Dissolved oxygen analysis of an abalone aquaculture cage system using computational fluid dynamics

Abstract

Abalone (Haliotis discus hannai) is a shellfish that feeds on kelp and, as a product, it can often achieve a high market value. However, the dissolved oxygen (DO) levels in coastal waters in Korea have been negatively impacted by pollution from many anthropogenic sources. Herein, a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) software package was used to analyze the distribution of the DO concentration within an abalone containment structure. A finite volume approach was used to solve the Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes equations combined with a turbulence model to describe the flow. The distribution of DO was determined within the control volume domain, and the transport equations of the pollutants were interpreted using a CFD model. The CFD analysis revealed that more than 60% and 30% of the relative oxygen concentration in one and two containers, respectively, was maintained when the flow acts along the six sheets of polyethylene plates. Therefore, it is clear that the abalone plate shelters should be placed parallel to the flow.