obtaining the potential difference from prickly pear plant of sant gadge baba amravati university...

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Research Paper

International Journal of Informative & Futuristic Research ISSN (Online): 2347-1697

Volume 2 Issue 9 May 2015

Abstract

Researchers from various fields are trying their bests to introduce different methods of converting the chemical energy produced by plants through the process of photosynthesis into electricity, which could be a vast source of renewable energy in near future. Today’s demand of the world is to investigate various type of renewable, sustainable, pollution free and highly efficient energy sources. In this research paper, few fundamental investigations are found for generating an electrical energy (potential difference) from living plants like Prickly Pear. The energy is generated by embedding the cells at various points in the plant to allow flow of electrons using reduction and oxidation reactions. Multiple tests has been conducted using different type of electrodes and cells and attempted to determine the characteristics of the generating system. Though the research work in this field is in infancy, we were able to produce the potential difference of about 2.285 volts using a pair of electrodes and cells. Such hypothesis has been tested at different time of the day and different seasons of the year. Also, lots of new types of materials has been tested and used in combination to give better performance for the development of such a green energy. We expect, such a green and clean energy could be used for few low power electrical and electronic appliances for their operation in near future.

Obtaining The Potential Difference From

Prickly Pear Plant Paper ID IJIFR/ V2/ E9/ 009 Page No. 3000-3005 Subject Area

Electronics

Engineering

Key Words Prickly Pear, Red-ox Reactions, Potential difference, Cactus, Impedance

Analyzer, Platinum Electrode, DMM.

Gajanan S. Wajire 1 Associate Professor Department of Electronics, Shri Shivaji College, Akola

Dr. Yogendra B. Gandole 2

Principal Adarsha Science, J B Arts & Birla commerce Mahavidyalaya Dhamangaon, Amravati (Maharashtra)

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ISSN (Online): 2347-1697 International Journal of Informative & Futuristic Research (IJIFR)

Volume - 2, Issue - 9, May 2015 21st Edition, Page No: 3000-3005

Gajanan S. Wajire, Dr. Yogendra B. Gandole :: Obtaining the potential difference from Prickly Pear plant

1. Introduction

By default, there is sustained electrical potential difference (voltage) between the xylem, phloem and

their leaves of many plants. It had been routinely observed and reported for decades but the origin of

this voltage remains controversial and a subject of considerable debate. A study led by the

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) & University of Washington (UW), found that plants

generate up to 250 millivolts when the proper electrodes and/or sensors are placed in a plant and the

other in the surrounding soil. By using the voltage boost converter (a device that takes a low

incoming voltage and stores it to produce a greater output), it produces an output voltage up to 1.15

volts. But by this method, we were able to produce the potential difference of about 2.285V using

single pair of electrode and cell, without using any kind of boost converter or conditioning circuits.

Electricity generation from plants or trees would enable everyone to be planting the trees in

ones surroundings. Governments of many countries also motivated such a process of plantation of

trees and plants. As a result, the number of trees in the globe will also increase, which indirectly will

save our planet from the serious issue of global warming by the process of plantation. Plant & tree

power is improbable to replace the power sources for the most of applications. But this kind of

system could provide low power, low cost, continuous, pollution free & natural option of the

electricity or power source.

2. Why Prickly Pear living plant ?

This research paper involves several steps for generation of optimum voltage (potential

difference) from the plants and trees. For this stipulated purpose, it includes the classification of

plants like Ficus, Cactus, Almus, Pinus, Acer, Yuca and so on. Out of all these, Prickly Pear plant,

which belongs to cactus type is selected for the following reasons:

Cheap and affordable plant.

Easily available throughout the world.

Can grow in farms, gardens, yards or even in pots.

Not consume directly by animals, pets or human beings.

More succulent plant with long life span.

Can grow and live in extreme environmental conditions.

Large surface area of leafs is available.

Large amount of sap flow is available.

