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WHERE? CASE STUDY GULF OF MEXICO Power supply
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Biorock experiment
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Cathode
Biorock, also known as Seacrete or Seament, is a trademark name used by Biorock, Inc. to refer to the substance formed by the electro-accumulation of minerals dissolved in seawater.1 . Architect Wolf Hilbertz developed the process and patented it in 1979. Since 1988, Mr. Hilbertz also collaborated with coral ecologist Dr. Thomas J. Goreau, and together they installed biorock structures in reef areas around the world.
Anode
Biorock technology involves a process of electrolysis in which minerals dissolved in seawater are accumulated around a metal frame. Over time they form a very stable structure. Biorocks are very similar to a coral reefs, since both are formed from minerals dissolved in the water. The main difference between them is in durability and formation time. Natural coral reefs need thousands of years to be formed, whereas biorocks form within a few weeks. A metal core provides additional strength and flexibility to biorocks. Additionally, unlike natural reefs, biorocks can heal themselves after damage, since electrolysis causes an accretion of minerals dissolved in the water around the metal core.
Biorock experiment: (Artificial coral reef) Materials used: For ocean water simulation: • Aquarium (25 L ) +sea water • from North sea/ Atlantic ocean or • Munich tap water + mixture of Ca, P, Mg For cathode: • Steel wire For anode: • Titanium net • For power supply: (5V, 2A) • Solar panels/ batteries/ pc power adapter
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Day 1 05.04.2019 11:09
Day 5 09.04.2019 12:47
To prove this theory in practice, I performed a biorock experiment in an aquarium filled with sea water. I used metal wire as the cathode and a titanium mesh as the anode. For a source of energy I first used a small solar panel, which was later replaced by a plug-in power supply since the weather in February was not sunny enough to provide the system with sufficient power. After many attempts the system was working successfully, and a biorock started to form within a few minutes. After two weeks, the layer of accumulated minerals on the metal wire was 2-3 mm thick, being thickest on the intersecting points in the metal frame. Day 6 10.04.2019 10:14
Day 8 12.04.2019 14:39
Day 13 17.04.2019 12:09
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www.biorock.net
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