A semi-submersible open sea type culture workship

Abstract

The utility model relates to the technical field of fishery equipment discloses a semi-submersible sea-passing type culture factory ship, including the hull, the bottom of hull is provided with the sea-passing valve, the deck below of hull is provided with a plurality of culture cabins and a plurality of ballast water tanks, still including water system assembly, water system assembly includes: main pipeline, is communicated with external seawater through sea-passing valve, branch pipeline is connected respectively each ballast water tank to main pipeline to each culture cabin to main pipeline, open and close valve is set up on each branch pipeline, two -way water pump is set up on main pipeline, controller is connected with two -way water pump and each open and close valve signal, the opening and closing of any open and close valve is controlled independently by controller and controls the pumping direction or drainage direction of two -way water pump, to realize the independent water injection or drainage operation of any ballast water tank or culture cabin, and the factory ship can flexibly adjust the ship draught, balanced state and floating state, satisfies the whole process operation demand such as fish feeding, culture, capture, migration etc.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of fishery equipment technology, and in particular to a semi-submersible, sea-accessible aquaculture vessel. Background Technology

[0002] With the development of deep-sea aquaculture technology, offshore aquaculture using converted ships or specialized work vessels is gradually becoming an industry trend. Existing technologies, such as the invention patent with authorization announcement number CN 106035169 B, disclose an offshore aquaculture facility based on the conversion of a bulk carrier. This facility realizes fish farming in offshore waters by setting up aquaculture tanks below the deck and equipping them with a water exchange system, including side water exchange holes, bottom ballast pump water exchange inlets, single-point mooring devices, and an energy system.

[0003] However, the technology still has the following significant drawbacks: the above patent only discloses that the bottom of the aquaculture tank is equipped with a ballast pump water exchange port, but does not disclose the specific structure of the hull ballast water system, nor does it explain the relationship between the ballast water system and the fish tank water exchange system. Its water exchange mainly relies on the passive water exchange through the side sea passage or the forced water exchange through the stern thrust device, lacking the ability to independently and accurately control the water in a single fish tank. This will result in the water exchange system being unable to operate independently for a specific fish tank and making it difficult to adapt to the water needs of fish at different growth stages. Utility Model Content

[0004] This invention addresses the shortcomings of existing aquaculture vessels where the water exchange systems of the fish hold and ballast water tank lack coordination, by providing a semi-submersible, sea-accessible aquaculture vessel capable of simultaneously controlling the water levels in both the ballast water tank and the fish hold.

[0005] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the present invention provides a solution through the following technical method:

[0006] A semi-submersible, sea-accessible aquaculture vessel includes a hull, a sea-access valve at the bottom of the hull, several aquaculture tanks and several ballast water tanks below the deck, and a water system assembly comprising:

[0007] The main pipeline is connected to the external seawater via a sea valve;

[0008] Branch pipelines are installed between each ballast water tank and the main pipeline, as well as between each aquaculture tank and the main pipeline;

[0009] On / off valves are installed on each branch pipe;

[0010] A two-way water pump is installed on the main pipeline;

[0011] The controller is connected to the bidirectional water pump and the signals of each on / off valve.

[0012] The controller independently controls the opening and closing of any valve and controls the pumping or draining direction of the bidirectional water pump, so as to realize independent water injection or drainage operations for any ballast water tank or aquaculture tank.

[0013] By adopting the above scheme and setting up a water system assembly consisting of a main pipeline, branch pipelines, on / off valves, bidirectional water pumps, and controllers, independent water injection or drainage control of any ballast tank or aquaculture tank is achieved. This breaks through the limitations of the traditional separation of ballast and aquaculture water body regulation on aquaculture vessels. Through precise operation of each tank by the controller, the ship's draft, balance, and buoyancy can be flexibly adjusted to meet the operational needs of the entire process, including fish loading, aquaculture, harvesting, and relocation. This provides technical support for achieving independent operation of single tank emptying and disinfection, as well as dynamic adjustment of water body size based on different water level requirements at different fish growth stages.

