Voltage Generation: Using Kamias

juice as Electrolyte
Abstract

 Electrical power generation from kamias

juice as electrolyte in galvanic fuel cell was
studied. Results show that the fuel cell the
used carbon and zinc electrode has higher
voltage and current generation compared to
copper and zinc electrode. In power
generation, carbon and zinc pair of electrode
has longer duration compared to copper and
zinc pair of electrodes.
Introduction
 There are different types of natural batteries; one of this is the fruit
batteries. Due to the wide abundance of the fruits will turn to waste
and this is uneconomical. Recycling of waste is the concern of every
community. There are even trees that are bearing continuously all
throughout the year.
 Experts are continuously developing technologies out how renewable
sources of energy can be used to sustain energy needs. Working with
this process is difficult and time consuming but can be the occurrence
of changes. Humans greatly influence the ecology of earth because of
its population and technology.
 It is important to determine the potential of kamias fruits as a source of
electrolyte for electrical energy. This study helps further development
in finding alternative sources of energy.
 This study also shows the generation of electrical energy from kamias
fruit using galvanic fuel cell.
Objectives

 This study aims to:

1. Construct a galvanic fuel cell using kamias juice as electrolyte.

2. Evaluate the electrical power generation of the constructed fuel cell.

3. Determine the effects of space of electrodes, volume of electrolyte

and electrode pairing on electrical power generation.

4. Test the electrical power generation performance of the fuel cell

using a Digital Multi-tester.
Review of Literature
Electricity In Some Rootcrops

 Juices of fruits and potatoes are good source of

electrolyte in generating electricity. Fresh fruits or
potato when inserted with zinc and copper
electrodes were able to generate electricity to power
a light emitting diode or LED (Teogangco, 2009).
 Acid in the potato combined with the elements zinc
and copper permit chemical reaction. Zinc is an
active metal and will react readily with acid; acid
active element is positively charged hydrogen. The
same also with the copper electrodes. Lemons are
the best source of electricity because of its acidity.
Properties of electrode used in the
experiment

 Hardened nail is one of the masonry nail. In this

researched light duty nail have the length of 25 to 30
mm and with the diameter of 2.5 mm. This is made
of hardened steel coated with zinc. Zinc is a bluish
white, lustrous metal and fair conductor of electricity.
 Lead in pencil is made up of Graphite is one of the
allotropic form of carbon. It is very slippery. It is more
stable form of carbon at atmospheric pressure
(Entigris, Inc, 2013).
Materials and Methods
Material Preparation

This study uses the juice of kamias fruit as the

electrolyte source, electrodes made graphite lead
from pencil as cathode and hardened (zinc coated)
nail as anode, transparent plastic container as
electrode chamber and electrolyte container,
DT321B Best Guard Digital Multi-tester for voltage
and current measurement and wire. Alligator clip will
be used to connect the tip wire of electrode to the
multi-tester.
Electrode Preparation

Carbon cathode, the allotropic lead was

extracted. The wood coating from pencil was
carefully removed until the lead remained.
Juice Extraction

The Kamias fruit was crushed and pressed

by mortar and pestle until the juice was
extracted from the fruit. Juice extracted was
filtered to remove residues collected during
extraction.
Preparation and Set-up

This study used empty plastic containers with

cap. The electrode was placed inside the
container. The tip of the wire connected to
the electrodes should reach the container for
voltage and current measurement. The juice
from kamias was filled into the container. The
container was tightly closed to lessen
exposure.
Test of Power Availability

The fuel cell was connected into series until

the Best Guard Multi-tester was operated the
readings. The voltage and the current of the
fuel cell were measured.
Gathering of Data

The electrode was connected to the tip of the

wire and was clipped to digital multi-tester.
The voltage and current of the fuel cell were
measured.
Statistical Analysis

Three replications were made in this study.

The three factors were considered. The
factors were electrode paring materials,
distance between electrodes and volume of
electrolyte to determine its effects to the
voltage and current generation. Analysis of
variance was used for the determination of
the significance between treatment means.
Results and Discussion
Electric Power Generation of Fuel Cell

Table No. 3 and Table No. 4 shows the mean voltage

and current measured at different time point. The
generated voltage by the galvanic fuel cell with
kamias juice is shown in Table No. 2. It was
observed that the cells which use the electrode
copper and zinc have lower voltage generation. The
maximum current was observed at the start of the
experiment. In the carbon (from pencil) and zinc
electrodes, the voltage also decreases with the
voltage produced by the cell with this electrode pair
is at maximum value of 7.83 V. Likewise, maximum
current observed was 2.000 A.
Table No. 1. Experimental treatment for
analysis

