U.S. patent application number 17/467618 was filed with the patent office on 2021-12-23 for outlet basin for a fish pen.
This patent application is currently assigned to Akvadesign AS. The applicant listed for this patent is Akvadesign AS. Invention is credited to Anders Naess.
Application Number | 20210392860 17/467618 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 1000005826161 |
Filed Date | 2021-12-23 |
United States Patent
Application |
20210392860 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Naess; Anders |
December 23, 2021 |
OUTLET BASIN FOR A FISH PEN
Abstract
An outlet basin for a fish pen is provided with at least one
outlet hose extending from the outlet basin to a surface. The
outlet basin includes a cylinder-shaped housing which is provided,
at its upper portion, with a mounting collar arranged to be
attached to a bottom portion of the fish pen, and which is
provided, at its lower portion, with a through opening. The outlet
basin further includes a cylinder-shaped outlet channel which, in a
portion, is housed in the housing, the outlet channel is provided,
at its upper portion, with a strainer covering the cross section of
the outlet channel, an elongated annular space between the housing
and the outlet channel, a slanted grating covering the entire
annular space, the lowermost portion of the slanted grating being
positioned just below the opening of the housing, a slanted bottom
plate sealingly covering the entire annular space, and a lower
through opening at the lowermost portion of the bottom plate.
Inventors: |
Naess; Anders; (Bronnoysund,
NO) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Akvadesign AS |
Bronnoysund |
|
NO |
|
|
Assignee: |
Akvadesign AS
Bronnoysund
NO
|
Family ID: |
1000005826161 |
Appl. No.: |
17/467618 |
Filed: |
September 7, 2021 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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15862729 |
Jan 5, 2018 |
11134660 |
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17467618 |
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14763954 |
Jul 28, 2015 |
9883660 |
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PCT/NO2014/050019 |
Feb 5, 2014 |
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15862729 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E03C 1/264 20130101;
Y02A 40/81 20180101; A01K 61/60 20170101; A01K 63/04 20130101 |
International
Class: |
A01K 63/04 20060101
A01K063/04; A01K 61/60 20060101 A01K061/60; E03C 1/264 20060101
E03C001/264 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Feb 5, 2013 |
NO |
20130210 |
May 6, 2013 |
NO |
20130612 |
Claims
1. A closed fish pen, wherein the wall comprises a fluid-tight
material, the fish pen is at a spherical upper portion provided
with buoyancy means in a water surface and with an inlet for water,
and the fish pen is provided, in a conical shaped lower portion,
with an outlet; wherein the depth D of the fish pen constitutes the
distance from the water surface to the outlet, wherein the conical
lower portion meets tangentially the spherical upper portion.
2. The closed fish pen according to claim 1, wherein the conical
lower portion exhibits a depth D.sub.c which constitutes about one
half of the depth D.
3. The closed fish pen according to claim 1, wherein the conical
lower portion exhibits a depth D.sub.c which constitutes about one
fourth of the depth D.
4. The closed fish pen according to claim 1, wherein the conical
lower portion exhibits a depth D.sub.c which constitutes about
between one half and one fourth of the depth D.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a divisional application of U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 15/862,729, filed Jan. 5, 2018, which '729
application is a divisional application of U.S. patent application
Ser. No. 14/763,954, filed Jul. 28, 2015 which '954 application is
the U.S. national stage application of International Application
PCT/N02014/050019, filed Feb. 5, 2014, which international
application was published on Aug. 14, 2014, as International
Publication No. WO2014/123427 in the English language. The
international application claims priority to Norwegian Patent
Application No. 20130210, filed Feb. 5, 2013, and Norwegian Patent
Application No. 20130612, filed May 6, 2013. All of the above
applications are incorporated herein by reference, in entirety.
FIELD
[0002] The invention relates to an outlet basin for a fish pen
which is used for farming fish. More specifically, the invention
concerns an outlet basin which separates particulate material and
guides this to a first outlet hose, and which separates dead fish
and guides these to a second outlet hose.
BACKGROUND
[0003] The farming of fish in the sea conventionally takes place in
so-called open fish pens. An open fish pen includes a net forming a
closed enclosure for the fish, allowing through flow. The fish pen
is kept afloat with the aid of an encircling buoyancy system.
[0004] Open fish pens have some drawbacks. For the farming of
salmon, it is a drawback that fish become infected with crustacean
parasites, such as salmon louse, and with other diseases owing to
viruses, bacteria and parasites. The fish escape, especially when
tears are formed in the net by accident. An open fish pen
discharges waste products such as feed not eaten and faecal matter
into the recipient. The water temperature within the fish pen
follows the temperature of the surrounding water. In the winter,
the water temperature, especially near the surface, may be too low
for the fish to grow optimally. In the summer, the water
temperature may be too high for the fish to grow optimally.
[0005] A closed fish pen is an alternative to an open fish pen, and
a closed fish pen solves some of the problems connected to an open
fish pen. Closed farming fish pens are known within the art. They
may be formed from a tight cloth material forming a bag. The patent
publication NO160752/U.S. Pat. No. 4,711,199 discloses an example
of such a fish pen. The fish pen is provided with a substantially
flat bottom, the bottom being provided with a conically shaped
sludge collector. The patent publication U.S. Pat. No. 4,798,168
discloses a cylinder-shaped fish pen in a material in cloth form
with a cone-shaped bottom. Water is guided tangentially in at the
surface of the fish pen, and an outlet has its inlet portion
positioned in the water surface at the center of the fish pen.
Faecal matter and feed leftovers are collected in the lowermost
portion of the bottom and pumped up to the surface via a pipe. A
flexible suction pipe of a corrugated plastic pipe, for example, is
attached to the inlet of the fish pen. At its free end, the
flexible suction pipe is provided with a rope extending up to the
surface. As the suction pipe is flexible, the free end may be
lifted or lowered to the desired water depth. The length of the
suction pipe is constant.
[0006] Closed fish pens formed from a rigid material are known as
well. The patent publication NO 166511/EP0347489 discloses a
semi-submersible floating platform which includes cylindrical silos
provided with a cone-shaped lower portion. The patent publication
NO 165783/U.S. Pat. No. 4,909,186 discloses a hull-shaped container
for fish. The patent publication WO2010/016769 discloses a fish pen
in a water-tight and substantially rigid material, the fish pen
being substantially hemispherical. The patent publication states
that the depth of a water inlet can be adjusted to have as optimum
a water temperature as possible. The patent document WO2010/099590
discloses a fish pen composed of watertight fibreglass panels with
an intermediate foam material to provide buoyancy. The fish pen is
substantially cylinder-shaped with a flat bottom.
[0007] The paten publication NO 175341/WO9402005 discloses a closed
fish pen with a cylindrical upper part and a conical lower part.
The fish pen may consist of steel, concrete or a soft, reinforced
plastic cloth. Water is pumped into the fish pen at the upper
portion of the fish pen through a horizontal supply pipe. In its
end portion inside the fish pen, the supply pipe is provided with a
rotatable outlet to be able to direct inflowing water in a desired
direction horizontally and vertically. In its lower portion, the
conical lower part of the fish pen is provided with a funnel-shaped
outlet. In a portion of the wall, the outlet is provided with a
grid which holds back the fish, but which lets outflowing water
pass. The outlet is further provided with static guide vanes to
brake the approximately circular movement of the water in the fish
pen into an approximately vertical downward movement.
[0008] Buoyancy systems for floating farming fish pens may consist
of rectangular walkways in steel which are provided with floating
bodies. The walkways are hinged together. The walkways form a grid
of longitudinal and transverse walkways. Such a buoyancy system is
usually used together with open fish pens. The seine, which forms
the enclosure for fish, is placed in a square and secured to the
encircling walkways on hooks projecting from separate poles or
supports. The buoyancy system may also consist of at least one
plastic pipe which is welded together into a ring. Usually, the
buoyancy system consists of two concentric rings side by side, as
shown in the patent publications WO 90/01872 and WO 91/17653, for
example. Plastic fish pens having three concentric plastic rings
are known as well. The plastic rings are connected by radially
oriented clamps in plastic or steel. Walkways may be placed on top
of two concentric rings. In an open fish pen, the seine is placed
within the innermost pipe of the buoyancy system and is secured
with projecting seine hooks. The seine hooks may be secured to the
pipe or to a railing projecting up from the buoyancy system. The
circumference for the seine in a plastic fish pen may be between 90
m and 160 m, for example, corresponding to a diameter of
approximately between 30 m and 50 m.
[0009] Known closed fish pens solve some of the drawbacks connected
to an open fish pen. The known closed fish pens have some drawbacks
as well.
[0010] To ensure that the water exchange rate is sufficient to
maintain a good water environment within the fish pen, it is usual
to pump in so much water that the water surface within the fish pen
is higher than the water surface outside the fish pen. Thereby the
pressure inside the fish pen is greater than the surrounding
pressure, and water will flow out of the fish pen through formed
openings. This subjects the buoyancy system of a closed fish pen to
greater forces than the buoyancy system of an open fish pen of the
same size. In addition to keeping the actual cloth or net of the
fish pen afloat, the buoyancy of the buoyancy system must be
dimensioned for holding the amount of water inside the fish pen
that is above the water surface of the surrounding water. This
water constitutes a considerable mass. In addition, this water has
a moment of inertia that makes the wave influence on the buoyancy
system greater than in an open fish pen in which the wave motion
passes the buoyancy system and into the fish pen substantially
unobstructedly. As mentioned, the walls of closed fish pens may
include a material in cloth form. Owing to the fact that the amount
of water within the fish pen gives negative buoyancy, the material
in cloth form must have great tear strength. A material in cloth
form cannot be attached to the buoyancy system in the same way as a
seine. A perforation of the material in cloth form will impair the
tear strength. The hole may be reinforced with a grommet, but it is
difficult to match the spacing of a plurality of holes to a
plurality of hooks in such a way that the cloth is kept smooth. The
water pressure inside the fish pen will stretch the cloth, while
too short distances between the hooks will create folds. Too wide a
spacing of the hooks in relation to that of the holes formed makes
it impossible for one or more of the hooks to be used. This impairs
the strength of the attachment of the fish-pen cloth to the
buoyancy system.
[0011] Over time, a thin sludge will form inside a closed fish pen.
The sludge consists of faecal matter and small feed particles. The
feed particles are fatty. This sludge has poor settling properties.
In fish pens with approximately flat bottoms, whether they have
substantially cylindrical side walls or are ball-shaped, this
sludge will lie along the bottom and only slowly creep in towards
the center of the fish pen. The outlet of the fish pen is usually
positioned at the center of the bottom. The sludge forms a pool
which catches further faecal matter and feed leftovers and prevents
them from being carried towards the outlet. The rate of the water
flowing through may be increased to carry the sludge towards the
outlet, but experience has shown that this may make the sludge
dissolve and get mixed into the water within the fish pen again,
especially if the water flow is somewhat turbulent and deviates
from the desired laminar flow. When an oxygenation system is used,
with a supply of gas bubbles near the outlet of the fish pen, the
particles of the sludge will easily be carried all the way to the
water surface within the fish pen. Sludge dissolved in the water
creates cloudy water and gives bad water quality for the fish. Fish
that die will sink towards the bottom of the fish pen and will
start to rot there if not removed. Mortality may be due to disease
caused by pathogenic organisms, and it is important to remove dead
fish quickly in order to reduce any infection pressure on the fish
in the fish pen. The patent publication NO332341/WO2011133045
discloses a closed fish pen with a cone-shaped bottom. In one
embodiment, all the waste water is brought up to a sludge tank
which is positioned on the floating collar of the fish pen. In an
alternative embodiment, feed leftovers and faecal matter are
partially separated from the water at the bottom of the fish pen.
