A net cage for aquaculture with adjustable buoyancy

Abstract

The utility model discloses an adjustable water surface aquaculture net cage of buoyancy, including upper frame and lower frame, the bottom of upper frame with the top of lower frame is fixedly connected with a plurality of reinforcing bars, and every adjacent two reinforcing bars all are installed with the net clothes, and the outside of upper frame is provided with the protection ring, and the inboard of protection ring with the outside of upper frame is fixedly connected with a plurality of connecting blocks, and every adjacent two connecting blocks all are provided with the buoy, and the outside of protection ring is fixedly connected with a plurality of anchor rings, and the outside of protection ring is provided with a plurality of buoyancy adjusting assemblies, and the bottom of lower frame is fixedly connected with a plurality of counterweight rings, and every counterweight ring all has the steel wire rope, and the bottom end of steel wire rope is fixedly connected with the counterweight bag. The utility model through buoyancy adjustment can adjust the depth of net cage flexibly to satisfy the water surface aquaculture demand under different water area environment, and through optimizing and improving to net cage structure, can effectively enhance its structural strength and wind and wave resistance performance.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model belongs to the technical field of aquaculture cages, and in particular relates to an adjustable buoyancy aquaculture cage. Background Technology

[0002] Aquaculture cages are box-like structures made of mesh materials, suspended in natural or artificial water bodies (such as lakes, reservoirs, and nearshore areas) by a frame support and buoyancy system. This allows for controlled, high-density aquaculture of aquatic organisms such as fish, shrimp, and shellfish. The core feature of aquaculture cages is the utilization of water exchange in natural water bodies, while simultaneously enabling centralized management of the cultured organisms, thus balancing ecological and economic benefits.

[0003] According to the search, a large-scale ecological aquaculture cage with the publication number CN222302810U is disclosed on the China Patent Network. This aquaculture cage can replace the traditional method of manually casting nets for fishing. After the position of the fishing net is adjusted, it can also be self-locked by the worm gear structure. It is simple to operate, reduces the workload of personnel and improves the fishing efficiency. However, there are some defects and shortcomings that need to be improved: (1) Some existing aquaculture cages lack buoyancy adjustment function and can only be placed at a fixed depth in the water. It is difficult to flexibly adjust the depth of the cage according to the water level change and the growth needs of the cultured organisms, so it cannot be applied to aquaculture in different water environments; (2) Due to the structural design, most existing aquaculture cages are only suitable for shallow water areas and still water areas (such as ponds, lake bays). Once they encounter typhoons, strong convection, floods or offshore waves, the cage is prone to frame deformation, net tearing, anchoring system failure, etc., which leads to a large number of cultured objects escaping, or even the overall disintegration and overturning of the cage structure. Therefore, the adjustable buoyancy aquaculture cage provided by this utility model is of great significance in addressing the above problems. Utility Model Content

[0004] This invention provides an adjustable buoyancy aquaculture cage. The buoyancy generated by the floats allows the upper frame and the entire cage structure to float in the water. To increase buoyancy, the air bladders can be inflated; to decrease buoyancy, they can be deflated. The buoyancy adjustment is controlled by the number of air bladders inflated and deflated. This allows for flexible adjustment of the cage's depth according to water level changes and the growth needs of the cultured organisms, making the cage suitable for aquaculture in various water environments. To increase the overall weight of the cage, counterweight bags can be suspended from the counterweight rings via steel wire ropes; to decrease the weight, the counterweight bags can be removed from the counterweight rings. The weight adjustment is controlled by the number of counterweight bags suspended. The system allows for control, enabling adjustment of the cage's draft as needed to avoid strong surface waves during inclement weather. When the cage is impacted by waves, the upper and lower ring-shaped frames effectively decompose the impact force, reducing its effectiveness. Compared to traditional square frame structures, its wave resistance is improved by 40%. The mesh is a double-layered arc-shaped structure. The inner anti-corrosion layer uses 2mm diameter nylon 66 wire, which has 2-3 times higher tear resistance than ordinary PE materials. The outer wave-resistant layer uses 1.5mm diameter galvanized steel wire mesh with an anti-fouling coating, making it suitable for high-velocity, high-wave environments. Compared to traditional single-layer mesh structures, it has stronger tensile and corrosion resistance, thus solving the problems mentioned in the background technology.

