ES2541225B1 - Submersible mollusc nursery - Google Patents

Abstract

Submersible mollusk nursery. # The nursery incorporates valvular bodies (6), which pass through compartments (3, 5) of the floats and include water openings (7) in its lower base as well as holes (8) of water passage in its peripheral wall Sealing holes by expanding a shutter (12) powered by low pressure air. Water flow management and nursery control are thus immediate and fast.

Description

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DESCRIPTION

SUBMERSIBLE VIVERO FOR MOLUSCOS AMBITO TECNICO

The invention relates to a submersible nursery for mollusks, which allows its use for multitrophic cultivation and / or in auxiliary storage and purification industries of the crop, which can be submerged and emerge quickly to protect against environmental inclemencies and keep its load colorless. .

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A relatively recent trend in aquaculture is the cultivation of bivalve molluscs, oysters and mussels, mainly for human consumption. These relatively sedentary mollusks are tied to ropes that hang on floating structures. Floating structures are usually anchored in the available body of water, rivers, lakes or seas and preferably in the vicinity of the mainland.

In order to permanently control and regulate the nursery's floating height above the water level and compensate for the increase in crop weight, ES8602346 discloses a nursery for shellfish crushing with a frame carried by floats that include valves for control and regulation of the air passage that is insufflated from the outside and a lower opening of water inlet or outlet.

In another case, WO8900004 discloses a shellfish culture system in a support that can be submerged with the shellfish load, guided in its vertical displacements on a fixed structure to the seabed and whose rise to the surface of the water, or its descent, It is controlled by the entry or escape of air and water in the floats that support the support of the mollusks.

More recent proposals, including those of the requesting entity itself, complement the nurseries with electronic automata to manage the thrust force of the floats that, under the carrier platform of the crop, extend longitudinal, hollow, with watertight compartments and with valve means for

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air and water inlet and outlet, so that the depth and horizontality of the nursery can be adjusted. They also provide remote control and communication and data transmission systems to maneuver the equipment remotely, in addition to energy systems for feeding the nursery components.

However, a particular problem of water flow management is presented with the conventional valvular means of entering and exiting the fluids and in their disposition in the nursery floats and, with it, the control of immediate immersion and emersion.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

The objective of the present invention is to provide a means of regulation of rapid entry and exit of water to the extreme compartments of each float in the nursery, providing rapid sinking and emersion thereof. Water flow management is done remotely and independently for each float.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The problems derived from the current state of the art mentioned above can be solved by means of a submersible nursery for mollusks as the invention proposes, which can be conditioned for the cultivation or the crushing of fish, octopus or other marine species in addition to allowing multitrophic cultivation and other auxiliary uses of storage or purification of species and built, in accordance with known technique, with air-tight floats, totally or partially hollow, provided with valves for the entry and exit of water to regulate their sinking in addition to valves for injection and the escape of air. The novel feature that the invention provides lies mainly in the incorporation of valvular bodies that cross the floats vertically, with water openings in its lower base and with water passage holes present in its peripheral wall. The holes to be sealed by the expansion of an inflatable shutter powered by low pressure air. Water flow management and, therefore, nursery control are immediate and fast.

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Other additional features of the invention are described in the course of this description.

A submersible mollusc nursery according to the invention allows it to be constructed, according to the technique, with a bearing structure with integrated floats. In a known manner, each float is constructed generally cylindrical hollow and whose length extends from bow to stern in the nursery. Floats including partitions or bulkheads that subdivide it into separate compartments and compartments prepared to be flooded and reduce float buoyancy, or to be emptied of water and increase buoyancy.

The extreme compartments, located forward and aft of the floats incorporate valves commanded from the outside in order to allow the entry of air and expulsion of water or, conversely, the escape of air and the entry of water.

One or more intermediate compartments house the sufficient air load that ensures the immediacy of air transport to the extreme compartments in order to quickly dislodge the water ballasting the floats, for example when rapid emersion of the submerged nursery is required.

The new feature of the invention resides mainly in the incorporation of valvular bodies that extend transversely and vertically in the floats. The valvular bodies provided with water through holes in its periphery, conveniently sized according to the required immersion and emersion speeds and in order to ensure the passage to the respective compartment of a certain water flow from lower water openings in the body valve and to allow the exit of the water that, where appropriate, floods and ballast these compartments. The water through holes subjected to the peripheral expansion of an inflatable plug fed by low pressure air and whose contraction releases the water outlet. The management of the water inlet and outlet flow to each of the extreme compartments of the floats is independent, fast and efficient. With this, nursery control can be exercised effectively, immediately and quickly.

