ORGANIC ELECTRICITY: KAMIAS FRUIT

AS ALTERNATIVE FRUIT BATTERY

Mikko Perez; Arjen Pagcaliwangan; Rommel Manongsong; John Clinton Ilagan; Jerico Delos Reyes

Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering of Batangas State University

[email protected], [email protected], [email protected]
[email protected], [email protected]

ABSTRACT

The study aims to know how Kamias(Averrhoa bilimbi) can produce electricity and to seek for alternative
source of electricity . All kamias cultures gathered were contaminated with microorganisms and have the ability to
conduct photosynthesis. The study utilized kamias samples and pounded to produce the exact amount of juice in
order to find out if kamias can be an organic battery. As a result of our analysis, making of good container with a
bigger volume that uses carbon and zinc as their anode and cathode makes the kamias battery more efficient.

INTRODUCTION as source of electricity or the kamias battery.

Kamias is the Filipino name for a tree
Electricity is one of the most important scientifically known as Averrhoa bilimbi. In
blessings that science has given to mankind. It has English, it is known as the cucumber or sorrel tree.
also become a part of modern life and one cannot This tropical tree is found naturally in Malaysia
think of a world without it. Electricity has many and Indonesia, and its fruit is used both for
uses in our day to day life. It is used for lighting cooking and traditional medicine. Since Kamias
rooms, working fans and domestic appliances like fruit is rich in acid it is a potential source of
using electric stoves, A/C and more. All these electricity.
provide comfort to people (Lekshmi S. 2010).
Fruits contain acids that act as salt
According to Winther, “Access to bridges to conduct electricity. Electricity is
electricity has a positive impact on a wide range of conducted by transferring electrons in a chain from
factors influencing rural communities, from one point to another to produce current. The acids
improved health to better educational facilities and found in fruits and vegetables, such as the citric
improved standard of living,” or in other words acid in citrus fruit, help facilitate this electron
energy is important or one of the requirement to transfer.
develop the civilization in their town. However,
lack of electricity is exposed to be one of the major With this research, the researchers
problems in rural areas. believed to aid the electricity deficiency problem
in rural communities in a more environmental
The grid electricity deficiencies in rural friendly and convenient way.
areas give rise to use of alternative power sources.
Sources of power like drycells for powering small
electronics and lighting are relatively expensive
and cannot be afforded by some people in rural
areas. The option left is the use of vegetative OBJECTIVES
batteries. This research aims to sought for organic
battery, having kamias(Averrhoa bilimbi) as
Due to disturbance in electricity, the alternative source of electricity. Moreover, it Aims
researchers came up with the idea of using Kamias to provide the following objectives:
1) To come up with a cheaper and environment- The factors were electrode paring materials,
friendly alternative energy source. distance between electrodes and volume of
2) To determine the effectiveness of Kamias fruit electrolyte to determine its effects to the voltage
as an alternative source of energy, in terms of and current generation. Analysis of variance was
voltage production. used for the determination of the significance
3) To make use of household wastes as source of between treatment means.
new beneficial products.

