U.S. patent application number 14/709288 was filed with the patent office on 2015-08-27 for systems for decreasing local temperature using high albedo materials.
The applicant listed for this patent is Leslie A. Field. Invention is credited to Leslie A. Field.
Application Number | 20150237813 14/709288 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 40549783 |
Filed Date | 2015-08-27 |
United States Patent
Application |
20150237813 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Field; Leslie A. |
August 27, 2015 |
SYSTEMS FOR DECREASING LOCAL TEMPERATURE USING HIGH ALBEDO
MATERIALS
Abstract
A system comprises a plurality of albedo-increasing materials
distributed on a surface of a man-made structure and having an
albedo that is greater than an albedo of the surface of the
man-made structure, wherein the albedo of the albedo-increasing
materials is at least 0.15. The plurality of albedo-increasing
materials are positioned and sized to increase an evaporation rate
at the surface for a given temperature and decrease a temperature
characterizing the man-made structure.
Inventors: |
Field; Leslie A.; (Portola
Valley, CA) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Field; Leslie A. |
Portola Valley |
CA |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
40549783 |
Appl. No.: |
14/709288 |
Filed: |
May 11, 2015 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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12680975 |
Jul 12, 2010 |
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PCT/US08/11689 |
Oct 9, 2008 |
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14709288 |
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60998404 |
Oct 9, 2007 |
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61044463 |
Apr 11, 2008 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
239/14.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A01G 15/00 20130101 |
International
Class: |
A01G 15/00 20060101
A01G015/00 |
Claims
1. A system comprising: a plurality of albedo-increasing materials
distributed on a surface of a man-made structure and having an
albedo that is greater than an albedo of the surface of the
man-made structure, wherein the albedo of the albedo-increasing
materials is at least 0.15, and wherein the plurality of
albedo-increasing materials are positioned and sized to increase an
evaporation rate at the surface for a given temperature and
decrease a temperature characterizing the man-made structure.
2. The system of claim 1 wherein the man-made structure comprises a
portion of a power plant.
3. The system of claim 1 wherein the plurality of albedo-increasing
materials comprises differently-sized albedo-increasing
materials.
4. The system of claim 1 wherein the surfaces are hydrophilic.
5. The system of claim 1 wherein the materials are characterized by
wettable surfaces that provide a large effective surface area
relative to the surface area covered by the materials.
6. The system of claim 1 wherein the material surfaces include
wettable pores.
7. The system of claim 1 wherein said materials are hollow.
8. The system of claim 1 additionally comprising a corralling
structure configured to contain the plurality of albedo-increasing
materials following deployment over the surface.
9. The system of claim 1 wherein the albedo-increasing materials
are self-removing from any of the following: from carbon uptake,
from cracking induced by freezing, from wear, or from an enclosure
sinking and dragging down the albedo-increasing materials.
10. The system of claim 1 wherein said surface is water.
11. The system of claim 10 additionally comprising a
position-monitoring sensor.
12. The system of claim 10 additionally comprising a sensor
configured to monitor an effect of the materials on the environment
after deployment.
13. The system of claim 1 additionally comprising at least one of
communication and powering equipment.
14. The system of claim 1 wherein the albedo-increasing materials
comprise at least one of the following: glass spheres, cenospheres,
ceramic spheres, plastic spheres, glass fibers, ceramic fibers, and
plastic fibers.
15. The system of claim 1 wherein the albedo-increasing materials
comprise a natural material.
16. The system of claim 1 wherein the albedo-increasing materials
comprise a treated natural material.
17. The system of claim 1 wherein the albedo-increasing materials
comprise at least one albedo-increasing material coated with or
including TiO.sub.2.
18. The system of claim 1 wherein the man-made surface comprises
ground associated with infrastructure.
19. A system comprising: a floatable albedo-increasing material
having an albedo of at least 0.15, the material comprising: a
multi-pore structure having a first pore, a second pore that is
staggered from the first pore, and an interconnect between the
first pore and the second pore, wherein the interconnect is
configured to entrap air when a portion of the albedo-increasing
material is placed upon water.
20. The system of claim 19 wherein the first pore and the second
pore are tapered such that the first and second pores each have a
larger cross-sectional area in a direction from a first surface of
the albedo-increasing material to a second surface of the
albedo-increasing material.
21. The system of claim 17 wherein the first pore and the second
pore have a slanted configuration.
22. The system of claim 19 wherein the material comprises a
plurality of said multi-pore structures.
23. The system of claim 19 wherein the walls of the pores are
wettable.
24. A system comprising: a sheet-like structure with one or more
openings; and one or more buoyancy features connected to the
sheet-like structure configured to keep at least a portion of the
sheet-like structure afloat, wherein the sheet-like structure has
an albedo greater than 0.15, and wherein if the structure is
deployed over a surface of a body of water associated with a
man-made structure, the structure will increase an albedo of the
surface, increase an evaporation rate at the surface for a given
temperature, and decrease a temperature characterizing the man-made
structure.
25. A system comprising: a plurality of plate-like materials having
an albedo of at least 0.15, wherein the materials are configured to
interconnect with one another to form an interconnecting structure,
and wherein if the interconnecting structure is deployed over a
surface of a body of water associated with a man-made structure,
the structure will increase an albedo of the surface, increase an
evaporation rate at the surface for a given temperature, and
decrease a temperature characterizing the man-made structure.
26. The system of claim 25 wherein each of the plurality of
plate-like materials has a polygonal shape.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE
[0001] This application is a continuation of U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 12/680,975 titled "SYSTEMS FOR ENVIRONMENTAL
MODIFICATION WITH CLIMATE CONTROL MATERIALS AND COVERINGS", filed
on Jul. 12, 2010, which is a national stage application of
PCT/US08/11689 (WO 2009/048627) filed Oct. 9, 2008, which claims
priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/998,404, filed Oct.
9, 2007, and U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/044,463, filed
Apr. 11, 2008, all of which applications are incorporated herein by
reference in their entirety, as if set for the in full in this
application for all purposes.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] This invention is directed to systems, materials, and
methods of environmental modification with climate control
materials and coverings. The invention may include materials which
may cause a localized change in albedo and evaporation rate. In
addition, the invention may be reversible and may include different
materials, designs, deployments, and sensing apparatus and
techniques.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] The international scientific community has reached consensus
that ongoing climate change has raised the earth's global average
temperature, has had an effect on the earth's ecosystems, and that
larger impacts are likely in the future (IPCC AR4 2007). Current
and future effects may include an increase in sea level, a
reduction in the percentage of the earth's surface covered by the
polar ice caps, changes in rainfall distribution and increases in
the severity of storms. These changes may in future lead to effects
on the oceanic currents and further changes in weather patterns,
that could in turn lead to effects as diverse and profound as
changes in the distribution of habitable land areas for various
species, as well as in the distribution of areas suited to
agriculture, and changes in locations of usable coastal ports and
shipping routes. A positive feedback loop known as the Ice-Albedo
Feedback Effect is involved in the reduction of icecap area,
whereby the more the ice melts, the faster the remaining ice melts.
This occurs because for a given area, the open ocean absorbs more
solar energy (has a lower albedo) than does ice.
[0004] Weather patterns may be shifting as a result of climate
change. Such changes may include changes in droughts, tropical
storm strength and intensity, ocean currents, and wildfires.
[0005] Various solutions and geoengineering approaches to mitigate
to some climate change effects have been proposed. The most
commonly proposed long-term solution is to slow down the effects of
global warming by addressing one apparent cause of global warming
via a reduction in the generation of anthropogenic greenhouse gases
such as carbon dioxide (CO.sub.2). The international scientific
community agrees that the concentration of CO.sub.2 in the
atmosphere has increased as a result of human activity and that
this has caused an increase of the earth's global average
temperature over the past several decades (IPCC AR4 2007).
[0006] Many proposals for reduction of the generation of greenhouse
gases include proposals to reduce the rate of CO.sub.2 generation.
For example, CO.sub.2 generation may be slowed down by providing
for energy and transportation needs through the use of alternative
power generation such as solar, wind, hydroelectric and nuclear
power, and the use of alternative transportation fuels, such as
electricity and various forms of bio-derived liquid fuels. These
proposals and others like them are likely an important part of the
long-term solution to reducing a man-made increase in CO.sub.2, but
they could take decades to implement widely, and there are
substantial technological, sociological, political and economic
hurdles to be overcome before widespread adoption is likely to
occur.