The waste water is carried up to the sludge tank, whereas feed
leftovers and faecal matter are carried up to the surface in a
separate outlet pipe. The patent publication NO175082/WO9323994
discloses an outlet for vessels on land. The vessels are arranged
for farming fish and are provided with relatively flat bottoms. A
primary water flow and a secondary water flow carry particles in
the water in towards the center of the vessel. At the center of the
vessel, the waste water moves out through a slot and into a
circular particle trap formed as an annular space around the outlet
pipe. The water flows out of a row of holes in the outlet pipe,
whereas deposited material is moved by the water flow through a
slot opening and down into a particle outlet. The patent
publication NO318527/U.S. Pat. No. 6,443,100 discloses an outlet
for a closed fish pen. An outlet pipe extends through the bottom
portion of the fish pen and projects upwards in the fish pen. The
water flows out of the fish pen through a slot in the upper portion
of the outlet pipe. Deposited material sinks down along the outside
of the outlet pipe and is carried out of the fish pen through an
opening in the fish pen at the outlet-pipe lead-through in the fish
pen.
[0012] Water will have to be pumped into a closed fish pen because
the pressure inside the fish pen is greater than that on the
outside. The inflowing water creates currents within the fish pen.
The currents should be such that the entire water volume is
replaced regularly. Ideally, the flow should be laminar and run
evenly from the inlet to the outlet. The patent publication NO
160753 discloses an inlet for a floating tank or a land-based tank,
in which the water is carried into the tank through a pipe through
the wall of the tank. On the inside of the tank, the water is
carried through a vertically oriented nozzle device with fixed
nozzles that let the inflowing water have a tangential component.
The vertical nozzle device may be positioned with a horizontal
distance to the wall of the vessel. The patent publication WO
2006/000042, too, discloses a vertically oriented nozzle device on
the inside of a floating tank. The inflowing water gets a
tangential component. The water is carried into the tank through a
pipe through the wall of the tank. The patent publication U.S. Pat.
No. 5,762,024, too, discloses a vertically oriented nozzle device
on the inside of a floating tank. The water is carried into the
tank from above, and the nozzle openings are positioned in the
lower portion of the nozzle device. The water gets a circular flow
in the tank. The flow rate of the water is adjusted by changing the
speed of the pump. The nozzle devices described in these three
patent publications are fixed so that the direction of flow of the
water out of the nozzle device is constant. The patent publication
NO 332589 discloses a floating tank with a vertically oriented
nozzle device as well. The nozzle device is preferably provided
with directionally adjustable slots or nozzles. NO 332589 does not
show how this is to be done in practice. NO 332589 also discloses
that the nozzle device may consist of an outer pipe and an inner
pipe which can be rotated, lifted and lowered relative to each
other in a controlled manner. In this way, the amount, direction
and level of the inflowing water may be adjusted. NO 332589 does
not show in detail how this is to be done. NO 332589 also discloses
water intake pipes arranged telescopically. The lengths of the
pipes, and thereby the depth of the inlet opening, may be adjusted
with a wire extending through the pipe and being attached to the
lower portion of the pipe. The patent publication NO 327035
discloses a nozzle device for a land-based tank. The nozzle device
includes a vertically oriented, fixed distributor pipe. The
distributor pipe is provided with a number of nozzle openings along
the longitudinal direction of the distributor pipe. The nozzle
openings extend axially in a slit shape with a length exceeding the
width by a factor of 2 at least. A damper member provided with
holes can be displaced axially along the distributor pipe. The
damper member is provided with a number of slit openings
corresponding to the slit openings of the distributor pipe.
[0013] As mentioned in the foregoing, the water within a closed
fish pen may have a water surface above the water surface of the
surroundings of the fish pen. The water within the fish pen may
have been pumped up from a water depth at which the salinity of the
water is greater than the salinity of the water on the outside of
the fish pen. The water within the fish pen thereby has a greater
density than the surrounding water. It has turned out that on a
loss of the electrical power driving the pumps supplying the fish
pen with water, the water will first flow out of the fish pen,
until the water surface within the fish pen is level with the water
surface on the outside of the fish pen. If the water within the
fish pen has a greater density than the surrounding water, the
water will continue to flow out of the fish pen. The water on the
outside of the fish pen may flow past the fish pen at a relatively
great velocity. It has turned out that once a water flow out of the
fish pen has been established, it may be maintained by the water
that is flowing past on the outside. A closed fish pen that
includes walls in a material in cloth form will be extended when
the pressure within the fish pen is greater than the pressure on
the outside of the fish pen. When the water begins to flow out of
such a closed fish pen, the walls of the bag will start to
collapse. This will happen especially in the lower portion of the
fish pen while the upper portion of the fish pen is kept in shape
by the buoyancy system of the fish pen. The fish pen will thereby
get a reduced volume and this has a stressful effect on the fish in
the fish pen.
[0014] The water may be carried out of a closed fish pen by an
outlet in the bottom portion of the fish pen. The outlet opening
must be secured with a grating or the like, to prevent fish in the
fish pen from escaping from the fish pen through the outlet. Over
time, such a grating will become covered in sludge. The grating
will also become fouled with, for example, shells and tunicates.
The inside of the closed fish pen will also be fouled. Such fouling
can be removed by washing. This leads to relatively large amounts
of material sinking down towards the outlet and settling on the
grating. The grating may thus partially become clogged up with
sludge, fouling and material from the wall of the fish pen. As the
grating partially clogs up, the water flow resistance out of the
outlet will become larger. This is counteracted by the water column
over the grating becoming larger. This is to say, the level of the
water surface within the fish pen rises relative to the water
surface of the surrounding water. This in turn increases the load
on the buoyancy system. As illustrative dimensions it may be
indicated that a water-level increase of 1 cm within a closed fish
pen may result in the buoyancy system being lowered 7-8 cm further
down in the water.
[0015] A substantial amount of water will have to be pumped into a
closed fish pen to maintain a good water environment for the fish.
The water may advantageously be pumped up from a depth at which the
water temperature is more constant than at the surface. This also
has the advantage of the fish being exposed to smaller amounts of
parasites as these are usually located in the upper water layers. A
supply channel with a large diameter has the drawback of the
underpressure in the supply channel possibly making the wall of the
channel collapse. This can be counteracted by increasing the wall
thickness. The pipe will thereby be more rigid. A rigid pipe has
the drawback of water currents pressing harder against the pipe. In
particular the attachment of the pipe to the pump housing and the
attachment of the pump housing to the buoyancy system of the fish
pen will thereby be subjected to an increased strain.
SUMMARY
[0016] The invention has for its object to remedy or reduce at
least one of the drawbacks of the prior art or at least provide a
useful alternative to the prior art.
[0017] The object is achieved through features which are specified
in the description below and in the claims that follow.
[0018] The invention relates to an outlet basin for a fish pen
provided with at least one outlet hose extending from the outlet
basin to a surface, the outlet basin including: [0019] a
cylinder-shaped housing which, at its upper portion, is provided
with a mounting collar arranged to be attached to a bottom portion
of the fish pen, and which, at its lower portion, is provided with
a through opening; [0020] a cylinder-shaped outlet channel housed
in the housing, the outlet channel being provided, in its upper
portion, with a strainer covering the cross section of the outlet
channel; [0021] an elongated annular space between the housing and
the outlet channel; [0022] a slanted grating covering the entire
annular space, the lowermost portion of the slanted grating being
positioned just below the opening in the housing; [0023] a slanted
bottom plate sealingly covering the entire annular space; and
[0024] a lower through opening at the lowermost portion of the
bottom plate.
[0025] The outlet channel may be fixed to the housing by means of
at least one of the grating and the bottom plate. The grating may
include a plurality of ribs oriented side by side. Alternatively,
the grating may comprise a sieve plate. The bottom plate may
comprise a fine-meshed material. The opening may lead into a first
pipe socket arranged to be connected in a sealing manner to a first
outlet hose. The lower through opening may be positioned in the
bottom plate at the lowermost portion of the bottom plate at the
inner jacket of the housing. The lower through opening may be
positioned in the jacket of the housing in a portion between the
lowermost portion of the grating and the lowermost portion of the
bottom plate.
[0026] The lower opening may lead into a second pipe socket
arranged to be connected in a sealing manner to a second outlet
hose. The strainer may have a conical shape and the point of the
strainer may face upwards. In an alternative embodiment, the
strainer may include a top plate, and between the outer edge of the
top plate and the edge of the outlet channel, a plurality of ribs
may extend side by side so that, between the ribs, elongated
openings forming straining slots are formed. The ribs may consist
of pipes.
[0027] A buoyancy system for a floating fish pen for farming fish
is described as well, wherein the buoyancy system may include at
least two concentric rings, wherein at least two of the at least
two concentric rings may have substantially the same diameter, and
the first of the at least two concentric rings may be loosely
positioned over the second one of the at least two concentric
rings. At least two of the at least two concentric rings may have
substantially the same diameter.
[0028] A plurality of elongated plates may be attached in at least
one end portion to one of the at least two concentric rings, and
the plates may extend at least around a portion of the other one of
the at least two concentric rings. The plates may be attached to
the lower one of the two concentric rings and may extend at least
around a portion of the upper one of the two concentric rings. A
railing may be attached to the upper one of the two concentric
rings.
[0029] A suspension means for the attachment of a bag in a closed
fish pen to a buoyancy system is described as well, wherein, in a
side edge, the suspension means may be provided with: [0030] a
groove formed between two opposite lips that form an elongated
mouth portion extending from the edge to an elongated cavity in the
suspension means, the diameter of the cavity being larger than the
distance between the two opposite lips; and [0031] a through
opening which has a longitudinal axis extending substantially
perpendicularly to the longitudinal direction of the cavity, the
through opening being positioned above the cavity in the position
of application, so that the suspension means may be displaceably
attached to a bulb formed at the upper edge of the bag.
[0032] A bag which may be provided with a bulb in portions of an
upper edge for releasable positioning in a longitudinal cavity in a
suspension means is described as well. The bulb may be formed along
the entire encircling upper edge of the bag. The bulb may be formed
by the cloth of the bag having been folded around an elongated body
and attached to itself by means of a fastening means.
[0033] A suspension means is also described, wherein the suspension
means may include a female part and a male part, wherein the female
part may include: [0034] an end edge and a coupling side; [0035] an
elongated hollow profile positioned on the coupling side; [0036] a
lip extending from the hollow profile to the end edge; and [0037]
an elongated groove positioned on the coupling side, side by side
with the hollow profile, the groove including an outer mouth
portion facing out towards the coupling side and an internal
cavity, the diameter of the cavity being larger than the width of
the mouth portion; and the male part may include: [0038] an end
edge and a coupling side; [0039] an elongated hollow profile
positioned on the coupling side; [0040] a lip extending from the
hollow profile to the end edge; and [0041] an elongated, projecting
guide positioned on the coupling side, side by side with the hollow
profile, the guide including a head portion and a neck, the head
portion and the neck complementarily fitting the cavity and the
mouth portion, respectively, of the female part, and being such
that the diameter of the head is smaller than the diameter of the
cavity and larger than the width of the mouth portion so that the
cavity of the female part can be moved sideways onto the head
portion of the male part to releasably connect the male part and
the female part, and so that the hollow profile of the female part
and the hollow profile of the male part together form an elongated
cavity between themselves.
