Methods for collecting and effectively utilizing drifting pumice

Abstract

This invention provides a method for effectively utilizing pumice stone. [Solution] A method for effectively utilizing pumice that has drifted ashore or washed ashore on beaches, characterized by recovering pumice floating on the sea surface with fishing nets or recovering pumice washed ashore on sandy beaches with adhesive sheets or cement, floating the pumice on the sea and generating electricity on the pumice using the up-and-down movement of the sea surface or using wind power to generate electricity or decompose seawater, or floating the pumice on the sea and using the electricity generated on the pumice to manufacture SiO2 or semiconductors using the pumice as a material, or recovering pumice washed ashore on sandy beaches with cement and using it as pumice-containing concrete to be used as disaster prevention doors or insulation boards for houses or to prevent road pavement from freezing.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the utilization of pumice.

Background Art

[0002] Due to the eruption of a submarine volcano once every 100 years, hundreds of millions of tons of magma have been generated, and pumice has reached Okinawa, Kita Daito Island, Miyako Island, Yonaguni Island, Kagoshima, and Kikai Island. Furthermore, it is predicted that it will ride on the Kuroshio Current and drift to the Pacific coast, reaching as far as Shizuoka, the Kanto region, and even Hokkaido, causing troubles everywhere and no solution being found. Okinawa Prefecture is soliciting ideas for the effective utilization of pumice.

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0003] The problem is how to effectively utilize the pumice that has drifted and been washed up on the offing or the sandy beach.

[0004] Pumice is formed when magma rapidly cools and solidifies, and volcanic gas contains toxic components. It can clog the intake of a fishing boat's engine, be swallowed by fish, or prevent the fishing boat from entering and leaving even with an oil fence. Beautiful beaches and coastlines are damaged, and tourists no longer come. Pumice has a high salt content and plants will wither when touched, so it cannot be used for soil improvement to enhance soil drainage or in agriculture as it is. Also, although it is conceivable to extract zeolite from pumice and use it for applications such as adsorbents, radiation removal, purification of industrial waste pollution, and countermeasures against red tides, it is time-consuming to soak it in water with dissolved sodium hydroxide and boil it at 80 - 100 degrees for 20 hours to form zeolite crystals on the surface of the pumice, and it is not a very effective utilization.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] To achieve the above object, the present invention effectively utilizes pumice for ocean power generation, hydrogen production, production of semiconductor materials, etc., achieving carbon neutrality and contributing to the SDGs.

Effects of the Invention

[0006] According to this invention, it eliminates the need to transport washed-up pumice from the beach to other locations such as waste disposal sites or manufacturing plants, thus avoiding wasted energy. Furthermore, it utilizes the properties of pumice and the sea, achieving three benefits in one: effective utilization to generate new energy and important materials, without requiring new land, without disrupting fishing, increasing tourism, and contributing to SDGs with zero carbon emissions. Furthermore, it has significant advantages, such as being able to generate electricity without requiring new land, and being easy to extinguish fires in the event of an accident because it is offshore. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0007] [Figure 1] Side view of the first embodiment of the present invention [Figure 2] Side view of the second embodiment of the present invention [Figure 3] Side view of the third embodiment of the present invention [Figure 4] Side view of the fourth embodiment of the present invention [Figure 5] Side view of the fifth embodiment of the present invention [Figure 6] Side view of the sixth embodiment of the present invention [Figure 7] An example of the present invention viewed from above. [Figure 8] Side view of the seventh embodiment of the present invention [Figure 9] Side view of the eighth embodiment of the present invention [Figure 10] A view of the present invention from above the harbor. [Figure 11] Side cross-sectional view of the ninth embodiment of the present invention [Figure 12] Side cross-sectional view of the tenth embodiment of the present invention [Figure 13] Side cross-sectional view of the 11th embodiment of the present invention [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0008] Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

[0009] [First Embodiment] As shown in FIG. 1, a basket 2 made of plastic or the like is provided under the solar panel 1, and pumice stones 3 are placed therein. This is floated on the sea to perform solar power generation.

