Turning Buildings into Batteries? Concrete Battery Storage Explained

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Turning Buildings into Batteries? Concrete Battery Storage Explained. Save 25% on your first Native Plastic-Free Deodorant Pack - normally $39, you’ll get it for $29! Click here bit.ly/nativeundecided and use my code UNDECIDED. Energy storage is the holy grail of decarbonization. If we want to get rid of fossil fuels for good, we need to be able store a large amount of surplus renewable energy over time. The current technologies available, like lithium ion batteries, may not have enough capacity to meet our power storage demand in the future. But what if we could turn our houses and buildings themselves into a battery?
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КОМЕНТАРІ: 1 500

@UndecidedMF 2 роки тому

Does it sound too good to be true? Do you think alternative battery technologies like this have a shot? Save 25% on your first Native Plastic-Free Deodorant Pack - normally $39, you’ll get it for $29! Click here bit.ly/nativeundecided and use my code UNDECIDED. If you liked this video, how about watching "Energy Storage Breakthrough - Solid Hydrogen Explained": ukposts.info/have/v-deo/jWd0d6drpniY2Gg.html

@yashodharm4325 2 роки тому

Idea for next video : Thermally-Localized Multistage Solar Still TMSS

@mb-3faze 2 роки тому

I don't think concrete structures are really designed to last hundreds of years: 50 to 100 is more reasonable - sometimes less. However, this might be to the benefit of concrete battery technology since new tech would be incorporated in to new structures. Concrete is now recycled and all this extra metal would have to be considered during the grinding and recycling. Not a huge deal, you would think

@johnathanstephenson8107 2 роки тому

Even the prototype of this has real world uses today without improvement. Just look at how much concrete is used in literally everything and all we ask of it is to be solid. This makes it also store power while storing heat and being solid.

@joshuaewalker 2 роки тому

All the puns in the world won't save you from the upcoming Thunderf00t video.

@JackSparrow-xv7yk 2 роки тому

Thunderfoot is coming for you 😂😂😂😂

@Victor_yay 2 роки тому

Some possible problems that popped up in my head: * How much does it complicate the cement pouring practices that are used today? (Might making cement bricks and using those in the walls be a better idea?) * How do the anodes, cathodes, and additional add-ins affect the structural integrity of the cement? * What happens during a critical failure of one of these batteries and is that something you'd accept happening inside your walls? * (On a lesser note) I imagine this would make it close to impossible for WiFi signals to get through the walls.

@joshuahector634 2 роки тому

Plus a very important question should be: does it affect the ability to recycle concrete?

@THLGargamont 2 роки тому

And what happens if you need to core cut a hole for a duct or pipe to go through one of these concrete walls?

@andrewpaulhart 2 роки тому

And the very fact that there are questions such as these tells me that there is no way this technology is being adopted any time soon. Why would construction companies take on this risk with little or no benefit to themselves. The problem of storage for renewables is a problem for utilities not construction firms. Possibly utilities could sponsor the technology, but why would they do that when there are solutions available that are 100% under their control?

@WynterLegend 2 роки тому

Let's not forget how do you maintain one of these concrete-batteries? Do you go at the wall with a drilljack and diamond saw and hope you got the right one?

@RandomGuy-nm6bm 2 роки тому

Also will this impact structural integrity

@Xero1of1 2 роки тому

One of the reasons why modern concrete bridges need to be replaced every 30-40 years is because of a redox reaction. The iron/steel rebar within the concrete starts to rust which expands in volume as it does so. This expansion, especially when combined with colder temperature or wetter climates causes the concrete to crack which allows more moisture in which then increases the redox reaction even more. The fact that this cement is based upon a redox reaction worries me. How long with the concrete last? Even if the concrete lasts, how long will it remain operational as a battery? I think this requires a massive amount of study and further development before it can be considered a viable alternative. Concrete itself, without the rebar, can last a thousand years or more if you get the right mix and don't add anything that can rust. The Colosseum in Rome is a prime example of this. What would be very useful is if we can find a building method that uses different materials that when combined, can create an energy storage system. The more pure these materials (granite for example) then the longer it will last. Granite can last tens of thousands of years, and as a building material, can be extraordinarily strong.

@kensmith5694 2 роки тому

Putting a negative voltage on the iron should make it less likely to rust. There may be an alloy we could use for the iron that would resist rusting without costing too much. I doubt that concrete batteries will be a good idea but I am very happy to be shown to be wrong in this.

@ObsceneSuperMatt 2 роки тому

@@kensmith5694 Lead plating the iron can prevent it from rusting for thousands of years. Unfortunately, people freaked out about lead so it is difficult to use as a building material.

@clivestainlesssteelwomble7665 2 роки тому

Theres a move to phase out steel as rebar due to the problems with concrete cancer.. as its known. What they are using in domes and other structures especially in Maritime environments is artificial Basaltic rods.. it behaves more like concrete in density, in terms of expansion co efficient s, water, fire and corrosion resistance...it can even be formed into woven and chopped strands..like Glass in GRP construction.

@spiritzweispirit1st638 2 роки тому

We now cover Modern Rebar with 'Epoxy' _Problem solved _

@Xero1of1 2 роки тому

@@spiritzweispirit1st638 It doesn't solve the problem, it merely delays it. Epoxy can wear off too and all it takes is one little cut or undercoated area to spread the reaction under the epoxy.