[0042] The suspension means may further be provided with an opening
which has a longitudinal axis that extends substantially
perpendicularly to the longitudinal direction of the cavity, and
the opening may be positioned above the cavity in the position of
application.
[0043] The female part may be provided with a through opening from
an outer side surface to the coupling side, and the female part may
be provided with a through opening from an outer side surface to
the coupling side so that when the through opening of the female
part coincides with the through opening of the male part, a through
opening is formed from the outer side of the female part to the
outer side of the male part.
[0044] The male part may be provided with at least one through bore
extending from one end face of the male part to an opposite end
face, and an opening may have been formed from the outer side of
the male part to the through bore, so that a bolt may be positioned
in the bore and a fastening member may be passed around the bolt
from the opening. A screw or a set screw which may be oriented
perpendicularly to the coupling side may be arranged to lock the
male part and the female part to each other so that the male part
cannot move sideways relative to the female part and vice
versa.
[0045] A closed fish pen is described as well, in which the wall
may include a fluid-tight material, the fish pen may be provided,
in an upper portion, with buoyancy means in a water surface and
with an inlet for water, and the fish pen may be provided, in a
lower portion, with an outlet; in which the depth of the fish pen
constitutes the distance from the water surface to the outlet, the
wall in the upper portion of the fish pen may be formed in a
spherical shape and the wall in the bottom portion of the fish pen
may be formed in a conical shape.
[0046] The conical portion of the fish pen may exhibit a depth
(D.sub.c) which constitutes substantially one half of the depth (D)
of the fish pen. The conical portion of the fish pen may
alternatively exhibit a depth (D.sub.c) which constitutes
substantially one fourth of the depth (D) of the fish pen. The
conical portion of the fish pen may exhibit a depth (D.sub.c) which
constitutes substantially between one half and one fourth of the
depth (D) of the fish pen. The conical portion of the fish pen may
meet the spherical portion of the fish pen tangentially.
[0047] A guard net for a closed fish pen which includes a wall in a
soft material in cloth form is described as well, wherein the guard
net may include: [0048] a plurality of substantially horizontal
straps side by side; [0049] a plurality of vertical straps, each
extending at least from one horizontal strap to a horizontal
neighbouring strap, and the vertical strap being attached to the
horizontal strap; wherein a plurality of the vertical straps extend
from the upper portion of the guard net to the lower portion of the
guard net; [0050] the upper portion of the guard net being provided
with means for adjustably attaching the guard net to the buoyancy
system of the fish pen; [0051] the lower portion of the guard net
being provided with means for attaching the guard net to the lower
portion of the fish pen; and the guard net may be positioned on the
outside of the closed fish pen.
[0052] Each horizontal strap may form a ring. In their longitudinal
directions, the horizontal and vertical straps of the guard net may
be matched to the outer geometry of the closed fish pen. The means
of attachment of the guard net to the buoyancy system may be
arranged for vertical tightening or vertical slackening of the
guard net relative to the buoyancy system. The horizontal and
vertical straps may include broad bands.
[0053] An inlet system for a closed fish pen is described as well,
the fish pen being provided with an encircling buoyancy system and
the fish pen being provided with an outlet in its lower portion;
the inlet system may comprise: [0054] a pump in a pump housing;
[0055] an external supply channel which, at its upper portion,
leads into the inlet of the pump; and [0056] a guiding channel
which, at its external end, is in fluid communication with the
outlet of the pump and which, at its opposite, internal end,
projects into the fish pen, wherein, on the inside of the fish pen,
the inlet system may further include an elongated current-creation
pipe which is rotatable around its longitudinal axis, and wherein
the current-creation pipe is in fluid communication with the
guiding channel, and wherein the current-creation pipe may be
provided with a plurality of openings arranged in at least one row
of holes.
[0057] In its upper end portion, the current-creation pipe may be
rotatably positioned in a sleeve which is in fluid communication
with the guiding channel, and the current-creation pipe is provided
with an ovally shaped opening in its wall for fluid communication
with the sleeve. In its upper end portion, the current-creation
pipe may be provided with an operating means arranged to rotate the
current-creation pipe around its longitudinal axis. At its upper
end portion, the current-creation pipe may be provided with an
upper stop ring and a lower stop ring which are positioned,
respectively, above and below the sleeve.
[0058] A current-creation pipe for a vessel or for a closed fish
pen is described as well, the current-creation pipe being
positioned on the inside of the vessel or fish pen, the
current-creation pipe being provided with: [0059] an opening in the
upper portion of the current-creation pipe for fluid communication
with a guiding channel which is attached to the upper portion;
[0060] a plurality of through openings in the surface of the
current-creation pipe, arranged in a row of holes that extends in
the longitudinal direction of the current-creation pipe; [0061] a
damper member displaceable relative to the current-creation pipe;
and the openings having a length along the circumference of the
current-creation pipe which is the same as or larger than the width
of the openings in the longitudinal direction of the
current-creation pipe.
[0062] By displaceable is meant that the damper member may be
displaceable along the current-creation pipe in the longitudinal
direction of the current-creation pipe. By displaceable is also
meant that the damper member may be rotatable around the
longitudinal axis of the current-creation pipe. By displaceable is
meant that the damper member may be displaceable along the
current-creation pipe in the longitudinal direction of the
current-creation pipe and rotatable around the longitudinal axis of
the current-creation pipe.
[0063] The damper member may be rotatable around the longitudinal
axis of the current-creation pipe, and the damper member includes a
first side plate and a second side plate, both extending in the
longitudinal direction of the current-creation pipe and there being
transverse plates holding the first side plate and the second side
plate together. The distance between the opposite edges of the side
plates may be shorter than the width of the opening. The damper
member may be positioned on the inside of the current-creation
pipe.
[0064] The damper member may be displaceable along the longitudinal
direction of the current-creation pipe, and the damper member is
provided with a plurality of belly bands that extend around the
circumference of the current-creation pipe, holding the first side
plate and the second side plate together, wherein one side edge of
the belly band or a transverse plate between the first side plate
and the second side plate substantially coincides with one side
edge of the opening when the damper member is in an open position.
The number of belly bands and transverse plates may equal the
number of openings. The width of the belly band or the transverse
plate in the longitudinal direction of the current-creation pipe
may be larger than the width of the opening. The damper member may
further be provided with a bracing plate extending in the
longitudinal direction of the current-creation pipe, the bracing
plate connecting the belly bands.
[0065] The damper member of the current-creation pipe may include a
plate provided with openings corresponding to the openings of the
current-creation pipe in shape and number; [0066] the damper member
may be displaceable along the longitudinal direction of the
current-creation pipe; [0067] the damper member may be provided
with one row of rudders in the longitudinal direction of the damper
member, each rudder being hinged to the plate, and each rudder
being connected, at its free end, to a rod; and [0068] each rudder
may project over the middle portion of the opening of the
plate.
[0069] The damper member of the current-creation pipe may include a
plate provided with openings corresponding to the openings of the
current-creation pipe in shape and number; [0070] the damper member
may be displaceable long the longitudinal direction of the
current-creation pipe; [0071] the damper member may be provided
with two rows of rudders in the longitudinal direction of the
damper member, each rudder being hinged to the plate, and each
rudder being connected at its free end to a rod; and [0072] a first
row of rudders may be attached at one side of the opening of the
plate and a second row of rudders may be attached at the opposite
side of the opening of the plate; [0073] the rod of the first row
of rudders may be connected to the rod of the second row of rudders
by a tie bar.
[0074] A strainer regulator for a strainer in a closed fish pen is
described as well, the strainer covering the cross section of an
outlet channel in an outlet basin at the bottom of the fish pen,
wherein the strainer regulator may include: [0075] a regulator
sleeve displaceably positioned on the outside of the strainer; and
[0076] a control mechanism displacing the regulator sleeve.
[0077] The control mechanism may include an actuator which is
attached to the regulator sleeve, the actuator extending from the
regulator sleeve through the strainer, through the outlet channel
to a water surface on the outside of the fish pen. The actuator may
include a pipe or a rod within a guide pipe. The guide pipe may be
attached to the inside of the outlet channel.
[0078] The strainer regulator may include: [0079] a wire attached
to the regulator sleeve, the wire extending from the regulator
sleeve to a first pulley and over this to a control mechanism; and
[0080] the control mechanism being able to displace the regulator
sleeve by varying the pull on the wire.
[0081] The control mechanism may include a first winch. The
strainer regulator may further include a second winch positioned on
the side of the fish pen diagonally opposite the first winch, there
being a centring wire extending from the second winch to a block
housing the first pulley.
[0082] The control mechanism may include a buoy, and the buoy may
be positioned on the inside of the fish pen. The wire may have been
extended from the first pulley to and over a second pulley, up to
and over a third pulley and up to the buoy; the second pulley is
positioned at the side edge of the fish pen; and the third pulley
is positioned submergedly at the side edge of the fish pen. The
block may be attached to at least three lines extending over the
fish pen and being attached to each other at the middle portion of
the fish pen.
[0083] An inlet system for a closed fish pen is described as well,
wherein the fish pen may be provided with an encircling buoyancy
system and wherein the fish pen is provided with an outlet at its
lower portion; the inlet system includes: [0084] a pump in a pump
housing; [0085] an external supply channel which, in its upper
portion, leads into the inlet of the pump and which is provided
with a strainer in its inlet portion; and [0086] a guiding channel
which, at its external end, is in fluid communication with the
outlet of the pump and which, at its opposite, internal end,
projects into the fish pen, wherein the external supply channel, in
a portion between the inlet portion and its outer portion, may
include a portion which includes a length-adjustable channel, the
length-adjustable channel including a channel wall in an elastic
polymer material and a spiral in a rigid material housed in the
channel wall, and a rope or a wire may extend from the strainer to
the buoyancy system.
[0087] The strainer of the supply channel may include a strainer
pipe. The rope or wire may substantially extend between the
strainer and the buoyancy system on the inside of the supply
channel.
[0088] An inlet system for a closed fish pen is described as well,
wherein the fish pen is provided with an encircling buoyancy
system, and wherein the fish pen is provided with an outlet in its
lower portion; the inlet system includes: [0089] a pump in a pump
housing; [0090] an external supply channel which, in an upper
portion, leads into the inlet of the pump and which, in an inlet
portion, is provided with a strainer; and [0091] a guiding channel
which, at its inlet end, is in fluid communication with the outlet
of the pump and which, at its opposite, internal end, projects into
the fish pen, the external supply channel being composed of at
least two supply channels.
[0092] The number of supply channels may be at least three. Each
supply channel may be provided with a strainer in an inlet portion.
Each supply channel may be connected to a strainer chamber at an
inlet portion.
[0093] The inlet system may further include a damper between the
outlet of the pump and the inlet end of the guiding channel. The
damper may include a check valve with two flaps.
