CA3213652A1 - Module, system and method for delousing fish - Google Patents

Abstract

The disclosure describes module (100) for delousing fish, the module (100) comprising a pipe segment (105) for conducting water containing fish, where the pipe segment (105) comprises a pipe segment top wall (110) and a pipe segment bottom wall (115), and a delousing means (120) for removing sea lice from a fish being conducted through the pipe segment (105), where the delousing means (120) is arranged in or at the pipe segment top wall (110) and/or in or at the pipe segment bottom wall (115), where the pipe segment (105) has a transverse cross section (107) with a maximum height h and a maximum width w, and where w ? 2h. The disclosure further describes a modular pipe system (200) for delousing fish, the modular pipe system (200) comprising a module (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, a first coupling unit (205) for connecting a first end (215) of the module (100) to a circular pipe, and a second coupling unit (210) for connecting a second end (220) of the module (200) to a circular pipe, where the module (100), the first coupling unit (205) and the second coupling unit (210) are connected in series, with the first coupling unit (205) and the second coupling unit (210) positioned at each end. The disclosure further describes a method for delousing fish, the method comprising the steps of providing a module (100) conducting water containing a fish through the pipe segment (105) of the module (100), and delousing the fish using the delousing means (120) of the module (100).

Description

2 Module, system and method for delousing fish Technical field The disclosure relates to the field of fish farming.
Background [0001] Delousing of fish is generally performed in circular pipes with pipe dimensions around 250 to 300 mm in diameter. The relatively small pipe diameters are largely used in order to prevent multiple fish from being transported through the pipe simultaneously, thus preventing overlap and making the distance from the pipe wall to the fish relatively short and predictable. Injecting and withdrawing water can be done evenly around the fish without affecting its position, making it possible to use water nozzles to clean and delouse fish using relatively low water pressures.
[0002] A problem with delousing fish in circular pipes, however, is that it is difficult to scale up in order to meet the demand for higher capacities. One cannot simply increase the diameter of the pipe, as the latter will result in overlap of fish and hence cause irregular and inefficient delousing treatment. The use of large circular pipes may for example block the treatment of another fish making the treatment for each individual fish dependent on the exact position of the fish within the pipe.

[0003] To meet the demand for higher capacities in delousing systems, the prevailing solution has been to install multiple treatment systems/lines in parallel.
Each additional line here adds a bit less than its rated capacity, as the lines can be hard to balance with flow and fish entry. Each additional line also requires a complete set of the necessary equipment for performing delousing, including for example, pumps, sensors, electronics, and piping, and consequently also comes with the associated costs and space requirements. Connecting multiple treatment lines to larger diameter pipes is especially problematic as it requires splitting of the flow and additional handling. The latter is known in the art to increase the risk of injuries inflicted on the fish and to cause blockages of the system.

[0004] N020160800A1 describes a system for delousing fish, comprising a source of lice infected fish, a pump device arranged for transporting fish from said source to a delousing module, a warm water source arranged to provide lukewarm water to the delousing module.

[0005] N0339015 disclose a plant for removal of ectoparasites from live fish.
The plant includes a receival unit for live fish and for sieving away water followed by a lice removal station with rotary brushes and water jets configured for mechanical removal of the ectoparasites attached to the surface of the fish.

[0006] The present disclosure aims to provide an alternative to the above-mentioned solutions for how to perform delousing of fish at a large scale with consistent results.
Summary of the disclosure

[0007] A first aspect of the present disclosure provides a module for delousing fish, the module comprising a pipe segment for conducting water containing fish, where the pipe segment comprises a pipe segment top wall and a pipe segment bottom wall, and a delousing means for removing sea lice from a fish being conducted through the pipe segment, where the delousing means is arranged in or at the pipe segment top wall and/or in or at the pipe segment bottom wall, where the pipe segment has a transverse cross section with a maximum height h and a maximum width w, and where w > 2h.

[0008] In an embodiment of the disclosure the pipe segment top wall and the pipe segment bottom wall are planar.

[0009] In another embodiment of the disclosure the pipe segment top wall and the pipe segment bottom wall are arranged in parallel to each other and at a distance h from each other.

[0010] In yet another embodiment of the disclosure the pipe segment further comprises two pipe segment side walls, and where the two pipe segment side walls are arranged at a distance w from each other.

