LT7126B - METHOD AND DEVICE FOR SEPARATION OF SEAWEED FROM CULTIVATION ROPE - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to the aquaculture industry, in particular to a method and technique for separating the vegetative part of cultivated seaweed Saccharina latissima, Alaria, Ulva and related macroalgae species from the cultivation rope (substrate). Currently, the vegetative part of mature seaweed is separated from the substrate using stationary and moving sharp mechanical tools. However, this method has disadvantages, especially when it is necessary to preserve the substrate and algae spores for repeated cultivation, and in addition, the cutting tools need to be sharpened. The invention creates a new method for separating the vegetative part of mature seaweed from the cultivation rope during its transportation, using a high-pressure water flow. The invention proposes to simultaneously perform the washing of the substrate in a simultaneous manner. A device (Apparatus) is proposed for separating seaweed (2) from the cultivation rope (1) while combining its washing function. The apparatus includes a housing (3), a receiving (supply) unit (4), a chamber (7), a transport unit (8), a high-pressure water station (9), an electrical panel (10) and a storage system (11–15) (Fig. 1). The chamber (7) consists of an algae separation (cutting) unit (5) and a washing unit (6) (Fig. 3–4).

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention relates to the seaweed aquaculture industry, technology and technique, in particular to a method and technique for separating the vegetative part of cultivated Saccharina latissima, Alaria, Ulva and other related macroalgae species from the cultivation rope (substrate).

TECHNICAL LEVEL

Known methods for cutting algae from areas of freely growing vegetation in the wild using floating boats, with knives analogous to those used in the agricultural industry, patent No. 10-1292177, 2013-07-26, "Harvesting of underwater plants, e.g. harvesting of seaweed".

The method of separating cultivated algae from the cultivation rope is presented in the descriptions of patent No. KR20190017379A, 2019-02-20 "Apparatus for collecting seaweed", as well as US2022071092 (A1), 2022-03-10, "Semi-automatic seaweed harvester".

In order to harvest algae from the substrate network system used for cultivation, a "Floating Kelp Harvesting Machine" was developed, CN106576585A (B), 2017-0426.

The invention "Algae harvesting and sorting method and robot", CN107580865A(B), 2018-01-16, relates to a method for collecting and sorting kelp grown on a rope using a robot. A boat with a collecting and sorting robot sails between two adjacent floating cultivation ropes, which, together with the algae, are lifted on both sides of the kelp collection and sorting robot. Before being lifted into the robot for cutting, the cultivation rope float system is disconnected, and the cutting is carried out with the help of mechanical devices.

A known method of processing algae using high-pressure water jet devices, “Method for separating seaweed leaves from the stem” - KR20190053543, 2019-05-20, and “Apparatus for separating seaweed leaves from the stem” KR20200045870A, 2020-05-06.

Thanks to these inventions, the soft part of the Wakame seaweed is separated from the hard part of the seaweed stem using a high-pressure water flow, and the hard part is cut at the same time. The process uses digital signal reception-transmission technology, i.e. photo sensors are used to determine the necessary cutting lines, and the received digital data is transmitted to the working tools, processor-controlled nozzles.

Such technology and techniques are difficult to apply in practice, especially on smaller farms, due to their complexity and high cost.

The high-pressure water jet method is also used in cutting food products, processing vegetables, e.g. separating the roots of onion tubers, Japanese patent "Welsh onion root cutting mechanism", JP2002045162A, 2002-0212. Water jets are sprayed in the longitudinal direction of the onion to properly orient the leaves and root hairs, which are cut off by a combination of high-pressure jet and mechanical tools.

Currently, there is no known method and technique for separating the vegetative part of cultivated seaweed from the cultivation rope (substrate) by applying high-pressure jet technology, therefore, the Korean patent: "Apparatus for collecting seaweed" KR102208758B1 (A), 2021-01-27, is adopted as the closest analogue to the proposed technical solution.

The apparatus according to the present invention has a feed unit for receiving a cultivation rope with algae, a cutting device with mechanical tools for separating the algae from the rope and a pulling device for transporting the rope with algae. The main useful feature provided by the invention is that it is possible to separate the algae from the rope without removing the floats. To achieve this goal, the feed and pulling drives have the functions of opening the working rollers, and the cutting tools are provided with corresponding grooves for the passage of the float attached to the rope.

The disadvantage of this method is that the algae separator is a stationary, rotating, sharp bushing that wears out and requires sharpening. In addition, the process is slowed down as the floats pass through the cutting zone.

ESSENCE OF THE INVENTION AND PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED

Algae cultivation plantations typically use water-resistant synthetic ropes of a certain diameter and length, made of materials such as nylon or polyester, into which algae seeds are inserted or otherwise attached before being immersed in water in the cultivation areas.

