ES2244346A1 - Submersible tray has structural platform in which series of tanks, equipped with pusher and normally submerged anchoring system, is arranged - Google Patents

Abstract

A structural platform is arranged with a series of tanks equipped with pusher and normally submerged anchoring system. Lodging or locking devices are suspended on the platform. A buoy attached to the platform indicates the set submerging position for submerging process control.Submersible barge. Submersible barge, which consists of a structural platform on which there are a series of tanks which provide it with the thrust, which combined with an anchorage system enable it to remain submerged normally to avoid the effects of swell or to emerge to the surface for its maintenance and exploitation. The devices which will accommodate or enclose the aquatic species will be suspended from or secured to the platform. The immersion process will be controlled from a buoy tied to the platform which will, at the same time, serve to indicate the position of the assembly when under water.

Description

Submersible bat.

Object of the invention

The present invention relates to a platform which has been conceived to be able to operate both in calm waters as in open water where a sufficient distance is submerged with respect to the surface to avoid the action of swells and winds The installation may be used for the breeding of any aquaculture species or underwater work.

Background of the invention

The state of the art in this field comes constituted by floating structures of bat type, used mainly for the raising of mollusks and submerged structures of type cage, used for the breeding of fish species.

The bat type structures are constituted by a series of wooden sleepers, primarily eucalyptus, attached to each other and fixed to large flotation tanks. Be they have also performed with steel structure, but this practice has not It is very common since the strings, in which the mussel is suspended and that are hung at one of its ends of the structure, it they are subject to high accelerations in case of swell and this implies that the mollusk is detached from the rope and therefore Miss a large part of the production.

These bats are tied to dead weights anchored in order to maintain its position, usually within a polygon of you hit

Submerged cage type structures are usually be constructed of PVC or glass fibers. Its structure is normally formed by a series of tubes joined together. For him outside this structure a network is placed that encloses a large volume of water and in which species will be introduced farmed fish farmers. To secure this seabed cage a series of funding lines are laid out. To feed and signal the position of the cage is usually used a buoy that goes attached to the cage. The lifting maneuver of this type of cages It is very slow and complicated. Therefore maintenance work they are usually made by divers, with the consequent extra cost.

It would therefore be desirable to be able to submerge the floating trays to avoid the effect of the waves and of this way to anchor them in open water areas. Regarding submerged cages, it would be desirable to provide them with a means of fast immersion-lift that facilitates the work of production of this type of facilities.

For this, the present invention introduces a totally innovative anchoring system that allows setting the position of the assembly at a distance below the surface of the water sufficient so that the waves do not disturb you and that is also simple and fast to be able to frequently carry out the control operations and production maintenance The normal submerged situation avoids that small boats, which do not have the means electronic devices to locate obstacles, may be in danger of collision in circumstances of low visibility or temporary.

Description of the invention

The system of the invention is constituted by:

- A structure in which they are integrated solidly flotation tanks. The shape of these tanks and of the structure can be very varied depending on the species that is going to be raised or to the function that is going to allocate the bat. For the useful surface to be larger, these tanks must have a height and length greater than the width. The material of which are made, both the tanks and the structure, can be multiple provided they are protected to be submerged long periods of time. These tanks will be compartmentalized through of bulkheads. Some of the spaces in which they are divided will be waterproof and permanently filled with air. Others spaces will have as characteristic that they have an opening in their lower part through which the water will flow out when the Emersion operation

- A system of conduits and remote valves that will distribute the air that will empty the water tanks.

- A buoy in which the connections will be installed in which we will attach the hoses that will supply the air that will be blown to the tanks and valve controls telecommand, which will regulate the flow in immersion operations and emersion. In turn, if required, you will also have the signal and light systems indicated by the competent authority and that will be powered by a battery that will be charged by a wind turbine or other effective generator. This buoy is will attach to the structure of the bat by means of a hose umbilical that will house inside the ducts through which Air and controls will circulate. The hose should have the sufficient resistance to withstand drifts and movements of the buoy and that these are not transmitted to the ducts that run through its interior.

- A funding system with one or more lines of anchoring Each funding line will join the structure for one of its ends and at the other end will have a fixed deadlift in the background. Between these points a similar chain or medium will be laid that have enough strength to withstand the tensions that are generate by the maneuvers of the bat and by action of currents. In one or more intermediate points of this funding line will be placed intermediate ballasting mechanisms. These may be simply point weights or may be composed of several weights suspended from each other in cascade.

