ABB Farm to Fork Aquaculture business Solutions Guide

Moving your fish and shellfish production from farm to fork Sustainably, reliably and safely

Introduction

Farm to Fork strategies focus on making value chains ethical, healthy and sustainable. The aquaculture farming and processing industries are facing significant challenges. Energy and feed prices are increasing, while consumers are facing pressures on their finances as a result of an increased cost of living, making them less likely to include fish in their weekly shop if prices are increased drastically. Meanwhile, the global population continues to grow. The need to improve animal welfare, maintain a sustainable environment and retain profitability is putting increased pressure on producers to improve productivity while reducing both energy usage and waste, and ensuring that water is recirculated efficiently. As such, the industry requires solutions that can help to make vital improvements within the areas of:

- Sustainability – where improvement comes in the form of energy savings, optimized use of water and feed, protection of the local environment, and reduction of waste

- Reliability – where the need to reduce wear and tear on assets, prolong equipment life and eliminate the risk of unplanned stoppages are all critical to profitable operation

- Safety – where it is vital to keep fish well and free from parasites and ensure food safety is maintained throughout the value chain

ABB offers application-based solutions for the aquaculture, food processing and logistics sectors. Our domain expertise, energy efficient motors and variable speed drive / variable frequency drive (drive) technology, can help to substantially reduce energy costs. In addition, programmable logic controllers (PLC) can deliver integrated control systems that help to provide enhanced digital visibility and control over the processes within the aquaculture, food processing and logistics sectors – from Farm to Fork.

Aquaculture production

Challenges facing the aquaculture industry

The aquaculture industry has grown substantially in recent decades, and is now a relatively mature market. As aquaculture production both onshore and offshore continues to increase, great care must be taken to ensure optimal and healthy fish growth, with minimal impact on the environment.

A rapidly evolving market

In a market which continues to grow rapidly, adapting to a changing industry landscape will require innovation and collaboration. The technical challenges involved in farming fish and other seafood are great in number, and the process can yield extremely tight margins. At the same time, sustainability must be at the heart of all operations to prevent damage to the ecosystem and ensure that both captive and wild seafood stocks remain healthy.

Precision control of environmental conditions

Fish, from salmon and trout to shellfish, requires highly specific conditions in order to thrive, and these can be difficult to create artificially. As such, environmental

conditions, particularly at onshore farms, must be carefully controlled to ensure health of stocks, and profitability for farmers. Equipment with the highest reliability is therefore required to ensure healthy environments, while keeping costs down where possible for maximum profitability. Fish and other farmed seafood take years to grow and so have a high sunk cost in energy expenditure as well as feeding. Even subtle improvements in energy efficiency can make a significant difference to the profitability of an operation.

Solutions across the aquaculture value chain

Both onshore and offshore farms, facilities and breeding grounds all have their own technical challenges. ABB is uniquely placed to provide solutions across the value chain for both farmers and the equipment manufacturers that supply them. ABB understands the applications and issues that matter to the industry, and has the technology, experience and expertise to help tackle sustainability, reliability and safety challenges in a rapidly changing market.

Aquaculture production

Challenge

SUSTAINABILITY

I need to recirculate as much water as possible, with as low energy use as possible

RELIABILITY

I cannot afford downtime on my water pumps as my fish need optimal conditions to thrive

SAFETY

I need to ensure that water is clean to guarantee optimal growth and health of my fish stocks

Pumps (onshore)

Solution

Drives provide accurate speed control of motor driven applications, to enable their best efficiency point and eliminate the need for valves to control the flow, reducing energy usage substantially

A drive is able to continue the control of motors/pumps even in the case where the overall control fails. This reduces the risk of losing the production, in case of failure

Drives and PLCs ensure that processes always operate within required parameters, to maintain set points for oxygen levels and filtration performance to ensure a healthy growth environment

Aquaculture production

Challenge Solution

SUSTAINABILITY RELIABILITY

Reducing energy usage at sea is important to maximize vessel efficiency and lower costs

Any motor that works at sea is susceptible to the elements and at a higher risk of corrosion

SAFETY

I have to ensure the wellbeing of my personnel, and prevent any risk of damage to the ecosystem

Pumps (offshore)

Drives and high-efficiency motors up to IE5 provide accurate speed control of motor-driven applications

ABB motors feature robust design to protect against harsh sea conditions, including corrosion and vibration protections

Drives have built-in safety functionality such as Safe Torque Control (STO) to ensure safety of personnel from machinery

Aquaculture production

Challenge Solution

SUSTAINABILITY

Aeration of wastewater is essential to avoid fish mortality, but aeration equipment is a large user of energy

