AU750263B2 - Blue-green algae cultivating and plucking device - Google Patents

Description

-1- P/00/0011 Regulation 3.2

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT

ORIGINAL

Name of Applicant: Actual Inventor: Address for service in Australia: Invention Title: Ching Yuan HUANG Ching Yuan HUANG FREEHILLS CARTER SMITH BEADLE 101 Collins Street Melbourne Victoria 3000 Australia BLUE-GREEN A] PLUCKING DEVICE LGAE CULTIVATING AND The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to us 004057412 1A BLUE-GREEN ALGAE CULTIVATING AND HARVESTING DEVICE FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a blue-green algae cultivating and harvesting device. In the device water flows from an uppermost cultivating pool to a lowermost cultivating pool and no dead points are formed.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION Referring to Fig. 4, a prior art blue-green algae cultivating device is illustrated. In that device, a plurality of cultivating pools 501, are arranged on the ground. The cultivating operation in each pool is separate.

Furthermore, since water in each cultivating pool is still, this is not beneficial to the cultivation and harvesting of blue-green algae. If it is desired to S 15 cause the water in each of the cultivating pools to flow cyclically, then water mills 501A, are necessary, as that shown in Fig. 4. However, water mills in these prior art blue-green algae cultivating pools often damage the blue-green algae. Thus, the quality of the blue-green algae deteriorates. Moreover, damaged blue-green algae deposited in the cultivating pool will pollute the cultivating pool. Therefore, high quality bluegreen algae and high efficiency of cultivation cannot be achieved. Besides, in the prior art cultivation of blue-green algae, a suction device is necessary to suck the blue-green algae from the cultivating pool and then transfer the blue-green algae to another cultivating area 500 for further processing. As a transfer process is necessary efficiency can not be improved. Moreover, the water mills for flowing the cultivating water will cause pollution and consume a large amount of power.

Therefore, there is a strong demand for an improved blue-green algae cultivating and harvesting device by which the defects in the prior art can be avoided.

004057412 2 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, the present invention provides a blue-green algae cultivating and harvesting device, characterised in that the blue-green algae cultivating and harvesting device has a plurality of elongate cultivating pools of descending heights, wherein each pool is lower than its adjacent pool in the downstream direction, the uppermost cultivating pool having a filter thereabove, a suction device is installed between the filter and the lowermost cultivating pool, which are connected by pipeline, thereby, water with blue-green algae flows to the lowermost cultivating pool from the uppermost cultivating pool, and then the water is pumped to the filter, so that water cyclically flows in the device.

Preferably each cultivating pool has water outlets arranged at alternate end sections of the cultivating pools.

Preferably a collecting vessel is installed so that water flows from the 15 lowermost cultivating pool to the collecting vessel before entering the pipeline.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig. 1 is a schematic perspective view of the blue-green algae cultivating and harvesting device in the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a plane view of the blue-green algae cultivating and i harvesting device in the present invention.

Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view of the blue-green algae cultivating and harvesting device in the present invention.

Fig. 4 shows a cultivating and harvesting device in the prior art.

25 DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS With reference to Fig. 1, an integral schematic perspective view of the blue-green algae cultivating and harvesting device according to the present invention is illustrated. The blue-green algae cultivating and harvesting device has a supporting frame 15 having a suitable height. A filter 151 for cfiltering blue-green algae from water is installed above the supporting frame A plurality of elongate cultivating pools 10 are installed below the filter 004057412 3 151. One end of each of the cultivating pools 10 is formed with a water outlet 101. The water outlet 101 in the cultivating pool at the lowest position is a collecting vessel 11. Water in the cultivating pools with blue-green algae will flow through each water outlets 101 and then to the collecting vessel 11. In order to help prevent dead points, the water outlets 101 can be installed at alternate end sections of the cultivating pools. A pipeline 13 is installed at the bottom of a collecting vessel 11. A blue-green algae suction or pump device 12 is installed along the pipeline 13. Thereby, the water with blue-green algae in the collecting vessel 11 can be transferred to above the supporting frame 15 and then is filtered in the filter 151. Then, by gravitational force, the water flows into the pool 10. Thus, the process is repeated again. If the blue-green algae is not harvested, this water serves to cultivate the blue-green algae.

With reference to Fig. 2, the water flow direction 102 in the blue-green 15 algae cultivating and harvesting device is clearly displayed. This device not only saves more space, but also allows water to flow cyclically. The water in the cultivating pools flows normally and thus sufficient oxygen is supplied for efficient cultivation of the algae. The height of each cultivating pool 10 is reduced linearly. A motor or a suction device 12 pumps water to the upper cultivating pool via the filter 151. Thus, the harvesting operation of the blue- :green algae is more efficient.

.From the above description, it is appreciated that the blue-green algae cultivating and harvesting device of the present invention substantially saves more space and the operation is continuous. Thus, the present i 25 invention can overcome the problems in the prior art.

Although the present invention has been described with reference to preferred embodiments, it will be understood that the invention is not limited to the details described thereof. Various substitutions and modifications have been suggested in the foregoing description, and others will occur to those of ordinary skill in the art. Therefore, all such substitutions and 004057412 4 modifications are intended to be embraced within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

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Claims (4)

1. A blue-green algae cultivating and harvesting device, characterised in that the blue-green algae cultivating and harvesting device has a plurality of elongate cultivating pools of descending heights, wherein each pool is lower than its adjacent pool in the downstream direction, the uppermost cultivating pool having a filter thereabove, a suction device is installed between the filter and the lowermost cultivating pool, which are connected by pipeline, thereby, water and blue-green algae flows to the lowermost cultivating pool from the uppermost cultivating pool, and then the water is pumped to the filter, so that water cyclically flows in the device.

2. The blue-green algae cultivating and harvesting device as claimed in claim 1, wherein each cultivating pool has water outlets arranged at 15 alternate end sections of the cultivating pools. :i

3. The blue-green algae cultivating and harvesting device as claimed in claim 1, wherein a collecting vessel is installed so that water flows from the lowermost cultivating pool to the collecting vessel before entering the pipeline.

4. A blue-green algae cultivating and harvesting device substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to any one of Figures 1 to 3. 25 Dated: 16 May 2002 FREEHILLS CARTER SMITH BEADLE Patent Attorneys for the Applicant: Ching Yuan HUANG