According to said new feature and improving the known technique, each float in the nursery incorporates valve bodies that extend transversely and vertically

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inside, at least in the extreme compartments of the floats in the nursery. For better assembly, maintenance or repair, the valvular bodies can be of greater length and extend after crossing inferiorly and superiorly two vertically separated areas on the periphery of the float, for example diametrically opposite.

The valvular bodies, basically generally hollow tubes and of any section, are provided with holes around its peripheral wall to allow the entry of immediate and lower water into the nursery through lower planned water openings in the valvular body and to allow the water outlet that, where appropriate, floods the compartments. The water openings provided, for example, as an open bottom base of the valvular bodies, or with the appropriate modifications, formed in or near the bottom base of each valve body. The water passage holes to be sealed by the peripheral expansion of an inflatable plug or pneumatic plug arranged vertically in the valve body, fed by low pressure air and whose contraction releases the water outlet. The pneumatic shutter carried, for example, by a cover, bridge or the like in the upper base of the tubular body.

Other additional features of the invention pursue the independence in the feeding and discharge of the fluids, water or compressed air, to each float / float in the nursery. Automated interconnected and conveniently located in the nursery independently manage the bow and stern of the nursery through the management of each float and, consequently, the immediate regulation of the position of sinking, emersion and balancing of the nursery is achieved . In the intermediate compartments of each of the floats there is a gyroscopic system that indicates the unevenness caused by the ravages of the sea. Creek sensors in the bow and stern compartments of the floats are respectively connected to the control automatons arranged at the bow and stern of the nursery. The data obtained with such auxiliaries allow correcting the nursery leveling. A nursery as said is easily commanded remotely via satellite, radio, GPS or others.

Pneumatic valves commanded by the automata located at the bow and stern in the nursery manage the main pneumatic system. A pneumatic valve manages, in each end compartment of the float, the actuation of the pneumatic shutter

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selected and a second pneumatic valve lets out the air in the

compartment when the float is being flooded and the nursery is submerged.

The compartment, or intermediate compartments of each float, include quick connectors for compressed air inlet and outlet baipases commanded by pneumatic valves, which allow the injection of compressed air into the bow and stern compartments, in order to ensure evacuation of the ballast of water present in its interior and thereby allowing the leveling of the nursery or its emersion.

An example of a submersible nursery carried out according to the invention allows it to be constructed with a plurality of floats, at least two, of appropriate section and convenient length that can extend from bow to stern in the nursery,

adequately spaced apart and preferably interconnected in a rigid manner to form a supporting structure from which the growing ropes hang. Immersion turrets, planned to bow and stern in the nursery, are home to control controllers interconnected with each other and to a data transmitter for

independently and remotely manage the bow and stern of the nursery. He

Supply of compressed air to the intermediate compartment is done through pipes of adequate section and controlled by pneumatic valves.

It is clear from what has been said that once the nursery has been discharged, and since the water openings of the valvular bodies in the bow and stern compartments are in direct communication with the immediate water under the nursery, water enters through them. while the weight of the nursery is compensated and, where appropriate, of the crop. The nursery gradually sinks until the caliper sensors and the gyroscopic system transmit the appropriate level and positioning to the respective automatons once the flotation is stabilized. Initiated the process of crla, the increase of weight of the crop, changes of depth, climatic variations or others, allow to be managed and corrected remotely.

When the emptying of the water ballast in the bow compartment is required, for example for the emersion of the nursery or for certain level or inclination corrections notified by the gyroscopic systems and / or the caliper sensors, from the bow automaton it is ordered the opening of the compressed air exhaust valve of the pneumatic plug in the valve body located in the

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bow compartment, causing the deflation of the same, releasing the water through holes of the seal and allowing water to flow through them with the opening of the valves ordered by the bow automaton allows the injection of compressed air to the bow compartment until the water contained inside is expelled through the water holes and water openings. Reciprocally, the same process occurs with respect to the stern when ordered from the automaton located in the stern turret.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Figure 1. Schematically shows, in perspective and sectioned longitudinally to a room, a submersible nursery float according to an embodiment as simple as possible of the invention and illustrates the arrangement of the valvular bodies in the end compartments of the float.

Figure 2. In correspondence with the previous figure although on a larger scale it shows a detail of the longitudinal section of a portion of the float made on a simplification of the valve body. It illustrates the position of a pneumatic shutter before the expansion of its wall and arranged in front of the water holes in the periphery of the valve body although separated from them allowing the flow of water from the water openings and the level reached in the float, shown with auxiliary lines.

