Hi All, I have pulled together a few Bubbler Buoy option.
Here is an Advanced Anchoring and Mooring Study". http://www.oregonwave.org/wp-content/uploads/Anchor-and-Mooring-Study_FINAL-mod-051010.pdf <http://www.oregonwave.org/wp-content/uploads/Anchor-and-Mooring-Study_FINAL-mod-051010.pdf>This study opened up a few useful bubbler buoy design ideas. The first concept involves a modified "Anaconda" wave energy converter (Fig.5). I can see how this would give good vertical control separation from the floor. While under the ice (no waves), captured methane would be used as the sole energy source . This concept could cover a good section of an area with minimal anchoring/mooring. Here is an animation of the Anaconda http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VamSAbwgJKk&feature=related The principle modification would be the addition of a snorkel(s), bubbler gear and energy storage means. I do like this idea as it can be a modular system for ease of transport and expansion. The hydrosol injectors could act as a means for lateral movement to increase the hydrosol coverage area. A deflection of up to 45 degrees from the current flow may be possible. Fins could be used to assist this lateral movement. There is one anchor designs that stands out for use in a hydrate field. The the suction pile method (Pg 35). This would penetrate well as I believe most hydrate fields are an aggregate of materials. *This type of anchoring method also brings up the possibility of harvesting methane directly from the floor through the pile and using it on board the buoy via fuel cells*. I do like the possibility of using this type of gear as not only an anchor, but as a mast as well. This could help keep the mooring line from "sweeping" the floor Here is one off the shelf system that can be easily modified for immediate use for bubbler/observation work http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aX44qY560KY&feature=related This is a study on "smart buoys". http://www.cs.berkeley.edu/~kfall/unbuoy.pdf I would like to work toward a "smart" Pico bubbler. Here are a few advanced concept which may be of some interest. I took up a short study a few years back on electroactive polymers (EAP) or artificial muscle. Here is the Wiki link http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electroactive_polymers <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electroactive_polymers>This type of polymer could find many uses within this project. Here is a clip of a configuration which could be used (at a much larger scale) as an autonomous methane bubble capture means. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J2mE0tUk7vA&NR=1 Try to imagine what you viewed with a segmented ie. flexible Peltier cooler skeletal structure cooling the water. The methane fuel cell and subsystems would be central to the legs. A snorkel tube running to the surface with bubblers attached to a small surface buoy communications package would give us what we need.. I think we may be able to eventually design such a system that would actually seek out vents autonomously and take up residency over them. A *S*mart *PICO* with EAP/Peltier "*S*kirt" deployed down the mooring line looks good to me. *SPICOS *buoys could be produced and deployed in significant numbers, but I haven't looked at any cost figures. It won't be cheap. Carbon Nanotube muscle is also possibly available in the near term and here is a short lab clip. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-zXKrBoJGs&feature=relmfu . This concept also allows for a movable "swarm" of bubblers (or other gear) to follow seasonal changes in the ocean environment. Sam posted a suggestion of using hydrosols along the interface between the Gulf Stream and the leading edge of the polar ice sheet to possibly insulate the leading edge through bright water use. A swarm of these autonomous bubblers could follow the ice retreat and also be directed to the higher temperature areas through sat. communications. The last buoy concept I would like to introduce is a *Super SPICOS *buoy. It is the SPICOS merged with a super conductive version of this design. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=phc9_h31JfE Superconducting Magnetic Energy Storage (SMES) can be applied to a bubbler buoy as a way to store the potential electrical power generated through the methane capture. This eliminates the need for bulk gas storage, cools the surrounding waters and makes for a more efficient wave energy capture. A *Super SPICOS* can be moored to a suction piling along with the modified Anaconda. If stationed at a large methane vent, the energy transfer from both the methane/wave action to the cryogenic system, could produce significant local water cooling. These different buoy concepts are reasonable in that I am only modifying current designs. They are not that "outside the box", just heavily modified for this use. As always, I look forward to your feedback and suggestions. Thanks, Michael -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "geoengineering" group. To post to this group, send email to geoengineering@googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to geoengineering+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/geoengineering?hl=en.
