International Journal of Agriculture Extension and Social Development

author(s)
Varadaraju S, Shashidhar H Badami, Jaya Naik and Dharshan KS

abstract
Water is a basic resource which is essential for all living entities. The process of enhancing the amount of dissolved oxygen in water is known as aeration. Enhancing oxygen transport is crucial to increase energy efficiency since aeration uses the most energy in water resource facilities. Aerators are indispensable in aquaculture to enhance oxygen levels, which are crucial for aquatic organism health and growth. The fabricated aerator models included wooden perforated aerator model, cascading wooden plank aerator model, vertical perforated cylindrical aerator model and three tier perforated sheets aerator models were used for the present study. This study evaluates various conventional aerator models based on their oxygenation efficiency using parameters such as the overall oxygen transfer coefficient (K_La)_T and standard oxygen transfer rate (SOTR). Results indicate that there is a significant improvement in dissolved oxygen content with aerators compared to control conditions without aeration. The Overall Oxygen Transfer Coefficient (K_La)_T ranged from 0.919 h^-1 to1.586 h^-1, while the corresponding Standard Oxygen Transfer Rate (SOTR) values varied from 0.082 kg O₂/h to 0.160 kg O₂/h among the above mentioned aerator models.These findings underscore the critical role of aerators in maintaining optimal aquatic conditions and suggest practical implications for aerator design and deployment in aquaculture systems.