Mylar oil-net parachutes are inserted closed in the water, and fall to the area of the spill.

When reaching the correct depth, the parachute opens, with a buoy on top of it, in the middle. The parachute catches the oil. It then floats back up, being held in shape by a buoy on top. Once it reaches the surface, the parachute can be closed as a bag, and pulled to anywhere wished, without a ship.
-- pashute, Jun 30 2010

Ah - you mean a sort of "upside down" parachute?
-- MaxwellBuchanan, Jun 30 2010


//this month// couple months now I think... but this is different in several respects. [+]
-- FlyingToaster, Jul 01 2010


And what keeps the oil in the parachute?

Oil is lighter than water, and would tend to float up out of the 'chute.

I'd like this better if it was falling downward and carrying oil down.

Or is an oil net something that oil magically sticks to?
-- baconbrain, Jul 01 2010


The chute is underwater. Think of an open plastic bag held under water with the opening on the bottom. The oil going up fills the bag, and water is pushed out, while the bag is pushed up. Not so hard to comprehend... No magic needed.

I've recently seen my municipality pour out a gigantic amount of water,after fixing a major pipe. I didn't have any pails available, but did have a large roll of thick and large plastic bags. I simply put them in the two available pails, tied them and finally filled my Berlingo with fresh water from the passenger seat to the back.

Then used two other pails to bring it all to our garden, it was enough for a week and a half (besides the recycled water from my home).
-- pashute, Jul 01 2010


Okay, now I can read it as having the parachute drifting downward or staying still while in use. I first read it as working upside down, and still do not see what makes it go up and down when needed, or how a bouy on top make it hold its shape.

It is really just a big bag to catch oil underwater, isn't it? I'd call it a hot-air balloon shape, maybe.
-- baconbrain, Jul 01 2010


An upside down garbage bag is more the description.

A hot air balloon shape is different in two ways: It's usually also open on the top (If I'm not mistaken), and it gets less wide (how do you say that in English) towards the bottom.
-- pashute, Jul 22 2010



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