Ural Federal University: Ural Scientists Invented an Innovative Aerator and Control System for a “Smart” Aqua Farm
According to experts, aeration is important in fish farming: fish need an oxygenated and environmentally friendly aquatic environment, which is problematic to maintain given such adverse factors as the technogenic impact of industrial enterprises and utilities, soil contamination of catchment areas.
The Bioprintech project is oriented toward solving these problems. The project will introduce an innovative, energy-saving aerator for dissolving oxygen into water. The next stage includes the creation of a pond microclimate control subsystem in the smart aqua farm system – a hardware and software complex for monitoring water quality, regulating its composition for growing certain types of aquaculture and their development phase.
“Barbotic and membrane technologies traditionally used in aqua farms have low efficiency (no more than 30%). The innovative aerator developed by us allows for complete dissolution of gaseous oxygen in the water for aeration due to its unique design. The aeration system allows achieving 90% energy efficiency for oxygen dissolution. At the same time the mixing of water layers in the reservoir is preserved, which ensures uniform year-round oxygen saturation of the reservoir, preventing freezing of aquaculture”, Angela Bakhareva, Bioprintech Project Manager, said.
In winter time, the aerator allows to achieve the required concentration of dissolved oxygen without using wormwood and other methods of ice destruction. In addition, due to reduced power consumption for aeration, carbon dioxide emissions into the atmosphere during power generation are reduced.
According to the developers, the aerator can multiply the volume of reproduced aquaculture without the use of additional territorial and water resources.
“During the Accelerator we worked on our project in depth, this allowed us to finalize it. We are planning to participate in Archipelago-2121,” Angela Bakhareva said.
The project has already earned high praise from experts. Bioprintech won second place in the 13th season of the UrFU Accelerator.
“The Bioprintech team is a very hard-working, dedicated team. We could see by the attitude of the guys that they are at the beginning of a big way, and success awaits them,” said Elena Molchanova, Director of the UrFU Accelerator.