CFW Projects has provided equipment for drying the artificial abalone feeds commonly used in aquaculture. We offer a variety of drying systems adapted to the requirements of the customer and the ambient conditions of the feed production facility. These may be forced-air systems or may use heating or cooling to condition the product and control its characteristics as it dries.

CFW focuses on industrial-scale solutions with a minimum drying capacity of one tonne per system, although we have also undertaken smaller-scale projects. The CFW Mini Dryer is available as a standard solution for smaller operations.

About Abalone Feed Drying

The modern abalone production facility commonly uses seaweed or various artificial feeds for rearing abalone. Pelleted feeds are often considered to encourage growth better than kelp alone. To produce these feeds, even drying with careful control of the humidity and temperature levels surrounding the product must be achieved. This helps ensure better uptake rates of the feed by the abalone and also improves the shelf life and hygiene of the product.

Slow drying can promote bacterial growth and lead to product losses or an inferior feed, while case hardening will result if the product is dried too fast. If the product is dried by applying heat, some of the nutrients in the product can be lost or altered. For this reason, temperature and humidity levels need to be considered together.

In addition, feed drying influences the texture and fragility of the product. If pellets are prone to falling apart, either in storage or in the water, feed losses may increase and leave abalone farmers dissatisfied. The shape and size of the pellets or feed particles is widely believed to influence the likelihood that the abalone will consume the optimal amount. This belief is also supported by some research comparing different feeds, where the faster growth of the abalone with certain feeds was attributed to smaller losses (i.e. higher consumption rates) of the feed. Excessive breakage might also affect water quality.

CFW’s dryers have emerged from many years of experience in the fields of airflow control and drying kinetics. Our turnkey drying solutions are designed with the particular application in mind.