Rigid-Flexible Tapered Cage Assembly for Aquaculture Deformation Resistance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing gravity marine aquaculture cages face issues with fouling attachment, poor deformation resistance, and high volume loss due to seawater velocity, affecting fish health and growth environment.
Innovation Solution
A method of assembling a tapered cage body in a rigid-flexible manner using a rigid copper alloy stretched mesh and flexible synthetic fiber mesh, with specific structural components and connection methods to enhance deformation resistance and water exchange.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If synthetic fiber woven mesh is used to construct the cage body, then the cost is lower and assembly is more convenient, but the fouling attachment is serious and deformation resistance is poor
Solution Approach 1:
The invention uses composite materials by combining copper alloy mesh (rigid component) with synthetic fiber mesh (flexible component). The copper alloy mesh provides deformation resistance and antifouling properties, while the synthetic fiber mesh maintains assembly convenience and flexibility. This composite structure resolves the contradiction between ease of manufacture and reliability.
2Ease of manufacture
If synthetic fiber woven mesh is used to construct the cage body, then the cost is lower and assembly is more convenient, but the water exchange is not smooth due to fouling attachment
Solution Approach 1:
The copper alloy mesh component in the composite structure provides excellent antifouling properties due to the natural antimicrobial characteristics of copper alloy. This resolves the fouling attachment issue while maintaining the assembly convenience of synthetic fiber mesh through the modular composite design.
3Reliability
If copper alloy stretched mesh with rigid structure is used, then the deformation resistance is improved, but the netting is easily deformed or corners broken due to poor flexibility
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies local quality by using the rigid copper alloy mesh specifically in areas requiring deformation resistance while combining it with flexible synthetic fiber mesh in areas requiring flexibility and corner strength. This localized application of different material properties resolves the contradiction between deformation resistance and corner strength.
4Object-generated harmful factors
If copper alloy mesh is used to construct the cage body, then the fouling attachment is reduced and water exchange is improved, but the assembly complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cage body is segmented into multiple net circles, with alternating odd and even numbered net circles using different materials (copper alloy mesh and synthetic fiber mesh). This segmentation allows the antifouling benefits of copper alloy mesh to be applied strategically while reducing overall assembly complexity compared to using copper alloy mesh throughout the entire structure.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for constructing a cage body of a tapered cage assembled in a rigid-flexible manner includes steps as follows. A cage body of a tapered aquaculture cage is assembled by combining a rigid-structure copper alloy stretched mesh and a flexible synthetic fiber mesh. Pipe rings mounted on the standard component of the synthetic fiber mesh are mated in a staggered manner with plugging rings on the standard component of the copper alloy stretched mesh, and high-performance synthetic fiber rope is rove through the pipe rings and the plugging rings; in this way, the connection is completed. The cage effectively improves the cage resilience under the ocean current condition, avoids mesh sheet deformation or corner breakage, enhances the water exchange capability in and out of the cage body of the gravity cage, and effectively improves the growth environment for the fishes farmed in the cage body.