Aquaculture system, connecting unit, and method for manufacturing the aquaculture system

Abstract

We provide a scalable aquaculture system for land-based aquaculture. [Solution] The aquaculture system 1 comprises one or more tank units 10 having a tank 11 for cultivating aquatic products, one or more filtration units 20 having a filtration facility 21 for treating wastewater discharged from the tank units 10, and one or more connecting units 30 that are detachably connected to the tank units 10 and the filtration units 20. The tank units 10 and the filtration units 20 have pumps 14, 24 that supply water between the tank units 10 and the filtration units 20 via the connecting units 30. Two or more connecting units 30 are detachably connected.

Description

Technical Field

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[0001] The present invention relates to an aquaculture system for performing land-based aquaculture and the like.

Background Art

[0002] With the limitation of natural fishery resources, the consumption of fishery products is expanding worldwide. Therefore, the conversion from capture fishery to culture fishery is essential, and land-based aquaculture has attracted attention as a safe and secure production method (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, in conventional land-based aquaculture, since the devices are designed in a custom-made manner, redesign is required when changing the aquaculture scale, and there is a problem with the flexibility of the aquaculture scale.

[0005] The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and an object thereof is to provide a scalable aquaculture system for land-based aquaculture and the like.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] To achieve the above objective, an aquaculture system according to one aspect of the present invention comprises one or more tank units having a tank for cultivating aquatic products, one or more filtration units having a filtration facility for treating wastewater discharged from the tank units, and one or more connecting units detachably connected to the tank units and the filtration units, wherein at least one of the tank units, filtration units, and connecting units has a pump that supplies water between the tank units and the filtration units via the connecting units, and two or more connecting units are detachably connected.

[0007] This configuration allows for the creation of a farming system of any size for land-based aquaculture by connecting one or more tank units, one or more filtration units, and one or more connecting units. Therefore, the farming system can be made scalable.

[0008] Furthermore, in an aquaculture system according to one aspect of the present invention, the connecting unit has a first conduit through which wastewater discharged from a tank unit flows, a second conduit through which treated water treated by a filtration unit flows, a third conduit that guides wastewater from a tank unit connected to the connecting unit to a filtration unit connected to the connecting unit, and a fourth conduit that guides treated water from a filtration unit connected to the connecting unit to a tank unit connected to the connecting unit, wherein the first conduit and the third conduit are connected, and the second conduit and the fourth conduit are connected, and the first and second conduits of two or more connecting units may be detachably connected in series.

[0009] This configuration allows for the transfer of wastewater from the tank unit and treated water from the filtration unit between multiple connection units connected in series, and also allows for the transfer of wastewater and treated water between the tank unit and the filtration unit via the connection units.

[0010] Furthermore, in a farming system according to one aspect of the present invention, the connecting unit may further have on-off valves provided in the first and second conduits, respectively.

[0011] With this configuration, by closing the on-off valves provided in the first and second conduits, for example, some tank units or filtration units in an aquaculture system can be separated from other tank units or filtration units.

[0012] Furthermore, in an aquaculture system according to one aspect of the present invention, the tank unit has a pump that sends treated water treated by the filtration unit from a connecting unit connected to the tank unit to the tank unit, and the filtration unit may have a pump that sends wastewater from a connecting unit connected to the filtration unit to the filtration unit.

[0013] With this configuration, water can be transferred between the tank unit and the filtration unit using the pumps provided by both units.

[0014] Furthermore, in an aquaculture system according to one aspect of the present invention, the tank unit further includes an on-off valve for opening and closing the drainage channel from the tank unit to a connecting unit connected to the tank unit, and the filtration unit further includes an on-off valve for opening and closing the treated water channel from the filtration unit to a connecting unit connected to the filtration unit.

[0015] With this configuration, for example, by closing the on / off valves of the tank unit or filtration unit, it is possible to prevent wastewater from being discharged from the tank unit to the connection unit, or to prevent treated water from flowing from the filtration unit to the connection unit.

[0016] Furthermore, in an aquaculture system according to one aspect of the present invention, the connecting unit may further include a pump that sends wastewater from the tank unit to the filtration unit via a third conduit, and a pump that sends treated water from the filtration unit to the tank unit via a fourth conduit.

[0017] With this configuration, the pump in the connecting unit can transport water between the aquarium unit and the filtration unit.

[0018] Further, in the aquaculture system according to one aspect of the present invention, the connection unit may further include on-off valves provided in the third and fourth conduits, respectively.

[0019] With such a configuration, for example, by closing the on-off valves provided in the third and fourth conduits, it is possible to prevent the drainage water from being discharged from the water tank unit to the connection unit, or to prevent the treated water from flowing from the filtration unit to the connection unit.

[0020] Further, in the aquaculture system according to one aspect of the present invention, the first conduit is provided with a connection portion for detachably connecting a fifth conduit for flowing drainage water between any two or more connection units, and the second conduit may be provided with a connection portion for detachably connecting a sixth conduit for flowing treated water between any two or more connection units.

[0021] With such a configuration, for example, when separating some of the water tank units and filtration units in the aquaculture system from other water tank units and filtration units, a bypass flow path for the separated water tank units and filtration units can be formed by the fifth and sixth conduits.

[0022] Further, in the aquaculture system according to one aspect of the present invention, the water tank unit further includes a sub-water tank into which the treated water from the filtration unit flows, and the treated water in the sub-water tank may flow into the water tank.

[0023] With such a configuration, for example, it becomes possible to supply the treated water whose temperature, water quality, water level, salinity concentration, etc. have been adjusted by the sub-water tank to the water tank. <00,sampleText1>

[0024] Further, in the aquaculture system according to one aspect of the present invention, the water tank unit may further include a temperature adjustment mechanism for adjusting the temperature of the treated water in the sub-water tank.

[0025] With such a configuration, the treated water whose temperature has been adjusted in the sub-aquarium can be supplied to the aquarium.

[0026] Further, the aquaculture system according to one aspect of the present invention may further include a water storage tank detachably connected to the end of the first conduit connected in series and the end of the second conduit connected in series, respectively.

[0027] With such a configuration, since water can be stored in the water storage tank, the possibility that the water in the first and second conduits runs out can be reduced.

[0028] Further, in the aquaculture system according to one aspect of the present invention, the connection unit further has a seventh conduit connected to the first conduit and an eighth conduit connected to the second conduit, and the seventh and eighth conduits of two or more connection units may be detachably connected in series.

[0029] With such a configuration, the drained water from the aquarium unit and the treated water from the filtration unit can be fed between a plurality of connection units connected in series using the seventh and eighth conduits. Also, the seventh and eighth conduits can be used like a water storage tank, and in this case, the possibility that the water in the first and second conduits runs out can be reduced.

[0030] Further, in the aquaculture system according to one aspect of the present invention, the aquarium may be composed of a plurality of divided parts.

[0031] With such a configuration, for example, the aquarium can be assembled at a place where land aquaculture is carried out, and the movement of the aquarium to the place where land aquaculture is carried out becomes easier.

[0032] Further, the connection unit according to one aspect of the present invention is a connection unit constituting the aquaculture system.

