Wherever there is unwanted marine biofouling. From tugboats to oil tankers, wind farms to fish farms, Sonihull is working with industry leaders to create cost-effective antifouling solutions that reduce drag, cut fuel consumption, increase service intervals and leave no poisonous environmental legacy.
The implosion has a cleansing effect that destroys algae, the first link of the food chain, making the surface less attractive to other marine life that feed on the algae. This microscopic movement of water also prevents barnacle and mussel larvae from embedding.
Sonihull works on GRP, composite, aluminum, steel or carbon hull material, but not on wood.
Disrupting this first link in the food chain keeps the surface clean and makes it a much less inviting habitat for larger organisms that feed on the algae.
The miscropic movement of water also prevents barnacle and mussel larvae from embedding on the surface.
A clean hull and drivetrain can reduce fuel bills by 20% - 30%.
Reduced vibration and improved performance.
Reduce maintenance costs and expensive haul outs.
Suppress diessel bug and keep stored water fresher.
| LED | Color | Normal Status | Fault Status | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Power On | Red | ON | Flashing | Flashing is normal due to incorrectly seated transducers. |
| Output 1 | Green | ON | OFF | OFF when not connected or in fault. |
| Output 2 | Green | ON | OFF | OFF when not connected or in fault. |
| Status OK | Green | ON | OFF | Fault indication, check power and transducers. |
The Sonihull System is available in a single transducer "Mono", or a two transducer "Duo" configuration. Which Sonihull System, or the number of transducers needed is determined by the waterline length of the boat. This chart shows what combination of Mono and Duo sytems are needed to protect your boat.
Transducers are placed near the vessel centerline and about twelve inches or more away from structures like primary bulkheads. As the beam of a boat approaches 20 feet the transducers will need to be positioned futher outboard while reducing the fore and aft separation. A distance of 25 - 35 feet apart will provide effective and efficient hull protection.
| ≤ 32' | 32' - 55' | 49' - 65' | 59' - 72' | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mono | X | |||
| Duo | X | |||
| Mono + Duo | X | |||
| Duo + Duo | X |
Note:
The Sonihull protection system utilizes the latest digital electronics and Ultrasonic transducer technology, by producing multiple bursts of ultra sonic energy simultaneously in a multiple range of frequencies.
This energy produces a pattern of alternating positive and negative pressure. The alternating pattern creates microscopic bubbles during periods of negative pressure and implodes them during periods of positive pressure in a phenomenon known as "cavitation."
The implosion creates a micro-jet action that not only provides the cleaning effect on the hulls surface below the water line, it also resonates and destroys single cell organisms such as algae. The removal of the initial link in the food chain inhibits the growth barnacles and other marine life that feed on the algae.
Although the concept of using ultrasonic for keeping your boat hull clean is a relatively new application, the concept of ultrasonic cleaning is not new, it has been around for over 30 years, used for a wide variety of applications, from cleaning of dental and medical equipment, fine jewelry, through to de-gunging drains and automotive parts to name but a few, also, in a subject closer to sailors hearts Ultrasonic's is also used for keeping pipes clean in many breweries and hostelries around the world.
Over the past decade, environmental issues have meant much tighter controls on industrial cleaning products especially chlorofluorocarbons, with "necessity being the mother of all inventions" industry needed to find an alternative solution, Ultrasonic cleaning was considered the most viable solution, by embracing the latest in digital electronics and transducer technology, the industry made a quantum leap forward over the last decade to fill the needs of industry.
"Cavitation" is the rapid formation and collapse of millions of tiny bubbles (or cavities) in a liquid. Cavitation is produced by the alternating high and low pressure waves generated by high frequency (ultrasonic) sound. During the low pressure phase, these bubbles grow from a microscopic size until, during the high pressure phase, they are compressed and implode.
Tests show that there is no danger to fish or marine mammals, (but if they can hear the ultra high frequencies and don't like it, they only have to swim a few more inches away from the hull to avoid the problem!)
A clean hull can save you 30% of fuel bill, It is common that fouling on the boat's hull will lead to increased resistance, which basically means you are going to burn more fuel for every knot you make. The outcome is compromised efficiency and a poorer mpg figure than with a clean hull, but by how much?
To answer this question a leading yacht journal undertook some comprehensive seatrials in a 10-year-old Princess 430 insatalled with twin Volvo TAMD63P engines rated to 370hp at 2800rpm, measuring its performance before and after its spring lift.
Painting the hull is not only for purpose of antifouling, it is also an important waterproofing barrier, protecting the gel coat from the effects (and immense cost) of osmosis. Therefore we would still recommend that the boat is protected under the water line. In some cases to maximize performance some yacht owners who have installed the sonihull system have opted to use a harder grade of antifouling paint, as apposed to the soft self polishing versions which have a higher drag factor through the water. So although there is still a need for painting below the water line, when using the sonihull system the need to do so will be greatly reduced.
Although we have received a few reports that this is the added benefit of installing an Ultrasonic system, and could be plausible due to the simple sell structure of Jellyfish, to-date there is no scientific data to prove this theory.
Yes, the same laws of physics apply but due to the surface area of the hull below the water line, several sonihull's would need to be installed to get the desired effect. Please also note that the transducers need to be bonded to the inside of the outer skin of the hull so please check that you can access this as some yachts have inner skins with a filled cavity that would hinder the acoustic transfer of the sound waves.
We recommend an epoxy glue such as araldite or equivalent. You will note that there is a gutter built in to the locking ring that is bonded to the hull, this is to prevent any access glue getting into the thread. It is also recommended to apply a little bit of petroleum jelly to the thread to protect it from any epoxy that gets squidged in to the thread.
No, sorry, but due to the low density of wood and the quantity of joints makes for poor acoustic transmission of high frequencies, so making the unit far less effective for this application.
A Sonihull is suitable for all single skin GPR, aluminium and Concrete hulls. Foam Core hulls have special installation requirements, please contact us for details.
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