Posts tagged ‘BP Oil Spill’
BP Oil Spill’s Latest Solution, Explained By Bill Nye
This is extremely informative, for those who have been visiting this blog for BP Oil Spill Ideas (and submitting their own too).
Article and video can be found here.
One thing I didn’t think to consider; the pipes leading to the well may also be damaged and could rupture if the well is capped. It doesn’t look good!
Add comment July 15, 2010
BP Oil Spill Part 5: More Reader Ideas
From Rhett: “Put a giant “plumb bob ” weight” suspended from a double rack and pinion mechanism in a fenestrated or open cage with four hydraulic legs for lowering when the cage is on the sea floor. this idea is so simple it could be fabricated in 2 days. the weight of the plumb bob should only have to be a little heavier than the well head pressure. this is how a BOP (BLOW OUT PREVENTER) works; or a pressure valve for that matter; the sum of the springs and weights in the valve body is adjusted hydraulically or mechanically to above the well head pressure.”
He adds: “The plumb bob is more pencil shaped and would have to weigh more than just a little heavier than well head pressure because of the bouyancy of the water it will be in.”
Sounds like Rhett is describing a very heavy cork that is suspended from a hydraulic platform just above the leak. Unfortunately, the leak is emitting from a giant piston designed to expel large quantities of fuel at a fast rate. Seems like any sealing cap might not work until the oil flow pressure is dropped significantly first. I don’t think the ‘bob’ would need to be all that heavy or massive - the weight of the water pressure from above will hold it down. I think the ‘bob’ idea is something that could be attempted.
Another idea from Rhett: “Take a concrete drainage tubes that are about 50foot long and 30 feet wide and drop them down over the well and stack em a mile high to the top of the ocean and then when they fill up you got a oil tank.”
The problem with this idea, because the sections are massive in length and diameter, this tall structure would just get eventually toppled by the pressing water current. It would have to be a continuous pipe, small in diameter, with a bit of flexibility, to span that kind of depth, some 2500 feet - a half-mile deep. Plus it would be like building a structure twice the height of the Empire State Building - too massive, in my opinion.
From Wayne: “A large circular ring of high explosive charge (such as c-4 , composition b , Or syntek) could be placed around the damaged pipe . Not only would it clear all of the surrounding debris , it would actual implode the pipe , sealing it . Even if it didn’t work perfectly , it would slow down the oil flow to a trickle , and clear the area for a permanent cap.”
A small, targeted explosion would only add more damage and cause more leaks, it would not implode the structure. Oil is lighter and less dense than water, so it will race to the water surface from any opening, even pushing loose pipe debris out of it’s path. Plus the metal used for the pipe is very strong and durable, designed to withstand a lot of water pressure at that depth. To truly get a metal structure to implode, it would need to have the characteristics of an empty beer can - thin and crush-able.
There is a reason why a Nuclear weapon would be so effective - it would destroy the pipe structure and redistribute the surrounding soil to trap the oil reserve. Detonate one, and it would ‘reset’ the area to it’s prior state- it would revert to being an untapped reserve of oil trapped in soil, though with some nuclear fallout. Seems like the kind of recipe for giant Godzilla-like creatures, eh? Might be cool.
Add comment July 8, 2010
BP Oil Spill Ideas Part 4
I call this the ‘Octopus’, for it’s structure. Inspired by an everyday observation: ever stick your finger under a running sink tap or place your hand against the spout of a water hose? The water goes in all directions.
What I propose: Place a structure that encircles the spouting oil on top of the oil well, and weld it into place. The structure would have 6-8 (or more) pipes encircling the spout. Once installed, you insert a cap into the structure that forces the oil into all the surrounding pipes. The cap would then be welded into place.
Here is a side view:
Add comment June 15, 2010
BP Oil Spill Ideas Part 3: Reader Ideas
Parts 1 and 2 can be found here and here. Here are some responses.
From the comments:
C. Kelley writes: “I am almost 11 and I think you should put as many sponges in the Gulf as possible. The sponges would lift the oil into the sponge. Good luck!!!!!!!!!!”
Some would argue one Sponge is too many (Squidward). However sponges are designed to absorb water, not oils. The sponges would get caked with a layer of oil, and that’s about it.
Napoli writes: “Try a system with 4 pipes, the largest sucking the oil. The others pipes are high pressure air, hydrualics and liquid oxgen. There will be one or more strong inflatable bags that will first be filled with high pressure air then hydrualic fliud as the suction goes on at less 20 ft into the earth. PS the new suction will a a shut off valve.”