[0033] Furthermore, a method for manufacturing an aquaculture system according to one aspect of the present invention comprises one or more tank units having a tank for cultivating aquatic products, one or more filtration units having filtration equipment for treating wastewater discharged from the tank units, and one or more connecting units detachably connected to the tank units and the filtration units, wherein at least one of the tank units, filtration units, and connecting units has a pump that delivers water between the tank units and the filtration units via the connecting units, and two or more connecting units are detachably connected, and the method for manufacturing an aquaculture system comprises, when one or more connecting units are two or more connecting units, the steps of connecting two or more connecting units, connecting the tank units and the connecting units, and connecting the filtration units and the connecting units.

[0034] Furthermore, a method for manufacturing an aquaculture system according to one aspect of the present invention comprises one or more tank units having a tank for cultivating aquatic products, one or more filtration units having filtration equipment for treating wastewater discharged from the tank units, and two or more connecting units detachably connected to the tank units and the filtration units, wherein at least one of the tank units, filtration units, and connecting units has a pump that delivers water between the tank units and the filtration units via the connecting units, and the two or more connecting units are detachably connected, and the method for manufacturing an aquaculture system comprises the steps of connecting a new connecting unit to an end connecting unit among the connecting units connected to at least one of the tank units and the filtration units, and connecting a new tank unit and a new filtration unit to the new connecting unit. [Effects of the Invention]

[0035] According to one aspect of the present invention, an aquaculture system can be made scalable for land-based aquaculture. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0036] [Figure 1]A schematic plan view showing an example of the configuration of an aquaculture system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] A schematic front view showing an example of a connected aquarium unit, filtration unit, and connecting unit in the same embodiment. [Figure 3] Plan diagram showing another example of the aquaculture system according to the same embodiment. [Figure 4] Flowchart showing the manufacturing method of the aquaculture system according to the same embodiment. [Figure 5] A schematic plan view showing another example of the connected aquarium unit, filtration unit, and connecting unit in the same embodiment. [Figure 6] A schematic front view showing another example of the connected aquarium unit, filtration unit, and connecting unit in the same embodiment. [Figure 7] Plan diagram showing another example of the aquaculture system according to the same embodiment. [Figure 8] A schematic plan view showing another example of the aquarium unit in the same embodiment. [Figure 9] A schematic front view showing another example of the aquarium unit in the same embodiment. [Figure 10] A perspective view showing an example of a water tank composed of divided parts in the same embodiment. [Figure 11] Plan diagram showing another example of the aquaculture system according to the same embodiment. [Figure 12] A vertical cross-sectional view showing an example of the connection between the first conduit and the water storage tank in the same embodiment. [Figure 13] A schematic plan view showing another example of multiple connection units in the same embodiment. [Figure 14] A schematic diagram showing an example of the connection between the first conduit and the seventh conduit, and the connection between the second conduit and the eighth conduit in the same embodiment. [Figure 15] A schematic diagram showing another example of the connection between the first conduit and the seventh conduit, and the connection between the second conduit and the eighth conduit in the same embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0037] The aquaculture system, connecting unit, and method for manufacturing the aquaculture system according to the present invention will be described below using embodiments. In the following embodiments, components and steps denoted by the same reference numerals are the same or equivalent and may not be described again. The scalable aquaculture system according to this embodiment comprises one or more tank units, one or more filtration units, and one or more connecting units for connecting the tank units and filtration units.

[0038] Figure 1 is a schematic plan view of an example of the configuration of the aquaculture system 1 according to this embodiment. The aquaculture system 1 according to this embodiment is for land-based aquaculture and may include four tank units 10a to 10d, two filtration units 20a and 20b, and four connection units 30a to 30d, as shown in Figure 1. When tank units 10a to 10d are not specifically distinguished, they may be referred to as tank unit 10. The same applies to other configurations. In addition, Figure 1 shows the case where the aquaculture system 1 includes four tank units 10, two filtration units 20, and four connection units 30, but the aquaculture system 1 only needs to include one or more tank units 10, one or more filtration units 20, and one or more connection units 30, and the number of each component included in the aquaculture system 1 is not limited. However, typically, the number of aquarium units 10 and the number of filtration units 20 are independently equal to or less than the number of connection units 30.

[0039] Figure 2 is a schematic front view of an example showing the connected aquarium unit 10, filtration unit 20, and connection unit 30. Figure 2 also shows the interior of the aquarium 11 and filtration equipment 21 through a transparent view. Note that in Figure 2, the contents of the aquatic products inside the aquarium 11 are omitted, and the contents of the filter media etc. inside the filtration equipment 21 are omitted.

[0040] The aquarium unit 10 may include an aquarium 11 for cultivating aquatic products, a conduit 12 for guiding treated water treated by the filtration unit 20 to the aquarium 11, a conduit 13 for discharging wastewater from the aquarium 11 to the connecting unit 30, a pump 14 for supplying treated water from the connecting unit 30 to the aquarium unit 10 via the conduit 12, and an on / off valve 15 provided in the conduit 13.

[0041] The tank 11 may contain, for example, freshwater or seawater. The aquatic products to be cultivated may be, for example, fish and shellfish or seaweed. The fish and shellfish may be, for example, fish, cephalopods such as squid and octopus, shellfish, crustaceans such as shrimp and crabs, or echinoderms such as sea urchins and sea cucumbers.

[0042] The conduit 12 is for carrying treated water from the connection unit 30 to the tank 11. The first end of the conduit 12 may be detachably connected to the fourth conduit 34 of the connection unit 30. The fourth conduit 34 will be described later. The second end of the conduit 12 may be connected to the tank 11. For example, the conduit 12 may allow treated water to flow into the tank 11 from above the water surface of the tank 11.

[0043] Here, the detachable connection of the two conduits may be made, for example, by connecting flanges provided at the ends of the two conduits, or by using a connection mechanism other than flanges. When connecting the two flanges, they may be connected via a sealant to prevent water leakage between them, for example. The connection of the two flanges may be made by fixing them together, for example, using bolts and nuts.

[0044] The conduit 13 is for draining wastewater from the water tank 11 to the connecting unit 30. The first end of the conduit 13 may be detachably connected to the third conduit 33 of the connecting unit 30. The third conduit 33 will be described later. The second end of the conduit 13 may be connected to the water tank 11. As shown in Figure 2, for example, the second end of the conduit 13 may be an overflow pipe that takes in water above a predetermined water level and drains it to the connecting unit 30 so that the water level in the water tank 11 remains constant. If water from the water tank 11 is taken into the conduit 13 by a method other than overflow, the water tank unit 10 may further have, for example, a water level adjustment mechanism to maintain a constant water level in the water tank 11. This water level adjustment mechanism may be, for example, a butterfly-type water level adjustment float valve, and may have a water level sensor that detects the water level in the water tank 11 and an adjustment means that adjusts the amount of wastewater so that the detected water level remains constant.

[0045] Pump 14 may supply treated water to the aquarium unit 10 via the conduit 12 from a connecting unit 30 connected to the aquarium unit 10. Preferably, the pump 14 can adjust its flow rate. By adjusting the flow rate of pump 14, for example, the flow rate of wastewater discharged from the aquarium 11 can be adjusted. For example, if there are many fish in the aquarium 11 and the water quality of the aquarium 11 is likely to deteriorate, the flow rate of pump 14 may be increased. In addition, for example, an on-off valve may be provided on the upstream or downstream side of pump 14 in the conduit 12. In this case, by closing this on-off valve when pump 14 is stopped, the flow of water in the conduit 12 can be stopped more reliably.

