A German experiment proved that simple concrete spheres make fantastic batteries. Now, California plans to submerge a 9-meter diameter sphere in the ocean and is already planning versions of 30 meters.
farmingdale-observer.com
Storing renewable energy sustainably and efficiently is one of the major challenges of our time. A team of German researchers is proposing a revolutionary solution: concrete spheres immersed in the ocean floor. Their potential is such that California is preparing to test a large-scale prototype. A simple, ingenious concept The…
  • @carl_dungeon@lemmy.worldEnglish
    5•1 day ago

    Thanks for the insight, I’m not a mechanical engineer, I’m a software engineer :) The walls on these spheres have got to be pretty thick- 400 tonnes is no joke. 3/4 of a meter if I had to guess.

    • @A_A@lemmy.worldEnglish
      5•1 day ago

      Perfect guess ! (afaik) ρ(concrete) ≈ 2.5 tons/m³
      so full sphere ≈ (2.5 x 382) tons = 955 tons
      they have 400 t so the cavity removes :
      955 - 400 = 555 t … so 7.51m diam. cavity
      … so, yes 3/4m thick wall 😌👍 !

      • @Cocodapuf@lemmy.worldEnglish
        2•15 hours ago

        That’s exactly the way I would have calculated it, glad someone beat me to it though. Thanks!