High-Performance Skimmer ACF


AquaCareFlotor sizes 50.000V with pump, 170.000V and 480.000V with pump

Advantages of the flotation technique against biological systems
Principle of flotation
Advantages of the suspended flow method
Advantages of the AquaCareFlotor
Technical daten: ACF with Injector -  4...47 m3/h (d200...d650)
Technical daten: ACF with Injector - 75...610 m3/h (d800...d2500)

Advantages of the Flotation Technique against Biological Systems

In all marine systems wastes are continuously produced. Fishes secrete most of the food in form of ammonia/ammonium (= NHx), protein, amino acids and fibers. To prevent fish and other animals against toxic concentrations, these substances must be eliminated or changed into harmless material. With biological filtration almost every substance may be converted into carbon dioxide, water, nitrate, phosphate and sulphate - mineralization. But these products accumulate. With skimming or flotation proteins and some other substances are taken out of the system before the biological filtration works. The raising of nitrate and phosphate lowers with skimming. The water has lower concentrations of biological oxidizing substances. So the redox (ORP) is higher and the animals grow better. If high concentrations of organic matter occur (death of an animal, too much food), a biological working filter reacts very slowly. Bacteria must adapt to the new input. Especially nitrifying bacteria Nitrosomonas and Nitrobacter need a long time to react to the new concentration. The flotation process reacts automatically and prevent a rising of toxic products like NHx and nitrite. By using a skimmer the conventional filter technique (sand filter, trickling filter, biological filter) may be laid out smaller. Investment (smaller filter), running costs (flushing water) and need space are minimized.

Principle of Flotation:
 
The process water is pumped through the injector that takes air into the water. The air-water- mixture is injected at the lowest point of the skimmer into the rotation chamber. Here the system pressure is high to enable maximum gas change (oxygen input, carbon dioxide output). 

After a while the gas-water-mixture up flows the inner tube. There the organic loaded foam is created. A part of the bubbles goes downwards the main tube. In this tube the water stream downwards is as high as the velocity of the bubbles upwards. So the bubbles are caught for a long time - long contact time. At the bottom of the AquaCareFlotor the main tube enlarges to inhibit the bubble going out of the water outlet. The foam in the upper parts looses water and is pushed into the foam cup. With this system high amounts of organic loads will get out of process water. 


AquaCare® is building flotation systems (Juelicher Principle****) from 0.2...420 m3/h. The smaller units are available with three different air bubbles producing systems: version “V” is built with a venturi, version “A” with air stones, and version "N" with a needle wheel. The field of application is hobby size sea water aquaria and labs. The medium and large models are exclusively equipped with venturi / injector and their field of application is:

  • aquaristic purpose:             
    • show size reef and shark tanks
    • large predator tanks (sharks)
    • dolphinaria
    • seal tanks
    • tanks for tropic ornamental fishes
  • aqua culture:                 
    • fish breeding
    • shrimp farms
    • keeping of sea animals for scientific centres
**** this principle was invented by Research Center Jülich GmbH, Germany (former Nuclear Research Centre)

Advantages of the suspended flow method:
  • extremely long contact time between the air and the sea water resulting in:

    • high enrichment with oxygen

    • strong formation of the carbon dioxide / hydrogen carbonate / carbonate buffer (alkalinity)

    • more even pH value

    • higher ozone transition (reduces the needed ozone input up to 70% compared to conventional systems)
  • smaller than already available skimmer
  • low running costs (only one pump for injector and water flow)
  • sensitive to protein concentrations (BSA) of as low as 3 µg/l (operation with ozone)
  • lowers the numbers of free-swimming bacteria to about 20%
  • only one pump for driving the injector and for the water flow through the system

Advantage of the AquaCareFlotor:
  • reduced size
  • maintenance is more easier
  • optimized injector with a working pressure of 1 to 2 bar creates smaller bubbles
    • large turbulence zone
    • enlarges efficiency and power
    • any chalk creation (up to 10°dKH at 25°C)
    • high air inlet pressure and flow
  • magnetic coupled pump
    • any leakage possible
    • low heat input (important for cold systems)
  • build in accessories:
    • air flow meter
    • flushing system in foam cup
    • ozone connector
    • angle seat valve for air input
    • angle seat valve or butterfly valve with hand gear for water regulation
    • additional connector for units like chalk reactors, nitrate filter (systems that need small water volume at high pressures)
    • connector for ORP (redox) probes
    • it is possible to demount the injector 
    • recycling of the used exhaust air that contains ozone (starting with model ACF16000V)
  • options:
    • activated carbon filter for air input
    • activated carbon filter for destroying ozone in the air outlet
    • de-aeration chamber for bubble free outlet water
    • flow meter for water inlet (mechanical or electronical)
    • cycling of the skimmer water (model "C") for extreme loaded water or for bacteria elimination (see de-nitrifying)
    • insulation (model "I") for extreme cold water systems
    • ORP control for automatic dosing of ozone
    • automatically level control with PLC at extremely variying water quality