[0046] The on-off valve 15 may open and close the drainage channel from the tank unit 10 to the connecting unit 30 connected to the tank unit 10. Figures 1 and 2 show the case where the drainage channel via the conduit 13 is opened and closed by the on-off valve 15. The on-off valve 15 may, for example, be capable of adjusting the flow rate, or it may not be. Also, for example, if a disease occurs in the aquatic products of a tank unit 10 and it is desired to completely separate that tank unit 10 from the filtration unit 20 and other tank units 10, the on-off valve 15 of that tank unit 10 may be closed. In this case, for example, the pump 14 that supplies treated water to the tank unit 10 where the disease occurred may also be stopped.

[0047] The filtration unit 20 may include a filtration system 21 for processing wastewater discharged from the tank unit 10, a conduit 22 for guiding wastewater discharged from the tank unit 10 to the filtration system 21, a conduit 23 for guiding treated water from the filtration system 21 to the connecting unit 30, a pump 24 for supplying wastewater from the connecting unit 30 to the filtration system 21 via the conduit 22, and an on / off valve 25 provided in the conduit 23.

[0048] The filtration system 21 is for filtering wastewater discharged from the tank unit 10. The treated water filtered by the filtration system 21 is more suitable for aquaculture than the wastewater. The filtration treatment by the filtration system 21 may also be for the purpose of purifying the wastewater. Figure 2 shows an example where the filtration system 21 has the same configuration as the tank 11. The filtration system 21 may be, for example, one or more pieces of equipment connected in series for performing the filtration treatment.

[0049] The filtration process may include, for example, physical filtration to physically remove floating debris in the water, biological filtration which utilizes the action of organisms such as bacteria to convert substances harmful to aquatic products, such as ammonia, into other substances that are safer for aquatic products, chemical filtration which chemically adsorbs substances harmful to aquatic products, or other processes. The filtration process in filtration equipment 21 is already publicly known, and a detailed explanation thereof will be omitted.

[0050] The conduit 22 is for draining wastewater from the aquarium unit 10 to the filtration system 21. The first end of the conduit 22 may be detachably connected to the third conduit 33 of the connecting unit 30. The second end of the conduit 22 may be connected to the filtration system 21.

[0051] The conduit 23 is for carrying treated water from the filtration equipment 21 to the connecting unit 30. The first end of the conduit 23 may be detachably connected to the fourth conduit 34 of the connecting unit 30. The second end of the conduit 23 may be connected to the filtration equipment 21.

[0052] Pump 24 may supply wastewater to the filtration unit 20 via conduit 22 from a connecting unit 30 connected to the filtration unit 20. Preferably, the flow rate of pump 24 can be adjusted. By adjusting the flow rate of pump 24, for example, the flow rate of wastewater taken into the filtration equipment 21 can be adjusted. For example, if the filtration equipment 21 can process a larger amount of wastewater per unit time, the flow rate of pump 24 may be increased. Also, for example, if the number of tank units 10 included in the aquaculture system 1 is small, the flow rate of pump 24 may be decreased. For example, an on-off valve may be provided on the upstream or downstream side of pump 24 in conduit 22. In this case, when pump 24 is stopped, the flow of water in conduit 22 can be more reliably stopped by closing this on-off valve.

[0053] The on-off valve 25 may open and close the flow path of treated water from the filtration unit 20 to the connecting unit 30 connected to the filtration unit 20. Figures 1 and 2 show the case where the flow path of treated water through the conduit 23 is opened and closed by the on-off valve 25. The on-off valve 25 may or may not be capable of adjusting the flow rate.

[0054] The connection unit 30 is detachably connected to the aquarium unit 10 and the filtration unit 20, and may include a first conduit 31 through which wastewater discharged from the aquarium unit 10 flows, a second conduit 32 through which treated water treated by the filtration unit 20 flows, a third conduit 33 that guides wastewater from the aquarium unit 10 connected to the connection unit 30 to the filtration unit 20 connected to the connection unit 30, a fourth conduit 34 that guides treated water from the filtration unit 20 connected to the connection unit 30 to the aquarium unit 10 connected to the connection unit 30, an on-off valve 35 provided in the first conduit 31, and an on-off valve 36 provided in the second conduit 32. Furthermore, two or more connection units 30 may be detachably connected. When two connection units 30 are connected, it is preferable that they be connected directly without other components in between.

[0055] The first conduit 31 is for forming a drainage channel. The first end of the first conduit 31 may be detachably connected to the first conduit 31 of another connection unit 30. The second end of the first conduit 31 may be detachably connected to the first conduit 31 of another connection unit 30.

[0056] If the end of the first conduit 31 is not connected to the first conduit 31 of another connection unit 30, it is preferable to attach a plug member 41 to that end to prevent water leakage from that end. For example, a plug member 41 is attached to one end of the first conduit 31a shown in Figure 1. The same applies to the second conduit 32, the third conduit 33, and the fourth conduit 34. Alternatively, instead of a plug member 41, a shut-off valve may be used to prevent water leakage from the end of the conduit.

[0057] The second conduit 32 is for forming a flow path for treated water. The first end of the second conduit 32 may be detachably connected to the second conduit 32 of another connection unit 30. The second end of the second conduit 32 may be detachably connected to the second conduit 32 of another connection unit 30.

[0058] The third conduit 33 is connected to the first conduit 31. Therefore, the drainage from the aquarium unit 10 connected to the connection unit 30 flows through the third conduit 33 to the filtration unit 20 connected to the connection unit 30 and to at least one of the first conduit 31.

[0059] The fourth conduit 34 is connected to the second conduit 32. Therefore, treated water from the filtration unit 20 connected to the connection unit 30 flows through the fourth conduit 34 to the water tank unit 10 connected to the connection unit 30 and to at least one of the second conduit 32.

[0060] By opening and closing the on-off valves 35 and 36, a specific aquarium unit 10 or filtration unit 20 can be separated from other aquarium units 10 and filtration units 20. For example, in the aquaculture system 1 shown in Figure 1, by closing the on-off valves 35a and 36b respectively, aquarium unit 10a and filtration unit 20a are separated from aquarium units 10b to 10d and filtration unit 20b. In this case, wastewater and treated water will flow only between aquarium unit 10a and filtration unit 20a. Therefore, for example, if a disease occurs in the fish being farmed in aquarium unit 10a, closing the on-off valves 35a and 36b respectively and separating aquarium unit 10a and filtration unit 20a will prevent the disease from spreading to other aquarium units 10b to 10d. Note that the on-off valves 35 and 36 do not necessarily have to be able to adjust the flow rate.

[0061] The first conduits 31 and second conduits 32 of two or more connection units 30 may be detachably connected in series. By connecting multiple first conduits 31 in series, a single conduit longer than the length through which wastewater flows is formed. Similarly, by connecting multiple second conduits 32 in series, a single conduit longer than the length through which treated water flows is formed.

