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FishFlow - Fish Deterrence Strobe Lights
Large quantities of surface waters are drawn for cooling systems by power plants and production of drinking water by waterworks. Fishes that are present in the water are drawn into the water intakes as well. Entry of fishes can result in clogging up of cleaning filters, which requires higher cleaning frequency. Passage of the filters by fishes can result in severe damage to the fishes in the turbines of power stations, or in entry in the purification basins of waterworks which puts pressure on the water quality.
Fish have a natural aversion from bright light, which enables deterrence of fishes on the basis of the natural behaviour and preferences of fishes. Through the application of bright stroboscopic lights fish can be kept away from water intakes and adverse effects of the intake of fishes can be prevented. The fish deterrence system for water intakes consists of a frame with a number of horizontal tubes that are at least partially transparent and in which, depending on the dimensions of the water intake, one or more stroboscopic lights have been placed at regular distance. The positioning of the lights inside the tubes prevents damage and protects the lights from on-growth of algae.
The fish deterrence system for water intakes can be used as a autonomous system, however the efficiency of the system is higher when the system is used as part of a fish guidance system, e.g. the FishFlow fishway for pumping stations or the FishFlow fish guidance system for hydropower stations.
Key characteristics of the fish deterrence system are:
- applicable at every water intake (a.o. power stations, pumping stations, and waterworks)
- lower energy requirement than continuous lighting
- higher efficiency than in systems with continuous lighting because chances of habituation to stroboscopic lights are lower. The efficiency can be further enhanced by the use of sound in addition to lighting
- by reducing the distance between light sources the chances of passage of small fishes between the lights can be reduced
- specific designs are possible to facilitate cleaning and maintenance
- adjustable pulse frequency of stroboscopic lights