Horizontal posture-adjustable modular aquaculture net cage and posture adjusting method

Abstract

The invention discloses a horizontal posture-adjustable modular aquaculture net cage and a posture adjusting method, and relates to the field of mariculture. The net cage comprises a net cage frame, an anchor chain and a netting, wherein the net cage frame consists of a hub-shaped circular ring, a circular tube and a central pressing rod. A plurality of fan-ring-shaped ballast tanks are arranged in the ballast tank ring of the hub-shaped circular ring, and the net cage can rotate around the central pressing rod in the circumferential direction by charging and discharging water; two sets of second ballast tanks are arranged in the center pressing rod, and the depth and the inclination angle of the net cage are adjusted through water injection or drainage. The net cage can be connected in series in a multi-frame hinged mode, and the center pressing rod is further provided with a feed conveying and feeding device, a sensor, a camera and the like. Circumferential rotation, depth adjustment and inclination posture adjustment of the net cage frame can be achieved, the functions of convenient netting cleaning, efficient fish gathering and the like are achieved, and the device is suitable for deep and far sea culture.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to marine aquaculture, and in particular to a horizontally-type modular aquaculture cage with adjustable posture and a posture adjustment method. Background Art

[0002] In the field of marine aquaculture, seawater cage aquaculture is a key component of aquaculture. Traditional gravity-fed cages have long faced numerous challenges. Among them, the susceptibility of nets to the adhesion of marine organisms such as algae and shellfish is one of the most prominent issues. The large-scale adhesion of these organisms can severely hinder water exchange between the inside and outside of the cages, causing deterioration in water quality within the cages and impacting the growth environment of farmed fish. Furthermore, biofouling significantly increases the weight and structural load of the nets, making them more susceptible to damage from external forces such as currents, wind and waves. This not only increases cage maintenance costs but can also cause farmed fish to escape, resulting in financial losses for farmers.

[0003] While some existing improved cages attempt to address these issues, they still have significant limitations. For example, self-rotating cages often rely on mechanical drive to achieve self-rotation to clean the nets. However, their complex structure not only increases the difficulty of manufacturing and maintenance, but also limits the volume of aquaculture water, making it difficult to meet the needs of large-scale aquaculture. Furthermore, these cages have poor wind and wave resistance and lack stability in complex marine environments. Furthermore, some technologies that use airbags to drive rotation are susceptible to erosion and damage in marine environments, resulting in low reliability and inability to operate stably in the long term. Furthermore, most of these existing cages lack a lifting function, which wastes potential aquaculture space above the cages and makes it impossible to adjust the aquaculture water depth according to the growth needs of different fish, making them difficult to adapt to diverse aquaculture scenarios. These problems collectively hinder the development of marine cage aquaculture towards high efficiency, large-scale, and deep-sea operations. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The present invention provides a horizontal, posture-adjustable modular aquaculture cage. The cage adopts a hub-type disc design, which is convenient for offshore assembly and maintenance; a connector is provided on the end face of the central pressure rod, allowing farmers to axially increase the number of cages according to aquaculture needs; at the same time, a ballast tank is provided inside to achieve cage posture adjustment, including lifting, rotation, and tilting. The lifting function maximizes the volume of aquaculture water and meets the aquaculture water depth for more fish; the rotation function allows the cage to rotate and dry the net, which is convenient for cleaning the net; the tilting and rotation functions cooperate with the internal partition net to achieve efficient fish gathering. In order to achieve the above-mentioned purpose, the technical solution of the present invention is as follows:

[0005] A horizontal, posture-adjustable modular aquaculture cage, comprising a cage frame, an anchor chain, and a net. The net is sheathed on the outer surface of the cage frame, and the two ends of the anchor chain are connected to the cage frame and the seabed respectively.

[0006] The cage frame is composed of a hub-shaped ring, a circular tube and a central pressure rod. The central pressure rod is connected to the center of a pair of hub-shaped rings. The hub-shaped rings rotate around the central pressure rod. The end of the central pressure rod is connected to the anchor chain. Several circular tubes are connected along the circumferential direction between the edges of the hub-shaped rings.

