Scientists explore metals as carbon-free power sources on Earth and the Moon
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A collaboration between researchers at McGill University in Canada and Eindhoven University of Technology in The Netherlands has lead to using iron powder as a fuel., a press release stated.
The researchers used parabolic flights and sounding rockets to test if the flames could jump from one fuel source to another, a phenomenon that is relatively rare on Earth.
As countries look to move away from fossil fuels to reduce carbon emissions, renewable sources such as solar and wind energy are gaining prominence. While the drawbacks of these technologies can be addressed on Earth, alternate fuel sources are also needed to meet energy requirements for missions on the Moon and further out in space.
Experiments were carried out on zero-g aircraft and rocket flights
The idea of burning metals as fuels has been around for only a decade now. Recent advances in microgravity research have made it possible to build efficient iron-burning furnaces.
The researchers carried out experiments on zero-g aircraft and rocket flights, where iron particles could float and ignite discreetly - the process where flames do not burn through the fuel but jump to the next source. Imagery captured through high-speed cameras, helped the researchers improve their understanding of the phenomenon and find ideal conditions for burning the fuel.
Burning iron powder also has an environmental advantage. The burning process involves the addition of oxygen atoms to the material. When carbon-based fuels such as oil, coal, or wood are burnt, the addition of oxygen leads to the formation of carbon dioxide.
When iron is burnt, the process leads to the formation of iron oxide, which in plain speak is rust and instead of rising into the atmosphere, settles down and can be easily collected. Moreover, rust can be returned to iron by using hydrogen, making it a circular fuel. The researchers have set up a demonstration plant near Eindhoven, where it can produce one megawatt of steam. The technology can also be scaled up to produce higher quantities of energy.
Interestingly, the technology can also be used for missions sent to the Moon. As per the statement by the European Space Agency, solar energy can be utilized to produce powders of aluminum and silicon from minerals on the Moon. Lunar ice can also be broken into hydrogen and oxygen.
Hydrogen, thus sourced, can then be used to extract iron and titanium from lunar dust and produce water and iron powder. The powder can then be used as a propellant for rockets or even to fuel surface transportation, while the water quenches the thirst of astronauts.
Maybe in the not-so-distant future, the ubiquitously available iron could power cars and trucks on Earth too.
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