Treatment Pair of Distance of Volume of

Electrode Electrode Electrolyte

1 Copper and 12 cm 200 ml

Zinc

2 Carbon and 12 cm 200 ml

Zinc
Table No. 2. Mean of voltage and
current generates during the
observation

Pair of Distance Volume Voltage in Current in

Electrode of of (Volts (Amperes
Electrode Electrolyt )
e
Current in 12 cm 200 0.966 7.83 Volts
(Amperes Volts
)
Current in 12 cm 200 7.83 Volts 2.000
(Amperes Amperes
)
Table No. 3. Voltage generate during
ten hours observation.

Time Voltage Generate

1:00-2:00PM 7.83 Volts

5:00-6:00PM 6.54 Volts

9:00-10:00PM 5.36 Volts

Table No. 4. Current generate during
ten hours observation

Time Current Generate

1:00-2:00PM 2.000 Amperes

5:00-6:00PM 1.500 Amperes

9:00-10:00PM 1.000 Amperes

Effects of Electrode Spacing

Treatment means 12-cm spacing has

significant difference. This means that little
change in the spacing between electrodes
has no effect on voltage. Significant
difference can be observed if spacing
between electrodes is bigger. As the spacing
between the electrodes increases, voltage
increases.
Effects of electrode pairing

Pairing of electrode materials has high significant effect on the

voltage and current generation. Using copper (from stripped
wire) as cathode and zinc (from hardened nail) as anode, the
galvanic fuel cell generated 0.966 V with the current of 0.566 A.
Replacing the copper with carbon (from pencil), voltage
production was 7.83 V and attained higher current of 2.000 A.
This means that the energy released in the reduction and
oxidation of the copper and zinc electrode is lower than the
carbon and zinc electrode on the oxalic acid in other nutrients
from kamias. For current, the rate of chemical reaction of
copper is slower than that of carbon.
Effects of volume of electrolyte

Loaded juice of cell affects the voltage and

the current production. The voltage
production using 200 ml juice loaded to the
cell produce 7.83 V and with current of 2.000
A. The bigger the volume of juice loaded to
the cell, the longer is the duration of the
voltage and current generation as shown in
table no. 2.
Availability Test and Power Production

For the test of fuel cell in power generation,

the Best Guard Multi-tester was operated by
the kamias juice fuel cell. The display matrix
visibility was observed on the Multi-tester
screen. That was the condition that the
device would operate the readings of power
availability.
Summary, Conclusion and
Recommendation
 The study was conducted from February
28, 2018 to March 10, 2018 at Brgy. Don
Fellipe Larrazabal, Ormoc City, Leyte with
the aims of evaluating the power availability
of the fuel cell using kamias as electrolyte
and determining the effects of the electrode
pair, volume of electrolyte and distance
between electrodes on the voltage and
current production.
 The kamias fruit was obtained from Brgy. Lim-ao,
Brgy. Libertad, Kananga Leyte, Brgy. Matlang, Isabel
Leyte, Brgy. Don Felipe Larazabal, Ormoc City and
Brgy. Cogon Ormoc City. The fruits were pressed
and crushed to obtain the juice to be loaded to the
fuel cell. The voltage and current were monitored
using the digital multi-tester until the end day of the
experiment. The test on the availability of power was
done by Best Guard Multi-tester and a Light Emitting
Diode LED.
 Fuel cells that using carbon and zinc
electrodes, is able to complete the situation
and produce enough of voltage and current.
 The effect of electrode spacing (12-cm) on electrical
power generation was significant. Bigger spacing
reduces the voltage but increase the current. For the
volume of electrolyte, 200 ml has higher voltage and
current generation. Electrode material pairing have
significant effect on voltage and current generation.
Carbon and zinc electrodes have higher voltage and
current production compared to copper and zinc.
Power generation in the fuel cell with carbon and
zinc electrodes is higher and of longer duration
compared to fuel cell using copper and zinc
electrodes.
 A similar industrial scale study is recommended
using the reactive metals as an electrodes with the
other factors such as kind of fruits, more variations in
electrolyte volume, the pH of the juice, different
sources and location of the fruits, the seasons when
they were procured, and the maturity of the fruits.
 With this, the study is recommended to establish
the relationship of maturity of any fruit with current
and voltage or relationship of voltage generation with
the ripeness of the fruit or pH of the fruit juice used
as electrolyte.
 It is also recommended for further study that
the juice of the fruit be tested to a 6 Volt wet
cell battery.