Researchers from the Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember (ITS) in Indonesia have developed an aerator for shrimp farming that is powered by photovoltaic energy.

The aerator consists of a 200 W solar panel, an aerator frame, an eight-leaf windmill for paddling water and restoring oxygen levels, a DC motor PG45 RPM working as a driving wheel, a buoy as a component lifter, and a box panel as a protective tool that uses the electricity network.

The motor is able to rotate the wheel automatically to produce air bubbles and work at certain hours during day and night. “When the engine is running, the power from the motor is drawn from the battery and passes through the controller,” the scientists explained. “When the charging voltage in the battery has reached a whole state, the controller will stop the electric current from entering the battery to prevent overcharging. So the battery life will be much longer lasting.” According to the researchers, the expected lifetime of the battery may reach up to 15 years.

The scientists are currently planning to improve the aerator with unspecified Internet of Things (IoT) technologies. “So that farmers can control and monitor the aerator from home using an integrated smartphone,” they stated.

Another research group in Malaysia recently suggested using floating PV coupled with storage to power energy-intensive aeration systems used in aquaculture projects. According to its estimates, the solar-plus-storage system is the most technically and economically feasible option among the other configurations for both day- and night-aeration scenarios