Major Infrastructure Complete at NELH

The Seacoast Test Facility became fully operational, with major infrastructure including a cold-water pipe system, laboratory, test pad, and power center nearing completion. Full-time staff expanded to eight. Research focused on OTEC experiments, especially Argonne National Laboratory’s biofouling and corrosion projects. DOE also funded tests of undersea power cable materials. By the end of FY1981, NELH was managing a broad portfolio of projects supporting OTEC development, aquaculture studies, and site expansion.

Highlights:

• Seacoast Test Facility federal funding interrupted, but biofouling and corrosion studies continue
• February: Hawaii Natural Energy Institute sponsors workshop for discussing potential uses of the laboratory facilities
• A Laboratory Director is appointed
• One mile long, 12” polyethylene cold water pipe is assembled at Kawaihae Harbor and floated to Keahole, where it is deployed in two sections
• Cold seawater supply system is installed and by February pumps 340 gallons per minute of seawater from a depth of 2,000 ft. into the lab
• Rapid initiation of biofouling of the warm water surface seawater supply system triggers design of a 300 ft. extension to the warm water intake
• Ten 600-gallon fiberglass tanks are built for a potential salmon and rainbow trout aquaculture project. Another ten tanks are built to investigate the feasibility of growing edible seaweeds
• Seven 1,000-gallon tanks are installed to investigate the effects of chlorine levels on the marine food chain
• Facilities now include indoor and outdoor lab space, a shop and warehouse support, office space, an offshore research corridor, and a 24’ workboat
• Chlorination appears to control biofouling completely in all candidate materials
• Initial testing begins on a program to grow mollusks
• Sanders Associates contact NELH about a project to grow Maine lobsters, erect a 20” by 50” inflatable hatching and growout building
• Hurricane Iwa causes brief project interruptions in November, after large waves inundate the NELH facility, knock down the perimeter fence, and submerge all instruments on the Test Pad. Pipes remain intact. Facility repairs take weeks
• U.S. Navy deep diving submersible dives three times off Keahole Point, including down to a depth of 1,925 ft., to video and photograph the pipe system and the mini-OTEC CWP left in the research corridor since 1980
• NOAA grant funds three dives in October with the submersible Makaliʻi from HURL to take video and photographs of the equipment as well as charting the slope
• Ongoing projects include Solar Insolation data gathering, atmospheric corrosion data gathering, the DOE/Simplex Cable Corrosion Project, and pipe outfall effects analysis