Method for producing artificial seawater and apparatus for producing artificial seawater.

Abstract

An object of the present invention is to provide a method for producing artificial seawater that can reduce the labor of breeders and staff in aquarium facilities and the like and can be prepared in a short time. 【Solution means】The method for producing artificial seawater according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a step of preparing nearly saturated brine, a step of diluting the nearly saturated brine, and a step of dissolving trace components other than NaCl in the nearly saturated brine. The trace components include at least magnesium ions, calcium ions, potassium ions, sodium ions, chloride ions, hydrogen carbonate ions, and sulfate ions.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for producing artificial seawater. [Background technology]

[0002] Aquariums have been gaining attention in recent years as recreational facilities that provide entertainment and relaxation to visitors. Because aquariums require large amounts of seawater to operate, until now aquariums have mainly been built in coastal areas and used to raise saltwater fish using natural seawater.

[0003] However, in recent years, the construction of aquariums in urban areas and inland areas far from the sea, as well as aquariums built into commercial facilities, has been increasing. Aquariums far from the sea also use transported seawater, which is taken from far away and brought in by ship or truck, but this has problems such as high transportation costs and limited storage capacity. For this reason, facilities in areas far from the coast are increasingly using artificial seawater to operate their aquariums.

[0004] Since artificial seawater is artificially prepared to mimic the composition of seawater, it does not have the problem of limited environments from which it can be taken, as is the case with natural seawater, and can be prepared inland. In addition, natural seawater has problems such as being influenced by the natural environment, such as changes in the salinity of seawater after heavy rain, and water quality issues such as the possibility of seawater containing microplastics and pathogens, but these problems can be solved by using artificial seawater.

[0005] Furthermore, the salinity can be adjusted as needed to accommodate a variety of organisms, and since it can be prepared without containing unnecessary components found in natural seawater, the water quality can be stabilized, transparency can be increased, and the breeding tank can be kept clean. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0007] Artificial seawater is generally prepared by dissolving the elements of artificial seawater (solid ones) in water, and seawater can be made regardless of location. Therefore, for facilities such as aquariums, it is only necessary to transport the solid elements of artificial seawater, and the transportation cost can be significantly reduced compared to transporting seawater. In addition, since the elements of artificial seawater can be stocked and prepared even in times of emergency such as typhoons, stable supply of breeding water can be ensured.

[0008] When operating an aquarium using artificial seawater as described above, there are more advantages in terms of geography and storage properties of artificial seawater compared to using natural seawater. As a method for manufacturing artificial seawater, for example, an artificial seawater manufacturing system described in Patent Document 1 (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-333849) is known. In the artificial seawater manufacturing system described in Patent Document 1, first, a concentrated solution of artificial seawater is manufactured in a concentrated solution tank, and then the concentrated solution is transferred to an adjustment tank and diluted to adjust to artificial seawater of a predetermined concentration. By providing a concentrated solution tank and an adjustment tank, it is said that a sufficient supply amount of artificial seawater can be ensured with a smaller installation space compared to generating artificial seawater from the beginning.

[0009] However, when manufacturing artificial seawater (or a concentrated solution of artificial seawater) by dissolving the elements of artificial seawater in tap water or the like, it is a burden on the breeders and staff who perform the work. Generally, 3% to 3.5% of the elements of artificial seawater must be added to the fresh water of the amount of artificial seawater to be prepared, and the dissolution time also requires a long time. In addition, when the elements of artificial seawater are dissolved at a high concentration, turbidity occurs due to the reaction between trace components, so dissolution at a high concentration is not possible. That is, for a series of operations such as adding the elements of artificial seawater, stirring, and dissolving them completely, the workload is heavy and the restricted time is long for breeders and staff. Therefore, the problem is how to prepare artificial seawater as quickly as possible within the limited working hours of breeders and staff.

[0010] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a method for manufacturing artificial seawater that can reduce the labor of breeders and staff and can be prepared in a short time.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0011] The method for manufacturing artificial seawater according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: a step of preparing nearly saturated brine; a step of diluting the nearly saturated brine; a step of adding trace components other than NaCl to the nearly saturated brine; and the trace components include at least magnesium ions, calcium ions, potassium ions, sodium ions, chloride ions, hydrogen carbonate ions, and sulfate ions.

