A closer look at our submerged wingsail concept: the physical system, the modeling approach and the evidence needed to evaluate a climate application.
Our engineering hypothesis is that a submerged wing can use ambient currents to create useful forces and influence local water movement. We are investigating whether this interaction can support a controllable, low-external-energy ocean system.
Compare candidate hydrofoil or wingsail geometries and orientation strategies. Investigate force response, stability and sensitivity to changes in current direction.
Design outputs: geometry options, predicted loads and a proposed operating envelope.
Evaluate how the submerged assembly would be supported or anchored, including load transfer, fatigue, installation, retrieval and compatibility with the test location.
Design outputs: support concept, load cases and retrieval plan.
Use small-scale fabrication to examine assembly, movement and mechanical robustness. Assess material choices for water exposure, corrosion, fouling and maintenance needs before longer trials.
Design outputs: component list, fabrication drawings and a testable assembly.
Define the measurements needed to evaluate the concept: current conditions, wing behavior, structural response and changes in the surrounding water. Select instrumentation for the actual experiment.
Design outputs: measurement plan, baseline protocol and data-quality checks.
| Stage | Work proposed | Decision supported |
|---|---|---|
| Model & simulate | MATLAB-based modeling; sensitivity studies across geometry, flow and load assumptions. | Which designs warrant fabrication? |
| Build a small prototype | Assemble selected components and evaluate mechanical behavior under controlled conditions. | Does the mechanism behave as intended? |
| Prepare a marine pilot | Define a test location in Korea, baseline observations, permissions, monitoring and retrieval procedures. | Can a bounded field experiment proceed? |
| Compare & refine | Compare measured response with model predictions; document uncertainty and revise assumptions. | What needs to change before scaling? |
These are development stages, not completed milestones. Dates and performance targets will depend on the selected design and test conditions.
AquaByss is exploring whether engineered ocean-flow interactions could contribute to a durable carbon-storage pathway. The connection between local water movement and atmospheric carbon removal is a research question, not an established product outcome.
Identify the source and form of carbon, how it would be transported or retained, and how the proposed intervention differs from natural background processes.
Compare an intervention scenario with a credible baseline. A change in carbon location alone is not sufficient evidence of net atmospheric removal.
Evaluate potential return pathways and storage duration. Include manufacturing, deployment, maintenance and recovery in a lifecycle assessment.
Define site-specific observations for oxygen, water chemistry, nutrients, habitat interactions and unintended redistribution before considering larger trials.
Six illustrations from our design exploration, from seabed structures to wing and glider systems.
An early exploration of a fixed underwater blade.
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An early turbine visualization exploring current-driven energy concepts.
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A conceptual subsea layout with an illustrated energy-transfer pathway.
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An early system visualization including surface-linked components.
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An earlier glider-based energy architecture, including tether and surface equipment.
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An earlier wing-based energy architecture, illustrating forces and system connections.
View full image ↗The current research emphasis is on using ambient flow for mechanical interaction. Electrical generation is not presented as a validated feature or current commercial service.
The concept described here focuses on hydrodynamic structures and flow interaction. It does not specify an alkalinity-addition process. The carbon pathway must be defined and validated independently.
Earth-observation experience can inform regional context and pilot screening. Subsurface flow and carbon-process validation will require suitable in-water observations and modeling; satellite data alone cannot verify the proposed outcome.
Repeatable engineering results, a quantified carbon pathway, environmental assessment and a practical deployment and retrieval strategy. Each requires documented evidence before larger deployment is considered.
Discuss a research question, prototype collaboration or pilot opportunity.
aquabyss@aquabyss.io ↗