BG67455B1 - Stationary ecological complex - Google Patents

Abstract

The stationary ecological complex consists of three bottom-mounted one above another facilities: An artificial reef (AR), a mussel farm (MF) and an artificial island (AI), whereby their vertical beams (1, 21 and 39) and their connecting horizontal beams (3, 4 and 5), (22 and 24) and (40 and 43) respectively step on each other and are connected by fixed links between the respective extensions, beams and panels (14-23-25, 25-41 and 43-44-38), with the body of the AR consisting of several floors with square rooms, high labyrinthine and permeability, and the main element of the MF are the collector beams (26, 27 and 29), each with two rows of collectors (31). The advantages of the stationary ecological complex are: rapid construction, small bottom area used, ecological coastal protection, increased fish and shellfish catching, absorbed CO2 (11 tons/year), intensive development of sport fishing, spearfishing, ecological rapa whelk fishing and marine tourism, use of floating cranes, elimination of unemployment, maximum profits for their owners.

Description

Field of application

The invention relates to a marine hydrotechnical facility for the enhancement, improvement and sustainable use of biodiversity, bioproductivity and the ecological state of the marine environment and will find application in marine hydrobiology, ichthyology, ecology and landscape science, in marine business - mariculture, fishing, mead harvesting, rapanol fishing, recreation, coastal protection, employment of fishermen along the coast, and also for the development of a national marine conservation strategy and the countermeasures against climate change.

Prior art

A Bulgarian metal structure for growing mussels [1] is known, consisting of three vertical supports connected by upper and lower horizontal profile beams, between which collector ropes for mussels are stretched by means of upper and lower double hooks. Disadvantages of the construction are the too limited number of collector ropes and the difficulties in dehumidifying them.

A French prefabricated artificial reef [2] is known, built of several modular plates with round holes, providing high labyrinthineness (internal complexity), horizontal and vertical permeability of the floors and good living conditions for the hydrobionts inhabiting it. However, in its form immediately on the bottom, it is completely unsuitable for the conditions of the coastal zone and the shelf of the Bulgarian Black Sea, due to the rapid destruction of the mussels on it by the rapans, and also of the reefs themselves by bottom trawls with heavy damage to the latter as well.

The technology widely used on the Bulgarian Black Sea coast for catching cultivated mussels of the "long lines" type is known - long ropes close to and parallel to the shore with anchors at both ends, supported to the surface by buoys every few meters, below which hang collector ropes for mussels . Disadvantages of the technology are the vast areas of shellfish farms unusable for other purposes, the slowness and labor-intensiveness of the demusseling process, and the relatively limited catches.

A Bulgarian vertical reef in the sea of the Varna company "Sea Harmony" [3] is known, representing a vertical, cylindrical, floating, openwork, plastic structure, secured by a heavy anchor to the bottom, the upper part of which is at a depth of more than 4 - 5 m . below sea level. It combines the qualities of an artificial reef with those of a mussel farm, but its very construction, although original, does not allow the qualities of the reef or those of the farm to be used to the required extent (the annual catch is up to 4 tons of mussels). In addition, it creates great difficulties in dehumidification and practically does not improve over time.

It is known that in the sea in front of the resort "St. St. Constantine and Elena" the construction of an artificial island is designed as an "anti-erosion and coastal fortification facility with an increased beach area, which will also have a marina" [4]. The construction of three more similar islands in the north up to and including Golden Sands resort is planned. A disadvantage of these islands will be the fact that they will be built in the same way as the bunkers and dams have been built so far, that is, they will destroy part of the bottom and the pelagic. There is no guarantee that the currents between the islands and the coast will allow the beach to arise, let alone increase.

Unemployment among fishermen on the Bulgarian Black Sea coast is known due to the systematic decline in catches of fish and other marine products.

The serious problems of the Varna breakwater related to its sinking during strong waves are known, as well as the attempt to save it through the so-called "berm" [5, 6]. The disadvantage of this berm is the BGN 100 million for its construction, with the high probability that it will increase the sinking of the breakwater instead of preventing it.

