Burning Iron

[ctechbob]

This didn't really fit into the alternative fuels section, since its not for auto use:

World first: Dutch brewery burns iron as a clean, recyclable fuel

Many industries use heat-intensive processes that generally require the burning of fossil fuels, but a surprising green fuel alternative is emerging in the form of metal powders. Ground very fine, cheap iron powder burns readily at high temperatures, releasing energy as it oxidizes in a process…

newatlas.com

It's an intriguing thought, be interesting to see if it pans out (like so many ideas, probably doubtful)

Cliff notes version. Burn iron powder to make power or to make heat in industrial processes where electricity isn't that efficient at heating, and then use renewable energy to reduce the iron oxide back to iron. Essentially using it as a battery to store your renewable energy and/or to burn in thermal plants to fill in renewable energy gaps.

 

[blingo]

To not have the rust produced in an ICE someone wanted to burn his fuel to meteorite sand (meant to also lubricate and seal the piston or so): http://blog.hasslberger.com/2010/03/turning_sand_into_fuel_silicon.html

 

[kschachn]

To not have the rust produced in an ICE someone wanted to burn his fuel to meteorite sand (meant to also lubricate and seal the piston or so): http://blog.hasslberger.com/2010/03/turning_sand_into_fuel_silicon.html

Using silane as an automotive fuel is about a dumb idea as one could imagine. What a worthless thermodynamic exercise, not to mention the toxicity and extreme reactivity of silane.

Not all ideas are good ones.

 

[kschachn]

This didn't really fit into the alternative fuels section, since its not for auto use:

World first: Dutch brewery burns iron as a clean, recyclable fuel

Many industries use heat-intensive processes that generally require the burning of fossil fuels, but a surprising green fuel alternative is emerging in the form of metal powders. Ground very fine, cheap iron powder burns readily at high temperatures, releasing energy as it oxidizes in a process…

newatlas.com

It's an intriguing thought, be interesting to see if it pans out (like so many ideas, probably doubtful)

Cliff notes version. Burn iron powder to make power or to make heat in industrial processes where electricity isn't that efficient at heating, and then use renewable energy to reduce the iron oxide back to iron. Essentially using it as a battery to store your renewable energy and/or to burn in thermal plants to fill in renewable energy gaps.

Like so many of these schemes it is only viable if you have some outside source of virtually unlimited energy. You can turn any substance into an oxide and then deoxidize it, but it's going to take energy. Heck you could do it with water. But these sources of free and expansive energy are hard to come by.

 

[blingo]

What they said about their dumb idea is that it would have less rust and more MOFT
So, I'd probably prefer the silicon over the iron...

 

[Donald]

Fusion is getting closer every day. Thats where the research dollars should go.

 

[kschachn]

What they said about their dumb idea is that it would have less rust and more MOFT
So, I'd probably prefer the silicon over the iron...

Have you ever worked with silane? It’s not to be played with, I have profound concerns with cylinders at 70 mph, cylinders on fire in an accident, or with the average consumer being able to refuel the vehicle. It’s a goofy idea.

 

[Kestas]

Have you ever considered how steel is made? They make it from iron ore, which is typically iron oxide. A lot of energy goes into smelting steel from its oxide form. I don't see how a renewable energy can smelt iron oxide back into iron.

That's about as smart as recharging electric vehicles using stations powered by gasoline or diesel fuel.

 

[PandaBear]

It is not an energy source, and it is a storage with very low efficiency. It may be cheap and may be charged with cheap energy source compare to battery or grid inverter connection, that's about it.

 

[Pew]

Something that stood out to me the most.

The article states "Ground very fine, cheap iron powder burns readily at high temperatures, releasing energy as it oxidizes in a process that emits no carbon and produces easily collectable rust, or iron oxide, as its only emission."

I'm no chemist but common sense and OSHA tells me that burning iron isn't safe. The HSFS also seems to agree. This sounds like another Beirut explosion waiting to happen.

 

[SuperSalad]

Something that stood out to me the most.

The article states "Ground very fine, cheap iron powder burns readily at high temperatures, releasing energy as it oxidizes in a process that emits no carbon and produces easily collectable rust, or iron oxide, as its only emission."

I'm no chemist but common sense and OSHA tells me that burning iron oxide isn't safe. The HSFS also seems to agree. This sounds like another Beirut explosion waiting to happen.

Rust is Ferric Oxide (Fe2O3) and is, I believe, what they are saying is produced in this process. Not ferrous oxide (FeO) which is extremely reactive as you pointed out. Any FeO produced by burning the pure Fe metal should immediately decompose in the furnace to form the Fe2O3, unless I am mistaken.

 

[Astro14]

Fusion is getting closer every day. Thats where the research dollars should go.

I've been hearing that since I was a kid...

Unfortunately, because I am big fan of science, I think it remains about as far away as it was 40 years ago.

 

[SuperSalad]

I think it remains about as far away as it was 40 years ago.

About 1 AU to be roughly exact