Large volume laminar flow machine

[karimwassef]

great. I'll take another look at my earlier design with opposing propeller pumps...

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but since I'm now moving to a peninsula configuration (like you are), this would simplify the design significantly...

 

[karimwassef]

I've been working on a drop-off tank design in another thread and stitching the circulating flow concept into it. The outcome is a pretty cool! It's a multi-modal flow machine with multiple circulation patterns ranging from gentle to stormy...

It has a removable acrylic flow tank with powerheads (removable for maintenance). I've added eggcrate walls and flow directors to the model too.

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This design has 14 modes of flow in and out of the dropoff and main display. There are 6 circulating modes + 4 gentle flows + 4 storm flows.

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Since the pumps are DC powerheads with adjustable flow, the flow pattern can also be adjusted with the outside perimeter faster or slower than the center, etc... Each grouping acts like an array adding the option for flow shaping with different flow rates and adjustable flow profiles in location and time.

The big leap was using the bottom of the tank under the main DT floor to create a return circulation chamber (and dark cavern). The far end naturally converts to a drop-off region.

I've also added a 3 directional flow box and integrated the overflow and return lines from a high tank. It can act like a surge or a normal flow return. The returns exit inside the concrete rockscape.

 

[karimwassef]

I know that I went away for months to come back with this wild idea - but I would love some feedback from you.

 

[mr.wilson]

As you know, it's really hard to move water when you are working against back-flow and viewing panels that create a "dead end" for water flow dynamics. I made an acrylic drop off tank with bent corners (1" acrylic), and it helped with friction loss within the tank.

If I'm reading your drawing properly, you have minimized the back-flow issue somewhat with the upper and lower regions being divided by glass correct?

Are you still using your custom diffusers? Eductors work well with DC pumps and can be used as bi-directional (influent and effluent). I find eductors offer an organic looking variation in flow direction. Just enough of a sword to mix water, create shimmer and change the direction of polyp waving/extension.

How are you governing the flow from each pump? Are you using dedicated pumps that turn on and off in sequence, or are you using a valve to switch direction and or port?

 

[karimwassef]

All the pump intakes are shared, but the outlets are in four dedicated rectangular openings with directional separators (one large horizontal = false floor ... two vertical = centerline walls). So the tank has four separate quadrants of directional flow.

Since they share the same intake, the pumps that are on will blow forward and pull from the back region where all the pumps are connected. The result is a negative pressure that will pull water backwards through the idle powerhead openings.

Since these are very large opening propeller pumps, they should function well as reverse intakes.

The pumps have no backpressure when on and pushing forward. There are no diffusers or eductors since these kinds of pumps can't apply much pressure. They're volume based. The region in front of them is multiple and aligned layers of open eggcrate to add directionality. There are no tank walls for another 9 feet ahead of them. The only restriction is that there's only a foot of water to their back wall (the open volume) on the intake sides.

Eductors will change the flow from the large circulating loop to smaller eddy loops - but that's what I'm working to avoid. I want the flow to be as much in the major loops as possible to create the main current directional flow.

Each pump is connected to a control signal and the power supply. There will be one massive but redundant power supply for all pumps at 24V. An arduino will control the voltage reference for each to allow individual control.

That can later be connected to an Apex, etc... But the individual controls will need to be independently controllable to experiment easily.

 

[karimwassef]

Any feedback from the group? I think this solves most of the issues?

 

[karimwassef]

Still working on the pump selection and found a reversible DC pump by Rio but it was discontinued in 2009?

http://m.marinedepot.com/products/t...-programmable-aqua-pump-powerhead?group=false

This is the TAAM RIO POLARIO 22ML and it looks great for what I'm trying to do.

Is it truly reversible? Has anyone used this pump before?

I found a source, but I have no experience with it.

 

[karimwassef]

Coming together with multiple forms of water motion -

laminar currents (quad mixed modes)
surge (dual output)
wavebox (three directions)
alternating jets (linear and rotational motion)

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If you have sketchup, you can download the model and see the detail

 

[karimwassef]

This view doesn't show it, but all return flow is gravity fed without syphon breaks from a surge reservoir that doubles as a controlled flow gravity feed.

 

[karimwassef]

Narrowing down the selection of glow pellets to show flow in the mock up

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[salty joe]

My vote goes for the green. (;

 

[biecacka]

My vote goes for the green. (;

Same here. Green is nice and bright!

Corey

 

[karimwassef]

Mine too. I have more coming today.

The mockup is going to be MDF board covered in rubber.... Cheap, huh?

 

[karimwassef]

I've updated the design to include multiple modes of waterflow - alternating swivel jets, a three way wavebox and surge.

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[saf1]

I wish I would have saved the link darn it all. I was reading something when it went to a link discussing this and showed a working example...

 

[karimwassef]

Example of what? On the forum?

 

[saf1]

Example of what? On the forum?

Can't seem to find the link, oh well. Anyway it was a university I believe in Australia that had a working laminar flow system that was to be used for breeding fish. When I came across it, it reminded me of this thread although I didn't save it for the life of me...go figure.

 

[karimwassef]

If you find it, please share. I'm going to run experiments on the current design this summer.

 

[BeanAnimal]

To be clear, I don't want to set up surface waves or standing waves by pushing flow and have it bounce back from the opposite wall. I want the entire volume to shift to the left and then to the right. No waves.

There is a thread from many many years ago where we came up with several ideas for this...

The most reasonable is a large volume, loose fitting pair of plungers on opposing sides of the tank, cordoned off by some type of screen. The same basic mechanical action that makes a wave pool work, but instead of adjacent chambers, then would be at opposing ends of the tank. You would in effect be simply moving the volume of water contained on 1 chamber, back and forth.

We also talked about a large (say 10" or larger) diameter pipe with an oscillating plunger where each end of the pipe would be connected to opposing ends of the tank. This could be a sealed piston rod setup, magnetically driven or vertical with an open top and piston rod.

So imagine a 16" diameter vertical pipe with a 90 at the bottom. The bottom would be plumbed to the far end of the custom tank. A tee would be placed at mid tank level and plumbed into the near wall of the tank. A vertical plunger would ride up and down at very low RPM, moving an extremely large volume of water back and forth. This could also be done with (2) individual columns or compartments and separate servo motors on opposing cycles, etc.

 

[BeanAnimal]

Ahh sorry... I see this thread took a fully different direction. Though, I think you are working far too hard to create laminar flow for a system that has objects that will destroy the laminar flow. In fact that ratio of area to objects will ensure that there is very little laminar flow no matter how good you are at generating it to begin with.

I would still opt of the vertical plunger and a simple diffuser at each end of the tank.