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MSTU students N.E. Bauman patented an invention that will help preserve permafrost in the Far North. We tell you what you need to know about it
What’s going on
- MSTU students N.E. Bauman developed the Permafrost system, which should protect infrastructure from the effects of global warming in permafrost zones. Due to climate change, structures in the Far North designed for such conditions are falling into disrepair faster.
- When the permafrost melts, the ground sags. The earth literally collapses, and the infrastructure built on the permafrost is destroyed. Therefore, the system will maintain the temperature of the frozen ground so that it does not begin to thaw. Thus, the development will protect buildings from destruction.
- The principle of operation of Permafrost is as follows. A solar battery is placed above the ground surface. Underneath is a refrigeration machine that cools the ground surface. The machine is powered wholly or partly by the battery. Probes are placed inside the soil, which remove heat and spray cooled gas or artificial snow into the gap between the soil surface and the solar battery. As a result, the permafrost does not melt.
- Permafrost will reduce the cost of additional investments in the thermal stabilization of soils and the elimination of accidents. According to the Minister of Natural Resources of our country Alexander Kozlov, the probable damage from permafrost degradation to our country by 2050 could be at least ₽5 trillion.
What does it mean
The territory of permafrost occupies about 60% of the entire territory of our country. Due to global warming caused by large-scale emissions of greenhouse gases – carbon dioxide and methane – permafrost began to melt. This is dangerous not only because the soil collapses, but also because even more greenhouse gases enter the atmosphere: when the frozen soil melts, organic matter is released, and microbes process it into carbon dioxide and methane.
According to the forecasts of the leading researcher at the Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute Alexei Ekaikin, glaciers and snow cover can thaw by 3–4 m by 2100. This is a serious threat to oil production in our country due to a decrease in the bearing capacity of the soil. Thus, according to Bloomberg forecasts, by 2050, a decrease in the bearing capacity of up to 50% is predicted in Yamal, and up to 75% in Urengoy.