A common cultivation method on small farms is a rectangular-shaped, buoy-supported, tensioned frame rope system installed at the cultivation site, inside which a planted cultivation rope of a predetermined length is unfolded in parallel rows at a certain distance and hooked with hooks. Such a cultivation segment is called a cultivation module.

At the growing sites, at sea, appropriately oriented and arranged modules form growing plantations.

Once the algae has grown, the cultivation ropes are unhooked from the frame and pulled by mechanisms to the algae collection site.

Currently, the vegetative part of mature seaweed is separated from the substrate using stationary and moving sharp tools, bushings, or scissors-like knives. However, such tools have disadvantages, the edges of the cutting tools cling to the surface of the rope, there is a real possibility of mechanical damage to the rope when pulling, and when sharpening the tools, the algae raw material can be contaminated with metal shavings.

Another problem is the reuse of cultivation ropes (substrate). Roots after cutting the algae can remain on the cultivation rope, when it is desired to preserve the algae spores and re-immerse the ropes in water for growing a new crop. However, in order to insert new algae seeds, it is necessary to remove the algae roots and spores, wash the ropes, and dry them during storage. So far, there is no effective method and specialized equipment for washing cultivation ropes, so in most cases they are disposed of. There are cases when the ropes are simply left in the sea and pollute the environment.

In order to reduce the costs of algae cultivation and improve the quality of the raw material, a new method and device (Apparatus) for separating seaweed from the cultivation rope is proposed, which combines the rope washing process.

The goal is achieved by using high-pressure, strong water flow technology to separate the vegetative part of algae, in a specially designed Apparatus chamber (7), which is adapted to perform both functions (Fig. 1).

Algae separation and cultivation rope washing operations are carried out using the same high-pressure water jet method, which allows for efficient separation of algae leaves and removal of roots and other contaminants from the rope, while preserving its quality. The continuous process is carried out on a selected length of rope of one cultivation module, approximately 50-100 m.

The proposed method of seaweed collection is influenced by the type and size of the algae, the dimensions and material of the cultivation rope, the water pressure created in the water supply system of the apparatus, the shape (angle) of the jet stream sprayed by the nozzles, obtained by combining the diameter and angle of the nozzle hole, as well as the distance to the rope.

The implementation of the invention reduces labor intensity, improves work safety, simplifies maintenance, improves the quality of seaweed raw materials, and creates more opportunities to reuse ropes, saving resources and reducing environmental pollution. All this allows a limited number of workers to harvest mature seaweed faster and more efficiently in the increased capacity of cultivation farms, without the need to fundamentally change the layout and structure of the farm.

The structure of the apparatus consists of: housing 3, supply unit 4, algae separation (cutting) unit 5, rope washing unit 6, transportation unit 8, high-pressure water supply station 9, electrical (control) panel 10, algae collection chute 11 with box 12, root collection chute 13 with box 14 and box 15 for storing the cultivation rope. The algae cutting unit 5 and washing unit 6 are installed in a common chamber 7 (Fig. 1).

According to the main embodiment of the invention, the apparatus unit 5 separates the algae from the substrate, and the washing unit 6 washes the substrate. However, the control of the apparatus allows for the operation of algae separation alone to be performed on demand.

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

Figure 1 shows a perspective view of the apparatus from the side, showing the path of the cultivation rope (substrate) 1 from the apparatus's receiving (supply) unit 4, towards the algae separation (cutting) unit 5 and the rope washing unit 6, to the transport unit 8. The algae and waste collection system 11-14 is also shown here.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the supply unit 4.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the algae separation (cutting) unit 5, showing the arrangement of the cutting nozzles and the directions of the water flows relative to the cultivation rope.

Figure 4 shows a perspective view of the cultivation rope washing unit 6, which shows the arrangement of the washing nozzles and the directions of the water flows relative to the cultivation rope.

Figure 5 shows a perspective view of the cultivation rope transport unit 8.

Fig. 6 shows an embodiment of the invention, where the horizontal nozzles of the cutting unit 5 are arranged and their water flows act on one side of the cultivation rope, and on the other side, a support plate 58 is installed. The conical angle of the water flow emitted by the cutting nozzles is also shown here.

The part that binds the components of the apparatus is the housing 3, on which the main mechanisms are mounted, and which is attached to the base so that it can interact with the cultivation rope at sea with the help of auxiliary means or a winch.

The feed unit 4 is mounted in the front part of the housing, which consists of a housing 16, with a lower roller 20 mounted in the front, guide rollers 18 and 19 mounted on the sides, and a support roller 17 mounted at the other end of the housing (Fig. 2).

