Groups | Search | Server Info | Keyboard shortcuts | Login | Register [http] [https] [nntp] [nntps]

Groups > comp.misc > #3704

Re: Vanadium: The metal that may soon be powering your neighbourhood

Show all headers | View raw

On 16/06/2014 10:03 PM, Whiskers wrote:
> On 2014-06-16, Sylvia Else <sylvia@not.at.this.address> wrote:
>> On 16/06/2014 3:23 AM, Whiskers wrote:
>>> <http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-27829874>
>>>
>>> For those who aren't impressed by the iron flow battery mentioned
>>> recently.
>>>
>>
>> The Wikipedia article for the vanadium redox battery indicates that you
>> need two atoms of vanadium for each electron. Thus 100g of Vanadium
>> gives approximately 6 * 10^23 electrons, or about 10^5 Coulombs.
>>
>> The open cell potential is about 1 volt, so our 100g of Vanadium gives
>> at most 10^5 Joules. One tonne of Vanadium thus give us 10^9 Joules, or
>> about 280 kWh.
>>
>> The world's known vanadium reserves are about 13 million tonnes.
>>
>> http://vanitec.org/vanadium/vanadium-sources-producers/
>
> "Vanadium is the 22nd most abundant element in the earth’s crust,
> occurring more than 65 minerals"
>
> "Vanadium resources globally are estimated at 63 million metric tons"
>
> "With current vanadium consumption at about 61,000 metric tons V per
> year, known resources represent approximately 1,000 years supply."
>
> "World vanadium reserves (that part of the identified vanadium resource
> that meets specified minimum physical and chemical criteria related to
> current mining and production practices) are estimated at 13 million
> metric tons V, or about 200 years supply at current consumption rates."
>
> "Titaniferous magnetite is the most important source for vanadium
> presently accounting about 85% of the current world V2O5 production.
> This iron ore typically contains 1.0% to 1.5% V2O5."
>
> In other words, there's so much of the stuff that no-one is bothered to
> look for it; instead, they estimate the "known reserves" by projecting
> current usage from the sources already being worked.  If that works out
> to be "200 years supply at current consumption" there's no point looking
> for more of it.
>
> It's a by-product of iron ore smelting - if you want some, you extract
> it from the slag.  If consumption of vanadium increases, more slag-heaps
> will be assayed, abandoned mines will reopen, and new mines will be dug.
>
>> So if it were all used in vanadium redox batteries, we'd have a capacity
>> of 13 * 10^6 * 280 kWh, or about 3640 GWh.
>>
>> Wikipedia indicates that the world electricity consumption is
>> 19,320,360,620 MWh per year, or about 53 GWh per day.
>>
>> The point of using the batteries is to balance supply and demand, yet it
>> is clear from the above numbers that the scope for using vanadium redox
>> batteries in this role is going to be very limited if for no other
>> reason than there isn't enough vanadium.
>>
>> Sylvia
>
> There is no shortage of vanadium.  At present, we can't use it fast
> enough to keep up with what we dig up anyway to get other stuff.
>

That doesn't seem entirely consistent with its price variation.

Though I diverge here from my main point, it would not be economic to 
mine iron ore just to extract the vanadium.

Sylvia.

Back to comp.misc | Previous | Next — Previous in thread | Next in thread | Find similar | Unroll thread

Thread

Vanadium: The metal that may soon be powering your neighbourhood Whiskers <catwheezel@operamail.com> - 2014-06-15 18:23 +0100
  Re: Vanadium: The metal that may soon be powering your neighbourhood Sylvia Else <sylvia@not.at.this.address> - 2014-06-16 11:51 +1000
    Re: Vanadium: The metal that may soon be powering your neighbourhood Sylvia Else <sylvia@not.at.this.address> - 2014-06-16 13:29 +1000
    Re: Vanadium: The metal that may soon be powering your neighbourhood Whiskers <catwheezel@operamail.com> - 2014-06-16 13:03 +0100
      Re: Vanadium: The metal that may soon be powering your neighbourhood Sylvia Else <sylvia@not.at.this.address> - 2014-06-16 23:02 +1000
        Re: Vanadium: The metal that may soon be powering your neighbourhood Whiskers <catwheezel@operamail.com> - 2014-06-16 20:29 +0100

csiph-web