[0014] Preferably, each ballast water tank and each aquaculture tank is equipped with a water level sensor, which is connected to the controller signal.

[0015] Using the above scheme, the water level sensors in the ballast tanks and aquaculture tanks achieve the following effects: real-time detection of water level data in each ballast tank and aquaculture tank, feeding it back to the controller, enabling the controller to accurately adjust the water injection / discharge volume according to actual water level requirements, avoiding the lag and errors of manual monitoring; precise control of the water volume in the ballast tanks allows for flexible adjustment of the ship's draft, balance, and buoyancy; precise control of the water flow in the aquaculture tanks ensures the accuracy of operations such as the size of the aquaculture water body and the water volume control during harvesting. For example, when fish require a "small water body" during their growth stage, the water level sensor feedback value ensures that the water volume is accurately reduced, avoiding excessive waste or insufficient water that could affect fish growth.

[0016] Preferably, the water level sensor, the on / off valve, and the bidirectional water pump are connected to the controller via cables or wireless modules.

[0017] Using the above scheme, both wired and wireless signal transmission methods can enable the controller to control these components. Among them, the wireless signal transmission method supports remote operation or automated control, which can reduce manual intervention, improve operational efficiency, and is more suitable for operational safety in harsh deep-sea environments.

[0018] As a preferred option, the aquaculture tank has at least one row of horizontally spaced sea-crossing water inlets on its side, and the sea-crossing water inlets are equipped with sea-crossing grids.

[0019] Using the above scheme, the sea-exchange inlet allows for direct exchange of seawater between the aquaculture tank and the outside seawater. With the adjustment of the draft, the sea-exchange inlet can be placed in the optimal position to improve the dissolved oxygen efficiency of the water. In addition, the entire sea-exchange inlet can be exposed above the water surface, making it easier for staff to dredge and clean the sea-exchange grid.

[0020] As a preferred option, a fish inlet is provided on one side of the sea grating, and a sealing plate is provided on the fish inlet for opening and closing it.

[0021] Using the above method, when loading fish, the draft is adjusted to connect the fish loading port with the water tank or pipeline of the live water transport vessel, so that the fish can enter the breeding tank by gravity flow, siphon, and fish suction pump, reducing damage from manual handling; the sealing plate is closed when not loading fish to prevent farmed fish from escaping and large wild fish from entering the breeding tank.

[0022] Preferably, several aquaculture tanks are arranged along the length of the hull, and the ballast water tanks include several ballast side tanks symmetrically distributed on both sides of the aquaculture tanks and several ballast bottom tanks located at the bottom of the ballast side tanks and the aquaculture tanks. The branch pipes independently connect each ballast bottom tank, each ballast side tank and each aquaculture tank.

[0023] The above scheme features a symmetrical and layered cabin layout, which facilitates rapid adjustment of the ship's balance through differentiated water injection or drainage. For example, drainage of a single side cabin can tilt the ship, facilitating operation of specific cabins. Each cabin is independently connected to separate pipelines, ensuring that operation of a single cabin does not affect other cabins, thus improving the continuity and efficiency of aquaculture. For instance, when one cabin is emptied for cleaning and disinfection, other cabins can continue aquaculture normally.

[0024] As a preferred option, a dry compartment is provided between the aquaculture tank and the ballast side tank, and the main pipeline, on / off valve and bidirectional water pump are all located in the dry compartment.

[0025] The above solution physically isolates the dry side compartment from the aquaculture compartment and ballast side compartment, preventing the main pipelines, valves, and water pumps from directly contacting seawater or aquaculture water. This reduces damage to the equipment from seawater corrosion and biological adhesion, extends the equipment's service life, and lowers the maintenance frequency. The dry side compartment is a dry space, allowing staff to easily access and inspect the main pipelines, valves, and bidirectional water pumps without emptying the aquaculture compartment or ballast side compartment. This does not affect the normal aquaculture or ballast functions of other compartments and improves maintenance efficiency.