[0007] The outer ring of the hub-shaped ring is a ballast tank ring, and a plurality of fan-shaped ballast tanks are provided at different positions inside the ballast tank ring. Each fan-shaped ballast tank is provided with a first ballast tank water inlet and a first ballast tank water outlet. A first ballast water pump is provided inside each fan-shaped ballast tank. By changing the water filling of different fan-shaped ballast tanks, the aquaculture cage is rotated around the central pressure rod.

[0008] Two sets of second ballast tanks are symmetrically arranged inside the central pressure rod, close to both ends respectively. Each second ballast tank is equipped with a second ballast water pump. Feed conveying pipelines, storage bins and pneumatic feeding machines connected in sequence are arranged inside the central pressure rod. The pneumatic feeding machine is connected to the discharge port arranged on the surface of the central pressure rod. The depth and / or inclination angle of the aquaculture cage in the water can be changed by changing the water filling of different second ballast tanks.

[0009] Furthermore, the aquaculture cage comprises a plurality of cage frames hingedly connected in series, and adjacent cage frames are rotatably connected via a connector, wherein the connector comprises a pair of flanges and a rotating pin connected between the pair of flanges.

[0010] The flange is fixedly connected to the end of the cage frame, the pin shaft includes a swing rod and a fixing seat, and both ends of the swing rod are rotatably connected to the flange through the fixing seat.

[0011] Furthermore, the circular tube and the hub-shaped circular ring are fixed by sealing flange bolts, and the central pressure rod and the hub-shaped circular ring are connected by a shaft sleeve, and the shaft sleeve and the hub-shaped circular ring are interference fit and clearance fit with the central pressure rod;

[0012] The cage frame further comprises at least one reinforcing ring arranged between a pair of hub-shaped rings, and the outer diameter of the reinforcing ring is provided with a plurality of clamping grooves which are clamped and connected with the circular tubes.

[0013] Furthermore, the material of the shaft sleeve is polyhexamethylene adipamide, and a rolling body and a retaining frame are provided in the gap between the shaft sleeve and the central pressure rod.

[0014] Furthermore, the net is provided with an opening, an openable net cover is provided at the opening, and a radially distributed inner partition net is detachably installed inside the cylindrical net.

[0015] In the axial direction of the cage frame, the front and rear sides of the inner partition net are fixedly connected to the axial ends of the net.

[0016] In the radial direction, the outer side of the inner spacer is connected to the outer diameter of the net, and the inner side is close to the central pressure rod and has a distance from the central pressure rod.

[0017] Furthermore, the number of the fan-shaped annular ballast tanks is 4, and they are circumferentially arranged within the hub-shaped ring.

[0018] Furthermore, each set of second ballast tanks is composed of a plurality of sub-ballast tanks connected in series axially, and the volume of each sub-ballast tank increases gradually in the direction close to the end of the aquaculture cage.

[0019] Furthermore, a multi-parameter sensor and an underwater high-definition camera are installed on the surface of the central pressure rod;

[0020] A distribution box is installed inside the central pressure rod, which is connected to an offshore power supply device through a submarine cable. The offshore power supply device is an offshore wind-light-wave complementary power generation device or an offshore wind farm. The offshore wind-light-wave complementary power generation device includes a floating wind turbine, photovoltaic panels and wave energy power generation floats.

[0021] A method for adjusting the horizontal posture of the above-mentioned aquaculture cage, the method comprising:

[0022] Circumferential rotation of aquaculture cages: by filling and draining water in different annular ballast tanks to generate asymmetric torque, the aquaculture cages are made to rotate circumferentially around the central pressure rod;

[0023] Depth adjustment of aquaculture cages: fill or drain water into the two sets of second ballast tanks at the same time to change the depth of the aquaculture cages;

[0024] Adjustment of the tilting posture of the aquaculture cage: fill or drain water into one of the second ballast tanks to change the tilting angle of the aquaculture cage.

[0025] The horizontal, posture-adjustable modular aquaculture cage and posture adjustment method have the following technical advantages:

[0026] 1) The fan-shaped annular ballast tank is filled and discharged to generate asymmetric torque, which enables the cage to rotate circumferentially around the central pressure rod. The self-rotating net can be used to clean the net and solve the problem of biological adhesion. It is more reliable than airbag drive;

[0027] 2) With the help of the second ballast tank in the central pressure rod, the cage depth can be adjusted by simultaneous water injection / drainage to meet the water depth requirements of different fish species. The tilt angle can also be adjusted by unilateral water injection / drainage to achieve uniform feeding.

