Water treatment device and culture assisting device

Abstract

To provide a culture assisting device that supplies culture water suitable to a culture method.SOLUTION: A culture assisting device includes: a first communication passage FR that is capable of delivering liquid received from liquid tanks Ta to Tc or a water tank Tw to crawls TNK1 to TNKn; and a second communication passage SD that dissolves carbon dioxide into water received from the water tank TW and returns it to the water tank Tw. The second communication passage SD and a pressure pump Pn are functioned for a prescribed period of time to maintain an amount of dissolved carbon dioxide within a prescribed level range, while the first communication passage FR and the pressure pump PN are functioned at an appropriate timing to supply the liquid received from the liquid tank or the water tank to the crawls TNK1 to TNKn.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an aquaculture support device that supports the promotion of growth in the aquaculture of algae and the like, and a water treatment device that can produce optimal aquaculture water. [Background technology]

[0002] Generally, algae are defined as organisms that perform oxygen-producing photosynthesis, excluding terrestrial plants, but sea grapes, laver, etc. may be cultivated in a cage placed on land, where seawater WT with a specified salinity is stored. Here, aquaculture in a cage has the advantage of being less susceptible to the effects of weather, and various aquaculture support devices that supply liquid fertilizer, etc. have been proposed (Patent Documents 1 to 5). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2020-191858 A [Patent Document 2] JP 2011-155906 A [Patent Document 3] JP 2010-022331 A [Patent Document 4] JP 2006-067955 A [Patent Document 5] JP 2004-267086 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, the growth characteristics of each type of algae are different, and for algae with high commercial value in particular, it is necessary to adopt an optimal cultivation method according to the growth condition of the algae. There is a need for the development of an aquaculture support device that meets this demand.

[0005] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above problems, and aims to provide a water treatment device capable of producing aquaculture water that is optimal for aquaculture, and an aquaculture support device that can supply aquaculture water that is suitable for the aquaculture method and cultivation conditions. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention provides a water treatment device that produces purified water, which is the basis of artificial seawater or artificial dialysis fluid, by supplying raw water pressurized based on the operation of a pressure pump whose rotation speed can be arbitrarily changed, to a reverse osmosis membrane (RO membrane). Pressure sensors capable of detecting the pressure in the fluid passage upstream and downstream of the pressure pump are embedded in the device housing, and a one-touch coupler that is normally closed but can be opened based on an insertion operation is provided at the base end of the fluid passage leading to the upstream position of the pressure pump.

[0007] The present invention should preferably be provided with a communication processing unit that can control the operation of the pressure pump via a communication line and can report pressure abnormalities upstream and / or downstream of the pressure pump via the communication line.

[0008] In the present invention, a pressure pump capable of arbitrarily changing the rotation speed can be realized by inverter controlling an AC motor, but preferably a DC motor (more preferably a DC brushless motor) is used. By using a DC motor, the operating noise becomes quieter, which is particularly suitable for hospitals performing dialysis treatments. In addition, a DC motor is easier to remotely control by a computer device via a communication line.

[0009] The present invention also provides an aquaculture support device that uses seawater or fresh water based on the purified water produced by the water treatment device described above and can supply a solution containing components necessary for aquaculture to a plurality of fish cages, the device comprising one or a plurality of liquid tanks for storing the solution, a water tank for storing fresh water or seawater, a first communication passage capable of transmitting the liquid received from the water tank or liquid tank to the plurality of fish cages, a second communication passage for returning the liquid received from the water tank to the water tank, an aeration mechanism disposed midway through the second communication passage for injecting effective gas into the flowing liquid, a pressurizing mechanism for realizing a liquid flow in the first communication passage and the second communication passage, and and a control mechanism for causing the pressurizing mechanism to function while the first communication passage or the second communication passage is functioning. The control mechanism maintains the dissolved amount of the effective gas within a predetermined level range by causing the second communication passage and the pressurizing mechanism to function based on a sensor signal or a clock timer received from the water tank, while causing the first communication passage and the pressurizing mechanism to function when the second communication passage is not functioning, to supply the liquid received from the liquid tank or the water tank to the multiple fish cages, and a required amount of the dissolved liquid and a specified amount of seawater or fresh water are intermittently supplied to the multiple fish cages at the required timing. Effect of the Invention

[0010] According to the present invention described above, it is possible to realize a water treatment device capable of producing culture water optimal for aquaculture, and an aquaculture support device capable of supplying aquaculture water suited to the aquaculture method and cultivation conditions. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0011] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram illustrating an aquaculture support device according to an embodiment. [Diagram 2] 2 is a diagram for explaining a control unit which is a main part of FIG. 1; [Diagram 3] 13 is a diagram illustrating another aquaculture support device in which a pressure sensor is arranged. [Figure 4] 4 is a diagram illustrating the pressure sensor of FIG. 3. [Diagram 5] 1 is a diagram explaining the manufacturing process of aquaculture water and dialysis fluid. [Figure 6]FIG. 6 is a system configuration diagram illustrating the water treatment device of FIG. 5. [Figure 7] 2 is a diagram illustrating a water storage unit constituting the water treatment device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0012] The present invention will be described in more detail below based on the embodiments. Fig. 1 is a system configuration diagram illustrating an aquaculture support device EQU that supplies aquaculture water to a plurality of fish cages TNK1 to TNKn. In this aquaculture support device EQU, a control unit UN that generates aquaculture water containing fertilizer components and carbon dioxide gas required for aquaculture is fixed to a mounting plate BRD and integrated. Each of the fish cages TNK1 to TNKn has a capacity of about 180 liters, and optimally adjusted artificial seawater is stored inside.

