Evaluation of Brushes for Removal of Fouling from Fouling-release Surfaces, Using a Hydraulic Cleaning Device

Abstract

A portable hydraulic device has been developed for use in optimizing the design of brushes and cleaning units that may be employed to maintain fouling-release coatings. Laboratory tests showed that characteristics of experimental cleaning brushes, including bristle stiffness, density, and angle, significantly affected the shear and normal forces imparted to the surface and thus, to any encrusting organisms. The standoff distance between the cleaning unit and the surface also influenced the forces generated. The rate of rotation of the brush, however, had little effect on force. The hydraulic device, with its experimental brushes, can also be used to evaluate the cleanability of fouling-release surfaces in situ, or to assess wear of the coating system due to cleaning.

Keywords:

• fouling
• fouling-release
• brush characteristics
• hull cleaning

Acknowledgments

Robert Basham and Jason Switzer, Battelle Memorial Institute, assisted with collecting the force data. The portable brush device was designed and built by Tom Mehnert (NSWCCD). Paul Winzig of Young & Swartz, Inc., designed and built the test brushes. Andrew Field (NSWCCD) produced Figures 1 and 2. The US Navy, OPNAV Code N420C, Energy Research and Development Program, funded this work (Element #0603724N).