Modular Shrimp RAS Production With Cyber-Physical Feed Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Shrimp farming faces challenges such as unsustainable production practices, disease outbreaks, environmental impact, and economic competitiveness due to climatic and geographic limitations, leading to a decline in domestic production and reliance on imported, potentially inferior and unsafe shrimp in the US market.
Innovation Solution
A modularized, multi-phasic super-intensive shrimp production system integrated with a recirculating aquaculture system (RAS) and computer-controlled feed distribution, utilizing stacked production sub-units and a cyber-physical platform for environmental sensing and control, allowing for year-round production and minimizing water usage and energy consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If traditional coastal pond farming with flowthrough water exchange is used, then shrimp can be cultured with simple infrastructure, but water quality deteriorates due to pollution and disease transmission from influent water
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the water treatment process into multiple sequential stages: mechanical filtration screens, sedimentation tanks, biofilters with beneficial bacteria, and UV sterilization chambers. Each stage addresses specific contaminants, transforming the single-stage traditional pond system into a multi-stage treatment train that progressively cleans water before recirculation.
Solution Approach 2:
Beneficial bacteria colonies serve as intermediaries between shrimp waste and clean water. These microorganisms are cultured in biofilter tanks where they consume ammonia and nitrites from shrimp excrement, converting toxic waste into less harmful substances that can be safely recirculated back to production tanks.
2Productivity
If land based industrial aquaculture is expanded to increase production, then domestic supply increases, but environmental destruction and disease incidence accelerate
Solution Approach 1:
The system recovers and reuses water that would traditionally be discarded from ponds. A closed-loop recirculation system captures effluent from production tanks, treats it through filtration and bioprocessing stages, and returns cleaned water to the same tanks, enabling continuous production without proportional increases in water consumption or environmental discharge.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transforms water quality parameters through controlled biological and physical processes. Ammonia concentrations are reduced from toxic levels to safe ranges through nitrifying bacteria, dissolved oxygen is maintained through aeration, and temperature is stabilized through insulation and heat exchange, creating consistently optimal conditions for high-density shrimp cultivation.
3Productivity
If stacked production sub-units with RAS are implemented, then production cycles increase to 12-17 per year, but system complexity and initial investment increase
Solution Approach 1:
Production tanks are arranged in vertical stacks within modular container units, with multiple tanks nested one above another. Each container module contains complete production and treatment subsystems that can be independently operated or combined, allowing progressive expansion from single to multiple stacked units based on production requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The recirculating aquaculture system infrastructure serves multiple production tanks simultaneously. A single set of filters, pumps, and bioprocessing equipment supports an entire stack of production units, eliminating the need for separate treatment systems for each tank and reducing overall system complexity despite increased production capacity.
4Productivity
If computer controlled feed distribution is used, then feed efficiency and survival rates improve, but automation requirements and operational complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
Automatic feed distribution systems incorporate sensors that monitor shrimp feeding behavior, water quality parameters, and feed consumption rates. The system adjusts feed delivery in real-time based on this feedback, reducing waste from overfeeding and ensuring adequate nutrition, while alerting operators to potential issues without requiring constant manual intervention.
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 system enables 12 to 17 production cycles per year, significantly increasing shrimp production per unit area, reducing water footprint, and improving survival rates and feed efficiency, while maintaining optimal environmental conditions, thus addressing the sustainability and economic viability challenges.
Implementation Method 1
The rectangular cuboid tank is in recirculation with a re-circulating aquatic system (RAS)
Implementation Method 2
a custom designed cyber-physical platform that acquires data through sensors embedded in post-larvae nursery module(s), production sub-unit module(s)
Implementation Method 3
The shrimp growing conditions include having the optimal conditions for lighting, feeding, water temperature, water level, water pH and water saline concentrations
Implementation Method 4
The preferred components for monitoring, maintaining or altering the dissolved oxygen level in a range greater than 4.5 mg/L comprises a dissolved oxygen sensors
Data Source
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Figure 3A~3E
AI summary
A method for shrimp aquaculture, in which, all growth phases and essential operations are modularized and integrated to form a multi-phasic synchronous super-intensive shrimp production system controlled by a custom designed cyber-physical platform. Modular components include: post-larvae nursery module(s), grow-out production module(s), recirculating aquaculture system (RAS) module(s), feed distribution module(s) and regulatory elements comprised of Program Logic Controllers (PLCs) integrated with Human Interface Modules (HIMs).