[0007] Another type of proposed solution is aimed at conducting
geoengineering directed toward mitigating some of the effects of
global warming. One example of such a proposal is the addition of
specific gases to the atmosphere to produce an "anti-greenhouse"
effect. Some sulfur-containing industrial pollutants have been
shown to have a negative greenhouse effect, leading this idea's
proponents to advocate a deliberate increase in these
pollutants.
[0008] Another proposal to reduce the effects of global warming is
to use orbiting solar reflectors. For example, it is proposed that
trillions of mirrors be sent up into earth orbit to reflect some
percentage of incoming sunshine.
[0009] Some parties have suggested carbon sequestration to reduce
global warming. Various plans include burying carbon compounds in
the ground, and seeding the oceans with iron to increase
phytoplankton colonies, with the hope that as the plankton die, the
carbon they've incorporated will sink to the ocean bottom.
[0010] In another proposal, floating plastic islands may be used to
limit global warming. The idea includes covering part of the ocean
with a material that has reduced absorption of solar energy and has
a higher albedo.
[0011] Some difficulties with the methods listed above include
their cost, irreversibility (for instance, if the solution
overcorrects), the massive public works nature of the solutions,
unintended weapons potential, and possible severe secondary
problems (such as acid rain or health effects from added
atmospheric sulfur compounds). Some negative effects of these
proposals may include uncontrolled change in oceanic evaporation
rate and change to the local ecosystem, ecological effects (such as
a change in the plankton species selection), and unintended
reverses of the solutions (such as sudden release of CO.sub.2 from
sequestration schemes). It is thought this could occur if the
temperature of the earth (and/or ocean) increases sufficiently over
time to cause a release of sequestered CO.sub.2.
[0012] There is a need for improved systems and methods of
environmental modification that may be applied locally and that may
be fully reversible or may be used to correct environmental effects
in the opposite direction until the desired stabilization is
achieved.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0013] This invention provides systems and methods of environmental
modification with climate control materials and coverings by
causing a local adjustment of two parameters that may affect the
local climate. The invention may affect (1) the absorption and/or
reflection of incident solar energy (albedo), and (2) the rate and
amount of evaporation of water. The invention may also contain
buoyancy or added floating features, which may aid in the
invention's effectiveness. The invention may also be designed to
minimize ecological harm. It may also enhance ice nucleation,
provide habitat and breeding ground, and intentionally provide open
pore-like areas to enhance cooling by evaporative heat
transfer.
[0014] The invention may include materials capable of having the
desired albedo and desired characteristics to affect evaporation.
These materials may have varying properties, such as optical
properties, wettability, porosity, buoyancy, thermal conductivity,
imperviousness, strength, breakability characteristics, and may
include or be made from recycled or biodegradable materials.
[0015] Climate control materials and coverings may have different
designs for different applications. These designs may encompass the
basic component of the invention, which may include forms such as
balls, plates, sheets, or fluids. The components may be brought
together into a unit, such as a building block, which may be formed
out of corrals, submerged and above-water netting, or various
interconnecting mechanisms. The building blocks may be deployed
into clusters which may be arranged in different ways to produce
the desired effect.
[0016] There may be various methods of manufacturing or assembling
the climate control materials. These methods may provide efficient
or cost-saving means of producing the climate control
materials.
[0017] The climate control materials and coverings may be deployed
in different locations and environments for various applications,
and may be deployed by different means in accordance with another
aspect of the invention. The climate control materials may also be
reversible. A party may be able to remove the materials, may deploy
additional materials with reversing effects, or the materials
themselves may eventually self-remove or self-reverse. For example,
materials may contain properties that may allow them to self-remove
or self-reverse by breaking down or sinking, or from changes in
their characteristics from eventual biofouling from the surrounding
environment.
[0018] Other goals and advantages of the invention will be further
appreciated and understood when considered in conjunction with the
following description and accompanying drawings. While the
following description may contain specific details describing
particular embodiments of the invention, this should not be
construed as limitations to the scope of the invention but rather
as an exemplification of preferable embodiments. For each aspect of
the invention, many variations are possible as suggested herein
that are known to those of ordinary skill in the art. A variety of
changes and modifications can be made within the scope of the
invention without departing from the spirit thereof.
INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE
[0019] All publications, patents, and patent applications mentioned
in this specification are herein incorporated by reference to the
same extent as if each individual publication, patent, or patent
application was specifically and individually indicated to be
incorporated by reference.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0020] The novel features of the invention are set forth with
particularity in the appended claims. A better understanding of the
features and advantages of the present invention will be obtained
by reference to the following detailed description that sets forth
illustrative embodiments, in which the principles of the invention
are utilized, and the accompanying drawings of which:
[0021] FIG. 1 illustrates one embodiment of the invention with a
floating material that may affect albedo and evaporation rate of
surrounding and underlying water.
[0022] FIG. 2A shows how a material may reduce a local evaporation
rate.
[0023] FIG. 2B shows how a wettable material may increase
evaporation from a situation as compared to a non-wettable
material.
[0024] FIG. 2C shows how a material with pores may increase
evaporation from a situation as compared to a non-porous
material.
[0025] FIG. 2D shows how a material may allow separate tailoring of
surface wetting, porosity, reflection and/or albedo, and heat
transfer as compared to an open surface.
[0026] FIG. 3 shows one embodiment of the invention with a
dual-tapered pore structure.
[0027] FIG. 4 shows alternate dual pore structures.
[0028] FIG. 5 shows a centrally supported hexagonal structure with
engineered porosity.
[0029] FIG. 6 shows a sheet-like structure with openings.
[0030] FIG. 7A illustrates how buoyancy features and/or supports
may be added at the ends of a sheet-like structure to vary
suspension height.
[0031] FIG. 7B illustrates how buoyancy features may be added at
the ends of a sheet-like structure with varying degrees of sag.
[0032] FIG. 7C illustrates how buoyancy features may be distributed
within a sheet-like structure to distribute suspension of the
fabric and provide multiple layers for albedo modification and
evaporative surfaces.
[0033] FIG. 7D illustrates how air entrained within natural or
synthetic materials in a sheet-like structure may be used for
distributed suspension.
[0034] FIG. 7E illustrates how a surface coating of at least one
material within a sheet-like structure may be used to aid in
distributed suspension and/or evaporative transfer.
[0035] FIG. 8 shows how openings of different sizes of a material
may be prone to freezing.
[0036] FIG. 9A shows a sheet style implementation in accordance
with one embodiment of the invention.
[0037] FIG. 9B shows an alternate embodiment of a sheet style
implementation.
[0038] FIG. 10 illustrates a unit including a corral and enclosed
climate control materials.
[0039] FIG. 11 shows a corral with submerged and above-water
netting.
[0040] FIG. 12 shows a unit including a corral and accompanying
climate control materials.
[0041] FIG. 13A illustrates a rectangular plate unit with hinges in
its folded state.
[0042] FIG. 13B illustrates a rectangular plate unit with hinges in
its unfolded state.
[0043] FIG. 14A shows an example of hexagonal plates
interconnecting to form a building block.
[0044] FIG. 14B shows an example of triangular plates
interconnecting to form a building block.
[0045] FIG. 14C shows an example of plates of different shapes
interconnecting to form a building block with open spaces.
[0046] FIG. 15 shows an example of a building cluster for floatable
climate control materials.
[0047] FIG. 16A shows a tightly-interconnected corral
structure.
[0048] FIG. 16B shows a loosely-interconnected corral
structure.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0049] While preferred embodiments of the present invention have
been shown and described herein, it will be obvious to those
skilled in the art that such embodiments are provided by way of
example only. Numerous variations, changes, and substitutions will
now occur to those skilled in the art without departing from the
invention. It should be understood that various alternatives to the
embodiments of the invention described herein may be employed in
practicing the invention.
[0050] This invention provides systems and methods of environmental
modification with climate control materials and coverings by
causing a local adjustment of two parameters that may affect the
local climate. The invention may affect (1) the absorption and/or
reflection of incident solar energy (albedo), and (2) the rate and
amount of evaporation of water. Added buoyancy or floating features
of the invention may aid in the invention's effectiveness. The
invention may also be designed to minimize ecological harm. As an
example of potential ecological harm, materials such as plastic
used over wide areas, such as in the floating plastic island
proposal of the prior art or the unintentional pollution of the
Pacific Gyre with plastic waste, can result in the plastic breaking
down over time into smaller pieces and enter the food chain
directly, and such materials can also carry other pollutants into
the food chain on due to a plastic surface's general affinity for
hydrocarbon- and oil-based pollutants. The invention may also
enhance ice nucleation, provide habitat and breeding ground, and
intentionally provide open pore-like areas to enhance cooling by
evaporative heat transfer and by providing an increased effective
surface area over which evaporation and/or heat transfer can
occur.
