Investigating the performance of a perforated pooled circular stepped cascade aeration system for intensive aquaculture

Subha M Roy; Rajendra Machavaram; C M Pareek; Taeho Kim

doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e26367

Investigating the performance of a perforated pooled circular stepped cascade aeration system for intensive aquaculture

Heliyon. 2024 Feb 16;10(5):e26367. doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e26367. eCollection 2024 Mar 15.

Authors

Subha M Roy^{1

2}, Rajendra Machavaram¹, C M Pareek¹, Taeho Kim²

Affiliations

¹ Agricultural and Food Engineering Department, IIT Kharagpur, 721 302, West Bengal, India.
² Smart Aquaculture Research Centre, Chonnam National University, Yeosu, 59626, Republic of Korea.

Abstract

Aeration plays a crucial role in aquaculture to maintain adequate dissolved oxygen (DO) levels in water, which is essential for supporting aquatic life. However, traditional aeration systems such as paddlewheel aerators or diffused air aerators often come with high energy consumption, frequent maintenance, and greater operational costs. To address these challenges, this research paper presents the development and evaluation of a more sustainable and cost-effective aerator, named the perforated pooled circular stepped cascade aerator (PPCSC), for intensive aquaculture. Laboratory experiments were conducted in a masonry tank to assess the performance of the PPCSC aerator with different bottom radii (R_b) and discharges (Q). The results showed that the highest standard aeration efficiency (SAE) of 4.564 ± 0.6662 kg O₂/kWh was achieved with a bottom radii (R_b) of 0.75 m and a discharge (Q) of 0.016 m³/s. A developed regression model was found to effectively evaluate the standard oxygen transfer rate (SOTR) and SAE for different R_b and Q values used in the PPCSC system. Both R_b and Q were found to significantly impact the SOTR and SAE of the PPCSC aerator. Overall, the PPCSC aerator is a promising option for small-scale tank-based intensive aquaculture due to its high performance and lower operational costs.

Keywords: Aeration; Aquaculture; Standard aeration efficiency; Standard oxygen transfer rate.