@hypervious8878 2 роки тому

"I know what you're thinking: will my house electrocute me?" - Actually, I was wondering whether the conduction of electrolytes in the cement could pose a risk to the structural integrity. Could the addition of new metals in new structures change concretes susceptibility to 'concrete cancer'?

@CharlieO_ 2 роки тому

That was exactly my thought - like stories of peoples galvanized plumbing suddenly ALL going bad at the same time. IMO, this was most likely due to the addition of cable TV (remember grounding incoming cable to a water pipe?) Or even the addition of lawn chemicals watered in by sprinklers. We all know that galvanized was a bad idea, but does anyone know exactly why it randomly caused so many problems so suddenly. Concrete is already becoming a trillion dollar issue and now they want to make it subject to electric fields? What if my cell carrier installs a new localized transmitter up the street - or if the city moves my power lines under ground - or if we're having a bad solar flare day. What do you do when you live on the 7th floor of a 17 floor eco building with a koi pond on the roof and grass on the walls and a guy with a clip board stops by to say you have to move out for 18-30 months while they "fix" it?

@CarlosConsorcioCastellanoPerez 2 роки тому

I'm no scientist, but with my experience in construction I can confidently say this will not be used as structural material for any critical load bearing structure, it might be used as a self powered light pole but I don't see this being used in buildings.

@vartikamandan4215 2 роки тому

Can't we work out on the designing part so we need less strength.

@mrss_foster 2 роки тому

I agree. I really don't know how reinforcement will play with this electrical concrete. I would like to see it or even design a lamp post, or some small products which are for the public. While this is a brilliant idea, I feel like its value should be directed to a more doable project. As an architect I'm also thinking of the value of such structural material. Would people really feel safe in such house

@mrss_foster 2 роки тому

@The Southern Cross concrete doesn't hold heat very well, it's a cold material and ver yprone to water damage due to even microscopic cracks There are concretes which are used as thermal concretes but, I feel like using this in some mass production isn't a good idea for now. There are so many other ways a building could create energy especially the topic they covered about transparent solar cells This idea can be excecuted maybe on smaller elements of city

@Unethical.Dodgson 2 роки тому

@The Southern Cross "Supercapacitors are the future" Ask an electrician why you're both right but also horrifically wrong.

@stefanr8232 2 роки тому

@@mrss_foster For thermal mass you do not want a material to be insulating. It should absorb and discharge heat steadily. The home insulation needs to be outside of the thermal mass. By volume concrete's heat capacity is around half of water's heat capacity.

@daspec 2 роки тому

Many people had this idea over decades, myself included. The ACTUAL problems are not found in the cement composition that much, but in how to mitigate the problems arised from moisture entering the concrete and galvanic corrosion of the steel re-enforcement, even using it as a cathode or anode material without compromising structural integrity. In plain English if we can use the steel inside the concrete as the cathode and the cement itself as an anode, we will have giant batteries and turn ANY concrete construction into a giant battery. Although I highly doubt it would be a good idea to constantly depleting the metal in the re-enforcement, it may be possible to at least isolate it and use doping material inside the mix to facilitate the ion exchange. Moisture will be the #1 problem to tackle. Even the best concrete always absorbs some moisture, especially when it is underground in the a building's foundation. Engineers even use special ion-exchange plugs throughout the constrction to mitigate the galvanic corrosion, and given the fact that most large cities are near the sea, the problem is even bigger.

@kynetx 2 роки тому

This guy gets it.

@mstuhlpfarrer 2 роки тому

well i'd take anything said by someone who gives energy density of a battery in Wh/m² (or Wh/ft²) with about 5 truckloads of salt. batteries tend to be 3 dimensional which makes this a really useless metric for any purpose (other than showing it in a youtube video). to prove the point: lithium ion batteries have more than 250000000 wh/m² (if your battery is 1000m high) not to mention that the resin between the layers probably messes up your overall strength so badly that you could never use it as structural material anyway.

@walid1omeir 9 місяців тому

And how this work with layer buildings insulation?

@flashburn3580 2 роки тому

I remember reading about the first Moscow US embassy, Officials said it was fabricated to become a battery as the concrete cured. And it worked!. Great presentation.

@larrycarter1192 2 роки тому

When you leave a battery on concrete all night somehow it loses its charge. It just happens and I don't know why.

@larrycarter1192 2 роки тому

@@liam3284 how did the voltage escape the battery container without the electrolyte leaking. It wasn't because the battery was directly connected to the concrete floor. It was because the concrete wanted the charge maybe and it just took it somehow. Without being directly connected.

@Sentrme 2 роки тому

I had same idea year or so ago. When I was trying to answer the question. "Where would be the best place to store sustainable energy in buildings". ABSOLUTELY awesome the idea is being pursued!! Thank you for covering this concept

@marksadler4457 2 роки тому

Thank you again for sharing these ideas. The fact that we are aggressively looking to innovate and replace the current power production and storage systems is very encouraging.

@UndecidedMF 2 роки тому

Absolutely! Thanks for watching.

@mr.bianchirider8126 2 роки тому

At 1:43 you mentioned average energy density at Wh/square meter. A square meter is area. Density measured would be cubic meter.

@hubertnnn 2 роки тому

They probably assumed that the concrete must have very specific width to act as a battery, so the third dimension is constant. Though I would love what is that value. It might have been in the video and I just missed it.

