Water quality improvement device

Abstract

Provided is a water quality improvement device capable of improving the water quality of seawater by sending river water containing nutrients and oxygen several times that of normal times, for example, during heavy rain, into the sea where cultivated seaweeds, shellfish, etc. inhabit. 【Solution means】The first water quality improvement device 1A includes a water intake means 10A for taking in water obtained from the river 200A, and a water supply means 20A for discharging the taken-in water into the sea 100. The water supply means 20A supplies air to the water taken in from the river 200A and discharged into the sea 100.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a water quality improvement device.

Background Art

[0002] As described in Non-Patent Document 1, red tides have occurred in Ariake Sea, and shellfish (such as Tairagi, Mattebei, Akagai, etc.) have been rapidly decreasing.

Prior Art Documents

Non-Patent Documents

[0003]

Non-Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In Ariake Sea, the tidal cycle has become larger, and it is said to be in an overall oxygen-deficient state. Oxygen is essential for the food chain in the sea. Furthermore, the seaweed cultivated in Ariake Sea has slow growth due to nutrient deficiency and has problems such as color fading.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a water quality improvement device that can improve the water quality of seawater by sending river water containing nutrients and oxygen several times that of normal times, for example, during heavy rain, to the sea where cultivated seaweed, shellfish, etc. inhabit.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] To achieve the above object, the water quality improvement device according to the present invention includes water intake means for taking in water obtained from a river, and water supply means for discharging the taken-in water to the sea, and at least one of the water intake means and the water supply means supplies air to the water taken in from the river and discharged to the sea.

[0007] The water intake means is a volute pump, and the water supply means discharges the water lifted by the volute pump horizontally from the coast towards the aquaculture farm in the sea. This may also be the case.

[0008] The water intake means includes a water intake pipe that uses potential energy to send the water obtained from the river downstream, and a bubble supply unit that supplies air bubbles to the water flowing through the water intake pipe. This may also be the case. This may also be the case.

[0009] The bubble supply unit includes a nozzle provided in the water intake pipe and having pores formed therein for generating microbubbles, a pipe portion that supplies air to the nozzle, and a compressor that supplies air to the nozzle via the pipe portion. This may also be the case. This may also be the case.

[0010] The water intake means may include a vertical pump that pumps up the water obtained from the river and sends it to the water intake pipe. This may also be the case.

[0011] It may be provided with a float switch that turns on when the water level at the coast is above a reference level and turns off when it is below the reference level, and when the float switch turns on, the driving of the water intake means is started, and when the float switch turns off, the driving of the water intake means is stopped. This may also be the case.

Advantages of the Invention

[0012] According to the present invention, by sending river water containing nutrients and oxygen several times that of normal times, for example, during heavy rain, to the sea where cultivated seaweed, shellfish, etc. inhabit, the water quality of the sea water can be improved.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0013]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0014] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In all the figures, the same or corresponding components are denoted by the same reference numerals.

[0015] As shown in FIG. 1, for example, the sea 100 is an inner bay in a shallow water area such as Ariake Sea. In the sea 100, there is a seaweed shelf 101 which is a seaweed cultivation farm. In the sea 100, the ebb and flow of the tide, that is, high tide and low tide, are alternately repeated, and its water level is changing every moment.

[0016] A plurality of rivers 200A, 200B, 200C flow into the sea 100. The river 200A is a large river with a large width such as the Chikugo River, for example. The river 200B is a medium-sized river with a medium width such as the Shiota River, for example. The river 200C is a small river with a width smaller than that of the river 200B. The water of such large and small rivers 200A, 200B, 200C flows into the sea 100 through the river mouths 201A, 201B, 201C. A large number of organisms such as shellfish (Tairagi, Matabe, Akagai, etc.) inhabit the river mouth 201C of the river 200C.

[0017] [First Water Quality Improvement Device] As shown in Fig. 2, a dike 202 is provided on the bank of the river 200A. A first water quality improvement device 1A is installed on the dike 202. The first water quality improvement device 1A includes a water intake means 10A and a water delivery means 20A.

