Is Using Radiowaves to Heat Saltwater a Viable Energy Source?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Aschere
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Reaction
AI Thread Summary
Radiowaves are being used to heat saltwater, achieving temperatures up to 3000°F, raising questions about the potential energy output. Participants express skepticism about claims of generating more energy than input, likening it to "cold fusion." The yellow flame observed is attributed to sodium ions from the salt, not elemental sodium. Discussions highlight the inefficiency of using radio waves for energy production and the improbability of this method powering vehicles. Overall, while the phenomenon is intriguing, doubts remain regarding its practical applications and energy efficiency.
  • #51
I suspect that the sodium chloride has something to do with boiling point elevation , and as the water evaporates the solution becomes more concentrated with the sodium chloride which raises the boiling point higher , somehow this may make the process of evaporation more favorable with respect to the rate of combustion.

Water evaporates increasing the kinetics of its gaseous constituents and then ions of sodium and chloride may assist in cutting the hydrogen bonds when they become gaseous . I have yet to find the blueprint of the setup, so my assumptions may be way off without considering the context of the experiment.

Reactions require a certain activation energy for appreciable product formation and energy is obtained if the free energy of the product is lower than what was consumed. We have the heating up of the water and the combustion of hydrogen, we're dealing with intermolecular attractions in the former and intramolecular bonds in the latter , so the process may actually be useful. Heating the water , however , is an inefficient process and I'm certain that there some concerns that pertain to engineering here.
 
Back
Top