[0013] Figure 2 shows a schematic front view (a) and side view (b) of the integrated control unit UN. Here, the seawater circulation path (second communication path SD) and the gas path that supplies carbon dioxide gas to the air injection membrane module (air injection mechanism) SP are shown by thick lines in Figure 2(a). The integrated control unit UN is fixed to the mounting plate BRD and held in a wall-mounted state using the mounting hole Ho shown in Figure 2(b). Carbon dioxide gas is supplied from a gas tank GS.

[0014] In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the same type of seaweed is grown in a plurality of (24 to 80) TNKi, and liquid tanks Ta to Tc that hold various liquid fertilizer components (liquid fertilizer) necessary for seaweed cultivation and a seawater tank Tw that holds artificial seawater WT are arranged. The liquid fertilizer components are not particularly limited, but examples thereof include nitric acid, phosphoric acid, and potassium. In addition, it is preferable to submerge a lump of Nambu iron containing a large amount of ferrous iron in a predetermined liquid tank or seawater tank Tw for a predetermined time, dissolving the iron content of the Nambu iron in the liquid fertilizer or seawater, so that the necessary iron content can be appropriately replenished.

[0015] As shown in Figure 1, the control unit UN is mainly composed of an aeration membrane module SP that generates seawater WT containing carbon dioxide, a prefilter Fi located upstream of the aeration membrane module SP, a pressure pump PN that supplies pressurized water to the prefilter Fi and the aeration membrane module SP, a connection part MX that receives the liquid of each part sucked up by the pressure pump PN, opening / closing solenoid valves V1 to V7 and pressure gauges P1 to P4 located in appropriate positions, a central control device PLC consisting of a programmable logic controller, and a power supply circuit PW that receives 100V commercial power and supplies the necessary AC / DC voltage to each part.

[0016] In this embodiment, the central control device PLC is provided with a wireless LAN slave (communication processing unit), and a specific Internet terminal such as a smartphone is configured to be able to communicate one-to-one (e.g., peer-to-peer communication) with the central control device PLC via the wireless LAN master and the wireless LAN slave. In addition, the operation details of the aquaculture support device EQU, such as the rotation speed of the pressure pump PN, and the supply time and frequency of liquid fertilizer, can also be set over the Internet line.

[0017] The control unit UN of this embodiment is designed to have a water supply capacity of 8 to 12 liters / min so that the 80 fish cages can each be supplied with culture water at about 100 to 150 CC / min. Specifically, the fish cages TNK1 to TNKn are provided with a constant flow valve Vc set to about 100 to 150 CC / min, and the configurations of the pressure pump PN, prefilter Fi, and air injection membrane module SP are adapted to the above-mentioned water supply capacity (12 liters / min).

[0018] Therefore, by increasing the size of the pressure pump PN and increasing the number of pre-filters Fi and aeration membrane modules SP and operating them in parallel, the water supply capacity can be appropriately increased and it is possible to deal with the volume of the cage and the characteristics of the cultured organisms, etc. Note that multiple pre-filters Fi are added in the downward direction of Fig. 2 in a parallel connection state, and multiple aeration membrane modules SP are also added in the vertical direction of Fig. 2 in a parallel connection state.

[0019] In either case, the power supply circuit PW receives 100V AC via the operation switch SW, and appropriately drops the AC voltage AC via the earth leakage breaker ELB before supplying it to the solenoid valves V1 to V7, while also generating a DC voltage DC to be used as the power supply voltage for the central control device PLC.

[0020] Here, the earth leakage breaker ELB constantly monitors the current difference between a pair of power transmission lines that supply AC power, and if it detects a current difference exceeding a specified level, it determines that an earth leakage has occurred and cuts off the AC power. In this embodiment, seawater WT, which is a good conductor, is circulated throughout the system, so measures are taken to prevent electric shock accidents even in the unlikely event of an earth leakage.

[0021] Next, the central control device PLC controls the opening and closing of the solenoid valves V1-V7 based on appropriate ON / OFF control signals, and also starts and stops the operation of the pressure pump PN. The three liquid tanks Ta-Tc are connected to the connection part MX via the corresponding solenoid valves V1-V3, and the seawater tank Tw is connected to the connection part MX via the solenoid valve V4.

[0022] When the central control device PLC operates the pressure pump PN, it opens only one of the solenoid valves among the power valves V1 to V4, and either the seawater WT in the seawater tank Tw or the liquid fertilizer in one of the liquid tanks Ta to Tc is sucked into the pressure pump PN.

[0023] The liquid in the liquid tanks Ta-Tc and the seawater tank Tw is sucked through a strainer ST to prevent foreign matter from getting mixed in. Also, a pH sensor SN connected to the central control device PLC is disposed in the seawater tank Tw, so that the pH value of the seawater WT can be detected by the central control device PLC.

