Floating fish-light complementary system

Abstract

The application discloses a floating fish-light complementary system, which comprises a support unit, a photovoltaic assembly fixed on the support unit, a net cage, a net-retrieving assembly, and a sinker. The net cage comprises a floatable float located at the upper end of the net cage and connected with the support unit, a sinker located at the lower end of the net cage and extending around the central axis of the net cage, and a net cover covering at least the bottom and the side wall of the net cage. The net-retrieving assembly comprises a plurality of second pull ropes distributed along the circumferential direction of the net cage, the second pull ropes being connected with the sinker and a first rope-retrieving device arranged at the upper end of the net cage and capable of pulling the second pull ropes. The application provides a floating fish-light complementary system, which can culture aquatic products in the net cage and catch fish in the net cage, thereby reducing the fishing area and improving the fishing efficiency. Moreover, the net cage is retractable, which further reduces the workload of fishing operation and improves the fishing efficiency.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of solar-fishery complementary systems, specifically to a floating solar-fishery complementary system. Background Technology

[0002] Solar-aquaculture systems typically involve fixed support structures combined with pond aquaculture. This method requires driving stakes into the existing pond, resulting in waste, and it cannot be implemented in deep water. Furthermore, due to the fixed support structures, seine netting is not possible; only bait-based harvesting methods can be used, leading to low catch rates.

[0003] Cage aquaculture is a high-density aquaculture, which can easily lead to oxygen deficiency in the cages. In particular, under high-density aquaculture conditions, aerators are often needed to supply oxygen to the water in the cages.

[0004] Chinese invention patent CN113647351A discloses a floating solar-fishery complementary system and its fishing operation method. The solar-fishery complementary system can operate floatingly, but its operation is cumbersome and its structure is complex. The entire solar-fishery complementary system has no power system and requires a lot of manpower. Moreover, this method is a matrix square net cage, which requires the setting of many aquaculture net cages and fish-driving net cages, resulting in a lot of waste of netting.

[0005] Chinese utility model patent with announcement number CN215836560U discloses a net cage structure and a fishery-solar hybrid device. The device simplifies the harvesting and aquaculture operations by using cables and zippers to extend and retract movable components. However, the fishery-solar hybrid device requires a fixed support frame and zippers to be fixed around the fishpond, so it can only be used in small-scale fishponds.

[0006] Chinese invention patent CN112141282B discloses a refillable float and a solar-fishery hybrid system. It uses a cylindrical net cage, which, compared to rectangular or square net cages of the same surface area, has a larger volume, thus saving on netting. This solar-fishery hybrid system fills the floating body with liquid and / or gas, allowing it to float on the water like a "roly-poly toy," providing buoyancy for the entire system and lowering its center of gravity. However, the support structure used in this system is fixed, preventing the angle between the photovoltaic system and the water surface from changing according to the sun's altitude. Furthermore, the system lacks both an oxygenation device and an energy storage device.

[0007] Since solar-aquaculture systems operate on water, their resistance to wind and waves needs to be considered. However, most current solar-aquaculture systems suffer from a high center of gravity and poor wind and wave resistance. Summary of the Invention

[0008] The purpose of this invention is to provide a floating solar-fishery complementary system that can automatically retrieve and deploy net cages, simplifying the salvage operation and saving manpower.

[0009] To achieve the above-mentioned objectives, the technical solution adopted by this invention is: a floating solar-fishery complementary system, comprising: a support unit; photovoltaic modules fixed on the support unit; a net cage, including a floatable buoy located at the upper end of the net cage, connected to and surrounding the support unit, a sinker at the lower end of the net cage extending around the central axis of the net cage, and a net covering at least the bottom and sides of the net cage; and a net-hauling assembly, comprising multiple second cables evenly distributed along the circumference of the net cage, the second cables connecting the sinker and a first rope-hauling device located at the upper end of the net cage capable of pulling the second cables.

[0010] In some embodiments, the lower end of the second cable is fixedly connected to a sinker, extends upward along the axial direction of the net cage, and is connected to a first rope winding device located at the upper end of the net cage.

