Post-Panamax Bulk Carrier Rides Air Bubble Blanket to Reduce Emissions

Re:Post-Panamax Bulk Carrier Rides Air Bubble Blanket to Red... by hartror on Monday November 03, 2014 @12:39AM (#8549475)

This is great however I cannot help wondering if there will be any unintended consequences of extensive uptake of this technology. For example could this increase levels of O2/CO2/N2 dissolved in the worlds oceans upsetting the balance in an ecosystem? Even with the 20th century's long track record of unintended consequences this conversation still seems to be a rarity and when it happens is minimised by stakeholders.

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Re:Post-Panamax Bulk Carrier Rides Air Bubble Blanket to Red... by D_Alex on Monday November 03, 2014 @02:16AM (#8549717)

>will be any unintended consequences of extensive uptake of this technology. For example could this increase levels of O2/CO2/N2 dissolved in the worlds oceans...

No. There will be no measurable effect whatsoever. The waves on the ocean's surface do a fine job of aeration, and cover an area millions of times larger than the ships' surfaces.

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Re:Post-Panamax Bulk Carrier Rides Air Bubble Blanket to Red... by ars on Monday November 03, 2014 @01:26AM (#8549578)

Air bubbles in the ocean being a problem? Not a chance.

Waves make trillions (10^12) of times as much bubbles. (Not exaggerating about the trillion BTW, I ran some quick Fermi estimations to come up with that number.)

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Re:Post-Panamax Bulk Carrier Rides Air Bubble Blanket to Red... by zaroth on Monday November 03, 2014 @01:49AM (#8549651)

  The micro-bubbles are generated by heating, then cooling,
  water to avoid releasing it as steam.

That sounds fairly benign. Can anyone explain the mechanism?

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