Fish Pond Aeration System

Faculty Mentor(s)

Dr. Jose Manjarres

Dr. Jonathon Weber

Project Type

Senior Design Project

Scholarship Domain(s)

Scholarship of Discovery, Scholarship of Community Application

Presentation Type

Presentation

Abstract

With high density fishponds in aquaculture, oxygen content quickly becomes depleted. Without enough oxygen in the water, a tilapia’s growth and lifetime are significantly depleted. To mitigate this risk, aeration systems have been developed to replenish oxygen consumed. In Guatemala, AgInno Institute has partnered with Olivet Nazarene University (ONU) senior design teams to develop a solar powered paddle aerator prototype.

We, the senior design team at ONU has been tasked with the implementation and optimization of the prototype system. Our team has recalculated and organized a list of materials for the solar power system is Guatemala and travelled to Chisec, Guatemala in October to implement the design. We selected solar panels, batteries, an invertor, and a charge controller to sustain the existing paddle aerator prototype. With the solar power system built and evidenced to power the paddle aerator prototype, the team is shifting into a redesign and optimization phase of the system.

Energy efficiency and aeration ability is the utmost importance in the design of a successful paddle aerator. A significant part of energy efficiency is the choice of motor. While the system currently operates with an AC motor, a DC motor will eliminate the need for an invertor in the solar power system. The selected motor must be durable and robust, able to operate continuously and withstand various weather conditions. The torque provided must also be sufficient to spin the paddles to cause ample water agitation.

With selection of a new motor, our team is also developing a final paddle design. While the existing prototype for the paddle aerator uses metal grates as paddles to decrease water resistance, the material is susceptible to rust over time. A strong, locally available material must be selected that can still be easily constructed by fish farmers in Guatemala. Design testing is ongoing with conclusions regarding a final design to be made in February.

The significance of a successful design will increase the income of fish farmers in Guatemala. The cost of all materials in design of the solar power system and the paddle aerator are heavily considered to minimize the expenses for fish farmers. The goal of the design is to improve the lives of farmers by increasing their harvest yields.

Permission Type

Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

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Fish Pond Aeration System

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With high density fishponds in aquaculture, oxygen content quickly becomes depleted. Without enough oxygen in the water, a tilapia’s growth and lifetime are significantly depleted. To mitigate this risk, aeration systems have been developed to replenish oxygen consumed. In Guatemala, AgInno Institute has partnered with Olivet Nazarene University (ONU) senior design teams to develop a solar powered paddle aerator prototype.

We, the senior design team at ONU has been tasked with the implementation and optimization of the prototype system. Our team has recalculated and organized a list of materials for the solar power system is Guatemala and travelled to Chisec, Guatemala in October to implement the design. We selected solar panels, batteries, an invertor, and a charge controller to sustain the existing paddle aerator prototype. With the solar power system built and evidenced to power the paddle aerator prototype, the team is shifting into a redesign and optimization phase of the system.

Energy efficiency and aeration ability is the utmost importance in the design of a successful paddle aerator. A significant part of energy efficiency is the choice of motor. While the system currently operates with an AC motor, a DC motor will eliminate the need for an invertor in the solar power system. The selected motor must be durable and robust, able to operate continuously and withstand various weather conditions. The torque provided must also be sufficient to spin the paddles to cause ample water agitation.

With selection of a new motor, our team is also developing a final paddle design. While the existing prototype for the paddle aerator uses metal grates as paddles to decrease water resistance, the material is susceptible to rust over time. A strong, locally available material must be selected that can still be easily constructed by fish farmers in Guatemala. Design testing is ongoing with conclusions regarding a final design to be made in February.

The significance of a successful design will increase the income of fish farmers in Guatemala. The cost of all materials in design of the solar power system and the paddle aerator are heavily considered to minimize the expenses for fish farmers. The goal of the design is to improve the lives of farmers by increasing their harvest yields.