[0005] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, this utility model is achieved through the following technical solution:

[0006] This utility model discloses an adjustable buoyancy aquaculture cage, comprising an upper frame and a lower frame. The upper frame is located directly above the lower frame, and several reinforcing ribs are fixedly connected between the bottom of the upper frame and the top of the lower frame. A net is installed between each pair of adjacent reinforcing ribs. An upper anti-escape net is installed on the top of the upper frame, and a protective ring is provided on the outer side of the upper frame. Several connecting blocks are fixedly connected between the inner side of the protective ring and the outer side of the upper frame. A float is provided between each pair of adjacent connecting blocks, and connecting rods are fixedly connected to both sides of the floats. The ends of the connecting rods are fixedly connected to the side walls of the connecting blocks. Several anchoring rings are fixedly connected to the outer side of the protective ring, and several buoyancy adjustment components are provided on the outer side of the protective ring. A lower anti-escape net is installed on the lower frame, and several counterweight rings are fixedly connected to the bottom of the lower frame. A steel wire rope is attached to each counterweight ring, and a counterweight bag is fixedly connected to the bottom end of the steel wire rope.

[0007] The buoyancy adjustment component includes a fixed rod, one end of which is fixedly connected to the outside of the protective ring, and the other end of which is fixedly connected to an inflatable airbag. The inflatable airbag has an inflation port and an air valve is installed on the inflation port.

[0008] Furthermore, the protective ring is circular, and each of the connecting blocks and floats is distributed in an equidistant ring along the circumference of the protective ring.

[0009] Furthermore, the anchoring rings and buoyancy adjustment components are all distributed in an equidistant ring along the circumference of the protective ring, and the anchoring rings and buoyancy adjustment components are distributed in an alternating manner.

[0010] Furthermore, both the upper and lower frames are annular, with their outer and inner diameters being equal, and the reinforcing ribs are distributed in an equidistant ring along the circumference of the upper and lower frames.

[0011] Furthermore, the mesh is a double-layered arc-shaped mesh structure, with an anti-corrosion mesh layer on the inner side and an anti-wind and wave mesh layer on the outer side.

[0012] Furthermore, the upper escape-prevention net is ring-shaped, and its inner diameter is equal to that of the upper frame. The lower escape-prevention net is located at the center of the lower frame, and its diameter is equal to that of the lower frame.

[0013] Furthermore, the counterweight rings are distributed in an equidistant ring along the circumference of the lower frame, and the hanging height of each counterweight bag is the same.

[0014] The present invention has the following advantages over the prior art:

[0015] (1) The depth of the net cage can be flexibly adjusted by buoyancy adjustment to meet the needs of aquaculture in different water environments: the buoyancy generated by the float can make the upper frame and the entire net cage structure float in the water. When it is necessary to increase the buoyancy of the net cage, the air bag can be inflated. When it is necessary to decrease the buoyancy of the net cage, the air bag can be deflated. The adjustment range of buoyancy is controlled by the number of air bags inflated and deflated. Thus, the depth of the net cage can be flexibly adjusted according to the water level changes and the growth needs of the cultured organisms, so that the net cage can be suitable for aquaculture in different water environments. When it is necessary to increase the overall weight of the net cage, the counterweight bag can be suspended on the counterweight ring by steel wire rope. When it is necessary to decrease the overall weight of the net cage, the counterweight bag can be removed from the counterweight ring. The adjustment range of weight is controlled by the number of counterweight bags suspended. Thus, the draft of the net cage can be adjusted as needed to avoid strong winds and waves on the surface of the water when the weather is bad.

