Modular Floating Fish Pen with Concrete-Filled Rings
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional fish pens are large, heavy, and complex to build and install, requiring costly transportation and assembly, with a complex process that is time-consuming and labor-intensive, and they lack efficient resistance to marine wear and degradation.
Innovation Solution
A floating structure composed of stackable, closed ring-structures and tubular elements with vertical reinforcement, allowing for on-water construction and pre-fabrication of modules, featuring buoyancy chambers and concrete filling for stability and strength, with a central structure for mechanical support and water management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If traditional large fish pens are built and towed into place, then the structure provides sufficient volume for fish farming, but the structure becomes heavy and complex to build and install with high transportation and assembly costs
Solution Approach 1:
The fish pen is divided into multiple modular units (typically 6-12 modules per pen) that can be independently manufactured, transported, and assembled. Each module contains standardized components including netting panels, frame structures, and attachment points, enabling simplified construction and deployment while maintaining the required total volume for fish farming.
2Volume of moving object
If traditional large fish pens are built onshore, then the structure provides sufficient volume for fish farming, but transportation and moving of large and heavy structures becomes complex and costly
Solution Approach 1:
The fish pen is divided into multiple modular units (typically 6-12 modules per pen) that can be independently manufactured, transported, and assembled. Each module contains standardized components including netting panels, frame structures, and attachment points, enabling simplified construction and deployment while maintaining the required total volume for fish farming.
3Strength
If rigid tanks are used for closed fish cages, then robustness is improved in terms of reducing escape risk and tolerating environmental loads, but the building process becomes complex and costly with difficult transportation and assembly
Solution Approach 1:
The rigid tank structure is divided into modular sections that can be assembled from standardized components. Each module includes pre-fabricated frame elements, netting panels, and connection mechanisms that simplify the building process while maintaining the structural robustness needed for escape prevention and environmental load tolerance.
Solution Approach 2:
The modular design uses universal connection mechanisms and standardized components that can be reused across multiple modules and different pen configurations. This reduces building process complexity by eliminating the need for custom fabrication while maintaining the strength and robustness of rigid tank construction.
4Ease of manufacture
If traditional assembly processes are used for fish pens, then the structure can be built, but the process is time-consuming and labor-intensive
Solution Approach 1:
Modular components are pre-assembled and pre-positioned in manufacturing facilities before deployment. Frame structures are pre-welded, netting panels are pre-attached to frames, and connection mechanisms are pre-installed, significantly reducing on-site assembly time and labor requirements while maintaining manufacturing quality standards.
Solution Approach 2:
The fish pen is divided into multiple modular units (typically 6-12 modules per pen) that can be independently manufactured, transported, and assembled. Each module contains standardized components including netting panels, frame structures, and attachment points, enabling simplified construction and deployment while maintaining the required total volume for fish farming.
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 solution enables a time and cost-efficient, simpler assembly process with reduced labor complexity, improved resistance to marine wear, and extended lifetime, while maintaining a robust and closed environment for fish farming.
Implementation Method 1
floating structure for installation in water
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a floating structure (100), a closed ring-structure (200) and a tubular element (300) for building a floating structure (100), a central structure (400), and to a method for building a vertical structure (102). The floating structure (100) comprises:—a plurality of tubular elements (300) connected with joints (220) at the ends of adjacent tubular elements (300) to form a plurality of stackable, closed ring-structures (200) and wherein said closed ring-structures (200) are provided with a vertical attachment means (332, 342) binding adjacent, stacked, closed ring-structures (200) together vertically to form a vertical structure (102) with an internal volume (101) intended for filling with water and other objects such as fish,—the closed ring-structures (200) being provided with buoyancy chambers—the vertical structure (102), when assembled, adapted for filling with a concrete filling within its interior,—a bottom structure (110) covering a bottom end of the vertical structure (102). The method for building a vertical structure (102) using a plurality of tubular elements according to any of the preceding claims, comprising:—assembling tubular elements (300) by joining ends of adjacent tubular elements to form a first closed ring-structure (200) intended to be mounted on top of a preceding structure (110, 200),—filling the tubular spacing (311) of the tubular elements (300) of said first closed ring-structure (200) with a concrete filling, and—repeating the previous steps.