Contents large amount of Minerals, Vitamins, Amino acids, Enzymes, Monosaccharide,

Polysaccharides, Glucose, Plastoquinone, Ferredoxin, Carbohydrates, Water, sterols,

lignin and many more .

Less corrosive for electrodes and cells.

Photosynthesis process taken place on large extent

3. Actual Set Up And Methods Used

Generally, any plant material contents various types of organic and inorganic chemicals which are

absorbed by their root systems. We have utilized these chemicals and minerals as an electrolyte

material to occur the electrolysis process. For preparing the electrodes and cells, different types of

materials like Copper, Aluminium, Zink, Lead, Iron, Carbon, Steel, Silver, Gold, Tungsten and

Platinum were used. Also, the different type of shapes and sizes of the electrodes as well as cells

were tested for the optimum output of potential difference. Within the cells, the dielectric materials

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like paper insulator, nylon grill and mica strips were used and tested under different conditions. The

electrodes and cells were inserted into Prickly Pear leaves wherein the sap flow works as an

electrolyte. The actual photographs of different sized and shaped electrodes as well as cells are

shown in the following figure (1).

Figure 1: Electrodes and cells of different size & shape

4. Electrical Response Of Prickly Pear Plant

After preparing proper electrodes and cells of particular materials, the response has been tested at

different time of the day and also in different seasons of the year. The Platinum (Pt) – Zink (Zn) pair

of electrodes as well as cell response was studied comparatively in Research/Instrumentation

Laboratory of Sant Gadge Baba Amravati University Amravati. The maximum potential difference

of about 1.510 Volts was recorded so far today as shown in the following Table 1. It is observed that

the potential difference increases with the size of electrodes.

Table 1 : Observed potential difference with time

S. No.

Platinum positive

and Zink negative

electrodes

Time in

Minutes

(Minute)

Potential

difference

in Volts (V)

1 Pt(+ ve) ; Zn(- ve) 00 0.782

2 Pt(+ ve) ; Zn(- ve) 04 0.843

3 Pt(+ ve) ; Zn(- ve) 08 0.912

4 Pt(+ ve) ; Zn(- ve) 12 0.985

5 Pt(+ ve) ; Zn(- ve) 16 1.194

6 Pt(+ ve) ; Zn(- ve) 20 1.235

7 Pt(+ ve) ; Zn(- ve) 24 1.288

8 Pt(+ ve) ; Zn(- ve) 28 1.332

9 Pt(+ ve) ; Zn(- ve) 32 1.395

10 Pt(+ ve) ; Zn(- ve) 36 1.459

11 Pt(+ ve) ; Zn(- ve) 40 1.510

The available photocopy of the experimental set up and the moderate reading obtained using

Platinum (Pt) – Zink (Zn) pair of electrode is shown in figure (2). In overall, the entire readings were

taken within 40 minutes and thereafter the output voltage became almost stable in magnitude.

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Figure 2: Experimental set up with moderate reading.

Figure 3: Reading at different time & locations

Using single pair of Platinum(Pt)-Zink(Zn) material, the maximum potential difference of about

1.510 Volts was recorded, which is somewhat greater than the related separate electrode pair in

Aloe Vera. The photocopy of recorded voltage using Impedance Analyzer as well as Digital

Multimeter (DMM) is shown in figure (4) below.

Figure 4: Plant Readings using Impedance Analyzer & DMM at SGB Amravati University Research

Laboratory

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5. Concluding Remarks

The natural process of simultaneous reduction and oxidation takes place at both the electrodes,

which results in the flow of ions through the electrolyte (i.e. sap flow) of Prickly Pear plant. When

such type of multi-layered and big sized electrodes or cells are used, that gives us more voltage,

current and power for operation and implications of miniature electronics circuits and gadgets. Such

types of energy cells are of low cost, reusable, less corrosive, pollution free and eco-friendly.

Ultimately, the energy source becomes renewable, non-conventional, cheap and also an emerging

source of electricity. If more research open up new ways of using tree and plants power, our

dependence on non-renewable energies can be reduced on some extent.