[0026] This utility model, by adopting the above technical solutions, has significant technical effects: the semi-submersible, sea-accessible aquaculture vessel includes a water system assembly consisting of a main pipe, branch pipes, on / off valves, a two-way water pump, and a controller. Combined with the layout of the aquaculture tank, ballast side tank, and ballast bottom tank, it achieves independent water injection and drainage for each tank; the water level sensor in the aquaculture tank provides real-time feedback on the water level, and the controller precisely regulates the water volume to meet the water requirements of fish at different growth stages; the side sea-accessible water exchange inlet and the grille can optimize the water exchange effect and filter debris; the fish inlet next to the grille opens when loading fish to allow fish to flow in by gravity and closes under normal conditions to prevent fish from entering the ocean; the vessel can flexibly adjust its draft, balance, and buoyancy to meet the needs of the entire process, including loading fish, cleaning and disinfection, aquaculture, harvesting, and relocation. Attached Figure Description

[0027] Figure 1 This is a distribution diagram of the water system assembly in this embodiment among the ballast side tank, dry side tank, and aquaculture tank;

[0028] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the side of the aquaculture tank in this embodiment.

[0029] The parts referred to by the numbers in the above attached diagrams are as follows: 1. Aquaculture tank; 2. Dry side tank; 3. Ballast side tank; 4. Main pipeline; 5. Branch pipeline; 6. On / off valve; 7. Two-way water pump; 8. Sea-crossing water exchange inlet; 9. Sea-crossing grid; 10. Fish inlet; 11. Sealing plate. Detailed Implementation

[0030] The present invention will now be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0031] A semi-submersible, sea-accessible aquaculture vessel, converted from a second-hand merchant ship (including bulk carriers, container ships, and tankers), includes a hull. The deck of the hull is equipped with an aquaculture tank 1 and ballast water tanks, the specific distribution of which is described in [reference needed]. Figure 1 As shown, the ballast water tanks include ballast side tanks 3 and ballast bottom tanks. Aquaculture tanks 1 are distributed in the middle of the hull and are arranged in seven units along the length of the hull, numbered F1-F7 respectively. Figure 2 As shown, at least one side of the aquaculture tank 1 has two rows of horizontally spaced sea-crossing inlets 8, with 15-20 inlets in each row. Each sea-crossing inlet 8 is equipped with a sea-crossing grille 9. One edge of the upper row of sea-crossing inlets 8 has an upper fish inlet 10, which is equipped with a sealing plate 11 that can be opened and closed. The sealing plate 11 is installed and removed by bolts. Ballast side tanks 3 are symmetrically distributed on both sides of the aquaculture tank 1, with 4 in each side, numbered Y1-Y4. Dry bulkhead tanks 2 are set between the ballast side tanks 3 and the aquaculture tank 1, numbered V1-V7 respectively. Ballast bottom tanks are located below the aquaculture tank 1, dry bulkhead tanks 2 and ballast side tanks 3, and there are several of them. The ballast bottom tanks are the original tanks before the modification, and the tanks have not been re-divided, so they are not shown in the figure.

[0032] A water system assembly is installed between the ballast side tank 3, ballast bottom tank, dry bulkhead tank 2, and aquaculture tank 1. This assembly includes two main pipes 4 symmetrically distributed in the dry bulkhead tanks 2 on both sides of the aquaculture tank 1. The main pipes 4 run along the length of the hull, passing through dry bulkhead tanks 2 from V1 to V7, and extend to a sea valve near the stern at the bottom of the hull to connect with external seawater. Each main pipe 4 extends into several branch pipes 5. Each aquaculture tank 1 is connected to the main pipe 4, each ballast side tank 3 to the main pipe 4, and each ballast bottom tank to the main pipe 4. Each branch pipe 5 is equipped with an on / off valve 6. Both the sea valve and the on / off valve 6 can be electric center-type wafer butterfly valves manufactured by Shanghai Dongjun Control Equipment Co., Ltd. Each main pipe 4 is equipped with a bidirectional water pump 7, which is a reversible centrifugal pump from ISHII MACHINERY WORKS. CO.,LTD, model 350-CDBVI-2, has water level sensors installed in each ballast side tank 3, ballast bottom tank and aquaculture tank 1. These water level sensors, bidirectional water pumps 7, and on / off valves 6 are all connected to the controller in the ship's control console via wireless module signals. The controller's existing logic programming controls the opening and closing of any on / off valve 6, as well as the opening and closing of any bidirectional water pump 7, and the switching of drainage and water injection directions.

