Rain has the potential to be a future source of clean energy, says a team of researchers from Singapore.
Their tests have successfully produced energy using water drops falling inside a tube.
This might serve as a blueprint for generating bigger quantities of electric power from rainfall in years to come.
Producing power from descending raindrops
Scientists from the National University of Singapore utilized water droplets similar to rainfall moving inside a tube to produce sufficient power to illuminate 12 LEDs.
Their approach relies on the idea that when two substances touch, the charge-carrying particles on their surfaces experience a slight push, similar to how rubbing a balloon against your skin generates static electricity. electricity .
Similarly, when water flows over certain surfaces, it can acquire or lose an electrical charge.
"Electricity can be generated in significant quantities when water moves through a vertical pipe thanks to a particular type of water movement called 'plug flow,'” explains Siowling Soh, who authored the study featured in ACS Central Science.
This plug flow pattern might enable the capture of rainfall energy to produce clean water. renewable electricity.”
Electricity from rainfall: Understanding charge separation?
Flowing water is extensively utilized for power generation. electricity By rotating a turbine—but this is limited to sites where significant amounts of water flow, such as rivers.
According to the researchers, utilizing charge separation can be a remedy for dealing with reduced quantities and lower speeds of water flow.
This occurrence generates electrical charges when water flows through a conduit having an electrically conducting interior surface.
Nevertheless, charge separation might be highly inefficient due to the region where energy The amount that can be harvested is limited to the surface area over which the water flows.
To enhance the performance, the group created a straightforward system where water discharged from the base of a tower via a metal nozzle and emitted mist-like drops into the intake of a tube.
A direct impact of the fluid elements at the upper section of the tube induced a plug flow phenomenon—short segments of liquid separated by gaps filled with gas.
When water moved through the interior of the tube, electric charges got divided. It was subsequently gathered into a receptacle situated beneath the tube. Conductors positioned at the upper part of the tube and within the container captured the generated power.
A rain energy harvester on your roof?
The plug flow system converted more than 10 per cent of the energy of the water falling through the tubes into electricity.
Since the droplets moved at a significantly slower pace compared to rainfall, the scientists propose that this system has potential for harvesting more. electricity from falling raindrops.
It is claimed that plug flow energy might be easier to install and upkeep compared to hydroelectric power plants, making it suitable for urban areas such as rooftops.