The unsuccessful attempts of a number of Western companies ("Carbon Engineering" - Canada, "Climeworks" - Switzerland, etc.) to find a satisfactory solution to the issue of direct absorption of CO2 from water and air, which is considered the main cause of global warming, are known. Earth [7].

Technical essence of the invention

The tasks of the invention are:

1. To create a simple, strong and bottom-resistant structure of ecological and non-corrosive material in the marine environment, which combines to the maximum extent the qualities of an artificial reef (IR) with those of a shellfish farm (FM) and an artificial island (AI). in one complex construction - stationary ecological complex (SEC).

2. All three structures should be above the bottom and the clams on them inaccessible to the rapans.

3. The FM should ensure the maximum catch of mussels for its volume, which would demonstrate the possibility of free absorption of significant amounts of CO2 through water from the air and its transformation into insoluble CaCO ₃ of the mussel shells.

4. FM to allow rapid dismantling from the IR, lifting aboard the floating crane, rapid degassing and return to the reef.

5. SEC to have a security system against bottom trawls, which without causing them harm, creates a mini reserve under and around the structure.

6. If necessary, the FM should be upgraded by a second FM, or instead of them, a horizontal platform should be installed above the water level - IO with vertical supports placed on the IR so that other similar pairs can lean tightly against this IR/IO , forming a kind of permeable underwater breakwater.

7. In connection with this IR/IO, to propose remote protection for the rescue of the Varna breakwater, which at the same time serves for sport fishing, spearfishing, rapano fishing and scientific research.

8. The internal parts of the IR should be accessible to medical personnel - for research, sampling, photo documentation, etc.

9. The elements of the same type of the various constructions of the SEC should be unified with a view to minimum costs of labor, materials, time and energy in their serial production and easy replaceability of the damaged elements. 10. The integration of IR/FM/IO in SEC to ensure maximum operational results at minimum costs compared to their autonomous use.

11. The various options of the SEC meet to the maximum extent, both the ecological requirements for the protection of the marine environment in each specific section, and the claims of the specific coastal society or the owners of the facilities to satisfy their needs.

These tasks are solved by a SEC facility composed of IR, FM and/or IO.

The IR consists of four vertical load-bearing beams at the corners of a prism with a square cross-section, resting on square, prismatic, open-bottom steps and interconnected by horizontal lower, middle and upper beams. The body of the IR is included between the middle and upper beams and is constructed of several floors separated by horizontal plates with large circular openings. The space between the slabs is divided by vertical, intersecting walls at right angles, forming square rooms. The walls of the rooms on each floor have openings of the same or different shape for the different floors, so that each room has six openings, providing the great labyrinthineness and horizontal and vertical permeability of the reef. A horizontal hoop is fixed at the level of the horizontal middle beams at a certain horizontal distance from the steps of the IR. A similar, smaller hoop is attached to the upper outer corners of the vertical beams at the level of the horizontal upper beams of the IR.

The FM is constructed of four vertical bearing beams with the same square cross-section as those of the IR, interconnected by lower and upper horizontal beams. The two-way extensions of the horizontal lower and upper beams beyond the supporting beams form lower braces and upper girders, with a beam or a parallel girder with a support beam between each two parallel upper girders. On two of the opposite upper beams between the supporting beams lie the ends of several parallel collector beams, whose two-way extensions beyond the supporting beams are the same number of parallel shorter collector beams. Also outside the supporting beams and parallel to the collector beams between them, two more collector beams are attached to the beams on both sides. All collector beams carry two rows of vertical collector slats (collectors with a square cross-section), arranged in different variations. A third hoop is carried by the outer upper corners of the extension-girders of the upper beams, the upper outer ends of the girders with supports between them, and one or two of the short collector beams.

The IO is installed, if necessary, on the IR or on the FM above it and is a square prism formed by four supporting vertical beams in its corners, resting on the vertical beams of the IR or on the FM and interconnected by horizontal lower, middle and upper beams, the latter with extended supports on which a square horizontal platform is mounted.

