Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02473345 2004-07-08
APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR THE PREVENTION OF POLAR ICE MASS
DEPLETION
FIELD OF INVENTION
The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for preventing the
depletion of polar
ice masses.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The Arctic Ice Masses
Recent studies have indicated that Arctic perennial sea ice has been
decreasing at a rate of
about 9% per decade since the early 1980s. Researchers suspect that the loss
of perennial sea
ice is attributable to the build-up of greenhouse gases in the Arctic
atmosphere, which has in
turn spurred warming trends in the region.
Liquid water absorbs the Sun's energy as opposed to reflecting it into the
atmosphere the way
ice does. As the oceans warm and ice thins, the water absorbs more solar
energy, thus
creating positive feedbacks that lead to further melting. The coupling of
solar radiation,
which is what reduces the conduction process of sea ice growth, with the rise
in surface
temperatures in the Arctic region, which is a result of climate change, leads
to the
phenomenon of receding Arctic perennial sea ice.
The effects of receding Arctic perennial sea ice appear to be drastic: change
in the
temperature of ocean layers, impact upon ocean circulation, increase in sea
levels and salinity,
change in marine habitats, and widening of shipping lanes. Further, if the
melting continues
as projected, there is a strong possibility that methane and carbon dioxide
gases trapped
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CA 02473345 2004-07-08
within the permafrost in the Arctic soil could be released should the soil be
given the
opportunity to thaw. Additionally, slightly warmer ocean temperatures could
also release
frozen gases impeded in the sea floor, all of which act Tike greenhouse gases
once they reach
the atmosphere.
Sea ice follows a four-stage lifecycle: formation, growth, deformation and
disintegration.
With respect to formation (or freezing), it should be noted that as the
salinity increases, the
freezing point becomes lower. The freezing point for salt water is
approximately -1.? degrees
Celsius. Either way, it is with respect to the disintegration of sea ice that
the present invention
is primarily concerned.
Disintegration of ice takes place primarily through melting, which occurs when
the
temperature of the ice is raised above its freezing point. The heat required
to do this comes
from the absorption of the sun's radiation by the ice, and the conduction of
heat from the
surrounding air, water or land, as the case may be.
With respect to solar radiation, part of it is absorbed by the surface it
strikes and part of it is
reflected. The albedo value - i.e., the percentage of solar radiation that is
reflected from a
surface - of sea water is only 5-IO%, whereas the albedo value of fresh snow
is 80-90%.
Accordingly, once the disintegration of an ice sheet has proceeded to the
point where free
water surfaces appear, the rate of further disintegration is very much
accelerated due to the
low albedo value of open sea water.
With respect to the conduction of heat, the heat from the air that is in
contact with the water
(i.e., the puddles of water during the initial stages of disintegration) is
transferred into the
water where it is then conducted further down into the water, which in turn
accelerates the
melting of ice underneath. This type of conduction promotes the melting of sea
ice.
There is, however, another type of conduction that exists in the context of
polar ice masses
that is in fact beneficial to maintaining sea ice. Because a snow cover acts
as a blanket, it
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CA 02473345 2004-07-08
slows down the conduction occurring between water and air. The effectiveness
of snow as an
insulator, or blanket, depends in part on how compacted it is. A layer of
soft, fluffy, newly
fallen snow is an excellent insulator because ~of its high air content. On the
other hand,
extremely hard, compacted snow is a relatively poor insulator. During the
summer months, it
is desirable that the colder water beneath the ice be insulated and protected
from the warmer
air above the ice, as the undersides of polar ice masses are subjected to the
seasonal melting
and freezing cycles.
Snowmaking Technology
Natural snow is formed when the water vapour in clouds condenses and falls to
the ground. If
this condensation occurs at temperatures that are cold enough, the condensed
moisture forms
a tiny crystalline ice structure. Artificial snow is created in much the same
way: tiny water
droplets freeze into crystals before falling to the ground as snow.
Due to the molecular make up of artificial snow, which is deemed to be more
dense in its
make up than conventional snow, artificial snow can retain its molecular make
up before
melting longer than conventional snow can. Therefore, a blanket of artificial
snow will be
able to reflect more of the sun's radiation than conventional snow. Likewise,
artificial snow
having many natural snow-like characteristics will hamper the summertime
conduction
process due to a more substantial amount of air content in the snow's makeup.