[0011] In yet another embodiment of the disclosure the two pipe segment side walls are planar and parallel to each other, and where the pipe segment has a rectangular pipe profile.

[0012] In yet another embodiment of the disclosure the delousing means comprises a water nozzle.

[0013] In yet another embodiment of the disclosure the water nozzle comprises an elongate slit.

[0014] In yet another embodiment of the disclosure the delousing means comprises a water nozzle arranged in or at the pipe segment top wall, and a water nozzle arranged in or at the pipe segment bottom wall.

[0015] In yet another embodiment of the disclosure the module further comprises a water outlet positioned upstream or downstream from the nozzle, and where the outlet is in fluid communication with the water nozzle.

[0016] In yet another embodiment of the disclosure the delousing means comprises a brush, a laser, a sound emitter or an ultrasound emitter.

[0017] In yet another embodiment of the disclosure h is in the range from 100 mm to 500 mm, preferably in the range from 150 mm to 400 mm and most preferably in the range from 200 - 300 mm.

[0018] A second aspect of the present disclosure provides a modular pipe system for delousing fish, the modular pipe system comprising a module according to any embodiment of the first aspect of the disclosure, a first coupling unit for connecting a first end of the module to a circular pipe, and a second coupling unit for connecting a second end of the module to a circular pipe, where the module, the first coupling unit and the second coupling unit are connected in series, with the first coupling unit and the second coupling unit positioned at each end.

[0019] In an embodiment of the disclosure the module further comprises an auxiliary module, where the auxiliary module, the module, the first coupling unit and the second coupling unit are connected in series, with the first coupling unit and the second coupling unit positioned at each end, the auxiliary module comprising an auxiliary module pipe segment for conducting water containing fish, where the auxiliary module pipe segment comprises an auxiliary module pipe segment top wall and an auxiliary module pipe segment bottom wall, and a water draining means for extracting water from the auxiliary module pipe segment, where the water draining means is arranged in or at the auxiliary module pipe segment top wall and/or in or at the auxiliary module pipe segment bottom wall, and/or a water injection means for injecting water into the auxiliary module pipe segment, where the water injection means is arranged in or at the auxiliary module pipe segment top wall and/or in or at the auxiliary module pipe segment bottom wall, where the auxiliary module pipe segment has a second transverse cross section having the same shape as the transverse cross section of the pipe segment.

[0020] A third aspect of the present disclosure provides a method for delousing fish, the method comprising the steps of providing a module according to any embodiment of the first aspect of the disclosure or any embodiment of the second aspect of the disclosure, conducting water containing a fish through the pipe segment of the module, and delousing the fish using the delousing means of the module.

[0021] In an embodiment of the disclosure the water is conducted through the pipe segment of the module with a velocity from 1.5 m/s to 2.5 m/s.

[0022] Other advantageous features will be apparent from the accompanying claims.

Brief description of the drawings

[0023] In order to make the disclosure more readily understandable, the description that follows will refer to accompanying drawings, in which:

[0024] Figure 1 is a schematic representation of a module for delousing fish where the delousing means comprises a water nozzle,

[0025] Figure 2 is a schematic representation of a module for delousing fish where the delousing means comprises a brush,

[0026] Figure 3 is a schematic representation of a module for delousing fish where the delousing means comprises a laser, a sound emitter, or an ultrasound emitter,

[0027] Figure 4 is a schematic representation of a module for delousing fish where the delousing means comprises a water nozzle, and where the module comprises a water outlet,

[0028] Figure 5 is a schematic representation of a system for delousing fish where the system comprises a module for delousing fish, a first coupling unit, a second coupling unit, a first auxiliary module and a second auxiliary module, and

[0029] Figure 6 is a schematic representation of a method for delousing fish.
Detailed description of the disclosure

[0030] In the following, general embodiments as well as particular exemplary embodiments of the disclosure will be described. References will be made to the accompanying drawings. It shall be noted, however, that the drawings are exemplary embodiments only, and that other features and embodiments may well be within the scope of the disclosure as claimed. The drawings are schematical drawings not drawn to scale.

[0031] Unless otherwise defined, all terms of art, notations and other scientific terms or terminology used herein are intended to have the meanings commonly understood by those of skill in the art to which this disclosure pertains.
Certain terms of art, notations, and other scientific terms or terminology may, however, be defined specifically as indicated below.

