Feedback between Temperature and Thermal Conductivity

In general, thermal conductivity is regarded as a material constant. However, as a result of strong heating or strong cooling, changes in the state of the materials can occur which also influence their thermal properties. In particular, gases generally have much lower thermal conductivities than liquids (see e.g. here: https://www.thermal-engineering.org/what-is-thermal-conductivity-of-water-and-steam-definition/). Such processes could lead to changes in the thermal properties of gas-bearing sediments in the offshore area as a result of both natural and anthropogenic influences. Reduced thermal conductivity due to increased gas content in the sediment could thereby prove problematic for the installation of offshore energy cables. This project is funded by the state of Bremen within the framework of the state program "Promotion of Research, Development and Innovation" (FEI) of the Senator for Economics, Labor and Europe of the Free Hanseatic City of Bremen.

20 years of FIELAX

This summer FIELAX celebrates its 20th anniversary. We would like to thank all our customers, suppliers and partners for the "decades of good cooperation". After its beginnings "at the North and South Pole", the company has continuously expanded both its areas of activity and its geographical scope. We owe this above all to the consistently good performance of the entire workforce, many of whom are travelling all over the world - also today. In the meantime, there are some offspring, most of whom do not even know that there was a time "before FIELAX".

We look forward to further growth and future projects.

Demonstrator for deep-sea pump system “Seafeather” – developed by FIELAX and AWI – successful first deployment in the Kermadec Trench

FIELAX and the Alfred Wegener Institute work together in the joint project "SeaFeather 10k" funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (FKZ 03SX480C). The goal is to develop a new, innovative deep-sea pumping system up to water depths of 10000m. The new system should enable various control options via measured values of additional sensors (e.g. pressure, conductivity, temperature), have modern battery technology and be intuitive to operate.

After test runs in a pressure tank and in the North Sea, the system was used for the first time under real conditions during the cruise SO289 of research vessel ‚FS Sonne‘. In the Kermadec Trench, approx. 500 liters could be successfully pumped through at almost 6000m within 1 hour. Pumping performance, filter pattern, battery performance, manageability and operation of the system as well as the data sets obtained met all set requirements. In the remaining term of the project, work is to be done on the development towards a prototype.