Aqua Nor - Grundfos
Danish technology
Fish farmers lose billions of US dollars every year due to inefficient fish growth and mortalities. Bacteria is a main cause for these losses, and most often they are not detected before it is too late. The traditional way of counting bacteria is laborious and time consuming. However, up until now no real alternative has existed.
At Aqua Nor, Grundfos will present a new technology, the Zebra bacteria sensor, which automatically counts bacteria in real-time; this insight can be used by operators to ensure greater system stability and lead to improved fish health.
The Zebra bacteria sensor creates a whole new category of sensors: automated reagentless microbiology sensors, robust enough to be placed in the field.
The sensor is based on a plug-and-play solution that makes the installation and operation easy and simple. It automatically monitors the concentration of bacteria and non-bacteria particles without the use of any chemicals, and provides the results within minutes.
The Zebra bacteria sensor is a truly innovative approach to bacteria monitoring that will change the way water quality is monitored. Having continuous data of the bacteria concentration allows the system opera- tors to detect short-term trends and to react on these proactively.
It can become a tool for fish farmers to increase their understanding of the microbiological environment and to develop and refine their processes to improve the overall bio stability.
’The Zebra bacteria sensor has helped us to understand how our daily processes affect the fish and thus helped us obtain and maintain better bio stability,’ said Martin Vestergaard, company manager and innovation expert from Danish aquaculture company AquaPri, which has been testing the sensor.
The sensor makes the results accessible from mobile and web platforms, and integrates with SCADA systems as well. This means that users can easily access water quality data independently of time and place.
The accompanying iPad application provides an overview of water quality data and enables users to gain a quick indication of the current water quality status.
Compared to other water quality technologies, Zebra has advanced software algorithms that compensate for the effect of the inevitable bio-fouling, prolonging the life-cycle between maintenance without sacrificing the integrity of the measurements.
When it is finally time to clean the optics, Zebra has a unique modular optical chamber that is easy to replace. The replacement is done with the flip of a switch, meaning maintenance of a Zebra bacteria sensor is both simple and inexpensive.
Hear more about the Zebra bacteria sensor at the Aqua Nor mini-seminar on Wednesday, August 19, 10-11am, in meeting room M8, or visit Grundfos at Stand F-512. Mathis Dahlqvist is Grundfos’s senior project manager.