Marine growth causes every year considerable amount of money and labor for ship owners. The cost of removing the growth, loss of speed and extra fuel expenses are all cost that can be avoided.
Biocorrosion is also an issue that can be avoided.
Since the beginning of going to sea, man have struggled with marine growth. After an object being submerged in water for a very short time the first green layer of bio slime will begin to form on the surface. If the conditions are good the micro-organisms will start to multiply very quickly.
This first layer of micro-organisms is the basis of all further growth that will consist of algae, barnacles, mussels and shells.
In addition to the direct cost factor there is a new factor in the horizon. After the many years of discussing the cleaning of ballast water, the growth on the hulls of the ships coming from other biological areas, is now starting to catch the eye of the authorities.
What is the use of cleaning the ballast water, when the ship arrives with millions of organisms sitting on the sides and bottom, and thus introducing invasive species?
It might not be long before other areas will have regulations such as the new rules applying to ships calling New Zealand:
https://www.mpi.govt.nz/importing/border-clearance/vessels/arrival-process-steps/biofouling/biofouling-management/
Hasytec Electronics has developed and refined an Ultrasound system that solves the problem.
Ultrasound is highly effective against biofilm, fouling, marine growth on:
• Hulls
• Box coolers
• LT-coolers
• Strainers
• Fresh water generators
• Propellers
• Bow thrusters
and against biofilm and clogging on liquid carrying surfaces like:
• Pipes
• Plate heat exchangers
• Tanks
• Process water lines
The ultrasound system, called Dynamic Biofilm Protection, DBP is installed in ships without interfering in the machinery or equipment on board. The sound is from the control box transmitted through cables to the transducers that are fixed to the equipment or part of the ship where biofilm occurs.
The control box ensures a steady and constant flow of controlled sequences of different frequencies to make sure that all micro-organisms are destroyed. The ultrasound is transmitted at so high frequencies that the vacuole of the one cell organisms implode.
There is no impact on any other marine life.
It takes a lot of experience with the various types of equipment to know where to place the transducers and in which quantity they are needed to provide the full protection.
All the equipment is manufactured at the plant in Kiel, Germany, where the head office is also located
The components are class approved and the system itself is going to be certified by a classification society soon.