[0011] In some embodiments, each second cable corresponds to a first winding device, which includes a traction sheave and a motor that drives the traction sheave to rotate, with the second cable wound around the traction sheave.

[0012] In some embodiments, it also includes a central component disposed on the central axis of the sinker and a plurality of first cables evenly arranged in the circumferential direction of the net cage; one end of each first cable is fixedly connected to the sinker and extends from below the netting at the bottom of the net cage to the central component, and extends upward to the upper end of the net cage after passing through the central component.

[0013] In some embodiments, the float has a central float that can float, and a second rope winding device is provided on the central float. The second rope winding device includes an electrically driven traction sheave, and a first cable is wound around the electrically driven traction sheave.

[0014] In some implementations, the float is connected to a rigid support.

[0015] In some implementations, the float is an air film, an air bladder, or a buoyancy tube.

[0016] In some implementations, the support unit includes multiple inflatable airbags extending within the area enclosed by floats. The photovoltaic module is laid on the support unit, with one end connected to one of the airbags and the other end connected to an adjacent airbag.

[0017] In some implementations, the support unit has several cables that cross and connect to the airbag below it.

[0018] In some embodiments, an air supply system is also included, which includes an air compressor and an air tank connected to an air bag via an air duct; the air tank is also connected to an aerator installed underwater via an air duct.

[0019] In some embodiments, an energy storage system for storing the power output from the photovoltaic modules is also included at the top of the cage, and the energy storage system supplies power to the first rope winding device.

[0020] In some implementations, the floating solar-fishery hybrid system also includes an anchoring system comprising an anchor chain positioned below the fish cage.

[0021] Due to the application of the above-mentioned technical solution, the present invention has the following advantages compared with the prior art:

[0022] 1. Aquatic products are cultured in net cages and harvested from within the cages, which reduces the harvesting area and increases harvesting efficiency;

[0023] 2. The net cages are retractable, which further reduces the workload of fishing operations and improves fishing efficiency;

[0024] 3. The support unit is composed of air bladders. In the two air bladders supporting the photovoltaic module, the air bladder closer to the sun is filled with a small amount of air, while the air bladder farther from the sun is filled with more air. This allows the photovoltaic module to tilt towards the sun to receive more sunlight. Moreover, the tilt angle of the photovoltaic module can be adjusted by adjusting the relative inflation amount of the two air bladders. Attached Figure Description

[0025] Figure 1 This shows a schematic diagram of the structure of a floating solar-aquaculture system according to one embodiment of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 2 This shows a schematic diagram of the floating solar-aquaculture system during net retrieval according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0027] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the structure of a floating solar-aquaculture system according to another embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0028] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the structure of a floating solar-aquaculture complementary system according to another embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0029] Symbol explanation:

[0030] 1. Net cage; 11. Float; 12. Sinker; 2. Net hauling assembly; 21. First cable; 22. Second cable; 23. Central component; 24. Central float; 3. Support unit; 4. Photovoltaic module; 5. Cable; 6. Anchor chain. Detailed Implementation

[0031] To better understand the above-mentioned objectives, features, and advantages of the present invention, the present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. These drawings are simplified schematic diagrams, which only illustrate the basic structure of the present invention in a schematic manner. Therefore, they only show the components related to the present invention. It should be noted that, unless otherwise specified, the embodiments and features in the embodiments of this application can be combined with each other.

[0032] Many specific details are set forth in the following description in order to provide a full understanding of the invention. However, the invention may also be practiced in other ways different from those described herein. Therefore, the scope of protection of the invention is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed below.

[0033] Figure 1 and Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the structure of a floating solar-aquaculture complementary system according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0034] Reference Figure 1 and Figure 2 The floating solar-aquaculture hybrid system includes a net cage 1, a net-collecting assembly 2, a support unit 3, and a photovoltaic module 4.

[0035] The net cage 1 can float on the water surface and is surrounded by a net submerged underwater to form a breeding space that prevents aquatic products from escaping. The support unit 3 floats on top of the net cage 1, and the photovoltaic module 4 is installed on the support unit 3.