[0033] An aquaculture vessel equipped with a water system assembly must have at least the following functions:

[0034] 1. Assisting with Fish Loading: During normal aquaculture, the sea-penetrating grilles and fish loading ports are mostly located below the sea surface. Therefore, when loading fish, the vessel needs to rise to the surface. Simultaneously, at least one of the corresponding ballast side tanks 3 on both sides must be opened, while the remaining valves 6 remain closed. The bidirectional water pump 7 is then started and controlled to reverse its operation, pumping water from the target ballast side tank 3 into the ocean, making the fish loading port 10 of the target aquaculture tank 1 the same height as the water tank of the live water transport vessel. Then, the fish loading port 10 of the target aquaculture tank 1 is opened, connecting the aquaculture tank 1 with the live water transport vessel. The ship's water tank is connected by pipelines. The controller controls the opening and closing valve 6 corresponding to the fish farming tank 1 to open, and the bidirectional water pump 7 to run in reverse to pump water out of the farming tank 1 until the internal water level is slightly lower than that of the transport ship's water tank. Then, the bidirectional water pump 7 and the opening and closing valve 6 corresponding to the target farming tank 1 are closed, allowing live fish to flow into the farming tank 1 by gravity under the effect of the water level difference. Finally, the sealing plate 11 is closed, the opening and closing valves 6 corresponding to the ballast side tanks 3 on both sides are opened, the bidirectional water pump 7 starts and rotates in the forward direction, water enters the ballast side tanks 3, and the ship's draft gradually decreases to the farming reference value.

[0035] 2. Cleaning, repairing and replacing the sea-passing grid 9: By synchronously adjusting the water volume in the ballast side tanks 3 on both sides, the draft of the hull reaches the preset height so that the two rows of sea-passing water exchange ports 8 are fully exposed. For specific steps, refer to the fish loading procedure. The staff will ride in a kayak to the sea-passing grid to clean, dredge, repair or replace it.

[0036] 3. Water volume regulation for different growth stages of fish: The controller sets different target water levels for different breeding tanks 1 based on the growth parameters of the fish. Juvenile fish are raised in small water volumes, while adult fish are raised in large water volumes. It is known that when breeding tank 1 (F7) is used to raise juvenile fish, if the water level sensor of the current breeding tank 1 detects that the current water level is higher than the preset water level for juvenile fish, the controller opens the corresponding on / off valve 6 of the breeding tank, and the bidirectional water pump 7 drains water in the forward direction until the water level reaches the preset water level, after which the valve is closed. Small water volume breeding can save breeding space and promote fish growth. If breeding tank 1 (F6) is used to raise adult fish, if the water level sensor of the current breeding tank 1 detects that the current water level is lower than the preset water level for adult fish, the controller opens the corresponding on / off valve 6 of the breeding tank 1 (F6), and the bidirectional water pump 7 runs in reverse, pumping water from the outside into the breeding tank 1 (F6) until the water level in the tank rises to the preset depth required for adult fish, providing sufficient water for adult fish and promoting fish growth.

[0037] 4. Adjustment of water exchange effect in aquaculture tank 1: A dissolved oxygen detection device connected to the controller can be installed in aquaculture tank 1. The controller adjusts the ship's draft in a timely manner based on the value feedback of dissolved oxygen in the water. The ship's draft is adjusted by adjusting the water volume in the ballast bottom tank and the ballast side tank, so that the sea-crossing water exchange port 8 is in a suitable position to achieve different water exchange effects.

