Researchers from Northumbria and Edinburgh Universities have invented a technique based on the Leidenfrost effect, which could generate energy from CO2. According to reports, the technique could be used to power space exploration and missions to Mars.

The Leidenfrost effect is a phenomenon which happens when a liquid, in near contact with a surface hotter than the liquid's boiling point, produces an insulating vapor layer keeping that liquid from boiling rapidly. According to the researchers, the technique could be applied to dry ice or carbon dioxide.

The new technique is able to power an engine. It means that the technique can be used in extreme environments such as the outer space. Dr Rodrigo Ledesma-Aguilar, a researcher from Northumbria University and co-author of the study, said that CO2 is a very common element on Mars. It plays same role on the Red Planet and water does on earth. It undergoes cyclic phase changes under the natural Martian temperature variations.

“Perhaps future power stations on Mars will exploit such a resource to harvest energy as dry-ice blocks evaporate, or to channel the chemical energy extracted from other carbon-based sources, such as methane gas”, the researcher further added.

Glen McHale, Executive Dean for Engineering and Environment, said that the technique could be used in several fields. In near future, the Leidenfrost-based devices could be used from frictionless transport to outer space exploration.

The researchers had created a prototype engine using the Leidenfrost effect. To create the engine, the researchers levitated a block of dry ice above a heated aluminum surface. The ice block floated on a pillow of evaporated gas vapor.

According to the researchers, the future mission to the Red Planet could be powered by CO2 fueled engines. They said that the engines could be powered by the vast amount of dry-ice deposits found on Mars.