Copper Zinc Tap Water Fuel Cell

[wattsup]

If any of you are interested in zinc/copper powder, we use this in our water treatment systems since many many years to neutralize chlorine and many other elements. It is known as KDF powder.

http://www.kdfft.com

It is available from any local water treatment dealer or wholesaler. I wonder if this powder was used to mold some toroidal cores or plates, if there maybe an advantage for making some coupling devices or used as a non-gaped spark gap where power can transfer between the metals fines in minuscule but multiple sparking while a coil wrapped over it can catch the radiant side.

Anyways just thought I would mention it and sorry if this may be off topic.

[b_rads]

If any of you are interested in zinc/copper powder,

This raises interesting possibilities.  @jeanna has me thinking about ways to increase surface area of the copper cathode.  Zinc powder is very inexpensive, pure copper powder might be harder to come by.  Using a conductive glue to make your own cathode and anode might lead to some very creative builds and greatly increased surface areas to work with.  I will be thinking about this!

[b_rads]

@All â€" Looking for ideas on how to exploit this small power output.  Experience with these cells shows constant output for 3+ months 24/7.  1st thought â€" possibly capture the energy in a cap for short term power supply (like the little solar accent lights).  Any ideas?

[the_big_m_in_ok]

@All â€" Looking for ideas on how to exploit this small power output. ...

One set in series with the other?  Voltage and current combined.  Several set added gives you proportionally more power to work with.

...  Experience with these cells shows constant output for 3+ months 24/7.

Are these units functioning continously for all that time?  I have the experience my cells hold a charge for months.

1st thought â€" possibly capture the energy in a cap for short term power supply (like the little solar accent lights).  Any ideas?

Other Members implied that a super cap will take forever to charge with one earth battery.  Your cell gives similar power output?  You would need a lot of these cells connected together to shorten the time period.

--Lee

[b_rads]

@the_big_m_in_ok
1.  I totally agree that by adding cells parallel and in series would increase power.  I am still searching for the best way to recover the energy created from the galvanic interaction.
2.  Once I add water to the cells, I have connected red led’s and leave them on.  This way the cells are under a constant load.
3.  I have just started exploring the mysteries of the joule thief circuit and have found that torroids vary tremendously.  I have built 3 basic circuits and all 3 behave differently.  The one with a small ferrite bead from a cfl outperforms the other two by a significant margin with these cells.
BTW: Have you made the move to your new abode yet? 

Update:  I have discovered 40g copper foil.  Replacing the copper wire cathode with the copper foil has increased the power output over 100% from the galvanic wire and copper wire cells and over 40% from the copper wire and conduit cells.  I think I am making progress here. 
Brad S