A NEW MODULAR IMPELLOR FOR AQUACULTURE PADDLEWHEEL AERATORS

INTENSIFICATION OF POND AQUACULTURE REQUIRES INCREASING LEVELS OF AERATION BY MECHANICAL MEANS. THE MOST COMMON, AND MOST EFFICIENT AERATOR DESIGN IN USE TODAY IS THE PADDLEWHEEL AERATOR WHICH USES A SPIRAL PADDLE BLADE CONFIGURATION ON THE AERATOR IMPELLOR. THIS DESIGN EVOLVED, AND HAS ITS MAIN APPLICATION FOR USE WITH LARGE AERATORS (5 TO 10-HP), IN THE U.S. FRESHWATER CATFISH INDUSTRY. THE PRESENT MARKET FOR SMALL PADDLEWHEEL AERATORS, MOSTLY USED FOR THE ASIAN MARINE SHRIMP INDUSTRY IS, HOWEVER, MUCH LARGER THAN THE MARKET FOR THE LARGE FRESHWATER AERATORS. WE PROPOSE TO CONDUCT RESEARCH ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF A SPIRAL BLADE IMPELLOR FOR USE WITH SMALL PADDLEWHEEL AERATORS. AT THE SAME TIME, OUR IMPELLOR DESIGN WILL BE MODULAR SUCH THAT IT CAN BE USED FOR LARGE AERATOR IMPELLOR ASSEMBLIES AS WELL. ONCE THE IMPELLOR DESIGN IS PERFECTED, WE EXPECT TO MASS PRODUCE THE MODULAR IMPELLOR ROTOR IN PLASTIC USING INJECTION MOLD TECHNOLOGY. THE PADDLE BLADES WOULD BE CONSTRUCTED OF EITHER METAL OR PLASTIC, AND ATTACHED TO THE ROTOR BY APPROPRIATE MEANS.