Fish Protection Screens

SELF-CLEANING INTAKE SCREENS FOR PUMP INTAKES, GRAVITY OFFTAKES, FISH DIVERSIONS

A Fish Exclusion Screen is basically a large filter (like a sieve). The filter has slot sizes from 1mm to 3mm that prevents all stages of fish life from entering through the screen.

A Fish Exclusion Screen distributes and reduces the velocity of water flow as it is delivered through gravity diversions (channels) or pumped diversions. This often reduces flows from a few metres per second down to 0.1m per second. Subsequently, the diverted flow has a significantly reduced impact on the natural waterway. This is important when protecting floating eggs, juveniles and small bodied fish that can not swim away from high velocities, often becoming entrained in a diversion flow or impinged on a screen.

As expected, if the screens exclude fish and fish eggs they will also exclude other objects in the waterway from entering the diverted flow, subsequently protecting turtles, platypus and other animals as well as isolating weed and debris. This level of debris exclusion reduces system downtime, increasing energy efficiencies and improving water quality. Surprisingly, the Fish Exclusion Screens are basically maintenance free. This is due to the unique self-cleaning features and the distributed screen area ensuring very low approach and through slot velocities.

There are proven designs of Fish Exclusion Screens that have operated in very harsh conditions for up to 20 years with minimal maintenance. Fish Screens are new to Australia but have been used and proven in other countries.

AWMA have developed innovative, field proven Fish Exclusion Screen designs for fish protection and/or debris control. International screen designs have been adapted to meet Australian conditions and performance criteria to protect the interests of both, native fish and irrigator. Solutions are designed for each application to ensure the product meets site specific performance requirements, accommodates local conditions and considers installation criteria to ensure the most effective and economical solution is provided.

AWMA's unique self-cleaning intake screens provide fine filtration with low approach velocity and even flow distribution, to ensure minimal impingement and entrapment of particles onto the screen. This promotes clean screens, uninterrupted flow, and the protection of aquatic flora and fauna.

FEATURES

Internal and external cleaning brushes
Manufactured to suit all pump and gravity offtake capacities
Suitable for sensitive, abrasive and/or corrosive environments
Various size screen slots depending on the application
Durable, robust construction methods and materials
Customisable to meet site and operational requirements
Automation options
Achieving a through screen slot velocity of 0.15m/s or less
International design with 20+ years’ proven performance
Programmable screen cleaning intervals ensuring uninterrupted flows

BENEFITS

Innovative cleaning system increases efficiencies
lowers maintenance and improves water quality
Compliance with 'best practice' standards for native fish protection as well as other aquatic life
Low operation and maintenance costs
stainless steel materials for long product life
Excludes debris as well as aquatic flora and fauna
Improved water quality results in reduced filtration maintenance
Lower pumping costs from increased pump efficiencies
Decrease pump system maintenance
Custom designed to best meet client screening and operational requirements
Install on new or retrofit to existing infrastructure
Local customer service and support
Designed to deliver required flow rates
Maintaining a clean screen surface
Customised retrieval systems reduce the need to put divers in the water

APPLICABLE FOR

Irrigation diversions
Urban water intakes
Hydro power facilities
Debris dense waterways
Water extraction facilities
Cooling water intakes

APPLICATION CONSIDERATIONS

Minimum and maximum depths
Size of screened offtake
Flows (e.g.: Fast, slow, gravity)
Access (e.g.: Transportation, cranage etc)
Maintain water distribution
Access to power
Cultural, historical and environmental impacts

Brush-cleaned cylinder and cone screens are designed and manufactured by AWMA Water Control Solutions under a licensing agreement with Intake Screens, Inc.