When the immersion maneuver of the bat, the air will be extracted from inside the flotation tanks enough for the displacement of these to generate a push something less than the weight of the set. When this occurs, the bat It starts to sink. When the deepest weight is rest on the bottom appear normal forces to the surface of contact and whose vertical components will add to the displacement of the tanks. Therefore the bat will stop descending, adopting An equilibrium situation. During the project phase, this equilibrium situation will be studied especially, since when if the bat is reached, it must be at a sufficient depth so that the major waves expected in the place with the Low tide of lower expected height in that situation.

If the bat is used to suspend any crop, this will increase the overall weight over time, Due to its growth. This will also happen if used to underwater work in which some of the bat is suspended. By so much could the weight be greater than the thrust added to the Normal intermediate weights. To avoid this situation and that the bat begin to descend below the position of previous balance, weights will be sized and positioned necessary intermediates for the sums of vertical forces upwards, which originate from the bottom, compensate for these Weight increases in any condition.

One of the weights disposal options intermediate, would be the principle of cascade operation, in the which intermediate weights of funding are suspended from others and therefore when you rely on the background, in principle only will support one of them, the one that hangs last, the following will they would support on top of this successively. Another option would be to arrange independent weights hanging at different levels in the line of anchoring As the crop grows or some weight is suspended the bat, the result of downward vertical forces will exceed the verticals up, with which the bat will descend until that the next suspended weight be supported and so on.

To know the relative position of the weights intermediates and the number of them that are suspended from the line of anchorage, a wired underwater camera could be used umbilical operated from an auxiliary ship or any other device that allows us to know the relative position of the themselves remotely.

If we want the displacement to increase and by therefore the number of suspended weights of the line is increased of anchorage, you just have to breathe air into the flotation tanks from the buoy.

Brief description of the drawings

Figure 1 shows a general arrangement of the components of the bat in its submerged position.

Figure 2 shows the ballasting mechanism Cascade intermediate of the submersible pan.

Figure 3 shows a functional scheme of the submersible pan air distribution system.

Description of an embodiment of the invention

Prior to the description, the except that this will refer to a practical example in which show the advantages that this invention provides for the farming of aquaculture species. However, with the modifications relevant the system could be used as a platform for Any type of underwater work.

In view of the aforementioned figures and more specifically from figure 1, it can be seen as the installation that is recommended is based on the use of some 3 tanks on which the platform or bat 4 is mounted, providing it with a displacement that will allow you to float.

These tanks will be divided into compartments, which can be permanent F, guaranteeing a minimum permanent thrust in all operating conditions of the artifact, or maneuver compartments E, which have a hole or connection at the bottom of them that communicates with the sea and through which the water will circulate that will vary the displacement of these. This hole can have a valve remote control to keep it closed when maneuvers are not carried out. It should be noted that the distribution of the compartments of maneuver is also aimed at enabling the stabilization of He hit her. By being able to regulate the displacement individually we can correct any heel since there are compartments of maneuver on the two main axes of the bat.

There will also be a compartment V that will serve as location for maneuver valves 25. These valves 25 regulate the entry (blowing) or air outlet at maneuver compartments E.

The variation of air inside the compartments E will increase or decrease the displacement of these according to the operation that we are going to carry out. 25 valves they will be piloted, which will allow a remote drive of these. In this example the drive will be pneumatic, which when using the same fluid as the one used to blow the compartments we will avoid having to install a new system for piloting.

A pressure manifold 16 will be placed in the buoy that will receive compressed air through a hose 15.

The supply pressure of this primary air it would be about 8 bar approximately although it could be supplied to any other pressure sufficient to pilot the valves.

From this pressure manifold 16, the pilot air through valves 18. The indication that is operating a valve is given by the signal in the corresponding pressure gauge 19. This pilot air passes to the artifact through independent hoses, where they act the corresponding valves 25 of each compartment E. When opened the maneuver valves connect each tank with the common collector filling / emptying 24.

Once one or more have been communicated operating compartments with the filling and emptying manifold 24, we will proceed to blow air or allow its exit through this collector as we want to emerge or submerge the device respectively.

Buoy 1 will also serve to accommodate devices required by the Regulations for the signaling of The position of the artifact. If food were necessary electrical for these devices, this will be done through batteries that will be powered by some generator effective.

The top 5 anchor lines will join the set floats-floats to some devices ballast intermediate 6, which could be simple dead weights spot or cascade ballasts, the latter are described in detail in figure 2. These will join dead weights 8 fixed at the bottom through bottom anchor lines 7. A good practice will be to use chains as funding lines both inferior 7 as superior 5, since the catenaries that form cushion the occasional pulls that may occur in the hitting maneuvers, which could lead to missing part of the aquaculture production that is cultivated.