[0028] 3) The rotation and tilt functions combined with the inner partition net can compress the breeding space to achieve efficient fish gathering and reduce the difficulty of fishing.

[0029] 4) The cage frame consists of a hub-shaped ring, a round tube, and a central pressure rod. The round tube and the hub-shaped ring are connected by sealing flange bolts, which facilitates rapid assembly and disassembly maintenance at sea;

[0030] 5) Connectors can be used to realize the articulation and series connection of multiple cage frames. Adjacent frames can rotate around the pins, which can alleviate the structural damage caused by the heaving movement of traditional rigid connections in wind and waves, and improve the wind and wave resistance performance;

[0031] 6) The center pressure rod is connected to the hub-shaped ring through a polyhexamethylene adipamide bushing, which cooperates with the rolling element to reduce friction, ensure smooth rotation and extend service life.

[0032] 7) The horizontal layout combined with the lifting function maximizes the aquaculture water volume, breaking through the limitations of traditional cages with wasted upper space, and can meet the needs of large-scale aquaculture in deep and deep seas;

[0033] 8) It can be arranged in a modular array and can be inserted into the gaps between offshore wind farms, using wind farm electricity to reduce costs, achieve "wind-fishing complementarity", and improve sea area utilization efficiency.

[0034] 9) The central pressure bar integrates multi-parameter sensors (monitoring water temperature, flow rate, etc.) and an underwater high-definition camera (with automatic scraper cleaning), transmitting real-time data to support precision farming. For example, a water depth sensor monitors water depth, which serves as a basis for raising and lowering the cage. A high-definition camera captures net adhesion, and in conjunction with a water quality sensor, determines changes in water quality within the cage caused by net adhesion, which serves as a basis for rotating the cage to dry the net. The system is equipped with a feed delivery pipeline, a storage silo, and a pneumatic feeder for automated feeding. Power is supplied by an offshore wind-solar-wave hybrid power generation system or a wind farm, ensuring continuous operation and reducing reliance on traditional energy sources.

[0035] 10) The cage frames are equipped with reinforcing rings that clip onto the circular tubes to prevent bending and enhance overall strength. Anchor chains connect the seabed to the cage frames. The articulated structure of multiple cages in series cushions the impact of wind and waves, ensuring stability in complex sea conditions and reducing the risk of escape of farmed fish. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0036] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for use in the embodiments or the description of the prior art. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without paying any creative labor.

[0037] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of connecting two cage frames in series to form a culture cage and fixing them with anchor chains;

[0038] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of a single cage frame;

[0039] Figure 3 It is a schematic diagram of the hub-shaped ring at the end of the cage frame;

[0040] Figure 4 This is the internal distribution diagram of the hub-shaped ring;

[0041] Figure 5 This is the internal distribution diagram of the central pressure rod at the end of the cage frame;

[0042] Figure 6 Schematic diagram of the circular tube end of the cage frame;

[0043] Figure 7 Schematic diagram of the end of the central pressure rod;

[0044] Figure 8 A schematic diagram of a connector for rotatably connecting two cage frames;

[0045] Figure 9 This is a comparison diagram of a cage frame with an inner partition mesh rotating counterclockwise;

[0046] Figure 10 Schematic diagram of a cylindrical net with radial inner partitions inside;

[0047] Figure 11 It is a side view of the connection between multiple circular tubes and reinforcing rings;

[0048] Figure 12 It is a three-dimensional diagram of the connection between multiple circular tubes and reinforcing rings;

[0049] Figure 13 Schematic diagram of using an ocean current-solar integrated power generation system to power multiple aquaculture cages. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0050] In the following description, numerous specific details are provided to provide a more thorough understanding of the present invention. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced without one or more of these details. In other instances, certain technical features well known in the art are not described to avoid confusion with the present invention.

[0051] In order to fully understand the present invention, detailed steps and detailed structures will be presented in the following description to illustrate the technical solution of the present invention. Preferred embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below, but in addition to these detailed descriptions, the present invention may also have other implementations.