[0094] An inlet system for a closed fish pen is described as well,
wherein the fish pen is provided with an encircling buoyancy
system, and the fish pen is provided with an outlet in its lower
portion; the inlet system includes: [0095] a pump in a pump
housing; [0096] an external supply channel which, in an upper
portion, leads into the inlet of the pump and which is provided
with a strainer in an inlet portion; and [0097] a guiding channel
which, at its inlet end, is in fluid communication with the outlet
of the pump and which, at its opposite, internal end, projects into
the fish pen, the inlet system further including a damper between
the outlet of the pump and the inlet end of the guiding
channel.
[0098] The damper may include a check valve with two flaps.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0099] In what follows, examples of preferred embodiments are
described, which are visualized in the accompanying drawings, in
which:
[0100] FIGS. 1A-1B show, in 1A, a portion of a closed fish pen with
a buoyancy system and, in 1B on a slightly different scale, a
schematic section of two rings in the buoyancy system, the rings
being held together by J-shaped plates;
[0101] FIG. 2 shows a perspective view, on a larger scale, of a
suspension means for attaching a seine or a cloth to a buoyancy
system;
[0102] FIG. 3 shows a section, on a larger scale than FIG. 2, of a
bulb on a seine or a cloth, the bulb being arranged to fit the
suspension means shown in FIG. 2;
[0103] FIG. 4 shows a section, on the same scale as FIG. 3, of the
suspension means shown in FIG. 2 and a section of a fastening
member;
[0104] FIG. 5 shows a section, on a slightly smaller scale than
FIG. 3, through an alternative suspension means;
[0105] FIG. 6 shows the same as FIG. 5, but in a further
alternative embodiment;
[0106] FIG. 7 shows a side view, on the same scale, of the
suspension means shown in FIG. 5;
[0107] FIG. 8 shows a side view, on the same scale, of the
suspension means shown in FIG. 6;
[0108] FIG. 9 shows a side view, on a different scale, of an outlet
basin for a fish pen;
[0109] FIG. 10 shows a perspective view, in an exploded drawing on
a different scale, of the outlet basin shown in FIG. 9;
[0110] FIG. 11 shows a top view, on a different scale, of the
outlet basin shown in FIG. 9;
[0111] FIG. 12 shows a partial section, on a different scale, of
the outlet basin shown in FIG. 9;
[0112] FIG. 13 shows a perspective view, on a different scale, of a
closed fish pen with an outlet basin, viewed from below;
[0113] FIG. 14 shows a perspective view, on a different scale, of a
detail at an opening inside an outlet basin;
[0114] FIG. 15 shows a side view, on a different scale, of the
geometry of a closed fish pen;
[0115] FIG. 16 shows the same as FIG. 15 in another embodiment;
[0116] FIG. 17 shows the same as FIG. 15 in another embodiment;
[0117] FIG. 18 shows the same as FIG. 15 in another embodiment;
[0118] FIG. 19 shows the same as FIG. 15 in another embodiment;
[0119] FIG. 20 shows a schematic view, on a different scale, of a
guard net for a closed fish pen;
[0120] FIG. 21 shows a perspective view, on a different scale, of
an inlet system for a closed fish pen;
[0121] FIG. 22 shows a top view, on a different scale, of the inlet
system shown in FIG. 21;
[0122] FIGS. 23A-23B show schematic side views, on a different
scale, of a current-creation pipe and a guiding channel of the
inlet system;
[0123] FIG. 24 shows a perspective view, on a different scale, of a
closed fish pen provided with an inlet system, an outlet basin and
hoses from the outlet basin to the surface, viewed somewhat from
below;
[0124] FIG. 25 shows a perspective view, on a different scale, of a
closed fish pen provided with an inlet system and an outlet basin,
viewed somewhat from above;
[0125] FIGS. 26A-26C show an alternative current-creation pipe to
that shown in FIG. 23, on a different scale, 26A) showing a
perspective view, 26B) showing a top view and 26C) showing a
section;
[0126] FIGS. 27A-27B show the current-creation pipe with a turnable
damper, on the same scale as FIG. 26;
[0127] FIGS. 28A-28E show a section, on a larger scale, of the
current-creation pipe shown in FIG. 27 with the damper in different
external positions;
[0128] FIGS. 29A-29C show an alternative embodiment having the
damper on the inside of the current-creation pipe, on the same
scale as FIG. 28;
[0129] FIGS. 30A-30C show the current-creation pipe with an
alternative damper, on the same scale as FIG. 26;
[0130] FIG. 31 shows the current-creation pipe with an alternative
damper, on the same scale as FIG. 26;
[0131] FIG. 32 shows the current-creation pipe with a further
alternative damper, on the same scale as FIG. 26;
[0132] FIG. 33A-33B shows an alternative embodiment of the pump
housing of the inlet system, on a different scale, 33A) with a
damper in a closed position, 33B) with the damper in the open
position;
[0133] FIG. 34 shows a perspective view, on the same scale as FIG.
10, of an alternative embodiment of the outlet basin;
[0134] FIG. 35 shows a principle drawing, on a different scale, of
the regulation of a water flow out of an outlet basin;
[0135] FIG. 36 shows an alternative embodiment for regulating the
water flow out of the outlet basin, on the same scale as FIG. 35;
and
[0136] FIGS. 37A-37B show, in 37A), a principle drawing, on a
different scale, of a further alternative embodiment for the
regulation of a water flow out of an outlet basin, and, in 37B), a
detail on a larger scale; and
[0137] FIGS. 38A-B show an alternative embodiment of the supply
channel of the inlet system, on a different scale, with two
embodiments of a strainer pipe.
[0138] The figures are relatively schematic and show only details
and equipment essential for the understanding of the invention.
Further, the figures may be somewhat distorted when it comes to the
relative dimensions of details and components shown in the figures.
The figures may also have been drawn in a somewhat simplified
manner when it comes to form and richness of detail of such details
and components. In what follows, like, equivalent or corresponding
details in the figures will by and large be indicated by the same
reference numeral.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0139] In the figures, the reference numeral 1 indicates a closed
fish pen. The closed fish pen 1 includes a watertight bag 10 in a
material in cloth form, a buoyancy system 11 and a railing 13. The
fish pen 1 may also include a walkway 15 resting on the buoyancy
system 11 as shown in FIG. 1. The fish pen 1 further includes an
inlet system 2. The inlet system 2 includes a pump 20 as shown in
FIG. 22 positioned within a pump housing 21, an external supply
channel 23 leading into the inlet of the pump 20, and a guiding
channel 25, as shown in the FIGS. 21-23, 25, which is in fluid
communication at its inlet end 250 with the outlet of the pump 20,
the guiding channel 25 extending past the buoyancy system 11 and
through the bag 10 and projecting with its other end 259 radially
from the bag 10 on the inside of the bag 10 as shown in FIG. 25.
The pump housing 21 is attached to the buoyancy system 11 with at
least one mounting bracket 27. The pump housing 21 may optionally
be provided with at least one external buoyancy body 218 as shown
in FIGS. 1, 21, 22. The inlet system 2 will be described in more
detail below.
[0140] The buoyancy system 11 includes at least a first ring 111
and a second ring 112. The rings 111, 112 may have substantially
the same diameter and are positioned concentrically. The first ring
111 is positioned above the second ring 112. The rings 111, 112 may
consist of a polymer material such as polyethylene. The rings 111,
112 may have been made by means of extrusion and may have circular
cross sections. The rings 111, 112 may be formed from pipe sections
115 that are joined together by a weld 117 so that a first pipe
section 115' has a longitudinal direction that deviates from the
longitudinal direction of a second pipe section 115''. A polygonal
ring 111, 112 is thereby formed, as shown in FIG. 1A. The ring 111,
112 may be 8-sided or 16-sided. The diameter of the first pipe
section 115' may be the same as or different from the diameter of
the second pipe section 115''. For example, without being
restrictive, the diameter of the pipe sections 115', 115'' may be
from 400 mm to 1000 mm. The diameter may be smaller than this and
the diameter may be larger than this.
[0141] The first ring 111 and the second ring 112 are held together
by a plurality of elongated, bent U-shaped plates 119 which are
attached at either end portion to the wall of one of the rings 111,
112 and which extend around the neighbouring ring 111, 112. In FIG.
1A, it is shown that the plates 119 are attached to the second ring
112 and that the plates 119 extend around the first ring 111 which
is positioned on top of the second ring 112. It is also possible
for the plates 119 to be attached to the upper one of the rings
111, 112 and extend around the lower ring 111, 112 (not shown). The
plates 119 may consist of a polymer material, such as polyethylene,
or of a metal. For example, without being restrictive, the plate
119 may be 15 mm thick and 300 mm wide. The length of the plate 119
is matched to the diameter of the neighbouring ring 111, 112.
[0142] An alternative embodiment is shown in FIG. 1B. The plate
119' is shown with a J-shape. The plate 119' is attached to the
second ring 112 and the plate 119' extends around a porno tion of
the first ring 111 which is positioned on top of the second ring
112. The plates 119' may be attached to the second ring 112 so that
they alternately face opposite ways as shown in FIG. 1B. In a
further alternative embodiment (not shown), the plate 119' may be
attached to the first ring 111, the plate 119' extending around a
portion of the second ring 112 positioned below the first ring
111.
[0143] The first ring 111 and the second ring 112 are loose
relative to each other and are held together by the plates 119,
119'. This has the advantage of the buoyancy system 11 keeping the
flexibility of each of the rings 111, 112. The invention has the
advantage of the buoyancy force of the buoyancy system coming close
to the bag 10. This is in contrast to known buoyancy systems that
are composed of two or more concentric rings of different
diameters, one ring floating side by side outside the other ring.
The buoyancy force of the outer ring contributes less than the
buoyancy force of the inner ring to keeping the bag 10 afloat.
[0144] The railing 13 forms a fence as it is known within the art.
The railing 13 may be composed of tubular elements in a polymer
material such as polyethylene. The railing 13 is attached to the
upper ring 111 in a manner known per se. The railing 13 may support
a jump net (not shown) and the railing 13 may be an attachment for
a bird net (not shown) as this is known within the art. Fastening
devices for the bag 10 or for an ordinary seine may be welded to
the upper ring 111, 112.
[0145] In an embodiment not shown, the invention may be combined
with a third ring (not shown) which has a larger diameter and which
floats side by side with and on the outside of the upper ring 111.
The third ring may have a diameter which is smaller than the rings
111, 112. The third ring may be attached to the upper ring 111 by a
plurality of clamps of a kind known per se. This has the advantage
of enabling the walkway 15 to be made wider and more stable, as the
walkway 15 may rest on two rings.
[0146] The person skilled in the art will understand that the
buoyancy system 11 may include more than two concentric rings 111,
112 of substantially the same diameter which are positioned above
each other. The person skilled in the art will also know that the
buoyancy system 11 is not restricted to use on a closed fish pen 1,
but may also be used for an open fish pen of a kind known per
se.