[0032] The present disclosure provides a module 100 for delousing fish, a modular pipe system for delousing fish and a method for delousing fish. The module 100, system and method are each based on the concept of performing delousing of fish in a pipe segment 105 having an elongate transverse cross section 107.
The elongate transverse cross section 107 may here be understood as a plane cross section 107 of the pipe segment 105 that is normal on the downstream average flow direction 160 in the pipe segment, for example the flow direction of water between conducted through the pipe segment 105. The latter is schematically illustrated in figure 1.

[0033] Figure 1 shows a schematic illustration of module 100 for delousing fish according to the present disclosure. The module 100 here comprises a pipe segment 105 and a delousing means 120.

[0034] The pipe segment is according to the disclosure configured to conduct water containing fish. The pipe may thus for example be a pipe made from a metal such as steel, aluminium alloy, titanium alloy, or another suitable alloy.
Alternatively, the pipe segment may be made, at least in part, from a polymer such as Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS), Chlorinated Polyvinyl Chloride (CPVC), High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE), polybutylene (PB-1), polyethylene (PE), cross-linked polyethylene (PEX), polypropylene (PP), Polyvinylidene Difluoride (PVDF), Unplasticized Polyvinyl Chloride (UPVC). The pipe is preferably completely watertight.

[0035] Figure 1 schematically illustrates a pipe segment 105 according to the disclosure, where the pipe segment 105 has a transverse cross section 107 with a maximum height h and a maximum width w. The maximum height h and the maximum width w are here chosen such that w 2h. The pipe segment 105 may thus be consider as generally having an elongate transverse cross section 107 with a width w that is at least twice the size of the height h. What is considered as the height relative to what is considered the width of the elongate transverse cross section 107, i.e. the pipe segment 105, will be appreciated by a person skilled in the art to generally be arbitrary. The pipe segment 105 may for example be rotated, meaning that the width w and the height h may be interchanged. The direction of the width and the direction of the height will nevertheless be considered as being normal to each other. A person skilled in the art with knowledge of the present invention will appreciate that the height of the pipe segment cross section 107 generally may be considered as the vertical direction of the pipe segment cross section 107. The width w and the height h of the transverse cross section 107 of the pipe segment 105 may herein be considered as the same as the width w and the height h the pipe segment 105 respectively.

[0036] The width to height ratio, w/h, of the pipe segment is according to the disclosure such that w 2h. In a preferred embodiment, the width to height ratio of the pipe segment is such that w 3h, or even more preferred such that w 4h. A
width of the pipe segment being larger than 3 times the height is preferred as such a width is adapted to the typical present flow requirements for a delousing system for fish, particularly for salmon. The dimensions of the pipe segment may generally be adapted to the dimensions of the piping used by for example fish carriers and bilge well vessels, which typically employ circular piping with diameters of 500 mm and larger, i.e. a cross section of roughly 200000 mm2 and larger. For a pipe segment with a height of 250 mm (which is a typical desirable height for the pipe segment as will be described later) it will consequently be required to have a width of at least 3 times the height in order to match the cross section of circular piping with diameters of 500 mm. A width to height ratio of the pipe segment being such that w 4h is preferred for even larger systems.

[0037] Figure 1 is a schematic illustration of a pipe segment 105 of a module 100 for delousing fish, where the pipe segment 105 comprises a pipe segment top wall 110 and a pipe segment bottom wall 115. A person skilled in the art will appreciate that said walls 110,115 do not need to be separate walls, but that they may both be a part of continuous wall. The latter will for example be the case for a pipe segment 105 with a transverse cross section 107 being oval, elliptical, or another elongate continuous structure. The height h of the pipe segment 105 may generally be considered as the maximum separation distance between the pipe segment top wall 110 and a pipe segment bottom wall 115. The maximum height h of the pipe segment 105 may generally be chosen according to the size of the fish that is to be deloused in the module 100. The maximum height h of the pipe segment 105 may in other words be chosen such that the height h is slightly larger than the maximum height of the fish to be treated.
The latter allows for a fish to pass through the pipe segment 105 with a similar distance to the top wall 110 and the bottom wall 115 of the pipe segment 105 while at the same time not touching any of the said walls 110,115. A small clearing between the fish and the top wall 110 and bottom wall 115 of the pipe segment 105 is preferred, as this will enable predictable conditions for delousing using the delousing means 120. The clearing distance between the fish and any of the top wall 110 and bottom wall 115 of the pipe segment 105 may for example be in the range 20 mm to 100 mm, or in the range 30 mm to 80 mm, or alternatively in the range 40 mm to 70 mm. In a particular example, the height h of the pipe segment 105 may be in the range from 100 mm to 500 mm. In another example the height h of the pipe segment 105 may be in the range from 150 mm to 400 mm. In yet another example the height h of the pipe segment 105 may be in the range from 200 - 300 mm. A height h of the pipe segment 105 being in the range 200 - 300 mm, for example 250 mm, has been found to be particularly suitable when the fish to be treated is salmon or trout.

