Aloha from Kona!

Things have been heating up in Hawaii!  Well, heating up and cooling down to be precise.  Seatrec declared another successful sea trial off the coast of Hawaii with the recovery of a profiling float powered by two SL1 units that harvest energy from the hot and cool temperature differences in the ocean.  This profiling float descended to a depth of over 1000 meters before resurfacing and turning the temperature difference between deep and surface water into electricity.

Dr. David Fratantoni (left) and Michael Zedelmair (right) were happy after a successful deployment and recovery operation sitting on deck of the vessel shown.  Seatrec’s SL1 energy harvesting system can potentially provide 100% of the power needed for a profiling float which are typically powered by batteries, a limitation which necessitates profiling dives coupled with low power consumptive sensor payloads.  The SL1 greatly enhances the capabilities of floats to enable longer lifetime, more frequent sampling, more sensor payloads, and elimination of battery waste when the profiler becomes derelict.

Photo: Cole Arrington