[0016] (2) By optimizing and improving the structure of the cage, its structural strength and wind and wave resistance can be effectively enhanced: When the cage is impacted by wind and waves, the upper and lower frames of the ring structure can effectively decompose the impact force to reduce the impact force of wind and waves on the cage. Compared with the traditional square frame structure, the wind and wave resistance can be improved by 40%. The mesh is a double-layer arc mesh structure. The inner anti-corrosion mesh layer can be made of 2mm diameter nylon 66 mesh wire, which has a tear resistance 2-3 times higher than ordinary PE material. The outer anti-wind and wave mesh layer can be made of 1.5mm diameter galvanized steel wire mesh and coated with anti-fouling paint. It is suitable for high flow velocity and strong wind and wave environment. Compared with the traditional single-layer mesh structure, it has stronger tensile and anti-corrosion performance.

[0017] Of course, any product implementing this utility model does not necessarily need to achieve all of the advantages described above at the same time. Attached Figure Description

[0018] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of this utility model, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this utility model. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0019] Figure 1 This is a structural schematic diagram of an adjustable buoyancy aquaculture net cage according to the present invention;

[0020] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the upper frame structure in this utility model;

[0021] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the lower frame structure in this utility model;

[0022] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the mesh garment in this utility model;

[0023] Figure 5 This is a top view of the mesh garment in this utility model.

[0024] The attached diagram lists the components represented by each number as follows:

[0025] 1. Upper frame; 2. Lower frame; 3. Reinforcing ribs; 4. Netting; 5. Upper escape-proof net; 6. Protective ring; 7. Connecting block; 8. Float; 9. Connecting rod; 10. Anchor ring; 11. Lower escape-proof net; 12. Counterweight ring; 13. Steel wire rope; 14. Counterweight bag; 15. Fixing rod; 16. Inflatable airbag; 17. Inflation port. Detailed Implementation

[0026] The technical solutions of the present utility model will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings of the embodiments. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present utility model, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present utility model, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the protection scope of the present utility model.

[0027] In the description of this utility model, it should be understood that the terms "relative", "one end", "inner", "lateral", "end", "both ends", "both sides", "front", "one end face", "the other end face", etc., which indicate orientation or positional relationship, are only for the convenience of describing this utility model and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the components or elements referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this utility model.

[0028] Please see Figure 1-5 As shown, this utility model discloses an adjustable buoyancy aquaculture cage, comprising an upper frame 1 and a lower frame 2. The upper frame 1 is located directly above the lower frame 2, and several reinforcing ribs 3 are fixedly connected between the bottom of the upper frame 1 and the top of the lower frame 2. A net 4 is installed between each pair of adjacent reinforcing ribs 3. An upper escape-proof net 5 is installed on the top of the upper frame 1, and a protective ring 6 is provided on the outer side of the upper frame 1. Several connecting blocks 7 are fixedly connected between the inner side of the protective ring 6 and the outer side of the upper frame 1. A float 8 is provided between each pair of adjacent connecting blocks 7, and connecting rods 9 are fixedly connected to both sides of the float 8. The end of the connecting rod 9 is fixedly connected to the side wall of the connecting block 7. Several anchoring rings 10 are fixedly connected to the outer side of the protective ring 6. Each anchoring ring 10 can be connected to the anchor body by steel cable. The anchor body can be made of iron anchor or concrete anchor. The position of the net cage can be fixed by the anchor body to prevent the net cage from shifting or overturning due to the action of water flow. Several buoyancy adjustment components are provided on the outer side of the protective ring 6. A lower anti-escape net 11 is installed on the lower frame 2, and several counterweight rings 12 are fixedly connected to the bottom of the lower frame 2. Each counterweight ring 12 is tied with a steel wire rope 13, and a counterweight bag 14 is fixedly connected to the bottom of the steel wire rope 13.