[0038] The elongate transverse cross section 107 of the pipe segment 105 allows for multiple fish to swim/be conducted side by side though the pipe segment 105, while at the same time restricting the number of fish swimming/being conducted above one another. The height of the pipe segment 105 may further be adjusted according to the size of the height of the fish, thus hindering overlap of fish in the height direction h of the pipe segment 105. The fish being conducted through the pipe segment 105 may in the latter case be distributed largely in one plane.
Figure 1 schematically illustrates a particular embodiment of the disclosure where the pipe segment top wall 110 and the pipe segment bottom wall 115 are planar.

The latter allows for low turbulence in the pipe segment 105 and similar conditions close to the top wall 110 and bottom wall 115 of the pipe segment 105.

[0039] The delousing means 120 may according to the present disclosure be any means suitable for removing sealice from the skin of a fish being conducted through the pipe segment 105. The delousing means 120 may in other words be considered as configured to remove lice from the skin of a fish being conducted through the pipe segment 105. The delousing means 120 may for example comprise a water nozzle 130, a brush 140, a laser 145, a sound emitter 150 or an ultrasound emitter 155. The brush 140 may here be a brush 140 configured to be rotated, for example a cylindrical brush 140 or alternatively a stationary brush 140.
The ultrasound emitter 155 may here for example be configured to emit ultrasound into the pipe segment 105 with a frequency that matches the eigenfrequency, i.e.
resonance frequency, of the sealice to be removed from the fish. In a particular embodiment of the disclosure the ultrasound emitter 155 may be configured to emit a wavelength from 5 mm to 20 mm. The latter is known as the approximate size of sea lice in the Lepeophtheirus salmonis and Caligus elongatus families, and ultrasound with wavelengths in the range 5 mm and 20 mm may result in standing oscillations in these lice, causing them either to perish or to be dislodged from the fish. Figure 1 is a schematic representation of a module for delousing fish where the delousing means 120 comprises a water nozzle 130 shaped as a slit. Figure 2 is a schematic representation of a module 100 for delousing fish where the delousing means 120 comprises a rotating brush 140.
Figure 3 is a schematic representation of a module 100 for delousing fish where the delousing means 120 comprises a laser 145, a sound emitter 150, or an ultrasound emitter 155.

[0040] The delousing means 120 may as schematically illustrated in figure 1, 2 and 3 be arranged in or at the pipe segment top wall 110 and/or in or at the pipe segment bottom wall 115. The delousing means 120 may for example be incorporated in the pipe segment top wall 110 and/or in the pipe segment bottom wall 115. An example of the latter is a water nozzle 130 built into the pipe segment top wall 110 and/or a water nozzle 130 built into the pipe segment bottom wall 115. A
delousing means 120 arranged at the pipe segment top wall 110 and/or at the pipe segment bottom wall 115 may be considered as delousing means 120 arranged adjacent to or fastened to the segment top wall 110 and/or at the pipe segment bottom wall 115 inside the pipe segment 105. An example of the latter is a rotating brush 140 positioned inside the pipe segment 105 adjacent to the pipe segment top wall 110 and/or adjacent to the pipe segment bottom wall 115.

The delousing means 120 may be considered as two separate delousing means 120, comprising delousing means 120 arranged in or at the pipe segment top wall 110, and delousing means 120 arranged in or at the pipe segment bottom wall 115.

