Abstract:
In this research, a mathematical model of water flow in a circular shrimp culture tank was developed and studied. The prototype culture system consists of 1000-L fiberglass tank, false-bottom plate, air-lift pump, bio-lining, air stone, and central stand pipe. The method of approach was divided into modeling and the experiment. In the modeling, Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD), PHOENICS version 1.5 was.used to simulate the water flow using theoretical equations. In the experiments, the velocity measurement, solid waste movement and dye-test method were performed to validate the model. The positions of measuring water velocity were 8 different positions to match with the model. The shrimp pond waste and shrimp feed were used as solid feed to the tank and the samples were collected at 8 different points to study solid waste movement. The dyes, food color and potassium per manganate (KMnOl), were also used to study the water flow pattern. After the model was validated using the experimental results, the sensitivity analysis was performed. The results from the experiment showed that the velocities at 8 positions matched with the model quite well. The tank environment exhibited 3 different zones, namely, accumulation zone, settling zone, and top zone or suspension zone from the experimental results of shrimp pond waste. These experimental results were used to validate the 3 zones in the model. As a result, the developed mathematical model can be used to represent the prototype system. The shrimp feed, since it settled to the tank bottom very quickly, solid waste movement experiment could not be performed. Also the dye-test could not be operated long enough because of the diffusion of the dyes. Finally, the sensitivity analysis was used to study the parameters that affect the system performance such as inlet velocity, air-lift pump position and height, and diameter to depth ratio. From the sensitivity analysis results, it was found that the inlet velocity significantly affected the circular flow. The air-lift pump position and height also affected the circular flow, suspension zone, and flow pattern. The diameter to depth ratio influenced the circular flow, suspension zone, flow pattern, and dead zone in the system.