Mariculture cabin based on ocean wave energy and semi-submersible mariculture ship

Abstract

The utility model relates to the technical field of fishery equipment discloses a cultivation cabin and semi-submersible sea-through type cultivation factory ship based on marine wave energy water exchange, which comprises a ship body, a cultivation cabin is arranged below the deck of the ship body, the cultivation cabin comprises a cabin room, a sea-through water exchange opening is arranged on the side of the cabin room, a water outlet pipeline is arranged at the bottom of the cabin room and is communicated with the sea-bottom water exchange opening, a first one-way valve is arranged on the water outlet pipeline to drain water outward from the cabin room, when the surge wave enters the cabin room from the sea-through water exchange opening and generates a pressure difference exceeding the preset pressure difference, the first one-way valve is opened to drain water outward in one direction until the internal and external pressure differences are the same, the cultivation factory ship utilizes wave energy to drive water exchange, can significantly reduce energy consumption and improve the uniformity of water exchange, ensures that the seawater quality can meet the demand of cultivation, and reduces the operation cost of offshore cultivation.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of fishery equipment technology, and in particular to an aquaculture tank based on ocean wave energy for water exchange and a semi-submersible, sea-accessible aquaculture vessel. Background Technology

[0002] Fish farming facilities include nearshore aquaculture and offshore aquaculture. Nearshore aquaculture is widely used, but its main drawbacks are severe pollution and frequent red tides. Offshore aquaculture is currently mainly used in the waters off Norway, but its main drawbacks are high construction and operating costs. Based on these reasons, Chinese Patent CN106035169B discloses an offshore aquaculture facility based on a converted bulk carrier. The facility includes a hull, several aquaculture tanks below the deck, a water exchange system in each tank, several water exchange holes communicating with sea openings around the circumference of each tank, a ballast pump water exchange inlet at the bottom of each tank, and oxygenation equipment on the side walls of each tank, with the oxygenation outlet located at the bottom of the tank.

[0003] This patent utilizes ocean currents for water exchange, which requires the movement of a ship. The external seawater, under the influence of inertia, causes slight movement of the seawater inside the aquaculture tank. The ship itself moves rapidly under the influence of power, achieving surface exchange between the internal and external water bodies. This method suffers from uneven water exchange and high energy consumption. Utility Model Content

[0004] This invention addresses the shortcomings of existing aquaculture vessels that rely on ocean currents for water exchange, which suffer from uneven water exchange and high energy consumption. The primary objective of this invention is to provide an aquaculture tank based on ocean wave energy that can significantly reduce energy consumption and improve the uniformity of water exchange.

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

[0006] The aquaculture tank based on ocean wave energy for water exchange includes a compartment. A sea-access water exchange port is provided on the side of the compartment, and a water outlet pipe connected to the seabed water exchange port is provided at the bottom of the compartment. A first one-way valve is provided on the water outlet pipe to drain water from the compartment to the outside. When a surge enters the compartment from the water exchange port and generates a pressure difference exceeding the preset value, the first one-way valve opens to drain water in one direction until the internal and external pressure differences are the same.

[0007] By adopting the above scheme, a water exchange port is set on the side of the aquaculture tank and a water outlet pipe with a first one-way valve is set at the bottom. The pressure difference generated by the swell waves drives the first one-way valve to open, realizing automatic one-way drainage from the tank to the ocean. When the pressure difference is the same, the first one-way valve closes. The above design achieves the purpose of water exchange and can discharge the old water at the bottom in time, improving the uniformity of water exchange. This mechanism not only exchanges water evenly, but also realizes wave energy-driven water exchange without relying on ship navigation. It solves the problem of uneven water exchange and high energy consumption caused by the movement of ships in existing ocean current water exchange. Moreover, the drainage process starts and stops automatically with the wave cycle, which is adapted to the characteristics of the marine environment.

[0008] As a preferred option, a first shut-off valve is connected in series on the water outlet pipe.

[0009] By adopting the above scheme, a first shut-off valve is connected in series in the water outlet pipe, which can manually or remotely control the opening and closing of the water outlet pipe, enhancing the controllability of the water exchange system, facilitating the closure of the water outlet pipe in maintenance, water exchange mode switching or emergency situations, and improving the system's flexibility and safety.

[0010] As a preferred option, a water inlet pipe connected to the seabed water exchange port is installed at the bottom of the compartment, and a second shut-off valve is installed on the water inlet pipe.

[0011] By adopting the above solution, an inlet pipe with a second shut-off valve is added, which increases the bottom water inlet path for the breeding tank. Together with the outlet pipe, bidirectional water flow control can be achieved, supporting multiple water exchange modes, such as displacement water exchange. The shut-off valve can independently control the water inlet flow, adapting to the needs of different breeding scenarios.

[0012] As a preferred option, a second one-way valve is installed on the water inlet pipe to allow water to enter the compartment from the outside.