@SapioiT 2 роки тому

@@hubertnnn I think they refered to the thickness of the model shown in the video. So something like 2-4 cm thick or 1-2 inches thick, approximately. Though they most likely they skewed the data in their favour the most they could, using lying by omission and omission fallacy.

@edattfield5146 2 роки тому

My baloney meter went off scale at this point and I had a hard time believing any of the rest of the video.

@thetux459 2 роки тому

I would be very concerned about the thermal expansion and contractiom of the battery components. The usefulness of iron reinforced concrete is dependent on the rates of its components expanding and contracting at relatively close rates in changing temperatures. The crystals linkage between iron and cement wouldn't mean much if heat caused easy cracking.

@jokuvaan5175 2 роки тому

You'd also have to take into account the volumetric expansion of anode and cathode caused by absorption and release of charge carrying ions carrying charge between the two electrodes.

@510Redneck 2 роки тому

I can only imagine a failure frying everyone inside, living inside of a battery doesn't seem like a smart idea to me when nature is a fully active wild child to deal with. lol Concrete is hella unstable and needs maintained to much. People often forget that it's brittle and porous. With that being said I could get behind the idea of it being used in driveways etc.

@kmech3rd 2 роки тому

This sounds like a Surfside Condo collapse in the making...

@Phantom-kz9bv 2 роки тому

There’s a video by practical engineering that talks about how in modern day we help stop concrete from cracking too much. And if what Matt is saying in this video is true than I think the batteries could actually strengthen the concrete. If you want to see the video i’m talking about type in practical engineering stopping concrete from cracking.

@davidprins9401 2 роки тому

Thanks for sharing this idea. To me, using it in structural concrete is a no-go (pie in the sky, not feasible with today’s materials.) But integrating it into a wall covering (think thick multi layer stucco with a protective outer shell) could work. Especially since specialty conductive mortar seems to be an important element for energy density.

@stefanr8232 2 роки тому

Highways use concrete barriers. Planter boxes. Swimming pool. Front steps.

@davidprins9401 2 роки тому

@@stefanr8232 yes nice

@EMBer3000 2 роки тому

So... to use this in a building you'd have to use precast concrete panels since this sounds very hard to do on site. Number of questions though: 1) How does this affect the concrete strength? 2) Does cycling the battery cause any component to swell? If so how does this affect longevity? 3) Does the ion exchange leach any important minerals from the concrete? 4) How does the battery react to water infiltration since concrete is porous?

@daviga1 2 роки тому

Sooooo...what happens when I drill a 1" through hole in the wall or drive an anchor into it?

@Kizron_Kizronson 2 роки тому

Will living inside a battery electrocute us? 04:50 Unlikely as you would be in contact with cement. True. Until the house settles and the cement cracks, or somebody decides to hang a picture frame or a water pipe bursts and the water soaks into all the wonderfully porous cement. Or the myriad different ways poorly maintained houses can degrade, which realistically is all of them. Generally people don't do maintenance until AFTER the damage begins to show. Also fires happen, earthquakes, extreme weather events etc etc. The technology is great if it works. Realistically though, this would be better suited to dedicated energy storage sites that can be properly maintained and regulated.

@pythonxz 2 роки тому

I love this part of UKposts. People don't just trash something; they provide realistic and constructive criticism of a idea (mind the pun).

@gj1234567899999 2 роки тому

Depends on how you design the house. Imagine 6 huge thick concrete columns which are batteries also and you use to hang the frame of the house and support the roof. This would eliminate a lot of the problems you mentioned. The concrete columns would be designed to be resistant to earthquakes. If the columns crack, you wouldn’t work about being electrocuted but the house falling on you which is a bigger concern...

@blaquejaque9702 2 роки тому

I think it's brilliant, especially tying into the natural energy sources. Once made safe it would free up lots of material for batteries and create a green grid

@1988ryan1 2 роки тому

I mean there will always be an electric/electromagnetic field around the outside of a battery without needing to be in contact, so unless you're far enough away from the battery which you wont be, then you have small amounts of electricity constantly flowing through you just being near/in your house. Some health crazy people are already overly weary about things like being too close to your router and things because of slight health concerns and how its carcinogenic, but imagine literally living inside giant batteries.

@blaquejaque9702 2 роки тому

@@1988ryan1 that's probably occurring RIGHT now right now. Cellular waves, etc...

@atatdotdot 2 роки тому

1:40 Energy density is not measured in Wh/m², it's measured in Wh/m³, surely? It's a solid substance. 1:46 Batteries do not store power, they store energy.

@grandunifier3169 2 роки тому

They store {condensed} electrons...

@bloepje 2 роки тому

@@grandunifier3169 The amount of electrons in a full or an empty battery should be the same.

@UndecidedMF 2 роки тому

👍

@grandunifier3169 2 роки тому

@@bloepje no, they are {exchanged} for {mechanical} energy...

@amirabudubai2279 2 роки тому

@@grandunifier3169 No he is right, the number of electrons within a battery shouldn't change. In general electrons stay in the same place unless there is also an ion flow(like from the cathode to the anode *within* a battery). There is some actual electron flow in circuits, but it is so slow that it is only measured in semiconductors(critical part of how they work). On a side note, if you want to look up how to calculate the flow of electrons, it is called the drift flow. It is usually measured in micrometers/second. Also, it oscillates in AC current, so electrons usually travel nowhere very slowly.