[0024] The pre-filter Fi is used to remove minute foreign objects mixed into the seawater WT received from the seawater tank Tw, and pressure gauges P1 and P2 are provided at its inlet and outlet, respectively. When the pre-filter Fi becomes clogged, the pressure differential P1-P2 of the pressure gauges becomes greater than the initial value, and so backwashing or replacement of the filter material becomes necessary based on the deviation from the initial value.

[0025] Therefore, the central control device PLC is configured to constantly monitor the differential pressure P1-P2 of the pressure gauge, and when the differential pressure P1-P2 becomes, for example, 0.05 MPa or more compared to the initial value at the start of operation, it flashes an alarm lamp or the like to notify the need for filter replacement.

[0026] The gas injection membrane module SP is a device for dissolving a required amount of carbon dioxide into the seawater WT that has passed through the prefilter Fi. The pH value of the seawater WT is generally about 8.0 to 8.2 (alkaline), but as the carbon dioxide dissolves, the pH value drops to the acidic side.

[0027] Therefore, the central control device PLC of this embodiment manages the amount of dissolved carbon dioxide based on the amount of drop in the pH value of the seawater WT from the initial value. That is, the dissolved carbon dioxide also decreases due to photosynthesis by cultured organisms such as algae and emission into the atmosphere, but according to this embodiment, the necessary dissolved amount can be always maintained. The necessary dissolved amount is set appropriately depending on the identity and growth state of the cultured organisms.

[0028] The air-injection membrane module SP is constructed by connecting a plurality of roughly cylindrical basic units in parallel and arranging them in a vertical direction in Fig. 1. Each basic unit is constructed with a three-layer composite hollow fiber membrane (MHF), and in this embodiment, seawater WT is introduced into the internal space of the composite membrane (air-injection membrane).

[0029] In addition, pressurized carbon dioxide gas is supplied to the space outside the air injection membrane, and the carbon dioxide gas can be dissolved in the seawater WT through each air injection membrane. In this embodiment, a three-layer composite hollow fiber membrane (MHF) is used, but the present invention is not limited thereto.

[0030] Carbon dioxide is ejected at a predetermined pressure from a gas cylinder GS in which a regulator GR is installed, and is introduced into the external space of the gas injection membrane module SP via a check valve Vs and an electromagnetic valve V7. The pressure setting value of the regulator GR is set to about 0.1 to 0.15 MPa according to the amount of carbon dioxide required to be dissolved in the seawater WT. Therefore, a pressure gauge P4 capable of measuring the gas pressure is installed at the carbon dioxide introduction section.

[0031] As shown in the figure, a pressure gauge P3 and a manual valve Vt are arranged on the outlet side of the gas injection membrane module SP. The manual valve Vt regulates the pressure difference between the external space and the inside and outside spaces of the gas injection membrane module SP, and by adjusting the manual valve Vt, the pressure value of the pressure gauge P3 is adjusted to be 0.1 MP or less, which is the minimum gas pressure.

[0032] In addition, the air injection membrane module SP is also provided with a drain cock EX, and if water droplets or condensation are detected in the external space of the air injection membrane module SP, the drain cock EX can be opened to discharge unnecessary materials.

[0033] Next, the operation of the central control device PLC will be explained. As explained above, the central control device PLC constantly monitors the pH value of the seawater WT, and when the pH value becomes alkaline and exceeds the upper limit, it starts the carbon dioxide gas injection operation.

[0034] In the carbon dioxide gas injection operation, the solenoid valves V4, V6, and V7 are opened, and the other solenoid valves V1 to V3 and V5 are closed. Then, the pressure pump PN is started to circulate the seawater WT through the route (second communication passage SD) of the seawater tank Tw ⇒ pre-filter Fi ⇒ aeration module SP ⇒ seawater tank Tw.

[0035] At this time, pressurized carbon dioxide gas is supplied to the gas injection module SP, and as this gas dissolves in the seawater WT, the amount of gas dissolved gradually increases, and the sensor value of the pH sensor SN in the seawater tank Tw changes and drops to the acidic side. When the pH value reaches the lower limit, the operation of the pressurizing pump PN is stopped and all solenoid valves V1 to V7 are closed to end the carbon dioxide gas injection operation.

[0036] It is not necessary to manage the duration of the carbon dioxide gas injection operation with the pH value, and it is also possible to continue the operation for a predetermined time based on a timer TM, for example. Similarly, it is not necessary to manage the start timing of the carbon dioxide gas injection operation with the pH value, and it is also possible to start the carbon dioxide gas injection operation at predetermined intervals. In this case, however, it is preferable to manage the duration of the operation with the pH value.

[0037] Next, the liquid fertilizer and seawater WT supply operation will be described. This supply operation may be performed intermittently as necessary, but in a simple manner, it is started at a predetermined time interval. However, this is only possible if the carbon dioxide gas supply operation has been completed. If the carbon dioxide gas supply operation has not been completed, the system will wait until it is completed.

