WATER TECHNOLOGY

RAS Design Innovations and Opportunities for New Technologies

Frederic GaumetMarius Hægh

1. Salmon industry drives RAS innovations2. Kaldnes® RAS concept3. From concept to reality4. Understand to improve5. A few innovations6. A new way to farm fish?

RAS Design Innovations and Opportunities for New Technologies

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IntroductionA necessary evolution / revolution for the salmon

industry

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Production of Atlantic salmon and trout

19990,5 millMT

20303,0 millMT

20101,0 millMT

20505,0 millMT

100% 200% 70%

Source: Almås et al. 2013.: «Verdiskaping basert på produktive hav i 2050»

What are the implications of given future prognoses?

If we assume 4,0 kg harvest per smolt this means:

‐ 750 million smolts in 2028 (15 years from now)‐ 1250 million smolts in 2048 (35 years from now)

What are the implications of the future prognosis

The future of smolt production

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To produce “super” post‐smolts under controlled environment

• Today smolts are produced up to 100‐250g max• Smolts not always adapted to salinity before transfer to sea

To increase turnover and productivity of fattening sea sites

• By shortening production cycle on sea• By increasing nb of batches per year• By optimizing sea based operation (feeding/handling/etc.)

To answer environmental concerns and health/welfare issues on salmon

• Environmental impact of net pens• Sea lice issues• Diseases spreading• Smolt and young adult escapees

The most important message is HERE:

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Smolt produced in RAS show very good performances when placed in growout sea pen farms. Superior growth and lower mortality.

Post‐smolts performances after transfer to sea (the first 3 months in net pens)

SGR (%/day)

Mortality (% over a 3 months period)

Moving forward to more sustainability

Industry Challenge

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Land and water availability

Animal welfare and performance

Operational conditions and technical risk

Environmental impact, sustainability and regulatory and 

consumer risks

Profitability

RAS’s response

Significantly reduced water consumptionLess land due to reduced footprint

Healthier and more disease resistant fishBetter animal welfare due to better overall conditions

Reduced vulnerability towards external factorsImproved control over biological performanceReduced technical risk

Reduced costs of installation and operationLower energy costsReduced technical, political and consumer risks

Reduced impact and load on the natural environmentSludge and effluent recoveryReduced physical and carbon footprintsReduced regulatory and consumer risks

Compact and energy efficient designKaldnes® RAS

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Kaldnes ® RAS – Compact and energy efficient design

Krüger Kaldnes

1122

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1. Inspection and access opening2. Bioreactor 23. Bioreactor 14. Air blowers in sound silencer chamber5. Drum filter 60 micron6. Drum filter 20 micron7. Drum filter 60 micron8. Pumps9. Bypass and return water10. CO2 and N2 stripper11. Collection pipe inlet water12. Collection pipe outlet water13. Deepshaft oxygen cone

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Kaldnes® RAS – Video

Krüger Kaldnes

Design innovationKaldnes® RAS in Practice

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Design innovation - Kaldnes® RAS in Practice

Krüger Kaldnes

Largest aquaculture recycling center in EuropeCutting edges technologyBoth fresh‐ and seawater

Nofima Research station – Sunndalsøra (NO)

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Design innovation - Kaldnes® RAS in Practice

Krüger Kaldnes

Capacity over 5 Million smolts/yearTotal rearing volume 4250 m3Complete process design and delivery by Krüger Kaldnes

MARINE HARVEST, DALSFJORD – Grow out

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Design innovation - Kaldnes® RAS in Practice

Krüger Kaldnes

Capacity 3 Millions smolts/yearTotal rearing volume 3000 m3Complete process design and delivery by KrügerKaldnes

Sundsfjord Smolt AS

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Design innovation - Kaldnes® RAS in Practice

Krüger Kaldnes

Marine Harvest – Steinsviko Capacity of 5,3 mill smolt up to 250g/year

o 3 department

o 9600 m3 total rearing volume

o 10MT total daily feeding

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Design innovation - Kaldnes® RAS in Practice

Krüger Kaldnes

Marine Harvest – SteinsvikFirst eggs to be introduced in February 2015 !

Understand to improveRecirculating Aquaculture System (RAS)

Our Development Strategy

Strong focus on understanding water quality and technologicalperformance to develop the best solutions available

18Krüger Kaldnes

o Development and documentation of:o Energy efficient production

o Biosecurity and plant management

o Fine particle control and water quality polishing

o Optimization of biological water treatment

o Low energy/low head gas control in RAS treatment loop

o Efficient and sustainable solutions for sludge treatment and

handling

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Cumulative volume pe

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Particle size (µm)After DF

Before DF

Before DFo PSD covers full particle size rangeo Dominating particle size are particles >300 µmo 75% > 60 µm

Master Thesis – Timo Rosche - 201419

Impact of the Drum Filter on PSD

FIGURE 28: DISTRIBUTION OF PSDS  (RELATIVE VOLUME PERCENTAGE) BEFORE AND AFTER DRUM FILTRATION. WATER SAMPLES ANALYZEDWERE MIXED SAMPLES FROM BEFORE  (N=4)/ AFTER  (N=4) THE 3 HYDROTECH DRUM FILTER WITH 2 X 60 µM  (85 % OF FLOW) AND 1 X 30  (15 % OF FLOW) µM FILTER GAZE. 

