Damn. I think 'Bubba' is on to something.

Someone sent me this link on how the oil in the Gulf could be cleaned up, using no chemicals.

http://www.wimp.com/solutionoil/

Looks like it might work. :cool

 

Now that I think about it, I have used hay to clean up oil leaks on concrete before. Hell of a lot better than a bunch of chemicals... :cool

 

I am curious if we have any resident chemists who could comment on the validity of this.

There have been many times where I have been out in the sticks and cleaned oil and crud off my hands on green grass. :cool

 

Its real but Bubba is about 20 years too late,a company or the world has already invented this method and is in use but instead of using loose hay they use small bricks of hay,I believe they burn the bricks in power stations,they use other things as well as hay to absorb the oil called sorbents.

Its not as perfect or simple solution as it looks,the hay doesn't soak up all the oil and you have to cover hundreds of square miles of ocean with hay and then clean it all up so they usually use every method of clean up all at once.

 

You and your dang facts Rikky! Bubba did mention the waste stuff could be burned for fuel.

But, it is hay, if it can get half of it without using chemicals, I would think that is good.

And trust me, if Bubba says he is ready to disperse hay over hundreds of miles, he i ready.

Well, I can't support that statement, but, I bet he could be ready very fast. :-D

 

You just asked what the validity of it was? Well its valid lol

I'll try not to use facts next time you want to know if something is real:-D

 

Ahh, but you are supposed to know that already Rikky. Using straw is a simple concept, but how will it work large scale?

I would think straw, especially bermuda grass, which is a common lawn in the south would be a great answer.

 

I've just remembered a video I saw on tomorrows world as a kid,what they do is make a big 'thin' sheet like lawn turf or a fishing net then unroll it from the back of the boat and drag it through the water.

If memory serves its about 150mm or 6 inches thick with a plastic or metal mesh on both sides to keep the hay in one place,they then cut it into bricks for burning.

I can't see any links or pictures of this method but I'll look around.

EDIT what I find annoying is that the pipeline where its 'STILL' pumping from doesn't have and safety valves anywhere,from the video's I've seen it looks as though its pumping out under high pressure so I don't see why they don't have safety valves every couple of miles.

I don't know the mechanics of the disaster yet though

 

Yeah, from what I am told, the shutoff is a big hydraulic shear that cuts and seals the well.

I am not big on 'green energy' and such. But damn. We have a major failure in the private sector, and the government as well. Bad situation.

 

The "safety valve" is right on the sea bed, and is known as a blowout preventer. In this case it has failed and is obviously letting all the oil out. At the moment, mud and other waste such as tyres are being pumped in to the blowout preventer to try and seal the well. It will then be sealed with concrete. Relief wells are also being drilled to relieve the pressure, and to capture all that lovely money, wait I mean oil.rolleyes

 

Yes Collins, oil is a commonly traded commodity. It is worth $. I think I will stop there, as this is not the HBT. :-D

 

Yes, hay or straw is an effective adsorber of crude oil. An even better adsorber of oil is hair. Hence human hair is now being collected for cleaning up oil slicks. Guess it's not really surprising if anyone has seen/experienced oily hair. This is one collection program. I believe the industrial equivalent of pantyhose is used as the container for hair. Obviously practical collection of human hair will be a problem. No reason why animal hair or cotton industrial waste can't be used, but hair or a hair-like artificial substance would be ideal. I believe NASA is doing research in this area.

http://www.matteroftrust.org/programs/hairmatsinfo.html

The capillary action of minute cracks in the structure tends to attract oil. As apposed to absorption.

In the process of absorption molecules of one phase interpenetrate uniformly among those of another phase to form a solution with the second phase. In adsorption, molecules of one phase are present in higher concentration at the surface of the second phase.

 

Interesting CGI on the well safety system

http://break.com/index/gulf-of-mexico-oil-spill.html?matchid=

 

Don't worry Joanna Lumleyis here to do the job.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/wor...l-mop-Joanna-Lumley-giant-straw-mattress.html