ENERGY FROM SALTWATER MUD

There is a growing need for energy throughout the world and this increase in demand for energy has now also put a strain on the current sources of energy. In the process of oil/gas production, there are large amounts of water released into the atmosphere as well as into the ground or soil. This water contains chemicals such as Sulphur and Nitrogen oxides, Bitumen, Calcium, Base oil, and Sodium. It is commonly referred to as “wastewater” and is disposed of. The goal of this project is to investigate the possibility of acquiring energy from this wastewater. This is can be done by using various types of soils and water. Various mixtures were created using soils mixed with different percentages of clay and water with varying salinity. A small source of electricity was then applied to the saltwater mud to provide a voltage to the experiment. The chemicals in the mud are then expected to amplify the input voltage and create enough energy to power electrical devices. To prove this, a bulb or small fan will be connected to the mud via an electrode. It was found that clay soil produced more energy than sandy soil. Also, an increase in water volume would dilute the mixture and this would slow down the transfer of energy in the mud. The results of this work can be useful for the environment and the decreasing energy sources.