[0062] In the aquaculture system 1 shown in Figure 1, the dashed arrows indicate the water flow, and the numbers next to the arrows indicate the water flow rate as an example. If filtration units 20a and 20b can each provide 100 liters of treated water per minute, then tank unit 10a may take in 100 liters of treated water per minute, tank unit 10b may take in 60 liters of treated water per minute, tank unit 10c may take in 30 liters of treated water per minute, and tank unit 10d may take in 10 liters of treated water per minute. For example, if large fish are being farmed in tank unit 10a, medium-sized fish in tank unit 10b, small fish in tank unit 10c, and even smaller fish in tank unit 10d, the flow rates may be set to those shown in Figure 1. On the other hand, if the filtration capacity becomes insufficient as the fish in tank units 10b to 10d grow larger, the filtration capacity can be easily increased by adding a filtration unit 20 to the aquaculture system 1, for example. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 3, it is possible to increase not only the filtration unit 20 but also the number of tank units 10. Also, when the grown fish are shipped, for example, tank unit 10a can be removed from the aquaculture system 1. If the number of tank units 10 is reduced, for example, the number of filtration units 20 may also be reduced. In this way, the aquaculture system 1 according to this embodiment provides a scalable aquaculture system 1, that is, an aquaculture system 1 in which the number of tank units 10 and the number of filtration units 20 can be easily increased or decreased. Also, for example, if the flow rate of treated water taken in each of the tank units 10a to 10d is small, the processing capacity of filtration units 20a and 20b may be reduced, or some of the filtration units 20 may not be operated.

[0063] Each of the aquarium unit 10, the filtration unit 20, and the connecting unit 30 may have support parts (not shown) that support, for example, conduits, pumps, on-off valves, etc. Also, as an example, each component included in the aquarium unit 10 may be placed inside a predetermined container such as a container, and each component included in the filtration unit 20 may also be placed inside a predetermined container such as a container. The predetermined container such as a container may be, for example, an assembly-type container, or it may not be.

[0064] Furthermore, the ends of the conduits 12 and 13 in the aquarium unit 10 that are connected to the connection unit 30, the ends of the conduits 22 and 23 in the filtration unit 20 that are connected to the connection unit 30, the arrangement of both ends of the first to fourth conduits 31 to 34 of the connection unit 30, and the detachable connection mechanisms at these ends may be standardized. In such cases, the aquaculture system 1 can be constructed by arbitrarily combining aquarium units 10, filtration units 20, and connection units 30 whose connection parts are standardized. If the connection points of the aquarium unit 10, filtration units 20, and connection units 30 are standardized, for example, the aquaculture system 1 can be constructed by combining aquarium units 10, filtration units 20, and connection units 30 manufactured by different manufacturers.

[0065] Furthermore, with respect to the aquarium unit 10 and the filtration unit 20, apart from the connection points with the connection unit 30, they may be the same or different for each of the two or more aquarium units 10, and they may also be the same or different for each of the two or more filtration units 20. For example, the capacities of the aquariums 11 of the two or more aquarium units 10 may be different. As another example, the processing capacities of the filtration equipment 21 of the two or more filtration units 20 may be different. On the other hand, it is preferable that the two or more connection units 30 have the same configuration, both at the connection points with the aquarium units 10 and the filtration units 20, and at other points. In other words, the two or more connection units 30 may be identical.

[0066] Figure 4 is a flowchart showing the method for manufacturing the aquaculture system 1 according to this embodiment. This manufacturing method may be, for example, the method used when manufacturing the aquaculture system 1 for the first time, or it may be the method used when manufacturing an expanded aquaculture system 1 by adding units to an existing aquaculture system 1.

[0067] (Step S101) Connect two or more connection units 30. For example, when manufacturing the aquaculture system 1 for the first time, this step 101 is performed when the aquaculture system 1 to be manufactured has two or more connection units 30, and step 101 may be skipped when the aquaculture system 1 to be manufactured has only one connection unit 30. Also, for example, when expanding the aquaculture system 1 and increasing the number of connection units 30 that the aquaculture system 1 has, in step S101, a new connection unit 30 may be connected to the end connection unit 30 of the connection unit 30 that is connected to at least one of the tank unit 10 and the filtration unit 20. When connecting a new connection unit 30, for example, the plug members 41 attached to the first and second conduits 31 and 32 of the existing connection unit 30 may be removed, and the first and second conduits 31 and 32 of the new connection unit 30 may be connected to the first and second conduits 31 and 32 from which the plug members 41 have been removed.

[0068] (Step S102) Connect the aquarium unit 10 and the connection unit 30. For example, when expanding the aquaculture system 1, a new aquarium unit 10 may be connected to a newly connected connection unit 30, or a new aquarium unit 10 may be connected to an existing connection unit 30.

[0069] (Step S103) Connect the filtration unit 20 and the connection unit 30. For example, when expanding the aquaculture system 1, a new filtration unit 20 may be connected to a newly connected connection unit 30, or a new filtration unit 20 may be connected to an existing connection unit 30.

[0070] When expanding the aquaculture system 1, for example, only one of the tank unit 10 and the filtration unit 20 may be newly connected to the connection unit 30. In this case, for example, one of steps S102 and S103 may be skipped.

[0071] Furthermore, after the aquarium unit 10, filtration unit 20, and connection unit 30 are connected, a plug member 41 may be attached to the end of the open conduit. Also, the order of processing in the flowchart of Figure 4 is just one example, and the order of each step may be changed if similar results can be obtained. For example, after connecting the connection unit 30 to the aquarium unit 10 and filtration unit 20, multiple connection units 30 to which the aquarium unit 10 and filtration unit 20 are connected may be connected.

[0072] This section describes the case of expanding the aquaculture system 1, but when reducing the aquaculture system 1, at least one of the tank unit 10 and the filtration unit 20 may be removed from the existing aquaculture system 1. Also, if, as a result of removing the tank unit 10 and the filtration unit 20, there is a connection unit 30 to which neither the tank unit 10 nor the filtration unit 20 is connected, that connection unit 30 may also be removed. In this way, the aquaculture system 1 can be reduced to a scale suitable for aquaculture of marine products. Furthermore, after the tank unit 10, the filtration unit 20, and the connection unit 30 have been removed, a plug member 41 may be attached to the end of the open conduit.

[0073] Next, a method for manufacturing the aquaculture system 1 and a method for using the aquaculture system 1 will be described. When manufacturing the aquaculture system 1 shown in Figure 1, for example, the first and second conduits 31 and 32 of the multiple connection units 30a to 30d may be connected in series (step S101). Then, the tank units 10a to 10d may be connected to the connection units 30a to 30d, respectively (step S102). Alternatively, the filtration units 20a and 20b may be connected to the connection units 30a and 30b, respectively (step S103). Then, plug members 41 may be attached to the open ends of the conduits of the connection units 30a, 30c, and 30d, respectively. In this way, the aquaculture system 1 can be manufactured.

[0074] Subsequently, water and aquatic products may be placed in each tank 11 of the tank units 10a to 10d, and the valves may be opened and the pumps operated so that the water circulates between the tank unit 10 and the filtration unit 20. In this way, land-based aquaculture of aquatic products can be realized.

[0075] Next, a method for expanding the aquaculture system 1 will be described. When expanding the aquaculture system 1 shown in Figure 1 to the aquaculture system 1 shown in Figure 3, in the aquaculture system 1 shown in Figure 1, first, the plug members 41 attached to the ends of each conduit of the connection units 30c and 30d may be removed. At that time, the on-off valves may be closed as appropriate to prevent water from flowing out from the ends from which the plug members 41 have been removed. After that, a new connection unit 30e may be connected to the connection unit 30d (step S101). In addition, a new tank unit 10e may be connected to the new connection unit 30e, and new filtration units 20c to 20e may be connected to the existing connection units 30c and 30d, and the new connection unit 30e, respectively (steps S102, S103). Finally, plug members 41 may be attached to the open ends of each conduit of the connection unit 30e, water and aquatic products may be placed in the tank 11e of the added tank unit 10e, and the on-off valves that were closed may be opened. In this way, the aquaculture system 1 can be expanded.