The advantages of the invention are that the integration of three constructions with different purposes and functions in one facility will ensure maximum operational results at minimal costs compared to their autonomous use, will sharply increase the catch of shellfish and fish, will allow free absorption and disposal of large amounts of CO ₂ from the water and air, will require the use of floating mechanization, will guarantee the employment of fishermen along the coast and maximum profits for the owners.

Explanation of the attached figures

Figure 1 - General view of IR

Figure 2 - Horizontal plate and vertical walls between the floors of the IR

Figure 3 - Plan outline of the IR

Figure 4 - General appearance of FM (option 1)

Figure 5 - Plan outline of FM (option 2)

Figure 6 - Collector beam with clam collectors

Figure 7 - IO on IR

Figure 8 - Plan outlines of an IO between two adjacent IOs

Figure 9 - Option for remote geoprotection of the Varna breakwater through IR/IO

Examples of implementation of the invention

IR (fig. 1, 2, 3) is a vertically elongated square prism, in the corners of which there are four vertical supporting beams 1 with a square cross-section, standing on square, prismatic, open bottom steps 2 and connected to each other by horizontal lower 3, middle 4 and top 5 beams. The body of the IR is included between beams 4 and 5. It is made up of several floors, separated by horizontal plates 6 with corner connections 7 and large circular openings 8 standing one above the other on the plates of the different floors. The lowest plate 6 rests with its ends on beams 4 and is supported below by one or two invisible parallel beams in the square of beams 4. Plates 6 of the different floors are supported one above the other by located between them and intersecting at right angles by mortise 9 vertical panels: front 10 (four pieces), bottom 11 (three pieces) and top 12 (three pieces), forming square rooms. The walls of all rooms have openings 13 of the same or different shape for the different floors, whereby each room has six openings - two openings 8 and four openings 13, ensuring the great labyrinthineness and permeability of the IR (the vertical openings 8 - for light divers, fishing rods and cleats ). Short double-sided extensions-fasteners 14 of beams 5 outside beams 1 and attached to beams 5 (if necessary, one or two at each corner) additional fasteners 15 allow to increase the connections of the IRs supported next to each other. A large horizontal hoop 16 is fixed by corner double holders 17 and between them triple holders 18 at the level of beams 4 at a certain horizontal distance from steps 2. A similar smaller hoop 19 is fixedly fixed from the upper outer corners of beams 1 or the corners of extensions -fasteners 14 and the ends of middle double holders 20.

FM (Fig. 4, 5, 6) consists of four vertical supporting beams 21 with the same square cross-section with beams 1, interconnected by four horizontal lower beams 22 with two shorter 23 and two longer extensions 25 and with four horizontal upper beams 24 are longer support extensions 25. In small holes of two opposite beams 24 lie the ends of several internal, parallel collector beams 26. Extensions of beams 26 on both sides of them after vertical beams 21 are the same number of short parallel collector beams 27 between extensions 25, the outer ends of which lie on transverse beams with supports 28, with one or more beams 27 protruding outwards from transverse beams 28. Parallel to beams 26, on both sides of them after vertical beams 21, two collector beams are arranged beams 29, the ends of which lie in wells on extensions 25, and their middles are supported by middle supports with supports 30. Sometimes circumstances require the replacement of beams 27 by beams 29 (Fig. 5). Under all beams 26, 27 and 29, as well as between the two beams 24 (with their extensions - supports 25) and the beams 22 located below them parallel to beams 26 and 29, two rows of vertical slats of collectors 31 with a square cross-section are immovably fixed , grouped in rectangular quads (Fig. 6 one of the possible variants). In its middle and lower part, collectors 31 are connected by transverse 32 and longitudinal 33 connections forming the quads on the beam, by longitudinal connections 34 between the adjacent quads on the same and by transverse movable connections 35 between the collectors of the adjacent beams. Several movable connections 35 connect the collector connections 33 of the adjacent beams through one. Ties 35 make manifolds 31 immovable despite the absence of lower rigid ties (except for the pairs of beams 24 and 22 with extensions 25, whose manifolds 31 are immovably fixed at their upper and lower ends). A middle beam 36 in each square of beams 24 passes perpendicularly under the middles of beams 26. Under it, connections 34 are movable so that the corresponding beam 26 can be removed if necessary.