[0051] The albedo of areas may be adjusted in order to slow down
the melting rate, enhance retention, and/or increase the formation
of ice and/or snow. The albedo of areas may also be adjusted to
provide general cooling effects, even in areas and seasons where
ice is not formed. This may include adjusting the albedo to
increase the reflection of sunlight. For example, this may involve
increasing the albedo of an area above the albedo of open seawater,
to at least 0.15. This may also include increasing the albedo
further to a level greater than the global average of the earth, or
to at least 0.35. Some embodiments may include increasing the
albedo to above 0.5, or further to be above 0.7.
[0052] In other applications of environmental modification, the
albedo may be decreased. Decreasing albedo may reduce the
reflection of sunlight. For example, this may be beneficial in
applications where increased evaporation rates may be desirable or
in order to cause warming.
[0053] The ability to control evaporation may be important because
blocking or suppressing evaporation by the presence of a material
(such as in the floating plastic island proposal of the prior art)
could unintentionally cause the temperature of the underlying ocean
water to be higher than if evaporation were allowed to occur. The
thermodynamic latent heat of vaporization of water is significant,
and as the water is vaporized, the liquid water that remains behind
may be cooled by providing at least part of the energy of
vaporization to the vaporized water. Additionally, if evaporation
were to be blocked over large areas of ocean, an unintended climate
and weather change could undesirably occur, and rainfall patterns
could be altered from these unintended potentially large effects on
the earth's water cycle. However, in some other applications of
environmental modification besides reducing some of the effects of
global warming, the evaporation rate may intentionally be reduced
locally and reversibly. One application where evaporation rate may
be reduced may be to reduce the severity of tropical storms.
[0054] FIG. 1 illustrates one embodiment of the invention, which
may incorporate a floating material 12 that may reflect sunlight
and enhance water evaporation, which may allow the temperature to
drop sufficiently in the exposed water to allow freezing and
initial formation of ice 14. The invention may help substantially
in ice retention and formation, even if deployed at a time of year
when ice formation may not be expected to occur, by enhancing ice
retention (slowing the melt) or reducing the heating over the
summer, as well as being used at the onset of the hoped-for
freezing season.
[0055] Sunlight may hit a climate control material and the
surrounding water, snow, ice, permafrost, land, or man-made
structures. In some embodiments of the invention, the surrounding
water may include ocean water, sea water, lakes, rivers, bays, or
any other natural or unnatural body of water, or may include any
water of any form, such as dew or ground water, and so forth. Also
within the scope of the invention is use of the climate control
material on or in conjunction with underlying or surrounding
glaciers, ice, snow, land areas or man-made structures.
[0056] The reflective properties of the climate control material
may cause some of the sunlight to reflect away from the water
surface, while part of the sunlight may be absorbed, and the energy
transmitted to the surface below. The energy from the sunlight
hitting the water directly may also be absorbed into the water.
Part of the energy in the water, including the water on top of, or
absorbed or adsorbed on the surfaces or in the pores or openings of
the climate control material, may result in evaporation of
underlying and surrounding water, or of rainfall. Also, as water
may slosh on top of climate control materials, the materials may
provide a place of possible enhanced evaporation or freezing. Water
may saturate some of the materials in accordance with some
embodiments of the invention, and may cause different rates of
evaporation. Evaporation may lead to increased cloud cover, which
may affect the climate locally and globally. For instance, cloud
cover may reduce the amount of sunlight that may warm the
underlying area.
[0057] Several systems that may adjust the local albedo and
evaporation rate may be encompassed in this invention, and may be
used separately or together. Specific embodiments are not meant to
limit the scope of the invention, but rather to illustrate some
particularly useful embodiments of the current invention.
[0058] A. Materials
[0059] Systems of environmental modification with climate control
materials and coverings may include different properties of the
materials themselves. For example, the optical properties,
wettability, porosity, buoyancy, thermal conductivity,
imperviousness, strength/breaking, source of materials, and
biodegradability may be varied for different environmental
modifications.
[0060] 1. Optical Properties
[0061] In order to change environmental conditions, an embodiment
of the invention may affect the absorption and/or reflection of
incident solar energy (albedo). A system may provide materials
which may cover a surface, whether the material be floating,
partially submerged, or suspended, or spread out on land, ice,
snow, or man-made structures that may affect the albedo by their
presence. The materials can be painted, dyed, coated with a
reflective material, or by other means treated so as to adjust
their albedo or if desired, to maintain the stability of albedo
over time, or the materials can be untreated. Generally, the
surface material, the surface finish, color, translucency, or
reflectivity can be chosen to aid in the engineered albedo and
reflectivity required, whether the material be selected for its
surface properties or treated.
[0062] For applications where one may try to cool the local
climate, the invention may comprise covering a portion of an area,
such as an area of ocean or a darkened or melting glacier, with a
material that may reflect at least part of the incident sunlight
(in other words, a material with high albedo). For example, cooling
an area may include covering the area with a material with a
lighter color or with higher reflective properties. By using a
material of higher albedo, solar absorption may be reduced, and
re-radiation of energy may be altered in a desired manner.
[0063] Albedo of a system may also affect the evaporation rate of
water associated with the adjusted areas and the areas surrounding
them, and may also affect the relative humidity of the adjusted
areas and the areas surrounding them. For example, a higher albedo
may decrease solar absorption, which may reduce evaporation.
[0064] Some examples of materials that may be used as coverings and
change local albedo may include, separately or in combination: (1)
glass or plastic objects, or other objects of varying compositions,
hollow or not, of a spherical or other shape, including but not
limited to hollow glass spheres, glass spheres, cenospheres,
ceramic spheres, plastic spheres; (2) natural or synthetic fabrics
or plastic sheets with controlled porosity, wettability and
buoyancy, entrained air or gases, or separately buoyant or
suspended features; (3) oil or other coatings, including crude oil,
vegetable oil, or mineral oil; (4) plastic bottles, scrap plastic
or plastic sheets; and (5) biological materials, such as hay,
daisies, or feathers, which may have a possible coating, such as a
spray plastic coating, to enhance the lifetime of the material in
water, maintaining its buoyancy and albedo. These materials may or
may not be treated as necessary to control their albedo.
[0065] One embodiment of the invention may provide climate control
materials with one or more material interfaces that may affect the
albedo of the material. For example, a material such as a hollow
transparent ball may have some sort of gas (such as air) inside.
Transparent or translucent materials with bubbles inside may
provide additional gas/solid interfaces. Similarly, opaque or
reflective materials may have bubbles inside as well. There may
also be liquid inside a material. Multiple reflections from various
interfaces may affect the reflectivity and albedo of the
material.
[0066] In addition to adjusting albedo, the optical properties of
climate control materials may also be chosen or treated in order to
provide ease of detection from satellites or other remote sensing
devices. Adjusting optical properties such as surface, color,
translucency, or reflectivity may aid in sensing applications,
which may provide information and enable tracking and control of
the materials if necessary. Adjusting optical properties of
materials may not only apply to optical sensing devices, but may
have effects which can be read by other devices. For example,
climate control materials with certain optical properties may also
have a unique heat signature which may be read by a thermal sensing
device.
[0067] 2. Wettability/Hydrophilicity
[0068] In order to change environmental conditions, an embodiment
of the invention may affect a local evaporation rate, which may be
important because evaporation may affect the temperature of the
surface, or of the underlying or neighboring surface or body of
water, ice, or snow. For instance, FIG. 2A shows how the presence
of a material 22A may block or suppress evaporation from an
underlying surface 26. Such blocking or suppressing evaporation may
cause the temperature of the underlying surface to be higher than
if evaporation were allowed to occur.
[0069] The invention may provide variations in implementation that
may affect the evaporation rate of associated fluids, which may
include the use of hydrophobic or hydrophilic materials and details
of coverage and effective pores to decrease or increase evaporation
rates of the underlying surface, such as ocean water if the climate
control materials and coverings are partially suspended or
floating. An implementation that favors at least some evaporation
may lead to cooler water temperatures (from the significant latent
heat of vaporization of water) and therefore to cooling and, over
time, more favorable conditions for ice and snow formation and
retention. Additionally, if an increase in cloud cover results from
the added evaporation, this could aid in cooling and potentially in
added snowfall. Adjusting local evaporation rates may initiate
complex effects of water and cloud cover on albedo, warming, or
cooling. Variations of evaporation rates may be included within the
invention for different applications.
