• Bernie Ecclestoned@sh.itjust.worksOP
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    1 year ago
    1. It’s Intellectual Property. Investors like IP so it can be licensed for royalties and bumps up the balance sheet. From their website I found this link

    https://www.imeche.org/news/news-article/high-density-pumped-hydro-could-be-installed-on-thousands-of-small-hills

    "RheEnergise said it invented the new high-density fluid, known as R-19. Chief executive Stephen Crosher told Professional Engineering that the liquid is a fine-milled suspended solid in water, with low viscosity and low abrasion characteristics. The base material is used in oral medication applications, in a similar way that chalk is used as a bulking agent for pills and tablets. He said the raw materials are common and available, including in the UK, and the fluid could either be manufactured on-site or at a depot. "

    1. Hydro is very geographically restricted, halving the height makes it less so.

    I like the idea of using old coal mines, there’s been pilot projects in Germany and Australia but I’ve never seen them amount to anything

    • roguetrick@kbin.social
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      1 year ago

      The base material is used in oral medication applications

      Calcium carbonate. The density for a calcium carbonate suspension in water is right on the money for what they’ve stated. They’re being so evasive because they haven’t patened it and likely can’t. They’re treating it like a trade secret because they can’t make it into IP.

      Edit: yep, they use it in oil drilling, so they can’t patent it https://glossary.slb.com/en/terms/c/calcium_carbonate

      • ilikekeyboards@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        Patenting chalk water solution is like patenting milk.

        Oh look, I’ve made up a liquid consisting of suspended lipids, sugars, and proteins! Please detain these cows!

        These corporations would try to patent any molecular arrangement that contains two oxygen atoms and call it a day and they’d fight a plant for it.

        • InvertedParallax@lemm.ee
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          1 year ago

          2 oxygen atoms? Your product sounds awfully similar to my proprietary, patented, 1 oxygen, 2 hydrogen atoms compound.

          I hope you have a good lawyer.