h a l f b a k e r yNot just a think tank. An entire army of think.
add, search, annotate, link, view, overview, recent, by name, random
news, help, about, links, report a problem
browse anonymously,
or get an account
and write.
register,
|
|
|
There are two main methods used in oil slick cleanup. One is to burn the oil, one is to skim it off the water.
We can combine both of these methods into a device which skims the oil up, processes it a certain amount, and then burns it to power the vehicle. In effect, the motion of this vehicle through
the water would ram fuel into the vehicle.
While the early models are likely to be huge, clunky, and slow moving, once we've developed a few prototypes, we can work on efficiency and minitaturization of parts. With sufficient success, we can develop the oil slick ram jet ski, and people who don't mind getting a little greasy will delight in tooling around in their sea-do like vehicles to help clean up natural disasters.
[link]
|
| |
Out of control oil slick ram jet ski collides with USS Nimitz - thousands dead. Film at 11 |
|
| |
More likely, the Nimitz would be the one that was out of control, knowing how the U.S. Navy captains are. |
|
| |
I would assume that since the oilslick ram jet ski doesn't hold much of it's own fuel, the collision would be less dramatic, so long as the Nimitz was avoiding such hazards at sea as a large oil slick. |
|
| |
You're a clever bussard. (+) |
|
| |
No need to have people ride the gunk. Make them robotic like seagoing versions of the latest vacuum cleaners. They can then be small and mobile and display flashing lights when the job is done. |
|
| |
I can imagine a large ocean-going tanker leaving an ugly oil slick in its wake, and being followed / harassed by ramski riding environmentalists - until, far out at sea, it is discovered that the slick was intentionally being left as bait... it shuts off, leaving the protesters stranded hundreds of miles from the nearest television camera. |
|
| |
It would make a great movie. Especially the last part where the environmentalists realizing that they had been suckered and having nothing to lose let go their torpedo that blows the tanker to kingdom come. |
|
| |
OK, I may have been labouring under the misapprehension that this thing moves as fast as an airborne ramjet |
|
| |
Certainly not! Then there would be people clamoring to use them, and return to a life of seafaring. That, if I recall correctly, has been done. |
|
| |
OH MAN! I would spend my days following tankers around the globe in hopes that an accident would happen! And if not, I will find a way on the disaster recovery team. So when the spill happens I can tell my friends and co-workers, (in a somber voice) yeah.. I gotta go out on the ocean to help clean up a terrible spill.. doggone it! ITS NOT FAIR! Oh those poor sea lions! Meanwhile I am screaming "WHOOOO HOOO" all the way to the spot. |
|
| |
Yay! one and a half buns! |
|
| |
Now if I could just come up with a good "Xtreme tree hugging" system to go with this one we'd have a nice line up of x-sport environmentalism... |
|
| |