Snowmaking equipment has evolved considerably over the years. Ski resorts are
the primary
users of the equipment, wherein various forms of elevated tower guns, fan-
based cannons, and
hose-connected and ground-level guns axe employed worldwide. Vfhen water
droplets are
propelled from a snowmaking nozzle, heat energy is turned into kinetic energy,
which helps
cool the water droplets. In terms of the distance travelled by the artificial
snow (i.e., the
"throw"), a thirty-foot tower gun in a 5 mph wind will have a throw of
approximately 125
feet. Accordingly, the higher the tower gun the more of an opportunity the
water droplets will
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CA 02473345 2004-07-08
have to freeze, and the greater the area over,which,the resultant artificial
snow will be spread.
Both of these propositions also mean, respectively, that snowmaking with tall
tower guns can
be conducted at relatively higher temperatures, than heir shorter
counterparts, and that an
increasingly strong wind substantially broadens the surface area over which
snow is covered.
According to the United States Armed Forces, the mean annual wind speed for
most Arctic
and sub-Arctic coastal locations is approximately 10 to 20 mph.
In order to propel the water droplets from the snowmaking apparatus, typically
one would
utilize an air compressor. These compressors are used by ski resorts to
enhance the water-to-
air ratio in snowmaking, as the end result is dryer snow and better ski trail
quality. The need
far compressors is less in cases where the snowmaking nozzles are at an
elevated height, such
as with a tower gun, and where the pressure for propelling water from the
nozzles is
satisfactorily supplied by a water pump alone. Indeed, at least one
manufacturer, namely,
Ratnik Industries, Inc. ("Ratnik"), has produced tower snow guns that have
completely
eliminated the need for air compressors.
Water Pumpahg and Extraction Technology
Like snowmaking technology, technology for pumping water has existed for many
years.
Typical water pumps are quite powerful and are capable of pumping large
quantities of water
up the height of ski hills.
Similar pumping technology can be used for extracting water from considerable
depths and
transporting it to a "ground" or "base" level. There exist numerous
manufacturers of deep
well water pumps that, when combined with well-known drilling equipment that
is capable of
penetrating to depths of 500 feet, are capable of retrieving and pumping large
quantities of
water. Indeed, many drilling rigs are portable and ideal for drilling through
ice surfaces that
are less than 200 feet in thickness, which is well within the maximum
thickness of a perennial
polar ice mass.
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CA 02473345 2004-07-08
Recently, companies such as Southwest Windpower Inc. ("Southwest") have
produced water
pumps that are independently powered by wind ~turbinex and hybrid solar/wind
turbine energy
sources, and are effective for extracting water up to depths of 100 feet or
more.
Energy Sources
Alternative sources of energy have increasingly gained momentum in recent
years. In
particular, alternatives to fossil fuel-based energy sources include wind
power, solar energy
and hydrogen fuel cells. With respect to wind power and solar energy, although
they are
highly suitable sources of energy for remote and uninhabited locations, their
effectiveness is
largely dependent upon the conditions within their local environment. However,
given the
existence of energy storing and saving technology, certain benefits could be
obtained from
such alternative energy sources despite a less than optimal production
environment.
With respect to hydrogen fuel cells, their main advantage is the zero-emission
impact of the
technology. Additionally, such technology is long-lasting, low maintenance,
and improved in
voltage and power characteristics as compared to batteries. The primary
disadvantages to
hydrogen fuel cell technology are that its power output in certain
circumstances is limited and
that refuelling requires an extensive infrastructure. In addition to also
suffering from the
disadvantage of requiring extensive infrastructure, traditional petroleum-
based energy sources
are a harmful contributor to air pollution; however, such energy sources are
nevertheless
useful in certain circumstances.
In sum, it is an object of the present invention to satisfy the desire of
preventing the depletion
of polar ice masses by providing an apparatus and method utilizing existing
snowmaking,
drilling, pumping and power technologies.
