Aqua Bubble

What it does

This design tackles river plastic pollution using a bubble barrier system that redirects floating waste to the riverbank. It generates fine and coarse bubbles through a modular pipe layout, forming a barrier that traps plastic without harming aquatic life.

Your inspiration

We are a team from Johor Bahru, Malaysia, where we have seen the plastic pollution in Sungai Skudai, a 52 km river flowing into the Johor Strait. Despite efforts like boom installations and scavenger boats, waste still accumulates and reaches the ocean. This issue in our own community inspired us to create a more adaptable and affordable solution. By studying existing bubble barrier systems, we developed a version tailored to local rivers low-cost, modular and scalable. Our project offers a practical approach to tackling real environmental problems at the source.

How it works

Our design works by creating a curtain of bubbles in the water to guide floating plastic waste toward a side of the river for further collection. It uses three interconnected pipes arranged in a branching layout and placed on the riverbed. Each pipe has small holes or nozzles that release air, forming streams of bubbles. As these bubbles rise, they create a gentle barrier that pushes plastic toward one side of the river, where it can be easily collected. The system is capable of generating both fine and coarse bubbles, depending on the nozzle type used, allowing it to adapt to different river conditions. The pipes are connected using standard fittings and stabilised with weighted bases to keep the structure in place underwater. Air is supplied through a pump, and a quick-release connector makes it easy to install, remove or maintain.

Design process

Our design process began by identifying a local environmental issue plastic pollution in Sungai Skudai, Johor Bahru. We validated the uniqueness of our idea by analysing existing systems and confirming the lack of affordable, adaptable bubble barriers suited for local rivers. Two critical components were identified: the bubble generation method and the bubble barrier layout. A morphological chart was created to explore four design options for each, followed by concept screening and scoring to evaluate efficiency, cost, and scalability. The selected concept featured a triple-pipe configuration with evenly spaced nozzles for fine and coarse bubble generation. This setup offered broad water coverage and modular flexibility. We developed CAD models, refined pipe orientation and performed early evaluations to optimise performance. The prototype was fabricated using HDPE pipes and PLA nozzles, sealed with industrial-grade adhesive and connected via a quick-release brass fitting. Lab-scale testing confirmed effective bubble formation and directional waste movement. The final design was documented and presented at UTM IDEX 2025, where it earned recognition with a 5th place award.

How it is different

What makes our design unique is its ability to generate both fine and coarse bubbles through interchangeable nozzles, allowing the system to adapt to different plastic waste types and flow conditions. Unlike The Great Bubble Barrier, which produces a uniform bubble stream, our system can adjust bubble size to optimize capture efficiency. Additionally, the bubble streams in our design are arranged to not only stop floating waste, but also channel it sideways toward a designated collection point. This targeted redirection improves waste interception without disrupting aquatic life or river flow.

Future plans

Our next step is to integrate real-time adaptability into the system by using flow sensors to monitor river conditions and automatically adjust bubble intensity. This enhancement will allow the system to respond to changes in water speed and plastic load, improving efficiency while conserving energy. In the future, we also plan to develop a feature that allows the Aqua Bubble system to move up and down based on the water level, ensuring consistent bubble placement and waste interception even during tides or floods. This will improve system stability and performance in dynamic river environments.

Awards

Our invention was awarded 5th place at the Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) Innovation and Design Expo (IDEX) 2025, recognising its potential in tackling river plastic pollution through a novel bubble barrier approach.