[0070] In order to affect the local evaporation rate, the material
can be wettable and/or distributed with an open area of water
associated with it. FIG. 2B shows a wettable material 22B which may
allow for evaporation of underlying, accompanying or associated
film of water. The material may have water on its surface 21 which
may evaporate readily. Increased wettability of a material may
increase a surface area where evaporation may occur. The materials'
wettability (hydrophilicity/hydrophobicity) may be adjusted in
order to achieve the desired evaporation rate of water. One
implementation may be for a material have a wettable surface, or to
coat it with a thin layer of material that may make it wettable,
which may increase the evaporation of the underlying or associated
water and prove to be advantageous in cooling applications, taking
advantage of increased surface area available for evaporation that
can result, for example, from increased porosity, roughness, or
shaping of the surface. However, it may be preferable for some
other applications and variants to have a non-wettable/hydrophobic
surface.
[0071] In some instances, some precautions or treatments of climate
control materials to maintain the degree of wettability or contact
angle against biofouling and biodegradation may assist with
long-term performance. For example, this may include a treatment
such as a periodic cleaning of the materials. In another example,
this may include coating the materials with a coating that may be
resistant to the effects of biofouling, such as TiO.sub.2.
[0072] 3. Porosity/Roughness
[0073] The evaporation rate of water associated with an adjusted
area or surrounding area may also be affected by details of
coverage and effective pores or openings in a material to decrease
or increase evaporation rates of water such as ocean water. Pores
in a material may vary in size, shape, structure, or wettability to
affect the evaporation rate of surrounding and associated
water.
[0074] Materials may have pores or various surface designs that may
provide differing surface areas which may affect the evaporation
rate of local water. Heat transfer through fluids in pores or
pore-like structures may affect evaporation. FIG. 2C shows a
material 22C with pores 23, which may enhance evaporation through
an increase of the effective surface area of water which can
evaporate.
[0075] Materials may be selected for their material properties
which may include a natural porosity or increased surface area for
evaporation. For example, materials such as hay, straw, wood,
sawdust, paper, or fabric may be naturally porous materials, and
may be naturally buoyant as well. The pores and openings may also
have multiple dimensions and directionalities, as would be found
especially in uses of mixtures of materials and types of materials,
and if natural fibers or materials are included.
[0076] The pore structure and wettability can be tailored to enable
a designed degree of evaporation to occur, to allow a designed-in
degree of cooling. The interaction of the material with the water
may also act to locally increase the temperature of a film of water
in the pores on the surface and may concentrate the energy at the
surface, and can affect the heat transfer for and from evaporation,
as illustrated in FIG. 2D, which also shows how a material 22D may
allow separate tailoring of surface wetting, porosity, reflection
and/or albedo, and heat transfer as compared to an open surface.
Limited heat transfer through material and pores (as opposed to
though water alone) could lead to greater temperature, and greater
evaporation, in a top layer of water.
[0077] The pores can be engineered to be of a size to enhance
evaporative cooling and maintain trapped air while discouraging
excessive flow-through of water to the top surface of the material,
device and/or system, to avoid sinking it. Additionally, external
engineered floats, suspensions and/or buoyant features can be added
to suspend the material at the proper position to be effective.
[0078] The designed diameter and shape of the pores can be made to
encourage air to be trapped in an interior layer, as illustrated in
FIG. 3, and to route any excess air to the top of the device. The
device may be produced by methods to have surfaces be either
wettable or nonwettable where desired (such as being wettable on
the underside of the device and in the funnel-shaped pores 33A, 33B
shown). The pores can be tapered, slanted or staggered as shown, so
as not to let sunlight directly through into the water below, or
they can be straight-through which may let more energy through to
the ocean or underlying area but provide a less-complicated
structure. In some situations, it may be desirable to let some
degree of sunlight through to the ocean water, to support the local
oceanic and under-ice ecosystem. The structure may have a double
layer of pores with an embedded air pocket 35, or may have a single
layer of pores without said air pocket included. The structure may
have wettable walls.
[0079] FIG. 3 shows a side view illustration of a dual-taper pore
structure 33A, 33B with an entrained air feature 35 that may assist
in maintaining buoyancy. In a double-layer design with tapered
pores, a wider channel may result in smaller difference between the
pressure in the gas and the liquid, while a narrower channel may
result in a higher pressure difference between the gas and liquid.
The differential in pressure across the air/liquid interface may be
higher, the narrower the pores, or the higher the curvature of the
interface.
[0080] FIG. 4 illustrates a dual pore structure. The pores may be
staggered for sunlight blockage from the ocean, or may be straight
for ease in manufacturing of the part. The pores may be packed in a
number of different arrangements. For example, the pores may be
hexagonally close packed to allow the greatest pore density, which
may increase evaporation. The walls of the pores may be wettable,
and/or may have a low contact angle, and the area over which
air/liquid interfaces, and therefore evaporation, can occur inside
the pores may be greater than that for an equivalent flat area,
arising at least in part from the curvature of the air/liquid
interface and/or the wettability of the interior pore surface
area.
[0081] In alternate embodiments of the invention, there may be any
number of layers of pores that may be staggered, straight, or a
combination thereof, or that interconnect in a possible variety of
tortuous, non-orthogonal manners.
[0082] For a pore design using entrapped air, pore diameters in the
range of sub-100 microns, or even 15-microns or less, can be
advantageous in this invention. The smaller the pore diameter, the
higher the pressure that can be held in the pore and the greater
will be the control over the entrained air.
[0083] In an alternative design, air bubbles can be sealed into the
device, much as air is sealed into bubble wrap. In addition to
affecting the local evaporation rate, porosity can also affect the
buoyancy of a material, as discussed below.
[0084] 4. Floating/Buoyancy
[0085] In an embodiment of the invention where the climate control
materials may be floating in or on a liquid, one may want to
control the buoyancy of the covering depending on the application.
For some applications, it may be preferable for materials to be
floating high in the water, whereas in other applications, it may
be more preferable for materials to be floating lower down. The
height of a material's floating may result in interactions with
optical and evaporative characteristics.
[0086] One way to control floating may be through porosity. For
example, the climate control covering may include a material, such
as a plastic sheet or plate, with a defined porosity. Buoyancy can
also be built into the material by using of lightweight materials,
such as certain lightweight plastics. Buoyancy may also occur by
incorporation air captured within materials, such as through hollow
glass spheres in the plastic formulation or within fabrics, or by
deliberately entrained air in the plastic sheets, or with separate
buoyancy-related features as part of the system infrastructure.
[0087] Alternatively, or additionally, the invention can provide a
buoyant support for the materials, such as a support for a plate
structure. One example of a support mechanism and plate structure
is a central support with a hexagonal-like plate structure anchored
to it in sections. Buoyancy or suspension may be provided by the
materials themselves or by the support structure for the
materials.
[0088] One application for a buoyant climate control material may
be to provide a pullout (temporary resting place for wildlife
during migration) and for wildlife habitat. A support structure or
deliberately included air can be engineered to provide sufficient
buoyancy or support to act as a pullout, which may enable species
such as polar bears, walruses, or any other species to rest, breed,
or move on the pullouts. Having such pullouts may enhance the
survival of a species which may be currently suffering under
conditions of reduced ice, much as nest boxes may be currently used
for threatened avian species. The additional area created by the
pullouts can help with breeding cycles. For example, for a large
enough plate area to provide enough buoyancy for a polar bear
pullout, the plate may preferably have a thickness of at least 10
cm, and a percentage of entrained air of well over 50%.
[0089] Other applications may exist where a lower buoyancy for a
climate control material may be preferable. For example, it may be
preferable for materials to decrease in buoyancy as time goes on so
the materials may eventually take on enough water to sink after a
period of time. This may be one method of reversing the process and
removing materials from the surface of a body of water.
[0090] 5. Imperviousness
[0091] In one embodiment of the invention, the climate control
materials and covering may be treated in order to prevent or reduce
their ability to absorb, transport or concentrate industrial
pollutants already present in the ocean. Such treatment could
consist of enhancing wettability, to reject hydrocarbon-like (or
non-polar) pollutants, increasing strength, reducing
biodegradation, or of tailoring the surface porosity or roughness
to minimize affinity and capacity for pollutants of the greatest
concern.
