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MAT-KULING to provide ‘world’s largest’ protein skimmers to Atlantic Sapphire

Norwegian filtration technology firm MAT-KULING, is preparing to deliver what the company bills as the world’s largest protein skimmers to Atlantic Sapphire’s Phase 2 expansion of its massive, 80-acre Miami Bluehouse land-based aquaculture complex.

“Miami Bluehouse is currently the largest RAS facility globally and we are honored that Atlantic Sapphire have chosen MAT-KULING to partner on this groundbreaking project,” a press release from MAT-KULING said. “With this project we break the previous record of the PS-3000 model which until today was the largest protein skimmer in the aquaculture industry.”

Atlantic Sapphire raised US$120 million in fresh funding to build the second phase of is recirculating aquaculture system (RAS) in Miami. Phase 2 will bump-up the annual production of the Miami Bluehouse by about 15,000 tons to 25,000 tons (gutted weight).

Planned MAT-KULING protein skimmer for Atlantic Sapphire (Image: MAT-KULING)

Atlantic Sapphire expects to put is first fish in Miami Bluehouse Phase 2 sometime this year.

According to MAT-KULING, it has been working closely for the last nine months with Atlantic Sapphire, Hazen & Sawyer and Wharton Smith to ensure the seamless integration of MAT-KULING technology into Bluehouse Phase II design.

Protein skimmers, also known as foam fractionators, remove waste in RAS including fish waste, CO2, ammonia and complex organic compounds from metabolic byproducts, algae, and phenols.

Build up of these materials have negative effect on animal growth and health. They have also been linked to off flavour.

Protein skimmers are a vital part of a well-designed RAS, however “they fall short when used in intensive facilities where for example the foam density and volume that is produced in these operations far exceeds what one would expect to see,” according to MAT-KULING.

To address this issue, the company has has scaled up the design of its protein skimmers and built-in redundancies to meet the specific requirements of RAS facilities.