@meltassin5326 2 роки тому

I always love your spin on things. Educational and informative.

@ellefields8878 2 роки тому

I was an Architectural major with a focus on sustainable building materials and practices in addition to productive building systems, so seeing this sort of stuff gives me multiple nerdgasms.

@unvergebeneid 2 роки тому

I think the concepts are electrifying but I'd like to see something more concrete.

@timothysullivan7433 2 роки тому

Ha. Excellent!!

@cornpop7805 2 роки тому

Matt uses the terms "cement" and "concrete" interchangeably. Cement is the binding agent within concrete. Concrete is usually a mixture of portland cement, gravel, sand, and water. It's only one of the ingredients in concrete, he might as well have called it: gravel, sand, or water.

@davemiller6055 2 роки тому

Thanks. Now I don't have to say that.

@markmatson5522 2 роки тому

Yes, completely agree with you, Cornpop … that loose language was killing me!

@christianpervert525 2 роки тому

Are you the guy Biden stood up to at the community pool?

@davemiller6055 2 роки тому

@@christianpervert525 Yes he is, and he's a bad dude.

@ronaldlenz5745 2 роки тому

Thank you, I was wondering if anyone was going to respond. As an engineer this drives me crazy. Cement and concrete are not the same!

@matthewlarkin2422 2 роки тому

This mostly sounds like putting a battery into concrete and making it perform worse than it otherwise would have. The same materials could just be used in an actual battery with much better efficiency it feels. Honestly just using normal concrete's thermal mass as energy storage to prevent the need for heating and cooling sounds more eco friendly. Plus all the other maintenance and structural problems others have mentioned.

@sicko_the_ew 2 роки тому

From what I've read so far of the comments, I think maybe the main problem with this is that it introduces possible compromises with the structural aspects of the concrete. In a list of priorities for a "battery building", the quality of the concrete in structural terms would be absolutely first. But then, as you have pointed out, the system opens up the possibility of buildings that "self-report" faults early on. And if it's already established that it doesn't compromise the structural properties, I suppose this point doesn't hold, either. IDK, so for now it's worth keeping the idea around. No need to hastily accept or discard it. I suppose, too, that one could probably split the concrete parts of a building into "structural" and "non-structural" ("load-bearing" is the term I think I've heard engineers using?). If your concrete battery is not expected to make any critical contribution to keeping the building from going horizontal, it's just another kind of "pane of glass" - but perhaps a "pane of glass" that resists fire better, or makes breaking in difficult. With that in mind, it might even be worth trying to make them as light as possible, and push all their contributions to the strength of a building onto load bearing members, independent of them?

@Yay295 2 роки тому

If you're only using concrete batteries non-structurally, why not just use some other type of battery with a much higher capacity?

@sicko_the_ew 2 роки тому

@@Yay295 Good point. Cost maybe, but I doubt if that tips the scale.

@badguyaaa 2 роки тому

Hi Matt , I absolutely love to watch your videos. Highly informative and simple language. It's one of my way to escape from stress.

@UndecidedMF 2 роки тому

Glad you like them!

@badguyaaa 2 роки тому

@@UndecidedMF Thanks for responding, Matt . Ur content is so nice. So thanks.

@charles6084 2 роки тому

Enjoy your channel. A lot of great information. I believe if limited resources like nickel and lithium are needed in concrete battery storage then it will not catch on. Those resources can be better used in more efficient/recyclable battery storage devices.

@andrewmullen4003 2 роки тому

And welcome to todays concrete Punathon, love the amount you shoehorn into an episode! great channel, thanks.

@JoePolaris 2 роки тому

This is awesome , great content and research !! Thx for providing this very informative video.

@Nonsanity 2 роки тому

TV/VCR combos had a fatal flaw, if one breaks, you can’t replace it without replacing the other. With batteries forming the structure of a building, when that battery stops working, it cannot be replaced.

@justinokraski3796 2 роки тому

What if we used prefabricated concrete battery blocks instead? When the battery stops working, you unbolt it and replace the block with a new one. You couldn’t make the entire structure out of these blocks, but you could have non-structural concrete be made of replaceable blocks

@Yay295 2 роки тому

@@justinokraski3796 What if you just had a normal battery? Sure, it takes up a bit of space instead of being the structure itself, but with a much higher capacity, ease of access, and replaceability, I think that's worth it.

@googadisbeotches9360 2 роки тому

It's great seeing concrete thinkers getting energized over a solid foundation and building from there!

@user-yn5sk5ru5g 2 роки тому

☝️ brilliant play on words here

@denver1853 2 роки тому

Good comedic style, I really like the puns seamless in the narrative so one can appreciate them with a grin while listening to the rest of the story, or miss them and never be the wiser. Looking forward to this technology developing and improving over time. It looks like it has great potential to add energy storage capacity with very little added effort and cost.

@dougzirkle5951 2 роки тому

I’m always excited to see your next subject matter. And because of the scope, I generally come away with more of a sense of optimism, being able to see a glimpse into our future as technology advances. This video was no exception. Well done in all respects.

