This device operates solely on the up and down movement of waves and pumps up low-temperature water from the lower layers, lowering the sea surface temperature and suppressing the generation of water vapor, while also increasing the absorption of oxygen and CO₂ .
It pumps up water that is colder than the ocean surface at a depth of 3 to 6 meters and spreads it over a wide area on the surface.
The following effects are expected:
1. Suppression of water vapor generation ⇒ Control of typhoons and heavy rains, mitigation of extreme heat in coastal areas
2. Increase in dissolved gases in the ocean (proportion of dissolved oxygen and CO2) ⇒ Measures to prevent oxygen deficiency and CO2 capture (DAC effect)
3. Increased phytoplankton will stimulate marine resources, leading to increased food production
We started development as a means to improve the following issues:
1. Climate change and changing weather patterns: Rising sea surface temperatures may increase the intensity and frequency of typhoons.
② Changes in ocean circulation: This may also affect ocean circulation, resulting in changes in ocean currents and climate around the world.
3) Impact on the ecosystem: Serious impacts will be made on the distribution, reproduction, food availability, coral reefs, and fish schools of marine life.
4) Melting of glaciers and ice sheets: Rising sea surface temperatures will accelerate the melting of glaciers and ice sheets, affecting low-lying coastal areas.
⑤ Problems related to rising temperatures: Temperatures will rise across the globe, resulting in an increase in meteorological events such as heat waves, droughts, and floods.
⑥ Decrease in the amount of oxygen and CO2 absorbed from the air by the ocean: The amount of oxygen and CO2 absorbed by the ocean will decrease, leading to the death of fish and shellfish from lack of oxygen and a decrease in phytoplankton.
In Chiba City
The maximum instantaneous wind speed recorded was 57.5 m/s.
Taking advantage of the 2019 Boso Peninsula typhoon
Joint development begins with Shibaura Institute of Technology
Source: Meteorological Risk Management Division, Atmospheric and Oceanic Department, Japan Meteorological Agency
A wave-type upwelling pump consists of a pipe (commercially available PVC pipe) with a check valve connected to a floating body (buoy).
Basic Structure
When it rises , the valve closes and the water in the pipe is pulled up.
When descending, the valve opens and the water is discharged.
By repeating this process, sustained upwelling (pumping) is possible while utilizing wave energy.
Pumping principle
First generation device
Experimental image : Low-level water is discharged from a pipe equipped with a check valve. (Source: Shibaura Institute of Technology)
Downwind side diffusion illustration
non-return valve
Overall structure
Technical novelty
1. Pumping cold water from shallow sea layers (3-5m deep) = Small-sized and distributed installation of equipment is possible
2. Wide fin-shaped check valve = capable of lifting water even with small waves and dispersing it in ultra-shallow water
3. Preventing the settlement of organisms inside the pipe and promoting settlement on the outside = Fish-attracting effect (payao)
Novelty in terms of implementation
1. Zero energy = Powered by wave energy, no secondary pollution
2. General-purpose products and utilization of existing marine facilities = Creation of new businesses for fisheries-related parties and local companies
3. Open technology = royalty-free provision of know-how
University of Hawaii, University of Oregon “Open Ocean Experiments of Upwelling Control Using Wave Pumping Technology” ANGELICQUE WHITE , Oregon State University, Department of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, Corvallis, Oregon KARINBJO¨RKMAN and ERIC GRABOWSKI, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Department of Marine and Earth Sciences and Technology, Honolulu, Hawaii RICARDO LETELIER, Oregon State University, Department of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, Corvallis, Oregon STEVE POULOS, BLAKE WATKINS, and DAVID KARL, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Department of Marine and Earth Sciences and Technology, Honolulu, Hawaii
☆Currently, improvements are being made to enable water to be pumped and diffused at zero centimeters above sea level.
Cost estimate for lowering sea surface temperature in Tokyo Bay by 1°C
Condition settings:
Tokyo Bay area = 100 km²
Cooling depth of surface water = 0.1m (heat skin layer)
Upwelling pump inner diameter = 3.0m (cross-sectional area = 7.06m²)
Length of upwelling pump = 5.0m Estimated cost of upwelling pump = 2 million yen/unit
Fluctuation conditions: The 5.0m depth layer contains low-temperature water with a sea surface temperature of -3.0℃ (summer to autumn).