References

[1] Science Daily, “Electrical circuit runs entirely off power in trees”, University of Washington, 9 Sept.,

2009.

[2] Smith Alan R., Pryer Kathleen M., Schuettpelz E., Korall P., Schneider H., Wolf Paul G. (2006). "A

classification for extant ferns". Taxon 55 (3): 705–731.

[3] M. Mani Teja, M. Basha, N. Balanaidu; Green Electricity from Aloe Vera; International Journal &

Magazine of Engineering, Technology & Research; Regd. No.: PENG/2011/47294, ISSN No: 2320-

3706.

[4] Mr. G. S. Wajire & Dr. Y. B. Gandole; Implications of living plants and trees as Green Electricity

Sources – NCIGE : 2013, pages 97-99.

[5] Gilbert D, Mouel JLL, Lambs L, Nicollin F, Perrier F (2006) Sap Flow and Daily Electrical Potential

Variations in a Tree Trunk. Plant Science 171: 572–584.

[6] Agilent Application Notes 346-4 ; Agilent Technologies, Incorporation 2008 USA, Sept 9, 2008.

[7] Ksenzhek O, Petrova S, Kolodyazhny M (2004) Electrical Properties of Plant Tissues: Resistance of a

Maize Leaf. Bulgarian Journal of Plant Physiology 30.

[8] Prajjal Datta, A Vegetative Voltaic Cell, Current science, Volume 85-3 (2003).

[9] Morat P, Mouel JLL, Granier A (1994) Electrical potential on a tree. A measurement of sap flow? CR

Acad Sci Paris, Science de la vie 317: pages 98–101.

[10] G. D. Rai, Non-Conventional Energy Sources, 4th Edition, Khanna Publishers, New Delhi (2004).

[11] Mr. G. S. Wajire & Dr. Y. B. Gandole; Development of Cells for Generation of Potential Difference

from Aloe Vera – International Journal „IJSN‟, Volume 5(3) – December 2014, : pages 594-597.

Author’s Biography

1) Mr. Gajanan S. Wajire, is working as Associate Professor, in

Department of Electronics, Shri Shivaji College, Akola, Maharashtra, (India) –

444 003. He received M.Sc. (Applied Electronics) & B.Ed. degrees from Sant

Gadge Baba Amravati University, Amravati in 1994 & 1995 respectively. He

has completed Advance Diploma in Software Applications & Programming

(ADSAP), and also qualified State Eligibility Test (SET), from Pune

University in 1999. He is a registered student of Ph.D. of Sant Gadge Baba

Amravati University, Amravati (M.S.). He is recently placed/promoted as

associate professor in department of Electronics at Shri Shivaji College, Akola

(M.S.).

2) Dr. Yogendra B. Gandole, is Principal at Adarsha Science, J.B. Arts and

Birla Commerce College, Dhamangaon Rly. – 444 709 (India). Dr. Yogendra

Gandole received M.Sc. Applied Electronics from Amravati University,

Amravati in 1987, Advance Diploma in Computer Software, System Analysis

and Application from Bombay Technical Board in 1992, M.Sc. Communication

Electronics from Yashawantrao Chavan Maharashtra Open University, Nashik

in 2000. Ph.D. in Electronics from Sant Gadge Baba Amravati University,

Amravati in 2008 and also Ph.D. in Communication Electronics from

Yashawantrao Chavan Maharashtra Open University, Nashik. He is working as

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a Principal at Adarsha Science, J.B. Arts and Birla Commerce, Mahavidyalaya, Dhamangaon Rly. since 1988.

He has been actively engaged in the research work and guided many Ph. D. students. The current interests of

research topics are Virtual Instrumentation and computer Assisted Learning. Various fields of interest are

Modeling and Simulation, Digital Signal Processing, Artificial Intelligence, Neural Network, Ultrasonic

Instrumentation & Electricity Generation. Till now around 50 research papers and 10 books are published.

obtaining the potential difference from prickly pear plant of sant gadge baba amravati university...

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