I’m not entirely clear about the 4 pipes system exactly, but using air at that low depth would be tricky. You’d really need a lot of PSI to push against thousands of tons of pressure from all the water, and the airbags would have to be extremely durable.
From Rhett: “Put a giant “plumb bob ” weight” suspended from a double rack and pinion mechanism in a fenestrated or open cage with four hydraulic legs for lowering when the cage is on the sea floor. this idea is so simple it could be fabricated in 2 days. the weight of the plumb bob should only have to be a little heavier than the well head pressure. this is how a BOP (BLOW OUT PREVENTER WORKS) or a pressure valve for that matter; the sum of the springs and weights in the valve body is adjusted hydraulically or mechanically to above the well head pressure.”
Email From Kenneth C:
Well, both pictures say a thousand words - not including the actual words. The first idea looks like a pipe the leak funnels into, which would be crimped or crushed or capped. I can’t see crimping working, because the thickness of steel you need to survive at that depth would make it difficult, plus you might just puncture the steel in doing so. A cap seems like the easiest solution to this whole mess, but from what I’ve read, the exiting pressure is so immense, it would be like you or me trying to stop the water pressure from a busted fire hydrant with your foot.
I like the interlocking design of the second image. Just push in and twist - locked. Having a reservoir for the oil to fall back in, well it wouldn’t last but a few moments. basically, encasing the oil leak in a large container that would have it’s own spout connected to a working pipe. I like this design - it’s pretty much like an upside-down funnel.
The machine the oil is pouring out of is designed to propel large volumes of oil down a pipeline, which broke. That pipeline has been cut off and removed, so now the oil is jetting directly out of it. I found some great diagrams on a news website last week, I should have saved them! If I ever see a diagram of the oil leak, I’ll post it here.
Thanks for your ideas, and if you have one I’ll post it. Please use the comments section or email me (Link at top right of page).
Add comment June 15, 2010
BP Oil Spill Ideas Part 2
The opposite of my first idea, which was to pour molten steel over the leak, is to lower the temperature. This is accomplished by directly inserting a feed of nitrogen, it will slow the oil flow to a crawl, and perhaps buy some time to seal the leak. I imagine the expelled oil would look like something out of a lava lamp.
You’d have to insert a long hose deep into the broken pipe artery and release a steady flow of nitrogen. The oil flow would then take the nitrogen back towards the leak opening. Eventually, the concentration of nitrogen would slow and possibly stop the oil for a temporary length of time. Then you could attempt a top-kill again, filling the opening with concrete- or molten steel!
I imagine many people can relate to the seized-up water flow caused by frozen water pipes. This idea is along those lines.
3 comments June 3, 2010
BP Oil Spill Ideas
UPDATE: to see the latest ideas posted for the BP Oil Spill, click here.
One is to help contain the spill, the other is to stop it. Again I have to say I am not a scientist or engineer! Here goes:
The first (and most unlikely): create a series of concentrated vortex whirlpools at the spill site using mechanical means - like a large turbine. The oil would remain in the spill site. You could probably utilize the force of the rising oil to help propel these vortexes? You could use retrieved oil to help power any machinery too.
In theory, this should help contain the oil, and keep the majority of it at the spill site, to be extracted from the water.
The second is an idea I very much like, because mother nature already does it. You ever see what happens to lava eruptions underwater? The flowing lava cools and forms a large mass of rock. The lava flow just keeps piling onto itself, creating huge formations, even creating islands in some instances.
Well, my idea takes that principle and applies it to plugging up the hole. Instead of concrete, you attack the spill with smelters or melted steel - at the highest possible temperature you can bring steel to. You pour it in the water, the steel cools and begins to form. Also, because of it’s weight, it sinks right to the bottom. The steel piles onto itself, creating a large mass that will seal and contain the spill.
You would need a thick, concentrated flow of steel to help with this - to keep the central point of the flow hot, as the outer layers peel away from cooling. You’ll also need to surround the spill site with rock or concrete to help funnel the incoming molten steel.
Better yet, if you can lower a pipe close to the spill, much like the end of the straw, and manage to keep the pipe free of water, the molten steel can reach the spill site directly at a more concentrated temperature.
You could also lower a vat of molten steel with a funnel opening over the spill, and release the content directly over the spill opening. The weight of the vat should help it descend quickly. You would need the vat to have a special release covering, or a way to open and release the vat remotely.
The initial contact of hot steel to gushing oil could be violent. But eventually the weight of the cooled steel could plug the hole.
15 comments May 31, 2010
