Baylab
Baylab was an underwater station of the American Morgan Wells, retired director of the unit for experimental diving at NOAA (= National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration, in German: National Marine and Atmospheric Authority). It was deployed in Milford Haven, between Gwynn's Island and Mathews on Chesapeake Bay at a depth of 15 feet (4.57 m) from early October 2000 .
Morgan Wells was already involved in underwater habitats such as Sealab 1965 and developed the Undersea Research Foundation (in German: Foundation for Underwater Research). Together with retired Charlie Depping and Jim Devereux, former orthopedic surgeon, and NOAA retirees William C. Phoel and Richard Rutkowski, the habitat was developed within six years. Deppig and Devereux only learned to dive during construction.
intention
With the project, Wells aimed to educate people about the underwater life of Chesapeake Bay and its protection. He also wanted to demonstrate the use of an extremely low energy consumption life support system that can operate independently of the surface. With this system, it is possible that two aquanauts can survive for two days with only 3 compressed air cylinders, because the breathing gas is cleaned and recycled.
financing
The project was financed by Morgan Wells own payments. He also received a grant from the Virginia Environmental Endowment to set up an archive of underwater videos of the Chesapeake Bay, and another grant from Mathews Market Days to purchase a digital video camera. The company Iceland Seafood on Gwynn Iceland presented its quay, energy, parking and telephone. The college of the William and Mary's Institute of Marine Sciences (Willam and Mary's Institute of Marine Sciences) provided the space to store materials and build a baylab. There the three builders collected all the individual parts, such as B. a decompression chamber and a tank for diving training. While Wells was preparing the use of LEDs , Depping and Devereux bought other things such as: For example, cheap fans from a flea market that sell for $ 2 instead of $ 35 for new items, plus a pool of equipment from the junkyard and cables from an old truck. This also explains the low total price of the habitat of around $ 15,000 to $ 20,000.
specification
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The habitat consisted of a steel cylinder painted white, 13 feet (3.96 m) long and 5.6 feet (1.71 m) high. A similar cylinder was used as ballast, cut lengthways in two and weighted down with 40,000 pounds (18.14 t) of gravel. This created a neutral buoyancy. After flooding several tanks, the habitat could then be lowered to the sea floor.
The interior was under ambient pressure, so a moon pool in the habitat served as an entrance. In contrast to most other habitats, this moonpool had a water barrier, i.e. a partition that was higher than the habitat entrance. As a result, one did not descend through a hatch in the floor to reach the water, but rather climbed this partition wall into a small basin, behind which the actual exit was. In addition to a window, Baylab had a boat toilet, shower and storage space for equipment. A door made of Plexiglas with seals against humidity separated the entrance from the work area. The work area had two beds, two chairs, a work table and an instrument cabinet. The air supply was provided by compressed air cylinders . The habitat could be self-sufficient for three or four days.
Flow meters controlled the air supply. The habitat was also equipped with sensors and alarms for carbon dioxide , oxygen and carbon monoxide . Carbon dioxide was filtered out with appropriate chemicals that had to be renewed daily. To reduce the risk of fire, the breathing gas consisted of a mixture with 16–18% oxygen instead of 21% in normal air. Depending on the tide, the internal pressure had to be adjusted by supplying breathing gas. The internal temperature was 70 ° Fahrenheit (21 ° C) and was therefore only marginally higher than the temperature of the surrounding water. Two small batteries operated the fans, communication systems and gas analysis devices. Since there was no cooking facility, the aquanauts ate cold canned dishes.
When asked about his favorite food in the Habitat, Wells answered with "fried beans". The aquanauts seem to be losing their sense of smell, but aren't sure why.
Individual evidence
- ^ Blanche Herring Scharf: Not Quite a League under the Sea . Ed .: Chesapeake Bay Magazine. February 2001.
- ^ Tina McCloud: Observing the unseen . Ed .: Daily Press.
- ↑ Sherry Hamilton: Army Divers Examine Baylab in Milford Haven . Ed .: Gloucester-Mathews Gazette-Journal. October 3, 2002, p. 15 .
- ↑ Baylab. In: Under the Chesapeake. Under the Chesapeake - Retrieved February 9, 2020 .