Shop OBEX P1 Docs P2 Docs Learn Events
Atmopheric static electricity (power from air) — Parallax Forums

Atmopheric static electricity (power from air)

Spiral_72Spiral_72 Posts: 791
edited 2011-07-22 02:30 in General Discussion
I've always wanted to try this and have given it some thought. It looks like I'm not the first though. Has anyone tried, or know someone that has implemented this idea?

I'm guessing reflective mylar available from a party or flower shop is aluminized mylar. I DO know that "Mylar" is a plastic and an insulator.

Here's a neat collection of old articles:
http://www.rexresearch.com/plauson/plauson.htm

This company appears to make such a device, but the website is kinda vague :) probably a bunch of bologna. :)
http://sefelectric.com/faqs/

A guy can buy ~1lb or 1200ft of ~28ga magnet wire for $20. It'd take a BIG helium filled mylar balloon to lift that. As far as I know, there are no height restrictions unless your n# miles from an airport. Yea, lightening..... obviously. I read an article some time ago (the exact details escape me) where "they" lit an LED with a balloon at a surprisingly low altitude.

Probably won't power my house from a balloon, but it'd be neat to charge my phone or something :)

Comments

  • Spiral_72Spiral_72 Posts: 791
    edited 2011-07-20 16:58
    AHA! wow, 5m high? 16ft??

    http://www.meridian-int-res.com/Energy/Atmospheric.htm

    [FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]MIR's Research Programme[/FONT]
    [FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Since 1997 we have been carrying out theoretical research into conversion of atmospheric electricity into useable electrical power.[/FONT]
    [FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]From a low level (5m high) simple zinc antenna we are able to obtain sufficient charge to light a number of white power LEDs. Further experimental investigations with metallic aerostat collectors and cavity resonant slow wave antennae concepts are ongoing.

    Anyone have a mylar balloon they can poke with an Ohmmeter??? :)
    [/FONT]
  • HumanoidoHumanoido Posts: 5,770
    edited 2011-07-20 18:05
    If two opposing balloons are flown to collect charges like a giant capacitor, just don't hold onto the supporting string or wires. You may have good luck with a small wind turbine generating electricity flown by a kite.
  • Duane DegnDuane Degn Posts: 10,588
    edited 2011-07-20 18:09
    FYI, Mylar balloons aren't actually made out of mylar. I think they are aluminized nylon.

    I've searched many times for a source of aluminized nylon without any luck.

    My guess with this atmospheric electricity is the current is so slight that you'd be better off with a solar panel.

    Duane
  • HumanoidoHumanoido Posts: 5,770
    edited 2011-07-20 18:10
    You could do a small scale experiment with a dry room, carpet, LED plus circuit regulator, and a doorknob.
  • LoopyBytelooseLoopyByteloose Posts: 12,537
    edited 2011-07-21 00:05
    Economic exploitation of atmospheric electricity was well pursued by Telsa, but he pretty much lost out when it was realized that AC transmission by wire could take place at high voltage and then be later stepped down to safer levels. Also, his approach would have ruined the future of radio communications as he wanted to add electricity to the atmosphere to later remove for use.
  • Spiral_72Spiral_72 Posts: 791
    edited 2011-07-21 05:55
    @Humanoido
    Or build a van der graaf generator for experimenting... Oh, YA!

    @Duane
    Aluminized NYLON? really? I would suppose the nylon is just structural and the aluminum for cosmetic eh? But I suppose that would work just as well. There's probably a coating to keep the aluminum from oxidizing. I dunno if the coating would have to be stripped off the entire balloon, just where you'd connect the wire, or neither.

    @Loopy
    There's got to be a reason why people have tried this and either failed or reportedly got a crazy amount of power..... then nothing become of it. During the 20's one in particular claimed EDIT: 6kW in 24hrs with two balloons 100m apart. If that were true, imagine what levels we would get today with thousands of RF transmissions, high voltage AC, atmospheric static, etc, etc going on at any location in the US.

    Do I think it would work? Uh, yea to some extent. Would it solve energy problems? Uh, I seriously doubt it unless powering a flashlight is everyone's major concern. Quite honestly, I don't really understand static electricity. The only way I know to "gather" it is a spark gap. From what I gather, it's more of a cloud of charged particles looking for an immediate discharge to ground... But then that's the problem id'nt it?

    I wonder if controlling 1.21 gigawatts of electricity would void the warranty of my Basic Stamp? <Back to the Future> http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0088763/quotes
  • prof_brainoprof_braino Posts: 4,313
    edited 2011-07-21 16:31
    Duane Degn wrote: »
    FYI, Mylar balloons aren't actually made out of mylar. I think they are aluminized nylon.

    I've searched many times for a source of aluminized nylon without any luck.

    I called the local place that make the "mylar" party balloons. I talked to one of the guys in the shop floor, and asked for scraps for school experiments. He said they use 9 foot rolls and could send me an end. He sent me 5 pound roll that I still haven't used up.
  • Duane DegnDuane Degn Posts: 10,588
    edited 2011-07-21 16:47
    prof_braino wrote: »
    I called the local place that make the "mylar" party balloons. I talked to one of the guys in the shop floor, and asked for scraps for school experiments. He said they use 9 foot rolls and could send me an end. He sent me 5 pound roll that I still haven't used up.

    I have feeling there's a big difference between Chicago and Chubbuck.

    I don't know of any local places that make party balloons.

    I wonder if your source would either sell me a roll or tell me who their distributor is?

    Apparently the aluminization process is what makes the plastic hold helium so well. The plastic film without aluminum isn't much good at holding helium.

    Duane
  • prof_brainoprof_braino Posts: 4,313
    edited 2011-07-21 17:43
    Spiral_72 wrote: »
    Aluminized NYLON? really? I would suppose the nylon is just structural and the aluminum for cosmetic eh?
    But I suppose that would work just as well. There's probably a coating to keep the aluminum from oxidizing. I dunno if the coating would have to be stripped off the entire balloon, just where you'd connect the wire, or neither.

    As I understand it, aluminum is so reactive that ALL exposed aluminum is oxidized with a passivation layer in something like 6 nanoseconds.
    The layer of aluminum oxide is transparent and very tough, like clear sapphire.
    Also, the vacuum vapor deposited aluminum plugs all the gaps in the plastic, which is why the helium doesn't leak out so fast.
    But it was years ago when I looked into this, my memory might not be correct.
  • HumanoidoHumanoido Posts: 5,770
    edited 2011-07-22 02:30
    A 9-foot roll of thin reflective mylar would make a hundred inch telescope, the same size as Mt. Wilson. http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3474/3777376009_83e416bf96_z.jpg The largest telescope I made was 50-inches diameter using aluminized Plexiglas, which could see to the edge of the Universe. I'm interested in the supplier and more information.
Sign In or Register to comment.