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superhydrophobic coatings for the oil spill removal funnel

coat the inside of the funnel with a superhydrophobic coating to prevent the deposition of gas hydrate crystals on the inside walls of the funnel
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A solution to a current problem.
daseva, May 09 2010


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       I thought it was just ice on the funnel? But if it's a gas hydrate, would a superhydrophobic coating work?
MaxwellBuchanan, May 09 2010
  

       Also, why can't they just dump tons of rock and concrete on the hole?
MaxwellBuchanan, May 09 2010
  

       Super low temperature, high pressure environment, leads to inconclusive maths.
daseva, May 09 2010
  

       Why not simply charge people admission to zip around the oil slick in jet boats that are fuelled by the slick itself?   

       Jet boats.
rcarty, May 09 2010
  

       //Super low temperature, high pressure environment, leads to inconclusive maths.//   

       You ought to see a doctor about that.
MaxwellBuchanan, May 09 2010
  

       But, if the funnel were that hydrophobic, they'd never get it into the water, much less sink it.
AbsintheWithoutLeave, May 09 2010
  

       Gas hydrates are just a form of ice, and their formation leads to clogs in the funnel in much the same way that pipes get clogged in the winter. I heard of this type of solution for the 'at-home' version a few years ago so I halfbaked away, as per usual..
daseva, May 09 2010
  

       //Gas hydrates are just a form of ice// Yes....ish. They contain hydrocarbons, though, which means they're not watery-ice completely. You may well find that a hydrophobic coating will promote, rather than inhibit, their accumulation.
MaxwellBuchanan, May 09 2010
  

       <bad faux-cockney singing voice>
Um tiddle iddle iddle
Um tiddl-eye
Um tiddle iddle iddle
Um tiddl-eye
Superhydrophobic coatings expedite stenosis...
<\bf-csv>
MaxwellBuchanan, May 09 2010
  

       Damn. So you did. But mine scans better...
MaxwellBuchanan, May 09 2010
  

       MB, the surface of the hydrate complex is all water molecules, so the hydrophobicity should apply. But yes, sometimes you can never tell about these things.
daseva, May 09 2010
  

       Aha! In that case (a) you are probably right and (b) I have learned a new thing.
MaxwellBuchanan, May 09 2010
  

       I dun get it: the problem is ice ? (or methane calthrate or whatever) so what ? put a frickin' electric de-icer on the sides... or blow some air down there and burn enough of the oil to have it de-ice itself.   

       5,000 barrels a day is about 3 gallons per second... doesn't sound like *that* big a flow to be a problem for engineers.   

       [edit: hmmmmm... totally different idea posted]
FlyingToaster, May 10 2010
  


 

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