Self-propelled fishery breeding platform with variable breeding water body capacity

Abstract

The invention relates to the technical field of ocean engineering, and discloses a self-propelled fishery breeding platform with variable aquaculture water volume, which comprises a single-point mooring system (9), a ship-shaped main body structure of the self-propelled fishery breeding platform is a double-bottom double-side structure, and a plurality of groups of aquaculture net cages (2) with variable water volume are symmetrically arranged on the left side and the right side of the self-propelled fishery breeding platform; the scissor type arm-extending buoyancy tanks (3) rotationally connected with the main ship body support the fishing net trusses (4) to form the outer side boundary of the culture net cage (2); a single-point mooring system (9) is arranged at the head of the platform, and a fishery catch cold storage area (6), a living area (7) and a propelling system (8) are arranged at the tail of the platform. The scissor-type arm-extending buoyancy tanks are arranged in the breeding net cage areas on the two sides of the platform main hull and connected with the fishing net trusses, when the scissor-type arm-extending buoyancy tanks are opened, the fishing net trusses are driven to extend out of the two sides of the platform main hull together with flexible fishing nets at the bottom, the water volume of the breeding net cages is enlarged, and the breeding capacity of fishery products is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of marine engineering technology, specifically to a self-propelled aquaculture platform with variable aquaculture water volume. Background Technology

[0002] With the rapid expansion of my country's marine aquaculture scale and the rapid increase in demand for high-quality marine fishery products, the trend of upgrading existing near-shore aquaculture equipment is becoming increasingly apparent, and the need for the design and development of large-scale deep-sea aquaculture platforms is becoming increasingly urgent. Simultaneously, with the improvement of economic levels, market demand for marine aquatic products is gradually shifting from low- to medium-value-added near-shore primary aquatic products to high-value-added deep-sea processed products. In this process, the quality management, disease control, on-site harvesting and processing, and cold chain logistics of fishery products are rapidly increasing the costs and risks of offshore aquaculture operations. The economic efficiency and safety of small and medium-sized cages are insufficient to meet market demands. Currently, most near-shore aquaculture equipment consists of small and medium-sized fixed cages or enclosures, which suffer from limited water volume per unit, limited output per cage within a single aquaculture cycle, and the potential for near-shore water pollution due to densely packed multiple cages in shallow water areas, leading to the deterioration of the near-shore marine environment. Furthermore, low dissolved oxygen levels in shallow water areas make them susceptible to diseases, and they have poor resistance to typhoons and severe weather disasters. On the other hand, deep-sea fish species with high market demand and high economic value require migration to different water depths, salinities, and temperatures during their growth cycle to ensure and improve the quality of the catch. Traditional near-shore fixed cages cannot meet the production needs of migratory aquaculture and off-site breeding of these deep-sea fish species. Relying on transport vessels for fishing and transportation would greatly increase production costs and easily lead to fish losses. The existence of these problems has resulted in the current production capacity and supply of deep-sea fishery products failing to meet market demand.

[0003] The relevant reference CN111820164A discloses an intelligent new energy marine ranching-type deep-sea aquaculture complex, in which several modular aquaculture units are arranged around a first floating central service platform. Each modular aquaculture unit includes aquaculture cages, a second floating central service platform, and a rigid rocker arm. The lower buoyancy structures of both the first and second floating central service platforms are modularly stacked from main buoyancy modules, while the upper platform structure provides storage space for the platform's workload. The cage frame is a space truss structure, solving the problem of efficiency. However, it cannot navigate autonomously like a conventional ship.

[0004] Therefore, a new technical solution is needed to solve the above-mentioned technical problems. Summary of the Invention

[0005] To address the aforementioned problems, this invention provides a self-propelled aquaculture platform with variable water volume. Variable-capacity aquaculture cages arranged within the platform's hull unfold when the platform is anchored, expanding the water volume for aquaculture. When relocation, cruising, seeking shelter from wind and typhoons, or returning to port to unload catches are required, the aquaculture cages are folded to reduce their water volume, restoring the platform's shape to that of a regular ship.

[0006] The technical solution of this invention is a self-propelled aquaculture platform with variable water volume, including a single-point mooring system. The main structure of the self-propelled aquaculture platform is a double-bottom, double-hull structure. Multiple sets of aquaculture cages with variable water volume are symmetrically arranged on both sides. Scissor-type pontoon buoys, which are rotatably connected to the main hull, support the fishing net trusses to form the outer boundary of the aquaculture cages. The single-point mooring system is set at the bow of the platform, and the stern is set with a fish catch cold storage area, a living area, and a propulsion system. By opening the scissor-shaped pontoons arranged on both sides of the floating body of the ship-shaped platform, the fishing net truss can be extended beyond the side of the platform hull, increasing the water volume of the aquaculture cages. During cruising, the scissor-shaped pontoons on both sides of the floating body of the ship-shaped platform will fold inward and retract, bringing the fishing net truss back within the side of the platform hull, reducing the water volume of the aquaculture cages. This allows the platform to change the internal water volume of the aquaculture cages, ensuring the normal growth of fishery products in the aquaculture cages at different stages of cruising and berthing.