[0052] The present invention provides a horizontal, adjustable, modular aquaculture cage, comprising a cage frame 1, an anchor chain 2, and a net 3, with the net 3 being sleeved onto the outer surface of the cage frame 1. The anchor chain 2 is constructed from a high-strength, wind- and wave-resistant alloy chain. One end of the anchor chain 2 is connected to the cage frame 1 via a shackle, while the other end is deeply embedded in a concrete anchor on the seabed, ensuring the cage remains stable in complex sea conditions and preventing drift or capsizing. It should be noted that the anchor chain 2 is not tautly stretched between the anchor and the cage frame 1, but rather is left somewhat relaxed, which does not affect the cage's buoyancy, sinking, or tilting.

[0053] The specific structure of the cage frame 1 consists of a hub-shaped ring 5, a circular tube 6 and a central pressure rod 7. A pair of parallel hub-shaped rings 5 ​​serve as the two end supports of the frame, and the center position is connected by the central pressure rod 7. The hub-shaped ring 5 and the central pressure rod 7 are rotated together so that the hub-shaped ring 5 can rotate freely around the central pressure rod 7. Both ends of the central pressure rod 7 are provided with a cable guide hole for connecting the anchor chain 2. Between the edges of the two hub-shaped rings 5, a number of circular tubes 6 are evenly distributed and fixed in the circumferential direction. The cage frame 1 of this design not only reduces the overall weight, but also enhances the torsional resistance of the frame, ensuring that the cage is not easily deformed under the impact of water flow.

[0054] The outer ring of the hub-shaped ring 5 is designed as a sealed ballast tank ring 8, and a plurality of fan-shaped ballast tanks 14 (such as Figure 4 As shown). Each fan-shaped annular ballast tank 14 is independently equipped with a first ballast tank water inlet 15, a first ballast tank water outlet 16 and a built-in first ballast water pump 13. The first ballast tank water inlet 15 and the first ballast tank water outlet 16 are both equipped with solenoid valve control switches to control the injection and discharge of seawater; the first ballast water pump 13 adopts a corrosion-resistant submersible pump, and the power is set according to the volume of the ballast tank. By differentially filling and discharging water in different fan-shaped annular ballast tanks 14 (such as filling two adjacent ballast tanks with water and draining the other two), an asymmetric gravitational torque can be formed on the hub-shaped ring 5, thereby driving the entire cage to perform a smooth circumferential rotation around the central pressure rod 7, thereby realizing the "self-rotation cleaning" of the net 3.

[0055] The central strut 7 is made of a hollow, seamless steel tube and contains two symmetrical sets of secondary ballast tanks 18, one near each end of the cage frame 1. Each set of secondary ballast tanks 18 is equipped with an independent secondary ballast water pump 17, which precisely controls the water injection rate to adjust the cage's buoyancy and center of gravity. The central strut 7 also incorporates a feeding system: a feed delivery pipeline 19 extends from the shore or a supply vessel to the cage, delivering pelleted feed to a sealed storage silo 20. A pneumatic feeder 21 is connected below the storage silo 20, using compressed air to evenly dispense feed from a discharge port 22 on the surface of the central strut 7, covering every area within the cage. This enables automated feeding and reduces labor costs. By adjusting the difference in water injection between the two sets of secondary ballast tanks 18, the cage's depth in the water can be flexibly adjusted (e.g., simultaneously adding water to increase weight to cause it to sink, while simultaneously removing water to reduce weight to cause it to float) or its tilt angle can be adjusted (e.g., filling only one ballast tank to tilt the cage toward that end).

[0056] In an optional embodiment, to increase aquaculture capacity, aquaculture cages can be composed of multiple cage frames 1 connected in series by hinges via connectors 4 (as shown in Figure 8). The ends of adjacent cage frames 1 are rotatably connected via connectors 4. The connector consists of a pair of flanges 28 and a rotating pin 29. The flanges 28 are rigidly fixed to the ends of the hub-shaped ring 5 of the cage frame 1 by bolts. The rotating pin 29 includes a central swing rod and fixed seats at both ends. The ends of the swing rod are rotatably connected to the fixed seats, and the fixed seats are welded to the flanges 28. This design allows adjacent cage frames 1 to rotate freely around the pin 29 within a certain angle, effectively buffering the impact of heave, roll, and other movements caused by waves, avoiding frame breakage caused by stress concentration in traditional rigid connections, and significantly improving the durability of the cages in complex sea conditions.