CA 02473345 2004-07-08
SUMMARY ~F THE INVENTION
According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided an
apparatus for the
prevention of polar ice mass depletion comprising a water extraction means
that extracts
water from a water source beneath a polar ice mass and transports that water
to a ground
level, a snowmaking means that converts the water into snow for depositing
same upon the
surface of a polar ice mass, a water pumping means that pumps water from the
ground level to
the snowmaking means, and a power means for operating the water extraction
means, the
water pumping means and the snowmaking means.
According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a
method for the
prevention of polar ice mass depletion which comprises extracting water from a
water source
located beneath a polar ice mass and transporting that water to a ground level
through use of a
water extraction means, effecting the making of snow for depositing same upon
the surface of
a polar ice mass through the use of a snowmaking means, pumping water from the
ground
Ievel to the snowmaking means through use of a water pumping means, and
operating each of
the water extraction means, the water pumping means and the snowmaking means
through the
use of a power means.
The usefulness of the present invention is extensive, and covers not only the
environmental
concerns surrounding the depleting polar ice masses, but also addresses the
secuxity issues
related to newly formed shipping lanes and the potential for Canada's armed
forces to take a
more engaging role in sustainable development initiatives.
The present invention will be better understood from the following description
and from the
accompanying drawings.
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CA 02473345 2004-07-08
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a slightly angled side view of an a.. paratu~ according to the
present invention,
wherein said apparatus is in operation.
FIG. 2 is a slightly more close-up side view of an apparatus according to the
present
invention, wherein said apparatus is not in operation.
FIG. 3 is a top-level view of an apparatus according to the present invention,
wherein said
apparatus is in operation.
FIG. 4 is a side view of a utility vehicle with a drilling rig affixed to it.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring to FIG. l, an apparatus in accordance with the present invention is
generally
comprised of a water extraction means 10, a snowmaking means 12, a water
pumping means
14, and a power means 16.
The water extraction means 10 is made possible by first drilling through a
polar ice mass 20.
Referring to FIG. 4, a utility vehicle 22 that is adapted to carry a seawater
drilling rig 24 will
be able to penetrate the ice mass 20 to a considerable depth in order to
create at least one
channel 26 for the extraction of water. Indeed, the DeepRock Manufacturing
Company builds
custom drilling rigs, such as the DR 100 model, which are capable of drilling
to depths of up
to 500 feet. Such a drilling capability is clearly sufficient given that
perennial polar ice
masses do not even reach depths near 100 feet. In terms of an appropriate
utility vehicle 22, a
traditional snow cat such as Bombardier Inc.'s Go-Tracts is built to order and
may be used in
off road, rough terrain applications where special equipment or heavy load
transportation is
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CA 02473345 2004-07-08
required. Such a utility vehicle 22 is also useful for transporting personnel
and equipment for
the implementation of other aspects of the present invention. To this end, the
use of a tow
hitch 28 would be advantageous.
Referring to FIG. 2, the water extraction means 10 is further made possible
through the use of
well-known water pumping equipment 30 that is capable of extracting water from
beneath a
polar ice mass 20 and transporting it to a ground level 32. The ground level
32 in this case is
the upper surface of the polar ice mass 20. A preferable embodiment of the
present invention
would utilize a Southwest Whisper H80 Water Pumper to meet the necessary
requirements of
the water extraction means 10. Each such Southwest Whisper H$0 Water Pumper
has a wind
turbine 52 that has the capacity to produce approximately 6,000 gallons per
day, or, 4.2
gallons per minute (GPM). Further, each such Southwest Whisper H80 Water
Pumper is 65
feet tall and weighs approximately 450 pounds. Any embodiment that implements
the water
extraction means 10 is dependant upon a power means 16 for its operation. The
particular
embodiment of a power means 16 and a water extraction means 10 as discussed
above utilizes
a wind turbine 52, whereby said wind turbine 52 employs a wind turbine tower
33 and a wind
turbine apparatus 35, wherein said wind turbine apparatus 35 comprises a
housing 37 and at
least one blade 39.
