Project number
27046
Organization
UA Department of Biosystems Engineering
Offering
ENGR498-F2026-S2027
The project will redesign and improve an existing aquaponic growing-media cleaning system originally developed by a previous senior engineering design team. The current system can clean only approximately three gallons of lightweight expanded clay aggregate (LECA) per cycle, while the required capacity is approximately 15–20 gallons per cycle. The system also experiences significant water leakage, periodic clogging, inadequate internal filtration, and inconsistent rotation of the stainless-steel cleaning drum.
The student team will evaluate the existing design, identify the primary causes of its performance and reliability problems, and develop an improved system capable of safely and consistently cleaning larger volumes of aquaponic media. Major design areas should include:
Increasing the cleaning capacity to 15–20 gallons of LECA per cycle.
Redesigning the drum or cleaning chamber so that it maintains its shape, rotates smoothly, and can withstand repeated use.
Improving seals, plumbing connections, and containment to minimize water leakage.
Improving internal filtration and solids removal to reduce clogging and prevent roots, sediment, and organic debris from recirculating through the system.
Developing a more effective agitation or mechanical masticating mechanism to break apart compacted root balls without excessively damaging the LECA.
Evaluating and selecting an appropriately sized water pump based on required flow, pressure, solids-handling capability, reliability, and energy use.
Improving accessibility for loading, unloading, cleaning, inspection, and routine maintenance.
Incorporating appropriate operator safety features, including guarding of rotating or moving components and protection of electrical equipment from water exposure.
The final design should be durable, reliable, easy to operate, and suitable for repeated use in a greenhouse or aquaponics research environment. The project should include design calculations, component selection, fabrication or modification of a functional prototype, performance testing using root-bound LECA, and documentation of operating procedures, maintenance requirements, system capacity, water use, and cleaning effectiveness.
The student team will evaluate the existing design, identify the primary causes of its performance and reliability problems, and develop an improved system capable of safely and consistently cleaning larger volumes of aquaponic media. Major design areas should include:
Increasing the cleaning capacity to 15–20 gallons of LECA per cycle.
Redesigning the drum or cleaning chamber so that it maintains its shape, rotates smoothly, and can withstand repeated use.
Improving seals, plumbing connections, and containment to minimize water leakage.
Improving internal filtration and solids removal to reduce clogging and prevent roots, sediment, and organic debris from recirculating through the system.
Developing a more effective agitation or mechanical masticating mechanism to break apart compacted root balls without excessively damaging the LECA.
Evaluating and selecting an appropriately sized water pump based on required flow, pressure, solids-handling capability, reliability, and energy use.
Improving accessibility for loading, unloading, cleaning, inspection, and routine maintenance.
Incorporating appropriate operator safety features, including guarding of rotating or moving components and protection of electrical equipment from water exposure.
The final design should be durable, reliable, easy to operate, and suitable for repeated use in a greenhouse or aquaponics research environment. The project should include design calculations, component selection, fabrication or modification of a functional prototype, performance testing using root-bound LECA, and documentation of operating procedures, maintenance requirements, system capacity, water use, and cleaning effectiveness.