[0147] FIG. 2 shows a first exemplary embodiment of a suspension
means 3 for releasably attaching the bag 10 to the buoyancy system
11. At its upper edge 101, the bag 10 is formed with a longitudinal
thickening 103 or bulb. The bulb 103 may be formed in a known
manner by the cloth 105 of the bag 10 being folded around an
elongated body 107 such as a rope or a wire and the cloth 105 being
attached to itself by means of a fastening means, for example with
a seam 109 or with a glue, or by means of a combination of several
fastening means, so that the elongated body 107 is enclosed in the
bulb 103 as shown in FIG. 3. Along one side edge, the suspension
means 3 is provided with a groove 33. The groove 33 is formed with
an elongated mouth portion 35 between two opposite lips 37, 37' and
an elongated, substantially circular cavity 39. The diameter of the
cavity 39 is larger than the distance between the two opposite lips
37, 37'. The diameter of the cavity 39 is somewhat larger than the
diameter of the bulb 103 of the bag 10. The diameter of the bulb
103 is larger than the distance between the lips 37, 37'. The
suspension means 3 is displaceable along the bulb 103 in the
longitudinal direction of the bulb 103.
[0148] The suspension means 3 is provided with a through opening 32
which has a longitudinal axis 34 extending substantially
perpendicularly to the longitudinal direction of the cavity 39. In
the position of application, the through opening 32 is positioned
above the cavity 39. An elongated fastening member 36 such as a
rope, a hawser, a wire or a band is passed through the through
opening 32 and secured to the buoyancy system 11.
[0149] The bag 10 is composed of a plurality of sectors (not shown)
which are joined at their side edges by means of a fastening means,
for example with a seam or with a glue, or by means of a
combination of several fastening means. The sectors consist of a
cloth in a polymer material and may be provided with a further
reinforcement. A suitable polymer material is polyurethane. The
reinforcement may consist of a woven reinforcement as it is known
within the art. The bulb 103 is formed before the sectors are
joined at their upper edges. The suspension means 3 is slipped onto
the bulb 103 before the sectors are joined at their upper edges.
The suspension means 3 is displaceable along the bulb 103 in the
longitudinal direction of the bulb 103. The suspension means 3 is
shorter than the bulb 103 of one sector. A plurality of suspension
means 103 may be slipped onto the bulb 103 of one sector. This has
the advantage of the suspension means 3 being displaceable sideways
on the bulb 103 so that the fastening member 36 is positioned
relative to the desired place in relation to the fastening means
(not shown) of the buoyancy system 11 for the fastening member 36.
It is thereby achieved that the bag 10 keeps its stretched form
with no wrinkles and folds when the bag 10 is attached to the
buoyancy system 11.
[0150] The suspension means 3 is shown in an alternative embodiment
in FIGS. 5 and 7. The suspension means 3 is composed of a female
part 31 and a male part 38. On its coupling side 311, the female
part 31 is provided with a circular, elongated hollow profile 319.
A lip 37' extends between the hollow profile 319 and an end edge
30. On its coupling side 311, the female part 31 is further
provided with at least one elongated groove 313 extending
substantially side by side with the elongated hollow profile 319.
In the figures, two grooves 313 are shown. The groove 313 includes
an outer mouth portion 315 facing out towards the coupling side
311, and an internal cavity 317. The cavity 317 has a diameter
larger than the width of the mouth portion 315.
[0151] On its coupling side 381, the male part 38 is provided with
at least one projecting, elongated guide 383. In the figures, the
male part 38 is shown with two guides 383. The guide 383 includes a
head portion 387 and a neck 385. The head portion 387 and the neck
385 complementarily fit the cavity 317 and the mouth portion 315,
respectively, of the female part 31. The length of the neck 385 in
the direction of projection from the coupling side 381 is matched
to the depth and width of the mouth portion 315. The diameter of
the head portion 387 is somewhat smaller than the diameter of the
cavity 317, as shown in the figures. On its coupling side 381, the
male part 38 is further provided with a circular, elongated hollow
profile 389. A lip 37 extends between the hollow profile 389 and an
end edge 30.
[0152] When a loose male part 38 is moved sideways relative to a
loose female part 31, the guide 383 is moved into the groove 313.
The coupling side 381 of the male part 38 faces the coupling side
311 of the female part 31. The hollow profile 319 and the hollow
profile 389 together form an elongated cavity 39 with a mouth 35
between the lips 37, 37'. The same result is achieved by moving the
female part 31 sideways relative to the male part 38. The head
portion 387 of the guide 383 cannot be pulled out sideways through
the mouth portion 315 of the groove 313. A separation of the female
part 31 from the male part 38 by the coupling side 311 and the
coupling side 38 being pulled apart in a direction perpendicular to
these coupling sides 311, 318 is thereby prevented.
[0153] The female part 31 is provided with a through opening 312
from an outer side face 318 to the coupling side 311. The male part
38 is provided with a through opening 382 from an outer side face
388 to the coupling side 381. The female part 31 is displaced
relative to the male part 38, or vice versa, until the through
opening 312 coincides with the through opening 382. The two through
openings 312, 382 form a through opening 32 in the suspension means
3. The opening 32, which has a longitudinal axis 34, extends
substantially perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of the
cavity 39. In the position of application, the through opening 32
is positioned above the cavity 39. An elongated fastening member 36
such as a rope, hawser, wire or band is passed through the through
openings 312 and 382. The fastening member 36 locks the female part
31 and the male part 38 so that, practically, they cannot be
displaced sideways relative to each other. The fastening member 36
is secured to the buoyancy system 11.
[0154] The female part 31 and the male part 38 may, for example,
consist of a metal, such as aluminium, and are formed as rods by
being extruded in a manner known per se. In another embodiment, the
female part 31 and the male part 38 may consist of a hard polymer
material. When necessary, a piece of a suitable length is cut from
the string. The openings 312 and 382 are then formed in the desired
positions in the female part 13 and the male part 38, respectively,
by means of drilling or milling, for example.
[0155] A two-part suspension means 3 which includes a female part
31 and a male part 38 has the advantage of enabling the suspension
means 3 to be fitted to a bulb 103 on a bag 10 after the bag 10 has
been fully assembled, for example to reinforce the attachment of
the bag 10 to a buoyancy system 11 while the bag 10 is filled with
water. The suspension means 3 can also be removed from the bag 10
whenever required.
[0156] An alternative embodiment of a two-part suspension means 3
is shown in FIGS. 6 and 8. In this embodiment, the female part 31
is formed as in the preceding embodiment shown in FIGS. 5 and 7,
but without the through opening 312. The male part 38 is also
formed with at least one guide 383 and a hollow profile 389, and
these are not described any further. The male part 38 is formed
without the through opening 382. The male part 38 is provided with
at least one through bore 380 extending substantially side by side
with the hollow profile 389 from one end face 384 of the male part
38 to the opposite end face 384'. An opening 386 is formed between
one outer side 388 of the male part 38 and the bore 380 as shown in
FIG. 8. A threaded bolt 314 may be passed through the bore 380 from
one of the end faces 384, 384' and secured with a nut 316 at the
opposite end face 384, 384'. A fastening member 36 may be passed
into the opening 386 and around the bolt 314 and out of the opening
386 again. The fastening member 36 may be secured to the buoyancy
system 11. In this embodiment, the female part 31 and the male part
38 must be anchored to each other with one or more through screws
or set screws 310 oriented perpendicularly to the coupling side
381, in order to prevent the female part 31 and the male part 38
from being displaced sideways relative to each other.
[0157] FIG. 9 shows an outlet basin 4 for a fish pen 1. The outlet
basin 4 may be used on an open fish pen 1 of a kind known per se,
on a closed fish pen 1 with rigid walls and on a closed fish pen 1
with walls in a soft material in cloth form. The outlet basin 4 is
positioned in an opening in the lower portion 179 of the fish pen
1. The outlet basin 4 includes a housing 41. In the drawings, the
housing 4 is shown as a circular cylinder, but the housing 41 may
also have other cross sections, such as a polygonal cross section.
In an upper portion 410, the housing 41 is provided with a flange
411 for the attachment of a mounting collar 43. In a lower portion
439, the mounting collar 43 is provided with a flange 431 for
attachment to the flange 411 of the housing 41. The flanges 411,
431 may be secured to each other with a plurality of bolts as it is
known within the art. The housing 41 is provided with a through
opening 413 in a lower portion 419, as shown in FIG. 14, and the
opening 413 leads into a first pipe socket 415 projecting radially
from the external jacket of the housing 41.
[0158] In an upper portion 430, the mounting collar 43 is provided
with an attachment ring 433. The attachment ring 433 protrudes
radially, in an encircling manner, from the mounting collar 43. The
attachment ring 433 is arranged to be attached to an open fish pen
1, a closed fish pen 1 with rigid walls or to a closed fish pen 1
with walls of a soft material in cloth form. A person skilled in
the art will know how this can be done, and this is not described
any further.
[0159] The housing 41 houses a through-going outlet channel 45. At
its upper portion 450, the outlet channel 45 is provided with an
inlet portion 451 as shown in FIG. 12. To the inlet portion 451, a
strainer 453 is attached, covering the cross section of the outlet
channel 45. The strainer 453 is shown as a cone with its apex
projecting upwards. The strainer 453 is provided with a plurality
of through bores 454. The outlet channel 45 is open at its lower
portion 459. The lower portion 459 projects below the lower portion
419 of the housing. The lower portion 459 is formed with recesses
455. The outlet channel 45 is shown as a circular cylinder, but the
outlet channel 45 may also have other cross sections, such as a
polygonal cross section. The housing 41 and the outlet channel 45
form an annular space 46 between themselves.
[0160] A slanted grating 47 is positioned in the in the annular
space 46. The grating 47 is attached to the inner jacket of the
housing 41 and to the outer jacket of the outlet channel 45. The
grating 47 holds the outlet channel 45 fixed to the housing 41. The
grating 47 shown includes ribs 471 which are oriented side by side,
wherein water and sludge may pass between the ribs 471. In an
alternative embodiment, the grating 471 may include a sieve plate
47 in which the number of holes and the diameter of the holes have
been matched to the purpose (not shown). The lowermost portion 479
of the grating 47 is attached to the inner jacket of the housing 41
just below the through opening 413 as shown in FIG. 14. The
uppermost portion 470 of the grating 47 is positioned on the
diametrically opposite side in the annular space 46. The grating 47
covers the entire annular space 46.
[0161] A slanted bottom plate 49 is positioned in the annular space
46 below the grating 47 and seals the annular space 46 against the
housing 41 and the outlet channel 45. The bottom plate 49 holds the
outlet channel 45 fixed to the housing 41. The bottom plate 49 may
consist of a solid plate or consist of a fine-meshed material. The
bottom plate 49 may be oriented substantially side by side with the
grating 47 as it is shown in the figures. This is not critical to
the invention as the bottom plate 49 may slope in a different
direction from that of the grating 47. A through opening 493 is
formed in the lowermost portion 499 of the bottom plate 49 at the
internal jacket surface of the housing 41, as shown in FIGS. 12 and
14. The opening 493 leads into a second pipe socket 495 on the
bottom side of the bottom plate 49. In an alternative embodiment
(not shown), the opening 493 may be positioned in the housing 41
and the lowermost portion 499 of the bottom plate 49 is attached to
the inner jacket of the housing 41 just below the through opening
493. The opening 493 leads into the second pipe socket 495 which,
in this alternative exemplary embodiment, projects radially from
the external jacket of the housing 41.
[0162] A first outlet hose 91 is sealingly attached at a lower end
919 to the first pipe socket 415 as shown in FIG. 13. At its upper
end (not shown), the outlet hose 91 is extended up to a first
suction pump (not shown) on the surface. The first suction pump is
arranged to suck water through the outlet hose 91. A second outlet
hose 99 is sealingly attached at a lower end 999 to the second pipe
socket 495. At its upper end (not shown), the outlet hose 99 is
extended up to a second suction pump (not shown) on the surface.
