MUSCHEL

Aquaculture has been the fastest-growing sector of food production worldwide for years and plays a crucial role in achieving the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs). However, to strengthen the German shellfish farming industry, key challenges such as space conflicts and high production costs must be addressed. A shift in cultivation sites away from the coast to more exposed locations, where space conflicts are fewer, could offer a solution. However, this requires the adaptation of existing cultivation systems to the harsh environmental conditions of the German coastal regions.

The collaborative project MUSCHEL focuses on the further development and optimization of the "Shellfish Tower," an innovative method of shellfish cultivation at exposed sites. Initially, an analysis of the biological and hydrodynamic conditions along the German coast will be conducted. This includes examining parameters such as plankton load, chlorophyll content, salinity, temperature, oxygen levels, as well as water depth, wave action, and currents. These factors are crucial for determining the appropriate location and design of an aquaculture system tailored to the specific conditions of the German coasts.

Building on this analysis, the Shellfish Tower will be further developed through experimental and numerical trials. Various versions of the Shellfish Tower will first be examined using high-resolution numerical simulations (CFD), comparing the load on components and the anchoring system, as well as the flow dynamics and vortex shedding within the structure, which are critical for nutrient transport and, consequently, the growth of mussels. The most promising versions will be further tested in scaled model experiments to assess their resilience to wave and current forces – both under normal operating conditions and extreme circumstances.

The insights gained will be used to identify technological and economic optimization potentials, allowing for adjustments to the system. Additionally, the use of cost-effective alternative materials to steel will be explored to increase the system's competitiveness and reduce its environmental footprint compared to conventional techniques. Large-scale model tests at the Large Wave Channel (GWK+) will evaluate the functionality of the further-developed structure under realistic conditions for exposed coastal locations. The resulting prototype will then be tested under real conditions in a selected test area.