[0013] By adopting the above scheme, a second one-way valve is installed in the water inlet pipe to limit the water flow to flow only from the outside to the inside of the compartment, prevent the water inside the compartment from flowing back to the outside, ensure the stability of the water inlet, avoid water turbulence caused by the reverse impact of waves, and ensure the efficiency of water exchange.

[0014] The second objective of this utility model is to provide a semi-submersible, sea-accessible aquaculture vessel, including a hull, with an aquaculture compartment based on ocean wave energy for water exchange located below the deck of the hull.

[0015] By adopting the above solution, the aforementioned aquaculture tank is applied to a semi-submersible aquaculture vessel, enabling the vessel to exchange water using wave energy. This breaks through the high energy consumption bottleneck of traditional offshore aquaculture vessels, reduces operating costs, adapts to offshore environments, and expands aquaculture scenarios.

[0016] As a preferred option, there are several aquaculture tanks, and dry compartments for laying pipelines and valves are set between adjacent aquaculture tanks. The dry compartments are equipped with ladders that connect to the deck, and the seabed water exchange port is set inside the dry compartment.

[0017] The above scheme optimizes space utilization and facilitates the installation and maintenance of pipelines and valves; the ladders ensure the safety of personnel operations, and the dry compartments protect the equipment from direct impact from seawater.

[0018] Preferably, a water exchange channel is arranged at the bottom of the aquaculture tank near both sides. The water exchange channel includes a main channel extending to both ends of the hull and extending to all aquaculture tanks, a branch channel extending autonomously to each dry compartment, and a water passage channel extending autonomously to the seabed water exchange port in each dry compartment. At least one set of inlet pipes and outlet pipes are connected in parallel on the branch channel.

[0019] The above scheme refines the water exchange channels into main channels, branch channels, and water passage channels. The branch channels are connected in parallel with inlet and outlet pipes, thus constructing a complete water flow distribution system. This enables independent water exchange for each aquaculture compartment, with a clear and controllable water flow path. It can simultaneously support different water exchange modes, such as dilution and displacement.

[0020] As a preferred option, a third shut-off valve is installed on the water passage.

[0021] The above solution involves installing a third shut-off valve in the water passage, which allows for independent control of the passage's opening and closing. This facilitates maintenance and adjustment of the water exchange passage, or allows for adjustment of the water flow rate according to aquaculture needs, thereby improving the accuracy of local system control.

[0022] Preferably, the aquaculture tank is equipped with an oxygen sensor for measuring the oxygen content of seawater, a temperature sensor for measuring temperature, and a flow meter for measuring flow velocity.

[0023] By adopting the above approach, we can keep abreast of changes in the aquaculture environment, provide data support for adjusting water exchange strategies, ensure the survival conditions of fish, and reduce aquaculture risks.

[0024] Preferably, the bottom of the dry compartment is equipped with a bottom water suction port and a bottom water level alarm device.

[0025] The above solution is adopted, with a bilge water suction port and a liquid level alarm device installed at the bottom of the dry compartment. This allows for timely handling of accumulated water and early warning, preventing bilge water from damaging the equipment. The liquid level alarm ensures timely response to abnormal situations, improving system safety and maintenance efficiency.

[0026] This utility model, by adopting the above technical solutions, has significant technical effects: it utilizes wave energy to drive water exchange, eliminating the need for ship navigation or other additional equipment, and can achieve 48 water exchanges per day under 1.5-meter swells, significantly reducing energy consumption compared to traditional ocean current water exchange; it is equipped with multiple aquaculture tanks and matching water exchange channels, supporting batch aquaculture and meeting the needs of large-scale aquaculture in the open sea. This aquaculture vessel has the advantages of low energy consumption, high automation, and uniform water exchange, significantly reducing the operating costs of open-sea aquaculture and solving the pain points of high cost and high energy consumption in traditional long-distance aquaculture. Attached Figure Description

[0027] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the ocean wave energy water exchange system of the semi-submersible sea-access aquaculture vessel in this embodiment.

[0028] Figure 2 This is a cross-sectional view of the aquaculture tank based on ocean wave energy for water exchange in this embodiment.

[0029] The parts referred to by the numbers in the above attached diagrams are as follows: 1. Aquaculture tank; 2. Dry compartment; 3. Subsea water exchange port; 4. Main channel; 5. Water passage; 6. Third shut-off valve; 7. Outlet pipe; 8. First shut-off valve; 9. First check valve; 10. Inlet pipe; 11. Second shut-off valve; 12. Second check valve; 13. Subsea water exchange port. Detailed Implementation

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

[0031] Semi-submersible, open-sea aquaculture vessel, refer to Figures 1-2 As shown, the vessel includes a hull, and seven independent aquaculture tanks 1, numbered NO.1-NO.7, are arranged at intervals along the length of the hull below the deck. Dry compartments 2 are arranged between adjacent aquaculture tanks 1, and wave energy-based water exchange systems are integrated on aquaculture tanks 1 and dry compartments 2.

