Fish Pump Impeller Design for Reduced Stress
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current fish pumps cause damage and stress to fish during transportation due to inadequate design, leading to reduced quality and increased mortality, particularly during loading and unloading processes.
Innovation Solution
A pump device with a unique impeller design and housing configuration that minimizes fish contact with harmful surfaces and pressure changes, featuring a flow channel with a balanced impeller and nozzle arrangement to reduce stress and improve handling efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If fish are crowded before pumping to increase efficiency, then pumping efficiency is improved, but fish stress and damage increase
Solution Approach 1:
The pump housing is divided into multiple compartments or sections that allow fish to be transported in a more distributed manner, reducing crowding stress while maintaining pumping efficiency. The impeller design creates multiple flow paths rather than a single concentrated flow, distributing fish more evenly through the system.
Solution Approach 2:
A specially designed impeller with rounded blades acts as an intermediary element that gently guides fish through the pumping system. The impeller blades create a protective flow pattern that reduces direct impact and crowding effects while maintaining water flow and pumping efficiency.
2Productivity
If conventional centrifugal pumps are used, then pumping capacity is achieved, but fish are subjected to large strains due to impact
Solution Approach 1:
The impeller blades are designed with rounded, curved surfaces instead of sharp edges. This curvature allows fish to be gently guided through the pump without sudden impacts or contact with sharp surfaces, reducing strain and injury while maintaining pumping capacity through efficient water flow.
Solution Approach 2:
The pump design modifies flow parameters by creating a more gradual pressure gradient and reducing flow velocity fluctuations. The impeller geometry is optimized to maintain adequate pumping capacity while reducing the intensity of water flow and impact forces acting on fish.
3Productivity
If pump capacity is increased to handle larger fish, then handling efficiency is improved, but damage to fish increases
Solution Approach 1:
The pump system is designed with adjustable parameters including variable speed drive capability and adjustable flow rates. This allows the pump to adapt its operating characteristics to match the size and sensitivity of different fish species, maintaining handling efficiency while minimizing damage through optimized flow conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The pump capacity can be adjusted by changing operational parameters such as rotational speed and flow rate rather than relying solely on physical size increases. This allows efficient handling of larger fish while maintaining gentler flow conditions that reduce damage through parameter optimization rather than brute force capacity increases.
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
The solution effectively reduces fish damage and stress, enhancing the quality and welfare of fish during transportation by minimizing contact with harmful surfaces and optimizing water flow, thereby improving handling efficiency and reducing mortality.
Implementation Method 1
When the impeller starts to rotate, the water is ejected to the side and directed through the pump housing into which the impeller is mounted
Implementation Method 2
In the center of the impeller, a suction will then be formed where new water flow in
Data Source
AI summary
A pump device is for sucking and transferring objects. The pump device includes a pump housing, at least one impeller, an air withdrawal opening, at least one inlet opening defined in the pump housing, at least one outlet opening defined in the pump housing, and at least one chive device connected to the pump device. The pump housing includes a first short side defined as a semicircle or a partial circle and a second short side defined as a flat or plane surface, two long sides having a tapered shape extending from the first short side to the second short side, and two planar sides so as to define a closed pump housing. The at least one impeller is in the pump housing.