Evaporation Prevention Using Molecular Blankets

Makarand writes "According to this article in the New Scientist, a Canadian company is testing a technology to reduce water evaporation from reservoirs by spreading an ultra-thin blanket of organic molecules on the surface to block the escape of water molecules into the air. Trials conducted in India and Morocco showed between 30 and 45 per cent reduction in evaporation using this method. However, the long term ecological effects of reducing evaporation in lakes or reservoirs is not yet clear as evaporation prevention can increase water temperatures and affect the exchange rates of gases such as oxygen, nitrogen and carbon dioxide."

Comments

Algae population ?

[Anonymous Coward]

won't this increase the algae population ?

the problem with water is distribution not evaporation

Is this Really New??

[RMacolyte]

What's the difference between this "new" system for evaporation prevention and the Liquid Solar Blankets sold in Pool Supply stores? This tech has been used for years!! Course this company has probably jacked up the pricing since this is supposedly "new" once again...

other uses

[distro stu]

I'm sure they could use this in the Ural Sea (or whats left of it). Could animals drink through it? If they could I can imagine this being very useful for the thirsty animals during dry seasons in Africa's national parks.

Re:Weather too

[pipingguy]

Don't forget possible changes to the weather. For instance, there are a number of areas whose climate and micro-climate are influenced by nearby bodies of water.

Were you envisioning covering the Great Lakes with this stuff?

I'd be willing to test the product in my toilet based on the assumption that it'd reduce the atomized crap on my toothbrush due to flushing.

J G Ballard's "The Drought"

[Dynamoo]

This is *exactly* the basis for the plot in J G Ballard's bleak vision of the future, "The Drought" where the oceans become covered in a thin molecular film which prevents evaporation of the seas, and hence no rain.

In the book the film is caused by pollution, but it is almost impossible to disperse and remains resistant to the waves and man-made attempts to break up the film. In the end, humanity ends up clinging to life by the edges of the ocean, each person with their own solar-powered desalination plant.

A sobering thought if you've read the book. Imaging what whould happen if this stuff got loose?