[0032] The water exchange system includes a sea-access water exchange inlet 13, a water exchange channel, an inlet pipe 10, an outlet pipe 7, a seabed water exchange inlet 3, and a valve assembly. The sea-access water exchange inlet 13 is located on both sides of the aquaculture tank 1, and several are horizontally spaced on both sides of each tank. The inlet pipe 10 and the outlet pipe 7 form an inlet and outlet pipeline, which is located on both sides of the bottom of the aquaculture tank 1, with two sets on each side. Each set extends from the aquaculture tank 1 into the dry compartment 2. The seabed water exchange inlet 3 is located in the dry compartment 2, and there are two in each dry compartment 2.

[0033] The water exchange channels include a main channel 4, branch channels, and a water passage channel 5. The main channel 4 is made of DN900 seamless steel pipe and is arranged along the bottom of the hull near both sides, extending from the aft wall of No.1 aquaculture tank 1 to the forward wall of No.7 aquaculture tank, running through the entire ship. The branch channel, autonomous channel 4, extends 6 meters along the aft wall of No.2-No.7 aquaculture tank 1 towards the middle of the ship and connects with the water inlet pipe 10 and water outlet pipe 7 of the aquaculture tank to achieve independent water supply for each tank. The water passage channel 5, autonomous channel 4, extends to the seabed water exchange port 3 in each dry compartment 2.

[0034] The valve assembly includes a first check valve 9 and a first shut-off valve 8 connected in series on the outlet pipe 7, a second check valve 12 and a second shut-off valve 11 connected in series on the inlet pipe 10, and a third shut-off valve 6 installed on the water passage 5. The first check valve 9 flows unidirectionally from the chamber of the aquaculture tank 1 outwards. It automatically opens when the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the tank exceeds a preset value due to swell, and automatically closes after balancing. The second check valve 12 flows unidirectionally from the outside into the chamber of the aquaculture tank. The second check valve 12 only allows external seawater to flow into the chamber, preventing backflow of water into the chamber.

[0035] The first check valve 9 and the second check valve 12 are both spring check valves; the first shut-off valve 8, the second shut-off valve 11 and the third shut-off valve 6 are all remote-controlled butterfly valves, preferably wireless remote-controlled butterfly valves. The wireless remote-controlled butterfly valves are equipped with Bluetooth or Wi-Fi modules. The control panel is equipped with a controller, which is connected to the Bluetooth or Wi-Fi module. The controller realizes the remote on / off of these wireless remote-controlled butterfly valves through existing logic programming.

[0036] In addition to piping and valves, dry compartment 2 is equipped with lighting and ventilation, such as two 50W LED explosion-proof lights and one axial flow fan, to ensure a safe operating environment inside the compartment. Dry compartment 2 also features safety devices, including a bilge water suction port located at the lowest point of the bilge, connected to a marine bilge water pump for timely drainage of accumulated water; and a bilge water level alarm device that triggers when the water level exceeds a preset height to prevent equipment flooding. Each dry compartment 2 also has a straight ladder extending from the deck to the bilge for easy access and operation.

[0037] Each aquaculture chamber 1 is equipped with an oxygen sensor, a temperature sensor, a flow meter, and an alarm. These components are all connected to the controller. When the oxygen content, temperature, or flow rate is detected to be outside the preset range, these components will send a signal to the controller, which will then activate the alarm.

[0038] Each aquaculture tank 1 is equipped with a water exchange pump, which is connected to the inlet pipe 10 and the outlet pipe 7 and is linked through the controller valve assembly. For example, the water exchange pump can operate in conjunction with the inlet pipe 10. When it is necessary to quickly replenish fresh seawater, the water exchange pump is linked with the second shut-off valve 11 to accelerate the injection of external seawater into the tank through the second one-way valve 12 via the inlet pipe 10. When the wave energy is insufficient or forced drainage is required, the water exchange pump can actively drain water through the outlet pipe 7 to artificially create a pressure difference between the inside and outside of the tank, forcing the first one-way valve 9 to open and assist in water exchange. The water exchange pump, through its connection with the inlet pipe 10 and the outlet pipe 7, forms a coordinated water flow regulation path. In conjunction with the valve assembly and sensor system, it can achieve precise regulation of the water in the aquaculture tank 1.

[0039] Ocean wave energy can exchange water in the following modes:

[0040] Dilution-type water exchange: When the swell is in a natural undulating state, if the external wave height is higher than the height of the sea-crossing water exchange port 13 in the compartment, the swell will flow directly into the compartment through the sea-crossing water exchange port 13, causing the water level in the compartment to rise with the wave crest; when the swell switches from the wave crest to the wave trough, the external water level is lower than the water level in the compartment, and the seawater in the compartment will flow out naturally into the sea through the sea-crossing water exchange port 13, completing one exchange of surface water.

