Energy breakthough - turning saltwater into fuel

[MissusDe]

Retired TV station owner and broadcast engineer, John Kanzius, wasn’t looking for an answer to the energy crisis.  He was looking for a cure for cancer.

Four years ago, inspiration struck in the middle of the night. Kanzius decided to try using radio waves to kill the cancer cells. His wife Marianne heard the noise and found her husband inventing a radio frequency generator with her pie pans.

“I got up immediately, and thought he had lost it.”

Here are the basics of John’s idea:

Radio-waves will heat certain metals. Tiny bits of certain metal are injected into a cancer patient.

Those nano-particals are attracted to the abnormalities of the cancer cells and ignore the healthy cells.

The patient is then exposed to radio waves and only the bad cells heat up and die.

But John also came across yet another extrordinary breakthrough. His machine could actually make saltwater burn.

John Kanzius discovered that his radio frequency generator could release the oxygen and hydrogen from saltwater and create an incredibly intense flame.

“Just like that. If that was in a car cylinder you could see the amount of fire that would be in the cylinder.”

The APV Company Laboratory in Akron has checked out John’s amazing invention. They were amazed.

“That could be a steam engine, a steam turbine. That could be a car engine if you wanted it to be.”

Imagine the possibilities. Saltwater as the ultimate clean fuel. A happy byproduct of one man searching for the cure for cancer.
_______________________

See the video here - very cool! - http://www.wkyc.com/video/player.aspx?aid=35660&bw=

Story link: http://www.wkyc.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=68227

[fatman]

pretty amazing.  I wonder what metals are required for the reaction, hopefully not just gold as the video shows.  Also, does the salt (NaCl - I think) in the saltwater burn as well?

[Xavier_Onassis]

NaCl sodium chloride, known as table salt, is a very stable compound and does not burn, but salt water is a much better carrier of electricity than pure water, so the salt seems to be acting as a catalyst here.

[fatman]

NaCl sodium chloride, known as table salt, is a very stable compound and does not burn, but salt water is a much better carrier of electricity than pure water, so the salt seems to be acting as a catalyst here.

Thanks XO, I knew that sodium (Na) will burn but wasn't sure about sodium chloride.  As you can tell, chemistry wasn't my strong point.  Also, wouldn't the metal particles be considered the catalyst?  Or does the NaCl help with the reaction by transferring energy to the metal which transfers it to the H20, which then burns?

[Amianthus]

Thanks XO, I knew that sodium (Na) will burn but wasn't sure about sodium chloride.  As you can tell, chemistry wasn't my strong point.  Also, wouldn't the metal particles be considered the catalyst?  Or does the NaCl help with the reaction by transferring energy to the metal which transfers it to the H20, which then burns?

Sodium metal will burn (indeed it spontaneously combusts when exposed to oxygen). Neither are catalysts. They ionize in the water, the ions (being charged particles) are capable of conducting a charge.

The concept is very similar to your microwave oven - the molecules are set in rapid motion, producing heat.