The cutting unit 5 consists of guides 25 and 26 on which, in a horizontal position, on different sides, one below, the other above the substrate, nozzles 21 and 22 are mounted, the flows of which 30 and 31 are directed past the edges of the rope and can be adjusted forward or backward, up or down relative to the cultivation rope (Fig. 3).

The other two nozzles 23 and 24 are mounted in guides 27 and 28 above the cultivation rope, vertically, parallel to each other. At the mounting points and on the guides they can be adjusted up or down, forward or backward in the direction of movement of the rope, and the water streams 32 and 33 they provide are directed downwards past the edges of the rope.

According to another embodiment of the invention, the horizontal nozzles 56 and 57 of the algae separation unit 5 are installed on one side of the substrate and cut the algae with water streams from one side, one above, the other below the substrate, and on the other side, in front of these streams, a support plate 58 is installed (Fig. 6).

In both embodiments of the invention, the position of the nozzles relative to the substrate and the cutting process are adjusted taking into account the dimensions of the algae being processed, accordingly forming high-pressure water flows that depend on the diameter and angle of the nozzle hole, which can vary from 10° to 20°.

The washing unit 6 consists of two helical flow nozzles 42 and 43, which are mounted in holders 36, 37 through hinges in a horizontal position on guides 39 and can be adjusted forward or backward, up or down, and can also be rotated at an angle of 45° - 90° relative to the substrate (Fig. 4).

On the other side of the washing unit, in the direction of the drive 8, opposite each other, symmetrically with respect to the rope, in a horizontal plane on guides 38, direct flow secondary washing nozzles 34 and 35 are mounted, which can be adjusted closer or further, higher or lower with respect to the rope.

Between the two pairs of washing nozzles 34, 35 and 42, 43, in the axial line of the cultivation rope, two plates 40 and 41 are installed, having V-shaped notches, with which they envelop the rope with the possibility of mechanically shaving it during transportation. One plate is fixed so that it can be adjusted relative to the second.

The equipment for the cutting and washing units is installed in a chamber 7 with front “A” and rear “B” gates for passing the cultivation rope with algae with a partition 29 in its center, designed to separate the cutting and washing water flows. All cutting and washing nozzles installed in the chamber are connected by hoses to the high-pressure station 9 and are controlled from the electrical panel 10.

Two openings are installed in the lower part of the chamber. One is equipped with a chute 11, designed to direct algae with water to a container 12, and the other is equipped with a chute 13, designed to direct algae roots and other biological contaminants to a collection container 14.

The transport unit 8 of the apparatus consists of a housing 48, on which a rotary motion drive 50 is mounted, having a reducer, providing rotational motion to a pulley 51 mounted on a shaft. In front of the pulley, on the plane of the housing, a clamping roller 53 is mounted, and behind it a pressure roller 54, having a clamping spring 55. A buffer plate 49 is mounted in the lower part of the pulley. (Fig. 6).

The transport unit pulley 51 consists of two plates 52, which, when mounted on the reducer shaft, form a “V”-wedge-shaped groove between themselves and are equipped with grooved surfaces, which ensures better interaction and more efficient substrate traction. The tension roller 53 and the pressure roller 54, which have the ability to approach or move away from the working surfaces of the pulley, are designed to maintain the rope in the groove, while the support 49 serves as a buffer to push away any residues of the cutting process that may remain on the rope.

The device has an algae collection system 12 and a washing waste collection system 14, which, with the help of gutters 11, 13, receives and separately collects algae and waste, and directs the water for reuse or to the sewage system.

The water supply station 9 of the apparatus consists of a high-pressure pump supplying a water volume in the range from 5 to 7.5 m ³ /h, maintaining a high pressure in the range from 160 to 200 bar for the algae separation unit 5 and a high-pressure pump supplying a water volume in the range from 2.5 to 5 m ³ /h, maintaining a high pressure in the range from 140 to 180 bar for the algae washing unit 6.

The high-pressure pumps of station 9 are connected by hoses to the nozzles in chamber 7, and by electrical cables to the control panel 10.

Taking into account the specifics of the work and occupational safety, station 9, together with electrical panel 10, is installed next to the device.

Operation of the device.

Algae harvesting with the help of the apparatus begins by unhooking the cultivation rope with algae from the cultivation frame and pulling its end through the apparatus's feed unit 4 and chamber 7 to the pulley 51 of the drive 8, where its end is locked.

The gear 8 is turned on and the cultivation rope with algae begins to be pulled through the guide rollers 17-20 towards the cutting unit 5.

Algae separation begins when the pump of station 9 is turned on, supplying a strong flow to the nozzles 21-24 of block 5.