[0010] [Second Embodiment] As shown in FIG. 2, a fishing net 21 is provided under the solar panel 1, and a large number of pumice stones 3 are placed in this net 21 and floated on the sea. Then, solar power generation is performed.

[0011] [Third Embodiment] As shown in FIG. 3, pumice stones are pasted in multiple layers to an adhesive 4 under the solar panel 1, floated on the sea, and power generation is performed.

[0012] [Fourth Embodiment] As shown in FIG. 4, the solar panel 1 and the pumice stones 3 are used to form concrete 5 with cement, and this is floated on the sea.

[0013] [Fifth Embodiment] As shown in FIG. 5, a flexible solar panel 11 is adhered to a relatively large pumice stone 3 with a pressure-sensitive adhesive 111 coated on the flexible solar panel 11, floated on the sea, and power generation is performed.

[0014] [Sixth Embodiment] As shown in FIG. 6, the solar panel 1 is placed under the fishing net 21 for fishing, pumice stones 3 floating on the sea surface 12 are put in from above, the end part 21 of the net 21 is tightened, and it is rotated 180 degrees 212. FIG. 7 shows the completed product.

[0015] [Seventh Embodiment] FIG. 8 illustrates the seventh embodiment in which there is no need to collect or transport the pumice stones drifted according to the present invention. The pumice stones 31 flowing into the sea in the bay 15 are scooped up with a net 21 on the sea and collected on the sea, so there is no need to transport them to land. The completed product is shown in FIG. 7, and the scooping state is shown in FIG. 6. In addition, for the pumice stones 32 washed up on the sandy beach, an adhesive sheet 17 coated with the pressure-sensitive adhesive 171 shown in FIG. 9B is covered on the pumice stones 32 washed up on the beach as shown in FIG. 8. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 8, a cement frame 18 is placed around the pumice stone 32 that has been washed ashore on the beach, and cement is poured into this frame 18. Once it hardens, the product shown in Figure 9 is produced on the spot without having to transport the pumice stone elsewhere. Transporting the product to distant Hokkaido is costly, but by utilizing pumice stone that has reached Hokkaido on the Kuroshio Current, shipping is free and costs can be reduced.

[0016] [Eighth Embodiment] Figure 9A shows the concrete joint plate 5 created according to Figure 8, which can be used as a fire door or insulation plate for houses. Furthermore, if laid on a road, the salt inside will create an anti-freezing road, representing an eighth embodiment.

[0017] [Ninth Embodiment] Figure 9B shows the pumice sheet 17 created according to Figure 8, which, when laid on roads, not only in cold regions such as Hokkaido, creates a road that is resistant to freezing due to the salt content of the pumice. This is the ninth embodiment.

[0018] [Tenth Embodiment] Figure 10 is a top view showing the present invention as shown in Figure 1 installed in bay 15. Solar panels 1 are floated on the sea in the bay, and if there are multiple panels, they are connected by connectors 8. These connectors 8 are also mechanically and electrically connected and transmit electric current. Boats 14 can be moored to the shore 15 in bay 15, and fishing can be done freely because the mouth of the bay is open. The electricity from solar panel 1 is sent via cable 91 to power center 9 on land, and from there it is transmitted to the city via cable 93. In the tenth embodiment, the product is also sent via cable 92 to a factory 17 located on or near the beach.

[0019] [Embodiment No. 11] In factory 17 of Figure 10, the deposited pumice is crushed, and SiO2 is produced from its composition to create solar elements, thereby manufacturing solar panels 1. In addition to SiO2, semiconductor materials can also be obtained from the pumice (the extraction methods for these SiO2 and semiconductor materials are publicly known, so they are not described here).

[0020] [Twelfth Embodiment] As shown in Figure 11, the solar panel 1 is floated on the sea 12 by the buoyancy of the pumice stone 3 to generate electricity. The electricity is connected by cable 6 to a seawater electrolyzer 7 (electrolysis and decomposition devices are well known and will not be explained), where seawater 121 is taken in from the seawater intake 71, decomposed into oxygen, hydrogen, and salt, and sent to storage tanks on land or at sea via pipes 72, 73, and 74, respectively.

