Authors’ description:
Why
Global warming is definitely one of the most common problems in the world. The phenomenon is an increase in the average temperature of the earth’s atmosphere because an increased amount of the energy (heat) striking the earth from the sun is being trapped in the atmosphere and not radiated out into space. There are many effects of global warming and the one that GlazeNet pays attention to is a melting of glaciers. According to research, the vast majority of glaciers in the European glacial regions are in retreat. Glaciers in the European Alps have lost approximately half of their volume since 1900, with clear acceleration since the 1980s. Glacier retreat is expected to continue in the future. It also affects freshwater supply and runoff regimes, river navigation, irrigation and power generation. Furthermore, it may cause natural hazards and damage to infrastructure.
What
GlazeNet is high tech flying robot that is capable of ejecting excess heat out of the atmosphere in the form of infrared rays and in the same time can cool down the surface of the glacier so it reduces the process of melting. The project aims to call for action towards sustaining glaciers all over the world and the answer to the problem is relatively temporary due to the urgency of melting glaciers. GlazeNet not only solves the solution for now, however, but it also raises the awareness of the glacier importance for further improvement and development.
How
System
The system that is used inside the GlazeNet single unit is radiative sky cooling which is a passive cooling technique that exploits a natural feature of Earth’s atmosphere: it is partially transparent to electromagnetic radiation. The idea of it is the following: Not only the reflecting panels located in the single unit reflects the radiation back to the sky, but it also converts the warmth from outside to generate the cool air. As a result, the melting process is decreased.
Mechanism of transport
GlazeNet is designed to react to the surroundings needs. The GlazeNet stations that are set systematically (picture 0.3) in the Alps, are there to monitor the Alps conditions and guide Glazenet units to fly to specific zones where the snow is melting. Each unit consists of 7 sub-units that are working as a panel (opened mode), however, also as a blade (closed mode), what makes whole unit flying. The system of transferring blades is based on sphere geometry (the same radius let us make blades accurate to both uses).
Design
GlazeNet design is formed to be part of the mountain landscape, and rather than interfering with it, GlazeNet plays along with glacier. The white cover, the structure and the scale of a single unit have been chosen to be compatible with the ice sheet. One single unit is formed as hexagon which facilitates the further formation of the net. Merging multiple single units of Glazent creates the form that covers smoothly the glacier.