Using Wood For Battery Power

[ponyboy]

Hummmm.... Log homes... :shock:

http://www.mercextra.com/blogs/takahashi/2007/03/18/modern-marvels-top-25-winner-using-wood-for-battery-power/

Zeolitic seed crystals are injected into the wood, altering the molecular structure at a nanolevel- so there is no change in appearance or structural properties. Thus wood is no longer just a structural member, or just a decorative trim or paneling- it becomes a solar energy storing device, and when the house is properly configured and sited it can heat and cool itself. :shock:

[rreidnauer]

I thought wood already had thermal mass.

I'm also a bit confused as to how Zeolites (minerals that have a porous structure) would benefit to additional thermal mass. Actually, I'd expect the opposite, by, instead of storing energy, it would insulate from it. I'd think a sodium borate treatment would have a far better chance of increasing thermal mass by effectively increasing the log's density. (heat up a chunk of styrofoam or other zeolitic mineral like vermiculite, a block of wood, and a rock or other heavy mineral to the same temperature, and see which one stays hot longer)

Basically, the only thing he's "discovered" is, heavy wood walls are energy efficient. But we already know that! :wink:

[ponyboy]

If you look at the video and the guy's web site they talk more about how they built the house that what they did to the wood.

Or maybe you can just petrify your logs. :-)

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2005-01/dnnl-wtp012405.php

[dbtoo]

Do you guys come with English subtitles....


press 1 if you have no clue what ponyboy and rreidnauer are discussing....

[Basil]

well, the site is down now, but I understood that the wood was used to store the electrical energy like a weak but massive battery. Souded like junk science to me anyway, but you never know...

[kyle]

Do you guys come with English subtitles....


press 1 if you have no clue what ponyboy and rreidnauer are discussing....

:lol:

[rreidnauer]

well, the site is down now, but I understood that the wood was used to store the electrical energy like a weak but massive battery. Souded like junk science to me anyway, but you never know...

I too thought, when I read the Ponyboy's first post, that they were somehow storing electrical energy in wood. Turns out they were talking about thermal energy storage (thermal mass) and passive solar heating. (not a new concept) The "mineral injection treatment" appears to be irrelevent, probably just something to drum up attention to themselves.

Hola Dbtoo. Si Habla Englais. Buenos dias! :wink:

[ponyboy]

Yeah, what he said. :shock: :D

[Mark OBrien]

I'd like to see Rod and Ponyboy play ping-pong. What a match that would be! :D

[dbtoo]

Hola Dbtoo. Si Habla Englais. Buenos dias! :wink:

No, senior, no entiendo. Yo no comprendo. Gracias.

[ponyboy]

Quick! Sombody press 1! :D

[rreidnauer]

No, senior, no entiendo. Yo no comprendo. Gracias.

Quizás puedo dibujar algunos cuadros para ayudar a mis descripciones. Ahora perdí Ponyboy también. :lol:

Geez, I better check to see if foreign language is a breach of the TOS. :? Enough sillyness from me.

[Kola]

foreign language??

I just figured you was a poor speller. :lol:

bwen journo!

Kola

[dbtoo]

Quizás puedo dibujar algunos cuadros para ayudar a mis descripciones. Ahora perdí Ponyboy también. :lol:



Los cuadros serían buenos. Soy seguro que ponyboy ha encontrado ya un traductor:

http://dictionary.reference.com/translate/

(Pictures would be good. I'm sure ponyboy has already found a translator
)

Take care, y'all, I'll slunk back into my cave now.

[dbtoo]

whoops... double posted because the computer was toooo frickin slow.

[ponyboy]

http://babel.altavista.com/

8)

[2 cents]

oh, the enertia home! i love this concept. i had a tour of their prototype model home a couple years ago. it's near wake forest, NC (my parents now live in nearby chapel hill).

i agree that the part about the wood being injected with chemicals is not as big a deal as the concept of the thermal mass of the logs combined with the "envelope" formed by double walls in the front & back (and this is also combined with the "passive solar" idea). i would love to have one of these, but the kit i want would cost $162,000.00.

i have wondered about building a regular log home with double walls on 2 sides to form an envelope, and trying to copy that idea. however, i think a simple straightforward log home will probably be enough for me. thermal mass in itself is a pretty great concept. add in passive solar and you have quite a good energy savings already.

if you get a chance, go to this part of their website, http://www.enertia.com/Science/HowItWorks/tabid/68/Default.aspx.
it's really quite interesting if you're into the whole science thing (which i am :wink: ).

[2 cents]

if that last link didn't work, try:

http://www.enertia.com

and then go to the "science" tab and choose " how it works".