RELIABILITY

Reducing oxygen levels for just two hours could kill my entire fish population

SAFETY

My fish require very specific conditions to be maintained at all times

Aerators

Drives can significantly reduce aerator energy consumption while ensuring a continuous flow of clean water

Drive and PLC set points can be linked via fieldbus to dissolved oxygen monitoring equipment, to ensure oxygen levels are maintained

Remote monitoring of drives, PLCs and motor equipment provide early warning in case of faults and failures

Aquaculture production

Challenge Solution

SUSTAINABILITY

Compressors are among the biggest energy users at my facility

RELIABILITY

Any failure to my heating or cooling systems could very quickly result in mortality and so must be avoided at all costs

SAFETY

I need my fans and compressors running optimally to create the right conditions for growth

Compressors, fans & blowers

IE5 SynRM motor and EC Titanium motors, combined as a package with a drive, can significantly lower energy costs, particularly fans, pumps and compressors

Drive lowers strain on equipment, while remote monitoring can flag up potential issues before they lead to failures

Drives and high efficiency motors ensure effectiveness of heating and cooling systems

Aquaculture production

Challenge Solution

SUSTAINABILITY

Feed accounts for a large proportion of farming costs, and so I need to ensure minimal waste

RELIABILITY

I need to ensure optimal running of systems to prevent downtime, as fish cannot grow without food

SAFETY

I need to prevent risk to personnel from heavy machinery such as hammermills

Feed production

(including hammermills, extruders)

Drive and PLC ensures accurate and precise dosing

More efficient motor control can be achieved with a drive, reducing wear on equipment while also facilitating a shift to predictive maintenance

Drive’s integrated Safe Torque Off function brings equipment to a safe and controlled stop in an emergency

Seafood processing

A process with a long tail

Fish can take up to three years to reach maturity and so each one already has a high value before it reaches the processing facility in the amount of time and money expended on ensuring that it grows in favourable conditions. Wastage will therefore have a significant impact on profitability. It is vital to maintain the sustainability of the industry, and therefore zero waste must be disposed offshore due to the potential harm it can cause to oceanic ecosystems.

The need for speed

Seafood can be ruined in a matter of hours if not kept at the right temperature, processed quickly, and stored properly. Processing facilities must therefore work quickly to ensure that fish reaches the shelf in optimal condition for consumption.

Downtime is not an option

At every stage, cooling is vital to ensure that the end product is safe to consume. The reliability of chillers and compressors is therefore highly important to ensuring quality, while speed is of the essence when it comes to processing fish quickly. As with

any production process involving heavy machinery such as cutters, safety is also paramount within the processing facility.

Facing industry challenges head-on ABB’s motor, drive and PLC products are designed to meet the needs of the increasingly sophisticated modern industrial food processing facility. From ultra-premium efficiency IE5 SynRM motor and drive packages, drives with built-in pump, compressor and safety functionalities, to advanced industrial and safety PLCs, ABB is equipped to help fish and shellfish processing facilities improve the sustainability, reliability and safety of their operations.

Seafood processing

Challenge Solution

My facility houses multiple conveyors of different types, with varying speed requirements

Each conveyor can have different maintenance requirements, while longer conveyors require longer cables to avoid unplanned stoppages

SUSTAINABILITY RELIABILITY SAFETY

I have a duty to keep my employees safe from dangerous machinery along the conveyor belt

Conveyors

Drives ensure smooth control of motor operations, increase energy efficiency and reduce damage to the final product for less waste

PLC combined with drives and motor ensures perfect synchronization of multiple conveyors for less wear on equipment and low maintenance requirements

Integrated functional safety in drives reduces risk to personnel

Seafood processing

Challenge Solution

SUSTAINABILITY

My cutters need to be efficient, while providing reliable speed control for maximum precision

RELIABILITY

The harsh washdowns required in this industry can lead to premature equipment failure

SAFETY

I need to prevent any risk of injury to my personnel

Cutters

Precise motor control provided by drive ensures repeatability and consistency for reduced waste

Washdown motors are robust and built to withstand washdown, lasting up to five times longer than conventional motors

Drive’s integrated functional safety adds extra protection on top of or instead of discrete safety devices

Seafood processing

Challenge Solution

SUSTAINABILITY

Cooling compressors are large energy users. I need to reduce my consumption wherever possible

RELIABILITY

Any delay due to equipment downtime can be costly to my business

SAFETY

Storage and transportation of seafood is very highly regulated to ensure hygienic practices

Cooling and refrigeration

Drives, high-efficiency motors and PLC’s can provide telemetry to prove that correct temperatures are maintained at all times

Drives helps to extend equipment lifetime through smoother operation, ensuring less wear, while digital monitoring ensures early warning of potential failures

Washdown motors are designed to withstand harsh washdowns for improved hygiene

Refrigeration and logistics

Improving the speed of the distribution chain without compromising on quality

Once processed, either raw or cooked seafood is packaged and transported either to logistics centers for onward distribution, to wholesalers, or directly to fish markets and supermarkets. It is crucial that food is kept at the optimum temperature to ensure freshness at each stage of the journey, making reliability, particularly of refrigerators and freezers, a top priority in the distribution chain.