[0012] The apparatus for manufacturing artificial seawater according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: a brine storage tank for storing nearly saturated brine; a preparation tank for diluting the nearly saturated brine and adding trace components other than NaCl to prepare artificial seawater; and the trace components include at least magnesium ions, calcium ions, potassium ions, sodium ions, chloride ions, hydrogen carbonate ions, and sulfate ions.

Effects of the Invention

[0013] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a method for manufacturing artificial seawater that can reduce the labor of breeders and staff and can be prepared in a short time.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0014]

Figure 1

[0015] As a result of intensive research to solve the above problems, the present inventors first prepared nearly saturated brine, diluted it, and added trace components other than NaCl, thereby shortening the time required for dissolving the salt itself and significantly reducing the work of introducing the raw materials of artificial seawater, and found that the burden on the operator can be reduced. Hereinafter, a method for producing artificial seawater and an apparatus for producing artificial seawater according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the drawings. In the present invention, artificial seawater refers to a liquid artificially prepared by imitating the composition of seawater, or a powder serving as a raw material thereof. In addition to sodium ions and chloride ions, which are the main components of seawater, magnesium ions, calcium ions, potassium ions, sulfate ions, and hydrogen carbonate ions are essential components, and necessary ions according to the purpose of use are further included, and it is defined as simulated seawater having substantially the same osmotic pressure and pH as natural seawater.

[0016] FIG. 1 shows an outline of an example of an apparatus 10 for producing artificial seawater according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the apparatus 10 for producing artificial seawater includes at least a brine storage tank 11 and a preparation tank 12. Further, a nearly saturated brine production apparatus 13 capable of automatically producing nearly saturated brine may be provided as necessary. Note that nearly saturated brine refers to an aqueous solution having a salt (NaCl) concentration of 24% by mass or more at the measured temperature.

[0017] The method for producing artificial seawater according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a step of preparing nearly saturated brine, a step of diluting the nearly saturated brine, and a step of adding trace components other than NaCl to the nearly saturated brine. The trace components include at least magnesium ions, calcium ions, potassium ions, sodium ions, chloride ions, hydrogen carbonate ions, and sulfate ions.

[0018] (Step of preparing nearly saturated brine) The method of preparing nearly saturated brine is not particularly limited, and various known methods can be used. For example, an excessive amount of salt (NaCl) exceeding the soluble amount in fresh water at a predetermined water temperature (for example, about 20°C to 25°C) is supplied and dissolved, and only the supernatant is taken out so that no salt precipitate is contained, thereby preparing nearly saturated brine. The production of nearly saturated brine may be carried out by an operator in a timely manner, or a device that can perform it automatically may be used. Naturally, by using a nearly saturated brine production device capable of automatically producing nearly saturated brine, the burden on the operator can be significantly reduced.

[0019] The artificial seawater production device 10 shown in FIG. 1 is an example equipped with a nearly saturated brine production device 13 capable of automatically producing nearly saturated brine. As an example of a nearly saturated brine production device, for example, a nearly saturated brine production device equipped with an upflow type dissolution tank described in Utility Model Registration No. 3080948 can be preferably used. As a commercially available product, for example, a multi-purpose stirring device "Shomar" manufactured by Ishimura Kogyo Co., Ltd. can be used.

[0020] In the upflow type dissolution tank, after supplying salt, water is flowed from the bottom at a constant speed, so that nearly saturated brine overflows from the upper part, and nearly saturated brine is automatically produced. This nearly saturated brine can be stored in the brine storage tank 11.

[0021] By storing the nearly saturated brine prepared in advance as described above in the brine storage tank 11 and taking out an appropriate amount of nearly saturated brine for use when producing artificial seawater, the time required for producing artificial seawater can be shortened. In addition, by supplying salt to the nearly saturated brine production device simultaneously with transportation, the stock of raw materials for artificial seawater only needs to be trace components, so the stock space for raw materials in the facility can be compressed.