[0038] The order of supplying liquid fertilizer and seawater WT to the cages TNK1 to TNKn through the liquid supply line (first communication passage FR) described below is not particularly limited. However, here, the liquid fertilizers a to c and seawater WT are supplied to the cages TNK1 to TNKn in the order of the liquid tank Ta, the liquid tank Tb, the liquid tank Tc, and the seawater tank Tw.

[0039] To explain further, first, only solenoid valves V1 and V5 are opened to supply liquid fertilizer a from liquid tank Ta to the cages. Then, pressure pump PN is started to supply liquid fertilizer from liquid tank Ta to the multiple cages TNK1-TNKn connected in parallel. In this case, liquid fertilizer a is supplied to each cage TNK1-TNKn via constant flow valve Vc, so the supply amount is uniform. Furthermore, liquid fertilizer a that is not supplied to the cages TNK1-TNKn is returned to connection part MX and circulated, so there is no waste in the use of liquid fertilizer a.

[0040] Then, when the specified operating time for liquid fertilizer a has elapsed, solenoid valve V1 is closed and solenoid valve V2 is opened to switch to supplying liquid fertilizer b from liquid tank Tb. As a result, liquid fertilizer b is uniformly supplied to each cage TNK1-TNKn via each constant flow valve Vc. In this case, too, liquid fertilizer b that is not supplied is returned to connection part MX and circulated.

[0041] Then, when the specified operating time for liquid fertilizer b has elapsed, solenoid valve V2 is closed and solenoid valve V3 is opened to switch to supplying liquid fertilizer c from liquid tank Tc. As a result, liquid fertilizer c is uniformly supplied to each cage TNK1-TNKn via each constant flow valve Vc. Liquid fertilizer c that is not supplied is returned to connection part MX and circulated.

[0042] In this case, when the specified operating time for liquid fertilizer c has elapsed, solenoid valve V3 is closed and then solenoid valve V4 is opened to switch to replenishing seawater WT from seawater tank Tw. As a result, seawater WT containing a predetermined level of dissolved carbon dioxide is uniformly supplied to each of the cages TNK1 to TNKn via each constant flow valve Vc. The replenishing amount (replenishing time) of seawater WT is appropriately set according to the replenishing amount of liquid fertilizer, etc. The seawater WT is also returned to and circulated through connection part MX, so no seawater is wasted except for the seawater overflowing from the cages TNK1 to TNKn.

[0043] As described above, in this embodiment, liquid fertilizers a, b, c and seawater WT are continuously supplied. Therefore, liquid fertilizer a remaining in the liquid supply line (first communication passage FR) is pushed out by liquid fertilizer b, then liquid fertilizer b remaining in the liquid supply line is pushed out by liquid fertilizer c, and finally liquid fertilizer c remaining in the liquid supply line is pushed out by seawater WT, so that there is no waste in the amount of liquid fertilizers a to c used, and it is possible to supply appropriate amounts of liquid fertilizers a to c that are managed.

[0044] The replenishment duration (amount replenished) and frequency of replenishment for each liquid fertilizer are appropriately changed depending on the degree of growth of the cultured organisms. It is not necessary to replenish all liquid fertilizers a to c with the same frequency, and the liquid fertilizer to be replenished is appropriately selected depending on the degree of growth. However, after the last liquid fertilizer is replenished, seawater WT is replenished to manage the actual amount of liquid fertilizer supplied.

[0045] As explained above, the set values ​​of the upper and lower limits of the pH value, the supply duration and supply frequency of the liquid fertilizers a to c and the seawater WT can be set / changed, for example, on a specific Internet terminal (smartphone or PC) connected via P2P (Peer to Peer), and can also be set / changed appropriately via a data input unit (not shown). Also, the gas cylinder GS is not necessarily required, and it is also suitable to use it as a carbon dioxide gas supply source through a gas separation membrane (see Patent No. 7083518) that sucks in air while selectively allowing carbon dioxide gas to pass through the air.

[0046] In addition, it is possible that organisms may attach to the cultivated products in the cages, but it has been experimentally confirmed that such organisms lose their activity in a high carbon dioxide environment. Therefore, before shipping the cultivated products, the carbon dioxide concentration level is increased to cause the attached organisms to settle to the bottom of the cages, thereby ensuring the removal of foreign matter from the products to be shipped.

[0047] In the above embodiment, the pressure gauges P1 to P4 are used, but instead of this configuration, it is also preferable to use pressure sensors SN1 to SN4 instead of the pressure gauges P1 to P4, as shown in Figures 3(a) and 3(b). In the configuration of Figure 3, instead of fixing the control unit UN to the mounting plate BRD, the entire control unit UN is housed in a housing case, and casters are attached to the bottom of the housing case to make it movable.

[0048] When using the pressure sensor SNi as in the equipment configuration of Figure 3, as shown in Figure 4(a), a water passage hole H1 connected to the water channel and a mounting hole H2 with a threaded groove are provided in the housing at the position where the pressure gauges P1 to P4 are arranged, and a thin-walled connection part JN ​​with a communication hole H3 is provided between the water passage hole H1 and the mounting hole H2.