[0041] Figure 1, 2 and 3 schematically illustrate a particular embodiment of the disclosure where the pipe segment top wall 110 and the pipe segment bottom wall 115 are arranged in parallel to each other. The pipe segment top wall 110 and the pipe segment bottom wall 115 may alternatively be essentially in parallel with each other, meaning herein that the pipe segment top wall 110 is inclined with an angle of less than 10 degrees relative to the pipe segment bottom wall 115. A configuration where the pipe segment top wall 110 and the pipe segment bottom wall 115 are arranged in parallel, or essentially in parallel to each other facilitates similar internal conditions in the pipe segment 105 along the width of the pipe segment 105. Delousing means may thus be arranged such that the delousing effect becomes largely unaffected by the exact position of the fish to be treated along the width of the pipe segment 105. In the embodiment where the pipe segment top wall 110 and the pipe segment bottom wall 115 are arranged in parallel to each other, the distance from the pipe segment top wall 110 to the pipe segment bottom wall 115 will be equal to h, i.e. the height of the pipe segment 105.

[0042] Figure 1, 2, 3 and 4 schematically illustrate an embodiment of the disclosure where the pipe segment 105 further comprises two pipe segment side walls 125, and where the two pipe segment side walls 125 are arranged at a maximum distance w from each other. The two pipe segment side walls 125 may, as illustrated in figure 1, 2, 3 and 4 be planar and parallel to each other. The figures 1, 2, 3 and 4 also schematically illustrate a particular embodiment of the disclosure where the pipe segment 105 has a rectangular pipe profile. The latter design is preferable as this enables the pipe segment 105 to be constructed using plates. The latter has inter alia the potential to reduce cost of manufacturing the module 100 relative to using a circular pipe segment.

[0043] Figure 1 schematically illustrates an embodiment of the disclosure where the delousing means 120 comprises a water nozzle 130. The water nozzle 120 may here generally be considered as configured to inject water onto fish being conducted through the pipe segment 105 in order to delouse the fish. The water nozzle 120 may here for example comprise an opening in the top wall 110 and/or bottom wall 115 of the pipe segment 105. Alternatively, the water nozzle 120 may comprise a separate nozzle being integrated in the top wall 100 and/or bottom wall 115 of the pipe segment 105 or a separate nozzle being arranged at or on the inner surface of the top wall 110 and/or bottom wall 115 of the pipe segment 105. The water nozzle 130 may in a particular embodiment comprise an elongate slit, for example provided in the top wall 100 and/or bottom wall 115 of the pipe segment 105. The slit may, as schematically illustrated in figure 1, be arranged such that it extends along the top wall 110 or bottom wall 115 of the pipe segment 105, for example in a direction perpendicular to the flow direction 160 in the pipe segment. The slit may for example be a straight slit that extends along the entire width, or at least the 80 % of the width of the top wall 110 or bottom wall 115 of the pipe segment 100. A water nozzle 130 may optionally be arranged in or at the pipe segment top wall 110, and additionally be arranged in or at the pipe segment bottom wall 115. The delousing means 120 may thus generally be arranged both in or on the pipe segment top wall 110 and in or on the pipe segment bottom wall 115.

[0044] During a delousing operation, water containing a fish to be treated may be conducted through the pipe segment. The water nozzle or water nozzles may then be used to inject water onto the fish to be treated such that a sea lice present on the skin of the fish is removed. The shape of the pipe segment described herein enables the water pressure from the nozzle(s) experienced by each fish to be similar regardless of where in the cross section of the pipe segment that the fish passes through. A delousing process performed in the module herein described may thus result in a higher consistency in sealice removal from fish to fish relative to a delousing system of the same type employing a circular pipe segment.

[0045] Figure 4 schematically illustrates an embodiment of the disclosure where the module 100 further comprises a water outlet 132 positioned upstream or downstream from a water nozzle 130, and where the water outlet 132 is in fluid communication with the nozzle 130. The water outlet 132 may here collect water upstream or downstream of the water nozzle 130 that later injects the same water onto fish being conducted through the pipe segment 105. An equilibrium in the rate of flow through the pipe segment 105 may thus be maintained, hence reducing regions of low pressure in the pipe segment 105 where fish may be stuck or hurt from irregular flows such as eddies. The fluid communication between the water outlet 132 and the water nozzle 130 may be obtained using suitable means such as a tube, built in tube, built-in channel, or similar.
Said water outlet, or alternatively a separate water outlet may additionally or optionally be employed in order to control the water flow velocity through the pipe segment 105. Said water outlet 132, or alternatively a separate water outlet may according to a particular embodiment of the disclosure be configured to adjust the velocity of water being conducted in the pipe segment 105 to a velocity from 1.5 m/s to 2.5 m/s. The latter velocity has been found to be optimal for maintaining the welfare of the fish, while at the same time enabling removal of sealice from the skin of the fish.

