LAB COFFEE TIME AND SWOP-SHOP

This is the thing, I built 2 of them, this one is actually 4 channels- a dedicted 5V output on the front face. 3 channels up to 50V. Would be more expensive, but mine have had at least 5 years fairly hard and frequent use and never a problem.

The current controllers I used seem to have vanished from Ebay, these are similar - very cheap but only 20V 2A.

DP20V2A Constant Voltage Current Step-Down Programmable Power Supply Module Z5Y6 4894836949352 | eBay

Model Number: DP20V2A.

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This is similar to the server PSU I bought- this is 3kW!

DP20V2A Constant Voltage Current Step-Down Programmable Power Supply Module Z5Y6 4894836949352 | eBay

Model Number: DP20V2A.

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Purity is key! Photo Credit Net Zero Scientific Ltd

WHITE GOLD FROM WASTE.

In the UK and all over the world governments and industries are building huge 'gigafactories' to make batteries for electric vehicles. The dramatic expansion of this entirely new battery market is causing concern among industry specialists, who worry about the looming shortage of key raw materials for batteries.

Net Zero Scientific Ltd. (NSZ) has discovered and is developing a novel and very green way of producing on a large scale one major battery ingredient, high purity aluminium oxide (HPA), from low-value manufacturing and other wastes. Our process creates no emissions and is a unique source of truly 'net zero' HPA, a strategic raw material with no UK source at all.

The world market for this material, first mined as bauxite clay far away then refined and processed using energy-intensive and polluting methods is forecast to expand from 25,000 tonnes a year to over 250,000 tonnes a year by 2030, while the average price is expected to hover around £33,000/tonne through the decade. Since our process can turn £2,500 of raw materials into £50,000 of HPA our technology promises great profits, a secure domestic supply, cuts waste by boosting the circular economy, and makes a serious contribution to the UK's task of achieving net zero by 2035. A plant costs £2.0M to build but can return over £1M/yr in profits

HPA is already used for making LED lights, flat-screen TV's and synthetic gemstones, but its usefulness in both current lithium and next-generation sodium vehicle batteries is based on trials that show using HPA for coating material for plate-separators in batteries improves almost every aspect of their performance, they can be charged and discharged faster, have less need for battery cooling systems, and have a longer life. So EV's get cheaper and still more efficient and durable.

Net Zero Scientific's proprietary technology can make the UK entirely self-sufficient in zero-carbon HPA, thus giving us a local source of material for battery manufacture, one not dependent on trade deals and long-haul shipping. Thus it will reduce the need for imports, cut costs and emissions and help to reduce both land-fill and the export of 'difficult' waste for dumping in the developing world.

To find out more about this exciting opportunity call us on +44 7944 847870. or see http://www.netzerochem.com

Simon Derricut asked me in Linkedin 'what happens to the hydrogen?'

This is what happens.

The current plant design uses the Hydrogen to power a fuel cell that provides all the electrical and thermal energy to refine and calcine the alumina with some left over. This is a goose that not only lays golden eggs but cooks itself! Using the hydrogen 'in house means the process is (being waste-derived) totally 'net zero' and the alumina is a globally unique product in that respect.

And here's the machine that started it all, with grateful thanks to a forum member who helped with the edit.

Bit of luck I have just added one of these to the equipment roster - a bench-top XRF capable of detecting the percentage of elements from Sodium to Uranium in any sample to better than 0.01% Delivery next month all being well. I would be happy when it is here and calibrated to help out with testing suitable samples for members. The video is about using this in the jewellery trade, their main market, but it is more versatile than that, and being the high-voltage version this is good for lighter elements.

Spec..

XRF Analyzer XRA3800 ..pdf

NZ's current project is to develop methods for refining aluminium waste into hydrogen and high purity aluminium hydroxide and particularly oxide, Al2O3. In this I am looking to produce it at 99.99% purity .

The XRF is for analysis of both input and output materials, be they powder or metal fragments or even liquids used in the process -to see what impurities they have leached from the hydroxide etc.

The difference between this method and those used for Rossi analysis at Bologna University are like the difference between searching a large room to find what it contains using a pin-point torch, and simple turning the main lights on and seeing everything in there. The analysis zone on this machine is around 12-13mm in diameter, against a few microns for sims-tof or other methods. And because there is no need for elaborate sample preparation or careful scanning it is very fast (a few minutes as against a few hours) and downloads the data to the (included) dedicated computer.

You can get hand-held versions of this machine, but they are not so accurate or versatile because they have lower power x-ray generators. For that reason the hand-helds weigh around 3 kilos, and this machine weighs 38 because of the additional shielding required.

They assure me that this has sufficient discrimination to handle the light elements. And being a bench-top and not portable means it has room for more smart electronics. I like Bruker stuff, but the cheapest machine that I could find was over $45k.

I think it is simpler than that though it's a nice idea. My hypotheseis is that gas bubbles form on the very hot surface of the reacting aluminium scraps, and leave the liquid phase too fast to be cooled down.

Simples.

The only better method is probably something like OES-CP - but then you are talking about $80-100k foor a system. And probably a fair bit of practice and training as well as a longer turn-around.

Just upgraded my scope in anticipation of testing the Egely device. My current Rigol 1052 is limited to 50MHz - this one can handle 150 (they claim). I would like better, but the budget isn't infinite.

Hantek DSO2D15 Digital Storage Oscilloscope 2 Channel 150MHz 1GSa/S with 1CH AWG | eBay

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