Open Thread WE 14 SEP 22 ~ Batteries

Submitted by QMS on Wed, 09/14/2022 - 6:50am

“Invention is the most important product of man's creative brain. The ultimate purpose is the complete mastery of mind over the material world, the harnessing of human nature to human needs.”
― Nikola Tesla, My Inventions

One of the challenges in developing a future energy structure with renewables is how to
maintain carry-over capacity with variable supply sources. I ran across some new
developments in battery technology which may have some potential. (Ha-ha)

The picture above are the 3 main ingredients in a Aluminum-Sulfur-Rock Salt
prototype being developed at MIT. Unlike Lithium and Cadmium, these components
are easily extracted, plentiful and inexpensive.

The new battery architecture, which uses aluminum and sulfur as its two electrode materials, with a molten salt electrolyte in between

In their experiments, the team showed that the battery cells could endure hundreds of cycles at exceptionally high charging rates, with a projected cost per cell of about one-sixth that of comparable lithium-ion cells.

We will see where this leads. Ions, phonons, electrons, photons ...

Some other associated research ..

A new heat engine with no moving parts is as efficient as a steam turbine
https://news.mit.edu/2022/thermal-heat-engine-0413

Ultrathin fuel cell uses the body’s own sugar to generate electricity
https://news.mit.edu/2022/glucose-fuel-cell-electricity-0512

An energy-storage solution that flows like soft-serve ice cream
https://news.mit.edu/2021/energy-storage-solution-soft-serve-ice-cream-1130

Musical interlude

[video:https://youtu.be/2Jvdy6khEmA]

“Electricity is really just organized lightning”
― George Carlin

Random Thoughts

-Amazing coincidences are in fact unconsciously engineered sychcronities,
and we are the engineers.
-On the quantum level, reality is spookily fragile and can be manipulated.
By whom? By us.
-Incredible coincidences without apparent cause are called synchonicities.
They might better be called the stuff of life.

-- character Ganesh Patel

Credits~
https://news.mit.edu/2022/aluminum-sulfur-battery-0824
Randoms from Dean Koontz, The Big Dark Sky

Open Thread so chime in on whatever!

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Open Thread

batteries

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Submitted by QMS on Wed, 09/14/2022 - 7:20am

SCO2022

Another consortium evolving without the 'help' of Wall Street and WEF.

The global trade value of SCO member states has grown from just $667 billion, not including India and Pakistan, in 2001 to a remarkable $6.06 trillion in 2020.
Covering 25 percent of the world's land area, the eight member states of the SCO – China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, India and Pakistan – are home to 41 percent of the world's population and contribute 24 percent to the world's GDP.

https://news.cgtn.com/news/2022-09-14/Chart-of-the-Day-SCO-s-share-of-gl...

Two countries – Iran and Belarus – are in the process of joining the SCO and have observer status, along with Afghanistan and Mongolia.

https://www.rt.com/russia/562701-sco-agenda-expansion-uzbekistan/

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question everything

Submitted by Pluto's Republic on Wed, 09/14/2022 - 3:44pm

This is, of course, huge, with far reaching

@QMS

...potential for positive change.

Submitted by Lookout on Wed, 09/14/2022 - 7:25am

Many technologies are suppressed

Salt water batteries have been use for decades, but no one in the states is pushing them...to cheap and long lived I suspect. They are non-toxic and safe.

These batteries are better for the environment, much safer for renewable energy storage systems, and even have a longer life span with little to no maintenance.

Austria is planning new construction of some. They are too heavy for cars, but would be an excellent alternative as a whole house battery.
Here's another being made in Turkey.

I suspect the objective is to maintain the status quo, and avoid inexpensive, nontoxic, long lived energy storage.

Thanks for the energetic OT this morning. Hope you and yours are doing well!

—

“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”

Submitted by QMS on Wed, 09/14/2022 - 8:03am

Good morning

@Lookout

Your Salty link provided this description:

Our technology includes sodium-based anode, manganese cathode and sodium sulfate electrolyte.

Sounds a lot safer than Li-Ion.

A beautiful fall-like start of the day here.
Glad you can catch up some with drier skies.
Enjoy your day!

