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Solar Snorkel

 Now you can do it underwater.
  (+1, -2)
(+1, -2) 		  [vote for,
against]

The Solar Snorkel is a solar-powered snorkel with a lightweight compressor pump, embedded in a buoy, to push air down to the user. This is necessary because the increased pressure on the body, in even a few feet of water, means you can't breathe through a hose without mechanical assistance. Your diaphragm simply can't pull the air into your lungs.

The design calls for a very efficient, small, high-volume compressor, drawing air through a mast, which also flies the "Diver Below" flag.

To allow sufficient "harmful UV rays" to be collected, to run this thing, it has a lightweight parabolic collection panel (like an inside-out umbrella) mounted part of the way up the pole, with a solar tracking module to keep it pointed at Sol.

The snorkel allows a self-contained diver to stay down, though at quite shallow depths, for a long time. The beauty of the system is that you can't go deep enough to develop hyperbaric illness (bends) but the pump can supply you while you footle around, as you would when snorkelling.

Note: Not terribly effective at night.

—UnaBubba, Mar 30 2003

Power Snorkel http://www.surfaced...ls/PowerSnorkel.htm
(not solar) [Shz, Oct 04 2004, last modified Oct 21 2004]

Planar solar stirling http://www.newenerg...ling/solaris_en.htm
A solar stirling instead of PV for your snorkel. [rpardell, Oct 04 2004, last modified Oct 21 2004]


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Annotation:







       Use wave-power at night, or indeed all the time. The gentle bobbing of the buoy could provide some energy to drive the compressor (although I suspect that the buoy might have to be the size of Guernsey, and would thus be hopelessly impractical).
—friendlyfire, Mar 30 2003
   

       Now this I like.
Will it work for Lilliputans?		   

       how about a floating retractable skirt to encircle the buoy, to increase the surface area of the photovoltaic surface?
—yamahito, Mar 30 2003
   

       OK. Done.
—UnaBubba, Mar 30 2003
   

       I envision some young boaters with time on their hands and some extra liquid they've been hard-pressed to find a use for.   

       "Dude, whassat?"
*I dunno. Let's pour that kerosene weebin savin' down it.*
—galukalock, Mar 30 2003
   

       Maybe a wankel compressor?
—galukalock, Mar 30 2003
   

       Maybe not.
—UnaBubba, Mar 31 2003
   

       If you disguised the floating part to look like a big goose you could spy on people.
—roby, Mar 31 2003
   

       I like the idea, but can it be nuclear instead of solar?
—rapid transit, May 17 2003
   

       Not in those parts of the world declared nuclear-free.
—UnaBubba, May 17 2003
   

       I think this is an ideal application for a low temperature stirling solar machine. You would not convert solar to electricity and this to drive a compressor but solar directly to mechanical to pump the air.   

       Just look at the link i am adding here. Even the planar design looks the more realistic thing, the contact with bottom water helping in efficiency. Just calculate how many watts you need and make a planar buoy of sufficient radius.
—rpardell, Sep 02 2003
   

       I'm not sure I want any contact with your bottom water [rpadell]
—BunsenHoneydew, Jul 13 2005
   

       I've alREady done it underwater.
—Madcat, Jul 13 2005
   


 

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