[0036] In one embodiment, the net cage 1 includes a float 11, a sinker 12, and a net. The float 11 is located at the upper end of the net cage 1, extends around and connects to the support unit 3. The sinker 12 is located at the lower end of the net cage 1, extending around the central axis of the net cage 1. The net covers at least the bottom and sides of the net cage 1 to enclose and form the aquaculture space. The float 11 and the sinker 12 constitute the frame of the net cage 1, supporting the net to allow it to fully unfold.

[0037] The float 11 and sinker 12 are closed shapes that extend continuously around the central axis. For example, the float 11 and sinker 12 can be circular, square, regular hexagonal or equilateral triangle, etc.

[0038] The float 11 can be made of a lightweight material that floats on water; for example, the float 11 can be an inflatable membrane, an inflatable airbag, or a buoyancy tube. The inflatable membrane or airbag can have an outer layer woven from a high-strength, flexible fiber material to improve its strength. The buoyancy tube can be formed by welding together many sections of blow-molded polyethylene pipe.

[0039] To enhance the overall resistance to deformation of the float 11, in one embodiment, the float 11 may be connected to a rigid support. The rigid support is made of metal and has a shape substantially the same as the float 11, extending around the support unit 3. For example, the rigid support may be annular, square, regular hexagonal, or equilateral triangular.

[0040] The sinker 12 can be made of materials such as metal or non-metal. The sinker 12 has sufficient weight to sink underwater, straighten and unfold the net, and at the same time, the sinker 12 can lower the center of gravity of the floating solar-fishery system and prevent the solar-fishery system from capsizing.

[0041] Netting is laid on the side walls between the float 11 and the sinker 12, as well as within the area enclosed by the sinker 12. The netting has fine mesh that fish and shrimp cannot pass through, thus confining aquatic organisms such as fish, shrimp, and crabs within the net cage 1. The netting can be made of polymer materials such as polyethylene, nylon, or aramid.

[0042] The size of the net cage 1 disclosed herein can be designed according to the user's aquaculture scale and water area. Specifically, when in a small fishpond with a relatively small aquaculture scale, a small net cage 1 can be customized; when in a large fish farm with a large aquaculture scale, a large net cage 1 can be customized.

[0043] The net-hauling assembly 2 may include multiple second cables 22 evenly distributed along the circumference of the net cage 1. The second cables 22 connect the sinker 12 and a first rope-hauling device located at the upper end of the net cage 1, which can pull the second cables 22. When the first rope-hauling device pulls the second cables 22, it can raise the sinker 12, causing the net cage 1 to close up and become shallower, making it easier for fishermen to catch mature fish and shrimp in the net cage 1 during the harvest season.

[0044] In one embodiment, the lower end of the second cable 22 is fixedly connected to the sinker 12, extends upward along the axial direction of the net cage 1, and is connected to the first rope winding device located at the upper end of the net cage 1. The second cable 22 needs to suspend the sinker 12, which has a relatively large weight, so the second cable 22 needs to have sufficient tensile strength. Preferably, the second cable 22 is a wire rope or crane rope, etc.

[0045] In one embodiment, the upper end of the second cable 22 is directly connected to the first rope-retracting device. In another embodiment, the upper end of the net cage 1 may also be provided with a guide pulley, and the second cable passes around the guide pulley before connecting to the first rope-retracting device.

[0046] In one embodiment, the first rope-recruiting device can be mounted on a rigid support, providing stable support during operation. In another embodiment, a guide pulley can also be mounted on the rigid support. Of course, in other embodiments, the first rope-recruiting device can also be mounted on a separate, stable floating platform.

