Oxygen rechargable batteries and Urine Recyclers

[bigtwinky]

Yet another step forward in terms of environmental technologies.... they have now come up with batteries that can be recharged by oxygen

World's first battery fuelled by air - Telegraph

One of the great points was about cars running on oxygen batteries instead of standard rechargeable batteries.

I wonder how much of an impact pollution will have on these air batteries?

For photograhers, how would you like some great rechargable batteries that you never have to take out of your flash or camera to recharge them and they keep recharging as you are shooting?

On a side note, another great step forward for environmental technologies is that the crew of the Space Station drank the first water made from recycled urine and sweat! Sounds gross and childish, but again, imagine the cost of shipping water up there? Or the potential to recycle bath water in our house holds?

Space Station Crew Drinks Up To Recycled Urine

 

[Overread]

I wonder though - with that recycling of local area oxygen the battery compartment would have to have to be open to flowing air - thus open to the elements. What effect would it have if you were out in a rainstorm and water entered the camera/battery this way? Its a concern for cars as well since whilst their movement would keep air flowing, high air moisture content (rain) could again cause possible damage the cell or in interior of the car.
I also wonder with cars already causing a massive carbon increase if we then suddenly switch to removing oxygen could we get the reverse effect - cities in basins (Mexico City) and long trafficjams in still weather could end up suffocating people as local area oxygen is sucked out by the machines.

Its certainly an interesting idea, but not without its limits and problems.

 

[bigtwinky]

very valid points! There definatly has to be moisture control. For the polluted cities, I wonder if there even would be enough oxygen available, considering the smog and population size, to even power these cards. Or on the flip side, maybe such a technology will change how people consume and thus bring down the current levels of pollution

When I first read it, I thought of the movie Total Recall and how the Mars colony had its oxygen supply limited and controled, to the point of exploited.

 

[Flems]

It's amazing all of the advances in technology we see every day. I'm sure the moisture/dirt/debris problems can be easily dealt with filters for the batteries, but as for the oxygen consumption I guess it's all up to how much is needed.