WO2025057504A1 - System for monitoring water quality - Google Patents

Abstract

Provided is technology that can suppress complexity in a system for monitoring water quality in land-based farming. This system for monitoring water quality in land-based farming is characterized by comprising: pipes respectively communicating with a plurality of water tanks; first valves provided to the pipes; a merging unit that merges a plurality of pipes at a point downstream of the plurality of pipes; a second valve provided downstream of the merging unit; a measurement unit for measuring water quality; and a control unit, wherein the control unit controls the first valves and the second valve so that breeding water in the water tank is stored in the merging unit, and the measurement unit measures the water quality of the breeding water stored in the merging unit.

Description

Water Quality Monitoring System

This disclosure relates to a water quality monitoring system.

Patent Document 1 discloses a water quality measurement system that measures the water quality of the breeding water in which aquatic organisms are kept. This water quality measurement system includes an introduction section for introducing the breeding water, an addition section for adding a base to the introduced breeding water, and a diaphragm-type ion sensor that measures the concentration of the measurement target contained in the breeding water after the base has been added.

JP 2021-13908 A

When land-based aquaculture is carried out using multiple tanks, it is desirable to monitor the water quality in each of the tanks. However, if the water quality measurement system described in Patent Document 1 is applied to each of the multiple tanks, there is a risk that the system will become complicated. For this reason, there is a demand for technology that can prevent the water quality monitoring system in land-based aquaculture from becoming too complicated.

This disclosure can be realized in the following forms:

(1) According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a water quality monitoring system is provided. This water quality monitoring system is a water quality monitoring system for land-based aquaculture, and includes pipes each connected to a plurality of aquariums, a first valve provided in the pipes, a junction section that joins the plurality of pipes downstream of the plurality of pipes, a second valve provided downstream of the junction section, a measurement section for measuring water quality, and a control section, characterized in that the control section controls the first valve and the second valve to store the breeding water in the aquariums in the junction section, and the measurement section measures the water quality of the breeding water stored in the junction section. According to this embodiment of the water quality monitoring system, the breeding water is stored in the junction section that joins the plurality of pipes downstream of the plurality of pipes, and the water quality is measured, so that the number of measurement sections to be installed can be reduced. As a result, the complexity of the system can be suppressed.

(2) In the water quality monitoring system described in (1) above, the confluence may include a manhole into which the breeding water can overflow. In this form of water quality monitoring system, since the confluence includes a manhole, water quality can be easily measured even in a mode in which breeding water is collected and the water quality is measured. As a result, the complexity of the system can be further reduced.

(3) In the water quality monitoring system described in (1) or (2) above, the piping may be a drain pipe for draining the breeding water from the aquarium. According to this form of water quality monitoring system, the piping also serves as a drain pipe for draining the breeding water from the aquarium, so that excessive withdrawal of breeding water from the aquarium for measuring the water quality can be suppressed.

(4) In the water quality monitoring system described in any one of (1) to (3) above, the measurement unit may measure the ammonium ion concentration. According to this form of water quality monitoring system, the measurement unit measures the ammonium ion concentration, so that the degree of contamination of the breeding water for each aquarium can be managed.

(5) In the water quality monitoring system described in any one of (1) to (4) above, the breeding water may be seawater. According to this form of water quality monitoring system, the water quality can be monitored even in a case where the breeding water is seawater containing various ions.

(6) In the water quality monitoring system described in any one of (1) to (5) above, the control unit may open the second valve, drain the stored breeding water from the junction, close the second valve, and then open the first valve provided in the piping communicating with the aquarium for which water quality measurement has not been completed, to store the breeding water in the junction. According to this form of water quality monitoring system, when multiple aquariums are to be monitored, the water quality of the breeding water in the aquariums for which water quality measurement has not been completed can be measured sequentially, thereby suppressing a decrease in monitoring efficiency.

(7) In the water quality monitoring system described in (6) above, the stored breeding water may be drained from the junction, and then the junction may be cleaned. According to this form of water quality monitoring system, the junction is cleaned after the breeding water is drained from the junction, so that the deterioration of the water quality measurement accuracy can be suppressed, and the deterioration of the cleaning efficiency can also be suppressed.

