Mixed-Cell Raceway Aquaculture for Water Reuse and Disease Isolation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing aquaculture systems face challenges in energy efficiency and cost-effectiveness, particularly in maintaining optimal water quality and preventing disease transmission in fish rearing, with linear raceways requiring high water exchange rates and circular tanks having maintenance limitations.
Innovation Solution
A mixed-cell raceway design incorporating a raceway tank with longitudinal water flow, dual purification subsystems, and rotating hydraulic patterns, utilizing moving bed bioreactors and vacuum airlifts for efficient water recycling and purification, along with oxygen supersaturation to enhance fish yield.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If linear raceways are used for fish rearing, then water exchange rate is high, but energy consumption increases and disease transmission risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The raceway is divided into multiple cells separated by partitions, with each cell having its own independent water flow and fish population. This segmentation allows for localized water treatment and exchange, reducing the overall energy required for system-wide water circulation while maintaining high water quality through targeted exchange in affected cells.
2Productivity
If linear raceways are used for fish rearing, then water exchange rate is high, but disease transmission risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The raceway is divided into multiple cells separated by partitions, with each cell having its own independent water flow and fish population. This segmentation allows for localized water treatment and exchange, reducing the overall energy required for system-wide water circulation while maintaining high water quality through targeted exchange in affected cells.
Solution Approach 2:
Problematic water containing diseases or excess metabolites is extracted and removed from specific cells through dedicated drainage systems at the bottom of each cell. This targeted removal prevents disease propagation throughout the entire raceway while maintaining water quality in healthy cells.
3Reliability
If circular tanks are used for fish rearing, then self-cleaning ability is good, but maintenance difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
The raceway is divided into multiple cells separated by partitions, with each cell having its own independent water flow and fish population. This segmentation allows for localized water treatment and exchange, reducing the overall energy required for system-wide water circulation while maintaining high water quality through targeted exchange in affected cells.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates adjustable flow rates and configurable partition arrangements that can be dynamically modified based on operational needs. This dynamic capability allows for easy reconfiguration during maintenance operations while preserving the self-cleaning benefits during normal operation.
4Stability of the object's composition
If mixed-cell raceway design is used, then water quality uniformity is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The raceway is divided into multiple cells separated by partitions, with each cell having its own independent water flow and fish population. This segmentation allows for localized water treatment and exchange, reducing the overall energy required for system-wide water circulation while maintaining high water quality through targeted exchange in affected cells.
Solution Approach 2:
The system combines the advantages of linear raceways (ease of construction, accessibility) and circular tanks (self-cleaning ability, uniform water quality) into a hybrid mixed-cell design. Each cell functions as a small circular tank while the overall arrangement maintains linear raceway characteristics, achieving both uniform water quality and operational simplicity.
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 system achieves higher fish yield per unit of energy consumed by optimizing water reuse, reducing energy consumption, and improving fish health through uniform water quality and solid removal, while allowing for flexible photoperiod control.
Implementation Method 1
water enters the tank via flow thereof being directed via a first weir at the first end and flows under gravity toward the second end
Implementation Method 2
utilizing moving bed bioreactors and vacuum airlifts for efficient water recycling and purification
Implementation Method 3
purified water from the second water purification subsystem may be pumped through a plurality of discharge manifolds disposed along sidewalls of the tank so as to create a rotating hydraulic flow pattern in each of the virtual cells
Implementation Method 4
utilizing moving bed bioreactors and vacuum airlifts for efficient water recycling and purification
Implementation Method 5
along with oxygen supersaturation to enhance fish health
Data Source
AI summary
An energy efficient aquaculture system combining mixed-cell and raceway configurations. The system comprises a raceway tank, a raceway channel, a first water purification subsystem, and a second water purification subsystem. The system may include one or more of a hatching subsystem, a nursery subsystem, a feeding subsystem, a finishing subsystem, and a fish pumping system for transfer of fish between raceway tanks. A method of growing fish for commercial production using the aquaculture system is also provided.