With regards to the water pumping means 14 in FIG. 3, such a component is made
possible
through equipment that is capable of pumping water from the ground level 32 to
the
snowmaking means 12, and one embodiment could certainly employ well-known
water
pumping equipment 30. Under one embodiment of the present invention, the water
pumping
means 14 is of an adequate strength so as to ensure that the snowmaking means
12 is capable
of functioning normally without the .need of an air compressor (not shown).
Recently,
technological advances in the snowmaking industry have produced tower guns 34
that support
the snowmaking means 12 and do not require air compressors. An example of a
preferable
water pumping means 14 for an embodiment of the present invention is the
Ratnik Small
Booster Pump Station, which has a capacity of 100 GPM, requires 22 kW of power
and
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CA 02473345 2004-07-08
weighs approximately 1,000 pounds. Nevertheless, alternative embodiments of
the present
invention may deem air compressors a valuable aspect of a snowmaking means 12.
In terms of the degree of output of artificial snow 36, there exist certain
standard rules of
thumb. For example, 1 "acre-foot" of snow is equal to 139,322 gallons of water
and the
average maximum water consumption for a tower gun 34 is equal to approximately
56 GPM,
as based on the H2 Ratnik snow gun, which is 25 feet tall and weighs 215
pounds, and which
represents one potential embodiment of the present invention. Given that the
water pumping
means 14 is based on a preferred embodiment that utilizes the 100 GPM Ratnik
Small Booster
Pump Station, then one could cover an acre with a foot of snow in
approximately 41.5 hours.
At such a rate, and using only one tower gun 34, one could theoretically cover
4.05 acres with
a foot of snow in one week, and 145.8 acres over nine months. The nine ideal
months for
operation of snowmaking equipment in an Arctic region would be September
through May.
Preferably, the snowmaking means 12 utilizes the most up-to-date technology
available for
the efficient conversion of water into artificial snow 36, such as is the case
with the H2 Ratnik
snow gun. As shown in FIG. 3, the snowmaking means 12 preferably comprises a
transport
means 38 and a dispensing means 40. It is through the transport means 38 that
water is
pumped by the water pumping means 14, and it is through the dispensing means
40 that the
water is dispensed into the surrounding air.
According to one embodiment of the present invention, the transport means is
comprised of at
least one hose 42 that may be interconnected to other hoses 42 at its ends
through use of a
coupling mechanism 44, and the dispensing means is comprised of a plurality of
nozzles 46.
In such an embodiment, the number of hoses 42 will depend upon the distance
from the water
pumping means 14 it is deemed optimal to place the snowmaking means 12, as
based on the
circumstances at the time of placement. Equally, under such an embodiment the
number of
nozzles 46 will depend upon the optimal snowmaking means 12 that has been
selected, as
based on the circumstances at the time of selection. An embodiment using the
H2 Ratnik
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CA 02473345 2004-07-08
snow gun employs 18 nozzles 46. In any event, such selections will depend upon
the desired
capacity of a particular embodiment of the present invention.
In terms of the specific technology for the hoses 42 under an embodiment of
the present
invention, manufacturers such as Niedner, who carry the SNOW HOSE 1200~ and
the
SNOW HOSE 2000~ products, make hoses of varying lengths and strengths that are
useable
at temperatures as cold as minus 51 degrees Celsius. Niedner also produces the
coupling
mechanism 44 for situations where the pre-existing length of a hose 42 is
insufficient for the
implementation of an embodiment of the present invention. Preferably, the
hoses 42 that are
used as a transport means 3 8 in support of the snowmaking means 12 are also
used in support
of a linking means 48 that permits water from the water extraction means 10
and the ground
level 32 to be transported to the snowmaking means 12. Preferably, the linking
means 48
comprises a plurality of hydrants 50 in order to further facilitate the
transport of water.
Equally, more traditional technology such as steel or titanium piping (not
shown) could be
used in the place of hoses 42. Thus, regardless of the technology used, the
transport means 38
and the linking means 48 must utilize some form or another of a conduit to
ensure that water
travels from the ground level 32 to the snowmaking means 12.
