by steam_cannon » Sun 10 Jun 2007, 20:51:08
$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Carlhole', 'W')hat is interesting is the fucking robust flame coming out of a test tube full of seawater by a means not previously known.
An interesting question, does this fit any know phenomena observed with microwave radiation?
A probable explanation - It's just common microwave plasma and his explanation is hoax...
A split grape a the microwave will produce flames similar to those observed in the video. The white deposits on the edge of the second tube are probably salt and water is evaporating into a glowing plasma on the surface. Here are some videos of plasmas you can play with in your home microwave.
Microwavable Grape Plasma
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ux8nSWmAz0&NR=1
This video could also be a plausible explanation of the "flames" that were observed.
Guide To Microwave Grape Plasma
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jSBoN1OKXUE&NR=1
Microwave Plasma (candle - very easy to try and works great!)
http://youtube.com/watch?v=EatjByhgPuA& ... ed&search=
Microwave Plasma 2 (impressive plasma ball)
http://youtube.com/watch?v=A7RFyh5ABcQ& ... ed&search=
A somewhat related chunk of a mythbusters hydrogen episode...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gXFgNWIBZHA
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An improbable explanation - plasma separation of Sodium, Chlorine, Oxygen and Hydrogen forming Sodium hypochlorite and Hydrogen.
BIG "IF", I don't think it would work out this way but lets pretend for a moment. It is easy to create a plasma with microwaves, just put a candle in your microwave, you can even create plasmas without a flame using grapes. And so perhaps making a plasma from wicked sea water is possible. And perhaps though magic the microwaves are breaking everything down in the plasma to reform into Sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) and Hydrogen. If the reaction is anything like that, he would be producing huge quantities of bleach and hydrogen. Yuck!
EROEI
There are several considerations in calculating EROEI. First, it may not matter. This could be a new way to produce bleach and therefore have value as an industrial process that produces hydrogen as residue. But if he thinks he could get power out of this and the process is somehow producing something like sodium hypochlorite and Hydrogen, the EROEI should still be an energy loser.
For fun though, you might be able to play around with this in your microwave. Two tubes with touching wicks might make a plasma flame similar to what this guy demonstrates, like the grapes video. However, you probably won't get any energy out of such a process!
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My Conclusion
This is probably just an amusing a hoax and even if it's a little true it isn't that's going to save the day.
By the way, if anyone's bored here are some funny joke videos
"Making diamonds in your microwave" (Funny joke video)
http://tinyurl.com/2cczas
Plasma electrolysis cell (another amusing hoax)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2oRbrF6Y76s