The ends of all the extension-supports 25, the ends of one or more beams 27 projecting outward from beams with supports 28 and the ends of the two middle supports with supports 30, support in a horizontal position a hoop 37 (Figs. 4, 5).

As a rule, exactly the same second FM is mounted on top of this FM.

IO (fig. 7, 8) is a horizontal platform 38, which can be installed at a height of several meters above the IR itself or on the only FM above it.

It is fixed on four vertical bearing beams 39 similar to beams 1 and beams 21, connected by four lower horizontal beams 40 with extensions-fasteners 41, four horizontal middle beams 42 and four horizontal upper beams 43 with extensions-fasteners 44 equal to extensions- braces 41, 23 and 14. A platform 38 is mounted on beams 43 and extended to the ends of their braces 44, if necessary supplemented with braces 15. Short corner beams 45 for gripping the crane hooks increase the resistance of braces 15 to pressure and tension , when connecting with the neighboring sites 38. Small holes 46 in the latter will allow anglers to fish inside the IRs themselves through holes 8 or in the FM under the IO.

Application of the invention

IR, FM and IO will be built quickly from ready-made elements of the same type - beams, - boards, steps, collectors, etc., by riveting or soldering them immovably to each other. They are loaded onto a floating crane, which lowers them to the bottom in a pre-selected area at a certain depth (preferably on a flat, sandy or muddy bottom). The IR is placed first (in the coastal area with the edge towards the wave front, on the shelf - with the edge towards the prevailing current), and on it with the help of a scuba diver, the two FM and/or IO - the above-water horizontal platform 38 are installed.

Fastening the FM and IO on the IR is elementary - when installing the FM on the IR, the lower surfaces of fasteners 23 and 25 coincide with the upper surfaces of fasteners 14 of the IR. Fastening between the tightly touching extensions-fasteners is done by means of external fasteners - eight in total, two for each corner. However, when a single platform 38 is installed over the IR permanently, it is quite possible to double the same fastening elements by means of fasteners 15, and also to make strong connections between closely abutting beams 5 and 40.

When the FM is taken out after a year on board the floating crane, light divers are again used to attach the four hooks of the lifting rope, and when descending back onto the IR - to detach them, as well as to attach the FM to the IR.

Because of the thousands of collectors, it is necessary to use dozens of workers to dehumidify them. To save ship time, the exported upper FM starts to be degassed immediately, followed by the lower one. The desiccated upper FM returns to the IR, already as lower, and the lower after it becomes upper. Hoop 37 at the upper FM performs two functions: protective - against trawls and collector - overgrown with mussels. At lower FM, it performs only its second function.

IR, whether used alone or in combination with FM, always carries hoop 19 in addition to hoop 16, since there is no guarantee that he will always have FM with her hoop 37 above him. In its absence, hoop 19 comes into play. With approaching the FM or IR, the bottom trawl rope meets successively hoops 16 and 19 (or vice versa) and slides over them, bypassing them without touching steps 2.

SEC, if implemented on a large scale, will create conditions for a sharp increase in fish resources (observations and experiments are necessary for a relatively accurate assessment of catches in and around each IR).

A multiple increase in the catch can also be achieved by increasing the number of intermediate horizontal beams 4 and the number of stacks of floors between them. This will require an extension of the IR down to beams 3, and to preserve their stability, it will also be necessary to expand them by adding adjacent IR and IO, to which they are connected by fixed or elastic connections at three levels - through the contact of steps 2, at the level of beams 5 and at the level of beams 43 through the corresponding fasteners (fig. 3, 7, 8). In this way, it will be possible to build IR/IO at a depth of 20 - 40 m in front of our coast. It is clear that these IRs will be pelagic, which will increase the amount of fish resources and their retention along our Black Sea coast can be expected instead of periodic migrations to the south, where they greatly decrease due to intensive Turkish fishing.

