Protein Skimmer

Problem definition:-

In Aquaphonic system more suspended form waste is created which gets difficult to rear fish By increased level of ammonia in water leads to increase the ph of water which becomes dangerous to fish health. To remove the suspended waste protein skimmer can be used.

Protein skimmer:-

It is basically use in aquaphonic system to separate out proteins from water which is formed because of food and excreta of fishes. It works on the basis of foam fractionation process

It is based on different systems which is as follows

A. co-current flow system

1.Air stone
2.venturi

B. counter current flow

pin-wheel / adrian-wheel / needle- wheel / mesh-wheel
Downdraft
Beckett
Spray injector

C. Recirculating skimmer

I had choose venturi system as my basic idea and made first venturi out of PVC pipes of different diameter

Specification :- Diameter of outer pipe 27.36 mm

Diameter of second inner pipe 21.05 mm

Diameter of third inner pipe 19.72mm

Diameter of last inner pipe 15 mm

This venturi is to big that pump is not available to use it so I made a venturi of pipes

Trial 1

Observation :- Using this venturi taken a trial 1 only with water. The whole system is made of bottle but no air flow and water flow is maintain and no any material is added in it.

Result:- No any bubbles are formed.

Conclusion :- As no any material is added in water to reduce the surface tension of water hence no any bubbles are formed.

Measured the discharge rate of pump at various height

Discharge of AC pump is 4.6 l/ min

Trial 2

Materials : venturi made out of tube, bottle height 27 cm, pump having discharge 4.6 l/ min, air compressor flow rate 45 l/min , rotameter to regulate air flow, milk , water

This trial was taken by adding 310 ml of milk in 6 liter of water air pressure is regulated to 2.3 l/ min but as the rota meter is not showing proper flow rate and ph of mixer is 6.

Conclusion:- The tube in the trial is weak so not able to bear the flow rate of air. Proper bubbles are not formed.

Trial 3

In this trial used a this venturi ,

Maintain the air flow rate using this knob,

milk, water, same pump used in 3 trial, air compressor

In this trial 500 ml milk is mixed in 4 liter of water hence its ph was 6.

Result:- This trial was conducted in bucket some amount skimming layer was formed.

Trial 4

Marerial :- venturi, knobs, pump, air compressor used in above trial, milk, water bottle of dia 80.84 mm and height 340 mm’ PVC elbow of 35.08 dia and cover knob of 26.73 mm.

By referring result of 3 trial this trial was taken in bottle with 1 liter of milk in 6 liter of water with ph 6 the result was not acceptable to judge the system.

Result:- Bubbles are formed but foam was not formed

Conclusion:- As expected skimming layer is formed but foam is not formed

Trial 5

Materials :- venturi, knobs, pump, air compressor used in above trials, cow urine, water, knob to control air flow rate, mesh.

In this trial 700 ml of cow urine is added in 5 liter of water its ph is about to 8. I have taken two trials with this apparatus 1 by turning elbow mouth at down side and another by adjusting elbow mouth up side.

1 adjustment was wrongly arranged by me but from that I concluded that milk creates bubbles but cow urine creates foam in it.

Result:- Bubbles are created but foam layer was not created

Result:- layer of foam was formed.

Conclusion:- The second arrangement gave me a layer of foam in it but the regulation of foam in this was not achieved.

Trial 6

The material and apparatus is same used in 5 trial but this trial I had taken the day after I had taken the 5 trial. The result came that the foam was not form in bottle I checked the ph of that mixture it fall upto 6 which cannot generate any result from the mixture.

Conclusion:- To form foam the ph should holds upto 8

Trial 7

Material: Materials used is same use in 5 trial, in addition to it big bottle is used and discharging tube is provided.

This trial contains 1 liter of urine in 6 liters of water its ph holds up to 8

Conclusion:- The discharge was not very well maintain the foam and water level cannot be maintain in bottle.

Trial 8

Material:- Materials used is same use in 7 trial in addition to it discharge regulator is provided, to remove foam seperator is provided at the top of bottle.