SmartAquaCultureSystems – New energy-optimized recirculation systems with mobile, wireless sensor equipment

The growing world wide population requires 40 % increase of aquaculture products until 2030, according to calculations (66 MT in 2012 to 93 MT in 2030). A drastically changing environment complicates common aqua culture concepts by decreased production resources (availability of water). One solution to this problem are recirculation aquaculture systema (RAS), excluding environmental influences, increasing biosafety (e.g. introduction of contaminants) and simultaneously advancing transfer of food production toward customers. RAS technique slowly increases market share in commercial facilities.

In the SmartLab systems research group at the Chair of Bioprocess Engineering a new wireless and mobile multi-sensor technology for the most important RAS paramteters, e.g. dissolved oxygen, pH-value, dissolved carbon dioxide and nitrogen containing analytes will be developed. The multi-sensor will show real-time changes in parameters with spatial resolution and provides control possibilities, resulting in an increased energy efficiency and constant ideal environmental influences for aquaculture products (see Fig. 1).

MPSS_SACS — Fig. 1: Design study of a multiparameter sensor system for recirculation systems of the next generation.

Savings from the dynamic sensor control requires an improved facility design in comparison to constant pump circulated systems (particle precipitation prevention and hydraulical controllable purification systems). As a part of a cooperation project the SENECT GmbH & Co. KG develops a new design of RAS with independently working filter systems for conserving ressources. The facility can be controlled through the sensor signal outputs or dynamically by neuronal networks (AI) for saving energy. CFD-simulations (computational fluid dynamics) will support the optimization of facility design, for smooth operation with minimal pump energy use.