[0021] [13th Embodiment] Having tourists perform tasks such as putting solar panels into nets, putting pumice stones into these nets at sea, tying the nets, collecting pumice stones on the beach with adhesive sheets, setting up concrete frames and pouring cement to collect pumice stones, and working at the beach factory, and making these tasks a main attraction, would attract tourists and kill two birds with one stone.

[0022] [14th Embodiment] As shown in Figure 12, the 14th embodiment is an offshore floating generator made of pumice, in which a pole 101 is erected on a solar panel 1 floating on the sea surface 12 using pumice 3, a wind turbine 10 is mounted on the pole on a rotatable swivel 103, and a propeller 102 is attached to the generator 10, and the propeller 102 rotates according to the wind direction and automatically changes direction downwind by the swivel 103.

[0023] [15th Embodiment] As shown in Figure 13, a column 101 is fixed to the seabed 14, and an electromagnetic coil 131 is attached to the column 101 by winding it around the column, and a column swivel 103, a power generation motor 10, and a propeller 102 are installed on this column. Meanwhile, holes 133 are made between the solar panels floating on the sea surface 12 using pumice stones 3, and magnets 132 are placed around them. Since the sea surface 12 is constantly rising and falling, electricity is generated by the coils 131 and magnets 132, and combined with the electricity generated from the generator 10, the electricity is sent to land or elsewhere by 139. Furthermore, the invention is also applicable when using buoyancy materials other than pumice. The wind and wave power generation device is also an independent invention from the present invention. [Industrial applicability]

[0024] This method effectively utilizes pumice rock, which is often considered a nuisance due to its eruption. It offers free manufacturing and transportation costs, attracts many tourists, thus contributing to the tourism industry. Furthermore, it allows fishing to proceed without interference from the pumice rock, and contributes to SDGs through zero-carbon power generation, hydrogen, oxygen, salt, SiO2, and semiconductor materials, thus demonstrating great industrial potential. [Explanation of symbols]

[0025] 1 Solar panel 12 sea level 121 Seawater to be put into seawater splitting unit 7 2. Case for holding pumice stone 21 Net bags such as fishing nets 211 Mesh closure 212 net halfway 3 Pumice 31. Pumice washed ashore in the bay 32 Pumice stones washed ashore 4 Adhesive 5. Concrete (cement) 6. Power lines connecting the solar power generation to the seawater splitting device. 7. A device for electrolyzing seawater to separate it into hydrogen, oxygen, and salt. 71 7 Seawater Inlet 72 Hydrogen outlet tube 73. Oxygen outlet tube 74 Salt outlet tube 75 Salt extraction pump 76 Salt storage dish 77 Salt 8. Connectors for electrically and mechanically connecting solar panels 1. 9. Ground substation 91. Cables for transmitting solar power to land. 92 Cables to send solar power to the beach processing plant (SiO2 etc. 18) 17 10 Wind Turbines 101 Wind Turbine Support Column 102 Wind turbine propellers 103 Wind Turbine Swivel 11 Flexible Solar 111 Flexible Solar Adhesive 12 sea level 13. Up-and-down surface power generation equipment Coil wound around support post 101 (131) Magnet attached to the floating area 132 133 Holes in the floating area 134 coil generator, power output 14 fishing boat 15 Beach 16 Bay 17. Beach Factory 18 Made from SiO2 and other types of pumice 19 Concrete pouring frame 20 Beach pumice collection sheet 201 Sheet 20 Pressure-Sensitive Adhesive

Claims

[Claim 1] A method for effectively utilizing pumice that has drifted ashore or washed ashore on beaches, characterized by recovering pumice floating on the sea surface with fishing nets or recovering pumice washed ashore on sandy beaches with adhesive sheets or cement, floating the pumice on the sea and generating electricity on the pumice using the up-and-down movement of the sea surface or using wind power to generate electricity or decompose seawater, or floating the pumice on the sea and using the electricity generated on the pumice to manufacture SiO2 or semiconductors using the pumice as a material, or recovering pumice washed ashore on sandy beaches with cement to make pumice-containing concrete which can be used for disaster prevention doors or insulation boards for houses or to prevent roads from freezing.

Images