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question everything

Submitted by QMS on Wed, 09/14/2022 - 9:08am

An interesting theory

Lifted from commenter Sam Smith in reaction to a Pepe Escobar essay named
Germany’s Energy Suicide: An Autopsy

Yes, this explains the HOW. But the more important question is WHY?
WHY is Germany and the rest of Europe, including the UK, being de-industrialized by the Americans?
Here is my answer. The USA has runned out of third world and developing nations to rape and pillage. The USA is after all the greatest genocidal Empire in the world and in the world’s history. Bar none.
In order to sustain its parasitic existence, which it learned from some tribe, the USA must rape and pillage the only block of nations left to be raped and pillaged. All the other nations in South America, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia have been pretty much looted by the Americans. What’s left? Russian? China? Iran? Too big and too powerful to digest.
All those other nations are now looking to the BRI and BRICS to hitch their financial and economic wagons to.
Therefore, the only nations left for the Americans to rape and pillage are in Europe, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea . . . did I miss anyone?
Hence, the WHY.
Europe and the UK must be cut off from the cheap energy from Russia first and then de-industrialized second, then the Americans can do to them what they have done in their glorious parasitic existence
All the conspiracy talk about Green Energy and the Great Reset are just fodder for the simple minded folks. The real reason behind these conspiracies is for the USA to sustain its global Empire and the USD/UST.
After all this is done, Europe and the UK will depend 100% on the US for technology and energy.
Mission accomplished!
Remember Victoria “Fuck the EU” Nuland?!?

https://www.unz.com/pescobar/germanys-energy-suicide-an-autopsy/

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question everything

Submitted by enhydra lutris on Wed, 09/14/2022 - 11:48am

Good morning QMS, thanks for the OT

and the info on the new tech under development. As promising as it all sounds, there are so many roadblocks to all such developments that I've learned not to get my hopes up for any near-term significant impacts except, perhaps, on the stock markets. In the meantime, I'll just keep plugging away at day-to-day issues like "why did i enter this room?: and "where the hell are my car keys?"

I spent a chunk of yesterday in a trance trying to get shit done in the kitchen while an invading horde of bushtits teamed up with the home flock of chickadees to turn the backyard right outside the window into comedic chaos. So, that slowed progress on the pre-trip ritual for anything more than a day trip: without depleting or draining the batteries built into the tablet, cell phone, watch and wireless headphones, there is the need to charge batteries including spares for wired headphones, camera, flashlights and some of those portable emergency chargers and that's just my crap, my wife has the same and more (tablet plus dedicated reader, for example). Speaking of the devil, as you were. Gadget dependency makes one really energy and battery aware. I just acquired a 6 port USB charger strictly for travel because of outlet scarcity on the road, an octopus, a six port and two two ports and hopefully one doesn't have to uplug the reading lamp at the day's domicile in order to keep one's gear topped up. First world trials and tribulations for sure.

Ah well, time t get back to my in-process bread.

be well and have a good one.

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That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --

Submitted by QMS on Wed, 09/14/2022 - 12:58pm

Decided my solar battery charger

@enhydra lutris

For the AA & AAA rechargeables was not up to the task. Bought one that plugs into house
current and it does much better. Now, if they could make rechargeable button batteries,
that would be better.

Good luck with your bread and trip preps!

Thanks for checking in.

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question everything

Submitted by enhydra lutris on Wed, 09/14/2022 - 1:22pm

I've gone through a couple of inexpensive solar chargers

@QMS

but do have a really good one, a portalbe panel that charges a dedicated deep cycle sealed lead acid unit which has a usb port, a 9 to 12 v cig lighter style port and an inverter driven light duty ac socket. I can charge a device with the usb and use a plug in charger on the ac. I originally got it as just a little "fuck you PG&E", before we went "full solar" (ample panels but grid tied). I still use it when i'm outside for a while or on road trips, all the same.

be well and have a good one

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That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --

Submitted by QMS on Wed, 09/14/2022 - 1:38pm

Yes, those are good

@enhydra lutris

with a fold-up solar panel.

I've found several similar units at the local transfer station. Bring them back to life with a
new fuse, or battery or switch. They are house current recharge though. Made as a jump start,
with lights, USB, 12 volt DC socket, inverter and mini air compressor in some models.

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question everything

Submitted by usefewersyllables on Wed, 09/14/2022 - 1:57pm

It is amazing how that works, isn't it?

@QMS
I had a former employer that just downright refused to replace the batteries in UPSs. Once they started to fail their selftests and their beepers started beeping, they'd replace them outright, and pitch the ones with the weak batteries. "Too much trouble", they said. I had a nice little cottage industry of replacing the batteries and reselling the ones I pulled out of the dumpster... Thanks for the free money!

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Twice bitten, permanently shy.

Submitted by randtntx on Wed, 09/14/2022 - 12:02pm

Like a termite mound.

This guy says he designed a building that saves 90% on energy costs by using the technology of termites. No batteries required

Termite dens look otherworldly, but they are surprisingly comfortable places to live. While the temperature outside swings wildly throughout the day from lows in the 30s to highs over 100, the inside of a termite den holds steady at a comfortable (to a termite) 87 degrees.