(8) In the water quality monitoring system described in (6) above, which is dependent on (2) above, the control unit may open the first valve provided in the piping that communicates with the aquarium for which water quality measurement has not been completed, and allow the rearing water to overflow in the manhole for a certain period of time, and then store the rearing water in the junction. With this form of water quality monitoring system, the inside of the manhole can be washed together with the rearing water to be measured, thereby preventing a decrease in the accuracy of water quality measurement.

(9) In the water quality monitoring system described in any one of (1) to (8) above, the junction includes a first junction and a second junction, the first junction is connected to the piping communicating with an aquarium among the multiple aquariums in which more immature individuals are kept, and the second junction is connected to the piping communicating with an aquarium among the multiple aquariums in which more mature individuals are kept, and the measurement unit may measure the water quality of the breeding water stored in the first junction and the water quality of the breeding water stored in the second junction, respectively. This type of water quality monitoring system is equipped with a first junction that stores the water from the tank where immature individuals are kept, and a second junction that stores the water from the tank where more mature individuals are kept, so that the water from the tank where immature individuals are kept and the water from the tank where more mature individuals are kept can be prevented from mixing and being discharged.

(10) The water quality monitoring system described in any one of (1) to (9) above may further include a plurality of the aquariums. According to this form of water quality monitoring system, in a system including a plurality of aquariums, it is possible to omit the installation of a measuring unit for each aquarium, thereby suppressing the complication of the system.

(11) In the water quality monitoring system described in (4) above, the measurement unit may have a diaphragm-type electrode. According to this form of water quality monitoring system, the measurement unit that measures the ammonium ion concentration has a diaphragm-type electrode, so that the influence of substances other than ammonia can be reduced, and as a result, a decrease in the measurement accuracy of the water quality can be suppressed.

The present disclosure can be realized in various forms, such as a land-based aquaculture system, a manufacturing method for a water quality monitoring system, a water quality monitoring method, a method for producing aquatic organisms, a method for cultivating aquatic organisms, etc.

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of a water quality monitoring system. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the configuration of a junction section, a measurement section, and a control section. 4 is a flowchart showing an example of control of the water quality monitoring system. FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing a schematic configuration of a water quality monitoring system according to a comparative example. FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram showing a schematic configuration of a water quality monitoring system according to a second embodiment.

A. First embodiment:
A-1. System configuration:
FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing a schematic configuration of a water quality monitoring system 100 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The water quality monitoring system 100 is a system for monitoring the water quality of aquatic organisms in a plurality of aquariums 200 in which aquatic organisms are cultured on land. The water quality monitoring system 100 constitutes a part of a land-based aquaculture system 300. In FIG. 1, for convenience of explanation, the aquariums 200 included in the land-based aquaculture system 300 are shown by dashed lines. Target aquatic organisms in land-based aquaculture are not particularly limited, but include, for example, crustaceans such as shrimp and crabs, fish, shellfish, aquatic animals, marine mammals, and seaweed. Aquatic organisms may be immature individuals such as juvenile shrimp and juvenile fish, or may be mature individuals.

The aquarium 200 is configured to store rearing water therein, and rears the aquatic organisms to be cultured. The rearing water is not particularly limited and is selected according to the aquatic organisms to be cultured. The rearing water is not particularly limited, but may be fresh water such as fresh water or well water, or salty water such as brackish water, seawater, or artificial seawater. The land-based aquaculture system 300 may be a closed circulation system in which all or almost all of the rearing water discharged from the aquarium 200 is circulated and returned to the aquarium 200, or may be a semi-closed circulation system in which a portion of the rearing water discharged from the aquarium 200 is circulated and returned to the aquarium 200. In FIG. 1, for convenience of illustration, the areas of eight aquariums 200 are shown out of the multiple aquariums 200 in the land-based aquaculture system 300.

The water quality monitoring system 100 of this embodiment includes a pipe 20, a first valve 30, a junction 40, a second valve 50, a measurement unit 60, and a control unit 80.

