New Technology Review - May 2014

Ultrasonic algae control

Innovative technology:  ultrasonic algae control

Benefits of technology:  can significantly reduce algae

 relatively inexpensive to buy and easy to install
 little maintenance and low energy consumption
(low operational cost)
Drawbacks:  treats symptoms rather than curing excess algae;
must be used continuously during each growing
season to be effective
 a “line of sight” to the algae must be available;
aquatic plants, rocks, or other obstructions will
prevent success
 some algal species are difficult to control
 change in algal species requires reprogramming to
change frequencies; knowing when algae species
change is a challenge
 new technology that lacks scientific field
operational studies to verify successful control of
algae in lakes
Suppliers/contacts:  Gerber Pumps International, Inc.
 Longwood, Florida
 www.gerberpumps.com
Conclusion: Experimental use of the unit in a small lake or pond that
lacks aquatic plants seems appropriate if solving the algae
problem by nutrient reduction is not feasible. The
experiment should include water quality and
phytoplankton monitoring to evaluate success.

Technology description:
Ultrasonic algae control uses ultrasound (i.e., sound that is at a frequency beyond the normal person’s
hearing range in air) to damage algae so they die rather than reproduce and cause water quality problems.
Figure 1 illustrates the technology used for ultrasonic algae control. Electrical power is used to generate
sound at ultrasonic frequencies, and the ultrasound is transmitted into water by a transducer. Sound
travels through water as a longitudinal wave at a speed that is about four times faster in water than air—
about 3,200 miles per hour. The sound wave causes water molecules and anything in its path to vibrate
back and forth. Algae parts make them susceptible to vibrational damage when vibrated at their critical
resonance frequency.

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Blue-green algae contain gas vacuoles to change their buoyancy to rise and sink as needed for light and
nutrients. Vibrations at their critical resonance frequency cause the gas vacuoles to break. The breaking of
the gas vacuoles is similar to the breaking of a glass by an opera singer who sings a note that is at the
critical resonance frequency of the glass. When the gas vacuoles are broken by vibrations, the blue-green
algae cells sink and the life functions of the cells begin to stop due to lack of sunlight (assuming light is
unable to penetrate to the bottom).

Figure 1: Ultrasonic algae control unit

Blue-green algae differ from all other algae types. All but blue-green algae contain compartments within
each cell called vacuoles. Vibrations by ultrasound damage the cell vacuole such that it cannot perform
essential functions needed by the cell to survive. At specific ultrasound frequencies, the membrane of the
cell vacuole is detached from the cell wall and the broken vacuole is no longer able to control water
pressure, essential for cell survival.

Sound is a force that loses intensity as it travels away from its source. Hence, the effectiveness of each
ultrasonic algae control unit is limited to the area in which the emitted sound waves cause sufficient
vibration to kill algae cells. Figure 2 illustrates a typical transducer output pattern. The range of unit
effectiveness is typically greater for blue-green algae than for other types of algae. Units vary in effective
area, with more powerful units covering larger areas and less expensive units covering smaller areas. The
unit most applicable for a lake application, the LG Sonic unit, is advertised to effectively control algae in
an area up to 600 feet from the transducer. Hence, multiple units would be needed to control algae in a
lake or pond.

Ultrasonic technology is effective when the critical resonance frequencies for the types of algae in the
water are emitted by the transducer. One unit on the market, LG Sonic, alleges that its unit emits different
frequencies to address all algae in the water body. The unit is custom programmed by LG Sonic based on
information from the buyer regarding types of algae the unit should kill. The frequencies can be changed
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by the owner, with technical assistance by LG Sonic, if changes in the types of algae are detected such
that frequency changes are necessary. A challenge in field operational use is to know when changes in
types of algae occur so that the unit can be reprogrammed accordingly.

Figure 2: Ultrasound transducer output pattern

Figure 3 illustrates the LG Sonic unit. The ultrasonic frequency generator, called an e-box, is shown in the
upper left corner and the transducer in the upper right corner of Figure 3. In the lower left corner is a
GSM monitor control, a device that allows you to monitor and change the ultrasonic program of the unit
by SMS, send SMS to switch between programs, send a text message (SMS) to determine unit status, and
receive an alert if the transmitter power is cut off. LG Sound’s biologists can also upload a new program
by text SMS. Shown in the middle is an anti-fouling wiper that periodically cleans the transducer surface.
As indicated in the lower right corner of Figure 3, the unit allows multiple programs to be used so that
varying frequencies can be employed for algae control. Figure 4 shows a LG Sonic transducer installed in
a lake.

Figure 3: LG Sonic unit Figure 4: LG Sonic transducer in lake

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The LG Sonic unit, like all ultrasonic devices, is a “line of sight” technology; a line of sight to the algae
must be available for the transducer output to be effective. Ultrasonic sound waves will not go around
corners or navigate around islands that may be in the body of water. Ultrasonic sound waves reflect or
bounce off of hard surroundings, such as concrete, rip-rap, and large rocks. In a field operational study
completed by Dr. Ken Wagner, algae were not controlled by ultrasonic sound waves because a rock in the
line of sight prevented the sound waves from reaching the targeted area. This technology cannot be used
in lakes containing aquatic plants because plants in the line of sight prevent ultrasound vibration from
reaching other parts of the water.

Ultrasonic technology fails to control some types of algae and has difficulty controlling other types. It
does not control macrophytic or plant like algae, such as Chara. Lyngbya and Oscillatoria are difficult to
control. Oscillatoria is a toxin producing blue-green algae species that has frequently dominated Round
Lake in Little Canada. A study completed in Texas found that ultrasonic technology did not control the
toxin-producing, brackish-water phytoflagellate, Pyrmnesium parvum in Texas fish hatchery ponds.
While this species is not found in Minnesota, it is worth noting a case in which ultrasonic technology was
not effective.

Laboratory experiments have documented the effectiveness of ultrasonic technology to control algae.
However, Barr was unable to find results of field operational studies that document the effectiveness of
ultrasonic technology to control algae in lakes or ponds. Hence, results for lake and pond field operational
use are limited to anecdotal and pictorial results provided by the unit’s manufacturer.

Removal efficiency:
Results from field operational scientific studies are not available. LG Sonic estimates removal of diatoms
at 50 to 70 percent and removal of all other planktonic algae at 70 to 90 percent. Filamentous algae are
controlled with ultrasonic technology only when they are free floating in the water.

Costs:
Cost information is not available.

Maintenance:
1. Repair of ultrasonic frequency generator or transducer as needed
2. Changes in programming of the ultrasonic frequency generator as species of algae change

Conclusion:
Use of the LG Sonic unit in a small lake or pond that lacks aquatic plants may be appropriate if solving
the algae problem by nutrient reduction is not feasible. The experiment should include water quality and
phytoplankton monitoring to evaluate success.

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