@bigacsiga84 2 роки тому

until now i only had to make sure i dont hit a wire, when drilling. imagine the stress of hanging something on the wall in a house like this

@rpinut 2 роки тому

I don't think this will be the future. Here in the Netherlands, I saw on the news every giant contractor, will switch to wooden houses to build. Reason, nitrogen emissons slows down contstruction sides. Even in the north of the Netherlands, we pumped up, for arround 70 years of gass to heatup our homes. The effects are now little earthquakes that damage or sometimes distroy houses and buildings.

@tippyc2 2 роки тому

Anywhere that has access to a sustainable supply of timber should be doing their best to build everything out of wood. And that's just for the environmental concerns of the other options. Concrete is the most destructive building material, wood the least destructive. Wood does fine in earthquakes too, if it's properly designed for it (although you'll probably get some cracks in your sheetrock). California has almost never had problems with wood houses collapsing during earthquakes. It's always the concrete and steel stuff that collapses. Even in San Francisco's 1906 earthquake where we didnt know we needed to build for earthquakes yet, most of the wood structures remained standing. That's a small part of why the fire raged so hard immediately after the earthquake. edit: Notable exception to wood doing fine in earthquakes is the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake. There were a lot of wood apartments in the city that did collapse, but that's generally attributed to the construction trend at the time of completely gutting the structure from the bottom floor to put parking there. In other words, buildings that were so poorly designed they stood no chance to survive anything more extreme than a mild breeze. Traditionally designed houses in the suburbs did just fine.

@ooooneeee 2 роки тому

@@tippyc2 concrete lasts for thousands of years unless you put steel rebar into it.

@tippyc2 2 роки тому

@@ooooneeee But you cant build with concrete without the rebar (except for pavement).

@russellvatcher4753 2 роки тому

@@tippyc2 At some point you should consider the renewable source Bamboo. Thomas Edison used bamboo to reinforce his swimming pool in Fort Myers(on the ocean) and it still holds water today. Bamboo grown in the footprint of a modern house for 2 years can build that same house. Look it up.

@alexnorth2452 2 роки тому

This is pretty cool, but my biggest question is does it affect the load bearing capability of the concrete or the overall stability? If it doesn't, then even if it has a pitifully energy density, it would be worth the additional cost to build into the structure

@PlayRafa2 2 роки тому

to the person who wrote all those concrete jokes: you did a very solid job

@kynetx 2 роки тому

Having a corrosive compound in steel reinforced concrete would require constant monitoring and extremely diligent maintenance. I don't care if it's encapsulated in something, it'll get out. Concrete is amazing stuff, but if it's not properly maintained, people die.

@RC-1290 2 роки тому

I'm very curious about RF emissions from a building made of this stuff. How it might affect fires. As well as how it behaves in a lightning storm.

@kensmith5694 2 роки тому

This sort of thing tends to absorb RF rather than emit it. Concrete is not all that good in a fire. It doesn't burn but if the fire heats it to just above the boiling point of water, it started to turn back into Portland cement powder. The crystals that make Portland cement turn into a strong solid have water as part of their structure.

@mannyechaluce3814 2 роки тому

Your new born babies head will be fried and you can't put out electrical fires with water :D

@BoB-Dobbs_leaning-left 2 роки тому

DC current produces no RF. The F stands for frequency dc is direct current, not AC.

@survivalgardener351 2 роки тому

As always very well researched and informative content

@RaySonic_99 2 роки тому

really love that you guys covered this and brining a light to issues

@hubertnnn 2 роки тому

One danger I can see is the fact that electrolyte in batteries gets used up over time (not consumed, but it changes its composition, that why the capacity drops down). What would happen to my house when that happens to concrete in my walls? Is there a risk that the used concrete electrolyte will be too weak and will just cause to house to collapse?

@RoadTripTravel 2 роки тому

Love your channel and topics, however I was a bit confused watching this one because you seem to use cement and concrete interchangeably, like so many people do. Concrete is a building material, cement is the glue in concrete. So, is it cement that is the element that makes battery storage possible, or concrete in general?

@mr.mastor 2 роки тому

I love the puns that you make in every video! I think your videos are great and information packed, and inform me about lots of things I didn’t know. I bet you put a lot of effort into the script and it definitely pays off by making your videos concise and interesting all the way through . . .

@gabproductions3312 2 роки тому

I love finishing an assigment or taking a break after an hour or so of writing or studying, and just opening my feed to see a new video.

@tigress63 2 роки тому

My main question while watching this video is that how do we know that the electrical charge within the cement may not weaken it over time? As ubiquitous as cement is and as ideal as the solution, I still have concerns. If the cement is used as the insulator, wouldn't the electrical charge by the plates rapidly corrode the rebar embedded within cement (as rebar has a high iron content). If one keeps it above ground level then in Northern climates it might be feasible, but where it snows new houses & building are subject to cracking (no matter how new) due to freeze/thaw cycles as well as ground settling; we're not even considering vibrations from other sources. Cracking in cement always leads to moisture seeping in possibly shorting out the circuit. I would imagine separate circuits would be necessary to avoid this sort of thing but this would definitely lead to increased costs if you had to pour sections separately as opposed to the current methodology. I think you've covered many other battery types which have been far superior in concept and who knows maybe sometime soon we will see one of these new types of batteries or a combination of various concepts be the solution to the ever increasing need for energy.

@tippyc2 2 роки тому

The electric charge isn't what you need to worry about. The physical effects of operating the battery will cause detrimental cracking. Localized expansion from heat cycling and from metal oxide reactions are enough to guarantee that.