[0022] (Step of diluting nearly saturated brine) This step is a step of diluting the nearly saturated brine prepared in the step of preparing the above-mentioned nearly saturated brine with fresh water to a predetermined salt concentration. In the artificial seawater production apparatus 10 shown in Fig. 1, during the production of artificial seawater, a certain amount of the nearly saturated brine stored in the brine storage tank 11 is transferred to the preparation tank 12, and fresh water is supplied here to dilute the nearly saturated brine.

[0023] The degree to which the nearly saturated brine is diluted can be appropriately changed according to the purpose of use of the artificial seawater. For example, it may be diluted to a salt concentration suitable for the growth of aquatic organisms to be bred using artificial seawater. Generally, fresh water may be added and diluted so that the salt concentration is about 3.0% to 3.5% by mass. The amount of salt contained in the nearly saturated brine may be calculated by measuring the specific gravity of the nearly saturated brine.

[0024] (Step of adding trace components to the nearly saturated brine) This step is a step of adding trace components other than NaCl to the nearly saturated brine prepared in the step of preparing the above-mentioned nearly saturated brine, or its diluted water. In the artificial seawater production apparatus 10 shown in Fig. 1, trace components are added to the aqueous solution in which fresh water is supplied and diluted in the preparation tank 12 to the nearly saturated brine.

[0025] Note that the step of diluting the nearly saturated brine and the step of adding trace components to the nearly saturated brine may be performed separately or simultaneously. When performing them simultaneously, it is preferable to add the trace components after a certain amount of fresh water is supplied and the volume of the diluted water increases. Thereby, the trace components can be dissolved more quickly.

[0026] Trace components include, as described above, at least calcium ions, magnesium ions, potassium ions, sodium ions, chloride ions, sulfate ions, and bicarbonate ions. Other components of the trace components and their contents can be appropriately changed according to the purpose of using the artificial seawater. That is, similar to the case of adjusting the salt concentration described above, for example, the trace components suitable for the growth of aquatic organisms to be bred using the artificial seawater may be included at appropriate concentrations. For example, various minerals and vitamins other than those contained in natural seawater may be included. The addition amount of the trace components is not particularly limited and may be appropriately changed according to the purpose of using the artificial seawater. Also, the concentration of each component in the trace components is, for example, with respect to the whole trace components, calcium ions are 2.7% by mass to 3.3% by mass, magnesium ions are 12.1% by mass to 12.3% by mass, potassium ions are 3.2% by mass to 3.7% by mass, sodium ions are 0.51% by mass to 0.52% by mass, sulfate ions are 22.1% by mass to 24.9% by mass, bicarbonate ions are 1.23% by mass to 1.26% by mass, and chloride ions can be 26.2% by mass to 27.2% by mass.

[0027] Also, the trace components may be added in powder form to nearly saturated brine or its diluted water, or may be added in aqueous solution form. When adding in aqueous solution form, for example, a solution obtained by dissolving the powdered trace components in water can be used. When adding the trace components in aqueous solution form, there is an advantage that it is easy to mix with nearly saturated brine or its aqueous solution, but there is also a disadvantage that it takes up space for storing the trace components. Note that since the addition amount of the trace components is approximately 1% by mass with respect to the amount of artificial seawater to be produced, even if it is in powder form, it can be dissolved relatively quickly.

[0028] By going through the steps described above, artificial seawater can be easily produced. In the artificial seawater production apparatus 10 shown in FIG. 1, artificial seawater is produced in the preparation tank 12. The artificial seawater may be transferred in an appropriate amount to an appropriate place according to the purpose.

