A spherical HDPE floating cover element, self-ballasting via partial water fill, used on small or irregular water bodies. Typical coverage ratio: 70–80%.
An armor ball is a spherical HDPE floating cover element, used to reduce evaporation and algae growth on water bodies. Each ball floats independently; partial water fill provides self-ballasting. Coverage ratio at full deployment is typically 70–80%, lower than the 99% effective coverage that AWTT publishes for the Hexprotect® AQUA hexagonal element. Armor balls are preferred for small (under ~500 m²) or irregularly shaped water bodies where the deployment speed of spherical elements is the dominant consideration.
For larger reservoirs or applications requiring 25+ year service life, the AWTT-patented hexagonal cover (see /heritage) is the preferred choice — higher coverage ratio, longer lifecycle, and documented engineering validation.
Also known as: floating ball, reservoir ball, bird ball