@B30pt87 2 роки тому

Oh yeah, I think they have a shot. Everybody working in new ways to store energy is working on something esential. Even if this technology doesn't become an standard part of new skyscrapers, it could be useful for off grid homes or even something we don't have yet. Thanks for this information.

@E4439Qv5 2 роки тому

Off-grid homes were my thought, too. An extra store for whatever solar is on your roof is always appreciated.

@3mercury3 2 роки тому

excellent content and delivery, will share. thank you.

@davidmccarthy6061 2 роки тому

Nice to see new (old) ideas being investigated so we end up with many different types to be used in different uses.

@mortimerhasbeengud2834 2 роки тому

Well, after seeing that the Chalmers U battery or the Lancaster battery had the electrical storage potential of a dead firefly, I will look back to Matt's enthusiasm for the rusting iron battery development from some months ago. It seems hugely more closer to commercial use than the concrete ones are. Good topic anyway. Maybe the concrete storage would be best applied to Mars?

@mtt3870 2 роки тому

Great video. Anything has the potential to become a safe everyday item that we use for a designated purpose. Have you described the Concorde to the people building a steam locomotive, they would have said you are crazy and it is utterly impossible. Maybe a battery will be designed with high energy density and without a finite number of discharge cycles.

@davidgutting4317 2 роки тому

When I used to build swimming pools I had a job where the steel frame in the pool was unbonded and the concrete and steel in the pool built up a charge powerful enough to knock me over. This idea has very real possibilities.

@amateurwizard 2 роки тому

"Sounds edifying right, but it's got concrete challenges to overcome!" Nicely done.

@ssoffshore5111 2 роки тому

We are better off using the buildings and housing we already have as "batteries". Using them to store (thermal) energy when it's abundant in the form of increased or decreased temps and letting them return towards the mean when energy is no so abundant. Obviously having good thermal insulation improves the "battery". Example: Using solar energy to slightly over-cool or over-heat during the day while the sun is shining by say 3 degrees and letting the interior temp swing back the other direction at night when solar energy is not being created. The perceived comfort disruption to us is fairly minimal and the change is gradual so it's hardly noticeable. You don't even have to generate your own electricity for this to be a large-scale benefit, doing the same on-grid reduces the strain and levels off power production around the clock for energy providers. All it takes is a programable thermostat or someone willing to manually control the thermostat 2x a day. This idea is basically free to do/use, it's available to just about everyone, and we can all do it today.

@shawnr771 2 роки тому

Passive solar design will do this with fewer moving parts.

@ssoffshore5111 2 роки тому

@@shawnr771 Agreed, but again that usually means significant redesign and cost. When it comes to battery tech, doing the above is basically free and we can pretty much all access it.

@shawnr771 2 роки тому

@@ssoffshore5111 If we would alter new home designs to incorporate it start with would be a good idea. Especially in areas it makes sense.

@geesus3904 2 роки тому

Another possibility would be using this as a facade rather than the entire building. As you mentioned, what happens when this needs to be replaced? Yeah. Do we demolish the building because that IS the structure? That seems counterintuitive lol. If it's a facade, you can simply replaced the worn out or broken tile. Also, something I didn't know so I'm sharing, concrete creates heat when it's mixed (Hoover Dam Documentary). So in larger volumes are the scientists thinking about that? Will that cause issues with the materials they are using to create this "battery"? Just little thoughts. I'm no professional but I dig the science so be helpful please. :)

@UndecidedMF 2 роки тому

A lot of question marks around this research that still need to be vetted. Using them as possible storage within something like the street lamp post idea seems the most likely place to start. But again ... still early stages.

@geesus3904 2 роки тому

@@UndecidedMF Oh yes! That was definitely a positive and even at that stage, having lights replaced with these options would dramatically reduce elect needs. Like now. And as you mentioned, other IoT devices for traffic etc. My cynical side though thinks it will take forever simply because of politics. Regardless of the positives it provides. :/

@shawnr771 2 роки тому

@@UndecidedMF Perhaps the lighting requirements could include Dark Sky hoods to direct the light downward and avoid light pollution.

@noiJadisCailleach 2 роки тому

100 years. Before we see something with this tech done on a large scale. I regret that I won't be alive to see this day.

@markjeffriesjr2448 2 роки тому

I think it's a good ground for new ideas. My first thought was using sidewalk mesh for some kind of new electrical grid but I think that's cool too. Awesome.

@marcschaeffer1584 2 роки тому

You should probably not build with this, after all, rebar reinforced cement us an iron air battery already, which results in loss of structural integrity as the iron oxidizes. Bad idea.

@marcschaeffer1584 2 роки тому

If you were to charge rebar maybe you could prevent rusting though!

@marcschaeffer1584 2 роки тому

That's not a battery though...

@americancitizen4259 2 роки тому

Things like this are really cool. At the minimum something like this could be used to supplement energy storage. It may not be the final answer but it can help along the way. Especially if producing it can become cost effective with traditional concrete.

@robertwoodliff2536 2 роки тому

....my perception is ., we may need the big wins.....but we also need the small wins.......if this sort of tech can drift / dull grid peak requirements we may get there..........look at gridwatch ., yes ., we will have problems with base load ., but we have problems with the peaks .. If we can run lighter wiring to lamp posts ., as it could be dribble charged ..

