Fish Testing Flow Tank Team
Team Members

Matt Malynowski

Todd Nylund

Tim Wiese

Brian Eggelston
Capstone Advisor

Dr. Lemmy Meekisho
Sponsor

Randy Zelick
Customer: Dr. Randy Zelick
PSU Biology Dept.
Dr. Zelick, has asked us
to design a flow tank
for testing fish
reactions to changes
in direction and
velocity in simulated
stream flow.
CONTINUITY
System response → The WEIR
*Maintaining Constant Channel Volume and the Loss
Channel velocity adjustment & static datum
• Initially the WEIR retains water for pre-test treatment
• Incremented scale measures WEIR location and experimental
data provides empirical relationship with flow velocity
Gate Valve provides pressure differential and adjustability
• Slight volume decrease occurs when WEIR descends. Control of gate
satisfies volumetric flow needed to maintain channel volumetric datum
RECIRCULATION OF TEST H2O
Operating Pt.→ Q=50gpm
Tank Head → 8ft
1½ inch Plastic Pipe (22.8-ft)
- Schedule 80
16 ft Head Loss
100 ft of Pipe
Six 90° Fittings @Vavg = 2.25-ft/s

4.0 ft Head Loss
90 Fitting
Neglect Pump Loss
Total Loss
PUMP vs. SPECIFICATION
Total Piping Loss


 16 ft 
 4 ft  16 ft

  6 90 Fittings  

22.8 ft 
 100 ft 
 Fitting  100 ft
= 15.5 ft Head Loss
Design Pump
33.3gpm
Ideal Pump
50gpm
Minutes to Fill 50-gal
1.5
1

  8 ft

Scale of Resolution
Flow meter or bucket & clock
CONSERVATION of Mass
Qin = Qout
Where Q = Ai * Vi
Reynolds Number
Flow Rate (cm/s)
Re < 2300 for Laminar Flow
Velocity (cm/s)
25
20
15
Flow Rate
(cm/s)
10
5
0
13
14
15
String Length (cm)
16
17
Validating The Design
Empirical Process
The Iterative Process Experiments using a removable semicircular wooden weir with 2” rectangular cut from center initially
started empirical process. Clear plastic inserts enabled variable
speed experimentation with steady channel volume to occur.
Results considered with admiral promise as adjustable-weir
design targets in on specifications.
Volume
(gal)
Time
(Seconds)
Flow-Rate
(gal/sec)
Unit
Conversion
(m^3/sec)
Velocity
(cm/s)
String Length
(in)
30
43.24
0.6938
0.002626
20.4
6.4375
30
44.93
0.6677
0.002527
19.6
6.25
30
47.58
0.6305
0.002387
18.5
6.15625
20
31.7
0.6309
0.002388
18.5
6.125
30
300
0.1
0.000379
2.9
5.75
EXPERIMENTAL FLOW
The flow has nice
continuous motion with no
strong eddy currents
disrupting the dye streamers
Good velocity profile showing
nice orientation and the
minimal frictional effects of
circular geometries.
Experimental velocities ranged from
approximately ~3cm/s to ~20cm/s.
Budget
Bill of Materials (BOM)
Part Description
Qty
Unit Cost
Total Cost
6" ABS Basin Extsn
2
$
14.54
$
29.08
Flex Cplg (6" to 4")
1
$
7.60
$
7.60
ABS Reducer (4" to 3")
1
$
3.42
$
3.42
ABS Adptr (Male 2")
4
$
1.31
$
5.24
ABS Adptr
1
$
8.37
$
8.37
Sump Pump
1
$
179.00
Teflon Tape
1
$
-
$
-
Weather Stripping
1
$
3.57
$
3.57
5 gal Bucket
1
$
2.34
$
2.34
ABS Reducer (5" to 3")
1
$
8.37
$
8.37
Adapter (sight glass)
2
$
2.37
$
4.74
ABS Adptr Elbows (2")
4
$
1.33
$
5.32
Gate Valve 2"
1
$
28.99
$
28.99
Hose Clamp 6"
2
$
0.85
$
1.70
Hose Clamp 3"
2
$
2.29
$
4.58
Turn Table 5"
1
$
2.75
$
2.75
10 ft. Hose (2")
1
$
9.48
$
9.48
Garden Hose
1
$
-
$
-
Sight glass tubing
1
$
-
$
-
5' X 2" PVC Piping
1
$
9.90
$
9.90
Rope
1
$
2.49
$
2.49
Cutting Board
4
$
2.19
$
8.76
Ring Hanger
1
$
1.31
$
1.31
Calking Adhesive
2
$
5.99
$
11.98
Duct tape
2
$
3.99
$
7.98
ABS Reducer (4" to 2")
1
$
3.42
$
3.42
1 1/2" to 2" ABS adapter
2
$
1.64
$
3.28
$ 179.00
Grand Total Cost
$ 353.67
Budget
$ 600.00
Surplus
$ 246.33
Project Design Specification
Adherence
Specification
Priority
Metric
Frequency Interference
***
yes/no
Fluid Flow Profile
***
yes/no
*
cm/s
Maximum Flow Velocity (min)
***
cm/s
Test Duration
**
s
Resistant To Oxidation
*
yes/no
Minimum Flow Velocity
Cost To Produce
**
$
Fish Holding Tank Depth (static flow)
***
Rotation of Tank
*
Off-The-Shelf Parts
*
cm
Angle (positive or
negative degrees)
yes/no
Ease of Repair
*
People Required to Fix
Durable
*
yes/no
Fits on Existing Air Table
**
yes/no
Spatial Interference with Testing Equipment
**
yes/no
Allows Visual Observation of Fish
***
yes/no
Fluid Containment
**
yes/no
User Ergonomic Safety
***
yes/no
Specimen Safety
**
yes/no
Structure Bio-Compatible
**
yes/no
Visually Aesthetic
*
yes/no
Target
no
yes
0
10
60
yes
600
~7.5
Satisfaction of Completion
***
***
***
***
***
***
***
***
+/-15
*
yes
1
yes
yes
no
yes
yes
yes
yes
yes
yes
***
***
**
**
**
***
**
**
***
***
*
Special Thanks
The F23T team would like to thank:


Dr. Lemmy Meekisho for his support
throughout the last 2 terms.
Dr. Randy Zelick for the opportunity to allow
us to design this flow channel
Questions