[0046] Figure 5 schematically illustrates a modular pipe system 200 for delousing fish where the modular pipe system comprises a module 100 for delousing fish. The modular pipe system 200 is further illustrated as comprising a first coupling unit 205 for connecting a first end of the module to a circular pipe, and a second coupling unit 210 for connecting a second end of the module 100 to a circular pipe. The first coupling unit 205 is here configured to connect a first end of the pipe segment 105 of the module 100 with a circular pipe, hence acting as a transitional coupling for enabling fluid communication between the circular pipe and the pipe segment 105 of the module 100. The second coupling unit 210 is similarly configured to connect a second end of the pipe segment 105 of the module 100 with another circular pipe, hence acting as a transitional coupling between the pipe segment 105 of the module 100 and the other circular pipe.
The module 100, the first coupling unit 205 and the second coupling unit 210 are here connected in series, with the first coupling unit 205 and the second coupling unit 210 at each end. The module 100, the first coupling unit 205 and the second coupling unit 210 hence constitutes a modular system 200 with a continuous channel for conducting water and fish passing therethrough.

[0047] The modular pipe system 200 may as schematically illustrated in figure comprise additional modules, i.e. auxiliary modules 225, for treatment or handling of fish. Any auxiliary module 225 may for example be an imaging module for imaging fish or be a water treatment module for cleaning or exchanging water flowing through the system. The modular pipe system 200 establishes a fluid pathway through the entire system 200, i.e. from a circular pipe into the first coupling unit 205, through the modules 100,225 of the modular system 200, and out through the second coupling unit 210 into another circular pipe. The modules 100,225 may generally be coupled together using suitable means such as one or more flange couplings. Alternatively, the modules 100,225 may be connected together using a hydraulic connection. A hydraulic connection may here be considered as a connection where hydraulic pressure is used to hold the modules 100,225 of the modular system 200 connected to one another. The first coupling unit 205 and second coupling unit 210 may be connected to any of the modules 100,225 using the same connection means as those listed above.

[0048] Figure 5 schematically illustrates a modular pipe system 200 for delousing fish where the modular pipe system 200 further comprises an auxiliary module 225.
The auxiliary module 225, the module 100, the first coupling unit 205 and the second coupling 210 unit are here connected in series, with the first coupling unit 205 and the second coupling unit 210 positioned at each end. The module 100 and the auxiliary module 225 are in other words positioned between the first coupling unit 205 and the second coupling unit 210. The auxiliary module 225 comprises an auxiliary module pipe segment 230 for conducting water containing fish, where the auxiliary module pipe segment 230 comprises an auxiliary module pipe segment top wall 235 and an auxiliary module pipe segment bottom wall 240. The auxiliary module 225 may further comprise a water draining means 245 for extracting water from the auxiliary module pipe segment 230, and/or a water injection means 250 for injecting water into the auxiliary module pipe segment 230. The water draining means 245 may here be arranged in or at the auxiliary module pipe segment top wall 235 and/or in or at the auxiliary module pipe segment bottom wall 240. The water injection means 250 is/are arranged in or at the auxiliary module pipe segment top wall 235 and/or in or at the auxiliary module pipe segment bottom wall 240. The auxiliary module pipe segment 230 may here have an auxiliary module transverse cross section 227 having the same shape as the transverse cross section 107 of the pipe segment 105 of the module 100. The fact that the cross section 107 of the pipe segment 105 of the module 100 matches the auxiliary module transverse cross section 227 of the auxiliary module 225 means that a continuous fluid flow may be obtained going from the pipe segment 105 of the module 100 into the auxiliary module pipe segment 230 of the auxiliary module 225 without experiencing significant disturbances at the interface between the two modules 100,225.

[0049] The water draining means and/or water injection means may according to any embodiment of the disclosure be configured to adjust the velocity of water being conducted in the auxiliary module pipe segment to a velocity in the range from 1.5 m/s to 2.5 m/s. The auxiliary module may be positioned upstream from the delousing module in the delousing system in order to adjust the water velocity in the downstream delousing module pipe segment to a velocity measuring in the range from 1.5 m/s to 2.5 m/s. The latter velocity has been found to be optimal for maintaining the welfare of the fish, while at the same time enabling removal of sea lice from the skin of the fish.

