Fish Lock with Alternating Chambers and Energy Conversion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fish passage technologies, such as fishways, fish lifts, and fish locks, are costly, complex, and often inaccessible or exclusionary for aquatic organisms, particularly due to high flow velocities and limited directional passage, making it difficult to maintain continuity and enable migration across transverse structures in flowing waters.
Innovation Solution
A fish lock system comprising two or more chambers with alternating closure elements and an energy conversion channel, utilizing an attracting current for organism guidance and energy generation, designed to be accessible and efficient, with optional features like sensors, turbines, and climbing aids to support continuous migration and energy production.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If fishways are constructed to restore continuity, then organism migration is enabled, but large areas and high construction costs are required
Solution Approach 1:
The fish lock system is integrated within the transverse structure itself, nesting the migration aid function inside the existing dam or weir structure. The chambers are formed within the transverse structure's body, eliminating the need for separate external fishway constructions and reducing overall space requirements while maintaining continuity restoration functionality
Solution Approach 2:
The transverse structure serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides the primary water flow control function of the dam/weir, creates the chambers for fish migration through its internal cavity structure, and enables both upstream and downstream passage. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate dedicated fish passage structures, reducing construction complexity and cost
2Reliability
If fish locks with fluctuating water levels are used, then organism migration is enabled, but accessibility is limited to temporary periods
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses periodic opening and closing of closure elements in an alternating sequence between upstream and downstream chambers. This periodic action creates alternating access periods for fish from both directions, ensuring that at any given time at least one chamber is accessible. The cyclic operation maintains continuous migration capability throughout operational periods
Solution Approach 2:
The alternating operation of the two chambers ensures continuous migration capability. While one chamber is being accessed by fish, the other is preparing or completing its cycle. This overlapping operation eliminates dead time in the system, maintaining continuous useful action for organism passage throughout the operational cycle
3Ease of operation
If attracting current devices are added to guide fish, then migration guidance is improved, but construction complexity and costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The closure elements are designed to open automatically in response to water pressure differentials created by fish movement and water flow. Fish entering a chamber create pressure changes that trigger the closure elements to open, allowing subsequent fish to follow without requiring external activation mechanisms. The system uses the fish's own movement and the natural water flow to activate the guidance mechanism
Solution Approach 2:
The closure elements serve dual functions: they control water flow between chambers and simultaneously act as automatic triggering mechanisms for fish passage. The water flow control function and the fish guidance function are merged into a single integrated mechanism, eliminating the need for separate actuation systems and reducing overall structural complexity
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The fish lock system provides continuous, bidirectional passage for organisms while enabling energy generation, reducing construction costs and complexity, and allowing for long-term accessibility and efficient energy use, suitable for various water height scenarios and potential integration with hydroelectric power.
Implementation Method 1
The channel is equipped with an energy conversion device such as a turbine, whereby the attracting flow can be used to provide electrical energy.
Implementation Method 2
The control or operation of the closure organs takes place alternately, so that one chamber is always open to the upstream side and the other chamber to the downstream side.
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
A fish pass (1) for overcoming differences in water levels in flowing waters to allow organisms to migrate in both directions consists of two chambers (5, 6) equipped with closure devices (7, 8, 9, 10) facing the upstream water (3) and downstream water (4). The closure devices (7, 8, 9, 10) are controlled so that one chamber is always open to the upstream water (3) and the other to the downstream water (4). After a certain time interval or depending on the number of organisms in the chambers (5, 6), the closure devices (7, 8, 9, 10) are re-controlled so that the chamber previously open to the upstream water is now open to the downstream water (4) and the second chamber to the upstream water (3). To attract the organisms, an attraction flow is provided, which enters from the upstream water (3), flows through a channel (11), and then exits into the downstream water (4).The channel (11) contains a device for energy conversion (12) which provides electrical energy or limits the flow.