[0057] In an optional embodiment, the various components of the cage frame 1 are connected using a modular design to facilitate offshore installation and maintenance: the connection between the circular tube 6 and the hub-shaped ring 5 is achieved through a sealing flange 26. A flange is welded to the end of the circular tube 6, aligned with the flange 26 on the edge of the hub-shaped ring 5, and then fastened with high-strength bolts. The connection between the center pressure rod 7 and the hub-shaped ring 5 is transitioned through a shaft sleeve 27. The shaft sleeve 27 is made of polyhexamethylene adipamide (i.e., nylon 66), which is wear-resistant, corrosion-resistant, and self-lubricating. It has an interference fit with the center hole of the hub-shaped ring 5 (to ensure a secure fixation) and a clearance fit with the outer surface of the center pressure rod 7 (to reserve space for rotation). Rolling elements (balls or rollers) and a cage are installed in the gap to further reduce rotational friction and ensure smoother rotation of the hub-shaped ring 5 around the center pressure rod 7.

[0058] In order to enhance the bending resistance of the long span cage frame 1, at least one reinforcing ring 31 (such as Figure 11The reinforcing ring 31 can be connected to the circular tube 6 in a variety of ways: 1) The reinforcing ring 31 is provided with a plurality of axial through-holes or open slots 311, through which the circular tube 6 passes to connect with the reinforcing ring 31; 2) Each circular tube 6 is connected to the reinforcing ring 31 via an adapter frame. The adapter frame has through-holes or open slots for the circular tube 6 to pass through on one end and a clamp connected to the reinforcing ring 31 on the other end. The reinforcing ring 31 effectively disperses the impact force of the water flow on the circular tube 6, preventing the long-distance circular tube from bending and deforming due to excessive force in the middle, thereby ensuring the stability of the overall frame structure.

[0059] In an optional embodiment, to achieve efficient fish gathering (for catching or observing), the net 3 is provided with an opening 33 for personnel to enter and exit at the outer diameter of the hub-shaped ring or the cage frame 1. A movable net cover is provided at the opening 33. When it is necessary to enter the net, the movable net cover can be opened to enter the cage; at other times, a hook is used to ensure that the opening is closed. Figure 9-10 As shown, an inner partition net 30 is detachably connected to the inside of the net 3 , and the inner partition net 30 is a rectangular mesh radially arranged in the net box frame 1 .

[0060] The inner partition net 30 is made of high-strength nylon mesh. In the axial direction of the cage frame 1, the two ends of the inner partition net 30 are connected to the net 3 on the hub-shaped ring 5; in the radial direction of the cage frame 1, the outer edge of the inner partition net 30 is connected to the outer diameter of the net 3, and the inner edge of the inner partition net 30 is spaced apart from the center pressure rod 7, so that the net 3 and the inner partition net 30 can rotate relative to the stationary center pressure rod 7.

[0061] When it is necessary to gather fish, personnel enter the cage and install the inner partition net 30 in place, then withdraw from the cage and close the opening 33. First, adjust the second ballast tank 18 to make the cage float up, so that the waterline is just at the center pressure rod 7. At this time, the inner partition net 30 is just on the water surface (such as Figure 9 As the cage is driven counterclockwise by the fan annular ballast tank 14, the inner partition net 30 gradually compresses the fish's activity space, gathering the fish to a specific area (such as Figure 9 As shown in the right picture), the fish activity range is narrowed, the fish gathering efficiency is greatly improved, and the difficulty of fishing is reduced.

[0062] In an optional embodiment, the number of the fan-shaped ballast tanks 14 inside the hub-shaped ring 5 is set to 4, which are evenly distributed along the circumference (the angle between every two adjacent ballast tanks is 90 degrees, such as Figure 4This symmetrical distribution design allows for more precise rotation adjustment of the cage: for example, to achieve clockwise rotation, ballast tanks 1 and 3 are filled with water (increasing gravity) while tanks 2 and 4 are drained (reducing gravity), creating a clockwise torque on both sides of the ring. To achieve counterclockwise rotation, the reverse operation is performed. Independent control of the four ballast tanks ensures rotational stability while allowing for fine-tuning of rotation speed by adjusting the water level in each tank (e.g., a small amount of water in tank 1 alone allows for a small rotation angle).