[0007] Preferably, the scissor-arm pontoon mainly consists of an upper buoyancy chamber to provide buoyancy and increase stability for the platform, a lower support chamber to support the fishing net truss, and a rotating shaft mechanism; the rotating shaft mechanism is driven by a drive motor. One end of the scissor-arm pontoon is connected to the main hull via the rotating shaft mechanism, and the middle of the scissor-arm pontoon also rotates via the rotating shaft mechanism; the scissor-arm pontoon has two upper buoyancy chambers and two lower support chambers symmetrically arranged around the rotating shaft mechanism; the upper buoyancy chambers and the lower support chambers 32 are connected by columns, and the fishing net truss is installed between the columns. The two rotatably connected parts of the scissor-arm pontoon are connected by the rotating shaft mechanism.

[0008] Preferably, fishing nets are installed on the fishing net truss.

[0009] Preferably, the ends of the two scissor-arm pontoons are connected together with a fishing net. When the scissor-arm pontoons are rotated open, the fishing net unfolds from its folded state and connects the ends of the two scissor-arm pontoons, forming the outer boundary of the aquaculture cage after the water volume is expanded, preventing the aquaculture products raised in the cage from escaping or being attacked by marine organisms.

[0010] Preferably, a fishing net is also installed between the lower support compartments of the two scissor-arm pontoons. When the two scissor-arm pontoons are deployed, the horizontal fishing net between the lower support compartments forms the lower boundary of the aquaculture cage after the water volume is expanded, preventing fishery products in the aquaculture cage from escaping or being attacked by marine organisms.

[0011] Preferably, the cold storage area for the catch is located behind the aquaculture cages. Once the fish products have matured, the water volume of the aquaculture cages is reduced by retracting the scissor-arm pontoons and the attached fishing nets, facilitating rapid harvesting, direct processing, and cold storage of the catch. The living area is located behind the cold storage area.

[0012] Preferably, the mooring radius of the single-point mooring system is 790-810 meters, which meets the requirements for effective mooring of self-propelled aquaculture platforms under various water depth conditions.

[0013] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows: 1. The aquaculture cage area on both sides of the main hull of the platform of the present invention is provided with scissor-type extended arm pontoons, which are connected to the fishing net truss. When the scissor-type extended arm pontoons are opened, they drive the fishing net truss together with the flexible fishing net at the bottom to be suspended and extended to both sides of the main hull of the platform, thereby expanding the water volume of the aquaculture cage and increasing the aquaculture capacity of fishery products.

[0014] 2. The scissor-type extended arm pontoon of the side aquaculture cage area of ​​the present invention, together with the fishing net truss, can be driven to retract to the inside of the ship body by a pivot mechanism, and together with the flexible fishing net at the bottom, form an aquaculture cage inside the main hull, which facilitates the harvesting of fish and the cleaning of nets.

[0015] 3. After the scissor-arm pontoon of the present invention is retracted into the main hull, the platform can navigate autonomously like an ordinary ship, carrying out operations such as relocating fishing grounds, avoiding typhoons, or returning to port to unload fish products without the assistance of tugboats or refrigerated ships. This allows the platform to freely relocate fishing grounds based on factors such as the distribution of fishery resources and weather conditions, and to find more suitable aquaculture areas. In the event of severe weather such as typhoons, it can return to port in a timely manner to avoid the storm, ensuring the safety of the platform and aquaculture organisms. At the same time, it also facilitates the transportation of fish products back to port for unloading, improving logistics efficiency. Attached Figure Description

[0016] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall invention.

[0017] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the scissor-type boom pontoon structure of the present invention.

[0018] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the unfolding process of the scissor-type boom pontoon of the present invention, together with the fishing net truss and the bottom fishing net.

[0019] Figure 4This is a schematic diagram of the navigation state of the scissor-type boom pontoon of the present invention after being retrieved along with the fishing net truss and the bottom fishing net.

