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A Sediment‐Feed System to Regulate Suspended Solids in Flow‐Through Mesocosms
Author(s) -
Diggins Thomas P.
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
north american journal of aquaculture
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.432
H-Index - 41
eISSN - 1548-8454
pISSN - 1522-2055
DOI - 10.1577/1548-8454(2003)065<0063:asfstr>2.0.co;2
Subject(s) - suspended solids , clogging , mesocosm , suspension (topology) , turbulence , sediment , total suspended solids , suspended load , environmental engineering , hydrology (agriculture) , environmental science , geotechnical engineering , mechanics , geology , wastewater , biology , sediment transport , ecology , physics , geomorphology , chemical oxygen demand , mathematics , history , archaeology , homotopy , pure mathematics , ecosystem
Abstract A low‐cost sediment‐feed system was developed to introduce suspended solids to flow‐through mesocosms. This design allows suspended solids to be regulated independently from the flow rate and turbulence within experimental tanks. It incorporates a stock vessel holding a vigorously mixed and very dense sediment suspension. A slow drip of particle‐free water causes periodic overflows that gradually introduce this sediment suspension, via gravity‐feed lines, to a head tank supplying the flow‐through system. Suspended solids never pass through pumps, valves, or narrow tubing that are prone to clogging. The system was operated continuously for 72 h, delivering particle‐laden water to four 40‐L tanks at 1.3–1.5 L/min each. With occasional operator adjustments, suspended solids were maintained within 15% of a target concentration of 6 mg/L.