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Il est estimé que chaque année, le surcout généré par l’utilisation de biocides dans la protection des navires et structures est compris entre 60 à 100M$. Cela inclus la sur-consommation de carburant, les plus fréquentes mise en cale des bâtiments et les couts de maintenance accrus.
Sur une coque, le processus de dégradation des biocides commence dès les 15 premières minutes de l’immersion. Il y aura en tout premier l’apparition d’une couche visqueuse qui sera le support nutritionnel pour des microalgues, puis les algues et mollusques de tous types. A ce stade, naviguer avec une coque sale augmente considérablement la consommation de carburant.
Dans les composants internes aux navires dans lesquels circule de l’eau de mer, l’effet est le même car ces les algues obstruent les conduits à plus ou moins long terme, affecte la circulation de l’eau et les performances des éléments refroidit par ces échanges au risque de les détériorer.
Sur les structures Offshore tel que les plateforme ou champs éolien, la surcharge en poids et en résistance des écoulements de l’eau sur ces structures affecte d’environ 30% le cycle de vie et d’entretien de ces structures.
Depuis des décennies, les ultrasons ont été au service de l’agroalimentaire, des cultures hors-sol , des brasseurs et de tant d’autres industries afin d’éviter la prolifération d’algues.
Historiquement, les peintures et autres biocides chimiques et toxiques ont été appliqués sur les surfaces exposées afin de régler ce problème.
Les nouvelles règlementations environnementales ont interdit l’utilisation de métaux dans la composition de ces peintures et l’industrie est en demande de solution efficace et propre.
Sonihull utilise les ultrasons pour protéger toutes les surfaces sur les navires et structures exposés à ce problème. Contrairement aux peintures, le Sonihull n’émet, ni ne produit de déchet toxique pour l’environnement.
Par l’émission d’ultrasosn, le Sonihull retarde de beaucoup l’apparition des premières couches de cette chaine alimentaire servant de base à la prolifération des algues et autres coquillages.
Simple à installer et à utiliser, la Solution Sonihull se monte et s’oublie, la technologie des Sonihull fait le reste.
L’installation ne nécessite aucune mise à terre, aucun perçage de coque ou des structures et, en plus des économies directes, garantit une moindre usure des éléments protégés.
The Sonihull Ultrasonic Anti-fouling System is a Fit & Forget solution for hulls, marine structures, box coolers, sea chests, strainers ... wherever there is unwanted bio-fouling.
The Sonihull system prevents marine organisms from colonising solid surfaces that are exposed to raw seawater. Unlike biocidal coatings and impressed-current systems, Sonihull is low cost and low maintenance, with zero poisonous environmental legacy.
Fitting is very easy, there's no need to drydock and drain your box coolers, there's also no drilling, welding, or expensive copper anodes to replace regularly. When compared to impressed-current antifouling systems, the Sonihull system can reduce capital and MRO costs by up to 95%.
The Sonihull protection system utilizes the latest digital electronics and Ultrasonic transducer technology, by producing multiple bursts of ultra sonic energy simultaneously in a multiple range of frequencies.
This energy produces a pattern of alternating positive and negative pressure. The alternating pattern creates microscopic bubbles during periods of negative pressure and implodes them during periods of positive pressure in a phenomenon known as "cavitation."
The implosion creates a micro-jet action that not only provides the cleaning effect on the hulls surface below the water line, it also resonates and destroys single cell organisms such as algae. The removal of the initial link in the food chain inhibits the growth barnacles and other marine life that feed on the algae.
Although the concept of using ultrasonic for keeping your boat hull clean is a relatively new application, the concept of ultrasonic cleaning is not new, it has been around for over 30 years, used for a wide variety of applications, from cleaning of dental and medical equipment, fine jewelry, through to de-gunging drains and automotive parts to name but a few, also, in a subject closer to sailors hearts Ultrasonic's is also used for keeping pipes clean in many breweries and hostelries around the world.
Over the past decade, environmental issues have meant much tighter controls on industrial cleaning products especially chlorofluorocarbons, with "necessity being the mother of all inventions" industry needed to find an alternative solution, Ultrasonic cleaning was considered the most viable solution, by embracing the latest in digital electronics and transducer technology, the industry made a quantum leap forward over the last decade to fill the needs of industry.
"Cavitation" is the rapid formation and collapse of millions of tiny bubbles (or cavities) in a liquid. Cavitation is produced by the alternating high and low pressure waves generated by high frequency (ultrasonic) sound. During the low pressure phase, these bubbles grow from a microscopic size until, during the high pressure phase, they are compressed and implode.
Tests show that there is no danger to fish or marine mammals, (but if they can hear the ultra high frequencies and don't like it, they only have to swim a few more inches away from the hull to avoid the problem!)
A clean hull can save you 30% of fuel bill, It is common that fouling on the boat's hull will lead to increased resistance, which basically means you are going to burn more fuel for every knot you make. The outcome is compromised efficiency and a poorer mpg figure than with a clean hull, but by how much?
To answer this question a leading yacht journal undertook some comprehensive seatrials in a 10-year-old Princess 430 insatalled with twin Volvo TAMD63P engines rated to 370hp at 2800rpm, measuring its performance before and after its spring lift.
Painting the hull is not only for purpose of antifouling, it is also an important waterproofing barrier, protecting the gel coat from the effects (and immense cost) of osmosis. Therefore we would still recommend that the boat is protected under the water line. In some cases to maximize performance some yacht owners who have installed the sonihull system have opted to use a harder grade of antifouling paint, as apposed to the soft self polishing versions which have a higher drag factor through the water. So although there is still a need for painting below the water line, when using the sonihull system the need to do so will be greatly reduced.
Although we have received a few reports that this is the added benefit of installing an Ultrasonic system, and could be plausible due to the simple sell structure of Jellyfish, to-date there is no scientific data to prove this theory.
Yes, the same laws of physics apply but due to the surface area of the hull below the water line, several sonihull's would need to be installed to get the desired effect. Please also note that the transducers need to be bonded to the inside of the outer skin of the hull so please check that you can access this as some yachts have inner skins with a filled cavity that would hinder the acoustic transfer of the sound waves.
We recommend an epoxy glue such as araldite or equivalent. You will note that there is a gutter built in to the locking ring that is bonded to the hull, this is to prevent any access glue getting into the thread. It is also recommended to apply a little bit of petroleum jelly to the thread to protect it from any epoxy that gets squidged in to the thread.
No, sorry, but due to the low density of wood and the quantity of joints makes for poor acoustic transmission of high frequencies, so making the unit far less effective for this application.
A Sonihull is suitable for all single skin GPR, aluminium and Concrete hulls. Foam Core hulls have special installation requirements, please contact us for details.
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