Electrolysis of Water Using Field Effect

In summary: Overall, the conversation is discussing the idea of using the field effect in electrolysis of water to achieve high efficiency production of gas. The main points being made are that the original research on electrolysis was flawed and that it should be treated as an electrical/electronics problem rather than a chemistry one. The conversation also explores the fundamentals of electrolysis, including the spacing between plates, water level, and inductive reactance, and suggests that water has an independent electrical current. However, these claims are not supported by reliable sources and do not lead to high efficiency electrolysis. In summary, the conversation discusses the possibility of using the field effect in electrolysis but also highlights the flaws in the original research and the need for a better understanding of the
  • #1
hobbs125
108
0
Electrolysis of water using the field effect?

Hello everyone,

I have been studying the electrolysis of water lately and the thought crossed my mind.

When a strong electric field is placed near or applied to a semiconductor electrons which do not normally take place in conduction are forced out of the semiconductor...

Could this effect (Field Effect) be used to achieve high efficiency electrolysis?
 
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  • #2
Sorry! But your power supply is not the solution.
The electrolysis of water has always been treated as a chemistry process when it should be treated as an electrical / electronics component problem.
The original work was done some two hundred years ago and modern science has simply built upon this work not knowing it was flawed. This is not the fault of the original researchers. They did not have the necessary test equipment at that time to catch their mistake.
Doing original research now is the same as "reinventing the wheel", and you will need to understand the fundamentals of electrical / electronics theory.

Electrolyzer Fundamentals
1. Spacing between plates. (About 1/8 inch.)
2. No more then two plates per cell.
3. Water level on plates. (Production of gas is inversely proportional to water level on plates.)
4. Moving water. (Even the turbulence from the gas bubbles can reduce production of gas by up to 80%.)
5. Inductive Reactance between plates. (Minimize this and you can achieve 0.25 watt hrs./cubic ft. hrs. of gas.)(Break even is about 50 watt hrs./cubic ft. hrs.)
6. 1.5 - 2 Volts between plates. (No more, no less.)

This is a great deal more then I had to work with when I "reinvented the wheel".

Have Fun!
 
  • #3
Journeyman13 said:
The original work was done some two hundred years ago and modern science has simply built upon this work not knowing it was flawed.

So, which part is flawed?
 
  • #4
Journeyman13 said:
The electrolysis of water has always been treated as a chemistry process when it should be treated as an electrical / electronics component problem.
Is this simply a semantic/categorization nitpick? How does one "treat" them differently in this case?Trying to make a circuit diagram of this would be useless. A battery with two contacts.
Journeyman13 said:
1. Spacing between plates. (About 1/8 inch.)
2. No more then two plates per cell.
3. Water level on plates. (Production of gas is inversely proportional to water level on plates.)
4. Moving water. (Even the turbulence from the gas bubbles can reduce production of gas by up to 80%.)
5. Inductive Reactance between plates. (Minimize this and you can achieve 0.25 watt hrs./cubic ft. hrs. of gas.)(Break even is about 50 watt hrs./cubic ft. hrs.)
6. 1.5 - 2 Volts between plates. (No more, no less.)
OTOH, this sure reads like a chemistry recipe to me.
 
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  • #5
Borek said:
So, which part is flawed?
Water has an electrical current independent of any applied electrical current. The two resulting magnetic fields work against each other (inductive reactance), wasting power in the form of heat. Minimize the magnetic fields and you have a very efficient process.

Fill a clean nonconductive container with distilled water (say, 1/4 inch deep).
Using a multimeter, that measures down to 0.001 volt, and 0.000001 amp, check water. Measured values will very with distance between probes.

The first experimenters reported their obvious results not knowing that so much more was going on in their test's.
 
  • #6
DaveC426913 said:
Is this simply a semantic/categorization nitpick? How does one "treat" them differently in this case?Trying to make a circuit diagram of this would be useless. A battery with two contacts.

OTOH, this sure reads like a chemistry recipe to me.
Ultimately this is a chemistry process.
When there is a problem with the device (electrolyzer), it becomes an electrical, chemistry, and physics problem. Since the catalyst in this process is an electrical current, I look at this device as an electrical / electronics component, water included.
Water has an electrical current independent of any applied electrical current.
Solve the problem with this device, it's poor yield / high cost of operation.
Then it becomes a chemistry process again.
 
  • #7
Journeyman13 said:
Water has an electrical current independent of any applied electrical current.

Really? Do you have any reliable source for that? Please note we are quite serious about such claims here, as described in the forum rules you agreed to when registering.

Fill a clean nonconductive container with distilled water (say, 1/4 inch deep).
Using a multimeter, that measures down to 0.001 volt, and 0.000001 amp, check water. Measured values will very with distance between probes.

You will not measure anything when this experiment is done properly. No idea what you are observing, plenty of things that could go wrong. First thing that comes to mind is that your electrodes are slightly different and you have a galvanic cell. That wouldn't be anything new, and assuming several generations of researchers missed that effect is about as realistic, as assuming we are all wrong and there are 59 minutes in an hour, not 60.
 
  • #8

1. How does electrolysis of water using field effect work?

The process of electrolysis of water using field effect involves using an electric field to separate water molecules into oxygen and hydrogen gas. This is achieved by applying an electric current to the water, which causes the water molecules to split into positively charged hydrogen ions and negatively charged oxygen ions.

2. What is the purpose of electrolysis of water using field effect?

The purpose of electrolysis of water using field effect is to produce hydrogen gas, which can be used as a clean and renewable source of energy. Hydrogen gas can be used in fuel cells to generate electricity, or it can be burned as a fuel in combustion engines.

3. What are the advantages of using field effect for electrolysis of water?

Using field effect for electrolysis of water offers several advantages over traditional methods. It requires less energy, is more efficient, and does not require the use of expensive catalysts. Additionally, the process can be easily scaled up for large-scale production of hydrogen gas.

4. Are there any limitations or challenges to electrolysis of water using field effect?

One of the main challenges of electrolysis of water using field effect is the high cost of materials, particularly the electrodes. Additionally, the process is currently limited by the low efficiency of converting electric energy into chemical energy, but researchers are continuously working to improve this.

5. What are the potential applications of electrolysis of water using field effect?

Electrolysis of water using field effect has the potential to play a significant role in the transition to renewable energy sources. It can be used to produce hydrogen gas for fuel cells, which can power vehicles and provide electricity for buildings. It can also be used for energy storage and to produce clean-burning hydrogen fuel for transportation.

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