Schomberg: Technology

The Vacu – Cart

The Vacu–Cart has three systems, comprising of a 3 brush, 2 brush and 1 brush. The largest width of the clean is 1100mm with a single pass at a top speed of 45 meters per minute. Depending on the type of biofouling (macro or micro) the Vacu-Cart can clean between 1120m2 to 2700m2 per hour.

A variation of cleaning discs/brushes and drive wheels are available to assist with the different types of biofouling and Antifouling Paints that may be present.

The lower rim of the cart body is fringed by a shroud of dense, flexible bristles and an additional outer PVC flexible skirt that act to contain bio-fouling debris within the area of vacuum, and there are two rear fixed drive wheels and a front driving steering wheel for movement and manoeuvrability across the surface cleaned. Vacuum of bio-fouling debris is generated by a series of vacuum pumps. The entire hydraulic fluid system is powered with Vegetable based natural ester fluids. A biodegradable vegetable oil.

Niche Cleaning

Sea Chests/Thrusters

The Vacu-Cart cannot clean irregular hull surfaces, cavities or protrusions of the hull and hull appendages. For the cleaning of these, the surface vacuum system is fitted with an additional 50mm hose for attachment to the interchangeable niche cleaning tools. Each tool has a vacuum shroud that connects separately to the central suction system which allows multiple concurrent cleaning tasks.

The Schomberg proprietary hot water generator control technology with pressurised combustion chambers is designed to fill and circulate the Sea Chest and Thruster cavity with hot water, maintaining the inner temperature at 70 degree Celsius for 60 minutes. This methodology kills the alien Invasive species and biofouling. The circulated return hot water is pumped through a series of filtration systems to remove any impurities prior to being reheated and circulated.

Filtration, Treatment and Containment

First Stage Filtration

The patented vacuum system vacuums the removed bio-fouling debris and water from the Vacu-Cart and deposits it into a solids/liquid separator on the quayside or workboat. The bio-fouling debris larger than 80 microns is separated from the water and deposited into a catchment bag. The water and debris smaller than 80 micron flows into a water storage tank.

Second Stage Filtration

From the water storage tank, the water will pass to a patented tangential entry, up-flow cartridge filter housing. The tangential inlet and the integral inner-can, create a centrifugal flow that induces pre-filtration by heavy particle separation. This patented “up-flow” design that self purges housing of air, eliminates by-pass contamination and improves efficiency by creating an even flow distribution across filtering media, removing particles larger than 50 microns.

Third Stage Filtration

This section of filtration uses the eco-friendly technology that exceeds the prevailing statutory standards and requirements for the protection of the sensitive maritime ecosystem. This filter system is an efficient mechanical and physical water treatment system designed for sea, fresh and brackish water with a maximum flow rate of 170 m3/h which can handle a high concentration of organisms and sedimentary particles. Due to the compact two stage filtration design and the integrated Filter/UV Reactor unit, the system is approved by DNV-GL and Lloyds Register complying with IMO-D2 standard. In the first stage a mechanical filtration process upstream removes all organisms and sedimentary particles larger than 20 μm. The filter modules are cleaned automatically by a specially designed backflush extraction without effecting the flow during operation.

Disinfection by UV – Reactor

The main treatment process takes place inside the UV Reactor, where the micro-organisms in the water is exposed to UV light, which renders them completely harmless. The UV light breaks the DNA chain resulting in an internal connection (T+T) making it impossible for the micro-organisms to reproduce.

Distruction Of DNA

There are no chemical substances added to the process, and there are no toxic residuals created. Since the water is not affected chemically, there is no environmental impact, and the process does not influence corrosion in any way. The neutralised water is discharged back to the original water source.