A Milestone in Sustainable Aquaculture: Seawater Cooling for a World-Leading Seafood Producer

Mowi ASA, a global leader in seafood production, has recently unveiled its latest facility: a state-of-the-art aquaculture plant in Hitra, Norway. A key feature of the new plant is its energy-efficient seawater cooling system, designed and supplied by Pipelife's brand QPS. The highly economical system cools critical production processes while also boasting a heat recovery function to warm the factory during winter.

_{Unveiling Cutting-Edge Aquaculture} 

Mowi ASA is one of the largest seafood companies in the world and the world's largest producer of farm-raised Atlantic salmon. Headquartered in Bergen, Norway, the company delivers products to over 70 countries worldwide. 

Mowi's latest state-of-the-art aquaculture plant in Jøsnøya, Hitra, officially opened in mid-June. Spanning 17,500 square meters, the new factory boasts an annual harvesting capacity of 100,000 tons of salmon, accounting for approximately one-third of Mowi's total production in Norway this year.

_{How Seawater Cooling Saves Energy}

Aligning with Mowi's commitment to innovation and sustainability, the new Hitra facility features a highly efficient seawater cooling system designed and preassembled by Pipelife's brand QPS.

Cooling large industrial plants with seawater can offer unrivaled energy savings. At a depth of 100 meters, the water temperature remains consistently between 6 and 8 degrees Celsius throughout the year, making it ideal for cooling production lines and data centers. 

While some energy is still necessary to pump seawater from the fjord, the amount is negligible compared to the energy required to artificially cool factory premises to the needed temperatures. Additionally, before the warm water is returned to the fjord, it passes through heat exchangers that extract excess heat, which can be used to warm the plant during winter. 

Rune Witzø, Project Manager at QPS, describes the process: "The seawater is pumped from the fjord at a depth of 100 meters up to the pump house. From there, it travels several hundred meters to the factory, circulating to cool numerous critical production processes along the way. It's an engineering feat to pump so much water over such a distance."

_{Tested and Ready: Prefabrication Simplifies On-Site Construction}

The entire cooling system of the Hitra plant was preassembled locally. QPS constructed the pump house, the complete pump system and pipe connections at the company's factory in Rinnleiret. The prefabricated sections, including fully assembled pumps, supply inlets and pipes, filters and heat exchangers, were then transported to Hitra and installed in a concrete frame cast on-site.

QPS refers to its turnkey solutions as "plug-and-pump," as the pre-tested systems just need to be connected on-site to become fully operational.

"Setting up the pump house and system on-site is like building with Lego. The finished sections are hoisted into place and fastened together. Because all parts are prefabricated and test-fitted at the factory, we can minimize welding and adjustments at the construction site," Witzø explains.

_{Leading the Way in Seawater Cooling and Heating}

The Hitra project not only showcases advanced engineering and prefabrication techniques but also highlights the importance of collaboration with clients in achieving sustainable industry solutions. 

QPS seawater heating and cooling systems are known for their exceptional reliability and performance, backed by a strong focus on quality assurance. Prefabrication allows for thorough checks during production and full-scale system tests before delivery.

Due to extensive knowledge of pumps and pumping stations, QPS can propose and design fully tailored systems that address specific client challenges when involved early in the process. Customers can expect 60-80% savings compared to alternative energy sources, positioning the company as an innovator in industrial heating and cooling solutions.