[0092] In another embodiment, the material may be designed to be
impervious to environmental conditions to preserve the desired
qualities of the material. For example, if the color of the
material is a desired quality for controlling albedo, the material
may be such that it is resistant to fading, or if the material
would ideally maintain a particular shape, it would be resistant to
breaking. The material used can also be waterproof, such as a
plastic or plasticized fabric.
[0093] In one implementation, using physical, but non-biologically
active, materials may minimize any impact to crops or wildlife if
the materials or parts thereof wash ashore.
[0094] 6. Strength/Breaking
[0095] A system in accordance with the invention may also provide
materials of different strength. For example, it may be preferable
in an embodiment of the invention that a material be strong enough
not to shatter in a storm. For some applications, strength and
durability of a material may be preferable to provide environmental
effects for a sufficient length of time. Furthermore, strong,
non-breaking materials may be able to minimize injuries that may
occur if broken materials were to come to shore or be ingested. For
example, if a material was made of glass or plastic, it could cause
injury if it were to break in a jagged manner. In some
implementations, materials with rounded edges or corners may be
less likely to break. For fabrics, it may be preferable to have the
materials biodegrade over time, reducing initial costs and
providing a built-in timed removal of the system.
[0096] For alternative applications, it may be preferable for a
material to come apart or break into smaller pieces after a length
of time. This may be a means of reversibility. For example, if a
silica-based material were to start out as non-harmful sand-like
pieces, or were to eventually break apart in a non-harmful manner,
it could be like or become like sand and have relatively little
ecological impact.
[0097] One aspect of a material may be how it breaks. Some material
properties may be designed that if a fracture were to occur, it
would occur in such a manner as to provide a smooth or rounded
edge, rather than a jagged, potentially harmful edge. Some
materials may also be designed to crumble rather than fracture, so
that the material could break into smaller pieces that may be more
safely ingested or have lesser ecological impact. The size of the
particles that a material may crumble into may be controlled.
[0098] 7. Reversible Properties
[0099] One embodiment of the invention may be to include climate
control materials that may self reverse after a period of time. For
example, rather than having to collect the materials, the materials
may change local albedo or evaporation rate or be biodegradable
after a period of time. For example, the material may be designed
so that the albedo and evaporative characteristics may reflect the
characteristics of the surrounding environment after a set amount
of time, so that they may exert a neutral environmental influence.
Alternatively, the material may be designed so that the albedo and
evaporative characteristics have a reversing effect, so that they
may exert a reversing environmental influence. One could deploy a
material that reverses over time, through for instance biofouling
or pore plugging or biodegradation, or that removes itself from the
active area over time through for instance biodegradation or
sinking
[0100] The materials could break after a thermal cycle such as
freezing into ice, ensuring that they will sink after helping to
form a season's-worth of ice. For instance, freezing materials may
enter an opening in the material, and cause the material to crack.
In another implementation, deliberately providing a very slow
leakage pathway for liquids, such as water, into a chamber that has
initially provided buoyancy, such as the gas-filled core of a
hollow sphere, can eventually make the material sink, removing it
from the surface ecosystem after a specified period of time. In
some embodiments, materials may self-remove from carbon uptake. A
material may also break apart from wear. Breaking in certain modes
may be useful in rendering floating materials more likely to sink,
as for instance if a pathway to the buoyant, gas-filled chamber is
breached as an outer layer of material is eroded or broken away,
eventually making the material sink to remove it from the surface
ecosystem after a specified period of time. Furthermore, materials
can also be enclosed in a container or bag designed to sink over a
period of time and drag the materials down.
[0101] B. Design
[0102] Systems of environmental modification with climate control
materials and coverings may include the design aspects of the
climate control materials. For example, the size, shape, design,
interaction/connection, and arrangement of the climate control
materials may be varied for different environmental
modifications.
[0103] 1. Building Components
[0104] The climate control materials and covering may be made up of
different components which may interact to form building blocks,
which may be deployed in a cluster arrangement.
[0105] a. Balls
[0106] In one embodiment of the invention, the components of the
climate control materials may be made of relatively small floatable
objects. The floatable objects may have roughly spherical shapes.
For example, the materials can include hollow spheres of glass.
Some of their advantageous characteristics may include their
ability to float, their wettability, the variety of sizes
available, and the potential for a wide range of albedo with the
properly chosen color and opacity. Rounded shapes may be preferred
for abrasion and strength concerns. Rounded edges may minimize
fracturing and breakage. When hollow spheres of glass may wash
ashore, if they are made predominantly of silica (one of the most
abundant materials on earth), and may be hard enough and properly
sized so as not to shatter on the beach, they may appear to
wildlife and humans and the ecosystem at large as a particularly
rounded form of sand, of a specific color, such as white, with no
adverse ecological impact foreseen.
[0107] The current invention may be designed to fit into an
ecosystem, such as an ecosystem with sea ice, without undue
impacts. For example, using small floatable materials may allow
marine creatures to surface as usual until the ice forms, and may
be easily pushed aside with no harm to the creatures or the system,
and may not trap them as larger devices might. Such a deployment
may also not interfere with ocean turnover, an essential feature in
moving CO.sub.2 from the atmosphere to the oceanic depths, and
hence an essential element in the planetary ecosystem's natural
carbon sequestration.
[0108] Small floatable materials may float in an area of ocean in
order to enhance ice and/or snow retention and/or ice
formation.
[0109] The size of the floatable objects can be chosen so as to
minimize any ecological impacts on wildlife. For instance, the
floatable materials may be of a sufficiently small size to pass
through the digestive system of a living creature without blockage.
Such a beneficial size could be of sub-millimeter diameter, or
hundreds of microns in diameter, or even of sub-hundred micron in
diameter. Other considerations of the impact of size on wildlife
may be whether creatures eat it, breathe it, excrete it, and
whether it collects on their fur/coverings. Smaller-sized materials
may have the economic advantage as well of being able to cover a
larger surface area with a layer of material while using less
overall material (since smaller materials may provide a thinner
"monolayer") and therefore result in lower cost. The size of
material may also be adjusted depending on optimal height of
coverage--greater size may be preferable when a greater height of
coverage is desired.
[0110] The size of the floatable objects may also be chosen to
optimize ice nucleation. It could be particularly advantageous if
the floating material does not interfere with ice nucleation either
touching or near the floating material, or just outside the
assemblage. Some types of ocean ice may nucleate in calm water with
an initial disk-like shape, and diameter of 2-3 mm or less.
Therefore, if the floatable climate control material were of
comparable size or were sized so that gaps between the floating
materials were of about this size, ice formation may be enhanced.
Furthermore, the ice so formed around such objects could have an
especially low thermal conductivity and high albedo due to
incorporation of the objects that can be used in this invention.
Young, or thin, ice formed in the absence of the floatable objects
may have a relatively low albedo, and increasing the albedo of ice
so formed could be advantageous in further cooling the ocean areas
within and nearby the active ice formation locations.
[0111] Hollow ball fishing floats (often known as Japanese-style
fishing floats) may be used in an embodiment of the invention. This
invention may use larger floatable objects that are too large to be
ingested by marine wildlife, and may minimizing any ecological
impacts in this way. One example of a larger floatable object might
be using the hollow ball fishing floats. Hollow ball fishing floats
may persist in the oceans for years, which may be a sign of their
ruggedness. Another example may be using plastic bottles.
[0112] In one embodiment of the invention, it may be preferable to
use a mixture of sphere sizes, which may allow for a greater fill
factor (small spheres to fill in the interstices between the larger
spheres), allowing for greater overall albedo of the treated area.
It may also potentially lead to a greater evaporation rate of
associated water, from the greater wettable surface area then
available per area treated. Use of at least some small-size objects
or spheres may also serve to enhance evaporation overall,
especially if a significant amount of evaporation occurs on the
surface of the objects with more efficient heat transfer to the
underlying water through and around the smaller objects.
[0113] One benefit of using relatively rounded climate control
materials may be their ability to roll. Climate control materials
that can roll may provide aid for efficient heat transfer, as well
as mass transfer bringing additional water or fluid to the surface
to aid in evaporation. Rolling may also contribute to self-rinsing
and self-cleaning of the materials.
[0114] Ball-like floatable materials may be used in conjunction
with other climate control materials, such as plates or sheets. For
example, if either plates or sheets have openings, rounded,
cylindrical, fibrous, or other materials may be placed within those
openings. Ball-like or other materials can be deployed by means to
allow a manner of self-assembly, such as having been shipped in,
deployed by a submarine, or dropped from an airplane or helicopter,
either with or without other materials or corralling mechanisms.
