Future Ships Could Float On Bubbles

MattSparkes writes, "Creating a layer of bubbles underneath a ship's hull could improve fuel efficiency by 20%. When you consider that 90% of the world's goods are transported by sea, the importance of this discovery is obvious. 'Conjured up from thin air at the flick of a switch, this slippery blanket will help transport a fully laden tanker or container ship across the ocean at higher speed, and using far less fuel, than ever before... There is currently no other technique in naval architecture that can promise such savings.'" The article looks in some detail at the engineering problems that will need to be overcome before this technique is practical.

Comments

no other technique???

[DerekTomes]

"...There is currently no other technique in naval architecture that can promise such savings..."

Except sails.

Re:no other technique???

[AK Marc]

They go great together. When you have the wind, you raise the sails and turn the engines down. When you don't have the wind, you take the sails down. You have the same speed either way and are never off schedule. The difference is that you get there using less fuel when you use the sails in addition to the engines.

Re:Have they factored in....

[Daniel_Staal]

Have they factored in the amount of energy required to create the layer of bubbles? Seems like creating a layer of bubbles around the hull of a giant ship would take quite a bit of energy.They are moderately intellegent people. They do think of these obvious things...

(For reference: It is a major problem for one of the approaches being researched, but only one. Another approach already has a 40% reduction in friction by diverting 3% of the ship's power. Well worth the expendeture.)