Method

Procedure

1.      The test apparatus is made in two pieces.

2.         Part 1 – Marine Environment. A large, rectangular, plastic container is used to contain the sea water where the oil spills will occur. Pieces of yarn are taped every 10 cm. across the length and width of the container in a grid to help determine the size and movement of the spill. A rectangular notch is cut at one end of container to help fit the second part of the apparatus.

3.         Part 2 – Wind Tunnel. The wind tunnel is made up of a 3-speed fan fitted with a tapered plastic bag which is connected to a rectangular wood box which sits in the rectangular notch of the marine container. The tunnel forces air to flow over the surface of the water like the winds over an ocean.

4.         The wood box supports a funnel connected to a plastic tube to help create the spill just below the wind tunnel exit.

5.         A large tub of sea water is made by mixing 35 grams of sea salt into every litre of water. Six litres of fresh ocean water is used in each of the tests.

6.         Each test represents a different environmental condition. There are four wind speed tests for each of the arctic, temperate and tropical environments. The wind speeds are:

           - calm air (0 kph),

            - a low velocity ocean breeze (30 kph),

            - a medium velocity storm (62 kph) and

            - high velocity gale force winds (98 kph).

7.         In the Arctic tests, the ocean water is chilled in a freezer until it reaches 2 degrees C, just like Prince William Sound in Alaska.

8.         In the temperate tests, the ocean water is kept at 18 degrees C, just like Cape Cod out in the Atlantic Ocean.

9.         In the tropical tests, the ocean water is warmed in a container by a water bath until it is 30 degrees C, just like the water surrounding the Florida Keys.

10.       Once the test water is poured into the marine container, the wind speed is selected. Oil is then introduced into the environment.

11.  A vial with 5 milliliters of heavy motor oil is stained with a small amount of oil paint so it can be more easily seen on the water.

12. The vial is emptied into the funnel to start the test. Each test runs for 10 minutes to determine the behavior of each spill in each of the environments.

13.  Each spill is measured in three ways:

            the distance and rate the oil moves down the container   from the source of the spill,

            the rate and size of how wide the oil spreads, and

            the amount of dispersion (how the spills breaks into smaller blobs of oil).

14.  A digital camera is used to record  a video of the spill to help measure the damage. The yarn grid measures both distance in 10cm units and area in 100 square centimetre per block. Dispersion is measured by counting the blobs in the spill.

15. The results are recorded.

16. The marine environment is emptied and wiped down, and then the next test is done. Each test is done twice and the results are averaged.