Oil Droplet Size Distributions in Deep-Sea Blowouts: Influence of Pressure and Dissolved Gases

Environmental Science & Technology
Karen MaloneDieter Krause

Abstract

To date, experimental investigations to determine the droplet size distribution (DSD) of subsea oil spills were mostly conducted at surface conditions, i.e. at atmospheric pressure, and with dead, i.e. purely liquid, oils. To investigate the influence of high hydrostatic pressure and of gases dissolved in the oil on the DSD, experiments with a downscaled blowout are conducted in a high-pressure autoclave at 150 bar hydrostatic pressure. Jets of "live", i.e. methane-saturated, crude oil and n-decane are compared to jets of "dead" hydrocarbon liquids in artificial seawater. Experiments show that methane dissolved in the liquid oil increases the volume median droplet diameter significantly by up to 97%. These results are not in good accordance with state-of-the-art drop formation models, which are based on oil-only experiments at atmospheric pressure, and therefore show the need for a modification of such models which incorporates effects of hydrostatic pressure and dissolved gases for the modeling of deep-sea oil spills and blowouts.

References

Jul 20, 2011·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·Christopher M ReddyRichard Camilli
Nov 4, 2011·Langmuir : the ACS Journal of Surfaces and Colloids·John A BoxallDavid T Wu
Dec 22, 2011·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·Marcia K McNuttFrank Shaffer
Feb 4, 2012·The Review of Scientific Instruments·Eric B WebbMatthew W Liberatore
May 10, 2017·Marine Pollution Bulletin·Malcolm SpauldingAndrew Bird
May 18, 2017·Marine Pollution Bulletin·Lin ZhaoKenneth Lee

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Citations

Jan 27, 2019·Scientific Reports·Marco UttieriJ Rudi Strickler
Dec 20, 2020·Marine Pollution Bulletin·Robin FaillettazSteven A Murawski
Jan 9, 2021·Marine Pollution Bulletin·Cortis CooperJonas Gros
Jan 16, 2021·The Journal of Chemical Physics·Zhang XieJintu Fan
Dec 4, 2019·Marine Pollution Bulletin·Scott A SocolofskyE Eric Adams
Aug 29, 2020·Environmental Science & Technology·Jonas GrosAnusha L Dissanayake
Nov 28, 2021·Environmental Science and Pollution Research International·Qiuyan WangQigui Li

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Related Concepts

Trending Feeds

COVID-19

Coronaviruses encompass a large family of viruses that cause the common cold as well as more serious diseases, such as the ongoing outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19; formally known as 2019-nCoV). Coronaviruses can spread from animals to humans; symptoms include fever, cough, shortness of breath, and breathing difficulties; in more severe cases, infection can lead to death. This feed covers recent research on COVID-19.

Blastomycosis

Blastomycosis fungal infections spread through inhaling Blastomyces dermatitidis spores. Discover the latest research on blastomycosis fungal infections here.

Nuclear Pore Complex in ALS/FTD

Alterations in nucleocytoplasmic transport, controlled by the nuclear pore complex, may be involved in the pathomechanism underlying multiple neurodegenerative diseases including Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Frontotemporal Dementia. Here is the latest research on the nuclear pore complex in ALS and FTD.

Applications of Molecular Barcoding

The concept of molecular barcoding is that each original DNA or RNA molecule is attached to a unique sequence barcode. Sequence reads having different barcodes represent different original molecules, while sequence reads having the same barcode are results of PCR duplication from one original molecule. Discover the latest research on molecular barcoding here.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Chronic fatigue syndrome is a disease characterized by unexplained disabling fatigue; the pathology of which is incompletely understood. Discover the latest research on chronic fatigue syndrome here.

Evolution of Pluripotency

Pluripotency refers to the ability of a cell to develop into three primary germ cell layers of the embryo. This feed focuses on the mechanisms that underlie the evolution of pluripotency. Here is the latest research.

Position Effect Variegation

Position Effect Variagation occurs when a gene is inactivated due to its positioning near heterochromatic regions within a chromosome. Discover the latest research on Position Effect Variagation here.

STING Receptor Agonists

Stimulator of IFN genes (STING) are a group of transmembrane proteins that are involved in the induction of type I interferon that is important in the innate immune response. The stimulation of STING has been an active area of research in the treatment of cancer and infectious diseases. Here is the latest research on STING receptor agonists.

Microbicide

Microbicides are products that can be applied to vaginal or rectal mucosal surfaces with the goal of preventing, or at least significantly reducing, the transmission of sexually transmitted infections. Here is the latest research on microbicides.