The second suction pump is arranged to suck water through the
outlet hose 99. The first suction pump and the second suction pump
may consist of the same pump. The person skilled in the art will
know that the first suction pump may be replaced with a so-called
mammoth pump which works by blowing air into the lower portion of
the outlet hose 91 so that a gas lift is created in the outlet hose
91. Correspondingly, the second suction pump may also be replaced
with a mammoth pump.
[0163] Because an overpressure is formed within a closed fish pen 1
when water is pumped into the fish pen 1, the water will flow out
through accessible openings. The outlet basin 4 is positioned in
such an opening in the lower portion 179 of the fish pen. The
outlet channel 45 is formed in such a way that water may flow
freely out of the fish pen 1 through the outlet channel 45. The
strainer 453 prevents fish in the fish pen 1 from swimming out
through the outlet channel 45. The strainer 453 is provided with a
large number of bores 454 to allow a large water flow through the
outlet channel 45.
[0164] Dead fish (not shown) sink down towards the lower portion
179 of the fish pen 1 and further towards the slanted bottom 172 of
the fish pen. The water flow will carry the dead fish towards the
outlet basin 4. The fish will be rejected by the cone-shaped
strainer 453 and sink into the annular space 46. Fish sinking
straight down in the fish pen 1 may hit the strainer 453 and be
guided into the annular space 46. In the annular space 46, the fish
will come to rest on the slanted grating 47. The fish will possibly
also slide by its own weight on the grating 47 towards the opening
413 in the housing 41. Whenever required, the first pump is started
on the surface. Water is sucked up through the outlet hose 91.
Water is thereby drawn down the annular space 46 and exits through
the opening 413. Fish lying on the grating 47 will be carried by
the water flow out through the opening 413, through the first
outlet hose 91 and to the pump where the fish are separated from
the water flow in a straining vessel and are taken care of in a
known manner of treating dead fish.
[0165] Sludge, faecal matter and other particles sinking down
towards the slanted bottom 172 of the fish pen 1 will sink further
downwards towards the lower portion 179 of the fish pen and into
the annular space 46. When necessary, the second pump is started on
the surface. Water is sucked up through the outlet hose 99. Water
is thereby drawn down into the annular space 46, flowing past the
ribs 471 in the grating 47 or the holes in the sieve plate 47 and
out through the opening 493. Sludge and light particles are carried
in the water flow out through the opening 493, through the second
outlet hose 99 to the pump where the sludge, faecal matter and
particles are separated from the water flow and are dealt with in a
known way of treating such material.
[0166] Over time, particles will settle on the strainer 453 and the
strainer 453 may become fouled with marine organisms (not shown).
The bores 454 will thereby have a less effective opening for water
passage. Reduced water flow leads to the height difference of a
water surface 17' within the fish pen 1 increasing relative to a
water surface 17 outside the fish pen 1. This leads to increased
load on the bag 10 and the buoyancy system 11 of the fish pen 1.
The strainer 453 may be provided with a brush system (not shown)
for cleaning the strainer 453. Such a brush system may be manually
operated, or it may be provided with a motor or an actuator for
operation.
[0167] An alternative embodiment of an outlet basin 4' is shown in
FIG. 34. To the inlet portion 451, a strainer 453' is attached,
covering the cross section of the outlet channel 45. The strainer
453' includes a relatively flat top plate 456. Between the outer
edge of the top plate 456 and the edge of the outlet channel 45, a
plurality of ribs 457 extend side by side. Between the ribs 457,
elongated openings 454' have been formed, forming straining slots
454'. This design has the advantage of the effective straining area
not being restricted by the cross section of the outlet channel 45,
but by the height of the strainer 453'. The height can be made very
big. Another advantage is that the straining slots 454' do not so
easily become clogged with particles, and the need for cleaning the
strainer 453' is reduced. The ribs 457 may consist of pipes.
[0168] In FIG. 35, a self-adjusting strainer regulator 48 is shown.
The strainer regulator 48 includes a regulator sleeve 480 which is
positioned on the outside of the strainer 453' shown in FIG. 34 and
a control mechanism. The regulator sleeve 480 is displaceable
relative to the strainer 453'. The strainer regulator 48 may
include an open regulator sleeve 480, or the regulator sleeve 480
may be provided with a lid or a sealing plate (not shown) at the
top. The regulator sleeve 480 is attached to a wire or a rope 481.
In FIG. 35, it is shown that the wire 481 is attached to the upper
portion of the regulator sleeve 480. The wire 481 has been extended
up to and over a first pulley 482' in the middle portion of the
fish pen 1 so that the wire 481 has a substantially vertical
orientation. From the first pulley 482', the wire 481 has been
extended to and over a second pulley 482''. The second pulley 482''
is positioned at the side edge of the fish pen 1. From the second
pulley 482'', the wire 481 has been extended down to and over a
third pulley 482''. The third pulley 482''' is positioned submerged
at the side edge of the fish pen 1. From the third pulley 482'',
the wire 481 has been extended to a buoy 483 on the water surface
17' within the fish pen 1. The first pulley 482' is housed in a
block 485 attached to a plurality of lines 484 which are secured to
separate buoyancy bodies 11' and which extend to the middle portion
of the fish pen 1. The fish pen 1 may be provided with three lines
484 or more than three lines 484, for example six lines 484, which
are attached to each other at the middle portion of the fish pen 1.
The lines 484 may, for example, meet at a distance of 0.5 metre to
1.0 metre above the water surface 17'. The third pulley 482''' may,
for example, be positioned at a depth of 0.5 metre to 1.0 below the
water surface 17'.
[0169] If the water level within the fish pen 1 increases because
of reduced straining area in the strainer 453', the buoy 483 will
rise slightly. The outlet basin 4 in the lower portion 179 of the
fish pen 1 will sink downwards because the increased weight of the
water within the fish pen 1 lowers the buoyancy system 11 and
thereby the bag 10 attached to the buoyancy system 11. As the buoy
483 rises slightly in the opposite direction to that of the outlet
basin 4 which is sinking down, and the lines 484 are secured to
their separate floating bodies 11', the buoy 483 will pull on the
wire 481 and move the regulator sleeve 480 upwards relative to the
strainer 453'. The straining area of the strainer 453' thereby
increases and the water flow through the outlet basin 4 increases.
With that, the amount of water inside the fish pen 1 decreases and
the buoy 483 will pull less on the regulator sleeve 480 which is
displaced downwards relative to the strainer 453'. The strainer
regulator 48 will thereby be self-adjusting.
[0170] An alternative strainer regulator 48' is shown in FIG. 36.
The strainer regulator 48' includes a regulator sleeve 480 which is
positioned on the outside of the strainer 453' shown in FIG. 34.
The strainer regulator 48' may include an open regulator sleeve
480, or the regulator sleeve 480 may be provided with a lid or a
sealing plate (not shown) at the top. The regulator sleeve 480 is
attached to a wire or a rope 481 at its upper portion. The wire 481
has been extended up to and over a first pulley 482' in the middle
portion of the fish pen 1 so that the wire 481 has a substantially
vertical orientation. From the first pulley 482', the wire 481 has
been extended to a first winch 486'. The first winch 486' may be
attached to the railing 13 of the fish pen. A second winch 486'' is
attached on the diagonally opposite side of the fish pen 1, for
example to the railing 13 of the fish pen 1. A centring wire 487 is
attached at one end to the block 485 and at its opposite end to the
second winch 486''.
[0171] The second winch 486'' adjusts the free length of the
centring wire 487 so that the block 485 is positioned above the
outlet basin 4 in the middle portion of the fish pen 1. The first
winch 486' controls the free length of the wire 481 and thereby the
position that the regulator sleeve 480 has relative to the strainer
453'. The water flow out through the outlet basin 4 is actively
adjusted by means of the first winch 486'. Increased flow is
achieved by shortening the free length of the wire 481 so that the
regulator sleeve 480 is moved upwards along the strainer 453' and
the effective straining area is increased. A reduced water flow is
achieved by lengthening the free length of the wire 481 so that the
regulator sleeve 480 is moved downwards along the strainer 453' and
the effective straining area is reduced.
[0172] In the event of a loss of electrical power, either the first
winch 486' or both the first winch 486' and the second winch 486''
is/are arranged to pay out wire 481, 487. The regulator sleeve 480
will thereby be displaced all the way down along the strainer 453'
and the water flow through the outlet basin 4 will practically
stop. This has the advantage of a loss of electrical power that
results in the pumps 20 stopping the supply of water to the fish
pen 1 not resulting in water flowing out from the fish pen 1, and
the fish pen 1 keeps its shape. An alternative strainer regulator
48'' is shown in FIG. 37. The strainer regulator 48'' includes a
regulator sleeve 480 which is positioned on the outside of the
strainer 453' as shown in FIG. 34. In this alternative embodiment,
the regulator sleeve 480 is displaced relative to the strainer 453'
by a control mechanism including an actuator 488. The strainer
regulator 48'' may include an open regulator sleeve 480, or the
regulator sleeve 480 may be provided with a lid or a sealing plate
(not shown) at the top. The actuator 488 may be a flexible pipe or
a flexible, solid rod. The actuator 488 is moved inside a guide
pipe 489. The actuator 488 and the guide pipe 489 may form a
pipe-in-pipe connection. The actuator 488 is attached to the
regulator sleeve 480. The actuator 488 and the guide pipe 489
extend from the outlet channel 45 of the outlet basin 4, to the
water surface 17 outside the fish pen 1 and above the water surface
17. The actuator 488 extends through the outlet channel 45, the
strainer 453' and projects above the strainer 453' in an opening in
the top plate 456 of the strainer 453' (not shown). The guide pipe
489 is shown attached to a lower attachment 489' and an upper
attachment 489''. The attachments 489', 489'' are fixed to the
inside of the outlet channel 45. The actuator 488 projects out of
the guide pipe 489 above the upper attachment 489''.
[0173] The actuator 488 may be operated manually, for example from
the buoyancy system 11 of the fish pen 1. The actuator may also be
operated by a motor, for example an electric motor (not shown),
arranged to displace the actuator 488 relative to the guide pipe
489. The motor operation may be arranged in such a way that when
there is a loss of electrical power, the regulator sleeve 480 will
sink down on the strainer 453' by its own weight.
[0174] The regulator sleeve 480 in the embodiments described may be
provided with buoyancy means (not shown) so that the regulator
sleeve 480 has little negative buoyancy, for example a buoyancy of
-10 kg or -20 kg.
[0175] FIGS. 15-19 show a closed fish pen 1, in which the upper
portion 170 of the fish pen is formed with a spherical shape and
the lower portion 179 of the fish pen 1 is formed with a conical
shape. In the figures, the depth of the fish pen 1 is shown by the
arrow D. The depth D of the fish pen 1 extends from the water
surface 17 to the outlet of the fish pen 1 in the conical, lower
portion 179. The depth (Ds) of the spherical, upper portion 170
extends from the water surface 17 to the transition between the
spherical, upper portion 170 and the conical, lower portion 179.