Manufacturers supplying refrigeration equipment to food processors and logistics centers need to be able to trust in the quality of the components they use to ensure maximum uptime for their customers, and minimal maintenance call-outs.

Your trusted partner for motors and motor control in logistics operations

ABB offers a wide range of motion solutions designed to address the needs of cold chain logistics operators. High energy efficiency motors can deliver considerable savings while drives and PLCs ensure seamless operation of conveyors and compressors to reduce wear and tear on components. Digital remote monitoring services can also help to detect potential faults before they turn into failures, keeping downtime to a minimum.

Refrigeration and logistics

Challenge Solution

SUSTAINABILITY

Cooling compressors are large energy users. I need to reduce my consumption wherever possible

RELIABILITY

Raw fish can very quickly be destroyed in the wrong conditions, and so it is vital that there are no interruptions to the cold chain process to avoid any wastage

SAFETY

Storage and transportation of seafood is very highly regulated to ensure hygienic practices

Cooling and refrigeration

Drives with high-efficiency motors and PLC can provide telemetry to prove that correct temperatures are maintained at all times

Drive helps to extend equipment lifetime through smoother operation, ensuring less wear and reduce nonplanned downtime

Remote monitoring capabilities ensure that any potential issues can be flagged long before they develop into failures

Refrigeration and logistics

Challenge

SUSTAINABILITY

I want my conveyors to run smoothly to reduce their energy usage

RELIABILITY

Each conveyor can have different maintenance requirements, while longer conveyors can require numerous motors and long cables

SAFETY

I have a duty to keep my employees safe from dangerous machinery

Conveyors

Solution

Drives ensures smooth start and stop of conveyors, providing high accuracy speed control to optimize cooling and refrigeration time

PLC combined with drives and motors ensure perfect synchronization of multiple conveyors for less wear on equipment and low maintenance requirements

Integrated functional safety in drives reduces risk to personnel

ABB Motion solutions for aquaculture producers

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High efficiency motors

• ABB offers a comprehensive range of reliable and high efficiency motors for all aquaculture production, seafood processing and logistics applications from farm-to-fork

• Super premium efficiency IE4 induction and permanent magnet motors can significantly reduce energy usage, while meeting and exceeding Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS) around the world

• Ultra-premium efficiency IE5 SynRM motors / NEMA EC titanium motors and VSD packages can achieve unprecedented energy savings for processing and logistics applications

• Food Safe motors contribute to more hygienic working practices while prolonging motor lifetime

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Variable speed drives/variable frequency drives

• ABB drives are made with efficiency and performance in mind to empower productivity for seafood farmers and processors. They provide flexibility to optimize processes and control across the value chain, while achieving high reliability for less downtime

• Achieves substantial energy savings by delivering precision control to ensure that a motor only uses the energy it needs for a given output

• Built-in features and functionality tailored to aquaculture production processes, e.g. soft pipe filling, anti-cavitation function for pumps, cooling compressor control in general purpose drives

• EnergySave Calculator tool allows you to predict energy performance and savings prior to investing

• Functional safety built-in

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Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs) and Human Machine Interfaces (HMIs)

• ABB automation devices deliver solutions with high performance and flexibility to be effectively deployed in applications across the aquaculture value chain

• ABB range of PLCs can provide solutions for small, medium and high-end applications

• Ideal choice for high availability, extreme environments, condition monitoring, motion control and safety solutions.

• Constantly monitors process variables and can instruct motor and drive to adjust operations instantaneously to match requirements in real-time.

• Safety PLC specifically designed for safety applications involved in machinery and process automation

ABB Motion success stories in aquaculture

ABB drives and motors help increase sustainable aquaculture in Chile

The Owurkan is a clinical vessel that traffics in the Calle Calle river in Valdivia Chile. It’s specially designed to improve the therapeutic treatment of salmon. The vessel uses ABB variable speed drives and high-efficiency motors to control the operation of the propulsion system onboard the Owurkan. It has resulted in an energy reduction of 20% ensuring sustainable aquaculture.

The ship provides specialized treatments to salmons through fresh water bathes and controlled drugs. In this way, the discharge of antiparasitics to the ocean is reduced between 97% and 99% in comparison to traditional methods.

