4 ms·

We just need to combine desalination for drinking water with sodium extraction for batteries. Solves some of the ecological problems from doing each in isolatio

We just need to combine desalination for drinking water with sodium extraction for batteries. Solves some of the ecological problems from doing each in isolation.

fooker 3y ago
This requires a massive amount of electricity, unrealistic until maybe fusion is commonplace.
- margalabargala 3y ago
  What would be the additional massive amount of energy usage to capture the sodium output of the many, many already existing and economical desalination plants?
  - hattmall 3y ago
    breaking apart the salt into sodium would be very energy intensive I think.
    - floxy 3y ago
      Does anyone know how that compares to whatever refining, etc. they have to do to turn lithium ore into material suitable for use in batteries?
- jes5199 3y ago
  solar is getting cheaper so fast that we'll be able to do desalination in a few years
  - fooker 3y ago
    You have to split the salt molecule too.
- Tuna-Fish 3y ago
  The energy cost of desalinization is a solved problem, thanks to very efficient modern membranes and solar.
  - fooker 3y ago
    There is an additional step here - electrolysis to separate sodium and chlorine. The energy cost of that is not a solved problem.
    - Tagbert 3y ago
      True but the mass of lithium or sodium in a battery is limited. A Tesla Model S which has a large battery uses 62.6 kg (about 130 pounds) of lithium. You only need to separate that once. This limits the amount of energy needed to produce that battery. That is unlike the ongoing energy needed to refine the gasoline in an ICEV.
floxy 3y ago
What do you with the chlorine? PVC? Pool cleaners? Bleach? Rocket propellant? Others? What opportunities might arise with an abundance of cheap chlorine? Probably want to stay away from chlorofluorocarbons.
- marcosdumay 3y ago
  That's a good question. It is already quite cheap, so I'm not sure it won't be waste. I also don't know what chlorine waste looks like. Maybe react it with iron to do sea-seeding?
  - fsckboy 3y ago
    > I also don't know what chlorine waste looks like it looks like a poisonous gas attack from WWI, subsequently declared a war crime.

We just need to combine desalination for drinking water with sodium extraction for batteries. Solves some of the ecological problems from doing each in isolation.

fooker 3y ago

This requires a massive amount of electricity, unrealistic until maybe fusion is commonplace.

margalabargala 3y ago
What would be the additional massive amount of energy usage to capture the sodium output of the many, many already existing and economical desalination plants?
- hattmall 3y ago
  breaking apart the salt into sodium would be very energy intensive I think.
  - floxy 3y ago
    Does anyone know how that compares to whatever refining, etc. they have to do to turn lithium ore into material suitable for use in batteries?
jes5199 3y ago
solar is getting cheaper so fast that we'll be able to do desalination in a few years
- fooker 3y ago
  You have to split the salt molecule too.
Tuna-Fish 3y ago
The energy cost of desalinization is a solved problem, thanks to very efficient modern membranes and solar.
- fooker 3y ago
  There is an additional step here - electrolysis to separate sodium and chlorine. The energy cost of that is not a solved problem.
  - Tagbert 3y ago
    True but the mass of lithium or sodium in a battery is limited. A Tesla Model S which has a large battery uses 62.6 kg (about 130 pounds) of lithium. You only need to separate that once. This limits the amount of energy needed to produce that battery. That is unlike the ongoing energy needed to refine the gasoline in an ICEV.

floxy 3y ago

What do you with the chlorine? PVC? Pool cleaners? Bleach? Rocket propellant? Others? What opportunities might arise with an abundance of cheap chlorine? Probably want to stay away from chlorofluorocarbons.

marcosdumay 3y ago
That's a good question. It is already quite cheap, so I'm not sure it won't be waste. I also don't know what chlorine waste looks like. Maybe react it with iron to do sea-seeding?
- fsckboy 3y ago
  > I also don't know what chlorine waste looks like it looks like a poisonous gas attack from WWI, subsequently declared a war crime.