[0020] Drawing numbers: 1. Main hull, 2. Aquaculture cage, 3. Scissor-type pontoon, 4. Fishing net truss, 5. Fishing net, 6. Fish catch cold storage area, 7. Living area, 8. Propulsion system, 9. Single-point mooring system, 10. Rotating shaft mechanism, 31. Upper buoyancy chamber, 32. Lower support chamber, 33. Column. Detailed Implementation

[0021] like Figure 1 As shown, a self-propelled aquaculture platform with variable water volume includes a single-point mooring system 9. The main structure of the self-propelled aquaculture platform is a double-bottom, double-hull structure. Multiple sets of aquaculture cages 2 with variable water volume are symmetrically arranged on both sides. Scissor-type pontoon buoys 3, which are rotatably connected to the main hull via a pivot mechanism 10, support the fishing net trusses 4, forming the outer boundary of the aquaculture cages 2. The single-point mooring system 9 is set at the bow of the platform, and the stern is set with a fish catch cold storage area 6, a living area 7, and a propulsion system 8.

[0022] By opening the scissor-shaped pontoons 3 arranged on both sides of the floating body of the ship-shaped platform, the fishing net truss 4 can be extended beyond the side of the platform hull, increasing the water volume of the aquaculture cage 2. During the cruise, the scissor-shaped pontoons 3 on both sides of the floating body of the ship-shaped platform will fold inward and retract, bringing the fishing net truss 4 back to within the side of the platform hull, reducing the water volume of the aquaculture cage 2. This allows the platform to change the internal water volume of the aquaculture cage 2, ensuring the normal growth of fishery products in the aquaculture cage 2 during different stages of cruise and berthing.

[0023] The aquaculture cage 2 is located inside the main hull 1. Multiple cages of the aquaculture cage 2 are arranged symmetrically on both sides of the main hull. On the sides of the main hull 1, scissor-arm pontoons 3, along with fishing net trusses 4 and fishing nets 5 connecting the fore and aft scissor-arm pontoons 3, form the outer boundary of the aquaculture cage 2, extending the water volume of the aquaculture cage 2 from inside the main hull 1 to beyond the side boundary. Scissor-arm pontoons 3 are installed on both sides of the main hull of this application's platform in the aquaculture cage 2 area, connected to the fishing net trusses 4. When the scissor-arm pontoons 3 are opened, they cause the fishing net trusses 4, along with the flexible fishing net 5 at the bottom, to extend outwards from both sides of the main hull, expanding the water volume of the aquaculture cage 2 and increasing the capacity for aquaculture products. The scissor-arm pontoons 3 and fishing net trusses 4 in the side aquaculture cage 2 area can be driven back into the hull by a pivot mechanism 10, forming the aquaculture cage 2 inside the main hull along with the flexible fishing net 5, facilitating catch harvesting and net cleaning.

[0024] like Figure 2As shown, the scissor-arm pontoon 3 mainly consists of an upper buoyancy chamber 31 that provides buoyancy to the platform and increases stability, a lower support chamber 32 that provides support for the fishing net truss 4, and a pivot mechanism 10. One end of the scissor-arm pontoon 3 is connected to the main hull via the pivot mechanism 10, and the middle part of the scissor-arm pontoon 3 also rotates via the pivot mechanism 10. The pontoon is symmetrically arranged with two upper buoyancy chambers 31 and two lower support chambers 32 around the pivot mechanism 10; the upper buoyancy chambers 31 and the lower support chambers 32 are connected by columns 33, and the fishing net truss 4 is installed between the columns 33. The two rotatably connected parts of the scissor-arm pontoon 3 are connected by the pivot mechanism 10. When the platform is anchored, the scissor-arm pontoon 3 is deployed vertically to the centerline of the main hull by the rotating shaft mechanism 10 driven by the drive motor. When the platform is cruising, the scissor-arm pontoon 3 is retracted to the side area by the rotating shaft mechanism 10 driven by the drive motor, and then retracted to be parallel to the centerline of the main hull. After the scissor-arm pontoon 3 is retracted into the main hull, the platform can navigate autonomously like an ordinary vessel, performing operations such as relocating fishing grounds, avoiding typhoons, or returning to port to unload fish products without the assistance of tugboats or refrigerated vessels. This allows the platform to freely relocate fishing grounds based on factors such as the distribution of fishery resources and weather conditions, finding more suitable aquaculture areas. In the event of severe weather such as typhoons, it can return to port in a timely manner to avoid the storm, ensuring the safety of the platform and aquaculture organisms. At the same time, it also facilitates the transportation and unloading of fish products back to port, improving logistics efficiency.

