as scientists continue to figure out the most efficient ways to keep spacecrafts running on deep space voyages.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
Quibble they ‘exist’ but are effectively useless and nothing says they will ever work beyond the theory.
Quibble You said “fusion reactors do not exist”
‘Existing’ and ‘Not Existing’ are finite states. Something either exists or it doesn’t exist.
It’s a binary state, not a quantum one.
‘Effectively useless’ is completely different.
Living up to your handle. I see.
In chemistry, the word “reduce” refers to the change in the charge state of an ion, atom or molecule trough the gain or loss of one or more electrons. In the case of a naked proton, it has a charge of +1. Pairing it with an electron creates a hydrogen atom, with a charge of zero.
Since the charge of the particle the proton is part of went from +1 to zero, it is considered to have been reduced. The chemical term for the opposite of reduction is oxidation.
https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reduction_(chemistry)
The scientists just have to figure out how to tap into all that there Dark Energy that supposedly suffuses the universe.
As with any process, you have to consider the total energy required.
Although free, how much mass does the whole process add to the weight of the vehicle? That includes a stable “earth-like” environment for the reaction to occur, containment systems, waste management, etc. Does it follow the laws of diminishing returns and the added energy produced is consumed by the accelerating the mass of the reaction system.
Remember that you have to produce more energy than you consume.
Also, what about fault tolerance and system redundancy? After all, the survival of the mission and the astronauts depends on it. If lost, are the reaction materials easily recovered or reproduced?
Fusion has a better chance of success, IMHO. Simple is better.
Many thanks!
This is not fusion. It is said to be a plasma. There is a connection to the investigation of the solar corona temperature anomaly. It is not a result of a high voltage discharge, thus not a flash-lamp. The test item operates slightly above atmospheric pressure. One device melted or fractured when operation exceeded a reaction material threshold and produced a runaway. Interesting!
The problem with current Fusion technology for electrical production is that it requires heating water to make steam to spin a a generator. We need a better and more direct conversion process. Has to be controlled too.
Reduced, as in splitting away the one element combined with another element which together form a chemical compound. The reduction is the process of separating the different chemical elements into individual camps, while at the same time neutralizing electrical charge of those atoms.
Interesting. Whatever it is ... mostly harmless and, at present, useless.
I constantly use that line, "Oh, man, I just ride in 'em. I don't know what makes 'em work." whenever our IT guy comes by and expects me .. a 64-year old who, until about 10 years ago, did all of my typing on a Royal 550 manual and then a Selectic 3 .. to understand the ins-and-outs of using a computer.
After he's given me a long, unintelligible (to me) dissertation about what I need to do to make my computer perform better, I simply look at him and say, "Oh, man, I just ride in 'em. I don't know what makes 'em work. Want to see my other dog imitation?"
So that’s why the aliens are always trying to steal our water.
Heh that’s funny too
Whenever I sense that were in a pickle, I say “Make a deal, Kelly!”
Wisdom from CrapGame...
And great photo!
So far as revealed, fusion explosion processes are the only success for net energy. Reveal a working fusion plasma technology producing x-ray and energetic charged-particles; and, several methods to directly extract that energy as electricity can be applied.
“could eventually”
sort of like flying cars, right?
Xray = electrons. Elections produce emf when they are moving in a conductor. Maybe through induction coupling to avoid direct contact with the plasma. Problem: it happens in a fraction of a second and alot.
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