The pipes 20 are provided for each aquarium 200 and are connected to each of the aquariums 200. The first valve 30 is provided in the pipes 20. The first valve 30 is, for example, an electromagnetic valve, and the opening and closing state is controlled by the control unit 80. When the first valve 30 is in the closed state, the breeding water in the aquarium 200 is prevented from flowing out through the pipes 20. When the first valve 30 is in the open state, the breeding water in the aquarium 200 is allowed to flow out through the pipes 20. In the example shown in FIG. 1, a pump 210 for pumping the breeding water in the aquarium 200 is provided between the pipes 20 and the aquarium 200. In the example shown in FIG. 1, the pipes 20 are drain pipes for draining the breeding water from the aquarium 200, and the pump 210 is a drain pump.

The junction 40 joins the multiple pipes 20 downstream of the multiple pipes 20. A detailed description of the junction 40 will be given later. The second valve 50 is provided downstream of the junction 40. The second valve 50 is, for example, an electromagnetic valve, and the opening and closing state is controlled by the control unit 80. When the second valve 50 is closed, the rearing water that flows in through the pipes 20 is stored in the junction 40. When the second valve 50 is opened, the rearing water is discharged from the junction 40. In the example shown in FIG. 1, the downstream side of the second valve 50 is connected to the wastewater storage unit 220. The wastewater storage unit 220 stores wastewater for a certain period of time. The wastewater storage unit 220 may be omitted, and the downstream side of the second valve 50 may be directly connected to the sewer system.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the configuration of the junction 40, the measurement unit 60, and the control unit 80. For ease of explanation, FIG. 2 shows one of the multiple pipes 20 and one water tank 200 connected to it.

The confluence 40 of this embodiment includes a manhole 44 through which the breeding water can overflow. The manhole 44 is formed with an opening at the vertical top, and a certain amount of breeding water can be stored inside. Since the manhole 44 through which the breeding water can overflow is included in the confluence 40, the water quality can be easily measured even in a mode in which the breeding water is collected and the water quality is measured. As a result, the system can be prevented from becoming complicated. In addition, the inside of the manhole 44 may be washed together by overflowing the breeding water of the aquarium 200 to be measured. By washing the inside of the manhole 44 together, it is possible to prevent the breeding water of the aquarium 200 to be measured and the breeding water of the aquarium 200 for which measurement has been completed from mixing, thereby preventing a decrease in the accuracy of the water quality measurement. The breeding water that overflows from the manhole 44 flows through the overflow line 46 to the drainage storage section 220. When the second valve 50 provided downstream of the manhole 44 is closed, the breeding water is stored in the manhole 44, and when the second valve 50 is opened, the breeding water stored in the manhole 44 is drained into the drainage reservoir 220. For example, the second valve 50 may be closed to fill the confluence 40 with breeding water from the aquarium 200 to be measured, and then the second valve 50 may be opened to drain the water, thereby washing the inside of the confluence 40 together.

The measuring unit 60 measures the water quality of the rearing water stored in the junction 40. In this embodiment, the measuring unit 60 measures the water quality of the rearing water by sampling and processing the rearing water stored in the junction 40. In this embodiment, the measuring unit 60 measures the ammonium ion concentration. The measuring unit 60 in this embodiment includes a water sampling unit 62, a processing unit 64, and a communication unit 66. The water sampling unit 62 has a pump (not shown) and samples the rearing water stored in the junction 40 for measurement. The processing unit 64 has a sensor such as a diaphragm-type ion sensor (not shown) and adds a reagent such as a base to the sampled rearing water to measure the water quality. In this embodiment, the processing unit 64 has a diaphragm-type electrode. Therefore, the measuring unit 60 has an ammonia sensor including a diaphragm-type electrode. The ammonia contained in the sampled rearing water is gasified and dissolved in the internal liquid after passing through a diaphragm (not shown), and its concentration is measured. Therefore, in the case of a diaphragm-type electrode, only ammonia contained in the rearing water is gasified and reaches the electrode, so that the influence of substances other than ammonia contained in the rearing water can be reduced, and the deterioration of the accuracy of the water quality measurement can be suppressed. More specifically, for example, when seawater is used as the rearing water, and the rearing water contains a large amount of sodium chloride and other impurities, it is possible to prevent erroneous detection due to unintended substances. The communication unit 66 is configured to be able to communicate with the communication unit 86 of the control unit 80 wirelessly or by wire. The communication unit 66 receives a water quality measurement instruction from the control unit 80, and outputs the water quality measurement result to the control unit 80.

