First large-scale experiment shows fire whirls burn oil spills faster and cleaner than fire pools, proving their game-changing potential for ocean cleanups.
First large-scale experiment shows fire whirls burn oil spills faster and cleaner than fire pools, proving their game-changing potential for ocean cleanups.
In the frantic hours following an offshore oil spill, emergency responders face a destructive decision: let the oil spread or ignite it.
Once ignited, it creates an ‘in-situ’ fire pool that stops the oil from spreading and poisoning marine ecosystems — but it comes at a heavy cost. Thick, black smoke billows into the sky, toxic soot enters the atmosphere and a layer of unburned sludge is left behind on the ocean’s surface.
Now, in a first-of-its-kind, large-scale experiment, researchers have developed a cleaner, faster solution to cleaning oil spills: massive fire whirls, or tornado-like flames that spin upward instead of spreading outward.
The result of this surprising twist? The spinning vortex acts like a natural turbocharger, sucking in oxygen and creating a flame that burns hotter, faster and far more efficiently than fire pools.
Read More: Texas A&M University