More than six years of research, development and innovation are contained in the ship “Owurkan” and materialized in technical elements, such as a pond of continuous movement, a plant of reverse osmosis, plants of oxygen generation, and labs, among other equipment. The ship was designed and built in the shipyard, Asenav, in Valdivia. It was developed from the beginning to operate in a sustainable way with a diesel-electric propulsion system based on ABB

Producing high quality fish in Germany in a sustainable way

FRESH Völklingen produces first-class fish in large saltwater pools without any access to the sea. Instead the water in use is circulated in a completely closed water cycle. ABB’s industrial and general purpose drives control water treatment pumps in harsh environmental conditions.

As innovative as aquaculture is for the German climate the technology in use is also innovative, and FRESH Völklingen is breaking new ground in this area. Each of the four saltwater pools form a closed water cycle with biological cleaning – a unique arrangement.

ABB variable speed drives/variable frequency drive (drives), control the Flygt pumps in a reliable way and play an important role in the water treatment process. There are a total of seven wall-mounted industrial drives with an output of 15 kilowatts, and one with 45 kilowatts. There are also three wall-mounted general purpose drives in use (45 kilowatts). The drive series has features that are important for water treatment, including coated circuit boards for harsh environments. The protective coating of the circuit board in the drive protects the electronics from moisture and extends the lifetime of the variable speed drive.

Our service expertise, your advantage Keep your operations running profitably, safely and reliably

ABB Motion OneCare

• M aximize uptime, extend product life cycle, and enhance the performance and energy efficiency of your assets.

• Enable innovation and success through digitalization by securely connecting and monitoring your motors and drives, increasing reliability and improving efficiency.

• O ur domain expertise is strengthened by a service offering tailored to your needs, enabling you to unlock new possibilities and achieve more sustainable outputs.

Reliability

The

Partnered solutions

Bringing expertise and capabilities together to enhance your business performance

Data and Advisory services

Better decision making

Modernization and Performance improvement services

Delivering service excellence

Reducing

Digital

Delivering

digital

for

Extending life-cycle

OUR

ABB Ability™ digital solutions

ABB offers a range of services and digital solutions based around the ABB Ability™ platform, which can help to make better decisions to maximize the potential of your motor-driven applications across the entire powertrain.

ABB Ability™ Mobile Connect for drives

It allows equipment manufacturers to communicate with drives users or service personnel on-site, helping them easily commission and troubleshoot drives remotely. Chats and sharing of images and backups via smartphone make the technical support process quick and efficient.

This increases opportunities to provide online technical support for end customers –without complex connectivity infrastructure. This is ideal for facilities in remote locations lacking in modern communications provision.

ABB Ability™ Condition Monitoring for powertrains

ABB Ability™ Condition Monitoring service for powertrains optimizes the performance and efficiency of rotating equipment. It enables full transparency on key parameters for drives, motors, and pumps, and can also be used in applications such as compressors, mixers and extruder main shafts.

The powertrain is equipped with sensors and cloud connectivity and you can choose the assets you want to monitor.

Data gathered from drives’ inbuilt sensors and loggers together with that collected from ABB Ability™ Smart Sensors fitted to motors and pumps, can be aggregated, stored and further accessed via the cloud. The ability to gather and analyze this data can reveal information on the status and condition of your equipment, so that you can schedule service activities more effectively.

ABB Access and local support

ABB Access – unlocking your drives, motors, and PLCs

With ABB Access, you can unlock all aspects of your drives, motors or PLCs, from one central location: the palm of your hand. Simply scan the QR code on the ABB product to get started.

ABB Access helps you to easily find up-todate online product data. It also provides fast access to documentation and manuals. If you happen to experience issues with your ABB product, this can be quickly and easily reported online to reach expert support from ABB.

Engage ABB support locally

As well as serving the market directly, ABB continuously develops a network of value adding channel partners including ABB Value Providers that enhance ABB’s market reach and proximity around the world. Local expertise, combined with a world leading product and service offering, can help to provide support at every stage of the aquaculture value chain.

ABB Value Providers are regularly trained in the latest products, techniques and best practices, as well as being periodically assessed on their core competencies to ensure that customer expectations are always fulfilled, 24 hours a day, anywhere in the world.

The ABB Value Provider program ensures that approved third parties deliver authorized sales, support, service and engineering in cooperation with ABB, bringing ABB’s products and services straight to the customer’s front door.

Summary

Across the value chain, from aquaculture to logistics, key stakeholders face an array of challenges in ensuring maximum efficiency with minimal waste, while attempting to reduce costs wherever possible. Meanwhile, the industry is also working hard to improve its environmental footprint.

ABB’s Motion portfolio delivers solutions with tangible benefits for improving the sustainability of operations, and the reliability and safety of processes, from Farm to Fork.

To find out more about how ABB can help you

FI-00232

Helsinki, Finland

https://campaign.abb.com/farm-to-fork-aquaculture