CONSTRUCTING A NEW AUTOMATIC SORTER FOR TROUT CULTURE FARMS IN IRAN

• Main Author: H. Manochehri; R. Akrami
• Format: Article
• Language: fas
• Published: Iranian Fisheries Research Organization 2008-01-01
• Series: ‬‭Majallah-i ̒Ilmī-i Shīlāt-i Īrān
• Subjects: AUTOMATIC SORTER; TROUT CULTURE; Iran
• Online Access: http://isfj.areo.ir/article_115239_en.html
• ISSN: 1026-1354; 2322-5998

This research was conducted to construct an appropriate automatic fish sorter for sorting large amounts of trout fish in Iran. We found that for sorting trout fish in three sizes simultaneously, two conveyor belts moving horizontally and vertically are needed to create an angle relative to each other. The belts had been put on stainless steel frames and made their distance adjustable according to the fish width, and let the belts move left and right side easily. The belts rotating power derived from two 110 VAC electrical motors and gearboxes. A water system was also designed within the sorter for facilitation of fish movement and prevention of injury and stress to fish. The results showed that mortality and injury to the trout fish could be totally eliminated through application of the constructed sorter. Fishes that were extruded from the second outlet of the sorter had minimum weight error in comparison with two other outlets. The results showed that we can increase the speed and accuracy of sorting fish by adding more belts with their position fixed on the frame. We also demonstrated that the sorting machine required 5-7 times less time as compared to the manual method. The constructed sorter was also showed to have the ability of sorting fish weighing less than 10 grams which is another plus of the machine as compared to the imported ones.