  • obtainable as external module or for immersion in the tank


Technical data: ACF with Injector - 4 ... 47 m3/h (d200 ... d650):
AquaCareFlotor Modell 6.000 V 16.000 V 30.000 V 50.000 V 70.000 V 
Picture          
Order number
 354-020 354-030 354-040 354-050 354-065
Salt concentration 15...40/1000 (ppt)
Water flow, approx.. m3/h 4 11 20 33 50
Air inlet, approx. m3/h 1.3 3.6 7 11 16
Ozone consumption, g/h* 0.12...0.6 0.32...1.6 0.6...3.0 1.0...5.0 1.5...7.5 
Ozone consumption of Type "C", g/h 5 13 25 40 65
Height with skimmer cup, m < 1.8 < 2.0 < 2.1 < 2.3 < 2.4
Foot print size, mm** 600 x 400 750 x 500 950 x 600 1.100 x 800 1.300 x 900
Diameter main tube, mm 200 300 400 550 650
Water volume, m3 0.05 0.12 0.17 0.41 0.58
Retention time water, min. 0.8 0.7 0.5 0.8 0.7
Retention time air, min. longer than 10 
Material main tube and cup PMMA (perspex) PETG (crystal clear)
Material basis PVC grayy PE HWST black
Material flange sealing NBR 70 silicone 60 or NBR 70
Material flange screws polyamide (corrosion-free) / stainless steel
Inlet injector d40, DN32 d50, DN40 d63, DN50 d63, DN50 d75, DN65
Outlet skimmer d75, DN65 d90, DN85 d125, DN110 d125, DN110 d140, DN125
Height outlet, m 1.1
Drain skimmer cup d20, DN15 d40, DN32
Drain basis (2 x) d20, DN15 d25, DN20 d32, DN25 d40, DN32
Connector exhaust air d25, DN20 d32, DN25 d40, DN32 d40, DN32 d50, DN40
Connector ozone d20, DN15 d25, DN20 d32, DN25
Numbers of flushing nozzles in cup 6 8 12 14 16
Flushing water flow at 4 bar, m3/h 0.18 0.24 0.36 0.42 0.48
Connector for flushing d6 d10 (PE pressure hose)
Operation temperature in °C 2...35°C
Weight empty, kg 45 52 95 130 180
Weight in operation, t 0.10 0.17 0.27 0.44 0.76
Minimum water inlet flow, m3/h (bar) 4 (1.2) 11 (1.2) 20 (2.0) 33 (2.0) 50 (2.0)
Recommended pump*** MX400 MX401 MX403 MDM40-150 MDM40-150
Electrical connection of pump, kW 0.37 0.75 2.2 5.5 5.5
Weight of pump, kg 12 14 24 105 105
Inlet connector of pump 1 1/2" 1 1/2" 2" flange d90 flange d90
Outlet connector of pump 1 1/2" 1 1/2" 1 1/2" flange d50 flange d50

Technical data: ACF with Injector - 75 ... 610 m3/h (d800 ... d2500):
AquaCareFlotor Modell 110.000 V 170.000 V 240.000 V 480.000 V 630.000 V
Order number 354-080 354-100 354-120 354-170 354-190
Salt concentration 15...40/1000 (ppt)
Water flow, approx.. m3/h 75 110 160 330 420
Air inlet, approx. m3/h 25 35 53 110 140
Ozone consumption, g/h* 2.2...11 3.5...17.5 4.7...23.5 10...50 12...63 
Ozone consumption of Type "C", g/h 90 150 200 420 530
Height with skimmer cup, m < 2.7 < 3.1 < 3.9 < 4.0 < 4.4
Foot print size, mm** 1.5 x 1.1 1.8 x 1.4 2.1 x 1.6 2.9 x 2.1 3.0 x 2.4
Diameter main tube, mm 800 1,000 1,200 1,700 1,900
Water volume, m3 1.2 2.2 3.2 6.8 10.7
Retention time water, min. 1.0 1.4 1.2 1.2 1.5
Retention time air, min. longer than 10 
Material main tube PE HWST black (with porthole)
Material cup PETG (PE on request)
Material basis NBR70
Material flange sealing NBR70
Material flange screws stainless steel
Inlet injector d90, DN80 d125, DN110 d140, DN125 d200, DN180 d200, DN180
Outlet skimmer d160, DN150 d200, DN180 d225, DN200 d315, DN300 d315, DN300
Height outlet, m 1.5 1.7 1.8 2.1 2.7
Drain skimmer cup d50, DN40 d63, DN50
Drain basis (2 x) d50, DN40
Connector exhaust air d63, DN50 d75, DN65 d90, DN80 d125, DN110 d140, DN125
Connector ozone d32, DN25 d40, DN32 d50, DN40 d63, DN50
Numbers of flushing nozzles in cup 18 20 32 6 6
Flushing water flow at 4 bar, m3/h 0.54 0.60 0.96 2 2
Connector for flushing d10 (PE pressure hose) PVC d20
Operation temperature in °C 2...35°C
Weight empty, kg 260 430 520 600 700
Weight in operation, t 1.46 2.63 3.72 10.1 12
Minimum water inlet flow, m3/h (bar) 75 (2,0) 110 (2,0) 160 (2,0) 330 (2,0) 420 (2,0)
Recommended pump*** MDM50-150 MDE125-220 MDE125-240 KR150-250 KR150-250
Electrical connection of pump, kW 11 11 15 30 30
typical power input, kW       21  
Weight of pump, kg 105 360 380 230 230
Inlet connector of pump flange d90 flange d140 flange d140 flange d160 flange d160
Outlet connector of pump flange d63 flange d110 flange d110 flange d200 flange d140

The right design depends on many factors: organic load (stocking), food, temperature, species, additional technique like biofilters, UV, ozone and of course the wishes water quality. Please ask if you are not sure what is the right size for your tank.
* The recommended ozone input is for normal reef tanks - the skimmers work without ozone, too. If you have very strong organic loads (aqua culture, sea mammals, sharks, bacteria destruction) a manifold is possible. Please ask AquaCare®.
** It is possible to fix the pump onto the ground plate; if not the ground plate might be shorter (ask AquaCare)
*** MX, MDX, MDE and MDR are IWAKI pumps (optional), KR are ARBO pumps (optinal). All sizes up to ACF480.000V fits in standard containers or normal trucks. Larger sizes needs a special transport.




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