The company in this case study is a Dutch enterprise committed to a sustainable living environment and active in Dutch waters.
This study describes the challenges the company faced, why it chose Lamers System Care’s Ultrasonic Anti-Fouling systems, how the installation was carried out, and the results achieved.
As mentioned, this company operates in Dutch waters, for example around Zeeland, where the waters are highly prone to fouling.
The vessel is powered by two diesel engines, which are cooled with seawater. This extensive cooling system consists of a complex network of pipes.
Seawater is pumped into the pipes via an inlet and distributed to the two plate coolers through filters (pot filters) and the piping system. Until recently, these pipes experienced heavy fouling. Within a few months, problems arose due to the growth of algae, mussels, and other organisms, clearly visible in the photo.
This issue regularly caused malfunctions and unnecessary maintenance. There was a clear need for a solution to this persistent problem.
The Ultrasonic Anti-Fouling system from SmartFlow is a preventive system consisting of a control unit and one or more transducers.
The transducers are attached to the interior of the hull or to box coolers using a two-component industrial epoxy.
The transducers emit an ultrasonic signal, using the hull as a resonating chamber.
These high-frequency vibrations kill single-celled organisms (such as algae), preventing further fouling on the vessel, propellers, and coolers.
It is an extremely environmentally friendly and sustainable solution—a perfect alternative to environmentally harmful antifouling coatings.
The photos on the right were taken 14 months after the installation of the Ultrasonic Anti-Fouling system. As can be seen, the pipes are completely clean.
For comparison, a similar vessel operating in the same waters, whose pipes were also cleaned 14 months earlier, was inspected. The results of this inspection are shown below.
