.png){kind=small}
A Northern Ontario fish hatchery required a more energy-efficient way to circulate and aerate water within a 90 m³ treatment and degassing basin. The existing system relied on four conventional 20-horsepower pumps, creating substantial electricity demand and ongoing maintenance requirements.
FloNergia designed and installed a system using nine 4-inch FloMov™ airlift pumps to provide high-volume water circulation, aeration, and gas removal within a single integrated process.
Maintaining suitable water quality in a hatchery requires continuous water movement and effective gas exchange. Insufficient circulation can create uneven dissolved oxygen levels, allow carbon dioxide to accumulate, and reduce the overall effectiveness of the treatment basin.
The hatchery needed a solution that could:
Conventional pumping and aeration equipment could perform these functions, but required multiple systems and significant electrical power.
FloNergia installed nine 4-inch FloMov™ pumps throughout the treatment basin. Each pump uses optimized air injection to lift and circulate water while simultaneously improving gas transfer. Because FloMov has no submerged mechanical impellers, motors, or bearings, the system can operate continuously without the clogging, mechanical wear, and frequent servicing associated with conventional pumps.
The installation replaced four 20-horsepower mechanical pumps while maintaining the high circulation rate required for effective treatment.
In addition to reducing energy demand, the FloMov™ system improved water movement throughout the basin and supported more effective aeration and carbon dioxide removal.
Traditional systems commonly use mechanical pumps to circulate water and separate equipment to provide aeration. FloMov™ combines both functions using a single low-pressure air source. Air injected into the submerged pump riser creates a controlled gas–liquid mixture. As the mixture rises, it lifts a large volume of water while increasing contact between air and water.
This process improves circulation, oxygen transfer, and gas stripping without requiring submerged moving parts. By optimizing the pump geometry, air-to-water ratio, and operating submergence, FloNergia was able to deliver the required water movement using substantially less energy than the previous mechanical pumping system.
Combining circulation and gas transfer improves overall system efficiency
The energy benefit did not come from replacing one conventional pump with another. It came from reconsidering how the entire treatment process was performed.
Instead of consuming energy separately for water pumping and aeration, the FloMov™ system uses injected air to perform both functions simultaneously. This reduces equipment requirements, minimizes mechanical losses, and allows the basin to operate as an integrated circulation and gas-transfer system.
The absence of underwater mechanical components also reduces the risk of clogging and wear, helping the hatchery maintain continuous operation with lower maintenance requirements.
This installation demonstrates how FloMov™ airlift technology can improve both the environmental and economic performance of aquaculture facilities. By integrating circulation and aeration, the hatchery achieved stronger water-quality performance while significantly lowering its energy requirements.
Planning a Similar Aquaculture Project?
Talk to a FloNergia applications engineer about improving water circulation, aeration, degassing, and energy efficiency at your facility.