[0049] Fig. 4(a) shows the state in which the annular packing PK and the pressure sensor SN are attached to the mounting hole H2 of the housing. Fig. 4(b) and Fig. 4(c) show the three-dimensional shape of the pressure sensor SN. As shown in the figure, the pressure sensor SN is configured with a large-diameter head HD that is substantially cylindrical with a screw groove on the side and an accommodating hole inside, a small-diameter body part BD that has cylindrical accommodating holes above and below the diaphragm (diaphragm part) TH, and circuit boards C1 and C2 that are accommodated in the accommodating holes of the large-diameter head HD and the small-diameter body part BD.

[0050] 4(b), the large diameter head HD is provided with an opening EX, and the wiring cable connected to the circuit board C2 is configured to be led out from the opening EX. Also, the large diameter head HD is formed with a cut groove GV on a diagonal line, and is configured so that a flat jig can be fitted into the cut groove GV.

[0051] Therefore, in this embodiment, after the small diameter body portion BD of the pressure sensor SN is accommodated in the mounting hole H2, a flat jig is fitted into the cut groove GV of the pressure sensor SN, and the flat jig is rotated, so that the pressure sensor SN can be screwed into the mounting hole H2. Specifically, the flat jig is rotated until the small diameter body portion BD of the pressure sensor SN abuts against the connection portion JN, thereby achieving the mounted state (embedded arrangement state) shown in Fig. 4(a). In this embedded arrangement state, the space below the small diameter body portion BD of the pressure sensor SN is filled with seawater up to the diaphragm portion TH while sealed by the packing PK.

[0052] The circuit board C1 detects the pressure applied to the diaphragm portion TH by arranging a pressure-sensing circuit in contact with the diaphragm portion TH of the small diameter body portion BD. Here, the circuit board C1 constitutes a diffusion-type semiconductor sensor that uses a silicon single crystal (piezoresistive element) for the diaphragm portion TH. However, instead of the diffusion-type semiconductor sensor, a metal thin-film type sensor that uses a metal (SUS) for the diaphragm portion TH may be arranged, in which case the detection accuracy is improved.

[0053] The circuit board C2 constitutes an output circuit that outputs the sensor value detected by the circuit board C1, and the pressure value output from the circuit board C2 is transmitted to the central control device PLC through the opening EX via appropriate wiring. By adopting such a configuration, the water pressure of each part of the aquaculture support device EQU can be grasped, for example, by a specified Internet terminal connected by P2P (Peer to Peer), and in the event of an abnormality, the situation can be quickly reported to a specified Internet terminal such as a smartphone.

[0054] Next, a method for producing the artificial seawater WT used in the aquaculture support device EQU will be described with reference to Fig. 5(a). In this embodiment, the artificial seawater WT is produced by adding salt (NaCl) and necessary components to pure water obtained by purifying tap water in order to improve the aquaculture quality. That is, in the configuration of Fig. 5(a), tap water as raw water is treated in a water treatment device WAT incorporating a reverse osmosis membrane (RO) to produce RO treated water, and this RO treated water is supplied to an ion exchange device ION incorporating an ion exchange resin to produce pure water.

[0055] The ion exchange resin is composed of a cation exchange resin that adsorbs the + ions contained in tap water and an anion exchange resin that adsorbs the - ions. In this embodiment, the ion exchange is performed in order to reliably remove the silica component (ionized SiO2) contained in tap water at different concentrations depending on the region, thereby realizing high-quality aquaculture.

[0056] That is, according to the findings of the present inventor, in seaweed cultivation, if the cultivation water contains silica components, in addition to the original seaweed to be cultivated, diatoms (nucleated algae covered with siliceous frustules) will grow, deteriorating the quality of the cultivated product. Therefore, in this embodiment, in order to eliminate the growth of unnecessary diatoms, silica components are removed from the RO water in the ion exchange device ION. Therefore, depending on the type of cultivated product, the ion exchange process can be omitted (see the dashed line in Figure 5 (a)).

[0057] In the configuration of Fig. 5(a), the water treatment device WAT has a similar configuration to the water treatment device disclosed in Japanese Patent Application No. 2023-004818, and has the configuration shown in Fig. 6. This water treatment device WAT receives tap water and purifies RO treated water, and is not only used to produce aquaculture water as shown in Fig. 5(a), but also used to supply RO water to a dialysis fluid generating device DIA to produce dialysis fluid as shown in Fig. 5(b).

[0058] The following description will be given on the assumption that dialysis fluid is produced. As shown in FIG. 6, the water treatment device WAT includes an on-off regulating valve V1 that opens the raw water line in response to an energization signal SG, a prefilter Fi that incorporates an activated carbon filter or the like to remove impurities from the raw water, pressure sensors SN0 and SN1 disposed upstream and downstream of the prefilter Fi, a pressure booster pump PU disposed downstream of the prefilter Fi, a pressure switch SW disposed upstream of the pressure booster pump PU, an RO module RO composed of a pair of reverse osmosis membrane modules TU1 and TU2, an operating pressure sensor SN2 disposed upstream of the RO module RO, and a pressure switch SW disposed downstream of the RO module RO. the pressure regulator V2 that adjusts the return flow rate of the first return path, a flow rate regulating valve V3 that adjusts the amount of RO water discharged, a pressure regulating valve V4 that adjusts the return flow rate of the second return path, check valves V5 to V7 that ensure a one-way flow path, a coupler CPL that is arranged at the end of the chemical liquid passage through which the chemical liquid can be introduced upstream of the pressure pump PU, and a controller PLC (Programmable Logic Controller) that receives signals from the pressure sensors SN0 to SN3 and the like and controls the operation of the pressure pump PU.

