Energy resource

http://cr4.globalspec.com/thread/40909

Interesting idea.

Too bad Steinmetz and his friends aren't around to answer this question, but from reading the past thread discussions here in CR4 it seems like the physics may not support it.

A free-body diagram around a control volume, with forces identified, might help us understand an inventor's or engineer's idea a bit better.

Energy from rivers is a related idea: Blog with a video of the Mechanicville Hydro Station in Halfmoon, New York: click here.

Strongly recommend taking a tour of this facility if you're ever in New York's Capital Region - folks working there now may have some ideas on harvesting energy from the bottom of oceans as well.

- Larry

there is a small town in europe, i believe, that in the early 1900 had set up power generator offshore that used the different water temperatures from surface to bottom to generate electricity, using a stirling type engine but i have found no research on using the pressure to generate power. maybe a big bag full of fluid, weighed down and pulled to the bottom with a release pipe heading up,with a hydrogenerator in line with the fluid. after the fluid ran up the pipe, running the generator, you could raise the squished fluid sack toward the surface with inflatable airbags and the fluid would come back through the pipe spinning the hydroturbine again. when the weighted bag of fluid reaches the surface,deflate the airbags. with a floating storage tank on the top,a line full of fluid and the colapsing and rising lower bag, it may work out to create more power than the air compressor uses to inflate the liftbags.

I don't think it is possible; this appears to be a perpetual-motion-machine idea. An almost identical question was posted several weeks ago by Leon, titled "Underwater Power Generation." If you study the comments there, you may learn more.

This was discussed earlier. Pressure is just potential energy. Pressure differential is what generates power. There is no way to produce a sustainable pressure differenc at any point below the surface of a water body, which will not violate laws of thermodynamics.

Bioramani

This answer is spot on !

Basic understanding of Physics is necessary before thinking out of the box.

Electrical energy is generated by converting other forms of practical/reliable and controlable energy sources such as heat/thermal(hydrocarbon,nuclear,geothermal),light,chemical,movement of huge mass of water or air(wind) at some velocity,K.E=half Mass x square of velocity.From the sea,wave movement,current movement and temperature differential at different depths/layers,different salinity(electrolysis potential) are possible sources of renewable energy.

best regards,

Khor

You cannot get any energy output from this pressure.

However the temperature differrential between ocean depths can be a source of energy. But whether it is cost effective, is a big question.

Rajan

good afternoon Rajan and thanks for enternaining my question. However I was thinking more of an element that when put under pressure would produce energy that could be transferd to power. Maybe I'm a little too far outside the box on this one and cant recall which element besides sodium such as in a transister type tube produces energy under pressure. We just need to keep asking eh? Thanks again man!

Darrell D. Greencrow

Well, a scientific temperament is always good.

New ideas can always come out of simple questions.

Wish you a Good Day.

Best Regards,

Rajan

The concept is a NO GO for a very simple reason: fluid pressure in any given point is acting evenly from all directions toward that point. Pressure in the ocean is just a consequence of gravity. Any vertical direction is just an illusion that one could open a channel in which to move a piston or whatever based on the so called pressure differential. The only permitted movement is a free fall between two points placed at different depths but remember that water viscosity (i.e. friction) makes any object to fall slowly. There is no practicality in converting a free fall underwater into other form of energy.

I hope this helps.

Thanks and right on man, though I was looking at elements that when put under pressure produce energy. Perhapes a composit one day eh? Thanks again! Greencrow

My pleasure, Greencrow.

Now I have to disappoint you again: a piezoelectric material exposed to a constant pressure in the direction of its mechanical axis generates a voltage that decays over time pretty fast. Pressure has to be cycled - otherwise you get only one time electric pulse.

You can do a simple experiment with a piezo element taken from an igniter and grip it with a vise while measuring the voltage. You get that spike only when hammered.

The explanation requires quantum mechanics...

Regards

Thanks again Hottech, didnt Edison say he found 2000 ways how not to make a lightbulb before he got one that worked. I understand that it would be like burying something so deep and expect the mass of the earth to apply the same pressures when it's just the weight directly over the mass you buried that applies. I see your from Canada, I'm heading to the Thunderbay area mid Sept. for fishing and bird hunting. My family is from the town or Redrock Ont. So how's it goin eh? Just a little humor, thanks again! Darrell

no

I seem to remember something about carbon being used as a source of varying input signal due to varying pressure of sound waves hitting it. Would there be a constant signal for a stable pressure? What is that, piezoelectric effect, I think? Google piezoelectric effect and see if you can find a material that can be submerged a couple of miles deep and generate piezo electricity due to the compression of the material.

You might as well try to generate energy by utilising the force exerted by a compressed spring.

Right on, Randall.

Or even the weight of anything, say of a vertical concrete post (anything heavy) and put your magic invention under it. Without movement there is no work, period.