In addition to other types of research, this type of IR will also allow ecological research (besides the differences in openings 13, there will be changes in the interior of the floors), with a view to fish preferences to build IRs for different fish species.

Both IR, FM and IO are built individually from a limited number of identical, i.e. serially produced, elements that are quickly assembled and rigidly attached to each other. This strengthens the structures, facilitates their joint use, makes production cheaper and facilitates the replacement of damaged elements. For example, if necessary, it is possible to thin or thicken the collector beams depending on the specifics of the specific marine environment in order to increase catches. For better adaptation to the conditions, all the beams of one FM can be replaced by beams with a different arrangement and density of collectors, increasing catches.

The benefit of implementing the SEC is illustrated by the following circumstances:

1. It will allow to lease, for example, only 150 sq. m of the seabed instead of the 2,500 sq. m required so far for each farm of the "long lines" type, which will multiply the opportunities of small and medium-sized marine businesses.

2. IR is a basic element of SEC and a support of FM and IO - without it, useless supports for the marine environment must be built for them (here we omit the description of the biological and ecological importance of IR - there is a whole doctrine about IR).

3. The implementation of this type of IR will lead to an increase in the fish resources of our Black Sea coast, and in the future, eventually, to the cessation of their annual migration to the south due to the improved living conditions on our shelf.

4. IR can be used independently up to 100 m depth and as supporting supports of the protective systems of biological, landscape, archaeological and other types of underwater reserves.

5. Both IR and FM are food depots, and therefore natural concentrators of fish, as they grow not only with mussels, but also with many other micro- and meso-organisms of animal and plant nature.

6. Because of this, the IR/IO combination allows IO to fish not only around, but also in the IR itself and in the FM itself - through holes 46 on platforms 38 and holes 8 on the IR and between beams 26 - with rods and cleats, also underwater hunting and rapanolling (in the mini-reserve under the SEC and around it), for stationary research of the created artificial ecosystems and landscapes in and around them, etc.

7. On a part of and around the future SECs, equipment will begin to be installed for the study of hydro-meteorological conditions in the sea, which information is currently missing.

8. One or several SECs in front of the resort complexes would diversify the lives of vacationers - they will also be used for swimming competitions and regattas, diving, a base for lifeguards next to bathers, etc. A few SECs in front of each resort complex will provide it with more clean from the neighboring waters (mussels filter the water) and most importantly - regular supplies of fresh seafood.

9. The IR/FM combination is associated with a constant "rainfall" of mussels on the bottom of the mini-reservoir, where the rapans await them. And with the increase in the number of SECs, ecological rapano fishing (through light divers) from the mini-reserves will provide such quantities of rapano that it will render meaningless the expensive and destructive bottom ecosystems industrial rapano fishing (through trawls). This will rapidly restore ecosystems and landscapes, increasing catches of fish and other hydrobionts not only from the benthic, but up the food chain and from the pelagic.

10. This "rainfall" will cover the dead mud flats in front of our coast with flat shelly elevations around the SEC inhabited by a variety of hydrobionts.

11. The large number of FM collectors will dramatically increase shellfish catches. This will allow the hiring of floating machinery, will require rapid descaling to save ship time, and the use of large numbers of low-skilled workers, more light divers, and also manpower for handling and placing the finished product.

12. With the current catch of about 3 - 4,000 t/year, the mass implementation of SEC will provide our country with up to 20,000 t/year. mussels, as it is assumed now, but at least up to 200,000 t/year.

13. It becomes quite possible that the Varna breakwater will be protected not by the already started huge dam ("berm") for BGN 100 million [6], but by means of remote protection (allowing a wave up to 1 m height to be completely safe), at costs up to BGN 33 million. On the other hand, Varna will have 300 - 40 IR/IO (type "atolls" - fig. 9) 300 - 400 m in front of the breakwater (depth 12 - 13 m.) and with possibilities for angling, spearfishing and fishing, which will supply the city with fresh fish daily. In this case, however, for greater resistance of the IR, the reef cells must fill to one degree or another the space between horizontal beams 3 and 4 of the IR.