The control unit 80 is a computer equipped with a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 82, a memory unit 84, and a communication unit 86, and can perform various calculations, controls, and information processing. The CPU 82 controls various operations in the water quality monitoring system 100 by executing a program previously stored in the memory unit 84. More specifically, the control unit 80 (CPU 82) controls the first valve 30 and the second valve 50 provided for each aquarium 200, thereby storing and discharging the breeding water of a specific aquarium 200 in the confluence unit 40 (manhole 44). In this embodiment, the control of the first valve 30 and the second valve 50 by the control unit 80 (CPU 82) is performed via a PLC (Programmable Logic Controller) not shown, but the open/closed states of the first valve 30 and the second valve 50 may be controlled by any other method, such as a relay sequence. The control unit 80 sends a water quality measurement instruction to the measurement unit 60 via the communication unit 86. The water quality measurement instruction may include, for example, a calibration instruction before measuring the ammonium ion concentration, a measurement instruction, and a cleaning instruction after the measurement. The storage unit 84 is configured to include, for example, a memory such as a ROM or a RAM. The storage unit 84 stores identification information related to the aquarium 200, such as an aquarium number and type for identifying the aquarium 200. The type of the aquarium 200 is not particularly limited, but may be, for example, a juvenile shrimp aquarium in the early stage of aquaculture, an intermediate aquarium in the middle stage of aquaculture, a shipping aquarium in the final stage of aquaculture, etc. The storage unit 84 also stores the water quality measurement results acquired by the communication unit 86 in association with each aquarium 200. The communication unit 86 is configured to be able to communicate with an external device, such as the communication unit 66 of the measurement unit 60, by wireless or wired communication.

A-2. Control of water quality monitoring system:
FIG. 3 is a flow chart showing an example of the control of the water quality monitoring system 100. In the example shown in FIG. 3, the control is started in a state in which the first valve 30 and the second valve 50 are closed. The control unit 80 determines whether or not it is a predetermined set time (step S110). If it is determined that it is not a predetermined set time (step S110: NO), step S110 is repeated. On the other hand, if it is determined that it is a predetermined set time (step S110: YES), the control unit 80 outputs a drain command to the PLC to drain the rearing water from the manhole 44 of the confluence unit 40 (step S115). When the drain command is output, the second valve 50 is opened and drainage is performed (step S120).

The control unit 80 determines whether or not the drainage is complete (step S125). Whether or not the drainage is complete may be detected by, for example, a water level sensor or the like provided inside the manhole 44, or the manhole may be determined to be complete when a predetermined period of time has passed. If it is determined that the drainage is not complete (step S125: NO), the process returns to step S120 to continue the drainage operation. If it is determined that the drainage is complete (step S125: YES), the control unit 80 outputs a cleaning command to the PLC to clean the manhole 44 of the confluence 40 (step S130). When the cleaning command is output, cleaning is performed (step S135). In cleaning, the second valve 50 is closed, and the first valve 30 provided in the piping 20 communicating with the aquarium 200 to be measured is opened, so that the manhole 44 of the confluence 40 is washed with the breeding water. After that, the second valve 50 is opened and the breeding water used for the co-washing is drained, completing the washing. Note that the washing may be a co-washing performed by opening both the second valve 50 and the first valve 30, or may be performed by using fresh water or the like instead of the breeding water in the aquarium 200 to be measured.