The set of funding elements, see 5, 6, 7 and 8, together with the flotation means E, F and V; they will be in charge to give the bat the innovative power feature submerge or emerge as desired. We will describe below. the necessary actions to perform both maneuvers:

Immersion

The artifact is floating in the water surface, the air in the flotation compartments is is subject to the hydrostatic pressure corresponding to current draft of the artifact.

When opening the operating valves 25, the pressure described above forces the air in the tanks to exit through the filling / emptying manifold 24.

Blow valve 21 must be closed.

The filling and emptying manifold must be connected to the outside, at atmospheric pressure, for which it must open the relief valve 22 on the control panel.

The air will be expelled through the collector, the cited relief valve 22 and open end 23, until the tanks are filled completely with water or reach a water level determined in which case it will be when we stop the air outlet closing relief valve 22.

Emersion

The device is submerged in water, in an equilibrium condition, with or without air in their maneuvering compartments

The operating valves 25 must be opened to connect the operating compartments with the collector fill.

Relief valve 22 must be closed.

Blow valve 21 will open for passage of the blowing air towards the compartments to be blown (either one or several at once).

The blowing air will be supplied at a pressure less than the pilot, the pressure reduction is carried out at the pressure reducing valve 20, this pressure must be enough to overcome the hydrostatic pressure of water at depth at which the artifact is found as well as the load losses during travel and should not be excessive for avoid oversizing circuit elements.

The cascade intermediate ballast device 6 may be carried out, for example, as indicated in figure 2. In she can appreciate piece 10, which is nothing more than a portion of perforated sheet in three points that will join the rest of the device to the bottom anchor line 7 and the top anchor line 5. From this piece will suspend a main cylindrical structure 11 that It has a series of disks or similar structure attached to a cylinder principal. The upper discs 13 will be used for the fixed ballast upper 12 remain solidly attached to the cylinder. Ballast bottom mobile 9 may be a concrete block with a hole cylindrical in its central part. The hole at the top It will have a diameter slightly larger than that of the main cylinder 11 so that it can slide inside. On the bottom, the hole will have a diameter somewhat larger than the diameter of the disc 14. This will allow the disk to move vertically through its inside. Disc 14 will be attached to the main and reinforced cylinder to support the weight of the lower moving ballast 9. Therefore, when the assembly is suspended from piece 10, the lower moving ballast 9 will be supported on disk 14. At the moment we support the set in the background, if the vertical component of the reaction in the support, becomes greater than the weight of the lower moving ballast 9, the set of pieces 10, 11, 12, 13 and 14, as well as the lines of tie down will begin to lower until the upper 12 fixed ballast enters in contact with the lower moving ballast 9. This position will serve as a warning that the tension of the upper anchoring line is not very high and it would be convenient to introduce some air into the maneuver compartments E. In this way we will ensure that increase of weight due to the growth of the aquaculture species or material that be suspended from the bat, may be compensated by the devices of intermediate ballast 6 without the bat changing position.

Claims (5)

1. Submersible bat comprising a structure or bat signaled by a buoy that is attached to flotation tanks and which is anchored by means of anchorage lines in which intermediate ballasting devices are integrated and ending in fixed dead weights in the bottom, characterized by the fact that the flotation tanks are compartmentalized by means of vertical bulkheads so that some of them will have a hole in their lower part that allows them to be flooded; the filling and emptying of the same is done by blowing air in its upper part through ducts that communicate with the surface. 2. Submersible bat according to claim 1, characterized in that the filling and / or emptying of the tanks is controlled by means of telecommand valves intercalated in the conduits through which the air circulates, the valves are piloted from the surface through the buoy. 3. Submersible bat according to the preceding claims, characterized in that the buoy indicating the position is attached to the bat by means of an umbilical hose through which the filling and / or emptying air ducts are arranged as well as the ducts of control of the remote control valves. 4. Submersible bat according to claim 1, characterized in that each of said anchoring lines comprises an upper anchoring line that is attached at the top to the bat and at the other end to intermediate ballasting devices which in turn join the dead weights fixed at the bottom through the bottom anchor line. 5. Submersible bat according to the preceding claims, characterized in that the device and intermediate ballast cascade comprises a structural cylindrical element that is connected to the upper and lower anchorage lines and that has a top ballast jointly and severally attached on its upper part. lower a lower ballast with a hole in its central part through which the cylinder can be moved with the upper ballast as limits and a stop jointly attached to the cylinder in its lower part.