Ever thought dolphins could inspire the next big thing in green tech? 🐬 Well, meet the \"bionic dolphin skin\" that's helping massive oil tankers save fuel and cut emissions!
Docked at Quanzhou port in southeast China's Fujian Province is a colossal crude carrier with a capacity of 300,000 tonnes. But this isn't just any ship—it's equipped with a special propeller wrapped in bionic dolphin skin!
Inspired by how dolphins glide effortlessly through water, researchers have developed a synthetic \"skin\" that mimics the micro-structures and slick surfaces of dolphin skin. This tech reduces friction between the propeller and water, making the ship more efficient. Talk about making waves in marine technology! 🌊
So, what's the big deal? With this innovative skin, the ship saves about 2% in fuel consumption—translating to over 300 tonnes of fuel saved each year! That's more than 1 million yuan (around $140,000) back in the bank and a reduction of over 900 tonnes of CO2 emissions annually. 💰🌿
Just like dolphins create tiny whirlpools around their bodies to reduce drag, the bionic skin forms micro-eddies that turn sliding friction into rolling friction. Combined with a special surface that secretes a lubricant-like substance (think dolphin mucus but way less gross!), it keeps energy loss to a minimum.
And here's the kicker—the cost to outfit a propeller with this tech? About $20,000. Compared to other solutions, it's simpler and more cost-effective. As researcher Zeng Zhixiang puts it, \"Different from bionic shark skin, our bionic dolphin skin is comparatively simpler and more budget-friendly.\" 🦈❌🐬✅
After over 200 days at sea and 35,000 nautical miles covered between Chinese coastal ports and the Middle East, the results are in, and they're impressive. Now, COSCO SHIPPING Energy Transportation plans to roll out this tech across more than 100 crude carriers. That's a tidal wave of positive change for the environment and the industry! 🌎🚢
Who knew dolphins could help giant ships go green? Next time you see one of these majestic creatures, remember—they might just be inspiring the next generation of eco-friendly tech!
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
