Louisiana State University LSU Digital Commons LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses Graduate School 1988 Development and Design of a Fluidized Bed/ Upflow Sand Filter Configuration for Use in Recirculating Aquaculture Systems. Daniel G. Burden Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/gradschool_disstheses Recommended Citation Burden, Daniel G., "Development and Design of a Fluidized Bed/Upflow Sand Filter Configuration for Use in Recirculating Aquaculture Systems." (1988). LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses. 4619. https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/gradschool_disstheses/4619 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at LSU Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses by an authorized administrator of LSU Digital Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. 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Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Order Number 8917798 Development and design of a fluidized bed/upflow sand filter configuration for use in recirculating aquaculture systems Burden, Daniel G., Ph.D. The Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical Col., 1988 300 N. Zeeb Rd. Ann Arbor, MI 48106 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. DEVELOPMENT AND DESIGN OF A FLUIDIZED BED/UPFLOW SAND FILTER CONFIGURATION FOR USE IN RECIRCULATING AQUACULTURE SYSTEMS A Dissertation Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of the Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in The Department of Civil Engineering by Daniel G. Burden B.S., Harding University, 1978 M.E., Louisiana State University, 1985 December 1988 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This research was supported by the Louisiana Sea Grant College Program, an element of the National Sea Grant College Program, under the auspices of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Adminstration, U.S. Department of Commerce. Special thanks goes out to Mr. Ron Becker, Associate Director of the Louisiana Sea Grant College Program, who has continually supported this research effort throughout the past two years. Invaluable advice was received from Drs. Dudley D. Culley and Leon Duobinis-Gray at LSU's School of Forestry, W'ildlife, and Fisheries. Much of the initial research depended on crawfish from off-season production ponds provided by these individuals. The author would also like to acknowledge Herman "Bubby" and Steve Oufnac of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, whose commercial facility was used for verification testing of design criteria on full-scale filter units. Crabs and invaluable technical advice were provided by Mr. Cultus Pearson through his commercial operation in Lacombe, Louisiana. Special thanks also goes out to Ms. Ann Mannino and Mr. Jim Robin who gave invaluable laboratory and field assistance. ii Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. FORWARD I would like to extend my sincere thanks to Dr. Ron Malone for his assistance, guidance, and encouragement as my major professor in addition to being a good friend. The numerous accomplishments I have achieved over the past six years in no doubt reflect our working relationship. I would like to extend my thanks to the other members of the committee, Drs. Flora Wang, Marty Tittlebaum, Dipak Roy, and Dudley Culley. I would like to thank my brother and close friends whom I have enjoyed working with over the past years: David S. Burden 'soon to be Dr. David S. Burden), Dr. Constantine "Dean" Mericas, Don Manthe, Kevin Cange, and Paul Gremillion. I also would like to acknowledge members of the research group: Dr. Walter "Wink" Zachritz, deEtte Ferguson, and Kelly Rusch, for their support and editorial assistance over the last year. I also owe a great deal of gratitude to Dr. David N. Richardson, a former employer and now a faculty member at the University of Missouri at Rolla, whose encouragement to attend graduate school in civil engineering was a turning point in my career. Most of all, I am deeply indebted to my "closest" friend— my wife, Betsy. Without her love, understanding, and constant companionship, this accomplishment would have never been possible. Some individuals have referred to this occasion as the end of a "dynasty", but in the words of T.S. Eliot "In the end is my new beginning". Well, call it whatever you want, I'm glad its over (and so is my wife). Farewell Tiger fans. iii Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ...... ................................ ii FORWARD ................... iii LIST OF TABLES ................ ............ vii LIST OF FIGURES ....................... viii ABSTRACT ............ xi CHAPTER I. Introduction .......... 1 II. The Effect of Sand Grain Size on Fluidized Bed Filter Performance in Recirculating, Soft-Shell Crawfish Production Systems ........ 6 Ab s t r a c t.................................... 6 Introduction . ............................. 7 Background .................................. 9 Methodology ............ 12 Results .......... 18 Fine Sand (20/40) 18 Medium Sand (12/20) 21 Coarse Sand ( 8 / 1 6 ) ..................... 24 Discussion ........... .......... 26 Conclusions and Recommendations ...... 29 III. Evaluation of a Fluidized Bed/Upflow Sand Filter Combination Proposed for a Recir­ culating Blue Crab Shedding S y s t e m ............ 31 Abstract ........................... 31 Introduction ....................... 32 Background.................................. 33 Nitrification . .......... 33 iv Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. CHAPTER Page Oxygen Consumption . ................... 34 Fluidized Bed Filter . ............. 36 Upflow Sand Filter ........... 37 M e t h o d s .................................. 38 Filter Studies ............................. 39 Waste Characterization Study .............. 45 Results . 4 7 Filter Studies ............................. 47 Fluidized Bed/Upflow Sand Filter Combination ....... 48 Fluidized B e d ....................... 50 Upflow Sand F i l t e r .................. 54 Excretion S t u d y ........................... 56 D iscussion ..................................... 56 Oxygen Consumption ......................... 58 Nitrification ...................... 62 Relative Filter Ability ........ 65 Summary ............... ........ 66 Conclusions ................................. 67 IV. Fluidized Bed/Upflow Sand Filter Performance in a Recirculating Soft-Shell Crawfish Facility .......... 69 Abstract ................... ........ 69 Introduction . 70 Background ....... ............... 71 Commercial Facility Description. ...... 80 Methodology..................................... 82 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. CHAPTER Page Results . ................... 84 Discussion............ 89 Conclusions and Recommendations . ......... 94 BIBLIOGRAPHY . ........................................... 96 APPENDICES . ............................. 102 A. Water Quality Data ........................ 103 1. Grain Size Determination D a t a ............... 104 2. Filter Evaluation Data .......... 116 B. Crab Waste Characterization