[0047] In one embodiment, each second cable 22 corresponds to a first rope-retracting device. The first rope-retracting device includes a traction sheave and a motor that drives the traction sheave to rotate. The second cable 22 is wound around the traction sheave. By rotating the motor forward and backward, the second cable 22 can be pulled and released, realizing the retrieval and deployment of the net cage 1. The motor can be equipped with a reducer to increase the torque pulling the second cable 22. During net retrieval, each first rope-retracting device can be activated sequentially. For example, assuming the second cable 22 is 10m long, when retrieval is needed, first, the first rope-retracting device numbered 1 raises its corresponding second cable 22 by 0.5m; then, the first rope-retracting device numbered 2 is activated, raising its corresponding second cable 22 by 0.5m; then, the other second cables 22 are raised by 0.5m each in sequence, thus raising the entire sinker by 0.5m. The above steps are repeated until the net cage retracts to the predetermined position.

[0048] In one embodiment, the solar-fishery complementary system further includes a central component 23 disposed on the central axis of the sinker 12 and multiple first cables 21 evenly arranged in the circumferential direction of the net cage 1. Each first cable 21 is fixedly connected to the sinker 12 at one end and extends from below the netting at the bottom of the net cage 1 to the central component 23, movably passing through the central component 23 and extending upward to the upper end of the net cage 1. The central component 23 is provided with through holes or fixed pulleys along the circumferential direction, and each first cable 21 passes through a through hole or fixed pulley, allowing the central component 23 to slide freely on the first cables 21. When the net cage 1 is unfolded, the length of the first cables 21 is fully released, and the bottom netting is not constrained by the first cables 21 and can be laid flat. When the second cable 22 is pulled to fully close the net cage 1, the first cables 21 can be retracted, causing the section of the first cable 21 located below the bottom netting to support the bottom netting, resulting in the bottom netting being higher in the middle and lower around the edges, thereby causing fish and shrimp to concentrate at the edge of the bottom netting for easy harvesting. If the first cable 21 does not support the net from the bottom, even if the sinker 12 is raised to contact the float 11, the center of the bottom net will still be some distance from the water surface, causing the fish to stay in the center of the bottom net, making fishing inconvenient.

[0049] The first cable 21 primarily tightens the bottom mesh, thus allowing it to have lower strength than the second cable 22. In one embodiment, the first cable 21 can be made of materials such as polyethylene, nylon, aramid, steel wire rope, or composite materials.

[0050] In one embodiment, the float 11 has a central float 24 that can float, and a second rope-retracting device is provided on the central float 24. The second rope-retracting device includes an electrically driven traction sheave, and a first cable 21 is wound around the electrically driven traction sheave. The second rope-retracting device is used to pull the first cable 21 to tighten the net. Its load is relatively small, and it can connect the central float 24 to the float 11 or a rigid support or a nearby support unit 3 to prevent the central float 24 from drifting excessively.

[0051] In one embodiment, the support unit 3 includes multiple inflatable airbags extending within the area enclosed by the floats 11, with each photovoltaic module mounted on at least two adjacent airbags. The airbags extend laterally within the area enclosed by the floats 11, arranged parallel to each other at intervals, and their ends are connected to the floats 11 by, for example, mechanical or welded connections. Each airbag is equipped with an electrically controllable inflation / deflation valve. The airbags expand when inflated and contract when deflated. The airbags can also float on water, providing buoyancy for the solar-aquaculture hybrid system. The photovoltaic modules are mounted on the airbags; for example, the photovoltaic modules are crystalline silicon photovoltaic modules with frames and encapsulating glass, and a flexible strip of a certain strength is integrated into the airbag, with connecting parts at the ends of the flexible strip coupled to the frame of the photovoltaic module; or the photovoltaic modules are flexible lightweight modules bonded to the airbags. Since the support unit is composed of air bladders, the air bladders that support the photovoltaic modules are filled with a small amount of air closer to the sun and a larger amount of air farther from the sun. This allows the photovoltaic modules to tilt towards the sun to receive more sunlight. Moreover, the tilt angle of the photovoltaic modules can be adjusted by adjusting the relative inflation amount of the two air bladders.

[0052] In one embodiment, a plurality of cables 5 are provided below the support unit 3, intersecting and connecting to the airbags of the support unit 3. The two ends of the cables 5 can be connected to floats 11 or to a rigid support. Optionally, the airbags can be mechanically or welded to the cables 5. The cables 5 can control the spacing between the airbags.