[0029] The buoyancy adjustment component includes a fixed rod 15, one end of which is fixedly connected to the outside of the protective ring 6, and the other end is fixedly connected to an inflatable airbag 16. The inflatable airbag 16 has an inflation port 17, and an air valve is installed on the inflation port 17. The airbag 16 can be inflated or deflated through the inflation port 17 and the air valve. When it is necessary to increase the buoyancy of the net cage, the inflatable airbag 16 can be inflated; when it is necessary to decrease the buoyancy of the net cage, the inflatable airbag 16 can be deflated. The buoyancy adjustment range is determined by the inflation and deflation of the inflatable airbag 16. The number of cages is controlled, allowing for flexible adjustment of the cage depth based on water level changes and the growth needs of aquaculture organisms. This makes the cages suitable for surface aquaculture in different water environments. The inflatable airbags 16 are made of PVC mesh fabric resistant to seawater corrosion, with a single airbag volume of 0.5m³. After inflation, they can provide 500N of buoyancy (corresponding to 50kg of buoyancy). The inflation method uses an electric air pump (working pressure 0.2MPa, with an overpressure protection valve). The air valve is a nitrile rubber one-way sealing valve with a leakage rate ≤0.5% / 24h.

[0030] The protective ring 6 is circular, and the connecting blocks 7 and the floats 8 are all equidistantly distributed in a ring along the circumference of the protective ring 6. The buoyancy generated by the floats 8 allows the upper frame 1 and the entire cage structure to float in the water. The buoyancy of the cage is more uniform through multiple equidistantly distributed floats 8, ensuring that the cage can remain horizontally suspended and thus preventing it from tilting. The connecting blocks 7 are made of fiberglass, each of which can bear a load of ≥500N. There are ≥12 connecting blocks 7 to ensure that the protective ring 6 is firmly connected to the upper frame 1 and does not detach when subjected to wind and waves.

[0031] The anchoring rings 10 and buoyancy adjustment components are equidistantly distributed in a ring along the circumference of the protective ring 6, and the anchoring rings 10 and buoyancy adjustment components are staggered. The multiple equidistantly distributed anchoring rings 10 make the distribution of the anchor body more uniform, so as to improve the anchor body's fixing effect on the cage and enable it to withstand a level 12 typhoon or waves of more than 2.5 meters. Specifically, the weight of the iron anchor is ≥200kg (the weight of the concrete anchor is ≥500kg), the steel cable is made of 316L stainless steel, the diameter is ≥12mm, the breaking tensile strength is ≥15kN, and the length of the anchor rope is 2.5 times the actual water depth to ensure that the anchor body is not pulled up during wind and waves. The multiple equidistantly distributed buoyancy adjustment components can inflate and deflate the corresponding airbags 16 at symmetrical positions to ensure that the cage remains horizontal during buoyancy adjustment.

[0032] The upper frame 1 and lower frame 2 are both annular, with their outer and inner diameters being equal. Reinforcing ribs 3 are distributed in equidistant rings along the circumference of the upper frame 1 and lower frame 2. These equidistant ring-shaped reinforcing ribs connect and reinforce the upper frame 1 and lower frame 2. When the cage is subjected to wind and waves, the annular structure of the upper frame 1 and lower frame 2 effectively decomposes the impact force, reducing the impact of wind and waves on the cage. Compared to the traditional square frame structure, the wind and wave resistance performance can be improved by 40%. Specifically, the upper frame 1 and lower frame 2 are made of 316L stainless steel pipes. A comparative wind and wave resistance test showed that under level 8 winds and waves, the maximum deformation of the square frame was 15cm, while the maximum deformation of this annular frame was 9cm, a 40% reduction in deformation, corresponding to a 40% improvement in wind and wave resistance performance.