Minimizing assembly time onsite may be advantageous.
[0115] Relatively rounded climate control materials of various
sizes may be scattered on ice or land surfaces as well to provide
environmental modification effects.
[0116] b. Plates
[0117] In an alternate embodiment of the invention, floatable
climate control materials may be comprised of plates. The plates
may be of different sizes or shapes. For example, a plate may have
a hexagonal shape. FIG. 5 shows three views of a centrally
supported hexagonal structure 52 with engineered porosity. Such a
plate structure may have a central support with a hexagonal-like
plate structure anchored to it in sections 51. A hexagonal
structure may allow for a hexagonally close packed arrangement of
the plates. A plate structure, which may include entrapped air in
pockets, pores 53, or supports, can be engineered to provide
sufficient buoyancy to act as a pullout to provide a temporary
resting place for migrating wildlife, enhancing the survival of
species such as polar bears, walruses, or any other species, under
conditions of reduced ice as are found today.
[0118] The plates can be made of different materials. For example,
plates may be made of floatable materials such as plastic. If a
denser plastic or other material is used, the plates may be
combined with floatable or supporting elements.
[0119] c. Sheets
[0120] The floatable climate control materials may be comprised of
sheet-like structures in one embodiment of the invention. The
sheets may be of different shapes, and may include openings if
desired. FIG. 6 shows a sheet structure 62 that includes openings
63. Such openings may have any size, shape, or arrangement. A
benefit of a sheet-like structure is that it may provide a thin
layer of cover and therefore require less material and cost, and
may be easily deployable and reversible. It may also be easy to
manufacture sheet-like structures so that they have different
shapes. Circular or rounded edges and corners may be preferred to
enhance lifetime of the materials, or stress concentrations may be
deliberately included to enhance eventual natural degradation or
removal. The sheets may be possessed of a selected albedo or
reflectivity.
[0121] The sheets may be made of different materials. For example,
sheet-like structures may be made of a thin plastic. Alternatively,
sheet-like materials may be made of fabric, wood product,
biological materials, and other materials.
[0122] In one embodiment of the invention, the sheet-like materials
can be made of fabric with engineered openings, or pores, which can
be of differing diameters and morphologies, and tailored
wettability and contact angle. Fabrics may also include natural
pores and spaces and networks of fibers from the interwoven nature
of the material. The openings or pores may also be arranged in
different manners. Such pores may affect the local evaporation rate
and/or buoyancy.
[0123] Different types of materials for fabrics may be used. For
instance, a GoreTex-like material could provide excellent vapor
exchange, while being possessed of at least some non-wettability in
its formulation. Or a marine-compatible fabric treated for
longevity in a marine environment may be used. Additionally,
reflective materials such as those used in thermal survival
blankets or reflective microspheres may be added to the fabrics.
Alternatively, a more wettable material could be used.
[0124] The sheet-like structures themselves may have various shapes
and configurations. For instance, the sheets may have a geometric
shape, such as squares, hexagons, or circles, or have any sort of
irregular shape.
[0125] The sheet-like structures, which may include fabrics, can
contain buoyancy features. Such buoyancy features may include
built-in buoyancy features or external buoyancy features or
physical supports. Examples of buoyancy features may include a
floatable material or entrained air pockets within a structure.
[0126] For example, FIG. 7A illustrates how buoyancy features 71A
may be added at the ends of a sheet-like structure 72 to suspend
the structure between them. The buoyancy features may be attached
to the sheet-like structures in multiple ways, which may vary the
suspension height of the sheet-like features. FIG. 7B shows how the
buoyancy features 71B may be arranged in multiple ways which may
vary the amount of sag on the sheet-like structures. Suspension
height and sag may affect the water surface area available for
evaporation through details of the air/water interfaces at the
surface and in the pores or pore-like features or openings 73 of
the sheet-like structures.
[0127] The sheets may contain intentional openings large enough for
marine and polar life-forms to climb or dive through, or they may
be configured or deployed over small areas with larger open areas
that can be set by use of other containment, tethering, or
isolation features. The large opening areas and the periphery of
the sheets can have contiguous areas that are buoyant enough to
allow for wildlife pullouts for resting or breeding of creatures
such as polar bears and walruses. The especially buoyant areas can
be connected by other areas that are buoyant or stiff in order to
set the spacing between the especially buoyant areas, and to
possibly give walkable wildlife pathways between sections. The
large opening areas may also serve as areas of enhanced ice
formation and heat transfer, similar to polynyas (open areas of
water surrounded by ice) and leads.
[0128] The underside of the floating elements or the periphery of
the fabric sheets can contain features and openings to encourage
the release of ice crystallites and young ice, in order to help
maximize ice formation overall.
[0129] In one embodiment of the invention, ball-like floating
objects may be used in conjunction with sheet-like structures. For
example, floatable materials may be placed in the openings of the
sheets. Doing so may provide the same benefits of using the
sheet-like structures, but may also cut costs if the floatable
materials are less costly than the sheet-like structures. In
another embodiment, ball-like floating objects may be enclosed in
sheet-like or mesh-like structures. For instance, the objects may
be partially or fully enclosed in bags or other containers made
from a fabric-like or mesh material.
[0130] FIG. 7C illustrates how buoyancy features 71C may be
distributed within a sheet-like structure to distribute suspension
of the fabric and provide multiple layers for albedo modification
and evaporative surface. For instance, buoyant materials may be
provided within a surrounding bag 75.
[0131] FIG. 7D illustrates how air 76 entrained within natural or
synthetic materials in a sheet-like structure may be used for
distributed suspension.
[0132] FIG. 7E illustrates how a surface coating of at least one
material 78 within a sheet-like structure 72E may be used to aid in
distributed suspension and/or evaporative transfer. Air trapped
with the aid of a surface layer may aid in distributed
suspension.
[0133] The sheets may be fabricated with varying opening sizes
together or in varying sections. Smaller opening sizes may serve as
areas that can have increased evaporative surface area and may be
prone to freeze up before the larger opening sizes, as shown in
FIG. 8. Openings 83 in the fabric 82 could allow for ocean
turnover.
[0134] FIG. 9A shows a sheet style implementation in accordance
with one embodiment of the invention. A sheet-like structure 92A
may include a buoyant support 91A at the edges or interior, that
may act as support and temporary habitat rebuild. Underneath, there
may be a provision for formed ice crystallites to float free, which
may enhance new ice formation. Opening sizes, shapes, and location
may vary. In one embodiment of the invention, one or more large
interior holes 93A may be disposed between buoyant supports, and
may provide marine life access and polynya-like heat transfer.
Smaller pores may be closer to the buoyant supports and may provide
enhanced surface area and evaporative transfer. Pores may have
staggered sizes.
[0135] FIG. 9B shows an alternate embodiment of a sheet style
implementation. Buoyant supports 91B may surround the sheet-like
structures 92B. Buoyant features may also be at the interiors of a
sheet-like structure in various configurations. The sheet-like
structure may also provide openings 93B of various sizes, shapes,
and location.
[0136] The wettability of the openings, the fabric thickness, and
the height of the openings above the waterline may have an effect
on the apparent surface area available for evaporation. To remove
or reverse the action of the material over time, it could be made
of biodegradable elements (for removal) or elements prone to
biofouling (for reversal).
[0137] In one embodiment of the invention, sheets or fabrics may be
placed on glaciers to provide environmental modification. For
fabrics to be used on glaciers, they may be wetted on surfaces or
within pores to provide and enhance an evaporative cooling
effect.
[0138] d. Cooling Fins
[0139] In accordance with an alternate embodiment of the invention,
the climate control materials may have cooling fins. Such cooling
fins may be formed of any protrusion or sculpted feature that may
stand out from a surface. For example, cooling fins may be an
elongated shape that may stand out, be orthogonal to, or
substantially perpendicular to the surface of a climate control
material. In other examples, the cooling fins may be nubs, bumps,
or waves on a surface, or any surface features that may increase
surface area and may provide greater area for evaporation and heat
transfer.
[0140] The cooling fins can be combined with any of the embodiments
of the invention described herein. For example, cooling fins may be
applied to plate structures, or on sheet-like structures.