[0038] 5. Harvesting: When the fish have grown to maturity, refer to the steps of cleaning, repairing and replacing the sea grating 9. First, let the hull float up until the sea grating 9 is fully exposed. Then, pump out the water from the target aquaculture tank 1 to expose the fish, making it easier to enter the tank with nets for harvesting.

[0039] 6. Single-chamber cleaning and disinfection: After the fish catch in target aquaculture chamber 1 is completed, the chamber can be emptied. By further pumping out the water in the chamber until it is empty, the staff will clean and disinfect target aquaculture chamber 1 to prepare for the next season of aquaculture.

[0040] 7. Navigation: When conducting aquaculture, the draft is adjusted reasonably according to sea conditions and fish stress to achieve a balance between navigation performance and fish stress. For example, when the wind is strong, the controller controls the ballast tank to inject water according to meteorological data. Specifically, the corresponding valve of the ballast tank is opened to increase the hull draft. At the same time, the water level in aquaculture tank 1 is adjusted to drop to a preset depth to reduce the stress of water sloshing on the fish.

[0041] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of this utility model. The protection scope of this utility model is not limited to the above embodiments. All technical solutions falling within the scope of this utility model's concept are protected. It should be noted that for those skilled in the art, any improvements and modifications made without departing from the principle of this utility model should also be considered within the protection scope of this utility model.

Claims

1. A semi-submersible, sea-accessible aquaculture vessel, comprising a hull, a sea-access valve at the bottom of the hull, and several aquaculture tanks (1) and several ballast water tanks located below the deck of the hull, characterized in that: It also includes a water system assembly, which comprises: The main pipeline (4) is connected to the external seawater through a sea valve; Branch pipes (5) are installed between each ballast water tank and the main pipe (4) and between each aquaculture tank (1) and the main pipe (4); On / off valve (6) is installed on each branch pipe (5); A two-way water pump (7) is installed on the main pipeline (4); The controller is connected to the bidirectional water pump (7) and each on / off valve (6) via signal connection. The controller independently controls the opening and closing of any one of the valves (6) and controls the pumping or draining direction of the bidirectional water pump (7) to achieve independent water injection or drainage operations for any ballast water tank or aquaculture tank (1).

2. The semi-submersible, sea-accessible aquaculture vessel according to claim 1, characterized in that: Each ballast water tank and each aquaculture tank (1) is equipped with a water level sensor, which is connected to the controller signal.

3. A semi-submersible, sea-accessible aquaculture vessel according to claim 2, characterized in that: The water level sensor, the on / off valve (6), and the bidirectional water pump (7) are connected to the controller via cables or wireless modules.

4. A semi-submersible, sea-accessible aquaculture vessel according to claim 3, characterized in that: The aquaculture tank (1) has at least one row of horizontally spaced sea-crossing water inlets (8) on its side, and the sea-crossing water inlets (8) are equipped with sea-crossing grids (9).

5. A semi-submersible, sea-accessible aquaculture vessel according to claim 4, characterized in that: The sea-penetrating grille (9) has an upper fish mouth (10) on one side, and a sealing plate (11) for opening and closing the upper fish mouth (10) is provided.

6. A semi-submersible, sea-accessible aquaculture vessel according to claim 1, characterized in that: The aquaculture tank (1) is provided with several tanks along the length of the hull. The ballast water tank includes several ballast side tanks (3) symmetrically distributed on both sides of the aquaculture tank (1) and several ballast bottom tanks located at the bottom of the ballast side tanks (3) and the aquaculture tank (1). The branch pipes (5) are independently connected to each ballast bottom tank, each ballast side tank (3) and each aquaculture tank (1).

7. A semi-submersible, sea-accessible aquaculture vessel according to claim 6, characterized in that: A dry compartment (2) is provided between the breeding compartment (1) and the ballast compartment (3). The main pipeline (4), the on / off valve (6) and the bidirectional water pump (7) are all located in the dry compartment (2).

Images