Aeration using a paddle

If the particular paddle creates more surface area and turnover than shaking, it would oxygenate faster than shaking, but not more. Depending on what you meant by optimal oxygenation, neither method will do that, because both will be limited to a maximum of roughly 8 ppm (or a little higher) dissolved O2.

If you want more than that, and IMO most mid and high gravity worts benefit from higher DO, forced, pure O2 is the way to do it.

 

Everything @VikeMan says.
There is really no need to use a paddle or an aquarium pump or anything other than a good vigorous shake for a minute or two. The wort will max out at around 8 ppm no matter what. You can get it a bit higher, but the gas equilibrates quickly and you'll be at 8 ppm. All the other equipment is just another item to clean or infect your wort.

Injecting pure oxygen through a stone is an option, but unless you have some special need or you think your yeast are starved of oxygen, it's not top of the list for most homebrewers.

Cold liquid holds more gas than warm liquid, and you should shake the carboy/keg/bucket after the wort has cooled to pitching temp.

Cheers

 

I actually took time out of my day yesterday to test this "theory", but like with actual proper measurement tools and not like conjecture.

While I would not submit this into formal peer review, its more than close enough for this exercise.

Measurement via Mettler Toledo in process Traces probe (ppb).

Fresh calibration yielded 9344ppb o2 for my location, temperature, and pressure. Not 8ppm......
I then took a 1qt mason jar filled it 3/4full with RO water from the storage tank(66f).
Measured the o2 of that. 3920ppb of dissolved o2.
I then lidded the jar and shook vigorously for 1 minute.
Opened the lid, swirled, then put the lid back on.
Shook for another minute.
Following your purposed protocol, I measured the dissolved o2 of the mason jar.
7352ppb of DO

Lets math this out.
New DO amount (7352) - Starting DO amount (3920) = 3432ppb DO

So with a 2 minute extremely vigorous shake, much harder than you could EVER do with a full fermenter, I yielded ~3500ppb of DO uptake.

Its not clean to just extrapolate and scale this experiment to a full fermenter, but if we DID. Assuming same vigorous shaking (yea right) and square cube, etc.

3/4 full mason jar is ~3/4 gallon.
3/4 of a gallon is roughly 1/6th of a batch.
3500ppb / 6.66 = ~525ppb

~3000ppb

That would be the final DO of your method.

So, ignoring a random 8ppm number, that in most peoples cases is not true. This method coined by you would have yielded a wort DO value 6344ppb less than assumed(2/3rds).

So, uhh, close(well not at all), but no cigar.

CHEEERS!

 

Wow that's a lot of, well it's impressive. You impress yourself.

I have measured DO with an optical sensor before and after splashing and stirring.

A brief increase in dissolved D.O. is possible. And then... 8 ppm. 8 ppm is not a random number but it is a fairly accurate reporting of the maximum amount of D.O. water will hold at ordinary pressure and temperature. For an ordinary homebrewer. Why would you state otherwise? (Don't answer this)

But, outstanding analysis. I should have reported 8,000 ppb. Better than 8 ppm. With bold and italics I think this should blow your mind!!!!!

I don't mean to get you into a spiral of brain activity. Trust me when I tell you to give it a rest. You are taking the joy out of homebrewing. And yet, your thoughts are endlessly enjoyable. It's a complete paradox.

Cheers

 

If by taking the joy out, meaning, actually nullifying your incorrect pontifications. I'm here for it.

Thanks for showing me how much this got to you.

Prost buddy!