Marine Aquarium Salinity Control System
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing marine aquarium water change systems, such as the DialySeas system, require close proximity to the aquarium and rely on diffusion, osmosis, and hydrostatic pressure, necessitating the use of a 'human artificial kidney' to correct ionic imbalances, whereas there is a demand for a system that can provide purified water with adjusted salinity without these limitations.
Innovation Solution
A self-contained water purification and salinity control system comprising a filter section, reservoir section, pump section, and control system that generates purified water, adjusts salinity, and pumps water directly into the aquarium, eliminating the need for close proximity and reusing aquarium water, using positive displacement pumps and conductivity probes for salinity measurement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of substance
If the DialySeas system is used for water purification, then salt conservation is improved (60% salt preserved), but the system requires close proximity to the aquarium and complex dialysis equipment
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the essential function of water purification from the complex dialysis system. Instead of using a dialyzer that requires close proximity to the aquarium, the invention uses a separate purification unit that can be located elsewhere. The system extracts only the necessary purified water and salt concentrate, eliminating the need for complex dialysis equipment while maintaining salt conservation benefits.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the water purification function from the aquarium system. The purification unit is separated into an independent component that produces purified water and salt concentrate, which are then delivered to the aquarium through a simple delivery system. This segmentation eliminates the requirement for close proximity and complex integrated dialysis equipment.
2Reliability
If the DialySeas system is used for water change, then water purification is achieved, but the system requires automated operation and close proximity placement
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary delivery system that transports purified water and salt concentrate from the purification unit to the aquarium. This intermediary system (using simple pumps and piping) allows the purification unit to be located anywhere in the building, eliminating the close proximity requirement while maintaining reliable water purification effectiveness.
3Reliability
If 100% new water replacement is implemented, then aquarium water quality is improved, but the system complexity increases compared to salt conservation methods
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the parameter of water replacement from partial (60% salt preservation) to complete (100% new water). The system achieves this by producing both purified water and salt concentrate separately, then mixing them in controlled proportions to create aquarium water with exact desired salinity. This parameter change improves water quality while keeping system complexity manageable through automated control.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements feedback control through salinity probes that continuously monitor the aquarium water and salt concentrate reservoirs. The controller adjusts the mixing ratio of purified water and salt concentrate based on real-time salinity measurements, ensuring precise salinity control for 100% water replacement while automating the process to minimize operational complexity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables 100% new water replacement with precisely adjusted salinity, maintaining healthy aquarium conditions without the need for close proximity or reusing aquarium water, and allows for automatic and scheduled operation, making it a compact and easy-to-maintain solution.
Implementation Method 1
a reverse osmosis filter and a deionizer configured to generate deionized water from the water received at the water inlet
Implementation Method 2
a reverse osmosis filter and a deionizer configured to generate deionized water from the water received at the water inlet
Implementation Method 3
a salt concentrate reservoir having an overflow conduit at an upper level thereof for allowing water to overflow into the salt-mixed reservoir
Implementation Method 4
one or more pumps hydraulically connected to pump water from the salt-mixed water reservoir into the salt concentrate reservoir, to pump water from the salt-mixed water reservoir to the aquarium, and to pump water from the purified water reservoir to the aquarium
Implementation Method 5
a control system including a controller connected to the pumps of the pump section and to a plurality of salinity measuring probes, the probes including a probe disposed to measure the salinity in the salt-mixed water reservoir and a probe disposed to measure the salinity of the water of the marine aquarium
Data Source
AI summary
A water salinity control apparatus for a marine aquarium includes a filter section in which the water from a utility water supply is purified and deionized. A reservoir section includes a purified water reservoir for purified water, a salt-mixed water reservoir in which marine water at the setpoint salinity is stored, and a salt concentrate reservoir which contains fully salt-saturated water. A pump section includes pumps for pumping water from the salt-mixed water reservoir into the aquarium and for pumping water from the purified water reservoir to the aquarium. A control system adjusts the salinity of the water in the salt-mixed water reservoir and the salinity of the water in the marine aquarium. The control system receives input from salinity measuring probes that measure the salinity in the salt-mixed water reservoir and the salinity of the water of the marine aquarium.