Wall-less Fish Lift Transport Unit Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fish lifts are structurally complex, energy-intensive, and harsh on fish due to the need to lift water-filled tubs, and often require large spaces and guide rails that can cause blockages, limiting bidirectional fish transport and increasing construction costs.
Innovation Solution
A fish lift with a transport unit designed as a disk without walls, allowing free movement within the shaft and using a water-permeable disk with a cable winch system, enabling bidirectional fish transport without guide rails and reducing energy consumption by using a low-power winch.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a transport unit with walls (basket/tub) is used to transport fish, then fish can be contained during transport, but the structure becomes complex and energy consumption increases due to lifting water-filled tubs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the walls of the transport unit, extracting only the essential function of containment while eliminating the complex structural elements. The transport unit becomes a simple disk or plate without side walls, allowing fish to be contained through water level control rather than physical barriers.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses water level equalization between the shaft and the transport unit to contain fish. When water levels are equalized, fish remain in the shaft; when the transport unit is raised above the water level, fish are contained in the unit without requiring walls or complex mechanisms.
2Ease of operation
If guide rails are installed in the shaft to guide the transport unit, then the transport unit can be guided during movement, but the risk of blockages and jamming increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent completely removes guide rails from the system, extracting only the essential guidance function through the natural alignment of the transport unit with the shaft opening. The transport unit is simply lowered and raised without any guiding components, eliminating the risk of blockages and jamming.
3Productivity
If a water-filled tub is lifted to transport fish from underwater to headwater, then fish can be transported vertically, but energy consumption increases due to lifting the full weight of water and tub
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the tub structure and extracts only the essential function of vertical transport. By using a wall-less transport unit and controlling water levels, the system avoids lifting large volumes of water, significantly reducing energy consumption while maintaining vertical transport capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses hydraulic principles to control water levels in the shaft and transport unit. By equalizing water levels and using buoyancy, the system enables vertical fish transport without requiring powerful motors to lift water-filled containers, thereby reducing energy consumption.
4Adaptability or versatility
If a basket with openings in the wall is used to allow fish to swim in and out, then bidirectional transport is possible, but the openings must align with shaft openings requiring guide rails
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the basket structure with openings and extracts only the essential function of bidirectional transport. By using a wall-less transport unit and controlling water levels, the system allows fish to freely move between the shaft and transport unit without requiring aligned openings or guide rails.
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 allows for unhindered fish transport between water levels without disturbing influences, reducing energy consumption and construction costs, and preventing jamming issues, while ensuring fish safety and efficient operation across varying headwater levels.
Implementation Method 1
a transport unit (1) between an area of underwater (3), in particular an underwater level, and an area of headwater (4), in particular a headwater level, can be moved in an essentially vertical shaft (2) with at least one means of buoyancy (18)
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
AI summary
An arrangement on flowing waters in the area of a transverse structure and/or waterworks, in particular a fish lift, for transporting aquatic animals, especially fish, has a substantially vertical shaft (2) in which a transport unit (1) is movable between the area of the downstream water (3), in particular the downstream water level, and the area of the upstream water (4), in particular the upstream water level. The transport unit (1) is connected to at least one buoyancy device (18). The transport unit (1) is freely movable in the shaft (2) and is designed without walls, in particular as a disk.