[0063] In an optional embodiment, each set of secondary ballast tanks 18 within the central compression rod 7 consists of three to five interconnected sub-ballast tanks connected axially in series, with the volume of each sub-ballast tank increasing from the center toward the ends of the cage. This design has the advantage that filling the sub-ballast tanks near the ends has a greater impact on the cage's center of gravity, allowing for more precise depth and tilt angle adjustments. For example, for fine-tuning the depth, only the small sub-ballast tanks near the center are filled or drained; for larger tilt angle adjustments, the larger sub-ballast tanks at the ends are primarily controlled, improving adjustment efficiency while reducing energy consumption.

[0064] In an optional embodiment, the surface of the central pressure rod 7 is integrated with a variety of monitoring equipment: a multi-parameter sensor 23 (such as a temperature, salinity and depth sensor, a flow rate sensor, a light sensor, etc.) can collect environmental data such as seawater temperature, salinity, water flow rate, and light intensity in real time, and the data is transmitted to the shore control console via a wire to provide a basis for aquaculture management; the underwater high-definition camera 24 is used to shoot the growth status of fish inside the cage and the attachment status of the net 3. An electric scraper is installed on the outside of its viewfinder (set to automatically scrape once at a time), which can promptly remove attached microorganisms and shellfish to ensure shooting clarity.

[0065] A distribution box 25 is installed inside the central pressure rod 7. The distribution box 25 is connected to an offshore power supply device via a submarine cable. The offshore power supply device is an offshore wind-light-wave complementary power generation device 32 or an offshore wind farm. The offshore wind-light-wave complementary power generation device 32 includes a floating wind turbine, a photovoltaic panel and a wave energy power generation float. The cages can be arranged in an array for deep-sea aquaculture (such as Figure 13As shown), the offshore wind-light-wave complementary power generation device 32 is used to supply the electricity required for daily posture adjustment and feeding of the cages. The array layout of the cages can be adjusted according to actual conditions. The offshore wind-light-wave complementary power generation device 32 platform includes floating wind turbines and photovoltaic panels, and the lower floating body has a wave energy power generation float, which can absorb structural oscillations to generate electricity. The generated electricity is transmitted to each cage through a submarine cable. The offshore wind-light-wave complementary power generation device 32 is fixed with a four-point anchor chain, and each cage can be fixed with a two-point or four-point anchor chain. Similarly, the modular cage adopts a horizontal layout and can also be arranged on a large scale around the offshore wind farm, interspersed in the gaps between wind turbines, saving aquaculture area, and at the same time using wind farm electricity to reduce operation and maintenance costs, realizing "wind-light-fishery complementarity".

[0066] The above-mentioned aquaculture cage can realize horizontal posture and depth adjustment. The specific principles are as follows:

[0067] Circumferential rotation of the aquaculture cage: The first ballast water pump 13 fills and discharges water from the annular ballast tanks 14 in different sectors, leveraging the gravity differential within the tanks to generate asymmetric torques that drive the cage in circumferential rotation about the central pressure rod 7. This function is primarily used for net cleaning and fish gathering. During rotation, the net 3 is alternately exposed to air and seawater, using sunlight exposure and water flow to remove attached algae and shellfish, reducing manual cleaning costs.

[0068] Depth adjustment of the aquaculture cages: The second ballast water pump 17 simultaneously fills both second ballast tanks 18 with water (increasing the total weight of the cages), allowing the cages to sink to deeper waters; or simultaneously drains the water (reducing the total weight), allowing the cages to float to shallower waters. Depth adjustment can be used to adapt to the growth habits of different fish (for example, some fish prefer deep, cool water environments) or to lower the cages to deeper waters to avoid waves before a typhoon.

[0069] Tilt adjustment of the aquaculture cage: The second ballast water pump 17 fills only one of the second ballast tanks 18 (or drains only the other), creating a gravity difference at both ends of the cage, resulting in a tilt angle of 0-30°. This function facilitates even feed distribution during feeding (the tilted position allows for wider coverage after feed is ejected from the outlet) and also assists the inner screen 30 in effectively gathering fish.

[0070] The horizontal, posture-adjustable modular aquaculture cage and posture adjustment method have the following technical advantages:

[0071] 1) The posture adjustment function is comprehensive and flexible

[0072] 1.1 The fan-shaped ballast tank is filled and discharged to generate asymmetric torque, which enables the cage to rotate circumferentially around the central pressure rod. During the rotation, the net is cleaned by air exposure and water flushing, solving the problem of biological attachment. It is more reliable than airbag drive;

[0073] 1.2 With the help of the second ballast tank in the central pressure rod, the cage depth can be adjusted by simultaneous water injection / drainage to meet the water depth requirements of different fish species. The tilt angle can also be adjusted by unilateral water injection / drainage to achieve uniform feeding.