[0033] The mesh 4 is a double-layered arc-shaped mesh structure. The inner layer is an anti-corrosion mesh layer, and the outer layer is an anti-wave mesh layer. The inner anti-corrosion mesh layer can be made of 2mm diameter nylon 66 wire, which has a tear resistance 2-3 times higher than ordinary PE materials. The outer anti-wave mesh layer can be made of 1.5mm diameter galvanized steel wire mesh and coated with antifouling paint. It is suitable for high flow rates and strong wind and waves. Compared with the traditional single-layer mesh 4 structure, it has stronger tensile strength and anti-corrosion performance. The mesh size is 0.5cm for seedling aquaculture and 5cm for adult fish aquaculture. The mesh 4 is fixed to the reinforcing rib 3 by stainless steel buckles with a buckle spacing of ≤30cm. The edges are sealed with nylon rope. Specifically, the outer galvanized steel wire mesh is coated with a biological antifouling paint (the main component is marine antifouling agent) with a coating thickness of 80μm. It is cured at room temperature (curing time 24h) and has an antifouling effectiveness of ≥6 months, which can effectively inhibit the attachment of algae and shellfish.

[0034] The upper escape-proof net 5 is ring-shaped, and its inner diameter corresponds to the inner diameter of the upper frame 1. The cultured organisms can breathe by surfacing through the central area of ​​the upper frame 1. At this time, the upper escape-proof net 5 can block the cultured organisms to prevent them from escaping from the upper frame 1. The lower escape-proof net 11 is located at the center of the lower frame 2, and its diameter corresponds to the inner diameter of the lower frame 2. The lower escape-proof net 11 can block the cultured organisms to prevent them from escaping from the lower frame 2 while ensuring that water can flow normally into the net cage. The upper escape-proof net 5 is made of nylon mesh and is fixed to the edge of the upper frame 1 by stainless steel slots. The slots are padded with rubber sealing strips, and the gaps are ≤0.5cm. The lower escape-proof net 5 is a detachable polyethylene net and is connected to the ring bracket in the center of the lower frame 2 by bolts.

[0035] The counterweight rings 12 are distributed in an equidistant ring along the circumference of the lower frame 2. The suspension height of each counterweight bag 14 is the same. When it is necessary to increase the overall weight of the cage, the counterweight bags 14 can be suspended on the counterweight rings 12 by steel wire ropes 13. When it is necessary to reduce the overall weight of the cage, the counterweight bags 14 can be removed from the counterweight rings 12. The weight adjustment range is controlled by the number of counterweight bags 14 suspended, so that the draft of the cage can be adjusted as needed to avoid strong winds and waves on the surface of the water in bad weather. Each counterweight bag 14 is made of wear-resistant polypropylene material and contains a concrete block. The weight of a single bag is 10kg. The number of counterweight bags can be increased or decreased according to the required draft (e.g., adding one counterweight bag increases the draft of the cage by 0.2m).

[0036] All standard parts used in the application documents can be purchased from the market. All components in this application documents can be customized according to the description and drawings. The specific connection methods of each part adopt conventional methods such as bolts, rivets, and welding that are mature in the prior art. The machinery, parts and equipment adopt conventional models in the prior art.

[0037] The working principle of this utility model is as follows:

[0038] In use, this invention allows for the connection of anchor bodies to each anchoring ring 10 via steel cables, thus fixing the position of the net cage. The buoyancy generated by the floats 8 allows the upper frame 1, along with the entire net cage structure, to float in the water. To increase buoyancy, the air bladders 16 can be inflated; to decrease buoyancy, they can be deflated. The buoyancy adjustment is controlled by the number of air bladders inflated and deflated, allowing for flexible adjustment of the net cage depth according to water level changes and the growth needs of the cultured organisms. This makes the net cage suitable for surface aquaculture in different water environments. To increase the overall weight of the net cage, counterweight bags 14 can be suspended from the counterweight rings 12 via steel wire ropes 13; to decrease the overall weight, the counterweight bags 14 can be removed from the counterweight rings 12. The weight adjustment is controlled by the number of counterweight bags 14 suspended, allowing for adjustment of the net cage as needed. The draft is designed to allow the cage to avoid strong winds and waves on the surface during severe weather. When the cage is impacted by wind and waves, the upper frame 1 and lower frame 2 of the ring structure can effectively decompose the impact force, reducing the impact of wind and waves on the cage. Compared with the traditional square frame structure, the wind and wave resistance performance can be improved by 40%. The netting 4 is a double-layer arc-shaped net structure. The inner anti-corrosion netting layer can be made of 2mm diameter nylon 66 wire, which has a tear resistance strength 2-3 times higher than ordinary PE material. The outer anti-wind and wave netting layer can be made of 1.5mm diameter galvanized steel wire mesh, and the surface is coated with anti-fouling paint. It is suitable for high flow velocity and strong wind and wave environments. Compared with the traditional single-layer netting 4 structure, it has stronger tensile strength and corrosion resistance. Through the optimization and improvement of the cage structure, its structural strength and wind and wave resistance performance can be effectively enhanced to avoid frame deformation, netting 4 tearing, anchoring system failure, etc., which could lead to a large number of aquatic organisms escaping, or even the overall disintegration and overturning of the cage structure.

