Development of a single-tank vacuum fish pump based on computer fluid dynamic (CFD) numerical simulation
TIAN Changfeng, LIU Xingguo, CHE Xuan*, WU Fan, ZHANG Jun, CHEN Xiaolong
1.Fishery Machinery and Instrument Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Shanghai 200092, China; 2.College of Engineering Science and Technology, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China
Abstract: In order to fulfill the urgent needs of pond aquaculture for the automatic fishing equipment, a small vacuum fish pump wisely applied in an aquaculture pond was designed using computer fluid dynamic (CFD) numerical simulation technology and the gas-liquid two-phase flow in a single tank vacuum fish pump was investigated, focusing on analysis of the fish pump’s backflow, vortex and velocity jump situations under flow rate of 1.0, 1.5 and 2.0 m/s. The results showed that there was low fish damage rate at the water suction speed of 1.0 m/s at the fish inlet pipe； the relatively high fish damage rate was at the fast suction speed including the water suction speed of 1.5 and 2.0 m/s at the fish inlet pipe. Also, a type of single tank vacuum fish pump was prepared based on the numerical calculation results and then grass carp Ctenopharyngodonidella, common carp Cyprinuscarpio, crucian carp Carassiusauratus, silver carp Hypophthalmichthysmolitrix, and bighead carp Aristichthysnobilis were selected for separate suction test verification. Test results indicated that the maximum fish suction amount of 23 t/h was observed at the optimal suction speed of 1.0 m/s, with the fish suction for 20 seconds, fish release for 10 seconds, and the maximum damage rate of 2% for fish body. The findings show that the small vacuum fish pump designed in this experiment can realize efficient and automatic capture and transfer of live fish, which tends to provide a proper theoretical guidance and reference with the future’s design and development of the high-efficiency vacuum fish pomp for pond aquaculture.
2022, Vol. 37 
