WEBAP

Title: Wave Energized Baltic Aeration Pump

Summary: Recent studies show that coastal regions suffering from oxygen depletion - hypoxia - have increased dramatically since the 1960s. Such a situation has serious consequences for ecosystem functioning. Oxygen-depleted areas are known as ‘dead zones’ and exist in more than 400 aquatic systems worldwide - one of which is the Baltic Sea - affecting a total area of more than 245.000 km2. Hypoxia is a direct result of nutrient pollution and eutrophication. It is therefore essential to reduce the amount of nutrient loads in marine environments.

Upstream nutrient reductions, however, are difficult and not sufficient, as it takes a very long time before effects in marine environments are observed. Moreover, global warming phenomena are expected to increase hypoxia, which in turn will exacerbate global warming. Mitigation measures that lead to direct improvements in dead zones are required. Recent research by the project partners and other independent organisations suggests that a new technology called the Wave Energized Baltic Aeration Pump (WEBAP) could be a technically, economically and ecologically suitable solution.

This project aims to demonstrate the technical feasibility of using a wave-powered device - WEBAP - for the aeration of coastal zones and open seas suffering oxygen depletion. The pump exclusively uses the natural resources of oxygen-rich surface water and wave energy to improve the oxygen situation in hypoxic bottom water layers by enhanced ventilation and mixing. It will prepare and assemble a WEBAP prototype, including fine-tuning of the system to the local conditions. The system will be demonstrated through tests at two complementary sites in the Baltic Sea: one to show its effects on hypoxic bottom water layers; and another in the real environment.

The beneficiary expects to prepare a future full-scale implementation of the aeration pump and demonstrate its transferability to other hypoxic marine environments. The implementation of these pumps is expected to improve the ecological status in coastal areas and open seas significantly, increasing oxygen levels in hypoxic deep-water layers to at least 2 mg/l. Their use should restore self-purifying bio-geochemical processes. It should decrease phosphorus leakage from bottom sediment by 50% in anoxic waters and eventually phosphorus binding when more aerobic conditions occur.

Secondary effects hoped for include improved marine habitats, the recovery of benthic animals and deep-water living fish, and reduced algal bloom. The project will monitor and check its environmental impact and present and disseminate results and technical information to people dealing with similar problems of oxygen depletion in marine environments in other regions.

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