The depth (D.sub.c) of the conical, lower portion 179 extends from
the transition between the spherical, upper portion 170 and the
conical, lower portion 179 to the outlet of the basin in the
conical, lower portion 179. This has the advantage of the fish pen
1 combining the properties of a spherical fish pen with the
properties of a tapered seine. By that, the fish pen 1 will get
good sea properties combined with a large volume. The fish pen 1
also has the advantage of the slanted bottom 172 of the fish pen 1
having a greater slope than the bottom of a spherical fish pen of
the same diameter. Sludge and sediments will thereby be carried
more easily towards the outlet of the fish pen 1.
[0176] In one embodiment, the length of the imaginary radius r of
the spherical, upper portion 170 may substantially coincide with
the depth D of the fish pen 1 as shown in FIGS. 15-16. In another
embodiment, the length of the imaginary radius r of the spherical,
upper portion 170 may be shorter than the depth D of the fish pen 1
as shown in FIGS. 17-19. It may be advantageous that the conical,
lower portion 179 of the fish pen 1 meets the spherical, upper
portion 170 tangentially, as shown in FIGS. 17-19. This has the
advantage of there being an even transition between the upper
portion 170 and the lower portion 179 of the fish pen 1.
[0177] In one embodiment, the conical, lower portion 179 of the
fish pen 1 may exhibit a depth D.sub.c which constitutes
substantially one half of the depth D of the fish pen 1 as shown in
FIGS. 15 and 17. In an alternative embodiment, the conical, lower
portion 179 of the fish pen 1 may exhibit a depth D.sub.c which
constitutes practically one fourth of the depth D of the fish pen 1
as shown in FIGS. 16 and 18. In a further alternative embodiment,
the conical, lower portion 179 of the fish pen 1 may exhibit a
depth D.sub.c which constitutes practically 3/8 of the depth D of
the fish pen 1 as shown in FIG. 19. In further embodiments, the
conical portion 179 may exhibit a depth D.sub.c constituting from
one fourth to one half of the depth D of the fish pen 1.
[0178] FIG. 20 shows schematically a guard net 5 for a closed fish
pen 1, the wall of the fish pen 1 comprising a soft material in
cloth form. The guard net 5 includes a plurality of straps 51 side
by side, substantially horizontal in the position of application.
Each horizontal strap 51 may form a horizontal ring 53. The
diameter of the rings 53 decreases from the upper portion 50 of the
guard net 5 to the lower portion 59 of the guard net 5. A plurality
of vertical straps 55, 56 extend at least from one ring 53 to a
neighbouring ring 53, and each vertical strap 55, 56 is secured to
each of them. The straps 53, 55, 56 may be secured to each other by
a seam. Some vertical straps 55 extend continuously from the upper
portion 50 of the guard net 5 to the lower portion 59 of the guard
net 5. Other vertical straps 56 extend only over a portion of the
guard net 5. For the sake of exposition, the vertical straps 55, 56
have been drawn only in half the circumference of the guard net
5.
[0179] The straps 53, 55, 56 of the guard net 5 may consist of
broad bands. Lifting straps of a kind known per se are suitable for
the purpose. At its lower portion 59, the guard net 5 is provided
with fastening means of a kind known per se for attachment to the
outlet system of the fish pen 1. The outlet system may include an
outlet basin 4, and the vertical straps 55 may be attached to the
mounting collar 43 of the outlet basin 4. At its upper portion 50,
the guard net 5 is provided with fastening means of a kind known
per se for the adjustable attachment of the guard net 5 to the
buoyancy system 11 of the fish pen 1. The guard net 5 may be
tightened or slackened vertically relative to the buoyancy system
11.
[0180] The guard net 5 is joined together in such a way that the
lengths of the horizontal straps 51 and the vertical straps 55, 56
are matched to the outer geometry of a closed fish pen 1 when the
fish pen 1 is filled with water. The outer geometry of the closed
fish pen 1 may be composed of a spherical, upper portion 170 and a
conical lower portion 179. The guard net 5 is positioned on the
outside of a closed fish pen 1. The guard net 5 stabilizes the
shape of the closed fish pen 1 in which the walls comprise a soft
material in cloth form. The guard net 5 also relieves the cloth 105
of a closed fish pen 1 so that it can resist larger forces before
tearing.
[0181] The inlet system 2 of the fish pen 1 includes a pump 20 as
shown in FIG. 22. The pump 20 is positioned inside the pump housing
21. The guiding channel 25 is in fluid communication, at its inlet
end 250, with the outlet of the pump 20. The guiding channel 25
extends past the buoyancy system 11 and through the cloth 105 of
the bag 10 and projects radially with it opposite, internal end 259
from the bag 10 on the inside of the bag 10 as shown in FIG. 25.
The guiding channel 25 is extended in a fluid-sealing manner
through the cloth 105. This may be done by the opening 106 of the
cloth 105, see FIG. 25, being provided with a collar (not shown) on
the outside of the cloth 105. The guiding channel 25 is extended
through the collar. The collar may be sealed against the guiding
channel 25 with a hose clamp, as it is known in the art. The
fluid-tight lead-through of the guiding channel 25 in the cloth 105
has the advantage of surface water, which may contain pathogenic
organisms, being unable to enter the fish pen 1 through the opening
106.
[0182] The internal end 259 of the guiding channel 25 is formed as
a socket 258. A T-shaped pipe 26 is positioned, with its
pipe-shaped leg 260, in the socket 258. The socket 258 and the leg
260 are provided with means of a kind known per se which prevent
the T-shaped pipe 26 from being able to rotate around its
longitudinal axis in the socket 258. Such means may include
welding, locking bolts or lugs and associated grooves, for example.
The T-shaped pipe 26 is provided with a tubular head 269 as shown
in FIG. 23A. The head 269 has a longitudinal axis which is
perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the leg 260. The head 269
forms a sleeve 269. In one side wall, the sleeve 269 is provided
with an inlet (not shown) complementarily fitting the tubular leg
260. The sleeve 269 is welded to the leg 260 in a fluid-tight
manner.
[0183] An elongated current-creation pipe 6 is extended with its
upper end portion 60 into and through the sleeve 269. The
current-creation pipe 6 may be rotated around its longitudinal axis
in the sleeve 269. On its outer jacket, the current-creation pipe
is provided with an upper stop ring 61 and a lower stop ring 63. In
the position of application, the upper stop ring 61 is positioned
above the sleeve 269. The lower stop ring 63 is positioned below
the sleeve 269 in the position of application. The stop rings 61,
63 have the function of not allowing the current-creation pipe 6 to
be displaced vertically up or down in the sleeve 269.
[0184] The current-creation pipe 6 is provided with a plurality of
openings 65 arranged in one or more rows 67 of holes on the surface
of the current-creation pipe 6. The at least one row 67 of holes is
oriented along the longitudinal direction of the current-creation
pipe 6. Fluid may flow from the inner channel of the
current-creation pipe 6 out through the openings 65. The upper end
portion 60 of the current-creation pipe 6 is provided with a
sealing lid 62. The upper end portion 60 of the current-creation
pipe 6 is further provided with an operating means 64 as shown in
FIG. 23. The operating means 64 may be operated manually or by
means of an actuator (not shown) of a type known per se. Operating
the operating means 64 makes the current-creation pipe 6 rotate
around its longitudinal axis. In a portion of the pipe wall between
the upper stop ring 61 and the lower stop ring 63, the
current-creation pipe 6 is provided with a through-going, ovally
shaped opening 68. The opening 68 has a height corresponding to the
diameter of the internal channel of the leg 260 and the inlet of
the sleeve 269. The opening 68 has a length that is larger than the
height so that the opening 68 does not obstruct the fluid flow
through the T-shaped pipe 26 when the current-creation pipe 6 is
rotated by means of the operating means 64. The sleeve 269 and the
current-creation pipe 6 are provided with means of a kind known per
se (not shown) reducing the freedom of rotation of the
current-creation pipe 6 so that a portion of the opening of the
current-creation pipe 6 will always correspond to the inlet of the
sleeve 269. The current-creation pipe 6 may be turned into a
position in which a beneficial water circulation is set up inside
the fish pen 1. The water circulation depends on the amount of
water flowing through the inlet system 2, the pressure of the
water, the diameter and volume of the fish pen 1, the velocity of
the water flowing out of the current-creation pipe 6 and the size
and positioning of the openings 65, among other things. The fish
pen 1 may be provided with more than one inlet system 2 as shown in
FIGS. 24 and 25.
[0185] The T-shaped pipe 26 may optionally be provided with at
least one internal floating body 283. The current-creation pipe 6
hangs on the T-shaped pipe 26 and on the guiding channel 25 and
without any support from the bag 10 of the fish pen 1. The floating
body 283 counteracts deflection forces on the T-shaped pipe 26 and
the guiding channel 25.
[0186] The openings 65 may be formed in a circular shape, in an
oval shape or in the shape of elongated slots. The row 67 of holes
may extend from the lower end portion 69 of the current-creation
pipe 6 to the lower stop ring 63. In the embodiment shown, the row
67 of holes extends from the lower end portion 69 of the
current-creation pipe 6 past the upper stop ring 61. Diametrically
opposite the inlet, the sleeve 269 is provided with slots 265 into
which the openings 65 positioned between the stop rings 61 and 63
lead. In the portion between the opening 68 and the upper stop ring
61, and in the portion between the opening 68 and the lower stop
ring 63, the current-creation pipe 6 is provided with sealing
elements, such as O-rings, sealing the annular space between the
current-creation pipe 6 and the sleeve 269. At its lower portion
69, the current-creation pipe 6 is provided with a sealing lid (not
shown) so that water may exit the current-creation pipe 6 only
through the openings 65.
[0187] An alternative current-creation pipe 6' is shown in FIG. 26.
The current-creation pipe 6' is attached in its upper portion 60'
to the guiding channel 25 so that water may flow through the
guiding channel 25 into the current-creation pipe 6' through an
opening 68'. The current-creation pipe 6' is provided with a
plurality of openings 65' in a row 67' of holes in the surface of
the current-creation pipe 6'. The openings 65' have a length along
the circumference of the current-creation pipe 6' that may be the
same as or larger than the width of the openings 65' along the
longitudinal direction of the current-creation pipe 6'. The
openings 65' may have a rectangular shape as shown in FIG. 26.
[0188] In one embodiment, the current-creation pipe 6' may be
provided with a damper member 600 as shown in FIG. 27. The damper
member 600 includes a first side plate 611 and a second side plate
613. The side plates 611, 613 extend in the longitudinal direction
of the current-creation pipe 6'. The distance between the opposite
edges of the side plates 611, 613, the edge 621 and edge 623,
respectively, is shown as shorter than the width of the opening
65', but the distance may also be the same as the width of the
opening 65' or larger than the width of the opening 65'. Transverse
plates 615 between the side plates 611, 613 keep the distance
between the side plates 611, 613. The transverse plates 615 are
provided with through openings 631. The openings 631 have a
longitudinal direction along the circumference of the
current-creation pipe 6'. A screw 633 may be passed through the
opening 631 and secured in a threaded hole 635 in the surface of
the current-creation pipe 6'. On its outer surface, the
current-creation pipe 6' is provided with stops 637 on either side
of the row 67' of holes. By means of an operating means (not
shown), the damper member 600 may be rotated from side to side
around the longitudinal axis 699 of the current-creation pipe 6'
until either the outer edge 618 of the side plate 611 or the outer
edge 619 of the side plate 613 hits the stop 637, 637'. This is
shown in FIG. 28. The screw 633 in the opening 631 will also
restrict the rotational movement of the damper member 600. The
damper member 600 may be positioned on the outside of the
current-creation pipe 6' as shown in FIGS. 27 and 28. In an
alternative embodiment, the damper member 600 may be positioned on
the inside of the current-creation pipe 6' as shown in FIG. 29.