The control unit 80 determines whether or not the cleaning is complete (step S140). The cleaning may be completed when a predetermined period of time has elapsed. If the cleaning is not complete (step S140: NO), the process returns to step S135 and the cleaning operation continues. If the cleaning is complete (step S140: YES), the control unit 80 outputs a water injection command to the PLC to store the breeding water in the aquarium 200 to be measured in the manhole 44 of the junction 40 (step S145). When the water injection command is output, water is injected (step S150). In the water injection, the second valve 50 is closed and the first valve 30 provided in the piping 20 communicating with the aquarium 200 to be measured is opened.

The control unit 80 determines whether or not the water injection is complete (step S155). Whether or not the water injection is complete may be detected, for example, by a water level sensor provided inside the manhole 44, or the water injection may be determined to be complete after a predetermined period of time has elapsed. If it is determined that the water injection is not complete (step S155: NO), the process returns to step S150 to continue the water injection operation. When the water injection is complete, the first valve 30, which was open until then, is closed.

If it is determined that the water injection is complete (step S155: YES), the control unit 80 outputs a calibration, measurement, and cleaning instruction to the measurement unit 60 to measure the ammonium ion concentration (step S160). This calibration, measurement, and cleaning instruction causes the measurement unit 60 to perform calibration, measurement, and cleaning (step S165). In step S165, the processing unit 64 calibrates the sensor, and then the water collected in the manhole 44 is collected by the water collection unit 62. The processing unit 64 then measures the water quality, and when the measurement is complete, the sensor is cleaned. The water quality measurement results are output to the control unit 80 via the communication units 66, 86, and the memory unit 84 stores the water quality measurement results together with the identification information of the aquarium 200.

The control unit 80 determines whether the calibration, measurement, and cleaning are complete (step S170). Whether the calibration, measurement, and cleaning are complete may be determined, for example, by whether the communication unit 86 has received the water quality measurement results. If it is determined that the calibration, measurement, and cleaning are not complete (step S170: NO), the process returns to step S165 and continues.

If it is determined that the calibration, measurement, and cleaning are complete (step S170: YES), the control unit 80 determines whether there is a water quality measurement instruction for the next aquarium 200 (step S175). Whether there is a water quality measurement instruction for the next aquarium 200 may be determined, for example, based on the aquarium number stored in the memory unit 84. For example, if the program is programmed to perform measurements in ascending order of aquarium numbers, it may be determined whether there is an aquarium 200 to be measured after the aquarium 200 after the water quality measurement is completed. If it is determined that there is a water quality measurement instruction for the next aquarium 200 (step S175: YES), the process proceeds to step S115, where the control unit 80 outputs a drainage instruction to the PLC to drain the breeding water from the manhole 44 of the confluence unit 40 (step S115). On the other hand, if it is determined that there is no water quality measurement instruction for the next aquarium 200 (step S175: NO), the process returns to step S110 and waits.

According to the water quality monitoring system 100 of the present embodiment described above, the breeding water is collected at the junction 40 where the multiple pipes 20 join downstream of the multiple pipes 20, and the water quality is measured. Therefore, it is not necessary to install multiple measurement units 60, for example, for each aquarium 200. As a result, the number of measurement units 60 to be installed can be reduced, and the system can be prevented from becoming complicated. In addition, since the pipe 20 also serves as a drain pipe for draining the breeding water from the aquarium 200, excessive intake of the breeding water in the aquarium 200 for measuring the water quality can be prevented. As a result, it is possible to prevent the water quality measurement from becoming impossible due to the water intake amount exceeding the allowable water intake amount of the aquarium 200, and it is also possible to omit controlling the water intake amount so as not to exceed the allowable water intake amount of the aquarium 200. In addition, since the water quality monitoring system 100 monitors the ammonium ion concentration, the degree of contamination of the breeding water can be managed for each aquarium 200. In addition, the water quality monitoring system 100 can monitor the water quality of the breeding water even in an embodiment in which the breeding water is seawater containing various ions.

