Aquarium Wave Generator

1. Aquarium Wave Generator Project # 589-04A Presented By: Aaron Goodwin Mike Pyrkosz October 14, 2003

2. Water movement is one of the most important requirements for coral health 90 gallon tank shown

3. Water movement is important • Most are sessile animals (attached to rocks) • Moves food past them for capture • Removes waste and allows respiration to occur • Photosynthesis and calcification rates increase

4. Types of Corals Stony • Ridged calcium skeleton • Require high water flow

5. Types of Corals Soft • Soft tissue surface • Require low to medium flow

6. Customer Base • Amateur Aquarists • Pet Stores • Public Aquariums • Marine Biologists Currently 7 million saltwater fish as pets in the U.S. according to the American Pet Product Manufactures Association

7. Customer Requirements Surveys placed on internet forums used by reef aquarists • Water tight • Reliable • Provide adequate water flow volume and velocity • Mounted outside of aquarium • Generate oscillating laminar flow • Ability to disassemble for cleaning

8. Conceptual Design Process – Rejected Concepts – Oscillating Paddle • Mounts inside aquarium • Large • Metal components prone to rust • Moving components can fail

9. Conceptual Design Process – Rejected Concepts – Oscillating Output • Mounts on aquarium lip • Moving parts prone to fail • Random motion instead of oscillatory

10. Conceptual Design Process – Rejected Concepts – Controller for multiple powerheads • Multiple powerheads inside of aquarium • Cycles powerheads On\Off causing failure • Excess heat transmitted into aquarium water

11. Selected Design Rotational Diverting Valve • Single inlet • Alternating outlets • Low geared motor drive • Single pump allowed to run continuously

12. Pump Outlet (2 Places) Pump Intake Diverting Valve Magnetic Drive Pump Plumbing Schematic

13. Expected Performance • Primary determinant of useful life • All pipe connections will be NPT • Valve driveshaft seal (o’rings) • Targeted useful life to be 2-5 years Water Tight

14. Expected Performance • Different types of corals require different types of motion • Different users will have tanks of varying shapes and sizes • Flow output/direction and wave frequency all need to be adjustable to accommodate different customer needs Make It Adjustable

15. Expected Performance Easy Installation • User should be able to add device to existing set-up with little difficulty • Device should be small and non-obtrusive • Device should require little in-tank space • Targeted average set-up time 2-6 hours

16. Benchmark SCWD- Switching Current Wave Device • Popular product among most aquarists • Usually priced around $30-$40 • Flow alternates by gear mechanism driven by inlet flow rate.

17. SCWD In Operation

18. Proposed Product vs. Benchmark • Can be disassembled for cleaning • Larger passages allow for debris to pass through • Rotational speed of valve is adjustable • Can adapt to different sizes • Longer expected life • No disassembly for cleaning • Gearing is more sensitive to debris • Rotational speed is function of flow rate • Limited to one model with one size inlet/outlet hoses • Limited useful life

19. Budget Actual expense costs : $415.00 Hypothetical • Personnel costs : $22,500.00 • Capital costs : $88,000.00 • Direct costs : $22,915.00 • Indirect costs : $7,561.95 • Final total hypothetical budget: $141,391.95

20. Project Timing • Test prototype constructed by January 30, 2004 • Testing completed by February 13, 2004 • Product revisions completed by March 15, 2004 • Production / Public release on May 10, 2004

21. Questions?