Human Passive Energy Systems – Oxidation
Oxidation Effect
The Earth was formed from basic chemicals
These developed into a complex interaction of chemicals that form our Earth and its current Biosphere.
All these chemicals are interacting and forming all organic and non organic compounds on Earth.
Oxidation is one of these reactions.
When Oxygen reacts with other chemicals it causes a loss of electrons and so energy by a molecule, ion or atom.
Observations
Natural, passive, oxidation processes occur that can be observed.
Autumn
There is the change in colour in the leaves of trees from Summer to Autumn.
This is a slow oxidation process causing the leaves to loose chemical energy, structural stability and disconnect from the trees.
Iron
Iron will suffer surface delaminating due to Oxidation. It changes colour, forming a layer of iron oxide, but eventually it looses all structural cohesion. This is a slow oxidation process.
Aluminium
Aluminium looses its outer layer due to Oxidation. It changes colour forming a layer of aluminium oxide but eventually looses all structural cohesion. This is a slow oxidation process.
These are slow Oxidation processes.
There are also examples of higher speed reactions.
Linseed Oil, Clothing Rags and Oxygen
‘It has been shown that rags soaked with linseed oil stored in a pile are considered a fire hazard because they provide a large surface area for oxidation of the oil, and the oil oxidizes quickly.
The oxidation of linseed oil is an exothermic reaction, which accelerates as the temperature of the rags increases.
When heat accumulation exceeds the rate of heat dissipation into the environment, the temperature increases and may eventually become hot enough to make the rags spontaneously combust.’
Source: Ettling, Bruce V.; Adams, Mark F. (1971). "Spontaneous combustion of linseed oil in sawdust". Fire Technology 7 (3): 225. doi:10.1007/BF02590415.
Other exothermic reactions have been observed in Straw, Hay, Waste Paper, Cotton Seeds, Olive Oil, Olive Oil and Sawdust, Coal Dust, Flour Dust, Starch Flower, Rye Flower, Sawdust, Sawdust in a confined air environment with water, Dry vegetable Oil, Dry animal Oil, saturated cotton waste, oil leakage into sawdust, oily waste, waste cloths of silk or cotton saturated with oil, varnish or turpentine, greasy rags from butter, greasy ham bags, bituminous coal, pit coal, pyrites, damp lampblack with linseed oil, timber dried by steam pipes or hot water or hot air
Source: http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/33798819 and Western Argus (Kalgoorlie, WA : 1894 - 1896) Saturday 24 November 1894
The critical factors are
- any organic chemical such as a oil or hydrocarbon
- a combustible material of a large surface area
- a large surface area of the material, wet with the oil, not dry
- an enclosed pile of the material limiting heat loss from the oxidization
process
- an enclosed air supply
- a large oxygen supply
If the combustible material by soaking up the oil traps more heat from the oxidation of the oil than it loses to the environment, the temperature may rise high enough to initiate smouldering that can subsequently lead to combustion.
Once combustion has occurred then the combustible material has more heat in it than it can contain and so the reaction accelerates. In an open envelope condition; to the atmosphere; the reaction has a large Oxygen supply to react with until the combustible material has been reduced to its basic, usually carbon state.
There is a possibility that the reaction can restart if the carbon, still retaining some heat is again placed in an enclosed environment, and again brought into contact with new combustible material soaked in the oil.
In enclosed environments with little air the reaction may also demonstrate the same pattern and characteristics.
Metal catalysts also have an accelerant effect on the process.
Oxidation Phases
There are three phases to the control of the oxidation process
‘Initiation, propagation and termination.’
Source: http://www.machinerylubrication.com/Read/999/lubricants-oxidation
http://www.machinerylubrication.com/Read/999/lubricants-oxidation The Lubricant's Nemesis - Oxidation Dave Wooton, Wooton Consulting
Oxidation Control Methods
Initiation can be controlled by
- Not bringing the chemicals together.
- Bringing the chemicals together in a source of limited oxygen.
- Controlling the quantities of the chemicals involved.
- Controlling the surface area of the material that has absorbed the
chemicals that is in contact with the oxygen in the air.
Propagation can be controlled by
- Reducing the number of times the reaction between the chemical
takes place
- Placing the reaction in a sealed container to reduce the rate of the
reaction with new sources of Oxygen and air.
Termination can be controlled by
- Adding alternate stopping methods to control the reaction
- Remove the source of oxygen
- Remove the other chemicals
- Remove the chemicals and the source of oxygen
- Place the reaction into a sealed non-combustible container with
water to reduce the temperature of the chemical reaction.
- Use Anti-oxidants to slow down the reaction of the chemicals
involved.
Oxidation as a Passive Energy Source
The reaction of Oxygen with all substances is ongoing and generally a slow reaction causing cellular breakdown, chemical breakdown and structural breakdown.
The energy levels available from slow Oxidation reactions as Passive Energy Source are less but of longer duration.
The energy levels available from higher speed Oxidation reactions as Passive Energy Source are higher but of less duration.
All of the Oxidation reactions must be treated with the appropriate control methods and safety measures.
It is possible however that this effect may be utilized as a Passive Energy Source for needs such as water heating system if the effect can be controlled in the manner described above and in the attached references.
References.
Additional references for oxidization effect, materials involved, exothermic reaction, acceleration, temperature increase and combustion
Sources:
Source: http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/33798819 and Western Argus (Kalgoorlie, WA : 1894 - 1896) Saturday 24 November 1894
Source: Ettling, Bruce V.; Adams, Mark F. (1971). "Spontaneous combustion of linseed oil in sawdust". Fire Technology 7 (3): 225. doi:10.1007/BF02590415.
Source: 1991, One Meridian Plaza, Philadelphia a fire caused by linseed oil-soaked rags
Routley, J. Gordon; Jennings, Charles; Chubb, Mark (February 1991), "Highrise Office Building Fire One Meridian Plaza Philadelphia, Pennsylvania", Report USFA-TR-049 (Federal Emergency Management Agency)
Source: 01/05/2000 Fire & Explosion Investigation Essay Assignment Spontaneous Combustion of Drying Oils as a Fire Cause Due Date:- l/5/00 Kelly Rampling
Source: In 2011, a garage in Sacramento also caught fire due to the spontaneous combustion of linseed oil-soaked ragshttp://blogs.sacbee.com/crime/archives/2011/08/two-morning-fir.html August 18, 2011 Morning fires quelled in Arden Arcade, Orangevale
Source: ABC News Linseed Oil and Spontaneous Combustion Common product used to preserve wood in homes and restaurants poses fire hazard. 10/09/2012
Source: Bio-Diesel magazine November 02, 2012 Spontaneous Combustion: An Overlooked Fire Source
Source: http://www.machinerylubrication.com/Read/999/lubricants-oxidation The Lubricant's Nemesis - Oxidation Dave Wooton, Wooton Consulting
Source: Low temperature oxidation of linseed oil: a review Juita 1, Bogdan Z Dlugogorski1*, Eric M Kennedy1 and John C Mackie1,2 Juita et al. Fire Science Reviews 2012, 1:3
Ian K Whittaker
Websites:
https://sites.google.com/site/architecturearticles
Email: iankwhittaker@gmail.com
11/11/2013
14/10/2020
1167 words over 3 pages