[0141] e. Oils/Fluids
[0142] In accordance with one embodiment of the invention,
floatable climate control materials may be comprised of oil or
other fluid coatings. Fluid coatings may be formed of materials
that would minimize harmful ecological impact while providing high
albedo and evaporation rates, or especially low evaporation rates
and high albedo for storm control applications. High albedo from
fluid coatings may reduce the overheating of the ocean or body of
water, even when evaporation is suppressed. In some embodiments,
choosing a proper thickness of fluid coating may enable good
reflectivity from the resulting optical properties of the
ocean/fluid/air interfaces.
[0143] Some possible examples of fluid materials may include crude
oil, vegetable oil, or mineral oil. The benefit of using fluid
materials is that they may affect albedo or overall reflectivity
and be good for applications that require a low environmental
evaporation rate. Alternatively, a fluid with a high evaporation
rate may be used, which may cool the local area. A fluid climate
control material may provide a thin layer, which could minimize
costs. Fluids may also be easily poured out, which may make
deployment simple. Fluids may also be surrounded by devices such as
oil containment booms to localize them to occupy only the specified
areas. Fluid coatings may be formed of materials that could
minimize harmful ecological impact. Fluids could be used in
combination with other materials, such as floating balls of various
compositions
[0144] 2. Building Blocks
[0145] In one embodiment of the invention, the components of the
climate control materials may be relatively small floatable
materials, such as materials in roughly spherical shapes, bottles,
roughly cylindrical fibers, or any other floatable materials that
may be relatively loose. Such floatable materials may be arranged
in such a way so that they form a unit, which may be a building
block of an environmental modification system.
[0146] In accordance with one embodiment of this invention, FIG. 10
illustrates bringing the climate control materials 102 into a unit
by using some sort of corral 107. In one example, a corral may
completely surround the climate control materials. For example, an
oil containment boom may serve as a corral. The invention may
provide for a building block made up of a unit comprising the
corral and the floatable climate control materials enclosed
within.
[0147] A corral may include submerged and/or above-water netting
that could catch climate control materials even during severe
storms, while allowing ice crystals to pass through and be blown
out of the corral. FIG. 11 illustrates an embodiment of the
invention where a corral may include the netting feature 118 with
an escape path for ice crystals. The netting could be arranged so
that they would capture any climate control materials 112 while
allowing or encouraging ice crystals to be blown out of the area.
In one implementation, the netting may also include a fabric-like
material. In one embodiment, fabric-like material may have openings
to allow ice crystals out while retaining climate control
materials. In another embodiment, the corrals may include more than
one layer of netting or fabric or other materials. The multiple
layers may have different opening features which may encourage
retention of climate control materials while allowing other objects
to pass through. For instance, a corral may be a fabric or mesh bag
that may contain the climate control materials. A corral may
contain a measurement system that can include sensors, powering,
and communications.
[0148] FIG. 12 shows another possible corralling arrangement for
climate control materials. In this example, the corral 127 may only
partially surround the materials 122, rather than surrounding them
completely. The invention may provide for a building block made up
of a unit comprising the corral and the accompanying floatable
climate control materials.
[0149] In an alternate embodiment of the invention, the components
of climate control materials may be plates of varying shapes or
sizes. It can be deployed in a shape to allow a manner of
self-assembly after having been deployed in some manner, such as
having been shipped in, deployed by a submarine, or dropped from an
airplane or helicopter. Minimizing assembly time onsite may be
advantageous. In order to do so, such plates may have various
interconnecting means. One example of an interconnecting means are
lock-and-groove features on the sides of the plates. Another
example of interconnecting means may include a snap-together
assembly. Such interlocking features may be reversible as well in
case the system overcorrects and it is necessary to remove it.
[0150] Another means of plate interconnectedness may include
hinging plates together, so that they may form a smaller shape that
can be unfolded upon deployment into a bigger shape. For example,
FIG. 13A illustrates a rectangular plate unit 130 with hinges 131
in its folded up state. Such a structure may be more compact and
easier to deploy. FIG. 13B shows the rectangular plate unit 130
after it has been unfolded. Using an unfolding technique may also
minimize on-site assembly time and complexity.
[0151] FIG. 14A, 14B shows an example of plates being used as
building components that have been interlocked to form building
blocks. The figures show a top view of the plates 142A, 142B that
have been interlocked. In these examples, the shapes of the
components may be such that they can interlock to form a continuous
plate 140A, 140B. FIG. 14C shows an example of plates 142C
interlocking but not to form one continuous plate. In some
applications, it may be advantageous to allow interlocking plates
but leave gaps 143. Interlocking plates may have different shapes.
Using a combination of shapes that may interlock may enable
flexibility in determining what shapes to make the building
blocks.
[0152] In an embodiment of the invention, the climate control
components may consist of sheet-like structures. Sheets may have
interconnecting means, and may also be foldable, like the plate
structures. The interconnecting means of the sheets may or may not
be the same type of mechanisms of the plates. For example, sheets
may have buoyancy features at their edges, which may provide
support and interconnecting means. For example, buoyancy features
at the edge of sheets may have similar assemblies to plate-like
climate control materials, such as lock-and-groove assemblies and
snap-together assemblies.
[0153] The components of climate control materials may include
fluid materials in accordance with another embodiment of the
invention. Fluid climate control materials may be enclosed in a
corral, such as previously discussed for relatively small floatable
materials.
[0154] 3. Building Cluster Containers
[0155] In one embodiment of the invention, the components of the
climate control materials may be pre-clustered so that they form a
unit. Such units may be arranged or distributed in different
manners to form a cluster.
[0156] FIG. 15 shows one example of a building cluster for
floatable climate control materials. Climate control materials 152
may be corralled into units 151 which may be clustered in a roughly
hexagonal close packed arrangement. There may also be some open
areas or spaces 153 defined between the clusters which may allow
the effects of the deployment to be enhanced through coverage of a
larger area. The hexagonal close packed array can, within the scope
of the invention, be further extended out to include more elements.
In one implementation, the corralled structures might include means
for connecting the corrals in a desirable fashion.
[0157] For example, the corralled structures 161 may be connected
to one another by connecting buoyant portions 163 of the corrals to
one another, as shown in FIG. 16A. In one implementation, the
corrals may be connected by some interconnecting means, similar to
interconnecting means discussed previously, such as the
lock-and-groove assemblies, snap-together assemblies, or other
assemblies, such as tying the corrals together. In another example,
the corralled structures may be connected to one another through
other mechanisms which may be looser, such as lines 165 or chains
or other flexible means, as shown in FIG. 16B.
[0158] As in several of the embodiments described above, a corral
or containment boom can be used to constrain the elements of the
system before, as or after they self-assemble or otherwise move
into position. Corrals may use submerged and/or above-water
netting, as discussed previously.
[0159] Corrals can be devised with control means which can serve to
keep the materials, devices and system removed from shipping lanes
and the like.
[0160] Embodiments of materials, designs, and other systems for
environmental climate control materials may be deployed or used in
methods described in U.S. Application No. 61/044,453, filed on Apr.
11, 2008, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its
entirety.
[0161] C. Materials Production
[0162] In one embodiment of the invention, the climate control
materials may include plates or sheet-like structures. One method
of producing such materials may involve starting from smaller
material components, such as beads, and heating them so that they
may fuse together. In some implementations, the smaller components
may be of low melting temperatures, such as low-melting temperature
glass or beads. The smaller components may or may not have
different material properties, and may be fused into a flat sheet
or plate with a desired pattern.
[0163] Materials can be by-products of other operations, such as
cenospheres which are a byproduct from coal-fired plants, and can
be prepared to be used in the present invention by means such as
sieving to get a desired particle size, washing, and surface
preparations. These and other suitable materials can be prepared as
desired, with or without surface treatments, and assembled into
aggregates or deployed as-is, by dropping, folding, unrolling, and
the like.
[0164] D. Sensors
[0165] 1. Sensor Systems
[0166] Another embodiment of the invention may include sensors that
may monitor the invention and the effects of the invention.
Communication and powering for such sensors that may be
advantageously incorporated in this invention may include
communication means for remote monitoring, data logging for
eventual on-site data collection and aggregation, and remote or
local powering (solar, batteries, or wireless powering) of the
sensors and communication means.
[0167] This can be accomplished in several ways, including placing
sensors near the deployment of climate control materials. For
example, sensors and communication and powering equipment may be
placed on or within a corral such as a containment boom such as
used for containing oil spills that may be used to surround
floating climate control materials, as shown in FIG. 10.
Additionally, such equipment could be placed on or within a buoy
deployed in or near the area of floating materials. Some or all of
the sensor, communication and powering equipment may also be placed
on or within a suspension element deployed in or near the area of
materials used to adjust local albedo and/or evaporation rate.
