Hydrodynamic Modeling in Aquaculture Systems
Summary
Hydrodynamic modelling in aquaculture systems encompasses the numerical and experimental techniques used to characterise fluid flows around fish cages, culture tanks and offshore aquaculture structures. By integrating theories of fluid mechanics, porous media and structural dynamics, these models predict forces on nets and moorings, deformation of flexible components and the dispersal of currents, waves and suspended solids. Such predictive capacity underpins the design of robust cage arrays and recirculating aquaculture system (RAS) tanks, optimises water exchange for fish health and minimises environmental impacts. Recent advances exploit coupled fluid–structure interaction frameworks, assimilating real-time sensor data to create digital twins that mirror physical installations, thus enabling adaptive management in response to changing sea states or biomass loads. Whether applied to net cage farms in open water or large RAS culture basins on land, hydrodynamic modelling fosters improved welfare outcomes, structural resilience and resource efficiency, contributing to the sustainable intensification of global aquaculture.
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Hydrodynamic Modeling in Aquaculture Systems publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in hydrodynamic modeling in aquaculture systems across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD): Numerical methods for solving Navier–Stokes equations to simulate fluid flow around structures.
Morison equation: Empirical formula combining inertial and drag forces to estimate wave and current loads on slender elements.
Screen model: Representation of porous media forces on nets by relating flow penetration to drag coefficients and solidity.
Digital twin: Virtual replica of a physical system that continuously integrates sensor data for real-time simulation and forecasting.
Lagrangian–Eulerian coupling: Technique linking discrete structural elements (Lagrangian) with fluid meshes (Eulerian) to model fluid-structure interaction.
References
- Towards a holistic digital twin solution for real-time monitoring of aquaculture net cage systems. Marine Structures (2023).
- Typical hydrodynamic models for aquaculture nets: A comparative study under pure current conditions. Aquacultural Engineering (2020).
- A numerical framework for modelling the dynamics of open ocean aquaculture structures in viscous fluids. Applied Ocean Research (2021).
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