Texas A&M creates 17-ft fire whirl; burns oil faster, cuts soot, uses up to 95% fuel

A giant, tornado-like flame may offer a cleaner and faster way to respond to oil spills at sea. In a large-scale experiment, researchersfrom Texas A&M University and the University of California, Berkeley created a nearly 17-foot-tall fire whirl over crude oil floating on water. The spinning flame burned the oil about 40% faster than a conventional oil-spill fire, reduced soot emissions by 40% and consumed up to 95% of the fuel.The unusual experiment was designed to address a difficult problem that emergency crews face after an offshore oil spill: whether to let the oil spread or ignite it in place. Traditional “in-situ burning” can stop an oil slick from reaching sensitive coastlines, but it also produces thick smoke and may leave behind unburned oil and toxic residue.The Texas A&M team believes a controlled fire whirl could make that emergency response more efficient while reducing some of the environmental costs associated with burning crude oil.Why oil spills are sometimes burnedWhen crude oil spreads across the surface of the ocean, it can quickly threaten marine animals, seabirds, wetlands and coastal habitats. Floating slicks may travel with wind and currents, making...