Proof of Concept
Proof of Concept
Proof of Concept
How it works
How it works
The system is positioned firmly in a floating frame using only tension. This allows for dense deployment in a small footprint. The density is determined by the size and spacing of the sheaves, which is at 80 cm diameter in the prototype, and there is really no point of going smaller, the seaweed needs some space to grow in. High tension, of course, requires the equipment to be specialized in such a way as to keep the tension while not causing damage to the seaweed or the rope.
Moving the rope in the Loop Farm is done with a custom machine called the drive unit, which needs to be strong and gentle at the same time, especially if you want to regrow a new crop from the previous season. The drive unit lets the stipes pass through unharmed.
Because this was the first prototype and we needed to have a successfull harves, the system was seeded by hand. This was not only because we didn't prioritize the seeding module early on, but even if we had prototyped it, we couldn't be sure that it worked, and we needed to test the system with seaweed. The seeding module is currently in development and will be prototyped in the coming season.
The DRISHAC was deployed with the drive and harvesting units, and tested successfully in June 2024. We left a lot of seaweed on the rope to be able to test the system on the second year harvest the following season in 2025. This is where we also built and tested a scraping assembly that we developed as part of the cleaning unit with Lerøy Ocean Harvest.
Moving the rope in the Loop Farm is done with a custom machine called the drive unit, which needs to be strong and gentle at the same time, especially if you want to regrow a new crop from the previous season. The drive unit lets the stipes pass through unharmed.
Because this was the first prototype and we needed to have a successfull harves, the system was seeded by hand. This was not only because we didn't prioritize the seeding module early on, but even if we had prototyped it, we couldn't be sure that it worked, and we needed to test the system with seaweed. The seeding module is currently in development and will be prototyped in the coming season.
The DRISHAC was deployed with the drive and harvesting units, and tested successfully in June 2024. We left a lot of seaweed on the rope to be able to test the system on the second year harvest the following season in 2025. This is where we also built and tested a scraping assembly that we developed as part of the cleaning unit with Lerøy Ocean Harvest.
Gallery
Prototype - First Harvest
Prototype - First Harvest