[0025] Between the upper buoyancy chamber 31 and the lower support chamber 32 of the scissor-arm pontoon 3, a fishing net truss 4 is installed, and a fishing net 5 is mounted on the fishing net truss 4. When the fishing net truss 4 rotates and opens along with the scissor-arm pontoon 3, the fishing net 5 in the area of ​​the fishing net truss 4 forms the outer boundary of the expanded water body of the aquaculture cage 2, preventing the fishery products cultivated in the aquaculture cage 2 from escaping or being attacked by marine organisms. When the scissor-arm pontoon 3 is folded and retracted to the side of the platform hull, the fishing net truss 4 folds and retracts along with the scissor-arm pontoon 3, reducing the water volume of the aquaculture cage 2. During this process, the fishery products in the aquaculture cage 2 are driven into the water body of the aquaculture cage 2 inside the main body of the platform.

[0026] After the scissor-arm pontoons 3 are deployed, the ends of the two scissor-arm pontoons 3 are connected together by a fishing net 5. When the scissor-arm pontoons 3 are rotated open, the fishing net 5 unfolds from its folded state and connects the ends of the two scissor-arm pontoons 3, forming the outer boundary of the aquaculture cage 2 after the water volume is expanded, preventing the fishery products cultivated in the aquaculture cage 2 from escaping or being attacked by marine organisms. When the scissor-arm pontoons 3 are folded and retracted to the side of the platform hull, the fishing net 5 is folded by a winch mechanism.

[0027] After the scissor-arm pontoons 3 are deployed, a fishing net 5 is installed between the lower support compartments 32 of the two scissor-arm pontoons 3 to ensure that the bottom of the aquaculture cage 2 is isolated from the external seawater. When the two scissor-arm pontoons 3 are deployed, the horizontal fishing net 5 between the lower support compartments 32 forms the lower boundary of the aquaculture cage 2 after the water volume is expanded, preventing fishery products in the aquaculture cage 2 from escaping or being attacked by marine organisms. When the scissor-arm pontoons 3 are folded and retracted to the side of the platform hull, the fishing net 5 is folded by a winch mechanism.

[0028] The catch cold storage area 6 is located behind the aquaculture cage 2, and the living area 7 is located behind the catch cold storage area 6. The propulsion system 8 is located at the bottom of the stern. The catch cold storage area 6 is located at the stern section of the main hull of the self-propelled aquaculture platform. When the fish products have finished growing, the water volume of the aquaculture cage 2 is reduced by retracting the scissor-arm buoy 3 and the attached fishing net 5, which facilitates the rapid harvesting, direct processing, and cold storage of the catch products.

[0029] The self-propelled aquaculture platform is equipped with a single-point mooring system 9 at its bow. This system, consisting of a high-holding-power anchor, anchor chain, winch, and chain catcher, ensures effective mooring of the platform under various water depth conditions. Utilizing the weathervane effect of the single-point mooring system 9, the platform can drift back and forth around its equilibrium position under the combined influence of wind, waves, and ocean currents. This increases the exchange rate between the water inside the aquaculture cages 2 and the surrounding seawater, thereby increasing the dissolved oxygen content in the cages and improving the survival rate of the fish. The mooring radius of the single-point mooring system 9 is 790-810 meters.

[0030] In one embodiment of this application, the rotating shaft mechanism 10 includes a rotating shaft with a sleeve fitted at its lower end. The rotating shaft is fixedly connected to a drive motor, which is mounted on the sleeve (not shown in the figure). The upper end of the rotating shaft is fixedly connected to an upper buoyancy chamber 31 and a lower support chamber 32, and the sleeve is fixedly connected to another upper buoyancy chamber 31 and another lower support chamber 32; the drive motor is a submersible motor.

[0031] The column 33 at one end of the scissor-type boom pontoon 3 is connected to the main hull via a rotating shaft mechanism 10 of the same structure; the upper end of the rotating shaft is fixedly connected to the main hull, and the sleeve is fixedly connected to the column; the drive motor is a submersible motor.

[0032] When the self-propelled aquaculture platform is anchored, the scissor-arm pontoon 3 can rotate and open around the pivot mechanism 10 to form a 90° angle with the central axis of the main hull 1, along with the fishing net truss 4. At this time, the fishing net 5 automatically unfolds to fill the side and bottom space of the scissor-arm pontoon 3 and the fishing net truss 4, and the effective water volume of the aquaculture cage 2 will expand beyond the overall outline of the main hull 1. Through the single-point mooring system 9 at the bow, the self-propelled aquaculture platform will anchor in a fishing ground with a water depth of 100 meters, drifting back and forth around the seabed anchor point with the direction of waves and ocean currents, maximizing the aquaculture water volume during the seedling, breeding, and growth of fishery products, and improving the survival rate of fishery products.