[0059] The controller PLC is connected to the display unit DISP and is configured with a built-in wireless LAN slave unit. Therefore, the controller PLC can be connected to an Internet line via a wireless LAN master unit such as a WiFi (registered trademark) router, and one-to-one communication such as P2P (Peer to Peer) communication is possible with a specific Internet terminal (smartphone or PC). By adopting such a configuration, the operating conditions of the water treatment device WAT can be set online, and the actual operating status can be grasped online in real time. In addition, the occurrence of an abnormality can be immediately reported to a specific Internet terminal.

[0060] Considering the above, the characteristic parts of the water treatment device WAT in Figure 6 will be explained. The sample port PRT, which constitutes the test port equipped with an elastic body, incorporates a rubber material having the structure of Patent No. 3144775. When necessary, such as for water quality testing, a suction needle is inserted into the rubber material to sample the required amount of RO water. The pressure sensors SN0 to SN3 are all configured to have the internal structure shown in Figure 4, and the output of each sensor is transmitted to the controller PLC. The pressure of each part can also be appropriately monitored from a specified Internet terminal.

[0061] Incidentally, the outer diameter of the sample port PRT to which the elastic body is attached and the outer diameter of the large-diameter head HD of the pressure sensor SN are configured to be the same, including the thread groove pitch formed on each. In addition, corresponding to this configuration, the shape and structure of the mounting holes of the sample port PRT and the pressure sensors SN0 to SN3 are unified. Therefore, in order to meet the needs of users, it is possible to mount the sample port PRT at the mounting position of the pressure sensor SN, or conversely, to mount the pressure sensor SN at the mounting position of the sample port PRT, greatly improving the freedom of device configuration.

[0062] In addition, since the pressure pump PU of this embodiment is configured with a DC motor pump, it has a large starting torque, is capable of high-speed rotation, and the rotation speed can be changed as desired. Also, compared to inverter-controlled AC pumps, it is possible to suppress vibrations and noise that are problematic in hospitals and other places. Furthermore, by adopting a DC motor pump, the motor section can be made compact, and running costs (electricity costs) can also be suppressed. The DC motor in this embodiment is a brushless motor.

[0063] Although not shown in the figure, the water treatment device WAT in Figure 6 is also equipped with sensors for detecting the flow rate of the RO water and the water temperature at appropriate locations, and the rotation speed of the DC motor pump PU can be appropriately changed not only based on the operating pressure based on the pressure sensor, but also on the flow rate and water temperature of the RO water.

[0064] In this embodiment using the DC motor pump PU, the first return path in which the pressure regulating valve V2 is disposed and the second return path in which the pressure regulating valve V4 is disposed are not necessarily required. In other words, the first and second return paths function to maintain the water pressure at a constant level, and can be omitted by operating the DC motor pump PU appropriately. However, providing the first return path and the second return path provides superior operating performance.

[0065] In either case, the controller PLC controls the operation of the pressurizing pump PU by sending an appropriate control signal CTL to the pressurizing pump PU based on the signals from the operating pressure sensors SN0 to SN3. Specifically, the controller PLC outputs a control signal based on a set value previously set by an attendant and the outputs of the sensors SN2 and SN3, thereby stopping the rotation of the pressurizing pump PU when it is not necessary, and then restarting the rotation of the pressurizing pump PU when the restart condition is satisfied. Then, during operation, the controller PLC rotates the pressurizing pump PU at an optimal rotation speed based on the outputs of the pressure sensors SN0 to SN3.

[0066] Next, the coupler CPL arranged at the base end of the water passage leading to the upstream side of the pressure pump PU will be described. The coupler CPL of the embodiment is a one-touch coupler composed of a socket part and a plug part, and has a structure in which when the plug part is inserted into the socket part, the passage that was closed until then is automatically opened. Although the specific internal configuration is not particularly limited, the coupler CPL of the embodiment is composed of a (female type) socket part and a (male type) plug part, and the tip part of each communication passage is closed based on a resilient force in the separated state. Then, when the socket part and the plug part are connected, the tip pieces push each other and the resilient positions retreat from each other, opening the communication passage.

[0067] Although not particularly limited, in this embodiment, the (male) plug portion is fixed to the water treatment device WAT, and the (female) socket portion is fixed to the water supply hose HS. An open / close cock COCK is provided at the tip of the water supply hose HS. A coupler CPL having such a configuration is used for inspecting the output water of the prefilter Fi and for chemical cleaning of the water passage inside the water treatment device WAT. When not in use, the socket portion and the plug portion may be separated or may remain connected.

