Heat treatment - Disinfection methods in Aquaculture Engineering

Heat treatment - Disinfection methods

All micro-organisms can be destroyed if the water is heated and the high temperature maintained for a certain period of time. The necessary water temperature and contact time with hot water depend on the organism and must be determined by exper-iment. Heating of the water is, however, an expensive disinfection method. The high costs of heating water  mean that the water or the heat must be re-used, for instance by installing heat exchangers.

It is not necessary to boil the water (100°C) to inactivate micro-organisms. The temperature and time needed vary depending on the specific micro-organisms. A large number of micro-organisms will be inactivated at temperatures of 60–80°C if the retention time is correctly chosen. The water must of course be chilled again before it reaches the fish.

Heat or steam is commonly used for disinfecting boots, nets, tanks, pumps and other equipment.