This DIY experimental reactor harnesses the Birkeland-Eyde course of

Nitrogen is essential for farming at scale and with out some type of nitrogen to counterpoint the soil, we couldn’t develop staple crops effectively sufficient to feed our massive international inhabitants. Critical science goes into the manufacturing of fertilizers and the Birkeland-Eyde course of was one early instance. It makes use of electrical arcs to show nitrogen within the air into nitric acid. Marb is an enthusiastic citizen scientist and constructed his personal experimental reactor to harness the Birkeland-Eyde course of.

The Birkeland-Eyde course of was largely phased out a century in the past, as a result of it’s inefficient as a result of excessive vitality necessities. It wants numerous vitality to create the electrical arcs — an excessive amount of vitality to be sensible on the scale crucial for contemporary industrial farming. However effectivity isn’t a significant concern for Marb, who’s extra within the science than fertilizer manufacturing.

Creating {an electrical} arc isn’t very troublesome, however controlling it is more difficult. For that purpose, Marb used an Arduino UNO Rev3 to supervise his DIY reactor. By means of a breakout defend, the Arduino controls the movement of energy to the arc electrodes. That requires a big energy provide, transformers, and a lift converter. 

The remainder of the reactor is dedicated to the containment, preparation, and movement of air. The Birkeland-Eyde course of works finest with dry air, so Marb’s design pumps air via a desiccant-packed tube and into the response chamber the place the electrodes meet. Sensors, like a temperature sensor, assist the Arduino acquire suggestions on the situations. 

Marb’s video ends with an illustration, however he hasn’t but refined the response course of for max yields. If there’s sufficient curiosity, Marb says that he’ll make a follow-up video with extra element.