Claims (15)

Claims:

1. A module (100) for delousing fish, the module (100) comprising;
a pipe segment (105) for conducting water containing fish, where the pipe segment (105) comprises a pipe segment top wall (110) and a pipe segment bottom wall (115), and a delousing means (120) for removing sea lice from a fish being conducted through the pipe segment (105), where the delousing means (120) is arranged in or at the pipe segment top wall (110) and/or in or at the pipe segment bottom wall (115), where the pipe segment (105) has a transverse cross section with a maximum height h and a maximum width w, and where w 2h.

2. The module (100) according to claim 1, where the pipe segment top wall (110) and the pipe segment bottom wall (115) are planar.

3. The module (100) according to claim 2, where the pipe segment top wall (110) and the pipe segment bottom wall (115) are arranged in parallel to each other and at a distance h from each other.

4. The module (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, where the pipe segment (105) further comprises two pipe segment side walls (125), and where the two pipe segment side walls (125) are arranged at a distance w from each other.

5. The module (100) according to claim 4, where the two pipe segment side walls (125) are planar and parallel to each other, and where the pipe segment (105) has a rectangular pipe profile.

6. The module (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, where the delousing means (120) comprises a water nozzle (130).

7. The module (100) according to claim 6, where the water nozzle (130) comprises an elongate slit.

8. The module (100) according to claim 6 or 7, where the delousing means (120) comprises a water nozzle (130) arranged in or at the pipe segment top wall (110), and a water nozzle (130) arranged in or at the pipe segment bottom wall (115).

9. The module (100) according to any one of the claims 6 ¨ 8, where the module (100) further comprises a water outlet (132) positioned upstream or downstream from the nozzle, and where the outlet is in fluid communication (135) with the water nozzle.

10.The module (100) according to any one of the claims 1 - 5, where the delousing means (120) comprises a brush (140), a laser (145), a sound emitter (150) or an ultrasound emitter (155).

11.The module (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, where h is in the range from 100 mm to 500 mm, preferably in the range from 150 mm to 400 mm and most preferably in the range from 200 ¨ 300 mm.

12.A modular pipe system (200) for delousing fish, the modular pipe system (200) comprising;
a module (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, a first coupling unit (205) for connecting a first end (215) of the module (100) to a circular pipe, and a second coupling unit (210) for connecting a second end (220) of the module (100) to a circular pipe, where the module (100), the first coupling unit (205) and the second coupling unit (210) are connected in series, with the first coupling unit (205) and the second coupling unit (210) positioned at each end.

13.The modular pipe system (200) according to claim 12, further comprising an auxiliary module (225), where the auxiliary module (225), the module (100), the first coupling unit (205) and the second coupling unit (210) are connected in series, with the first coupling unit (205) and the second coupling unit (210) positioned at each end, the auxiliary module (225) comprising;
an auxiliary module pipe segment (230) for conducting water containing fish, where the auxiliary module pipe segment (230) comprises an auxiliary module pipe segment top wall (235) and an auxiliary module pipe segment bottom (240), and a water draining means (245) for extracting water from the auxiliary module pipe segment (230), where the water draining means (245) is arranged in or at the auxiliary module pipe segment top wall (235) and/or in or at the auxiliary module pipe segment bottom wall (240), and/or a water injection means (250) for injecting water into the auxiliary module pipe segment (230), where the water injection means (250) is arranged in or at the auxiliary module pipe segment top wall (235) and/or in or at the auxiliary module pipe segment bottom wall (240), where the auxiliary module pipe segment (230) has an auxiliary module transverse cross section (227) having the same shape as the transverse cross section (107) of the pipe segment (105).

14.A method for delousing fish, the method comprising the steps of;
providing a module (100) according to any one of the claims 1 - 11, or a system according to any one of the claims 12 - 13, conducting water containing a fish through the pipe segment (105) of the module (100), and delousing the fish using the delousing means (120) of the module (100).

15.The method according to claim 14, where the water is conducted through the pipe segment (105) of the module (100) with a velocity from 1.5 m/s to 2.5 m/s.