[0053] In one embodiment, reference is made to Figure 3 Cable 5 is positioned above the airbag of support unit 3, and photovoltaic module 4 is mounted on cable 5. In this embodiment, cable 5 supports photovoltaic module 4, and the airbag mainly serves to increase the buoyancy of the system. The tilt angle of photovoltaic module 4 cannot be changed by adjusting the inflation amount of the airbag.

[0054] In one embodiment, an air supply system is also included, comprising an air compressor and an air storage tank. The air storage tank is connected to the air bladder of the support unit 3 via an air guide pipe. The air storage tank is also connected to an aerator installed underwater via an air guide pipe. The air compressor generates compressed air which enters the air storage tank. As needed, the air bladder of the support unit 3 can be selectively inflated, or air can be supplied to the aerator to oxygenate the water. In embodiments where the float 11 is a film-type or air bladder-type float, if insufficient internal pressure is detected by, for example, a pressure gauge, the float 11 can be inflated via the air supply system to supplement the air pressure.

[0055] In one embodiment, the solar-aquaculture hybrid system also includes an inverter, which connects the electricity generated by the photovoltaic module 4 to the grid via the inverter and cables. The electricity generated by the photovoltaic module 4 can be sold to the grid to generate revenue.

[0056] In one embodiment, the solar-aquaculture hybrid system also includes an energy storage system for storing the electricity output from the photovoltaic modules. The stored electricity can power all electrical devices on the solar-aquaculture hybrid system, including but not limited to the motor of the first rope-rearing device, air compressor, inflation / deflation control valve, the motor of the second rope-rearing device, lighting, monitoring, and related sensors. The energy storage system can be installed on a separate floating platform, or sealed underwater to lower the overall system's center of gravity, or installed on land, but this requires additional cabling. The energy storage system can include energy storage batteries such as lead-acid batteries, lithium batteries, sodium batteries, and flow batteries. Other energy storage methods can also be used, such as pumped hydro storage, gravity storage, and thermal energy storage. Preferably, the energy storage system is flow energy storage, and the flow energy storage tank can be submerged in the net cage. Due to the presence of the energy storage system, the air supply system can operate continuously, allowing for 24-hour uninterrupted inflation of the air-supported membrane or oxygen supply to the net cages of the floating solar-aquaculture hybrid system.

[0057] In one embodiment, a control cabinet is also included. The control cabinet allows operation of electrical devices on the solar-fishery hybrid system, including but not limited to the motor of the first retrieval device, air compressor, inflation / deflation control valve, the motor of the second retrieval device, lighting, monitoring cameras, and related sensors. The control cabinet can be located on land or on a separate floating platform easily accessible from the fishing vessel.

[0058] In one embodiment, the floating solar-fishery hybrid system further includes an anchoring system comprising an anchor chain 6 disposed below the net cage 1. The anchoring system is secured to prevent excessive drifting.

[0059] The floating solar-aquaculture hybrid system disclosed herein has the following advantages:

[0060] (1) Aquatic products are cultured in net cages and harvested in net cages, which reduces the harvesting area and improves the harvesting efficiency;

[0061] (2) The net cages are retractable, which further reduces the workload of fishing operations and improves fishing efficiency;

[0062] (3) The support unit is composed of air bladders. In the two air bladders supporting the photovoltaic module, the air bladder closer to the sun is filled with a small amount of air, while the air bladder farther from the sun is filled with more air. This allows the photovoltaic module to tilt towards the sun to receive more sunlight. Moreover, the tilt angle of the photovoltaic module can be adjusted by adjusting the relative amount of air filling in the two air bladders, thereby improving the power generation efficiency of the photovoltaic module.