Mick Pearce, architect of Eastgate Centre in Harare, Zimbabwe, studied the cooling chimneys and tunnels of termite dens. He applied those lessons to the 333,000 square-foot Eastgate Centre, which uses 90 percent less energy to heat and cool than traditional buildings. The building has large chimneys that naturally draw in cool air at night to lower the temperature of the floor slabs, just like termite dens. During the day, these slabs retain the coolness, greatly reducing the need for supplemental air conditioning.

https://www.treehugger.com/amazing-examples-of-biomimicry-4869336

There are so many cool ideas out there. It would be fun to see them implemented.
Thanks for the OT!

Submitted by QMS on Wed, 09/14/2022 - 12:51pm

Biomimicy

@randtntx

That's a good idea. Mimic the successes of natures' critters and apply it to human scale.
While there are still wild habitats to mimic!

Thanks for posting

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question everything

Submitted by on the cusp on Wed, 09/14/2022 - 12:51pm

I once left a battery charger in the outlet in my hotel room.

It was in the country of Georgia. Not an easy place to replace electronics. Well, the tour routed us to stay one more night at the same hotel a couple of days later. I asked for the same room, with fingers crossed. Well, it was right where I left it!
I am getting pretty casual with packing for US trips. Anything I forget is easily purchased at the destinations. That includes clothing and shoes.

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"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981

Submitted by QMS on Wed, 09/14/2022 - 1:07pm

That's funny

@on the cusp

Now, if you can figure out how to recharge your memory blanks ..
perhaps with a solar hat?

cheers!

or, depending on your outfit ..

f3e2eea4-6ddd-47cc-ab17-166df2b90122.__CR0,0,1100,1100_PT0_SX300_V1___.jpg

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question everything

Submitted by on the cusp on Wed, 09/14/2022 - 6:53pm

I am a cowgirl at heart.

@QMS I think that cowboy/girl hat would not be left behind!

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"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981

Submitted by enhydra lutris on Wed, 09/14/2022 - 1:51pm

We somewhat do that with consumables, but not most

@on the cusp

other stuff because we're picky and somewhat serious pre-purchase researchers, Don't wanna be stuck with limited options.

be well and have a good one

—

That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --

Submitted by on the cusp on Wed, 09/14/2022 - 3:03pm

Picky picky!

@enhydra lutris Since our electronics are very basic, they are inexpensively replaced. So far, my mouse battery went dead, and we got a AA battery at a Dollar General.
Recently, we ran into a surprise heat wave. I bought a package of 100% cotton tee shirts at a Dollar General. I got them in my husband's size, but I wore one for the drive home. Everything I had packed was just not appropriate for that extreme heat. Oh, I did wear a pair of jeans on that ride home. Don't want you to get the wrong impression. lol!

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"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981

Submitted by enhydra lutris on Wed, 09/14/2022 - 3:45pm

Heh, anything long enough to protect one from hot

@on the cusp

seat covers is arguably acceptable, ain't it.

Tools made me picky - you really can't do decent work with a lot of the crap on the market, so I got picky about tools, and clothes,... in my younger days I was 32 waist and 34 inseam six foot four with a size 40 coat, pants that fit right were often hard to find and suits were right out of the question, and I have both high arches and high insteps, so footwear has always been an issue. So, why go half-way somewhat became my motto. You can ask your hubby about my taste in electronics.

be well and have a good one

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That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --

Submitted by on the cusp on Wed, 09/14/2022 - 7:18pm

Long and lanky, huh?

@enhydra lutris Yeah, a suit would be impossible unless you had a tailor handy.
I am the same way with shoes, post-snake bite. My feet are different sizes in arch now. What I have grabbed while traveling is sandals. I broke some sandals while at a beach, replaced them at a beach gear shop.
But when my most comfortable casual pumps crumbled and fell apart in China, I just wore the spare shoes I had. I bought a cigarette lighter. It fell apart the first time I used it. Good times!
Hubby and I may have an electronics discussion later...

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"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981

Submitted by randtntx on Wed, 09/14/2022 - 12:58pm

It's a never-ending stream of BS

and a good critique of said BS by Russel Brand. Prices for medication in this country are ridiculous and the democrat party trying to take credit for bringing those prices down is laughable.
Here's Russel Brand on the newest effort by TPTB to bamboozle us into thinking we are getting a good deal;

Submitted by QMS on Wed, 09/14/2022 - 1:15pm

Naw, the feds don't want to negotiate

@randtntx

affordable drug prices for the masses. Most of them work for the Pharma industry.
Whatever comes out of Brandon's pie hole is an automatic, unqualified untruth anyway.
And congress will slip something in, via the lobbyists, to make enactment 5 or 10 years
down the road.
Sheesh

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question everything