14. Large IR/IO in the form of square atolls with an edge to the east 12 km east of Galata Island (depth 20 points), from which you will see the coast from Kaliakra Island to the mouth of the Rezovska River and 30 km . east of Burgas (depth 40 m.), from which the coast from the village of Kamen bryag to the Rezovska river will be visible, will become a destination for international sea tourism and all water sports.

15. It is not possible to develop a realistic nature protection strategy for the Bulgarian Black Sea coast without taking into account the changes that the implementation of the SEC will cause in the practice of all the activities listed at the beginning of their application.

16. 3a proposed SEC - with horizontal beams 24 per FM with a length of 4 m, a relatively accurate estimate of the expected catch of mussels is possible - based on the number of collectors per two FM - 50 tons/year. (at market prices BGN 100,000). Of these, 25 tons are CaCO ₃ - insoluble mussel shells, of which 11 tons are CO ₂ extracted through seawater from the air above it. For comparison: companies like "Climeworks" - Switzerland, "KagOp Engineering" - Canada, etc. absorb CO ₂ from the air at a cost of more than $600 per ton, without solving the issue of neutralization or use of the resulting already poisonous CO 2 . The proposed FM addresses both issues comprehensively, annually and free of charge, as the funds will only be spent on shellfish facilities [7]. If the companies in question will need another 600 dollars for the disposal of each ton, this means that each SEC will save the state 13,200 dollars annually. Since many clams on

SEC also means a lot of rapani under it, it remains unknown for now what is the amount of eaten clams, whose meat the rapani have converted into CaCO ₃ and, accordingly, into CO2 absorbed from the air of their shells.

17. Therefore, there is no doubt that the implementation of SEC and other similar facilities in the maritime business will transform the fight against global warming from the most losing one at the moment (and therefore the most sabotaged at all levels) into the most profitable human activity that at final account may predetermine the outcome of it.

18. One SEK is two FM is degassed by 20 people in about two hours on board the floating crane. This makes it profitable to bring together four owners of closely located SECs to rent the floating crane for one working day. In this situation, from the 100,000 BGN received, each owner will set aside approximately 30,000 BGN - for the floating crane, for the scuba divers, for the dehumidifiers, for the relevant tax, etc., after which he will have 70,000 BGN left in net profit. Without having spent any effort, time, funds, energy, materials, etc., SECs create an opportunity for the sea and shellfish to work for their owners all year round, to successfully solve the food problem and the problem of unemployment, and to counteract global warming for free, with which will create ideal conditions for the development of small and medium maritime businesses.

Claims (1)

A stationary ecological complex representing a vertical, prismatic, tiered structure, characterized by the fact that it consists of stacked artificial reef facilities, a clam farm and an artificial island, the artificial reef having the shape of a square prism and consisting of vertical bearing beams (1) in the corners, resting on steps (2) and connected by horizontal lower (3), middle (4) and upper (5) beams with extensions (14), such as between middle beams (4) and upper beams ( 5) a reef body consisting of horizontal plates (6) and vertical plates (10), (11) and (12) between them and surrounded by horizontal hoops (16) and (19) is included, the clam farm is constructed of vertical supporting beams (21) resting on the vertical supporting beams (1) and connected to each other by horizontal lower beams (22) with extensions (23) and (25) and horizontal upper beams (24) with extensions (25), as on the upper beams (24) with extensions (25) are located the ends of horizontal and parallel between collector beams (26), (27) and (29) with vertical pairs of collectors (31) attached to them, all surrounded by a horizontal hoop (37) and the artificial island is built from a horizontal platform (38) raised above sea level of vertical supporting beams (39) resting on the vertical supporting beams (1) or (21) and interconnected by horizontal lower beams (40) with extensions (41), horizontal middle beams (42) and horizontal upper beams (43) with extensions (44)