Kinarca helps Namibia to improve ice flow

It has been equipped with a flow-ice generating set, a compressor set, two tanks and a distribution network to the moonpool, conveyor band and holds.

The system can offer both directly applied ice or recirculated ice from two separate tanks.

What is unique is that each tank has a different concentration, one with 25 per-cent and the other gives a 40 per-cent option.

The reason why is that in the moonpool and on the conveyor belt a freer flowing and less concentrated ice is needed to avoid the fish cooling too quickly. Under these conditions the product can be easily handled.

As far as the use in hold is concerned, it is necessary for a very dense concentration to fill up the fish cases and stow in a short time. Inside of the moonpool the flow ice is distributed by diffusers, the aim is to preserve the fish until they are led to the processing line as sometimes this line is unable to process the whole catch. The flow ice is distributed in two ways. One of them is by filling up the moonpool as if it were a vat and another one is by refreshing the fish so as to keep them in good condition until they are processed.

The innovation on this vessel and particularly the basic difference regarding the flaked ice becomes evident in the ice distribution on the process conveyor band, this band passes through a flow-ice vat.

What are the advantages of this application? The main advantage is that the fish is cooled prior to entering the hold as well as after being gutted to help against the growth of bacterial flora.

Thanks to the way the flow ice is distributed, it is possible to reach any part of the hold.

The installation on this vessel is equipped with two intets and each of them is controlled by means of a push-button box.

This box providesa number of options: direct flow-ice, recirculated flow-ice, flow-ice by 40 percent or 25 per-cent.