Thruster, corrosion/wear/longevity concern - Aquaculture Flow Application

Blue Robotics Products Thrusters and Motors
1

Hello,

I am programming an Arduino Uno R4 Wifi to gently ramp PWM input to the Blue Robotics ESC and a T200 run at 16V. The thruster would see constant but lightly varying load (thrust). It will use a shroud on the intake/output to prevent fouling and be mounted to the wall of a closed aquaculture system.

(use case: coral reef aquarium/coral aquaculture providing flow for inhabitants to effectively respire and simulate the reef environment. Attraction to T200/T500 is high flow, low cost)

My primary concerns:

  1. Longevity - the thruster will see varying load, likely never approaching max thrust but on all of the time (24/7). Do I need to program in “down” time where the thruster is secured to prevent issues or is 100% duty cycle with varying speeds ok long term? The unit would be removed and cleaned periodically (initial plan once every couple of months). Thoughts?

  2. Corrosion - My understanding is that all exposed components are non-metallic other than some 316 SS mounting and assembly hardware. Even VERY trace leeching of metallic compounds from corrosion into my closed system can result in a crash/death of the inhabitants. Can anyone comment on the risk level they perceive due to corrosion?

  3. Wear - system would only be run submerged and be cleaned periodically. In this use case, can anyone comment on periodic requirement for component replacement or expected longevity of wearing surfaces (if any)?

Thanks a ton, I appreciate your time, this forum is terrific. I am already having a blast experimenting with this new device.

1 Like
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Hi Ben!
I’m familiar with many users of the T200/T500 in aquaculture tank applications. Some even run the T500 at 100% duty cycle, 24/7!
To address your concerns -

  1. No down time should be necessary - but definitely operate within the recommended voltage range! It is definitely good to disassemble the thruster every couple of months, dependent on your rate of fouling / failure. The T200 FAQ has more details
  2. I’m not aware of any issues with leaching, and we’ve not heard of fish mortalities linked to our thrusters…
  3. Removing the nozzle and rotor for the motor, and inspecting the stator/rotor for issues periodically is advised. You can read more about how to do this, and some other usage tips, here.

This thread is also relevant.
Best of luck!

3 Likes
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Excellent, thanks Tony!