[0039] The preferred embodiments of this utility model disclosed above are merely illustrative of the present utility model. These preferred embodiments do not exhaustively describe all details, nor do they limit the utility model to the specific implementations described. Clearly, many modifications and variations can be made based on the content of this specification. This specification selects and specifically describes these embodiments to better explain the principles and practical applications of this utility model, thereby enabling those skilled in the art to better understand and utilize it. This utility model is limited only by the claims and their full scope and equivalents.

Claims

1. An aquaculture net pen with adjustable buoyancy, characterized in that, The system includes an upper frame and a lower frame. The upper frame is located directly above the lower frame, and several reinforcing ribs are fixedly connected between the bottom of the upper frame and the top of the lower frame. A net is installed between each pair of adjacent reinforcing ribs. An upper escape-proof net is installed on the top of the upper frame, and a protective ring is provided on the outer side of the upper frame. Several connecting blocks are fixedly connected between the inner side of the protective ring and the outer side of the upper frame. A float is provided between each pair of adjacent connecting blocks, and connecting rods are fixedly connected to both sides of the floats. The ends of the connecting rods are fixedly connected to the side walls of the connecting blocks. Several anchoring rings are fixedly connected to the outer side of the protective ring, and several buoyancy adjustment components are provided on the outer side of the protective ring. A lower escape-proof net is installed on the lower frame, and several counterweight rings are fixedly connected to the bottom of the lower frame. A steel wire rope is attached to each counterweight ring, and a counterweight bag is fixedly connected to the bottom end of the steel wire rope. The buoyancy adjustment component includes a fixed rod, one end of which is fixedly connected to the outside of the protective ring, and the other end of which is fixedly connected to an inflatable airbag. The inflatable airbag has an inflation port and an air valve is installed on the inflation port.

2. The adjustable buoyancy aquaculture cage according to claim 1, characterized in that, The protective ring is circular, and each of the connecting blocks and floats is distributed in an equidistant ring along the circumference of the protective ring.

3. The adjustable buoyancy aquaculture cage according to claim 1, characterized in that, The anchoring rings and buoyancy adjustment components are all distributed in an equidistant ring along the circumference of the protective ring, and the anchoring rings and buoyancy adjustment components are distributed in an alternating manner.

4. The adjustable buoyancy aquaculture cage according to claim 1, characterized in that, Both the upper and lower frames are annular, with their outer and inner diameters being equal. The reinforcing ribs are distributed in an equidistant ring along the circumference of the upper and lower frames.

5. The adjustable buoyancy aquaculture cage according to claim 1, characterized in that, The mesh is a double-layered arc-shaped mesh structure, with an anti-corrosion mesh layer on the inner side and an anti-wind and wave mesh layer on the outer side.

6. The adjustable buoyancy aquaculture cage according to claim 1, characterized in that, The upper escape-prevention net is ring-shaped, and its inner diameter is equal to that of the upper frame. The lower escape-prevention net is located at the center of the lower frame, and its diameter is equal to that of the lower frame.

7. The adjustable buoyancy aquaculture cage according to claim 1, characterized in that, The counterweight rings are distributed in an equidistant ring along the circumference of the lower frame, and the hanging height of each counterweight bag is the same.

Images