As stated above, one embodiment of the present invention in relation to the
dispensing means
40 utilizes 18 nozzles 46, as per the H2 Ratnik snow gun, for the dispensing
of water into the
surrounding air. Under alternative embodiments, such nozzles 46 could closely
resemble the
existing technology of such companies as Snow Economics, Inc., who produce a
variety of
tower guns 34, including the Hi~D Spectrum model, which incorporates the
patented Flex-
FIowTM manifold for easy maintenance. As an alternative to tower guns 34 being
a
component of a snowmaking means 12, fan-based cannon technology (not shown),
which
atomizes a large amount of water through many tiny nozzles surrounding a fan
blade that
propels the moisture into the surrounding air, may be advantageous should
tower gun
technology be impractical in certain circumstances. Likewise, traditional hose-
connected and
ground-level apparatuses in the form of basic guns (not shown) that are very
common at ski
resorts worldwide may also be of use where they are deemed to be more
advantageous than
CA 02473345 2004-07-08
either a tower gun 34 or a fan-based cannon. In sum, other embodiments of the
snowmaking
means 12 may use a plurality of tower guns 34 or a plurality of the other
alternatives
discussed herein, and not simply be restricted to any one~apparatus or device.
In order to sufficiently power an embodiment of the present invention, one
must determine
which energy sources are best suited as based on the minimum power
requirements.
Preferably, the water extraction means 10, using a plurality of Southwest
Whisper H80 Water
Pampers, is self sufficient in terms of its power needs. For example, the use
of 14 Southwest
Whisper H80 wind turbines will produce 58.3 GPM of water at a wind speed of 10
mph,
which meets the 56 GPM threshold of the H2 Ratnik tower snow gun. Further, the
Southwest
Whisper H80 Water Pamper also comes in the form of a hybrid solar panel/wind
turbine
apparatus, such that a solar panel 51 can be secured to the wind turbine tower
33 or water
extraction means 10, and act as a supplementary source of energy. Indeed,
under an
embodiment that utilizes 140 190-Watt Sanyo HIT 190 solar panels 51, (i.e., 14
groups of 10
190-Watt Sanyo HIT 190 solar panels 51), one can produce up to 26.6 kW of
surplus power.
Thus, the above aspect of the power means 16 will function under an embodiment
of the
present invention, provided that another aspect of the power means 16 is
sufficient enough in
capacity to power the water pumping means 14.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, the use of a plurality of
wind turbines
52 as a further aspect of the power means 16 in order to supply energy to the
water pumping
means 14 may be made possible through the use of a Bergey Wind Power Co.
("Bergey") 10
kW Class wind turbine, which is approximately 60 feet in height and 3,000
pounds in weight,
and produces 0.5 kW in a 10 mph wind. As in the case of the Southwest Whisper
H80 Water
Pampers, the Bergey 10 kW Class wind turbines comprise a wind turbine tower 33
and a wind
turbine apparatus 35, as shown in FIG. 2. Preferably, the wind apparatuses 35
would be
rotatable about their vertical axes such that their front portions 54 can be
aligned to face the
direction from which the wind is coming. Given the above embodiment, the power
output
from 45 Bergey 10 kW Class wind turbines would be 22.5kW, which would meet the
power
requirement of 22 kW for the Ratnik Small Booster Water Pump Station. Thus,
the 45
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CA 02473345 2004-07-08
additional wind turbines 52 as shown in FIG. 3, represent a preferred
embodiment of the
present invention.
,,
Indeed, given that wind fluctuations are probable; surpluses and shortfalls in
energy
production are likely. It is preferable that said surpluses be captured for
instances where a
shortfall in energy occurs due to either poor winds or reduced solar
radiation. An energy
storage device 56 that is suitable for an embodiment of the present invention
could consist of
a flywheel-based energy storage system that is designed for long-lasting
performance in harsh
environments. Indeed, the Beacon Power Corporation's Single Smart Energy 25
fly wheel,
which provides a power delivery of 50 kW for 30 minutes, weighs approximately
3,200
pounds per unit and is preferable for meeting such an embodiment. Such an
energy storage
device 56 is designed to store energy from a variety of sources, including
wind turbines 52
and solar panels 51, for hours. Depending on the quantum of energy required,
it may be
desirable to include a plurality of energy storage devices 56. In sum, such
energy storage
devices 56 would ensure a stronger likelihood of continuous operation of
numerous
embodiments of the present invention. When combined with power connectors 58,
the wind
turbines 52 under the embodiment disclosed above are capable of supplying
power to the
water extraction means 10 and the water pumping means 14, as the case may be,
and form an
integral part of the power means 16 under an embodiment of the present
invention.