[0018] The water intake means 10A takes in the river water obtained from the river 200A. This river water contains a large amount of nutrients. Specifically, the water intake means 10A is a volute pump that pumps water from the river 200A. The river water pumped up by the volute pump is sent to the water delivery means 20A. The water delivery means 20A is a water delivery pipe. The water delivery means 20A sends the water pumped up by the water intake means (volute pump) 10A to the coast 301 and discharges it horizontally towards the nori rack 101, which is a fish farm in the sea 100, from the coast 301. The discharged water falls vigorously onto the water surface from a height of about 4 m from the seabed, causing the water surface to splash and foam. That is, the water sent by the water delivery means 20A by the power of the volute pump contains a large number of bubbles in the process of being vigorously discharged into the sea 100. Therefore, in the first water quality improvement device 1A, the water intake means 10A and the water delivery means 20A function as an air supply unit that supplies air to the river water discharged into the sea 100.

[0019] The water intake means 10A includes a water intake pipe 10a, an impeller chamber 10b, and a discharge port 10c. One end of the water intake pipe 10a is arranged below the water surface of the river 200A so that the water of the river 200A can be obtained. The impeller chamber 10b communicates with the water intake pipe 10a, and the discharge port 10c communicates with the impeller chamber 10b and is connected to one end of the water delivery means 20A.

[0020] The water intake means 10A includes an impeller 10d, a motor 10e, and a drive device 10f. The impeller 10d is rotatably provided in the impeller chamber 10b. The motor 10e is connected to the impeller 10d, and the drive device 10f is connected to the motor 10e. By driving the drive device 10f, the motor 10e rotates and the impeller 10d rotates. Water from the river 200A is pumped up through the water intake pipe 10a. Due to the rotation of the impeller 10d, water containing a large amount of nutrients is discharged from the discharge port 10c to the water supply means 20A.

[0021] The water supply means 20A is, for example, a water supply pipe made of FRP (Fiber Reinforced Plastics), but is not limited thereto. The water supply means 20A sends the water containing a large amount of nutrients flowing in from the discharge port 10c to the coast 301 (see FIG. 1), and discharges the water from a position above the water surface of the seabed 300 toward the nori bed 101. In this process, air enters the water, and a large amount of bubbles are contained in the water. As a result, the seawater mixes with the water containing a large amount of bubbles falling from the water supply means (water supply pipe) 20A to become water containing a large amount of oxygen.

[0022] As shown in FIG. 3, the first water quality improvement device 1A includes a float switch 30. The float switch 30 is fixed to, for example, a support column 31 or the like so that the height from the seabed 300 is constant in the sea 100 near the estuary of the river 200A. The support column 31 is, for example, made of FRP, but is not limited thereto. The float switch 30 has a vertically extending cylindrical portion 30a. An opening is provided at the bottom of the cylindrical portion 30a, and a plurality of through holes are also provided on the side surface. The structure is such that seawater flows in through these openings and through holes. A switch portion 30b is installed on the upper surface of the inner wall of the cylindrical portion 30a. A float 30c is attached in the cylindrical portion 30a. The float 30c can move up and down in the cylindrical portion 30a by the seawater that has entered the cylindrical portion 30a. When the float 30c moves to the uppermost position and contacts the switch portion 30b, the float 30c turns on the switch portion 30b. When the float 30c moves downward from the uppermost position and separates from the switch portion 30b, the switch portion 30c turns off.

[0023] The switch unit 30b turns on when the water level of the sea 100 at the coast (near the river mouth), that is, the water level near the coast 301, is at or above a reference level (for example, 4 m), and turns off when it is below the reference level. The switch unit 30b is connected to the drive device 10f shown in FIG. 2 by a cable 30d. When the switch unit 30b turns on, the drive device 10f rotates the impeller 10d to drive the water intake means 10A. When the switch unit 30b turns off, the drive device 10f stops the rotation of the impeller 10d and stops driving the water intake means 10A.

[0024] When the sea 100 changes from ebb tide to flood tide, the switch unit 30b of the float switch 30 turns on, the water intake means 10A is driven, and the water supply means 20A sends river water containing a large amount of nutrients to the coast 301 and vigorously drops it toward the seaweed shelf 101, so that nutrients several times that of heavy rain can be transported to the seaweed shelf.

