CompAir’s compressors are used to protect marine life during bomb disposals

CompAir manufactures a wide range of compressors that are recognized for high quality, efficiency and performance. These compressors are used for a variety of applications, from product drying to air-operated robots and spray finishing equipment.

One of the more unique applications CompAir compressors have been used for is creating underwater bubble curtains to protect marine life during bomb disposal operations.

Bubble curtain project

Bubble curtain technology involves using compressors to create a protective curtain of air bubbles that can absorb and reflect sound waves. When the hydraulic engineering company Hydrotechnik took on a bomb disposal project in the Baltic Sea, it used CompAir's C210-TS NA TurboScrew compressor to make a bubble curtain. The project involved the detonation of up to 100 large munitions southeast of the Kiel Fjord.

A bubble curtain needed to be created surrounding the detonation site. Perforated pipes were laid on the seabed in a circle around the munition, and a compressor was used to supply air. Bubbles form and rise from the pipe, creating a curtain spanning from the seabed to the surface. This ensures that the energy from the explosion would follow the path of least resistance and be directed towards the surface, minimizing any harm to marine life.

Results

The portable TurboScrew compressor was ideal for the job, as it was able to reduce the shock and sound waves from a 250-kilogram munition. This compressor also uses up to 30 per cent less diesel than any comparable compressor available, so Hydrotechnik benefited from high energy efficiency and low operating costs.

Creating a bubble curtain requires thorough understanding of how compressed air bubbles behave in water, and CompAir has the know-how and technical equipment to help. The company can assist with correctly setting all the parameters, including compressor air pressure, air volume, how many nozzles per metre of pipe, nozzle shape, nozzle alignment, nozzle diameter and bubble diameter.

For more information on the many applications CompAir can help with, visit the company’s website.

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