First Ocean Cleanup's Barrier Test

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First Ocean Cleanup's Barrier Test

The Ocean Cleanup will be deploying a 100 meter-long barrier segment to collect floating garbage in the second quarter of 2016 in the North Sea, 23 km off the coast of The Netherlands

It will be the first time our barrier design will be put to the test in open waters.

The main objective of the North Sea test is to monitor the effects of real-life sea conditions, with a focus on waves and currents. The motions of the barrier and the loads on the system will be monitored by cameras and sensors.

Capturing the plastic debris

The floating barriers (see impression on top photo) are regarded as one of the most critical elements of the concept, since they are responsible for capturing and concentrating the plastic debris.

Due to their size and the extreme oceanic conditions, the barriers have always been top focus of the engineering team.

After extensive computer modelling and scale model testing in controlled environments at the Deltares and Marin basins, our engineers believe it is time to move the barrier to the next stage of development.

First operational cleanup system in Japan
The North Sea test will help the engineers to de-risk the first operational cleanup system planned to be deployed off the coast of Tsushima Island, Japan.

In order to be able to make full use of the North Sea test results, the go-ahead for the first system in Japan will be pushed back to the second half of 2016.

Clean up the world's oceanic garbage patches
Both tests are a part of The Ocean Cleanup’s efforts to develop a passive technology to clean up the world’s oceanic garbage patches, testing and iterating the floating barrier design.

The North Sea test will be helping to ensure the effectiveness and durability once the large-scale system will be deployed in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch in 2020.

Source: Dutch Water Sector

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