[0076] As described above, according to the aquaculture system 1 of this embodiment, the aquaculture system 1 can be made scalable by connecting one or more tank units 10, one or more filtration units 20, and one or more connecting units 30 to constitute the aquaculture system 1. Furthermore, by appropriately opening and closing the on-off valves provided in each unit, it is possible to separate some units from other units. For example, if a disease occurs in one tank unit 10, the disease can be prevented from spreading to other tank units 10 by separating that tank unit 10 from the others. Also, if the aquaculture system 1 is equipped with two or more filtration units 20, for example, even if the pump 24 of one of the filtration units 20 fails, treated water from the other filtration units 20 can be supplied to each tank unit 10. Therefore, even if the pump 24 fails, the impact on the aquatic products can be reduced.

[0077] In this embodiment, the case where the water tank unit 10 and the filtration unit 20 have pumps has been mainly described, but this is not required. For example, if the water tank unit 10 is positioned higher than the filtration unit 20, the wastewater from the water tank unit 10 may flow naturally into the filtration unit 20. Natural flow of water may mean that the water flows due to gravity. In this case, the filtration unit 20 does not need to have a pump 24. The filtration unit 20 may, for example, have a flow control valve to adjust the flow rate of wastewater flowing into the filtration equipment 21 instead of a pump 24. Another example is that if the filtration unit 20 is positioned higher than the water tank unit 10, the treated water from the filtration unit 20 may flow naturally into the water tank unit 10. In this case, the water tank unit 10 does not need to have a pump 14. The filtration unit 20 may, for example, have a flow control valve to adjust the flow rate of treated water flowing into the water tank 11 instead of a pump 14.

[0078] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the water tank unit 10 and the filtration unit 20 may not have pumps, and the connection unit 30 may have pumps. In this case, as shown in Figure 5, the connection unit 30 may further include a pump 51 that sends treated water from the filtration unit 20 to the water tank unit 10 via a fourth conduit 34, an on-off valve 52 provided on the fourth conduit 34, a pump 53 that sends wastewater from the water tank unit 10 to the filtration unit 20 via a third conduit 33, and an on-off valve 54 provided on the third conduit 33.

[0079] The pump 51 may be located, for example, in the fourth conduit 34, closer to the water tank unit 10 than the connection point with the second conduit 32. In this case, it is preferable that the pump 51 has adjustable flow rate. By adjusting the flow rate of the pump 51, for example, the flow rate of treated water flowing into the water tank 11 can be adjusted.

[0080] The on-off valve 52 may, for example, be located in the fourth conduit 34 on a side closer to the filtration unit 20 than the connection point with the second conduit 32. With this configuration, the on-off valve 52 opens and closes the flow path of treated water flowing out of the filtration unit 20. The on-off valve 52 may, for example, be capable of adjusting the flow rate, or it may not be.

[0081] The pump 53 may be located, for example, in the third conduit 33, closer to the filtration unit 20 than the connection point with the first conduit 31. In this case, it is preferable that the pump 53 has adjustable flow rate. By adjusting the flow rate of the pump 53, for example, the flow rate of wastewater flowing into the filtration equipment 21 can be adjusted.

[0082] The on-off valve 54 may, for example, be located in the third conduit 33 on the side closer to the water tank unit 10 than the connection point with the first conduit 31. With this configuration, the on-off valve 54 opens and closes the flow path for wastewater flowing out of the water tank unit 10. The on-off valve 54 may, for example, be capable of adjusting the flow rate, or it may not be.

[0083] For example, if the aquarium unit 10 is positioned higher than the filtration unit 20, and the wastewater from the aquarium unit 10 flows naturally into the filtration unit 20, the connection unit 30 does not need to have a pump 53. Also, as another example, if the filtration unit 20 is positioned higher than the aquarium unit 10, and the treated water from the filtration unit 20 flows naturally into the aquarium unit 10, the connection unit 30 does not need to have a pump 51.

[0084] Thus, a pump for supplying wastewater or treated water may be provided in at least one of the tank unit 10, the filtration unit 20, and the connection unit 30. That is, at least one of the tank unit 10, the filtration unit 20, and the connection unit 30 may have a pump that supplies water between the tank unit 10 and the filtration unit 20 via the connection unit 30.

[0085] Furthermore, in the aquaculture system 1 according to this embodiment, drainage and treated water may be routed around some of the connection units 30 by connecting detachable bypass conduits to any two or more connection units 30. In this case, for example, as shown in Figure 6, the first conduit 31 of the connection unit 30 may be provided with a connection part 55 for detachably connecting a fifth conduit 61, and the second conduit 32 may be provided with a connection part 56 for detachably connecting a sixth conduit 62. The connection parts 55 and 56 may have, for example, flanges or other connection mechanisms.

[0086] The detachable connection between the connecting parts 55, 56 and the fifth and sixth conduits 61, 62 may be made, for example, by connecting flanges provided at the ends of the connecting parts 55, 56 and the fifth and sixth conduits 61, 62, or by using a connection mechanism other than flanges. Furthermore, if the fifth and sixth conduits 61, 62 are not connected to the connecting parts 55, 56, a plug member may be attached to the connecting parts 55, 56 to prevent water leakage from them. Alternatively, instead of a plug member, a shut-off valve may be used to prevent water leakage from the connecting parts 55, 56.

[0087] The fifth conduit 61 may be a conduit for draining wastewater between any two or more connection units 30. The sixth conduit 62 may be a conduit for draining treated water between any two or more connection units 30. The fifth and sixth conduits 61 and 62 may be made of a soft material such as rubber, vinyl, or malleable plastic. For example, the fifth and sixth conduits 61 and 62 may be hoses.

[0088] The connecting portion 55 may be provided at the connection point between the first conduit 31 and the third conduit 33, as shown in Figure 6, or it may be provided at another location on the first conduit 31.

[0089] The connecting portion 56 may be provided at the connection point between the second conduit 32 and the fourth conduit 34, as shown in Figure 6, or it may be provided at another location on the second conduit 32.

[0090] Figure 7 shows the situation where the aquarium unit 10c and the filtration unit 20c are separated using the fifth and sixth conduits 61 and 62, and the aquarium unit 10d is connected to the aquarium unit 10b and the filtration unit 20b. In Figure 7, the connection parts 55 and 56 are omitted, but it is assumed that the fifth and sixth conduits 61 and 62 are connected to the first and second conduits 31 and 32, respectively, via the connection parts 55 and 56.

[0091] In Figure 7, the black-filled valves 35b, 35c, 36c, and 36d indicate that the valves are closed, while the other white-outlined valves 35a, 36a, etc., indicate that the valves are open. As shown in Figure 7, the aquarium unit 10c and the filtration unit 20c can be separated by closing the valves 35b, 35c, 36c, and 36d on both sides of the connection point between the third and fourth conduits 33c and 34c, which are connected to the aquarium unit 10c and the filtration unit 20c, and the first and second conduits 31c and 32c. In this case, the water in the aquarium unit 10c and the filtration unit 20c will not flow to the other aquarium unit 10 or filtration unit 20, but will only circulate between them. Furthermore, by connecting the first and second conduits 31b and 32b of connection unit 30b and the first and second conduits 31d and 32d of connection unit 30d using the fifth and sixth conduits 61 and 62, respectively, the aquarium unit 10d can be connected to the aquarium unit 10b and filtration unit 20b, allowing wastewater from the aquarium unit 10d to be treated by the filtration unit 20b, etc. For example, if a disease occurs in the aquarium unit 10c, as shown in Figure 7, the fifth and sixth conduits 61 and 62 can be connected as a bypass to circumvent the aquarium unit 10c, thereby preventing the disease from spreading beyond the aquarium unit 10c.