[0074] 1.3 The rotation and tilt functions combined with the inner partition net can compress the breeding space to achieve efficient fish gathering and reduce the difficulty of fishing.

[0075] 2) Modular structure design and easy maintenance

[0076] 2.1 The cage frame consists of a hub-shaped ring, a round tube, and a central pressure rod. The round tube and the hub-shaped ring are connected by sealing flange bolts, which facilitates rapid assembly and disassembly maintenance at sea;

[0077] 2.2 Multiple cage frames can be connected in series through connectors, and adjacent frames can rotate around the pins, alleviating the structural damage caused by heaving movement in wind and waves caused by traditional rigid connections, and improving wind and wave resistance;

[0078] 2.3 The center pressure rod is connected to the hub-shaped ring through a polyhexamethylene adipamide bushing, which cooperates with the rolling body to reduce friction, ensure smooth rotation and extend service life.

[0079] 3) Strong adaptability to space utilization and breeding

[0080] 3.1 The horizontal layout combined with the lifting function maximizes the volume of aquaculture water, breaking through the limitation of wasted upper space of traditional cages and meeting the needs of large-scale aquaculture in deep and deep seas;

[0081] 3.2 It can be arranged in a modular array and can be interspersed in the gaps between offshore wind farms, using wind farm electricity to reduce costs, achieve "wind-fishing complementarity", and improve sea area utilization efficiency.

[0082] 4) High degree of intelligence and automation

[0083] 4.1 The central pressure rod integrates multi-parameter sensors (monitoring water temperature, flow rate, etc.) and underwater high-definition cameras (with automatic scraper cleaning), which transmit data in real time to provide a basis for precise breeding;

[0084] 4.2 Equipped with feed delivery pipelines, storage bins and pneumatic feeding machines to achieve automatic feeding;

[0085] 4.3 Power supply through offshore wind-solar-wave complementary power generation devices or wind farms to ensure continuous operation of equipment and reduce dependence on traditional energy.

[0086] 5) Excellent structural stability and safety

[0087] 5.1 The cage frame is equipped with a reinforcing ring to fix the round tube to prevent the tube from bending and improve the overall strength;

[0088] 5.2 Anchor chains connect the seabed and the cage frame. The hinged structure of multiple frames connected in series can buffer the impact of wind and waves, ensure stability in complex sea conditions, and reduce the risk of farmed fish escaping.

[0089] The above describes the preferred embodiments of the present invention. It should be understood that the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned specific embodiments, and the devices and structures that are not described in detail should be understood to be implemented in a common manner in the art; any technician familiar with the art can use the above-mentioned disclosed methods and technical contents to make many possible changes and modifications to the technical solutions of the present invention without departing from the scope of the technical solutions of the present invention, or modify them into equivalent embodiments of equivalent changes, which does not affect the essential content of the present invention. Therefore, any simple modifications, equivalent changes and modifications made to the above embodiments based on the technical essence of the present invention that do not depart from the content of the technical solutions of the present invention are still within the scope of protection of the technical solutions of the present invention.

Claims

1. A horizontal, posture-adjustable modular aquaculture cage, characterized in that: It comprises a cage frame (1), an anchor chain (2), and a net (3), wherein the net (3) is sleeved on the outer surface of the cage frame (1), and the two ends of the anchor chain (2) are respectively connected to the cage frame (1) and the seabed; The cage frame (1) is composed of a hub-shaped circular ring (5), a circular tube (6) and a central pressure rod (7). The central pressure rod (7) is connected to the center of a pair of hub-shaped circular rings (5). The hub-shaped circular rings (5) rotate freely around the central pressure rod (7). The end of the central pressure rod (7) is connected to the anchor chain (2). A plurality of circular tubes (6) are connected along the circumferential direction between the edges of the hub-shaped circular rings (5); wherein, The outer ring of the hub-shaped circular ring (5) is a ballast tank ring (8), and a plurality of fan-shaped ballast tanks (14) are provided at different positions inside the ballast tank ring (8), each fan-shaped ballast tank (14) is provided with a first ballast tank water inlet (15) and a first ballast tank water outlet (16), and each fan-shaped ballast tank (14) is provided with a first ballast water pump (13). By changing the water injection of different fan-shaped ballast tanks (14), the aquaculture cage is rotated around the central pressure rod (7); Two sets of second ballast tanks (18) are symmetrically arranged near the two ends inside the central pressure rod (7), and each second ballast tank (18) is equipped with a second ballast water pump (17). Feed conveying pipelines (19), storage bins (20), and pneumatic feeding machines (21) connected in sequence are arranged inside the central pressure rod (7). The pneumatic feeding machine (21) is connected to a discharge port (22) arranged on the surface of the central pressure rod (7). By changing the water injection of different second ballast tanks (18), the depth and / or inclination angle of the aquaculture cage in the water can be changed.