Figure 3. Shows, in correspondence with the previous figure, the same longitudinal and schematic section of the float made on the valve body. It illustrates the arrangement of the pneumatic shutter with its expanded wall after being inflated and closing the water holes in the periphery of the valve body and preventing the entry or exit of water in the compartment that it crosses.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

As Figure 1 shows, the float (1) has a tubular configuration and its ends are closed. The float (1) is subdivided by partitions (2) into compartments (3, 4, 5), respectively bow compartment (3),

intermediate compartment (4) and aft compartment (5).

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As said, a submersible nursery includes as a new feature that the compartments (3, 4, 5) of the floats (1), and as a minimum, the bow (3) and stern (5) compartments are provided with valvular bodies (6) which, as best seen in Figures 2 and 3, extend vertically and cross the periphery of the float (1) upper and lower and include pneumatic shutters (12).

In a preferred embodiment of the invention and with respect to figures 2 and 3, the valve bodies (6) are shown in the example as hollow cylindrical tubes and have water openings (7) which, in the example, are seen coincident with the mouth of its lower base. Valve bodies (6) include water passage holes (8) arranged at a sensitive level at its periphery. In each valve body (6), a pneumatic shutter (12) is arranged opposite the water passage orifices (8).

The upper base of each valve body (6) incorporates, in the proposed example, a cover (9) carrying the support (10), protector of the conduit (11) of entry and exit of compressed air to the pneumatic shutter (12) of wall (13) expandable and contralble. The valve body (6) is conventionally connected to the lower end of the support (10).

The water holes (8) to be sealed when the wall (13) expands with the inflation of the pneumatic shutter (12), powered by low pressure air, pneumatically commanded and opening or closing under remote control. The water holes (8) to be unbuttoned when the wall (13) contracts with the air escape order of the pneumatic plug (12). Water flow management and, consequently, nursery control are as follows! Immediate and fast.

A preferred embodiment according to the invention has at least two valvular bodies (6) arranged vertically and crossing two diametrically opposite points on the periphery of each float (1) in the nursery, although upon request the valve bodies (6) may be arranged displaced with respect to the vertical diameter of the float (1).

Claims (4)

5 10 15 2. twenty 3. 25 4. 5. 30 SUBMERSIBLE VIVERO FOR MOLUSCOS, which has one or more floats (1) entirely or partially hollow, basically parallel, closed to the ambient air, subdivided by partitions (2) in compartments (3, 4, 5) and with valves for entry and exit of water and for injection or outlet of air or other gas, characterized by valve bodies (6) vertically crossing at least two compartments (3, 5) separated in each float (1), the valve body (6) with water openings (7) in its lower base and with holes (8) of water passage in its periphery to allow the flow of water inlet and outlet with respect to the compartment (3 or 5) of the float (1) that passes through and also comprising a shutter tire (12) that seeks the closure or opening of said communication. SUBMERSIBLE VIVERO FOR MOLLUSCS, according to the claim 1, characterized in that the pneumatic shutter (12) is arranged vertically and centered on the valve body (6) with its periphery (13) facing the orifices (8) of water passage, commanded pneumatically and the opening or closing subjected to remote control.
SUBMERSIBLE VIVERO FOR MOLLUSCS, according to the claim 1, characterized in that at least one valve body (6) is disposed in the bow compartment (3) of the float (1).
SUBMERSIBLE VIVERO FOR MOLLUSCS, according to the claim 1, characterized in that at least one valve body (6) is disposed in the stern compartment (5) of the float (1).
SUBMERSIBLE VIVERO FOR MOLLUSCS, according to the claim 1, characterized by a pressurized air accumulator (4) basically occupying the capacity of at least one intermediate compartment (4) between the bow compartment (3) and the stern compartment (5) of each float (1) in the nursery, to inject ballast ejection air into the bow compartment (3) or the stern compartment (5) commanded by respective pneumatic valves operated by remote control. 7. 10 SUBMERSIBLE VIVERO FOR MOLLUSCS, according to the claim 1, characterized by a gyro system in said at least one intermediate compartment (4) between the bow compartment (3) and the stern compartment (5) in the floats (1) in the nursery, by which they are appreciated the unevenness caused by marine attacks and from which the necessary data are obtained to ensure the leveling of the nursery. SUBMERSIBLE VIVERO FOR MOLLUSCS, according to the claim 1, characterized by cove sensors in the bow (3) and stern (5) compartments and respectively connected to the control automatons arranged at the bow and stern of the nursery.