HydroSpreader™ Sub-Surface Feeder

The HydroSpreader Sub-Surface Feeder is designed as a complete self-contained subsurface feeding system for direct placement on any suitable sized floating structure, barge or vessel deck. Designed with a low center of gravity, and available with a split hopper, the bulk bag loaded HydroSpreader will accommodate the dispensing of two different pellet sizes.

IAS offers two feed-entrainment methods to rapidly move a specifically proportioned feed/water slurry mixture from the feed storage hopper down through submerged feed delivery hoses to any practical depth required for the subsurface feeding of caged fish. The entire process is calculated to minimize feed/water residence time in the entrainment and pumping process and through the process of moving feed through the delivery system with the end goal being full feed pellet integrity in the submerged cage for optimum feed conversion rates.

The marine grade aluminum hopper is part of the design process taken to best manage equipment weight, load capacities, and center of gravity considerations for safe vessel operation. The positioning of safety grates at the feed hopper outlet and the incorporation of a bulk bag support frame positioned over the hopper lids reduce the chance of operator injury during loading. A large two-panel hopper lid design offers a large opening for easy bulk feed bag loading in all weather with the inner split hopper bulkhead reducing the opportunity for loaded feed to shift in poor site operating conditions.

The HydroSpreader Sub-Surface Feder may be operated with a self-contained gas or diesel drive assembly or connected to a suitably sized on-board hydraulic power plant using two quick connect hydraulic hose couplers. This power is used to operate both a feeder mounted self-priming pump as well as the feed hopper’s feed metering system. In either self-contained or quick-connect hydraulic configurations the HydroSpreader is designed to be crane lifted on and off the feed vessel to quickly free up deck space when required.

Feed dispensing is managed from a 12 volt DC powered FeedMaster Controller, a simple to access control interface used to monitor the operations of either a center-less auger or rotary valve assembly. Metered feed is introduced into a medium pressure water flow and pushed to depth through an operator selected feed delivery hose directed to each underwater cage. Hydraulic pump speed and rotary valve/auger speed controls are conveniently mounted to the side of the HydroSpreader along with the easy to program FeedMaster Controller. For permanent feeder installations these mechanical control and PLC feed management systems may be remotely mounted on a command bridge beside SeeMate™ Underwater Feed Monitoring Cameras that provide real time feed delivery and fish monitoring information during feeder operation.

The process behind the HydroSpreader method of feed delivery and the ‘building blocks’ available lends itself to many product design and operating configurations. As a result the information provided and the image shown here are general in scope and represent just one of many product approaches available. For example a feed system that incorporate AeroSpreader (air-driven feed broadcasting) and HydroSpreader (water entrainment and pumping of feed pellets) together into one dedicated feed vessel has been successfully designed and manufactured. This systems-approach addresses both submerged cage feeding as well as surface feeding whenever a cage is brought to the surface. Please contact us with your site operating requirements…

FEATURES & BENEFITS

Long Life Feed System

Marine grade aluminum hopper, stainless steel pump will not rust.

Modular Components

Component design and equipment options allow for a range of operating configurations to suit client applications.

Direct Drive Power Assemblies

Hydraulically operated water pump and auger minimize maintenance.

Dual Feed Storage Hopper

Mix and blend two feed pellet sizes as required.

Centerless Auger/Rotary Valve

Accurate feed metering and delivery rates.

Self-Priming Pump

Rapid site setup and feeding operation.

Low Center of Gravity

Low-loading height increases operating safety and open water stability.

Accurate Feeding

PLC offers real time control of feed rate, volume pumped, cage and daily accumulated feed totals.

Compact Size

Adaptable to various platforms maximizes product life cycle versatility.

SPECIFICATIONS

Capacity

3000 kg. (6600 lb.)
Optional 4000 kg. and 5000kg. sizes available. Custom hopper sizes are available. Hoper may be split into two seperate chambers.

Feed Sizes

2 – 11 mm

Delivery Rate

1 to 45 kg (100 lb.) maximum per minute of 11 mm feed pellets using ChoreTime® HMC model 90 center-less auger.

Delivery Range

Dependant upon physical site requirements. Focus is on minimum pellet/water residence time while taking into account the distance to travel, the pump’s flow rate, and the pump’s operating pressure for application.

Dimensions (L x W x H)

216 cm x 216 cm x 259 cm (84 in x 84 in x 102 in)

Tare Weight (empty)

450 kg (992 lb) stationary model, no power pack

Materials

Marine grade aluminum, galvanized steel, stainless steel hardware, HDPE plastic.