For several years now, NASC has been conducting a large-scale modernization of Akademik Vernadsky station, as it was built in the second half of the last century and belonged to Great Britain, so now some systems need renovation.
The repair work is mainly carried out by the seasonal expedition, namely the engineering and technical group led by Anatolii Andreiev and Viacheslav Marchenko. What the specialists managed to do this season:
All-weather 360 degree zoom surveillance camera installed
It was placed on the highest point of Galindez Island (Woozle Hill, 51 m). The camera allows polar explorers to see the entire island and its surroundings for many kilometers around in any weather. This opens up the following possibilities:
- find a person on the island if his radio suddenly stops working
- track the movement of our polar explorers’ boats, as well as see the movement of yachts and large vessels in the surrounding waters
- receive information about the ice situation to plan sea exit routes.
It is interesting that the camera is powered by equipment that uses renewable energy sources: a solar panel and a wind generator adapted to work in both light and stormy wind conditions.
This is a way of testing the possibilities of using “green” energy in Antarctic conditions to power autonomous equipment. So far, the results have shown significant potential for solar energy during the Antarctic summer.
3 platforms were built and restored
- A new platform for launching radiosondes has been built at the exit of the air pavilion. It is a platform 12 m by 4.6 m, based on 10 metal supports with a wooden deck. Concreting of supports and construction took about three weeks. Now meteorologists are actively using the platform, so now bad weather isn’t a problem for scientific discoveries.
- The fuel storage area was reconstructed. This platform was almost half a century old, so the concrete in it was cracked, and some of the wood was rotten. Specialists replaced the supports and restored the construction.
- The waste storage area has been renovated and expanded.
The frame for the second crane has been laid.
After the renovation of the waste storage area, a new place suitable for installing a crane appeared: on the shore next to the boathouse-warehouse. There, during this season, our specialists designed the foundation and reinforcing frame.
Next season, a refurbished Palfinger PK 10000 hydraulic crane-manipulator is to be installed here. This will make it possible to lift cargo from boats directly onto the platform, almost to the warehouse door. At the same time, the crane will simplify the operations of unloading waste onto boats, which was previously delivered to the main pier by carts.
The station’s drainage collector has been repaired.
A new cold-resistant plastic pipeline was installed, and the outer box now has an insulation layer and heating with a special electric cable. All wooden parts were kept in temporary baths specially made on site and impregnated with a protective liquid. Now this infrastructure element will not cause problems for the next 10-15 years.
Light bulbs have been replaced with more energy-efficient ones
In all the station premises lighting devices were replaced with more modern and energy-efficient ones. In total, over 300 light bulbs have been installed.
It is planned that modernization work will continue next season.