@scottgordon9347 2 роки тому

8% is a great start, as a Renewable Energy Specialist, I see so may expecting a magic pill, in reality we can not think that there is. What we can do is incorporate everything we have learned into a better solution. Using everything we have learned together will lower our dependence on fossil fuels as the #1 solution. We will always need fossil fuels but not like we do today.

@KnightsWithoutATable 2 роки тому

Problem: cement and concrete when saturated or even surface wet is conductive, which would short out the battery and could electrocute a person. Likely not with a lethal voltage, but the amperage would burn the flesh at the contact point. Concrete and cement are listed as conductive flooring under electrical code because of the danger when it gets wet. The low voltage is the only way this could be safe, but rebar would become part of the circuit and could become part of a circuit when equipment is anchored to the concrete. Some electrical code would need to be written for this to be used.

@HaroldCrews 2 роки тому

That's interesting. Does it affect the concrete either positively or negatively? (Pun intended) Does it shorten the life-span or weaken the concrete?

@jokuvaan5175 2 роки тому

I'd say yes because of the volumetric expansion of anode and cathode during charging and discharging. And because of different thermal expansion of the anode and cathode metals. The reason why iron is used to reinforce concrete is because its thermal expansion very closely matches that of concrete. But nickel....I don't know. Also I know that at least in lithium ion batteries the charge carrying lithium ions in the electrolyte plate on the surfaces of the two electrodes over the battery life. And in this type of battery the plaster is the electrolyte. So similar kind of reaction could weaken the plaster over time. But I am not sure

@ooooneeee 2 роки тому

My biggest question, disappointed he didn't address it.

@polskieyt9191 2 роки тому

Another great content! Thanks!

@Luczias 2 роки тому

I love the pace of the video and the precisely distilled puns :)

@tippyc2 2 роки тому

Yeah, great idea, let's replace lithium with a material that's even more destructive to the environment, cement. I can't imagine this would work for buildings anyway, the constant battery activity would degrade the concrete too quickly. There's two mechanisms that will break down the concrete: volumetric expansion of metal oxides in the battery components, and heat cycling during charge/discharge, both of which will lead to microcracking of the concrete. Potentially there could be decomposition of the actual cement bonds as well. And if there's any water being electrolyzed by the process, that would definitely degrade the hydrated cement, and you might even see hydrogen embrittlement of the reinforcing steel as well.

@TheNetwork 2 роки тому

"what if we could turn our houses themselves into batteries?" You mean surround people with insane amounts of potential energy that if failes does so spectacularly and releases massive amounts of "heat" energy into said structure. Ya.... No..

@fluffyduckbutt24 2 роки тому

Thank you for having awesome (correct) captions!!

@UndecidedMF 2 роки тому

You're welcome 😊

@DavidWesley 2 роки тому

What is the functional energy density of material science jokes? 🙄

@matthewyabsley 2 роки тому

You Sir deserve a medal for this joke. Live well in the knowledge that you created one of the finest jokes of our time and that will undoubtedly go unnoticed by the many! When you are dead and gone, perhaps a young researcher will rediscover this fine example of human thinking and hold it up, on a pedestal for all the appreciate the sheer genius of construction. ;-)

@similarlydifferent7548 2 роки тому

My question is does making it a battery have an impact on the integrity the concrete or any other negative effects over long periods of time. But thinking outside the box like this is really awesome.

@Bianchi77 2 роки тому

Nice video clip, keep it up, thank you :)

@gordonjones1516 2 роки тому

:) The expression is "Set in concrete", cement is a component thereof. Keep up the great work!

@kv5113 2 роки тому

great video Matt!

@domirimba 2 роки тому

The most important aspects are the cost and the environmental impact, these are complex but not too difficult to calculate if you have enough information. Somewhere along the lines of X€/kWh = additional costs to construction with normal concrete / # of cycles untill faillure / average capacity per cycle. And for the environmental impact, there are also plenty of examples how to evaluate this, the most important = CO2-equivalant emissions / # of cycles untill faillure / average capacity per cycle. Extra water-use, fine partical pollution, nitrogen emissions etc. also should be taken into the account of environmental impact. If both of these aspects are significantly lower than the competion, it can be a game changer! All other problems are part of the two main aspects or solvable/trivial.

@randoscience4756 2 роки тому

Thanks.I often find myself inspired to give my students some.projects for new ideas

@Ed-bj5eq 2 роки тому

never heard of that, seems like a great, cheat and durable add-on to incorporate in new buildings along common higher energy density options

@ronm6585 2 роки тому

Thank you sir.

@Antidocius 2 роки тому

question in regards to the insulation of the 'metal mesh' provided by the concrete: Won't this get jeopardized if the wall/floor gets saturated with water from a leak or rising ground water?

@szlatyka 2 роки тому

As long as it's not bad for your health this can be revolutionary. Even if the energy density is garbage you still need to build houses and right now concrete is the go-to material. Might as well use the otherwise static walls for something else too.

@zatar123 2 роки тому

A thought that came to me while watching this is What about geo-polymeres They are already being studied as more sustainable alternatives to regular concrete and cement So it might be worth looking into how well they stack up to concrete when used for something like this. Just a thought Ok Finished watching the video. So someone is looking into at least one geopolymer option Good to know.

@chuckbryan590 2 роки тому

This looks to be a fantastic technology to complement other storage solutions. Great video; and, puns!