[0025] [Second water quality improvement device] As shown in FIG. 4, a levee 202 is provided on the bank of the river 200B, which is a medium-sized river. The second water quality improvement device 1B is installed on the levee 202. The second water quality improvement device 1B includes a water intake means 10B and a water supply means 20B.

[0026] The water intake means 10B includes a water intake pipe 11a. The water intake pipe 11a is fixed to the levee 202 in the water of the river 200B. One end of the water intake pipe 11a faces the upstream of the river 200B, and river water flows in from that end. The water intake pipe 11a is inclined so as to become lower toward the downstream of the river 200B.

[0027] The water intake means 10B includes a nozzle 11b, a nozzle stopper 11c, a rubber tube 11d, a compressor 11e, and a drive device 11f. These correspond to a bubble supply unit that supplies air to the water flowing through the water intake pipe 11a. Also, in the present embodiment, the water intake means 10B corresponds to an air supply unit that supplies air to the water taken in from the river and discharged into the sea.

[0028] The nozzle 11b is locked to the water intake pipe 11a via a nozzle stopper 11c. The nozzle stopper 11c is arranged in a cross shape and each is bent. The nozzle 11b is a hollow metal pipe (for example, made of rust-proof aluminum) to which a lid 11g is welded. A large number of pores are provided on the outer wall of the nozzle 11b. The diameter of the pores is, for example, 0.3 mm or more and 0.5 mm or less, but is not limited thereto. A metal pipe 11h penetrates through the lid 11g, and a rubber pipe 11d is connected to the metal pipe 11h. Further, the rubber pipe 11d is connected to a compressor 11e. The compressor 11e operates by being driven by a driving device 11f. The air sent from the compressor 11e is sent into the nozzle 11b through the rubber pipe 11d and the metal pipe 11h.

[0029] When the driving device 11f drives the compressor 11e, air is supplied from the compressor 11e into the nozzle 11b through the rubber pipe 11d and the metal pipe 11h. The supplied air passes through the pores provided in the nozzle 11b and is discharged as bubbles into the water in the water intake pipe 11a, generating a large number of microbubbles in the water. Note that the compressor 11e stops when the pressure is higher than the threshold value and is driven when the pressure is lower than the threshold value.

[0030] The water supply means 20B is a water supply pipe. The height of the water intake pipe 11a is higher than the height of the water supply means 20B by a height difference L. Due to the potential energy caused by the height difference L, the water in the water intake pipe 11a containing bubbles is sent to the water supply means 20B, and is discharged from the water supply means 20B to the seabed 300 of the estuary 201B of the river 200B shown in FIG. 1 or an inlet near the estuary 201B. The discharged water containing nutrients and air (oxygen) is supplied to the sea 100.

[0031] Note that when the height difference L is small and it is difficult to send the river water, the water intake means 10B may be provided with a vertical pump that pumps up the water obtained from the river 200B and sends it into the water intake pipe 11a.

[0032] [Third Water Quality Improvement Device] As shown in Fig. 5, a dike 202 is provided on the bank of the river 200C. The third water quality improvement device 1C is installed on the dike 202. The third water quality improvement device 1C includes a water intake means 10C and a water supply means 20C.

[0033] The water intake means 10C includes a water intake pipe 12a. The water intake pipe 12a is fixed in the water of the river 200C. One end of the water intake pipe 12a faces the upstream of the river 200C, and river water flows in from that end. It is possible that 80% of the water in the river 200C flows into the water intake pipe 12a. The water intake pipe 12a is inclined so as to become lower toward the downstream of the river 200C.

[0034] The water intake means 10C includes a nozzle 12b, a nozzle stopper 12c, a rubber tube 12d, a compressor 12e, and a drive device 12f. These correspond to a bubble supply unit that supplies bubbles to the water flowing through the water intake pipe 12a. Also, in the present embodiment, the water intake means 10C corresponds to an air supply unit that supplies air to the water taken in from the river and discharged into the sea.

[0035] The configuration of the nozzle 12b is the same as that of the nozzle 11b. The nozzle 12b is attached in the water intake pipe 12a via a nozzle stopper 12c. The configuration of the nozzle stopper 12c is the same as that of the nozzle stopper 11c. The nozzle 12b is a metal pipe (for example, an aluminum pipe), and a large number of fine holes are provided on its outer wall. The diameter of the fine holes is, for example, 0.3 mm or more and 0.5 mm. A rubber tube 12d is connected to a metal pipe 12h formed on the lid 12g of the nozzle 12b, and the rubber tube 12d is connected to a compressor 12e. The compressor 12e operates by being driven by the drive device 12f.