[0189] An alternative damper member 600' is shown in FIG. 30A. The
damper member 600' includes a first side plate 611' and a second
side plate 613'. The side plates 611', 613' extend in the
longitudinal direction of the current-creation pipe 6'. The
distance between the opposite edges of the side plates 611', 613',
the edge 621' and 623' respectively, is shown as shorter than the
width of the opening 65', but the distance may also be the same as
the width of the opening 65' or larger than the width of the
opening 65'. Belly bands 616 between the side plates 611, 613 keep
the distance between the side plates 611, 613. The belly band 616
extends around the circumference of the current-creation pipe 6'.
The number of belly bands 616 is matched to the number of openings
65' in the current-creation pipe 6'. By means of an operating means
(not shown), the damper member 600' can be rotated from side to
side around the longitudinal axis 699 of the current-creation pipe
6' until either the outer edge 618' of the side plate 611' or the
outer edge 619' of the side plate 613' hits the stop 637, 637'. By
means of a second operating means (not shown), the damper member
600' may be moved axially in a first direction along the
longitudinal axis of the current-creation pipe 6' so that a portion
of the belly band 616 covers a portion of the opening 65'. The
damper member 600' may be displaced in a second direction along the
longitudinal axis of the current-creation pipe 6' so that the
entire belly band 616 is positioned either above or below the
opening 65' when the damper member 600' is in an open position. The
belly band 616 may be so wide that it covers the entire opening 65'
when the damper member 600' is in a closed position. Some of the
belly bands 616 may be replaced by transverse plates 615' (not
shown).
[0190] An alternative damper member 600'' is shown in FIG. 30C. The
damper member 600'' is provided with a bracing plate 617. The
bracing plate 617 extends in the longitudinal direction of the
current-creation pipe 6' and connects the belly bands 616. In the
position of application, when the damper member 600' surrounds the
current-creation pipe 6', the bracing plate 617 will be positioned
on the diametrical side of the current-creation pipe 6' relative to
the row 67' of holes.
[0191] A further alternative damper member 650 is shown in FIG. 31.
The damper member 650 includes a plate 651 which is displaceable in
the longitudinal direction of the current-creation pipe 6' by means
of a first operating means 660. The plate 651 may be displaced in
guides 653 on the outer side of the current-creation pipe 6'. The
movement of the plate 651 in the longitudinal direction is
restricted by a stop 654 and by the operating means 660. The plate
651 is provided with a plurality of openings 655 corresponding to
the openings 65' in shape and number. The opening 655 may be
somewhat larger than the opening 65', but the opening may also be
the same as the size of the opening 65' or be somewhat smaller than
the size of the opening 65'. In one embodiment, the damper member
650 is provided with two rows of rudders 670 so that there is one
rudder 670 on either side of each opening 665. Each rudder 670 is
attached to the plate 651 by a hinge 656. The rudders 670 in a row
671 of rudders are connected at their free ends to a rod 673 in
such a way that the rudders 670 in a row 671 of rudders have the
same angle relative to the surface of the current-creation pipe 6'.
The rod 673 of the first row 671 of rudders and the rod 673' of the
second 671' row of rudders are connected by tie bars 674 so that
the rudders 670 of the first row 671 of rudders move together with
the rudders 670 of the second row 671' of rudders. The rows 671,
671' of rudders are moved by means of a second operating means 680.
The first operating means 660 is shown as a pipe-in-pipe
connection. An outer pipe 661 is fixed, whereas an inner pipe or
alternatively a solid, flexible rod 663 can be displaced within the
outer pipe 661. The outer pipe 661 is fixed to the current-creation
pipe 6' with a bracket 665. The inner pipe 663 is connected to the
upper portion 659 of the plate 651. The inner pipe 663 may displace
the plate 651 axially up and down along the surface of the
current-creation pipe 6'. The second operating means 680 is shown
as a pipe-in-pipe connection. An outer pipe 681 is fixed, whereas
an inner pipe or alternatively a solid, flexible rod 683 can be
displaced within the outer pipe 681. The outer pipe 681 is fixed to
the current-creation pipe 6' with a bracket 685. The inner pipe 683
is connected to one of the tie bars 674. The inner pipe 681 may
displace the tie bar 674 sideways to both sides relative to the
opening 65'. Both rows 671, 671' of rudders are thereby rotated
relative to the opening 65'. An alternative damper member 650' is
shown in FIG. 32. In this alternative embodiment, the damper member
650' includes one row 671'' of rudders. The row 671'' of rudders is
positioned in a centered manner over the openings 655. The inner
pipe 683 is attached to the rod 673.
[0192] The operating means 660, 680 may be composed of other types
of actuators, such as electric ones, pneumatic ones or hydraulic
ones, as it is known within the art.
[0193] When the damper member 600 shown in FIG. 27 is turned as
shown in FIG. 28 or 29, one of the side plates 611, 613 will cover
a portion of the opening 65'. The flow direction of the water out
of the current-creation pipe 6' is determined by the position of
the side plate 611, 613. The flow rate of the water out of the
current-creation pipe 6' increases when a portion of the opening
65' is covered by one of the side plates 611, 613. With the damper
member 600 it is thereby achieved that the flow direction of the
water can be controlled.
[0194] When the damper member 600' shown in FIG. 30 is turned, the
same as what was described for the damper member 600 is achieved.
When the damper member 600' is displaced along the longitudinal
axis of the current-creation pipe 6', a portion of the belly band
616 will be displaced in over the opening 65' and the flow rate of
the water out of the current-creation pipe 6' increases. With the
damper member 600' it is thereby achieved that the flow direction
of the water and the flow rate of the water can be controlled
independently of each other. The same is achieved with the
alternative damper members 650 and 650' as well. The damper members
650, 650' are displaced in the longitudinal direction of the
current-creation pipe 6' so that the opening 655 in the plate 651
is displaced relative to the opening 65'. A portion of the opening
65' is thereby covered by the plate 651. The rudders 670 control
the flow direction of the water. Positioning each rudder 670 in a
centered manner over each opening 655 has proved beneficial. This
reduces the number of rudders while, at the same time, the rudder
670 is subjected to smaller forces than rudders 670 that are
positioned at the side of the opening 655.
[0195] In one embodiment, the pump housing 21 may be provided with
a damper 24. The damper 24 is positioned between the outlet of the
pump 20 and the inlet end 250 of the guiding channel 25 as shown in
FIG. 33. The damper 24 is formed as a check valve with two flaps
241, 241'. The flaps 241, 241' are connected to a hinge 243
extending diagonally across the inside of the pump housing 21. When
the pump 20 displaces water up through the pump housing 21 into the
inlet end 250 of the guiding channel 25, the flaps 241, 241' are
facing upwards as shown in FIG. 33B. When the pump 20 stops, the
flaps 241, 241' will drop back into a closed position, as shown in
FIG. 33A, so that water is substantially prevented from flowing
from the guiding channel 25, down into the pump housing 21, past
the pump 20 and further down into the supply channel 23.
[0196] The external supply channel 23 of the inlet system 2,
leading into the inlet of the pump 20 at its upper portion 230, may
be provided with a strainer 233 in its inlet portion 239. The
strainer 233 may include a strainer pipe 233 of a kind known per
se. In one embodiment, the supply channel 23 may include a
length-adjustable channel 235 in a portion between the upper
portion 230 and the inlet portion 239. The length-adjustable
channel 235 may include a channel wall in an elastic polymer
material, there being a spiral in a rigid material housed in the
channel wall. The rigid material may consist of a metal such as
steel. The rigid material may consist of a polymer such as PVC.
Such a length-adjustable channel 235 may, for example, be
effectively 1.5 long in its contracted state and effectively 22 m
long in its extended state. A weight (not shown) is attached to the
strainer pipe 233. A rope or a wire (not shown) is attached to the
strainer pipe 233 and extend up to the buoyancy system 11. The rope
or wire may extend on the outside of the supply channel 23. The
rope or wire may extend substantially on the inside of the supply
channel 23. The supply channel 23 has the advantage of the
length-adjustable channel 235 giving the supply channel 23 sideways
flexibility so that the supply channel can yield somewhat to water
currents. The supply channel 23 further has the advantage of the
effective length of the length-adjustable channel 235 being easily
and quickly adjustable by either letting out rope or wire to the
strainer pipe 233 or hauling in rope or wire. It is thereby
achieved that the vertical position of the strainer pipe 233 is
deep enough for salmon-louse larvae, for example, not to get into
the fish pen 1 with the intake water. It is also achieved that the
strainer pipe 233 may be positioned at a depth where the water
temperature is favourable so that the best possible growth is
achieved for the fish in the fish pen 1.
[0197] An alternative external supply channel 23' is shown in FIG.
38. The supply channel 23' includes a plurality of separate supply
channels 23''. In FIG. 37, four supply channels 23'' are shown. The
number of supply channels 23'' may be three, or more than four.
Each supply channel 23'' is provided with a strainer pipe 233' at
its inlet portion 239', as shown in FIG. 38A. The upper portion
230' of the supply channel 23' is connected to the pump housing 21
and in fluid communication with the pump 20. The supply channels
23'' may be attached to each other by one or more bands (not shown)
between the upper portions 230' and the inlet portions 239' of the
supply channels 23''.
[0198] Compared with one alternative supply channel with the same
cross section as the total cross section of the supply channels
23', a plurality of thinner supply channels 23'' has the advantage
of allowing the water flow from the desired depth to be maintained
even if there should be damage to one of the supply channels 23''
or one of the supply channels should become clogged, for example in
the strainer pipe 233'. Thinner supply channels 23' also have the
advantage of being more flexible in a water flow so that the strain
on the attachment to the pump housing 21 will be smaller. The
strain on the mounting bracket 27 of the pump housing 21 will be
smaller as well. An alternative embodiment of the inlet portions
239' of the supply channels 23' is shown in FIG. 39B. In this
embodiment, the strainer pipe 233' of each single supply channel
23'' has been replaced with a shared strainer chamber 231 to which
the inlet portions 239' are attached. The strainer chamber 231 is
formed from pipes or ribs 232 standing side by side in a
circumference and forming slots 234 between them. In the position
of application, the pipes 232 have a substantially vertical
orientation. The strainer chamber 231 is further formed from pipes
or ribs 236 side by side, forming slots 238 between them, and the
pipes 236 form a bottom in the strainer chamber 231.
[0199] In the FIGS. 21, 22 and 24, 25, an alternative buoyancy
system 11 as described in the patent publication
NO20111704/WO2013085392 is shown. The inlet system 2 described can
be used together with various buoyancy systems 11 as shown, and is
not restricted to being used together with the buoyancy systems 11
shown either. For example, the inlet system 2 may be used together
with known buoyancy systems including concentric rings side by
side. In FIG. 25, an oxygenation system 8 is shown inside the fish
pen 1. The oxygenation system 8 may include channels with
holes.
* * * * *