SolarBee Solar-Powered Reservoir Circulators

 

 

Solving Freshwater Problems

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The SolarBee has solved problems of harmful ALGAE BLOOMS, TASTE and ODOR in drinking water, INORGANIC CHEMICAL RELEASE FROM THE SEDIMENT, LOW DISSOLVED OXYGEN, FISH KILLS, and EXCESSIVE SHORELINE VEGETATION in fresh water and salt water reservoirs. Use of HERBICIDES can usually be eliminated. The SolarBee is silent, solar powered and has no infrastructure requirements. USCG-approved marker lights are available.

1. The SolarBee intake hose is up to 36 inches in diameter, depending on the model. The intake depth can be configured for 3 feet to 100 feet deep, with 16 feet of adjustment conveniently available from the chain winch on the machine. The SolarBee has survived high winds to 90 mph, high waves, hail, and 36 inches of ice without damage. The SolarBee is easy to relocate by moving the mooring blocks.

2. Depending on the model, in full sunlight a SolarBee can pump up to 10,000 gallons per minute (3,000 gpm of direct flow plus 7,000 gpm of induced flow). This flow renews the surface of the reservoir and mixes photosynthetic and surface-reaeration dissolved oxygen (DO) throughout the treated zone from sunup to sundown. The larger models can handle up to 40 surface acres each for blue-green algae control, or 600 acre-feet each for total destratification. The SolarBee can also be used for hypolimnetic aeration to preserve a cold water fishery, and typically very few machines are needed even for large reservoirs. Depending on the model, each SolarBee can usually replace 25-50 hp of aeration and achieve better results.

3. Dissolved oxygen and pH are increased throughout the treated zone. The mixing action causes more ammonia (N) to be stripped from the reservoir, and more phosphorus (P) to be precipitated with calcium hardness to form hydroxyapatite, a stable non-nutrient which settles to the bottom of the reservoir.

4. The SolarBee enables the "good" diatom and green algae to out-compete the "harmful" blue-green algae for phosphorus. Phosphorus remains the limiting nutrient all season in most cases, instead of nitrogen, thus preventing the blue-green algae from taking over. With fewer or no blue-green algae blooms, there is less production of actinomycetes, geosmin and MIB (2-Methyl-i-Borneol), and therefore fewer problems of "musty" or "lagoon" taste and odor in drinking water.

5. The surface renewal performed by the SolarBee helps control the surface microlayer, which contains extremely concentrated nutrients. This also helps control blue-green algae growth. More small lapping waves are produced, the water looks "looser" and fresher, clarity is improved, and gas transfer into and out of the reservoir is improved by 5 to 7 times.

6. When the SolarBee intake hose is set low for total destratification or (with fewer machines) hypolimnetic aeration, the higher dissolved oxygen in the hypolimnion prevents inorganic chemical release from the sediment (FE, MN,and H2S, which can cause treatment problems, and P, which can lead to harmful algae blooms the next season due to the fall turnover).

Being pro-active to halt or control eutrophication is much more cost effective than waiting until the problem needs a multi-million dollar solution. SolarBees can be purchased outright, by lease-purchase, or on a rent-to-own plan. The factory performs the delivery, installation, startup, and on-site training. The SolarBee is constructed of stainless steel metal parts and needs very little maintenance. The SolarBee has a 2 year warranty and an expected 25-year life.