In addition, in the flow described above, the control unit 80 opens the second valve 50 (steps S115, S120), drains the rearing water stored in the junction 40 from the junction 40 (step S125: YES), and then closes the second valve 50. Thereafter, the control unit 80 opens the first valve 30 provided in the piping 20 communicating with the aquarium 200 for which water quality measurement has not been completed, which was identified in step S175 (steps S145, S150), to store the rearing water in the junction 40. According to this control flow, when multiple aquariums 200 are to be monitored, the water quality of the rearing water in the aquariums 200 for which water quality measurement has not been completed can be measured sequentially, thereby suppressing a decrease in monitoring efficiency.

In the flow described above, the control unit 80 drains the stored breeding water from the junction 40 (step S125: YES), and then cleans the junction 40 (steps S130, S135). This control flow can prevent a decrease in the accuracy of the water quality measurement and a decrease in the cleaning efficiency. In the flow described above, the inside of the junction 40 is cleaned using the breeding water to be measured, so that the breeding water can be washed together with the breeding water to be measured, and the decrease in the accuracy of the water quality measurement can be further prevented. In the flow described above, when it is determined that the time is a predetermined set time (step S110: YES), a drain command is output to the PLC (step S115), and the water is drained (step S120). Therefore, since the water is drained and cleaned before the measurement, the measurement can be performed even when the breeding water is accumulated in the junction 40 due to an unexpected error or the like. For example, even if the control unit 80 stops when the manhole 44 is filled with breeding water, the manhole 44 is first drained, so the state of the manhole 44 can be reset.

B. Comparative Example:
FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a schematic configuration of a water quality monitoring system 500 of the comparative example. In the water quality monitoring system 500 of the comparative example, the confluence section is omitted. In the water quality monitoring system 500 of the comparative example, a water sampling section 562 of the measurement section 560 is provided for each aquarium 200, and the entire system has multiple measurement sections 560. According to the water quality monitoring system 500 of the comparative example, since it has multiple measurement sections 560, the system becomes complicated. As a result, the initial cost and running cost of the system increase. In addition, in the water quality monitoring system 500 of the comparative example shown in FIG. 4, breeding water is sampled separately from the wastewater. In such a configuration, in order to avoid excessive intake of breeding water in the aquarium 200 for water quality measurement, it is necessary to control so as not to exceed the allowable water intake amount of the aquarium 200. In addition, in the configuration shown in FIG. 4, the measurement section 560 has four water sampling sections 562, and one measurement section 560 is provided for each of the four aquariums 200, so the length of the water sampling section 562 becomes redundant. As a result, an excessive amount of rearing water in the aquarium 200 is taken, exceeding the allowable water intake amount of the aquarium 200, resulting in a situation in which water quality measurement is not possible.

In contrast, according to the water quality monitoring system 100 of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the breeding water of the aquarium 200 to be measured is stored in the confluence 40 and the water quality is measured, so the number of measuring units 60 to be installed can be reduced, simplifying the system.

C. Second embodiment:
5 is an explanatory diagram showing a schematic configuration of a water quality monitoring system 100a of the second embodiment. The water quality monitoring system 100a of the second embodiment differs from the water quality monitoring system 100 of the first embodiment in the configurations of the confluence section 40a and the measurement section 60a. Since the other configurations are the same as those of the water quality monitoring system 100 of the first embodiment, the same components are denoted by the same reference numerals and detailed descriptions thereof are omitted.

The land-based aquaculture system 300a equipped with the water quality monitoring system 100a of the second embodiment is equipped with multiple tanks 200a of different types. More specifically, it is equipped with multiple baby shrimp tanks 250a, multiple intermediate tanks 260a, and multiple shipping tanks 270a. The baby shrimp tank 250a houses more immature individuals than those housed in the intermediate tanks 260a and the shipping tank 270a. In general, when cultivating imported baby shrimp, it is desirable to store the wastewater from the baby shrimp tank 250a for a predetermined period of time. For this reason, it is desirable to separate the wastewater discharged from the baby shrimp tank 250a from the wastewater discharged from the intermediate tanks 260a and the shipping tank 270a. The land-based aquaculture system 300a in the second embodiment is provided with a first wastewater storage section 221a that stores wastewater from the juvenile shrimp tank 250a, and a second wastewater storage section 222a that stores wastewater from the intermediate tank 260a and the shipping tank 270a. For convenience of illustration, FIG. 5 shows the areas of nine tanks 200a out of the multiple tanks 200a in the land-based aquaculture system 300a.