Sea surface temperature = 30°C
Water temperature at a depth of 5m = 27℃
Vertical displacement = 1m (taken from the average wave height of the bay of 0.5m)
Period = 4 seconds
The amount of water vapor that would decrease if the sea surface temperature dropped by 1°C (AI calculation)
Basic formula for calculating upwelling volume
We use the formula used by Griffith University Gold Coast Campus in Australia. Table 3: Formula used by Griffith University Gold Coast Campus
*A is the area of the tube, H is the wave height from trough to crest, and T is the wave period. Assume that the maximum rising speed of the pump is equal to the maximum rising speed of the water surface.
The theoretical formula for upwelling flow: Q_th=πAH/T (-∆ρ/ρ gAT) (A: cross-sectional area of water, H: amplitude, T: wave period) (ρ: density of water, ∆ρ: density difference, g: gravitational acceleration)
Possibility of typhoon control = Evaluation and comparison with national projects using AI / Third-party evaluation based on overseas papers and cases Related materials: ”Limits of artificial ocean cooling in typhoon control and wave-actuated upwelling pumps” Related materials: ”Evaluation of wave-actuated upwelling pumps as a means of typhoon mitigation”
Detects swells during typhoons and increases pumping volume
*Floating reef (Pattaya) effect = Information related to floating structures that utilize the “food chain” in which small fish gather when algae grow, and larger fish then gather to target those small fish.
Countermeasures against extreme heat in coastal cities : Sea surface cooling can reduce utility costs and CO₂ emissions. Related materials-1 Related materials-2
Ocean Carbon Capture (DAC) = Increased CO2 absorption due to lower sea surface temperatures Related materials
About the effects of floating fishing reefs (Pattaya):
Payao means ” raft” in Filipino , and in Japanese it is also called “floating fish reef.”
It is used as a fish-attracting device, taking advantage of the tendency of bonito, tuna, and mahi-hime to gather around driftwood and other floating objects.
In Okinawa and Miyakojima, catches of bonito and tuna are increasing and appear to be becoming the mainstay of the fishing industry.
Currently, the trend is spreading throughout the country, primarily in Okinawa, with many payaos being set up under the leadership of fishing cooperatives .
Unlike conventional artificial reefs that are installed on the seabed, floating reefs are superior in terms of navigation safety and durability, and also contribute to the conservation of marine environments such as coral reefs and mangroves.
The construction of payaos is attracting attention as a method that can achieve both a stable supply of migratory fish and the protection of coastal resources .
Source: TSURINEWS Editorial Department
Differences from deep seawater pumping:
Wave upwelling pumps use wave energy to pump cold shallow water from depths of about 2 to 8 meters using simple equipment, and are primarily used for localized and distributed purposes (e.g., revitalizing fishing grounds and cooling the sea surface).
Compact, low cost, and easy to install and operate。
The pumping of deep seawater using huge equipment involves large-scale pumping of deep seawater from depths of 500 to 1,000 meters or more, with the aim of global-scale applications such as improving ocean circulation over a wide area, improving primary production, and promoting CO₂ absorption.
It is characterized by high installation and maintenance costs, as well as many technical difficulties.。
Summary: Shallow layer – wave power, distributed, small, cheap Deep layer – large scale, high cost, global scale
1. Increasing food production in the ocean: Restoring coastal fisheries through the creation of artificial upwelling areas. 2.1 Suppressing water vapor generation: Mitigating meteorological disasters such as heavy rain, typhoons, and extreme heat.
*What is an upwelling area?
Although upwelling areas account for only about 0.1% of the total ocean surface area , their biological productivity is remarkably high among all marine ecosystems .
A very rich ecosystem is formed.This is because nutrients from the deep sea are brought to the ocean surface, triggering the proliferation of phytoplankton, which are marine producers.
This is because organisms at higher trophic levels increase in number. Upwelling areas become good fishing grounds, which also benefit humans. Source: Wikipedia
Recruiting development project participants
The frequency of typhoons, heavy rain, and heavy snowfall is predicted to increase further in the future. Typhoons are known to rapidly increase in strength, especially when sea surface temperatures exceed 26.5°C.
The wave-driven upwelling pump we are developing is a device that uses the power of waves to pump up cold water from shallow layers and cool the surrounding sea surface. A distinctive feature is the “wave response effect,” which means that when large swells caused by a typhoon arrive, the pumping rate naturally increases. This is expected to suppress the development of typhoons at an early stage.
Under normal circumstances, circulating nutrients in the ocean increases plankton, promoting CO₂ absorption and revitalizing marine resources . This technology is an innovative solution that simultaneously combats climate change and protects the marine environment.
NPO Escot is currently seeking individuals, companies, and organizations to join this project .
Please help us take on the challenge of protecting the future of the Earth through the ocean.