[0092] Furthermore, the tank unit 10 according to this embodiment may further include, for example, a sub-tank 16 into which treated water from the filtration unit 20 flows, and a temperature control mechanism 17 for adjusting the temperature of the treated water in the sub-tank 16. Figures 8 and 9 are schematic plan and front views, respectively, of an example of a tank unit 10 having a sub-tank 16 and a temperature control mechanism 17. As shown in Figures 8 and 9, treated water may be supplied to the sub-tank 16 by a pump 14. The treated water, adjusted to a desired temperature in the sub-tank 16, may then flow into the tank 11. The supply of treated water from the sub-tank 16 to the tank 11 may be carried out, for example, solely by conduits, or by using a pump. In the former case, for example, in order to make the liquid level of the sub-tank 16 the same as the liquid level of the tank 11, a position below the liquid level of the sub-tank 16 and a position below the liquid level of the tank 11 may be connected by a conduit, or water may be supplied from the sub-tank 16 to the tank 11 by an overflow pipe that takes in water above a predetermined level and flows it to the tank 11 so that the water level in the sub-tank 16 remains constant. Furthermore, temperature control in the sub-tank 16 may be performed continuously or in a batch manner. In this way, by using the sub-tank 16 and the temperature control mechanism 17, for example, treated water from the filtration unit 20 can be adjusted in the sub-tank 16 to a temperature suitable for the aquatic products being cultivated in the tank 11 before being supplied to the tank 11.

[0093] When the temperature control mechanism 17 raises the water temperature of the sub-tank 16, the temperature control mechanism 17 may be, for example, a heater or a heat pump. When the temperature control mechanism 17 lowers the water temperature of the sub-tank 16, the temperature control mechanism 17 may be, for example, a heat pump.

[0094] Furthermore, the temperature of the treated water in the sub-tank 16 does not need to be adjusted. In this case, the tank unit 10 does not need to have a temperature adjustment mechanism 17. If the tank unit 10 does not have a temperature adjustment mechanism 17, other water quality adjustments besides temperature adjustment may be performed in the sub-tank 16. For example, if seawater is placed in tank 11, the salinity of the treated water in the sub-tank 16 may be adjusted to be the same as the salinity of the seawater in tank 11 before the adjusted treated water is sent to tank 11. Another example is that a predetermined additive may be added to the treated water in the sub-tank 16, and the treated water after the additive is sent to tank 11. The additive added to the treated water may be, for example, a nutrient for aquatic products farmed in tank 11, a drug to prevent or treat diseases in aquatic products, a water quality adjuster, or other additives. Also, the sub-tank 16 may be used to adjust, for example, the water level in tank 11 to a desired level. In this case, a water level sensor is used to measure the water level in tank 11, and water may be supplied from sub-tank 16 to tank 11 via a pump or flow control valve so that the water level reaches a desired value.

[0095] In this embodiment, the case in which the aquarium unit 10 has one aquarium 11 or two aquariums, i.e., an aquarium 11 and a sub-aquarium 16, has been mainly described, but it goes without saying that the aquarium unit 10 may have three or more aquariums.

[0096] Furthermore, although this description has focused on the case where the tank unit 10 has a sub-tank 16, the filtration unit 20 may also have a sub-tank into which wastewater from the tank unit 10 flows. In the sub-tank, temperature adjustment and other adjustments may be performed on the wastewater before it is sent from the sub-tank to the filtration equipment 21. If temperature adjustment is performed on the wastewater, the filtration unit 20 may further have a temperature adjustment mechanism to adjust the temperature of the wastewater in the sub-tank.

[0097] Furthermore, the water tank 11 in this embodiment may, as an example, be composed of a plurality of divided parts 71 to 75. Figure 10 shows an example of a water tank 11 composed of a plurality of divided parts 71 to 75. The water tank 11 shown in Figure 10 may be constructed by assembling a plurality of plate-shaped divided parts 71 to 75. The divided parts 71 to 75 may be assembled into the water tank 11 by fixing them to each other using fastening means such as bolts and nuts.

[0098] Furthermore, the aquarium 11 may be made of resin, for example. By constructing the aquarium 11 from resin, the weight of the aquarium unit 10 can be reduced, making it easier to move the aquarium unit 10.

[0099] Furthermore, the tank 11 may be constructed of insulating material. For example, each surface constituting the tank 11 may be made of resin panel members with a honeycomb structure that has insulating properties. Such a configuration can improve the insulating properties of the tank 11, and even in cases where the water in the tank 11 must be heated for purposes such as aquaculture, the heating efficiency can be improved. In addition, for example, by making the panel members honeycomb structured, the rigidity of the tank 11 can be increased, making it possible to realize a tank 11 that can withstand higher water pressure.

[0100] Furthermore, in this embodiment, when supplying water between the water tank unit 10 and the filtration unit 20, if the amount of water flowing into the first and second conduits 31 and 32 of the connecting unit 30 is too large, it may not be possible to achieve the desired water supply. For this reason, for example, the cross-sectional area of ​​the first and second conduits 31 and 32 in the direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction may be made larger than the cross-sectional area of ​​the other conduits in the direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction. As an example, if each conduit is a pipe with a circular cross-section, the inner diameters of the first and second conduits 31 and 32 may be made larger than the inner diameters of conduits 12, 13, 22, 23, and the third and fourth conduits 33 and 34. By doing so, the first and second conduits 31 and 32 can be used, for example, as a buffer tank. The buffer tank may be a tank for adjusting the water volume by temporarily storing water. Furthermore, a channel may be provided to allow water to flow from the second conduit 32 to the first conduit 31 when the water level in the second conduit 32 reaches its upper limit. For example, this channel may be an overflow pipe within the second conduit 32 that takes in water above the upper limit and flows it to the first conduit 31. By providing such a channel, even if the pump 14 malfunctions, treated water will flow from the second conduit 32 to the first conduit 31, preventing the second conduit 32 from becoming full. In addition, the water tank unit 10 and the filtration unit 20 may have, for example, a sub-tank that can temporarily store the outflowing water. In this case, this sub-tank may function as a buffer tank.

[0101] Furthermore, in this embodiment, if the pumps 14 and 24 are operated even though there is no water in the first and second conduits 31 and 32, the pumps 14 and 24 may malfunction. For this reason, the water level in the first and second conduits 31 and 32 may be obtained using water level sensors, and if the obtained water level is lower than a threshold, the pumps 14 and 24 may be stopped. This control may be performed, for example, by a control unit (not shown). As an example, a water level sensor may be placed for each pump 14 and 24. Alternatively, as another example, the water level sensors may be placed at any connection point or end of the multiple first conduits 31, and each pump 24 may be controlled according to the water level obtained by the water level sensor. Alternatively, as yet another example, the water level sensors may be placed at any connection point or end of the multiple second conduits 32, and each pump 14 may be controlled according to the water level obtained by the water level sensor.

