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Nanobubble technology offers extensive benefits for aquaculture Kelly Coleman, on behalf of Moleaer
Aquaculture professionals are well aware that water quality is of paramount importance in productivity, product quality and long-term sustainability for both hatchery and grow-out stages of production. Limited resources and effects on water quality from climate change present daunting challenges for the growth of global aquaculture. Innovative nanobubble technology shows immense promise in addressing those challenges. Founded in 2016, Moleaer’s nanobubble technology increases dissolved oxygen (DO) levels and water quality by reducing ammonia levels and suppressing waterborne pathogens, with proven successful applications in wastewater treatment and hydroponic agriculture. Moleaer has raised $20 million in capital to date, with recent fundraising of $9 million led by S2G’s Ocean and Seafood fund. The groundbreaking company is expanding its focus to the aquaculture industry, with demonstrable benefits for increased productivity and sustainability. “The aquaculture market is driven towards intensification, as evidenced by the growth of RAS, and more than ever requires better water treatments and more efficient gas utilization,” said Warren Russell, chief commercialization officer at Moleaer. “We believe that Moleaer’s nanobubble technology offers a unique value proposition by easily integrating with existing systems to significantly reduce operational costs and promote sustainability for the industry.”
How it works Nanobubbles, 2,500 times smaller than a grain of salt, are generated by injecting compressed oxygen into rapidly flowing water, which further spreads and dissolves bubbles. Whereas traditional aeration methods like diffusers only dissolve between 1-3% oxygen per vertical foot of water, Moleaer’s
Figure 1. High flow Nexus 1000 nanobubble generator delivering 15 kilos of oxygen per hour in a Canadian RAS hatchery.
nanobubble generators have an oxygen transfer efficiency of up to 85%, allowing for reduced oxygen use and energy savings. The tiny size of nanobubbles allows them to remain suspended in water for long periods of time until they dissolve, with properties closer to colloidal particles (small particles suspended in fluids) than larger bubbles that rise to the surface and pop. Nanobubbles act as a battery that delivers both oxygen and treatment continuously to the entire body of water. This makes supersaturated oxygen levels simple and economical, providing oxidative benefits and producing scouring effects to clean surfaces without the use of chemicals. Moleaer’s NexusTM nanobubble generators are modular, pumpless systems designed to work in-line
Hatchery Feed & Management Vol 9 Issue 4 2021