[0036] When the drive device 12f drives the compressor 12e, air is supplied into the nozzle 12b from the compressor 12e via the rubber tube 12d and the metal pipe 12h. The supplied air passes through the fine holes provided in the nozzle 12b, becomes bubbles, and mixes with the water in the water intake pipe 12a.

[0037] The water supply means 20C is a water supply pipe. The height of the water intake pipe 12a is higher than that of the water supply means 20C by a height difference L. Due to the potential energy caused by the height difference L, the water in the water intake pipe 12a containing bubbles is sent to the water supply means 20C and discharged from the water supply means 20C to the seabed 300 of the river mouth 201C of the river 200C. At the river mouth 201C, it mixes well with the river water containing bubbles due to the incoming waves. The eggs born from adult shellfish hatch into larvae (trochophore larvae), and these larvae grow in the brackish water while swimming around using a membrane like a fluttering fin. In reality, the probability of a larva becoming an adult shellfish is only one in several tens of thousands, but in brackish water rich in oxygen, this probability can be increased. Only when many shellfish grow can the environment of the river mouth 201C be improved.

[0038] Oxygen is necessary for the oxidative decomposition of organic matter and is required for the sound material cycle and food chain of aerobic and anaerobic organisms. When the inherent period of the ebb and flow of the tide becomes longer and the mixing of fresh water, seawater, bubbles, etc. decreases, the entire sea becomes oxygen-deficient, making it easier for red tides to occur, increasing plankton with toxins, and causing an oxygen-poor state on the seabed. For this reason, in rivers 200B and 200C, the second water quality improvement device 1B and the third water quality improvement device 1C are installed to eliminate the oxygen-poor state on the seabed 300.

[0039] [Summary] As described in detail above, the first water quality improvement device 1A, the second water quality improvement device 1B, and the third water quality improvement device 1C according to the above embodiment include water intake means 10A to 10C for taking in water obtained from rivers 200A, 200B, or 200C, and water supply means 20A to 20C for discharging the taken-in water to rivers 200A, river mouths 201B, 201C, or the seaweed shelf 101. At least one of the water intake means 10A to 10C and the water supply means 20A to 20C supplies air to the water obtained and discharged. Thereby, oxygen can be included in the river water rich in nutrients and sent to the sea 100, so the water quality of the seawater can be improved.

[0040] Recently, in Ariake Sea, the natural period of the ebb and flow of the tides has become longer and the seawater temperature has risen, causing significant changes to the ecosystem. As a result, the number of organisms such as shellfish and seaweed in the estuaries 201C has decreased drastically. Additionally, it is said that seaweed cannot grow without heavy rain. Seaweed grows during heavy rain because a large amount of river water containing a lot of nutrients flows into the sea. Moreover, oxygen deficiency has become a problem in Ariake Sea, and the seawater is stagnant.

[0041] Therefore, the first water quality improvement device 1A, the second water quality improvement device 1B, and the third water quality improvement device 1C eliminate oxygen deficiency by adding oxygen to the river water and sending the oxygen-containing river water into the sea 100, estuaries 201B, and 201C. There are 103 rivers of various sizes, namely rivers 200A, 200B, and 200C, flowing into Ariake Sea. By adding oxygen to the river water of each of these rivers 200A, 200B, and 200C, the water quality of the seawater can be improved. This can improve the growth conditions of shellfish and other organisms inhabiting estuary 201C and the seaweed bed 101.

[0042] The second water quality improvement device 1B is also effective as a measure against red tides in the aquaculture of general fish. In this case, water can be sent through the water supply means 20B to the seabed of the aquaculture farm, and organic matter (the residue of fish feces and feed) can be oxidized and decomposed by microbubbles to suppress the occurrence of red tides.

[0043] In the first water quality improvement device 1A installed in the large river 200A, the water supply means 20A supplies the bubbles. By vigorously discharging water from the water supply means 20A using the force of the vortex generated by the water intake means 10A, a large amount of air (oxygen) can be added to the river water.