The confluence 40a in the second embodiment includes a first confluence 41a and a second confluence 42a. The first confluence 41a is connected to a pipe 20 that communicates with a juvenile shrimp tank 250a in which immature individuals are raised among the multiple tanks 200a. Therefore, the first confluence 41a stores the rearing water of the juvenile shrimp tank 250a. A second valve 51a is provided downstream of the first confluence 41a and is connected to a first drainage storage section 221a. The second confluence 42a is connected to a pipe 20 that communicates with an intermediate tank 260a and a shipping tank 270a in which more mature individuals are raised among the multiple tanks 200a. Therefore, the second confluence 42a stores the rearing water of the intermediate tank 260a and the shipping tank 270a. A second valve 52a is provided downstream of the second junction 42a and is connected to the second drainage reservoir 222a.

The measuring unit 60a has two water sampling units 62a. One of the two water sampling units 62a samples the rearing water stored in the first junction 41a. The other of the two water sampling units 62a samples the rearing water stored in the second junction 42a. With this configuration, the measuring unit 60a measures the water quality of the rearing water stored in the first junction 41a and the water quality of the rearing water stored in the second junction 42a.

The water quality monitoring system 100a of the second embodiment described above includes a first confluence section 41a for storing the rearing water of the tank 200a (baby shrimp tank 250a) in which immature individuals are reared, and a second confluence section 42a for storing the rearing water of the tank 200a (intermediate tank 260a, shipping tank 270a) in which more mature individuals are reared, so that the rearing water of the tank 200a in which immature individuals are reared and the rearing water of the tank 200a in which more mature individuals are reared are prevented from mixing and being discharged. In this way, the water quality monitoring system 100a may be provided with multiple confluence sections 40a depending on the purpose, etc.

D. Variations:
The configuration of the water quality monitoring system 100, 100a in the above embodiment is merely an example, and can be modified in various ways. For example, the piping 20 in the above embodiment also serves as a drain pipe for draining rearing water from the aquarium 200, 200a, but is not limited to a drain pipe and may be any piping such as a water intake pipe provided for water quality measurement. In addition, for example, the measurement unit 60, 60a in the above embodiment measures the ammonium ion concentration, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. Instead of ammonium ions, for example, mineral concentrations such as calcium, magnesium, and sodium may be measured, and dissolved oxygen concentration, carbon dioxide concentration, nitrate concentration, oxidation-reduction potential, conductivity, pH, temperature, etc. may be measured. The measurement unit 60, 60a may have a sensor according to the measurement item of water quality, and the water sampling unit 62, 62a may be omitted depending on the measurement method of water quality. In addition, in the above embodiment, the confluence unit 40, 40a has a manhole 44, but the manhole 44 may be omitted. In an embodiment in which the manhole 44 is omitted, any configuration capable of collecting the rearing water of the multiple aquariums 200, 200a in one place may be used, and for example, the confluence 40, 40a may be composed only of piping. Also, for example, the water quality monitoring system 100, 100a may include the aquariums 200, 200a.

The control of the water quality monitoring system 100, 100a in the above embodiment is merely an example and can be modified in various ways. For example, water quality monitoring is not limited to a preset time, but may be performed when any preset condition is met, such as every preset period of time or after the water in the aquariums 200, 200a has been replaced. Also, for example, water quality monitoring is not limited to sequentially measuring the water quality of the water in the aquariums 200, 200a where water quality measurement has not been completed, but may be performed according to a preset program.

