Stop that fireball

Mounting a device like an aircraft wing above key sections of oil and gas platforms will protect them from the devastating fireball following an explosion, according to Clive Catlin at the University of Sheffield (GB 2366517). The hollow “wing” is filled with water or another suitable liquid and angled so that its leading edge points towards the area where an explosion is most likely. If the worst happens, the blast wave from the explosion creates a drop in pressure around holes in the wing, sucking the liquid out in a cloud of droplets. This happens quickly enough to damp down…