[0033] like Figure 3 As shown, before the self-propelled aquaculture platform switches to sailing mode, the drive motor and rotating mechanism 10 at the connection point between the scissor-arm pontoon 3 and the fishing net truss 4 will pull the fishing net truss 4 inward to rotate and retract. At this time, the fishing net 5 will follow the position of the fishing net truss 4 to adjust its deployment range to ensure the enclosure of the water body of the aquaculture cage 2. At the same time, the drive motor at the connection point between the main hull 1 and the scissor-arm pontoon 3 drives the rotating mechanism 10 to quickly complete the process of rotating and retracting the scissor-arm pontoon mechanism 3 synchronously towards the centerline of the main hull 1, reducing the time of the sailing preparation process and improving the ability to avoid adverse environmental and weather conditions, until the scissor-arm pontoon 3 and the fishing net truss 4 are completely folded parallel to the centerline of the main hull 1, as shown. Figure 4 As shown. During this process, the horizontal fishing net 5 automatically adapts to the position of the scissor-arm pontoon 3 and the fishing net truss 4, maintaining the closed nature of the aquaculture cage water body, and is finally stored inside the main hull 1.

[0034] like Figure 4 As shown, when the scissor-shaped pontoon 3 and the fishing net truss 4 on both sides of the main hull 1 are folded and retracted to be parallel to the outline of the main hull 1, and the fishing net 5 is completely stored inside the main hull 1, the navigation resistance of the self-propelled aquaculture platform will be greatly reduced, and the platform's seakeeping performance will be greatly improved. After retrieving the anchor chain and seabed anchor of the single-point mooring system 9, the platform can enter a cruising state by relying on the propulsion system 8 at the stern. At the same time, the reduced water volume of the aquaculture cages 2 will facilitate the harvesting of fishery products. The self-propelled aquaculture platform can harvest fishery products during transit and then directly put them into the fish processing and cold storage area 6. The self-propelled aquaculture platform is equipped with a living area 7 to meet the needs of a certain number of personnel to carry out aquaculture, cruising, mooring, and harvesting and processing operations on the platform. This allows the self-propelled aquaculture platform to continuously carry out seedling cultivation, aquaculture, breeding, harvesting, processing, cold storage, and export operations throughout its entire life cycle, which can greatly improve the economic benefits of the self-propelled aquaculture platform.

[0035] Although embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes, modifications, substitutions and alterations can be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A self-propelled aquaculture platform with variable aquaculture water volume, comprising a single-point mooring system (9), characterized in that, The self-propelled aquaculture platform has a double-bottom, double-hull structure. Multiple aquaculture cages (2) with variable water volume are symmetrically arranged on the left and right sides. Scissor-type pontoon buoys (3) that are rotatably connected to the main hull support the fishing net truss (4) and form the outer boundary of the aquaculture cages (2). A single-point mooring system (9) is set at the bow of the platform, and a cold storage area (6), a living area (7), and a propulsion system (8) are set at the stern.

2. A self-propelled aquaculture platform with variable aquaculture water volume as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The scissor-type boom pontoon (3) is mainly composed of an upper buoyancy chamber (31) that provides buoyancy to the platform and increases stability, a lower support chamber (32) that provides support for the fishing net truss (4), and a rotating shaft mechanism (10). One end of the scissor-type boom pontoon (3) is connected to the main hull through the rotating shaft mechanism (10), and the middle part of the scissor-type boom pontoon (3) is also rotated through the rotating shaft mechanism (10). The scissor-type boom pontoon (3) is symmetrically arranged with two upper buoyancy chambers (31) and two lower support chambers (32) around the rotating shaft mechanism (10). The upper buoyancy chambers (31) and the lower support chambers (32) are connected by columns (33), and the fishing net truss (4) is arranged between the columns (33).

3. A self-propelled aquaculture platform with variable aquaculture water volume as described in claim 1, characterized in that: Fishing nets are installed on the fishing net truss (4).

4. A self-propelled aquaculture platform with variable aquaculture water volume as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The ends of the two scissor-arm pontoons (3) are connected together with a fishing net (5).

5. A self-propelled aquaculture platform with variable aquaculture water volume as described in claim 4, characterized in that: Fishing nets (5) are also installed between the lower support compartments (32) of the two scissor-type boom pontoons (3).

6. A self-propelled aquaculture platform with variable aquaculture water volume as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The cold storage area (6) for the catch is located behind the aquaculture cage (2), and the living area (7) is located behind the cold storage area (6).

7. A self-propelled aquaculture platform with variable aquaculture water volume as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The mooring radius of the single-point mooring system (9) is 790-810 meters.

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