In addition, for example, in the above control flow, the inside of the confluence 40, 40a is washed by controlling the open/close state of the second valves 50, 51a, 52a, but the present disclosure is not limited to this. For example, steps S130, S135, and S140 may be omitted, and washing may be performed when pouring water (step S150). More specifically, in step S150, the breeding water may be allowed to overflow in the manhole 44 for a certain period of time to be washed together, and then stored in the confluence 40 (manhole 44). That is, the control unit 80 may close the first valve 30 after allowing the breeding water to overflow from the manhole 44 of the confluence 40, 40a for a certain period of time. This certain period may be, for example, a predetermined time, or a period during which a predetermined amount of breeding water overflows. With such a control flow, the inside of the manhole 44 can be washed together with the breeding water to be measured, thereby suppressing a decrease in the accuracy of the measurement of water quality.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and can be realized in various configurations without departing from the spirit of the present invention. For example, the technical features in the embodiments and examples corresponding to the technical features in each aspect described in the Summary of the Invention column can be replaced or combined as appropriate to solve some or all of the above-described problems or to achieve some or all of the above-described effects. Furthermore, if a technical feature is not described in this specification as essential, it can be deleted as appropriate.

20...piping, 30...first valve, 40, 40a...junction, 41a...first junction, 42a...second junction, 44...manhole, 46...overflow line, 50, 51a, 52a...second valve, 60, 60a...measuring section, 62, 62a...water sampling section, 64...processing section, 66...communication section, 80...control section, 82...CPU, 84...storage section, 86...communication section, 100, 100a ...Water quality monitoring system, 200, 200a...Aquarium, 210...Pump, 220...Wastewater storage section, 221a...First wastewater storage section, 222a...Second wastewater storage section, 250a...Baby shrimp tank, 260a...Intermediate tank, 270a...Shipping tank, 300, 300a...Land-based aquaculture system, 500...Water quality monitoring system, 560...Measuring section, 562...Water sampling section

Claims (11)

A water quality monitoring system for land-based aquaculture, comprising:
Pipes each connected to a plurality of water tanks;
a first valve provided in the piping;
A junction portion that joins the plurality of pipes downstream of the plurality of pipes;
a second valve provided downstream of the junction;
A measurement unit for measuring water quality;
A control unit;
Equipped with
the control unit controls the first valve and the second valve to cause the breeding water of the aquarium to be stored in the confluence portion;
The measurement unit measures the water quality of the breeding water stored in the confluence.
A water quality monitoring system comprising: The water quality monitoring system according to claim 1,
The confluence portion includes a manhole through which the breeding water can overflow.
A water quality monitoring system comprising: The water quality monitoring system according to claim 1,
The piping is a drain pipe for draining the breeding water from the aquarium.
A water quality monitoring system comprising: The water quality monitoring system according to claim 1,
The measurement unit measures the ammonium ion concentration.
A water quality monitoring system comprising: The water quality monitoring system according to claim 1,
The rearing water is seawater.
A water quality monitoring system comprising: The water quality monitoring system according to claim 1,
The control unit is
opening the second valve to drain the stored breeding water from the confluence, and then closing the second valve, and thereafter opening the first valve provided in the pipe communicating with the aquarium for which water quality measurement has not been completed, to store the breeding water in the confluence.
A water quality monitoring system comprising: The water quality monitoring system according to claim 6,
After the stored rearing water is drained from the confluence, the confluence is cleaned.
A water quality monitoring system comprising: A water quality monitoring system according to claim 6 dependent on claim 2,
The control unit is
the first valve provided in the pipe communicating with the aquarium for which water quality measurement has not been completed is opened, the rearing water is allowed to overflow in the basin for a certain period of time, and then the rearing water is stored in the junction.
A water quality monitoring system comprising: The water quality monitoring system according to claim 1,
The junction includes a first junction and a second junction,
The first junction is connected to the pipe communicating with the aquarium in which immature individuals are kept, among the plurality of aquariums;
the second junction is connected to the pipe communicating with the aquarium in which more mature individuals are kept, among the plurality of aquariums;
The measurement unit measures the water quality of the breeding water stored in the first junction and the water quality of the breeding water stored in the second junction,
A water quality monitoring system comprising: The water quality monitoring system according to claim 1, further comprising:
A plurality of said water tanks,
A water quality monitoring system comprising: The water quality monitoring system according to claim 4,
The measurement unit has a diaphragm electrode.
A water quality monitoring system comprising:

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