[0044] In the second water quality improvement device 1B installed in the medium-sized river 200B and the third water quality improvement device 1C installed in the small-sized river 200C, the bubble supply unit is provided in the intake pipes 11a and 12a, and includes nozzles 11b and 12b in which pores for generating microbubbles are formed, rubber tubes 11d and 12d as pipe parts for supplying air to the nozzles 11b and 12b, and compressors 11e and 12e for supplying air to the rubber tubes 11d and 12d. In this way, fine bubbles can be included in the water obtained from the rivers 200B and 200C, and a state in which oxygen is well dissolved in the water can be created. It is desirable that the discharge destinations of the second water quality improvement device 1B and the third water quality improvement device 1C be the seabed 300 that tends to be in an oxygen-deficient state. Since the microbubbles exist for about 20 minutes, the oxygen-deficient state of the seabed can be sufficiently eliminated.

[0045] In the second water quality improvement device 1B installed in the river 200B, the water intake means 10B may include a vertical pump that pumps up the water obtained from the medium-sized river 200B and sends it into the intake pipe 11a. In this case, even in the river 200B where it is difficult to create a height difference L in the intake pipe 10a, it is possible to easily send the water containing air downstream.

[0046] For example, a plurality of (for example, about 3 units) first water quality improvement devices 1A may be installed in the river 200A shown in FIG. 1. Also, in the river 200B, when the water volume is large, the first water quality improvement device 1A may be installed.

[0047] This invention can be implemented in various embodiments and variations without departing from the spirit and scope of the broad sense of this invention. Also, the above-described embodiments are for explaining this invention and do not limit the scope of this invention. That is, the scope of this invention is indicated not by the embodiments but by the scope of claims for utility model registration. And various modifications made within the scope of the claims for utility model registration and within the scope of the meaning of the invention equivalent thereto are considered to be within the scope of this invention.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0048] 1A First water quality improvement device, 1B Second water quality improvement device, 1C Third water quality improvement device, 10A, 10B, 10C Water intake means, 10a Water intake pipe, 10b Impeller chamber, 10c Discharge port, 10d Impeller, 10e Motor, 10f Driving device, 11a Water intake pipe, 11b Nozzle, 11c Nozzle stopper, 11d Rubber tube, 11e Compressor, 11f Driving device, 11g Cover, 11h Metal pipe, 12a Water intake pipe, 12b Nozzle, 12c Nozzle stopper, 12d Rubber tube (pipe section), 12e Compressor, 12f Driving device, 12g Cover, 12h Metal pipe, 20A, 20B, 20C Water supply means, 30 Float switch, 30a Cylindrical part, 30b Switch part, 30c Float, 30d Cable, 31 Support column, 100 Sea, 101 Seaweed shelf, 200A, 200B, 200C River, 201A, 201B, 201C River mouth, 202 Dike, 300 Seabed, 301 Coast

Claims

1. A water intake means for taking in water obtained from a river; A water conveying means for discharging the taken-in water into the sea, At least one of the water intake means and the water delivery means supplies air to water taken in from a river and discharged into the sea. Water quality improvement equipment.

2. The water intake means is a centrifugal pump, The water conveying means discharges the water pumped by the centrifugal pump laterally from the coast toward the marine aquaculture site. The water quality improvement device according to claim 1.

3. The water intake means is a water intake pipe that utilizes potential energy to send water obtained from a river downstream; an air bubble supplying unit that supplies air bubbles to the water flowing through the water intake pipe; Equipped with The water quality improvement device according to claim 1.

4. The air bubble supply unit includes: A nozzle provided in the water intake pipe and having pores for generating microbubbles; A tube portion for supplying air to the nozzle; a compressor that supplies air to the nozzle through the pipe; Equipped with The water quality improvement device according to claim 3.

5. The water intake means includes a vertical pump that pumps up water obtained from a river and sends it to the water intake pipe. The water quality improvement device according to claim 3 or 4.

6. A float switch is provided which is turned on when the water level at the coast is equal to or higher than a reference level and turned off when the water level is lower than the reference level, When the float switch is turned on, the drive of the water intake means is started, and when the float switch is turned off, the drive of the water intake means is stopped. The water quality improvement device according to claim 2.

Images