by yeshe

Created on: July 15, 2010   Last Updated: July 17, 2010

If methane is going to spew all over the place in the gulf and possible in other areas then a solution needs to be constructed quickly. In mines Methane used to be referred to as firedam The Davy lamp is a flame enclosed inside a mesh of a certain fineness and protected in such a way the flame cannot ignite methane or firedamp.  However, when methane or firedamp is present it will burn the methane and the flame will burn more brightly using the methane as fuel in addition to the primary fuel source.

If I was living close to this spill this would be my first experiment: to see how one of these lamps burned in various areas as this would be a simple low cost way of testing the air. Much cheaper than sending air samples for laboratory testing. Keeping a lamp like this burning in living quarters may enhance the quality of the air. Even candles may work. Remember the expression from the trenches, " strike a light"? That is what you do if someone passes wind in an environment where escape from methane is difficult.

If indeed there is methane in the air in the gulf states then using a system of Davey lamps for waterfront lighting might help clear the air of methane and also provide a free fuel boost for lighting. The trick would be to control the lamp thermostatically to prevent it using its own fuel (say gas) when methane was flowing into the flame.

Maybe it is possible to protect a community by placing large burners of this kind around it. In the russian desert a large sink hole exists, the result of another mining operation gone wrong. Gas is constantly being emmitted from this sink hole and the solution to prevent all life around from being destroyed has been to continuously burn the gas. This giant sink hole burns methane day and night and may burn on for centuries.  Fire is the weapon of choice against this poison and has been used from ancient times in the area around the Caspian sea where oil and gas bubbles to the surface.

The ancient Zoroastran fire temple had four huge towers which functioned as gas burners on each corner of the building, and burned the methane emmitted naturally from the ground in that area, keeping the air fit for breathing, and providing a spectacular desplay of natural power. If there is indeed a serious methane problem in the gulf then perhaps a similar solution can be applied using large versions of the Davey lamp. The heat  might be harvested to produce power.

The Zoroastran religion exists only as remnants mostly in parts of India, having been overwhelmed by the rise of Islam. Maybe it's time for a revival of fire worship.

Learn more about this author, yeshe.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.