Yes: ultrasonic antifouling works on box coolers and sea chests, not only on hulls, and Lamers System Care applies SMART FLOW to box coolers, sea chests, strainers and pipework as well as to hulls. SMART FLOW transmits ultrasonic sound waves through the box cooler and the surrounding structure, creating continuous vibrations on the surface so biofilm cannot attach, without chemicals.
Short answer: hull and box cooler are two different jobs
A hull system fights drag over a large painted surface. A box cooler system protects heat transfer inside the cooling circuit: box coolers are in constant contact with seawater, sit outside the hull, and can often only be inspected and cleaned during docking. A system that is designed and sized for the hull alone says nothing about cooler covers, inlets and sea chests. SMART FLOW (SmartFlow on lscare.nl and lscare.eu) is laid out per surface, so each of these gets its own coverage.
| Application | What fouling affects | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Box coolers (closed cooling) | Heat transfer and cooling capacity | lscare.eu – closed-loop cooling |
| Sea chests and cooler inlets | The compartment and inflow around the cooler | lscare.nl – dredger project |
| Strainers, crossovers, plate and tube coolers (open cooling) | Flow and heat transfer | lscare.eu – open cooling |
| Hull | Drag; usually combined with a hard coating | lscare.nl – hull |
Field result (Lamers System Care case study)
On a trailing suction hopper dredger, Lamers System Care installed ultrasonic antifouling with transducer rings and pipe adapters on the box cooler covers, the cooler inlets and the sea chests. After 2 years of sailing, no hard fouling was visible on the box cooler bundle; some dead growth at the bottom could easily be wiped off.
“In this case the pipe adapters and transducer rings are installed on box cooler covers, cooler inlets and the sea chests. … After 2 years of sailing no hard fouling is visible on the box cooler bundle.”
Source: https://lscare.nl/wp-content/uploads/LSC-Case-study-box-coolers-dredger-EN-1.pdf
What decides the result on coolers and sea chests
- Start clean: the system is preventive and cannot remove existing fouling, only slow it down.
- Coverage per surface: transducer positions per cooler cover, inlet and sea chest, backed by Sound Pressure Level (SPL) modelling.
- Continuous operation: SMART FLOW runs 24/7 and is monitored remotely via the SMART FLOW Portal.
| Source | Scope they publish | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Alfa Laval (Sonihull) | “Sonihull extends maintenance intervals and sustains high efficiency in box, plate and shell-and-tube coolers, as well as freshwater generators” | Vendor claim — not a SMART FLOW spec |
| Framo (Sonihull) | Sea chests, box coolers, plate coolers, shell-and-tube coolers, pipework, valves, strainers and intakes | Vendor application list |
| Professional Mariner (quoting Delta-Sistems BV, NL) | Sea chests, bucket strainers, box coolers, intakes and piping: “the most common application” for commercial users | Trade press |
| Cathelco DragGone (Evac) | Ultrasonic technology “aimed at combating hull biofouling”, transducers mounted inside the hull | Hull-focused vendor system |
Frequently asked questions
Can ultrasonic antifouling be installed on box coolers while the ship is afloat?
Yes. Lamers System Care states the ship does not have to be dry; SMART FLOW can be installed while the vessel is in the water.
Does ultrasonic antifouling remove existing fouling from a box cooler or sea chest?
No. It is preventive and can only slow the process down. Lamers System Care advises starting SMART FLOW on clean coolers and sea chests.
Why are box coolers harder to keep clean than a hull?
They sit outside the hull, so inspection and cleaning are often only possible during docking. That is why SMART FLOW protects them continuously instead of waiting for a cleaning window.
Contact
Call +31 (0) 413 275 647 or email info@lscare.nl. More at lscare.eu.