[0029] An embodiment of the method for producing artificial seawater according to the present invention is as follows. (1) A method for producing artificial seawater, comprising: a step of preparing nearly saturated brine; a step of diluting the nearly saturated brine; a step of adding trace components other than NaCl to the nearly saturated brine; and the trace components include at least magnesium ions, calcium ions, potassium ions, sodium ions, chloride ions, hydrogen carbonate ions, and sulfate ions. A method for producing artificial seawater. (2) The method for producing artificial seawater according to (1) above, wherein the trace components are added to the nearly saturated brine in powder form. The method for producing artificial seawater according to (1) above. (3) The method for producing artificial seawater according to (1) above, wherein the trace components are added to the nearly saturated brine in aqueous solution form. The method for producing artificial seawater according to (1) above. (4) The method for producing artificial seawater according to (1) above, wherein the nearly saturated brine is prepared by a nearly saturated brine production device capable of automatically producing nearly saturated brine. The method for producing artificial seawater according to (1) above.

[0030] An embodiment of the artificial seawater production apparatus according to the present invention is as follows. (5) A brine storage tank for storing nearly saturated brine, a preparation tank for diluting the nearly saturated brine and adding trace components other than NaCl to prepare artificial seawater; and the trace components include at least magnesium ions, calcium ions, potassium ions, sodium ions, chloride ions, hydrogen carbonate ions, and sulfate ions. An artificial seawater production apparatus. (6) The artificial seawater production apparatus according to (5) above, further comprising a brine production device capable of automatically producing nearly saturated brine. The artificial seawater production apparatus according to (5) above.

Examples

[0031] Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to examples, but the scope of the present invention is not limited thereto.

[0032] [Examples] Nearly saturated brine was diluted, trace components were added, and the time required for preparing artificial seawater was measured. 500 g of nearly saturated brine at 20 °C (25.4 mass% sodium chloride solution) was put into a 5 L beaker, tap water at 20 °C was added to make it 5 L. A stirrer (AS ONE P-3) with a stirring rod having blades (two blades: flat plate 20 mm, length 50 mm) adjusted to a position 10 mm from the bottom of the beaker was set, and 49 g of trace components were added during stirring at 200 rpm. The time required for the trace components to completely dissolve by visual observation was 9 minutes. The component values (g / L) of the obtained artificial seawater are shown in the "Examples" of Table 1.

[0033] [Comparative Examples] As a conventional method, the time required for the existing product artificial seawater to dissolve under the same conditions as in the examples was measured. 5 L of tap water at 20 °C was put into a 5 L beaker, a stirrer was set in the same manner as in the examples, and 175 g of the existing product artificial seawater "Marine Standard" was added during stirring at 200 rpm. The time required for the existing product artificial seawater to completely dissolve by visual observation was 18 minutes. It was confirmed that the preparation time of artificial seawater in the examples can be shortened compared with the conventional method, suggesting that the working burden of workers can be reduced when manufacturing artificial seawater in large quantities. The component values (g / L) of the obtained artificial seawater are shown in the "Comparative Examples" of Table 1.

[0034] [Table 1] [Explanation of Signs]

[0035] 10 Apparatus for manufacturing artificial seawater 11 Brine storage tank 12 Preparation tank 13 Near-saturated brine production device

Claims

1. A method for producing artificial seawater, comprising the steps of: Providing near-saturated saltwater; diluting the near-saturated saltwater; adding trace elements other than NaCl to the near-saturated salt water; having The trace components include at least magnesium ions, calcium ions, potassium ions, sodium ions, chloride ions, bicarbonate ions and sulfate ions; A method for producing artificial seawater.

2. The trace elements are added to the near-saturated saltwater in powder form; The method for producing the artificial seawater according to claim 1 .

3. The trace elements are added to the near-saturated saltwater in the form of an aqueous solution. The method for producing the artificial seawater according to claim 1 .

4. The near-saturated salt water is prepared by a near-saturated salt water producing device capable of automatically producing near-saturated salt water. The method for producing the artificial seawater according to claim 1 .

5. a saltwater storage tank for storing near-saturated saltwater; a preparation tank for diluting the nearly saturated saltwater and adding trace components other than NaCl to prepare artificial seawater; Equipped with The trace components include at least magnesium ions, calcium ions, potassium ions, sodium ions, chloride ions, bicarbonate ions and sulfate ions; Equipment for producing artificial seawater.

6. The apparatus further includes a saltwater producing device capable of automatically producing the nearly saturated saltwater. The apparatus for producing artificial seawater according to claim 5.

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