[0068] In either case, during chemical cleaning, the end of the water supply hose HS is immersed in a work bucket that stores the chemical liquid, the on-off regulating valve V1 is closed to close the raw water line, and the RO water output line is also closed. Then, with the on-off regulating valves V2 to V4 open, the pressure pump PU is operated to suck in the chemical liquid from the work bucket. Next, when a sufficient amount of chemical liquid has spread throughout the internal water passages of the water treatment device WT, the on-off cock COCK is closed. Note that excess chemical liquid is discharged via the open on-off regulating valve V3.

[0069] Thereafter, with the chemical solution having been distributed throughout, the on-off regulating valve V3 is closed, and the pressurizing pump PU is continued to operate, thereby circulating the chemical solution and chemically cleaning the internal water passages of the water treatment device WT. After an appropriate circulation operation, the on-off regulating valves V1 and V3 are opened, and the pressurizing pump PU is continued to operate, thereby rinsing the internal water passages of the water treatment device WT. During this rinsing, the on-off cock COCK of the water supply hose HS is opened, and a sufficient amount of tap water is stored in the work bucket, so that the chemical solution passages from the work bucket to the pressurizing pump can also be rinsed.

[0070] As described above, according to this embodiment, chemical cleaning and rinsing cleaning can be achieved without the need to separate the RO water passage. When the socket part and the plug part are separated in a steady state, it is sufficient to simply attach the plug part to the socket part during cleaning. Also, opening and closing the open-close cock COCK is not necessarily required, and the open-close cock COCK may be kept open and the one-touch coupler CPL may be separated or joined as appropriate. In this case, the one-touch coupler CPL is maintained in a separated state in a steady state.

[0071] Below, we will specifically confirm the case where the open / close cock COCK is kept open. First, when injecting the chemical solution, the one-touch coupler CPL is connected with the chemical solution stored in the work bucket and chemical solution injection begins. Then, when it is time to move to the chemical solution circulation process, the one-touch coupler CPL is separated, and then, with tap water stored in the work bucket, the one-touch coupler CPL is reconnected and the process moves to the rinsing process.

[0072] Next, the water storage unit BUF will be described based on Fig. 7. In this embodiment, by disposing the water storage unit BUF shown in the figure, excess RO water is stored inside the cylindrical expansion member 13, and then the stored water inside the cylindrical expansion member 13 is discharged at the time of pressure reduction when the required flow rate of RO water increases.

[0073] 7(a) is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of the water storage unit BUF, which functions as a water storage and pressure storage unit that hermetically contains a cylindrical elastic material 13. The material for forming the elastic material 13 is not particularly limited, but in this embodiment, a silicon tube made of silicone rubber with a hardness of about 40 to 50 formed into a tube shape is used.

[0074] Fig. 7(b) is a schematic diagram of the water storage and pressure storage state in which RO water is stored inside the cylindrical expandable material, and Fig. 7(c) is a schematic diagram of the decompression timing at which the stored water is discharged. In the water storage and pressure storage state (Fig. 7(b)), the sealed gas (air) is sealed in the outer sealed space of the cylindrical expandable material in a compressed state that is in equilibrium with the water pressure of the RO water, and the discharge state shown in Fig. 7(c) is realized based on this compressed pressure.

[0075] As shown in FIG. 7(a), the water storage unit BUF is configured to include a retaining body 10 formed in a cylindrical shape with both ends open, an RO water inlet portion 11 located at one end of the retaining body 10, an RO water outlet portion 12 located at the other end of the retaining body 10, a waterproof cylindrical expandable material 13 housed inside the retaining body 10 and allowing the RO water to flow from the inlet portion 11 to the outlet portion 12, cap portions 14, 15 that plug the left and right sides of the retaining body 10 while penetrating the inlet portion 11 and the outlet portion 12, retaining rings 16, 17 that contact the inner surface of the retaining body 10 and hold both ends of the cylindrical expandable material 13, and a check valve 18 that provides one-way communication between the inside and outside of the retaining body 10.

[0076] Here, thread grooves that screw together are formed on the outer peripheral surfaces of both left and right ends of the holder 10 and the inner peripheral surfaces of the cap parts 14 and 15. In the completed state in which the cap parts 14 and 15 are screwed to the holder 10, the cap parts 14 and 15 are in contact with the open end surfaces of the holder 10 via O-rings. Therefore, a sealed space that traps air is formed between the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical expandable member 13 and the inner peripheral surface of the holder 10.

[0077] The check valve 18 is configured to only allow ventilation from the outside to the inside of the holder 10, and to prevent internal gas from leaking from the inside to the outside. The internal gas is typically air, but when sealing in an inert gas such as nitrogen, the inert gas can be sucked in through the check valve 18.

[0078] The position of the check valve 18 is not particularly limited, and it may be disposed, for example, in one of the cap portions 14, 15. For convenience, the left side in the figure is called the inlet portion 11 and the right side is called the outlet portion 12, but the water storage unit BUF is symmetrical except for the check valve 18, and it goes without saying that the inlet portion 11 and the outlet portion 12 may be disposed in the opposite positions.

