Designing a robust cable for aquaculture

These days, a large proportion of the world’s seafood comes from aquaculture, which provides an alternative to wild fishing and helps to protect overfished stocks. In aquaculture, fish and other seafood are produced efficiently and with high yields in cages or tanks. As global demand for seafood grows, more and more aquaculture facilities are being built.

To ensure the health of farmed marine animals and their food supply, the various components of an aquaculture system must work together optimally. This is usually achieved using automatic feeders and water mills that constantly transport air into the water so that shrimp, for example, are sufficiently supplied with oxygen. All of this requires a safe and reliable energy supply. This prompted cable and connector company LAPP to develop the new ÖLFLEX AQUA 510 P, a highly robust cable especially designed for aquaculture.

Built for rough handling and multiple climates

The cable is characterised by its extra smooth outer sheath. Image: Supplied.

The ÖLFLEX AQUA 510 P is particularly suitable for use in harsh weather conditions, such as those found in oceans. The robust, ozone-resistant, halogen-free and plasticiser-free PUR cable has been built to withstand the excretions of marine animals as well as UV radiation, mineral oil-based lubricants, ammonia and other chemical influences. Thanks to its reinforced, cut- and notch-resistant heavy-duty cable design, the product can also withstand rough handling onsite.

A special feature is the smooth, non-porous outer sheath surface, which can reduce algae and mussel infestation and is easy to clean. The cable’s low-capacity core insulation is suitable for long, loss-free transmission paths with fixed installation and occasional movement.

“Up to now, standard rubber cables have mainly been used in the aquaculture sector,” said LAPP Product Manager Frank Hörtnagl. “However, these pipes are usually not particularly durable and can become brittle in salt and, above all, waste water.

“Shell limestone could settle more easily in the pores of the rough outer sheaths, which meant that mechanical cleaning had to be carried out again and again, which can also have a negative impact on the service life of the pipes. With the ÖLFLEX AQUA 510 P, we have developed a pipe that can easily withstand all these influences.”

As fish and seafood are farmed in all oceans, the line is designed for use in all climate zones (subpolar, temperate, subtropical and tropical) and is standardised for use in fresh water up to 10 m deep and 40°C in temperature. In addition to aeration systems and automatic feeders for aquacultures, other applications include moorings in harbours, fountains, construction sites, event technology and agriculture.

Top image caption: Fish farm in Norway. Image credit: iStock.com/Daniel Balakov