[0102] Furthermore, if the water levels in the first and second conduits 31 and 32 are acquired using water level sensors, the pumps 14 and 24 may be controlled, for example, so that the water levels in the first and second conduits 31 and 32 are higher than a lower threshold and lower than an upper threshold. The lower threshold for the water level may be, for example, about 20% of the maximum water level, and the upper threshold for the water level may be, for example, about 80% of the maximum water level. Such water level control may be performed, for example, by feedback control or by the results of machine learning. In the latter case, for example, machine learning may be performed using the total flow rates of one or more pumps 14 and the total flow rates of one or more pumps 24 as inputs for each set of the number of tank units 10 and the number of filtration units 20 included in the aquaculture system 1, and the corresponding change in the water levels in the first and second conduits 31 and 32 as output. Furthermore, using the learning model obtained through machine learning, pumps 14 and 24 may be controlled so that the water levels in the first and second conduits 31 and 32 are higher than a lower threshold and lower than an upper threshold. In this control, the current total flow rate of one or more pumps 14 and the total flow rate of one or more pumps 24 are input to the learning model to obtain the change in water levels in the first and second conduits 31 and 32. If it is predicted that the water level will rise above the upper threshold or fall below the lower threshold in response to the change in water level, the learning model may be used to identify the total flow rate of one or more pumps 14 and the total flow rate of one or more pumps 24 to prevent such situations from occurring, and one or more pumps 14 and one or more pumps 24 may be operated according to the identification result. Note that the change in water level may be, for example, the change in water level per unit time.

[0103] Furthermore, in this embodiment, one or more pumps and one or more on-off valves in the aquaculture system 1 may be operated manually, for example, or via a control unit. In the latter case, the control unit may control the pumps and on-off valves via, for example, a wired or wireless communication line. The on-off valves may also be electrically driven valves, such as solenoid valves.

[0104] Furthermore, although this embodiment describes a case where each unit has an on-off valve, this is not required. For example, if there is no need to stop the wastewater discharged from the tank unit 10 or to adjust the flow rate of the wastewater, the tank unit 10 does not need to have an on-off valve 15, and the connection unit 30 shown in Figure 5 does not need to have an on-off valve 54. Also, for example, if there is no need to stop the treated water flowing out of the filtration unit 20 or to adjust the flow rate of the treated water, the filtration unit 20 does not need to have an on-off valve 25, and the connection unit 30 shown in Figure 5 does not need to have an on-off valve 52. In addition, for example, if there is no need to separate some of the tank units 10 etc. in the aquaculture system 1, the connection unit 30 does not need to have on-off valves 35, 36.

[0105] Furthermore, although this embodiment describes a case where the connection unit 30 has first and second conduits 31 and 32, that is, one set of conduits for drainage and conduits for treated water, this is not required. The connection unit 30 may have two or more sets of conduits for drainage and conduits for treated water. In this case, for example, two or more drainage conduits in the connection unit 30 do not need to be connected, and two or more conduits for treated water in the connection unit 30 do not need to be connected. In this case, for example, higher temperature drainage or treated water may flow through one set of conduits, and lower temperature drainage or treated water may flow through the other set of conduits. In this way, water can be supplied without mixing water of different temperatures. Another example is that seawater may flow through one set of conduits, and freshwater may flow through the other set of conduits. In this way, seawater and freshwater can be supplied without mixing water.

[0106] Furthermore, the aquaculture system 1 according to this embodiment may further include water storage tanks 85 and 86 that are detachably connected to the ends of the first conduit 31 and the second conduit 32, which are connected in series, respectively, as shown in Figures 11 and 12. Figure 11 is a schematic plan view showing an example of the configuration of the aquaculture system 1 equipped with water storage tanks 85 and 86, and Figure 12 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view showing an example of the connection between the first conduit 31 and the water storage tank 85. The connection between the second conduit 32 and the water storage tank 86 may be the same as in Figure 12. In this way, when water storage tanks 85 and 86 are connected to the ends of the first and second conduits 31 and 32, which are connected in series, water can be stored in the water storage tanks 85 and 86, thus reducing the possibility of the water in the first and second conduits 31 and 32 running dry. Therefore, the possibility of the pumps 14 and 24 running dry and failing can be reduced. Furthermore, it is preferable that the first conduit 31 and the water storage tank 85 are connected so that the water levels inside both are the same, as shown in Figure 12, or that water that cannot be held by the first conduit 31, i.e., water that overflows from the first conduit 31, is stored in the water storage tank 85. In the latter case, for example, the water storage tank 85 may be located above the first conduit 31. The same applies to the second conduit 32 and the water storage tank 86.

[0107] Furthermore, in the aquaculture system 1 according to this embodiment, as shown in Figure 13, the connection unit 30 may further include a seventh conduit 37 connected to the first conduit 31, and an eighth conduit 38 connected to the second conduit 32. Also, the seventh and eighth conduits 37a to 37d and 38a to 38d in two or more connection units 30a to 30d may be detachably connected in series. Figure 13 is a schematic plan view showing an example of the configuration of the aquaculture system 1 equipped with a connection unit 30 further having seventh and eighth conduits 37 and 38. Note that in Figure 13, for the sake of explanation, the tank unit 10 and the filtration unit 20 are omitted, but the connection units 30a to 30d shown in Figure 13 may also be connected to tank units 10a to 10d and filtration units 20a and 20b, similar to Figure 1. The seventh and eighth conduits 37 and 38 may be the same as the first and second conduits 31 and 32. In this case, the drainage from the water tank unit 10 and the treated water from the filtration unit 20 can be transported between multiple connection units 30 connected in series using the seventh and eighth conduits 37 and 38 as well. Furthermore, the seventh and eighth conduits 37 and 38 can be used like water storage tanks, reducing the possibility of running out of water in the first and second conduits 31 and 32.

[0108] The connection unit 30 may have, for example, one seventh conduit 37, or two or more seventh conduits 37. Alternatively, the connection unit 30 may have, for example, one eighth conduit 38, or two or more eighth conduits 38. If the connection unit 30 has two or more seventh conduits 37 or eighth conduits 38, for example, two or more seventh conduits 37 may be connected directly or via other conduits, and two or more eighth conduits 38 may be connected directly or via other conduits.

[0109] In the connection unit 30, for example, the first conduit 31 and the seventh conduit 37 may be provided in parallel. Also, in the connection unit 30, for example, the second conduit 32 and the eighth conduit 38 may be provided in parallel. Furthermore, the cross-sectional area of ​​the seventh and eighth conduits 37 and 38 in the direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction may be larger than, for example, the cross-sectional area of ​​the third and fourth conduits 33 and 34 in the direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction.

[0110] Furthermore, the connection between the first conduit 31 and the seventh conduit 37 may be made via a connecting pipe 39, as shown in Figure 13, or via a conduit other than the connecting pipe 39, such as the third conduit 33, or they may be directly connected. Also, in the connection unit 30, the first conduit 31 and the seventh conduit 37 may be connected at one point, or at two or more points. Also, the first conduit 31 and the seventh conduit 37 may be connected detachably, or not. In the former case, the detachable connection may be made using a flange or other connection mechanism, for example. The same applies to the connection between the second conduit 32 and the eighth conduit 38. Also, the seventh and eighth conduits 37 and 38 may each be provided with on-off valves, similar to the first and second conduits 31 and 32.

[0111] Furthermore, the first conduit 31 and the seventh conduit 37 may be connected so that the water levels inside both are the same, or they may be arranged so that water that cannot be held in the first conduit 31, i.e., water that overflows from the first conduit 31, is collected in the seventh conduit 37. In the latter case, for example, the seventh conduit 37 may be located above the first conduit 31. The same applies to the second conduit 32 and the eighth conduit 38.

