PRELIMINARY ANALYSIS OF BIOFOULING GROWTH AND ADHESION - A FIELD STUDY OF OCEAN THERMAL ENERGY CONVERSION FACILITY

Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) is a renewable energy technology that exploits temperature differences between warm surface ocean waters and cold deep ocean water to generate energy based on the principle of thermodynamic heat engine systems. Due to the system's direct contact with seawater, it has a high potential for becoming potential sites of unwanted accumulation and growth of biofouling such as microorganisms, plants, algae, or turnips on wet surfaces. Based on the future location of OTEC facility in Port Dickson, Malaysia, no specific study has been done to evaluate potential biofouling, particularly its minimum period for growth stages in this site. Therefore, this study focuses on conducting preliminary assessments of biofouling growth profile on the coastal area where OTEC facility could be deployed. These proposed research activities involved direct field work where two cages containing a set of coupons for biofouling growing sites were immersed in the coastal area in Port Dickson beach. The collected samples were collected periodically within six weeks and analyzed accumulated weight of sample and area covered by visible macrofouling on the immersed coupons. The results biofouling formation particularly visible macrofouling samples could occur after a minimum of three weeks. It was proven with clear and visible presence of macrofouling samples, likely to be perna viridas (green mussels) and balanus glandula (acorne barnacles). In addition, a drastic increase in the accumulated weight of sample was recorded between 21st day to 41st day (during the fourth visit) for almost 25% and the covered area was recorded for more than 50%. Although there is no clear quantitative and consistent data of biofouling growth profile from the accumulated and covered area sample, this preliminary assessment provides a good basis for the next biofouling study as it provides input for the minimum period for biofouling assessment.