[0063] (4) The air bladders of the support unit can be inflated at any time through the air supply system, and the tilt angle of the photovoltaic module can be adjusted in real time according to the angle of sunlight throughout the day;

[0064] (5) Through the system's electrical energy and air supply system, the net cages can be aerated and oxygenated to improve the quality and yield of fish and shrimp;

[0065] (6) The floating solar-fishery complementary system of the present invention is fixed in a certain area by an anchoring system, so that the floating solar-fishery complementary system is suitable for aquaculture in small fish ponds as well as aquaculture in large fish farms or sea areas.

[0066] In the description of this application, it should be noted that, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "linking" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to fixed connections, detachable connections, or integral connections; they can refer to mechanical connections or electrical connections; they can refer to direct connections or indirect connections through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal communication between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application based on the specific circumstances.

[0067] The above description of the disclosed embodiments enables those skilled in the art to make or use the invention. Various modifications to the above embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein may be implemented in other embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Therefore, the invention is not to be limited to the embodiments shown herein, but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A floating solar-aquaculture hybrid system, characterized in that, include: Support unit (3); Photovoltaic module (4) is fixed on the support unit (3); The net cage (1) includes a float (11) located at the upper end of the net cage (1), connected to and surrounding the support unit (3), a sinker (12) at the lower end of the net cage (1) extending around the central axis of the net cage (1), and a net covering at least the bottom and sides of the net cage (1). The float (11) and the sinker (12) constitute the frame of the net cage (1). The net covering is opened to fully unfold it. The float (11) and the sinker (12) are closed shapes that extend continuously around the central axis. The float (11) is made of a light-density material that can float on water. The sinker (12) is made of metal or non-metal material. The sinker (12) has sufficient weight to sink underwater. The net-collecting assembly (2) includes multiple second cables (22) evenly distributed along the circumference of the net box (1). The second cables (22) are connected to the sinker (12) and a first rope-collecting device located at the upper end of the net box (1) that can pull the second cables (22). The central component (23) is disposed on the central axis of the sinker (12); and, Multiple first cables (21) are evenly arranged in the circumferential direction of the net box (1). One end of each first cable (21) is fixedly connected to the sinker (12) and extends from below the net at the bottom of the net box (1) to the central component (23). After passing through the central component (23), it extends upward to the upper end of the net box (1). The center of the float (11) is provided with a floating central float (24). The central float (24) is provided with a second rope winding device. The second rope winding device includes an electrically driven traction wheel. The first cables (21) are wound around the electrically driven traction wheel.

2. The floating solar-aquaculture hybrid system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The lower end of the second cable (22) is fixedly connected to the sinker (12), extends upward along the axial direction of the net box (1), and is connected to the first rope winding device located at the upper end of the net box (1).

3. The floating solar-aquaculture complementary system according to claim 2, characterized in that, Each of the second cables (22) corresponds to one of the first cable winding devices, the first cable winding device including a traction wheel and a motor that drives the traction wheel to rotate, and the second cable (22) is wound around the traction wheel.

4. The floating solar-aquaculture complementary system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The float (11) is connected to a rigid support.

5. The floating solar-aquaculture complementary system as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The float (11) is an air film, an air bladder or a buoyancy tube.

6. The floating solar-aquaculture complementary system as described in any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, The support unit (3) includes multiple inflatable airbags extending within the area enclosed by the float (11). The photovoltaic module (4) is laid on the support unit (3), with one end connected to one of the airbags and the other end connected to an adjacent airbag.

7. The floating solar-aquaculture complementary system according to claim 6, characterized in that, The support unit (3) is provided with several cables (5) that cross the airbag and are connected to the airbag.

8. The floating solar-aquaculture complementary system according to claim 7, characterized in that, It also includes an air supply system, which includes an air compressor and an air tank, the air tank being connected to the air bag via an air pipe; the air tank is also connected to an aerator installed underwater via an air pipe.

9. The floating solar-aquaculture complementary system according to claim 7, characterized in that, It also includes an energy storage system for storing the power output from the photovoltaic module (4).

10. The floating solar-aquaculture complementary system as described in any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, The floating solar-fishery system also includes an anchoring system, which includes an anchor chain (6) located below the cage (1).

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