QUELLING OCEAN BILLOWS WITH AIR
Air is also used in another and very novel way to battle against water. In this case it is not quiet water pressure, but the tremendous power of ocean storms that is combatted.
The influence of a shoal upon ocean waves has often been observed. A sand barrier even when submerged to a depth of twenty or thirty feet will break the waves of a heavy storm and leave an area of comparatively quiet water behind it. The reason for this is that the water in the waves does not travel with the waves, but undergoes local oscillatory motion. This motion is in the form of circular or elliptical currents which travel in a vertical plane. When a sand bar is encountered it interferes with these local currents and breaks up the waves.
Knowing this to be the case, it occurred to Mr. Philip Brasher that some other means of disturbing the rhythmic movement of the water might be found, and he determined to try the experiment of using compressed air for this purpose. Accordingly he laid a perforated pipe under water and connected it with an air compressor. Then when a storm arose air was pumped into the pipe and it rose in bubbles through the water. The effect of this upward movement of air was instantly observable. It upset the rhythmic water currents and the waves which struck this wall of air bubbles curled and broke as if they had encountered a shoal of sand.
Several exposed piers on the Pacific coast have had a pneumatic breakwater built around them so as to protect them or ships lying alongside from being pounded by the waves. There is no expense attached to the breakwater except in time of storm when the air pumps must be kept going. One important advantage of the breakwater is that it does not block navigation. A ship can sail right over the wall of bubbles and find refuge behind it.