Conditioned Aqueous Medium Delivery via Gravity Flow Weirs
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current algal aquaculture systems face challenges in efficiently and uniformly fertilizing multiple ponds, minimizing the introduction of predators and competitors, recycling algal growth medium, maintaining consistent flow, controlling salinity, and inoculating ponds with desired algae.
Innovation Solution
A system and process that condition an aqueous medium with algal nutrients, salts, and other materials to create a uniform algal growth medium, which is then delivered to algal aquaculture ponds using gravity flow, controlled by flow controllers such as weirs, and modified for salinity and pH as needed.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a plurality of algal aquaculture ponds is used to increase production capacity, then productivity is improved, but the complexity of uniformly fertilizing and delivering growth medium to multiple ponds increases device complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the aqueous medium preparation and distribution function into separate modular components: a growth medium preparation unit that conditions the medium, and a distribution system with flow controllers that deliver medium to individual ponds. This segmentation allows each module to be optimized independently while managing the complexity of serving multiple ponds.
Solution Approach 2:
The growth medium preparation unit serves as a universal facility that can supply conditioned medium to multiple ponds simultaneously. The system uses a common preparation unit with multiple output lines, each equipped with flow controllers, allowing one facility to serve many ponds efficiently.
2Use of energy by moving object
If gravity flow is used to deliver growth medium to ponds, then energy consumption is reduced, but flow control precision deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The flow controllers in the distribution system provide feedback control for gravity-driven flow. Each flow controller monitors and adjusts the flow rate to individual ponds, maintaining precise control despite the passive gravity-driven transport. This feedback mechanism ensures accurate delivery while preserving energy efficiency.
3Ease of manufacture
If algae are grown in open ponds to reduce capital costs, then ease of manufacture is improved, but contamination by predators and competitors worsens
Solution Approach 1:
The growth medium is pre-conditioned in a controlled preparation unit before being delivered to the open ponds. This preliminary action includes sterilization and nutrient optimization, which reduces the introduction of harmful organisms and establishes favorable conditions for desired algae growth before the medium reaches the open ponds.
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
This approach reduces capital and operating costs, ensures uniform algal growth, minimizes the introduction of predators and competitors, and efficiently recycles and controls the algal growth medium, leading to more economical and sustainable algal aquaculture operations.
Implementation Method 1
conditioning an aqueous medium with at least algal nutrients in an aquaculture pretreatment unit to obtain the conditioned aqueous medium
Implementation Method 2
controlling a gravity flow of the conditioned aqueous medium from the aquaculture pretreatment unit to one or more algal aquaculture ponds
Implementation Method 3
controlled by flow controllers such as weirs
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to the growth of algae, in particular to processes and systems for preparing and delivering an algal growth medium to one or more algal aquaculture ponds that significantly reduces capital and operating costs relative to known processes and systems, and that provides for a uniform algal growth medium that can be delivered to a plurality of algal aquaculture ponds when a plurality of algal aquaculture ponds is present.