Can we harness energy from air using electrolysis or an aircell?

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Electrons can theoretically flow in a circuit using air, but practical methods are limited due to the instability of ozone produced through electrolysis. While air contains oxygen that can participate in redox reactions, creating an efficient air cell remains challenging. Fuel cells utilizing oxygen from the air, such as those being explored by DARPA, demonstrate potential for energy generation but rely on hydrogen as fuel. Ionization, which allows electrons to jump between atoms, can occur through heating or external electric/magnetic fields, although the efficiency of these methods varies. Overall, while concepts exist for generating electron flow using air, practical applications are currently constrained by efficiency and stability issues.
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Is it possible to make electrons flow in a circuit just using air or electrolysis of air or sumthing like that. Is an aircell possible?

-Benzun
 
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benzun_1999 said:
Is it possible to make electrons flow in a circuit just using air or electrolysis of air or sumthing like that. Is an aircell possible?
Not really. Electrolysis of air creates ozone, but ozone is very unstable so it breaks down on whatever it hits. Sometimes that ozone will hit an organic molecule and destroy it. This is why those expensive Ionic Breeze air cleaners are actually worth buying. :wink:
 
What about using Oxygen in air, it will react with with many substance and redox may be formed.The reactionrate may be controlled by catalyst

Well, i am not sure is it possible , just ask and imagine
 
superegg said:
What about using Oxygen in air, it will react with with many substance and redox may be formed.The reactionrate may be controlled by catalyst

Well, i am not sure is it possible , just ask and imagine
In Canada we called that "fire"
 
Water can be used as a "cell" and is composed of two of the elements existent in "air" But air is much less dense than water, so I would venture to say that yes, it is theoretically possible to create an air cell, but horribly inefficient.
 
One is pretty much stuck with Windmills or Wind Turbines.
 
DARPA has been looking into fuel cells that use air for powering micro airial vehicles. In a standard fuel cell a red-ox reaction (although it has been a looooong time since i was in chem) occurs and the electrons from this reaction are used to provide a current and electro motive force. I believe the fuel cell arrangements darpa is looking into use the oxygen in the air as an oxidizer and a fuel such as hydrogen. I am not sure of the technical details or how the configure the circuit.
 
redox reactions... does anyone have a sugestion... is it possible to make electrons flow in any other way? I know i am acting dumb but is it possible to make electrons jump from one atom to another by some other way?? is it possible to make the atoms unstable?
 
  • #10
when i mean unstable i mean kind of exited state where an electron needs to be kicked out... not unstable like in the nucleus...
 
  • #11
benzun_1999 said:
redox reactions... does anyone have a sugestion... is it possible to make electrons flow in any other way? I know i am acting dumb but is it possible to make electrons jump from one atom to another by some other way?? is it possible to make the atoms unstable?

Electrons can flow by adding an electric/magnetic field. Electrons jumping between atoms is called ionization. Atoms can be made unstable by heating them.
 
  • #12
so is heat the only way to ionize? i am pretty dumb... is there any other method like some irregularity in the electric or magnetic field?
 
  • #13
what do you mean by irregularity in electric or magnetic field??
 
  • #14
The very fact that there are discrete energy levels for specific nuclear combinations means that there is some regular pattern in the electric and magnetic field in-between the electrons and nucleus. Please forgive me if I am wrong, so have any idea to affect this field?
 
  • #15
as has been already pointed out, these fields can be affected by heating or application of external magnetic fields
 
  • #16
can you tell me how far it is possible to do by using external magneting field? please give me reading materials, i am just a student.
 
  • #18
heat makes water split into hydrogen and oxygen but this needs massive amounts of heat

the people who tested the first nuclear bomb thought that they were going to set the sky afire (just a thought)
 
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