Other further energy alternatives are available, including hydrogen fuel cell
technology (not
shown). As in the case of the solar panels 51, hydrogen fuel cells offer an
environmentally-
friendly backup power alternative to the wind turbines 52. To incorporate
hydrogen fuel cells
into an embodiment of the present invention, one would have to address the
issues of
infrastructure and maintenance. Accordingly, it is preferable for one to
incorporate hydrogen
fuel cell technology as an aspect of the power means 16 into an embodiment of
the present
invention in the context of short-term and high-consumption power
applications. Should
traditional petroleum-based fuels be determined to be necessary for the
implementation of the
power means 16 under an embodiment of the present invention, it will be
preferable for those
fuels to also be limited to the context of short-term and high-consumption
power applications.
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CA 02473345 2004-07-08
Other aspects of preferred embodiments of the present invention may include
desalinization
capabilities, automated control mechanisms, and ~equ'iprrient transportation
structures.
With respect to desalinization capabilities (not shown), it has been stated
that the freezing
point for salt water is approximately -1.7 degrees Celsius. Nevertheless,
should it be
determined that desalinized water is preferred over normal seawater, then
desalinization of the
seawater may be effected through use of a Reverse Osmosis Water Purification
Unit (not
shown). An embodiment that uses desalinization capabilities or a. Reverse
Osmosis Water
Purification Unit must consider the impact upon the capacity of the power
means 16 as a
result of the new energy demands associated with such devices.
With respect to automated control mechanisms (not shown), it may be highly
desirable that a
computer program (not shown) govern an embodiment of the present invention by
monitoring
air temperatures and wind speeds, controlling water extraction and pumping
rates, and
adjusting the position of various elements, such as the wind turbines 52 and
the direction that
their front portions 54 face. Indeed, such mechanisms could even be operated
remotely using
radio frequency signals or wireless Internet access. The power connectors 58
not only
facilitate the transmission of power amongst the various elements of the
present invention, but
also may be adapted to house signalling means for the purpose of any automated
control
mechanisms.
With respect to equipment transportation structures, a preferred embodiment of
the present
invention is one that is portable. Given the nature of the environment,
retrofitting particular
components with industrial-sized skis 60 may greatly facilitate transport of
said components,
as is shown in FIG. 3 wherein skis 60 are affixed to the snowmaking means 12.
A utility
vehicle 22 as depicted in FIG. 4 would be able to tow many components that
have skis 60
axed thereto.
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CA 02473345 2004-07-08
An additional consideration in implementing an embodiment of the present
invention is to
consider what weight restrictions exist for apparatuses resting on the surface
of a perennial
polar ice mass 20. For example, as a 1 metre thick'sea ice mass is capable of
supporting a 13-
ton aircraft while parked, then any embodiment, as is the case with the
embodiments
described herein, ought to be mindful of this restriction in its
implementation and of possible
solutions thereto such as spreading elements of the embodiment out across the
surface of the
polar ice mass 20. Given that the draft for the average perennial polar ice
mass 20 is between
1.2 and 2.3 metres, the potential exists for a particular embodiment to exceed
safe weight
amounts.
A further note of importance is that although the present invention is focused
on addressing
the concerns surrounding the depleting polar ice masses, and in particular the
perennial polar
ice masses, such polar ice masses are not limited to those ice masses within
the Arctic Circle
or within regions traditionally considered "polar" in nature, but rather the
present invention
has applicability in any region that is seeing depleting ice masses and has a
need for
preventing such depletion.
In sum, one embodiment of the present invention may couple the water
extraction means 10
with the water pumping means 14 such that no physically discernable difference
is apparent,
as well-known water pumping equipment 30 could be used so as to combine the
purposes of
the water extraction means and the water pumping means. As stated herein, both
the water
extraction means 10 and the water pumping means 14 have stated purposes such
that an
embodiment that uses one physical component to accomplish each purpose is
nevertheless
accomplishing both said purposes.
14
