Ultrasonic Anti-Fouling

[dennisail]

Being in sales for over 30 yrs has given me thick skin so no offense taken.

WOW just WOW!

[ozskipper]

I skipped a few pages here. But did anyone mention to the OP that this system draws 20watts. It doesnt sound like much. But thats 20 watts every day and every night of every week of every year. It will add up and will have to be accounted for.

Cheers
Oz

[Bergovoy]

i would be willing to give it a shot... I can be objective...Come up with a clear objectives and milestones and I will be glad to document the progress

[Bagwain]

Originally Posted by Bergovoy

i would be willing to give it a shot... I can be objective...Come up with a clear objectives and milestones and I will be glad to document the progress

One of a few positive replies.
Objectives are set and testing is underway. If I was to entertain every request for testing nothing would get done and it would be impracticable.
and unaffordable. Many years of testing has already been done in other areas with quite a few million dollars invested. In short it is a new area and will take time.

The Portofino Sunseeker and the Commercial Ferry will be enough proof and many people are already in waiting to purchase once it is convincing enough from the ferries results. So in short I am not worried about the knockers.

I do find it interesting though - how some people just lay the boot in from behind a keyboard without any knowledge what so ever. It makes me laugh. Plus the fact that I get a bollocking for reply in the same vain to the knockers!!!

I will have the last laugh

[hummingway]

Originally Posted by Bagwain

I do find it interesting though - how some people just lay the boot in from behind a keyboard without any knowledge what so ever. It makes me laugh. Plus the fact that I get a bollocking for reply in the same vain to the knockers!!!

Pretty much the same way you can put out your claims without providing any evidence of knowledge of how your system works. It would seem to be the only reason you're getting a "bollocking". This is a forum for discussing sailing and cruising, not a soapbox where you can make unfounded claims and expect to sell product.

[four winds]

From a little internet searching it appears similar systems have been available since about 2005 or so. The prices are competitive between four or five different manufacturers and not a small sum to someone like me.

Seems to me this device would be a sweeping frequency generator and pulse width modulator at its core. Combined with a sounder transducer that will accept a frequency typically less than a depth sounder uses. Probably sweeps from maybe 25kHz to 100-200kHz triggered by square wave pulses of a few hundred milliseconds with varying off intervals between pulses. Simply beats the hull with sound waves of very high frequency. How close is that?

What will distinguish your device from the competition? Could it be price? I'm sure this device can be sold for less than others as it's not that that complicated of a circuit.

Have you considered hooking up with a Chinese manufacturer and West Marine or Defender to mass produce and bring the price down to about $200 dollars? That would create a market for yours and put the others out of business.

I have to wonder why West Marine doesn't sell something like this already. Could it be that this idea hasn't been able to prove itself viable in the years it has been available? Maybe it doesn't work as well on boats as it does on aquariums and swimming pools.

[Springbok]

The secret is out . The "frequencies" are from Eminen singing/rapping underwater. This is a new development and a breakthrough from "underground music" Rapping underwater should chase ALL barnacles away including Barnacle Bill the sailor. Now that we have cleared the matter up a suggestion is to ignore all further ranting re product ie don't reply . lets discuss a less technical subject ie why submarines don't turn turtle and use their periscopes to look down?
Clyde

[four winds]

And to think I thought it was a recording of Charlie Brown's parents telling him to stay off crack and stay in school. How dumb.

[Bagwain]

Some people have to much time on their hands. "Especially the knockers"
Four Winds is on the the right track. However there is a little more to it and pricing will be around 2 - 4 k Ozzie in the short term. Once funds are available manufacturing will be done probably in Thailand. But the price will never get down to around $200 The transducers cost more that this. They are not just a chunk of metal!!

Hummingway
(If you took the time to look and didn't waste your time)
I have already posted an explanation of how it works!!!

[four winds]

Good point, I forgot about the price of transducers. However if you can't substantially undercut the competition's price or prove yours works in a superior manner to the others you will not succeed in marketing this device. Unless maybe you hire someone else to do the marketing.

[Springbok]

There is a good"marketer" in our town square. Kallie Naidoo sells vegetables, electronics and Russian brides. Kallie can market anything Oh and he has time on his hands. Actually he has digital-best brades up both arms He is very positive. He believes everything he says
Clyde

[four winds]

Here's a quote from a competitors FAQ page on their site.


"How does Smart-Antifouling M20 Work ?
Smart-Antifouling M20 utilizes a compact microprocessor control unit in conjunction with durable ultrasonic resonators which are secured to the inside of the hull (no through-hull fittings). The number of required resonators will vary according to the size of your boat, with each covering an around 5 meters diameter. When the resonators are activated by the control unit, the vibration of resonators creates a micro-thin layer of rapidly-moving water which acts to blanket the hull and running gear, hence making it difficult for fouling organisms and algae to attach. Smart-Antifouling M20 performs the function automatically without any toxic chemical action which could be harmful or endanger the marine environment."

SmartAntifouling



I had to download a .doc reader for my Mac to view your file. Even though I have some experience in this area, I found the text to be difficult to comprehend. Seemed to suggest the magnetic field "robs" covalent electrons from the matter of the organisms preventing them from attaching to the hull or something like that. I'm not sure that could occur via induction. It has been my understanding that takes conduction instead.

The quote above suggests, on their product, the hull vibrates and keeps the water near the hull vibrating as well. And this prevents algae from being able to attach easily because of this movement. More of a physical mechanism rather than an electrical one. The magnetic field moves the "voice" coil of the transducer creating the physical motion used. That's why it's called a transducer. It transfers electromagnetic energy to kinetic energy.

[Dockhead]

Various tests have shown that ultrasonic antifouling does work. It doesn't work perfectly and maybe doesn't replace chemical anti-fouling, but according to all of the tests I have read it is worthwhile. The most thorough test I have read was in Practical Boat Owner last year, but I can't find it on line. Here's another one: UltrasonicTT

I'm not sure why the OP would find it necessary to slag off other ultrasonic anti-fouling systems. It begs the question of what is the difference between his and the others, other than bluster.

[Bagwain]

My intention was not to slag the opposition but too point out that their explanations were and are in fact wrong. How does a tuning fork break glass? - SOUND - how does a sonic boom break glass? - SOUND - How does dentist equipment get cleaned via sonic pulsing? - SOUND etc etc etc.

Non of these are resulting from micro air bubbles!!!
If you think along these lines then maybe you will start to realize that there is some substantiation to changing cellular structure at a molecular level with vibration. As stated before (Millions) has be investing on this technology via prominent Universities with very encouraging results on biological pathogens in water.

I have been involved with this technology (An inferior system) for over 15 yrs now and have sold hundreds to commercial swimming pools in 3 countries with great results and all happy customers. Our new way of applying the concept is much stronger and programmable with four bands and multiple frequencies. Fortunately I have many people in the right places (marine environment) willing to test the system. The results are to date extremely encouraging and far removed from the current A/C single wave systems on the market.

[four winds]

Not air bubbles. The sound waves "vibrate" the water. Keeping the water in motion creates a physical barrier to attachment.

Your not the only one using a multi-band, swept pulse, amplitude modulated method.

What's the nature of the waveform within pulse itself, sine or square?