MATERIALS/METHOD RESULT AND DISCUSSION

Material Preparation. This study uses the juice of Table No. 1. Experimental treatment for analysis.
kamias fruit as the electrolyte source, electrodes Treatment Pair of Distance of Volume of
made graphite lead from pencil as cathode and electrode electrode Electrolyte
hardened (zinc coated) nail as anode, transparent 1 Copper and 12 cm 200 ml
plastic container as electrode chamber and Zinc
electrolyte container, Multi-tester for voltage and 2 Carbon and 12 cm 200 ml
current measurement and wire. Alligator clip will Zinc
be used to connect the tip wire of electrode to the
multi-tester.
Effects of Electrode Spacing
Electrode Preparation. Carbon cathode, the
allotropic lead was extracted. The wood coating Treatment means 12-cm spacing has significant
from pencil was carefully removed until the lead difference. This means that little change in the
remained. spacing between electrodes has no effect on
voltage. Significant difference can be observed if
Juice Extraction. The Kamias fruit was crushed spacing between electrodes is bigger. As the
and pressed by mortar and pestle until the juice spacing between the electrodes increases, voltage
was extracted from the fruit. Juice extracted was increases.
filtered to remove residues collected during
extraction. Table No. 2. Mean of voltage and current
generates during the observation.
Preparation and Set-up. This study used empty
Current
plastic containers with cap. The electrode was Pair of Distance Voltage
Volume of in
placed inside the container. The tip of the wire electrode of
electrolyte
in
(Ampere
connected to the electrodes should reach the s electrodes (Volts)
)
container for voltage and current measurement. Current
0.966 7.83
The juice from kamias was filled into the in 12 cm 200 ml
Volts Volts
Ampere
container. The container was tightly closed to
Current
lessen exposure. 7.83 2.00
in 12 cm 200 ml
Volts Amperes
Ampere
Test of Power Availability. The fuel cell was
connected into series until the Best Guard Multi-
tester was operated the readings. The voltage and Effects of electrode pairing
the current of the fuel cell were measured.
Gathering of Data The electrode was connected to Pairing of electrode materials has high significant
the tip of the wire and was clipped to digital multi- effect on the voltage and current generation. Using
tester. The voltage and current of the fuel cell were copper (from stripped wire) as cathode and zinc
measured. (from hardened nail) as anode, the galvanic fuel
cell generated 0.966 V with the current of 0.566 A.
Statistical Analysis. Three replications were made Replacing the copper with carbon (from pencil),
in this study. The three factors were considered. voltage production was 7.83 V and attained higher
current of 2.000 A. This means that the energy Availability Test and Power Production
released in the reduction and oxidation of the
copper and zinc electrode is lower than the carbon For the test of fuel cell in power generation, the
and zinc electrode on the oxalic acid in other Best Guard Multi-tester was operated by the
nutrients from kamias. For current, the rate of kamias juice fuel cell. The display matrix visibility
chemical reaction of copper is slower than that of was observed on the Multi-tester screen. That was
carbon. the condition that the device would operate the
readings of power availability.
Effects of volume of electrolyte
RECOMMENDATION
Loaded juice of cell affects the voltage and the
current production. The voltage production using In the light of the findings revealed in the study and the
200 ml juice loaded to the cell produce 7.83 V and conclusion drawn, the researchers offered the following
recommendations;
with current of 2.000 A. The bigger the volume of
juice loaded to the cell, the longer is the duration 1. The government should invest more on the
of the voltage and current generation as shown in production of kamias and on different
table no. 2. researches regarding on how to develop this
organic battery.
Table No. 3. Voltage generate during ten hours 2. Making of good container with a bigger
observation. volume that uses carbon and zinc as their
anode and cathode makes the kamias battery
Time Voltage Generated more efficient.
1:00-2:00 7.89 volts 3. The future researchers could put this research
5:00-6:00 6.54 volts into use to gain more information about
9:00-10:00 5.36 volts kamias as alternative source of energy.

REFERENCES
Table No.4 Current generate during ten hours
observation.  https://www.thehindu.com/features/
Time Voltage Generated kids/Importance-of-electricity/
1:00-2:00 2.000 amperes article16544961.ece
5:00-6:00 1.5000 amperes  http://helius.ph/main/important-
9:00-10:00 1.000 amperes electricity-rural-areas/
 https://www.scribd.com/presentation/
Electric Power Generation of Fuel Cell 386762833/The-effectiveness-of-Kamias-
as-an-alternative-fruit-battery-Research
Table No. 3 and Table No. 4 shows the
mean voltage and current measured at different  https://www.reference.com/science/fruit-
time point. The generated voltage by the galvanic conduct-electricity-debd1102edcaa360
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 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
generation. The maximum current was observed
at the start of the experiment. In the carbon (from The completion of this study could not
pencil) and zinc electrodes, the voltage also have been possible without the participation and
decreases with the voltage produced by the cell assistance of so many people whose names may
with this electrode pair is at maximum value of not all be enumerated. Their contributions are
7.83 V. Likewise, maximum current observed sincerely appreciated and gratefully
was 2.000 A.
acknowledged. However, the researchers would
like to express their deep appreciation and
indebtedness particularly to the following:

First and foremost, praises and thanks to

the God, the Almighty, for His showers of
blessings throughout our research work to
complete the research successfully.

Mr. Marvin S. Benedicto, our subject

teacher for this research who spends very much
time instructing us how to write a paper, how to
search literature and how to collect data. We have
learned many things.

Last but not the least important, we owe

more than thanks to our parents for their financial
support and encouragement throughout our lives.
Without their support, it is impossible for us to
finish this study.

Through it all, this has been satisfying and

rewarding venture. Our sincere thanks and
appreciation to all of you. Thank you very much
and God bless you all.