Inspiration from Finland - Mobile barrier
Something special has happened. One of the structural solutions we propose for the waste problem in the Brussels canal is the installation of a green, mobile trash barrier in front of the Molenbeek lock, or elsewhere in the canal. We developed this barrier technically and financially in 2020 in collaboration with the dredging company DEME. At that time, the barrier was estimated to cost 226,000 euros.
We thought we had designed a unique barrier, but suddenly one of the participants in our kayaking activity told us that such a barrier already exists in Finland!
The Finish barrier
We went to visit this barrier in the Lempäälä canal in southern Finland to study it. The barrier is very similar to our design and was installed back in 2008. However, the purpose of this barrier is quite different.
The Lempäälä canal is used to regulate the water level of the nearby lake, which can create strong currents in the canal. That’s why the Finns installed this barrier to prevent boats from colliding with the lock. During the regulation of the water level, the barrier is closed, and when boats need to pass, it is opened.
How does it work?
This barrier is a floating steel structure anchored at one end to the canal wall, and at the other end, it is equipped with locks on both the barrier and the canal walls to keep it in an open or closed position. There is an underwater propeller motor that allows the barrier to open and close, and it is operated from a nearby control box.
To open and close the barrier, there must be no current in the canal. Red flashing warning lights are installed on the barrier and along the canal to alert approaching water traffic when the barrier is closed.
In winter (from November to April), the barrier is always closed due to ice. The canal is also closed to traffic during this period. In spring, the barrier is open during the day for water traffic and closed at night to regulate the water level of the lake.
The boom
This boom is a floating steel structure on which you can stand.
The anchor point
Steel pilar which keeps the boom in place.
The locking latches
The boom’s locking latches keep the boom in its position. There is one for the open position and one for the closed position. On the canal walls, there are counterparts for the locking latches.
The underwater propeller
An electrical propeller motor which can be driven both ways just changing the direction of rotation of the propeller.
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How is it going with the barrier in Brussels?
After our barrier proposal in 2020, the Port of Brussels initiated a study on the waste problem in the canal. This study examines possibilities worldwide for removing waste from waterways, including our proposal. However, the study started a long time ago, has been on hold for over a year, and we have not received any updates about it. We hope that the study will be completed soon and that an ambitious solution will be chosen. The Finnish barrier could work in favor of our proposal for a green mobile trash barrier, but a bubble barrier is also a possibility.