[0079] A water passage tube (not shown) is fitted onto the exposed ends of the inlet part 11 and the outlet part 12, but both the inlet part 11 and the outlet part 12 are formed into a cylindrical shaft shape as a whole, and a communication hole with a diameter of, for example, about 5 mm penetrates in the axial direction to form a water passage for RO water. In addition, the inner tip parts 11a, 12a of the inlet part 11 and the outlet part 12 that face each other are formed in a slightly large diameter protruding state. Then, the end part of the cylindrical expandable member 13 is tightly fitted onto the outer periphery of these protruding parts 11a, 12a, so that the inlet part 11 and the outlet part 12 are liquid-tightly connected through the cylindrical expandable member 13.

[0080] The retaining rings 16, 17 are positioning members for the introduction section 11 and the discharge section 12, and are retaining members for the cylindrical telescopic member 13. Each of the retaining rings 16, 17 is in contact with the raised portions 11a, 12a when fitted onto the cylindrical telescopic member 13. The retaining rings 16, 17 are configured to have an outer diameter that almost reaches the inner peripheral surface of the holder 10 and an inner diameter that allows the cylindrical telescopic member 13 to pass through without difficulty, and are allowed to move left and right in the axial direction, not limited to the position shown in the figure.

[0081] Here, the inner end faces 16b, 17b of the retaining rings 16, 17 are spherically recessed, and are configured to softly receive the expanding cylindrical telescopic material 13. On the other hand, the outer end faces 16a, 17a of the retaining rings 16, 17 are formed flat, and press the protruding parts 11a, 12a with a pressing force corresponding to the expansion amount of the cylindrical telescopic material 13, thereby preventing the telescopic material 13 from slipping out of the protruding parts 11a, 12a.

[0082] Although the water treatment device and the aquaculture support device have been described above in this embodiment, the specific description does not particularly limit the present invention. For example, the present invention is not limited to growing plants such as seaweed in a fish cage, but can also be used to grow fish. In this case, oxygen is dissolved in fresh water or seawater instead of carbon dioxide, and nutrients and active ingredients for growth are supplied instead of liquid fertilizer. [Explanation of symbols]

[0083] WAT Water Treatment Equipment PU DC motor pump SN Pressure Sensor CPL One-touch coupler PLC communication processing unit FR first aisle SD second passageway TNK1~YNKn Fish tank WT Seawater or freshwater Tw seawater tank a,b,c Solution (liquid fertilizer) Ta, Tb, Tc liquid tank SP Air Injection Mechanism (Air Injection Unit) PN Pressurizing mechanism (pressurizing pump) PLC control mechanism (controller)

Claims

1. A water treatment device that produces artificial seawater or purified water that is the basis of artificial dialysis fluid by supplying raw water pressurized based on the operation of a pressure pump whose rotation speed can be arbitrarily changed to a reverse osmosis membrane (RO membrane), Pressure sensors capable of detecting pressures in the liquid passages at upstream and downstream positions of the pressure pump are disposed so as to be embedded in the housing of the device, A water treatment device characterized in that a one-touch coupler that is normally closed but can be opened by an insertion operation is provided at the base end of the liquid passage leading to a position upstream of the pressure pump.

2. The water treatment device according to claim 1 , further comprising a communication processing unit capable of controlling the operation of the pressure pump via a communication line and reporting pressure abnormalities at upstream and / or downstream positions of the pressure pump via the communication line.

3. A culture support device that uses seawater or freshwater based on the purified water produced by the water treatment device according to claim 1 or 2 and can supply a solution containing components necessary for culture to a plurality of fish cages, the system is configured to include one or more liquid tanks for storing the dissolving liquid, a water tank for storing fresh water or seawater, a first communication passage capable of transmitting the liquid received from the water tank or the liquid tank to a plurality of fish cages, a second communication passage for returning the liquid received from the water tank to the water tank, an air injection mechanism disposed midway through the second communication passage for injecting useful gas into the flowing liquid, a pressurizing mechanism for realizing a liquid flow in the first communication passage or the second communication passage, and a control mechanism for operating the pressurizing mechanism while the first communication passage or the second communication passage is operating, the control mechanism is configured to operate the second communication passage and the pressurizing mechanism based on a sensor signal or a timer received from the water tank to maintain the dissolved amount of the effective gas within a predetermined level range, and to operate the first communication passage and the pressurizing mechanism at a timing when the second communication passage is not functioning, to supply the liquid received from the liquid tank or the water tank to a plurality of fish cages; An aquaculture support device in which a required amount of the dissolving solution and a specified amount of seawater or fresh water are intermittently supplied to a plurality of fish cages at required timing.

4. The aquaculture support device according to claim 3, wherein each of the plurality of fish cages is connected to the first communication passage through a constant flow valve.

5. The aquaculture support device according to claim 3 , wherein the first communication passage is a route that does not include a liquid tank and forms a circulation path that includes the pressurizing mechanism.

6. The aquaculture support device according to claim 3 , wherein the sensor signal indicates a pH value.

7. The aquaculture support device described in claim 3, wherein the aeration mechanism is configured to include an aeration membrane module to which pressurized carbon dioxide gas is supplied outside the aeration membrane through which liquid flows, and an solenoid valve and a check valve for controlling the supply of carbon dioxide gas.

8. The aquaculture support device as described in claim 3, further comprising a leakage current breaker that cuts off the supply of AC power based on the current difference between the first line and the second line of the AC power source that functions the pressure mechanism and the control mechanism.

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