[0041] During this process, water dilution is achieved only through the bidirectional flow of the water exchange port 13. The characteristics are a large water exchange volume but only involve the surface water, which is suitable for quickly updating the surface water quality in the cabin, but the replacement is insufficient.

[0042] Displacement-type water exchange: When the surging waves enter the chamber through the sea-crossing water exchange port 13, and the amount of water entering makes the water level inside the chamber significantly higher than the external seawater level, that is, when the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the chamber exceeds the preset threshold of the first one-way valve 9, the first one-way valve 9 will automatically open; at this time, the seawater inside the chamber will be drained to the outside through the bottom outlet pipe 7 until the water level inside and outside the chamber is balanced and the pressure difference disappears, and the first one-way valve 9 will automatically close.

[0043] During this process, the water intake of the water inlet 13 and the drainage of the water outlet 7 at the bottom work together to achieve a full replacement of the water in the cabin. The characteristic is that the amount of water replaced is small but the water is renewed more thoroughly, which is suitable for scenarios that require in-depth improvement of the water quality in the cabin.

[0044] When the wave undulations are relatively gentle and the pressure difference does not reach the threshold of the first one-way valve 9, only dilution water exchange is triggered; when the wave intensity is large enough and the pressure difference exceeds the threshold, replacement water exchange is automatically triggered. At this time, the surface flow of dilution water exchange may still exist, but the core completes the replacement of the entire chamber through the bottom pipe.

[0045] This work vessel effectively solves the problems of "high energy consumption, high cost, and uneven water exchange" in traditional deep-sea aquaculture, providing an efficient solution for large-scale deep-sea aquaculture.

[0046] 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 by this utility model. 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. An aquaculture tank based on ocean wave energy for water exchange, comprising a compartment, wherein a sea-access water exchange port (13) is provided on the side of the compartment, characterized in that: The bottom of the compartment is provided with a water outlet pipe (7) that is connected to the seabed water exchange port (3). A first one-way valve (9) is provided on the water outlet pipe (7) to drain water from the compartment to the outside. When the surging wave enters the compartment from the water exchange port and generates a pressure difference exceeding the preset value, the first one-way valve (9) opens to drain water in one direction until the pressure difference inside and outside is the same.

2. The aquaculture tank based on ocean wave energy for water exchange according to claim 1, characterized in that: A first shut-off valve (8) is connected in series on the water outlet pipe (7).

3. The aquaculture tank based on ocean wave energy for water exchange according to claim 2, characterized in that: A water inlet pipe (10) connected to the seabed water exchange port (3) is provided at the bottom of the compartment, and a second shut-off valve (11) is provided on the water inlet pipe (10).

4. The aquaculture tank based on ocean wave energy for water exchange according to claim 3, characterized in that: A second one-way valve (12) is installed on the water inlet pipe (10) to allow water to enter the compartment from the outside.

5. A semi-submersible, sea-accessible aquaculture vessel, including the hull, characterized in that: The ship is equipped with an aquaculture tank based on ocean wave energy for water exchange, as described in any one of claims 1-4, below the deck of the hull.

6. The semi-submersible, sea-accessible aquaculture vessel according to claim 5, characterized in that: There are several aquaculture tanks (1). A dry compartment (2) for laying pipelines and valves is set between adjacent aquaculture tanks (1). The dry compartment (2) is equipped with a ladder connecting to the deck. The seabed water exchange port (3) is set inside the dry compartment (2).

7. The semi-submersible, sea-accessible aquaculture vessel according to claim 6, characterized in that: Water exchange channels are arranged at the bottom of the aquaculture tank (1) near both sides. The water exchange channels include a main channel (4) extending to both ends of the hull and extending to all aquaculture tanks (1), a branch channel extending from the autonomous channel (4) to each dry compartment (2), and a water passage channel (5) extending from the autonomous channel (4) to the seabed water exchange port (3) in each dry compartment (2). At least one set of inlet pipes (10) and outlet pipes (7) are connected in parallel on the branch channels.

8. The semi-submersible, sea-accessible aquaculture vessel according to claim 7, characterized in that: A third shut-off valve (6) is installed on the water passage (5).

9. The semi-submersible, sea-accessible aquaculture vessel according to claim 5, characterized in that: An oxygen sensor for measuring the oxygen content of seawater, a temperature sensor for measuring temperature, and a flow meter for measuring flow velocity are installed in the aquaculture tank (1).

10. The semi-submersible, sea-accessible aquaculture vessel according to any one of claims 6-9, characterized in that: The bottom of the dry compartment (2) is equipped with a bottom water suction port and a bottom water level alarm device.

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