Norwegian aquaculture producer Lerøy Sjøtroll has contracted ELDI Aqua to supply and install a BioSeize system to retrieve and handle the organic waste that collects in the company’s sea cages.
This contract represents a milestone for BioSeize, which in recent years has been developed and tested in collaboration with aquaculture companies. Lerøy plans to implement the BioSeize system at its aquaculture facility at Blom in Norway.
BioSeize is the result of close co-operation between ELDI Aqua, Rotor Aqua and Lerøy Sjøtroll. The system is capable of collecting feed waste and organic effluent from fish in aquaculture cages, maintaining the quality so that this material remains a valuable raw material.
Conventional collection processes can place this material under significant stress as it is pumped from cages to the surface, which can reduce opportunities for further utilisation.
The BioSeize system comprises two key elements. ConeCollect is a small-mesh netting cone rigged under a cage, with waste channelled to the lowest point. This is attached to a Fish/It pump system that uses a vacuum and a fresh water flow to extract the waste material to the surface.
Organic material retrieved using BioSeize can be used for production of fertiliser, green energy or other value-added products.
Operational reliability, energy efficiency and easy integration with aquaculture installations are the main elements focused on during the development process.
‘The decision by Lerøy to select BioSeize for its Blom location confirms that this system meets the practical requirements of leading aquaculture producers. That makes this a milestone for us, after many years of development work. BioSeize supports better utilisation of organic material that occurs in cage aquaculture, has a lower energy requirement and simplifies both operation and maintenance. The design of the net and the collection system ensures that various material flows are separated, which increases opportunities for the onward utilisation of retrieved material,’ said ELDI Group CEO Thomas Myrvold.
There has been a steady increase in interest in BioSeize, with enquiries about this coming from around the world. The contract with Lerøy is a significant step for ELDI Aqua and its ongoing development of innovations for the aquaculture industry.