@davidallyn1818 2 роки тому

Frankly, the best use of concrete for energy storage is it's weight. Energy lifts the concrete to store potential energy, and we extract the energy with the kinetic energy of lowering it under control. Make a table, put a ton of concrete on it (not that much concrete), use a motor to lift it to store energy. Use ratcheting to hold it until needed. When energy is required, use a generator to extract the energy. This mechanism can be made to hold an entire building (they already do this with seismic table/bearings), if you wanted a city-block sized battery.

@suzannehartmann946 2 роки тому

You might want to look up channels that talk about tartaria and "the inheritors". They have been talking a long time about two possibilities. That those really old buildings were built as batteries. And that they were built to harness sound. That wells at the center of the house were important to making them good batteries is one of the theories.

@Robertnight888 2 роки тому

My nickel- Iron battery made in 1955 still works. Thanks mr Edison

@chanel808life-mthi 2 роки тому

Amazing the more We have alternatives This will bring further innovation and hopefully lead to a more energy efficient future

@ppolet1443 2 роки тому

Not to be nitpicking, but cement is a constituent of concrete along with various aggregates. You use both terms interchangeably. In addition, concrete should be referenced as a volumetric unit in meters cubed. That aside, your posts are always enjoyable and thought provoking. Keep up the good work!

@kerrygrante 2 роки тому

I admire your optimism of the future on energy storage. I just don't feel the same way.

@diGritz1 2 роки тому

I don't think "turning our houses and buildings themselves into batteries" fits, as it only effects new construction. Also, only around 10% of new homes are built with concrete framing. Most new homes do have the foundations with concrete however, I'm not sure how ground water will effect it or if the amount of storage will justify the extra cost in residential construction. So the tech is really only meaningful in commercial buildings and possibly only poured concrete construction. This means upfront cost and time before payback will be the determining factor.

@theoddplebs Рік тому

the way he pushed of those tens of puns with straight face amazed me lol

@danielhanawalt4998 2 роки тому

That's interesting. Although it wouldn't provide/store energy in a big way, if the cost is about the same or less than regular concrete and buildings started being built this way they could add up to pretty large savings in GHG emissions. Perhaps one day they'll figure out a way to retrofit this to preexisting buildings and homes. The Native products sound good.

@native_cos Рік тому

You should give us a try! 😉

@budstep7361 2 роки тому

great video, thanks!!

@Bespelled22 2 роки тому

I think this would be great as a base for community beautification structures such as large sculptures which could be integrated into communities as sub stations

@MrDhandley 2 роки тому

I’ve always thought that maybe the centre of a multi-storey building could have a huge weight connected to a generator/ motor. Larger buildings could add power back into the network when needed.

@sitrilko 2 роки тому

The puns ... they really cemented this video.

@kimspence-jones4765 2 роки тому

This sounds more promising for roads and similar applications - material failure leading to replacement is far easier to handle than for a high-rise building!

@DoctorX17 2 роки тому

Sounds like a good road to go down. Needs more study, especially to make sure it's as good as regular concrete for structural use, but replacing sidewalks and curbs and such should be no problem whatsoever. I think we should use as many supplementary technologies as possible until we can get fully green. My other thing, aside from structural integrity, is wondering how it would complicate installation. Something like a parking curb/block is just a thing that can be plonked in place if mass produced, but how hard would it be to set this up in a sidewalk or wall, where it needs to be made on site?

@AvyScottandFlower 2 роки тому

- My house is on fire - Isn't your house a giant battery? - Oh, *SH*T..*

@ronmaximilian6953 2 роки тому

a cement battery and a high-rise capable of running the elevators and emergency lights would be quite beneficial. I am concerned about what would happen if a cement battery is hit by lightning.

@PaddleMonkey 2 роки тому

I think every new energy tech like this deserves to be adopted for the times that we live in. Acknowledging that its energy density is hundreds of times less than Lithium, it can still be useful for simple usage: LED lighting, for example, can be offloaded to these batteries. Home automation techs and surveillance/security hardware can also adopt this energy storage tech.

@marieortiz5533 2 роки тому

Informative Shows

@r.b.ratieta6111 2 роки тому

The amount of cement puns in this video...all of them were firmly placed, but they became harder to work with as time progressed. 😉 Real talk, though, greatly enjoy your videos, really glad I found your channel a few weeks ago. Great food for the brain, not to mention one can think about these things for hours hypothesizing how one might improve or better implement these ideas that are floating around. Thanks for making and uploading, keep up the great work.

@joatmofa0405 2 роки тому

In renewable energies there are 4 main criteria : *ENERGY CREATION* = (solar) sun / (hydro) water / (turbine) wind *ENERGY STORAGE* = e.g. LiFePO4 cells *ENERGY CONVERSION* = converting DC to AC - e.g. Inverters *ENERGY CONSUMPTION* = LED's (devices that use low energy consumption) So we need to *make* ; *save* ; *change* and *use efficiently* !

@derek2593 2 роки тому

"Gotta rebuild my house." "Is the the structure failing?' "No, the house won't hold a charge anymore."

@codyprine1140 Рік тому

I think that if this added function comes at the same cost or cheaper than traditional construction, it would be a no brainer. Even if the battery only last 15 years worth of cycles, there is nothing lost as long as the structural integrity is not compromised.