Alternatively, some or all of the sensors, communications and
powering equipment may be placed in or on the materials
themselves.
[0168] In addition to being incorporated into buoys, anchor points,
containment booms and the like, the sensors, communications
systems, and powering may also be placed at nearby shores, and
similar locations. They can be powered in a variety of ways, such
as being solar powered, or being powered by batteries or remote
wireless communication. The sensors can also be interrogated and
surveyed remotely, such as via satellite or submarine, and/or can
upload data periodically to a data logger to be picked up or
interrogated at a later point (for instance, when the weather
permits access to the system location). Small sensors such as
so-called smartdust sensors with self-configuring wireless
communications networks may be advantageously employed in this
invention.
[0169] In one embodiment of the invention, the optical properties
of climate control materials may also be chosen or treated in order
to provide ease of detection from satellites or other remote
sensing devices. Adjusting optical properties such as surface,
color, translucency, or reflectivity may aid in sensing
applications, which may provide information and enable control of
the materials if necessary. Adjusting optical properties of
materials may not only apply to optical sensing devices, but may
have effects which can be read by other devices. For example,
climate control materials with certain optical properties may also
have a unique heat signature which may be read by a thermal sensing
device.
[0170] As mentioned previously, signatures may be provided on the
climate control materials themselves, in the event that they may
break free and may continue to be monitored. For example, radio
frequency identification (RFID) may be used on the materials. The
materials may have RFID tags incorporated, which may be read
remotely. In another example, the materials may use so-called
smartdust type sensors, which may include tiny
MicroElectroMechanical Systems (MEMS) sensors or micromachined or
microfabricated sensors with wireless communications.
[0171] 2. Sensor Types
[0172] There may be many types of sensors that can monitor climate
control materials and their effects. Some sensor types that are
advantageously incorporated in this invention include a GPS and
identifying information to locate and monitor the location and
effects of the implementation.
[0173] Above the ice, there may be sensors that can monitor
information such as humidity, temperature, albedo, evaporation
rate, and freezing rate. The above-ice sensors may use a satellite
tracking signature.
[0174] Sensors may also be dispatched within the ice, which may
measure physical features of the ice, such as ice morphology,
thickness, albedo, and snow cover. Sensors may also measure
properties of the ice such as salinity, channel morphology,
porosity, thermal conductivity, stress, strain, and strength.
[0175] Sensors may be deployed below the ice to measure
environmental information such as salinity, temperature, freezing
depth, and circulation patterns. Sensors below the ice may
determine effects on the ecosystem, and may try to determine solar
absorption at the below-ice surface and at various depths beneath
the surface.
[0176] Sensors may not be necessary for deployment with the climate
control materials in accordance with one embodiment of the
invention. For instance, sensors may not be necessary for wider
implementations after an implementation strategy has been chosen
from evaluating data from the initial experimentation and
implementation.
[0177] 3. Controls
[0178] In some embodiments of the invention, the sensors may
include a control capability, which may affect the climate control
materials. This ability to provide feedback may enable applications
such as sensing when it may be advantageous to move climate control
materials and act accordingly. This may also include the ability to
monitor and change albedo or evaporation rates of local areas
associated with the materials.
[0179] E. Environmental Modification and Other Applications
[0180] The materials, designs, apparatuses, and arrangements
described herein may be used with any methods for environmental
climate control modification, as described in PCT application Ser.
No. PCT/US08/11690, entitled "Methods for Environmental
Modification with Climate Control Materials and Coverings" by
Leslie A. Field, filed Oct. 9, 2008, which is hereby incorporated
by reference herein in its entirety.
[0181] The ability for local environmental climate control may be
useful in scenarios relating to global warming, and even in
situations where another means of control for global warming have
been instituted or in the absence of global warming. Possessing the
capability to tailor climate locally and globally using the
techniques of the current invention may have advantageous
applications.
[0182] In one application of the invention, the systems may be used
to rebuild polar ice. In such an application, it may be preferable
for climate control materials and coverings to have high albedo and
increase local evaporation rates, as discussed previously. Other
material properties and designs may be optimized for polar ice
rebuild.
[0183] In another application of the invention, the systems may be
used as an interim habitat for various species in itself, and
optionally while the polar ice rebuilds. One example of this may
include the pullout for polar bears, walruses, or other species, as
mentioned previously. In addition to having high albedo and
increasing local evaporation rates, the climate control materials
used in these applications may have a high buoyancy. If the systems
are being used as an interim habitat, it may not be necessary to
use the invention to rebuild ice.
[0184] The systems may be used for glacier retention or rebuilding
in accordance with another application of the invention. Climate
control materials may be scattered on glacier surfaces or otherwise
distributed on or nearby the glacier surfaces or open water. Such
materials may have a high albedo and increase local evaporation
rates. Similarly, the systems can be used for snow retention and
building in sensitive climate and recreational areas.
[0185] Another environmental modification application may include
crop environmental modification. Climate control materials may be
used for temperature and moisture control. The albedo of the
materials may affect how much sunlight is reflected, which may
affect local temperature. Furthermore, the evaporation rate can be
adjusted as desired.
[0186] In another application, by properly controlling the rate of
evaporation over bodies of water, the invention can be used at the
proper time of the year to diminish the intensity of tropical
storms, and removed following the storm season to allow normal
evaporation levels. In this application, a device, system or method
may be used to adjust the albedo of areas in order to decrease
evaporation to decrease rainfall and/or storm severity. In
addition, the invention may be used for adjustment of the relative
humidity of areas surrounding the adjusted areas in order to
decrease evaporation to decrease rainfall and/or storm severity.
Aspects of the invention may be adjusted as discussed previously,
with characteristics tailored to reduce evaporation.
[0187] One preferable embodiment of the invention that may be
applied to the storm control aspect of the invention may be to use
a monolayer coating of a liquid (akin to "pouring oil on troubled
waters") that may reduce the evaporation rate of the water in the
storm path. The effect of the fluid coating may be temporary, and
it may be removed, either by dispersal, by biodegradation, or by
being consumed by wildlife or other environmental actions or
agents. Such a fluid coating may be chosen to have a small or zero
ecological impact, and may advantageously include materials such as
mineral oils or vegetable oils (including corn oil, given current
high production levels of corn).
[0188] A plastic sheet, preferably without pores, or rafts of
plastic bottles as described previously, but chosen or treated so
as to be largely unwettable may also be advantageous embodiments of
this invention for a storm control application.
[0189] This invention may be applied to rainfall pattern
modification as well. By properly controlling the rate of
evaporation over bodies of water, the invention can be used to
enhance evaporation to increase rainfall and/or alleviate
conditions of drought. In this application of the invention, a
climate control material may adjust the albedo or relative humidity
of areas in order to enhance evaporation to increase rainfall
and/or alleviate drought. The system may be removable when no
longer needed, to allow the area to return to its normal weather
pattern.
[0190] This invention may also be used in applications requiring
increased efficiency of cooling, such as for industrial
applications such as power plants and large data centers,
especially in regions where excess heat has an adverse
environmental impact.
[0191] Furthermore, this invention can be used to stabilize
permafrost, with a possible side benefit of preventing release of
methane (a powerful greenhouse gas) and a benefit of stabilizing
infrastructure used for housing, roads, pipelines, utilities and
the like.
[0192] The techniques of this invention can be further used to
contribute environmental control to man-made structures and
buildings, introducing a cooling element to such facilities.
[0193] In a further application, the techniques of this invention
can be used in conjunction with judicious choices of composition
and structure to enhance carbon sequestration from the atmosphere
and the ocean by incorporating more stable reactants, such as
calcium and magnesium carbonate compounds, into the environmental
modification materials over time.
[0194] It should be understood from the foregoing that, while
particular implementations have been illustrated and described,
various modifications can be made thereto and are contemplated
herein. It is also not intended that the invention be limited by
the specific examples provided within the specification. While the
invention has been described with reference to the aforementioned
specification, the descriptions and illustrations of the preferable
embodiments herein are not meant to be construed in a limiting
sense. Furthermore, it shall be understood that all aspects of the
invention are not limited to the specific depictions,
configurations or relative proportions set forth herein which
depend upon a variety of conditions and variables. Various
modifications in form and detail of the embodiments of the
invention will be apparent to a person skilled in the art. It is
therefore contemplated that the invention shall also cover any such
modifications, variations and equivalents.
* * * * *