A team of aspiring green engineers from UPD (University of
Philippines Diliman) have developed a low-cost dam that will primarily
prevent flooding, generate electricity, and aid food/water shortages.
The
Gaia dam was designed to have the ability to prevent flooding from
torrential rains on farms and to reroute river flows in coastal areas
for sea concentration leveling. The dam’s constructural frame is
composed of gabion structures, which are wire mesh baskets stabilized by
recycled concrete-rock columns. This stabilization is necessary to
combat hydrostatic forces pushing upwards through the dam.
Internally,
the dam has additional cleansing systems. Proprietary enzymes and
proteins are located inside the dam’s recycled concrete-rock columns.
The benefit of having proteins located in the columns’ specialized core
is for farm irrigation. The water flowing through the Gaia dam will
later flow to crops; due to the additional proteins located in the
water, nutrients and minerals are absorbed fluidly. Additional enzymes
located in the water help dissolve insect exoskeletons and other pests
that are detrimental to crop growth.
Cost-wise, the
Gaia dam is a valuable structure. Similar to the likes of a
hydroelectric power plant, the Gaia has the ability to divert water into
a turbine powerhouse. The difference is that the dam can do so at a
significantly lower cost than standard concrete dams.
What
are your thoughts on the Gaia dam? Should the Philippines incorporate
more of these structural dams throughout their nation?
For more information, visit: http://tiny.cc/vr8uzx
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