[0112] Figure 14 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the connection between the first conduit 31 and the seventh conduit 37, and the connection between the second conduit 32 and the eighth conduit 38, while Figure 15 is a schematic diagram showing another example of these connection configurations. Both Figures 14 and 15 are longitudinal views of the first and second conduits 31 and 32, and the seventh and eighth conduits 37 and 38. In Figure 14, the first and second conduits 31 and 32 and the seventh and eighth conduits 37 and 38 are connected via connecting pipes 39, and the seventh and eighth conduits 37 and 38 are located above the first and second conduits 31 and 32. Furthermore, Figure 15 shows the case where the first and second conduits 31 and 32 and the seventh and eighth conduits 37 and 38 are connected via the third and fourth conduits 33 and 34, respectively, and the water levels inside the first conduit 31 and the seventh conduit 37 are equal, and the water levels inside the second conduit 32 and the eighth conduit 38 are equal.

[0113] Furthermore, although this embodiment describes the case where the aquarium unit 10 is connected via the connection unit 30, this is not required. Two aquarium units 10 may be connected directly. Similarly, two filtration units 20 may also be connected directly. For example, by directly connecting two or more aquarium units 10, the capacity of the aquarium 11 can be substantially increased. Also, by directly connecting two or more filtration units 20, the processing capacity of the filtration equipment 21 can be substantially increased.

[0114] Furthermore, this embodiment mainly describes a case where the first and second conduits 31 and 32 become longer when multiple connection units 30 are connected to each other, that is, when the aquaculture system 1 as a whole has one first conduit 31 and one second conduit 32, but this is not required. For example, the connection units 30 may be connectable not only horizontally but also vertically. In this case, the first and second conduits 31 and 32 may be connected to the upper connection unit 30 and the lower connection unit 30, respectively. With such a configuration, the aquaculture system 1 can be expanded vertically as well. As another example, the first and second conduits 31 and 32 of the connection units 30 may be connected in a star shape or a tree shape.

[0115] Furthermore, the connection unit 30 described in this embodiment is merely an example. The connection unit 30 can be detachably connected to the aquarium unit 10 and the filtration unit 20, and any configuration is acceptable as long as two or more connection units 30 can be detachably connected.

[0116] Furthermore, the embodiments described above are illustrative examples for specifically carrying out the present invention and do not limit the technical scope of the present invention. The technical scope of the present invention is indicated by the claims rather than by the description of the embodiments, and modifications within the literal scope and equivalent meaning of the claims are intended. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0117] 1. Aquaculture System 10, 10a~10e Aquarium Unit 16 Sub-tank 17 Temperature adjustment mechanism 20, 20a~20e Filtration Unit 30, 30a~30e Connection Unit 85, 86 Water storage tanks

Claims

1. One or more tank units having tanks for cultivating aquatic products, One or more filtration units having filtration equipment for treating wastewater discharged from the aforementioned water tank unit, The system comprises the aquarium unit and one or more connecting units that are detachably connected to the filtration unit, At least one of the aquarium unit, the filtration unit, and the connecting unit has a pump that supplies water between the aquarium unit and the filtration unit via the connecting unit. A farming system in which two or more of the aforementioned connecting units are detachably connected.

2. The aforementioned connection unit is A first conduit through which wastewater discharged from the aquarium unit flows, A second conduit through which treated water treated by the aforementioned filtration unit flows, A third conduit that guides the drainage from the aquarium unit connected to the connection unit to the filtration unit connected to the connection unit, The connection unit has a fourth conduit that guides the treated water from the filtration unit connected to the connection unit to the water tank unit connected to the connection unit, The first conduit and the third conduit are connected, The second conduit and the fourth conduit are connected, The aquaculture system according to claim 1, wherein the first and second conduits of two or more connection units are detachably connected in series.

3. The aquaculture system according to claim 2, wherein the connecting unit further comprises on-off valves provided in the first and second conduits, respectively.

4. The aquarium unit has a pump that sends treated water, which has been treated by the filtration unit, from the connecting unit connected to the aquarium unit to the aquarium unit. The aquaculture system according to claim 1, wherein the filtration unit has a pump that sends wastewater from the connecting unit connected to the filtration unit to the filtration unit.

5. The aquarium unit further includes an on / off valve that opens and closes the drainage channel from the aquarium unit to the connecting unit connected to the aquarium unit. The aquaculture system according to claim 4, wherein the filtration unit further includes an on / off valve that opens and closes the flow path of treated water from the filtration unit to the connecting unit connected to the filtration unit.

6. The aforementioned connection unit is A pump that sends wastewater from the water tank unit to the filtration unit via the third conduit, The aquaculture system according to claim 2, further comprising a pump for supplying treated water from the filtration unit to the aquarium unit via the fourth conduit.

7. The aquaculture system according to claim 6, wherein the connecting unit further comprises on-off valves provided in the third and fourth conduits, respectively.

8. The first conduit is provided with a connection portion for detachably connecting a fifth conduit for draining wastewater between any two or more of the connection units. The aquaculture system according to claim 3, wherein the second conduit is provided with a connection portion for detachably connecting a sixth conduit for flowing treated water between any two or more connection units.

9. The tank unit further includes a sub-tank into which treated water from the filtration unit flows. The aquaculture system according to claim 1, wherein the treated water from the sub-tank flows into the main tank.

10. The aquaculture system according to claim 9, wherein the tank unit further has a temperature control mechanism for adjusting the temperature of the treated water in the sub-tank.

11. The aquaculture system according to claim 2, further comprising a water tank detachably connected to the end of the first conduit connected in series and to the end of the second conduit connected in series.

12. The aforementioned connection unit is A seventh conduit connected to the first conduit, It further comprises an eighth conduit connected to the second conduit, The aquaculture system according to claim 2, wherein the seventh and eighth conduits of two or more connection units are detachably connected in series.

13. The aquaculture system according to claim 1, wherein the aquarium is composed of a plurality of divided parts.

14. A connecting unit comprising an aquaculture system according to any one of claims 1 to 13.

15. A method for manufacturing an aquaculture system, comprising: one or more tank units having a tank for cultivating aquatic products; one or more filtration units having a filtration system for treating wastewater discharged from the tank units; and one or more connecting units detachably connected to the tank units and the filtration units, wherein at least one of the tank units, the filtration units, and the connecting units has a pump that delivers water between the tank units and the filtration units via the connecting units, and two or more of the connecting units are detachably connected, If the one or more connection units are two or more connection units, the step is to connect the two or more connection units. The steps include connecting the aquarium unit and the connection unit, A method for manufacturing an aquaculture system, comprising the step of connecting the filtration unit and the connecting unit.

16. A method for manufacturing an aquaculture system, comprising: one or more tank units having a tank for cultivating aquatic products; one or more filtration units having a filtration system for treating wastewater discharged from the tank units; and two or more connecting units detachably connected to the tank units and the filtration units, wherein at least one of the tank units, the filtration units, and the connecting units has a pump that delivers water between the tank units and the filtration units via the connecting units, and the two or more connecting units are detachably connected, The step of connecting a new connection unit to the end of the connection unit that is connected to at least one of the aquarium unit and the filtration unit, A method for manufacturing an aquaculture system, comprising the step of connecting at least one of the new aquarium unit and the new filtration unit to the new connection unit.

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