FIGURE 29: DISTRIBUTION OF PSDS  (CUMULATIVE VOLUME PERCENTAGE) BEFORE AND AFTER DRUM FILTRATION. WATER SAMPLES ANALYZEDWERE MIXED SAMPLES FROM BEFORE  (N=4)/ AFTER  (N=4) THE 3 HYDROTECH DRUM FILTER WITH 2 X 60 µM  (85 % OF FLOW) AND 1 X 30  (15 % OF FLOW) µM FILTER GAZE. 

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Lower particle size class (µm)After DF

Before DF

DF 1 (30µm)

DF 2+3 (60µm)

After DFClear reduction of upper particle size range97% of all particles < 60µm83% < 30µm

Clear effect of DF ‐ PSD changed from dominatingbig particles to dominating fine particle.

Testing and validation - Kaldnes® RAS

Testing and validation - Kaldnes® RAS

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Total ammonia nitrogen (TAN) was in the range 0,4 – 0,6 mg/L in both test periods. 

This shows that the nitrification is stable and efficient at thetested feed loads (900 – 1100 kg/d).

Note that the CO2 stripper also contribute considerably to total nitrification capacity inthe system.

CO2 og N2- removal

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G:L ratio 5:1Neg. pressure 0,3 mVs increase capacity

N2 saturation

Oxygenation-Deepshaft

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• Greatly reduced energy costs• Pressure 7,5‐10m (0,7‐1 bar).

• Dissolution efficiency 96‐98 % in freshwater

Advanced Oxydation Technology (AOT)New Technologies

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New Technologies – AOT

Krüger Kaldnes

o Utilizes the most powerful oxidants in nature – free radicals

o Chemical-freeo Inspired by nature´s own process to

degrade organic materialso Nothing added to the processo No risk for overdosingo Low energy consumptiono Decreases turbidity

AOT in RAS systemsAOT Function:

Kaldnes® RAS - TerflexNew Technologies

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New Technologies - Kaldnes® RAS - Terflex

Krüger Kaldnes

Side stream Ultrafiltration System at 0,02 micronLarge scale trial at NofimaSignificant impact on water qualityHigh membrane efficiencies

Fine solids and colloidal particle removal

Anita™ MoxNew Technologies

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New Technologies - Anita™ Mox

Krüger Kaldnes

The key  conversion in the ANITA™ Mox is nitrogen removal through anaerobic ammonium oxidation

Anaerobic ammonium oxidation (Anammox)

NH4+ + NO2

‐ ‐>  N2  + 2H20

Features:• Less O2  (≈ 60%)• No carbon needed• Less CO2 production• Less sludge production• Less alkalinity consumption (≈ 50%)

Disadvantages:• Slow growth rate, doubling time 11‐13 

days ‐ long start‐up periods• Necessary to have a long SRT (Biofilm)• Nitrite accumulation if process is 

inhibited

Nitryfying biofilm vs. Anammox biofilm

New MBBR Media ?New Technologies

Z - The new dimension of MBBR

Biofilm surface area at different biofilm thickness

Protected surface area vs biofilm surface area

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When oxygen and other reactants are consumed, a redox gradient is formed in the biofilm

The importance of the redox gradient

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Carrier

Bulk Liquid

Oxygen

BoundaryLayer

Anaerobic Anoxic Aerobic

The principle of biofilm control

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o Carrier design for self-control of biofilm thickness

Possibilities with biofilm control

Eliminating variations due to changes in biofilm thicknessEliminating limitations due to clogging biofilmFacilitates engineered and controlled redox gradients allowingtailor-made design for specific reactions

Thin, completely aerobic Aerobic and anoxic Thick aerobic, anoxic, anaerobic

Selenium removalExamples:Nitrification with organicload

ANITA Mox

The optimized carrier

Combines a controlled biofilm and design for maximum mass transferIs different for different applications

A New Way to Produce FishRAS 2020 Technology

RAS2020 : Or how to combine RW fish handling efficiency and circular tanks hydrodynamics

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A capacity of 1200MT salmon 4‐5 kg/yearwithin a 2700 m2 building

Compact – no piping – built in 6 months

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1. Fish tanks with movable compartments2. Transport Channel outlet3. Inlet weir for Drumfilters4. UV-treatment of partial stream5. MBBR reactor6. CO2 and N2 stripper7. Propeller pumps into level weir8. Inlet channel & circulation propellers9. Purging tank10. AOT treatment for purging11. Denitrification Reactor

FootprintMBBR 160m2

Tank 580m2

Rearing Vol 2680m3

Assumptions and specs.

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WATER TECHNOLOGY

Thank you