2. The modular aquaculture cage according to claim 1, characterized in that: The aquaculture cage comprises a plurality of cage frames (1) which are hinged and connected in series. Adjacent cage frames (1) are rotatably connected via a connector (4). The connector (4) comprises a pair of flanges (28) and a rotating pin (29) connected between the pair of flanges (28). The flange (28) is fixedly connected to the end of the cage frame (1); the pin shaft (29) comprises a swing rod and a fixing seat; and both ends of the swing rod are rotatably connected to the flange (28) via the fixing seat.

3. The modular aquaculture cage according to claim 1, characterized in that: The circular tube (6) and the hub-shaped circular ring (5) are fixed by bolts via a sealing flange (26); the central pressure rod (7) and the hub-shaped circular ring (5) are connected via a shaft sleeve (27); and the shaft sleeve (27) and the hub-shaped circular ring (5) are in an interference fit, and in a clearance fit with the central pressure rod (7); The cage frame (1) further comprises at least one reinforcing ring (31) arranged between a pair of hub-shaped rings (5), and the reinforcing ring (31) is provided with a plurality of slots or through holes connected to the circular tubes (6).

4. The modular aquaculture cage according to claim 3, characterized in that: The material of the shaft sleeve (27) is polyhexamethylene adipamide, and a rolling body and a retaining frame are provided in the gap between the shaft sleeve (27) and the central pressure rod (7).

5. The modular aquaculture cage according to claim 1, characterized in that: The net (3) is provided with an opening, and an openable net cover is provided at the opening. A radially distributed inner partition net (30) is detachably installed inside the cylindrical net (3). In the axial direction of the cage frame (1), the front and rear sides of the inner partition net (30) are fixedly connected to the axial ends of the net (3). In the radial direction, the outer side of the inner spacer net (30) is connected to the outer diameter of the net (3), and the inner side is close to the central pressure rod (7) and has a distance from the central pressure rod (7).

6. The modular aquaculture cage according to claim 1, characterized in that: The number of the fan-shaped annular ballast tanks (14) is four, and they are circumferentially arranged within the hub-shaped circular ring (5).

7. The modular aquaculture cage according to claim 1, characterized in that: Each set of second ballast tanks (18) consists of a plurality of sub-ballast tanks connected in series axially, and the volume of each sub-ballast tank increases gradually in the direction close to the end of the aquaculture cage.

8. The modular aquaculture cage according to claim 1, characterized in that: The surface of the central pressure rod (7) is mounted with a multi-parameter sensor (23) and an underwater high-definition camera (24); A distribution box (25) is installed inside the central pressure rod (7), and the distribution box (25) is connected to an offshore power supply device via a submarine cable. The offshore power supply device is an offshore wind-light-wave complementary power generation device (32) or an offshore wind farm. The offshore wind-light-wave complementary power generation device (32) includes a floating wind turbine, a photovoltaic panel, and a wave energy power generation float.

9. A method for adjusting the horizontal posture of a modular aquaculture cage according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that: The method comprises: Circumferential rotation of the aquaculture cage: by generating asymmetric torque by filling and draining water in different annular ballast tanks (14), the aquaculture cage is caused to rotate circumferentially around the central pressure rod (7); Depth adjustment of the aquaculture cage: water is added or drained simultaneously to the two sets of second ballast tanks (18) to change the depth of the aquaculture cage; Adjustment of the tilting posture of the aquaculture cage: water is injected into or drained from one of the second ballast tanks (18) to change the tilting angle of the aquaculture cage.

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