The washing phase begins in the next chamber position, when the station pump is turned on, supplying a strong flow of water to the nozzles 34-37 of block 6.

The separated algae and rope washing waste, together with water, are directed through channels 11 and 13 to collection systems 12 and 14.

The electrical (control) panel 10 allows, as needed, to ensure optimal operation of the algae separation and rope washing processes by regulating the water pressure, flow strength and direction, and the optimal cultivation rope transportation speed is determined by controlling the operation of the unit drive.

Claims (10)

1. A method for separating seaweed from a cultivation rope (substrate), comprising the stages of receiving the seaweed, separating its vegetative part and transporting the rope, characterized in that the seaweed (2) embedded in the cultivation rope (1) during transportation is separated (cut) by high-pressure water flows operating in a chamber (7), obtained from a station (9), pumps supplying a water volume in the range from 5 to 7.5 m ³ /h, maintaining a high pressure in the range from 160 to 200 bar, nozzles (23, 24) of a cutting unit (5) forming vertical cutting flows (32, 33), on different sides of the substrate, closer or further from the substrate, in order to separate the seaweed embedded in the lateral parts of its perimeter and cutting nozzles (21, 22) operating in two horizontal planes, in the upper and on the underside of the substrate, forming strong water currents (30, 31), closer to or further from the substrate, to separate algae established on the upper and lower perimeters of the substrate. 2. A method for separating seaweed from a cultivation rope in another embodiment of the invention according to claim 1, characterized in that the seaweed, established in the cultivation rope, during transportation, is separated in horizontal planes by high-pressure water flows (56, 57), acting in one direction from one side of the substrate, one of which acts on the top of the substrate, the other on the bottom of the substrate, and a support plate (58) is installed in front of these flows on the other side of the substrate. 3. A method for separating seaweed from a cultivation rope according to claim 1 and 2, characterized in that the seaweed, which has settled on the cultivation rope, during transportation, is separated by high-pressure water streams (32, 33 and 56, 57) formed by nozzles (21-24), each of which has an angle in the range of 10° - 20°. 4. A method for separating seaweed from a cultivation rope according to claims 1-3, characterized in that said method includes a step of washing the substrate, carried out during its further transportation, with currents provided by the washing unit (6), which wash the substrate with a strong water flow obtained from the pump of the station (9), supplying a water volume in the range from 2.5 to 5 m ³ /h, maintaining a high pressure in the range from 140 to 180 bar to the washing nozzles (42, 43) of the unit (6), operating in one horizontal plane, on opposite sides of the substrate, further or closer to the substrate, forming helical washing flows (46, 47) at an angle in the range from 45° to 90° against the direction of movement of the substrate, so that the flow of each of them covers half of the perimeter of the cross-section of the substrate. 5. The method of separating seaweed from the cultivation rope according to claim 1-4, characterized in that the substrate washing operation includes an additional step performed by streams (44, 45) of washing nozzles (34, 35), which additionally wash the substrate and can be directed closer to or further from it so that the stream of each of them covers half the perimeter of the substrate cross-section. 6. The method of separating seaweed from the cultivation rope according to claim 4 and 5, characterized in that it includes additional cleaning (shaving) of the rope, carried out between the first and second washing stages, with plates (40, 41) having V-shaped notches, which mechanically shave the rope. 7. A device (Apparatus) for separating seaweed from a cultivation rope, consisting of a substrate with seaweed receiving system, a means for separating (cutting) seaweed and a substrate transport system, characterized in that the means for separating seaweed from the substrate is a cutting unit (5), operating on the principle of a high-pressure water cutting flow, equipped with cutting nozzles, of which two nozzles (21,22) are mounted on different sides of the substrate, in a horizontal position, closer or further, above or below the substrate, and the other two nozzles (23, 24), mounted on top of the substrate, vertically, parallel to each other, with the possibility of moving along and above or below the substrate so that the strong-flow cutting jet (32, 33) sprayed by each of them can be directed downwards past the edges of the substrate and which are connected by means of connections to a high-pressure water generating station (9), controlled from an electrical panel (10). 8. The apparatus for separating seaweed from the cultivation rope, according to claim 7, characterized in that behind the cutting unit (5), in the direction of the rope movement, there is a substrate washing unit (6), performing the substrate washing function, connected by means of connections to a high-pressure generating station (9), in which, in one plane, on guides (39), in holders (36, 37), two helical flow washing nozzles (42, 43) are fixed, which can be adjusted by sliding closer or further, lower or higher relative to the substrate and change their position at an angle, within the limits from 45° to 90°, while, on the other side of the washing unit (6), in the direction of the drive (8), one against the other, on different sides of the substrate, symmetrically relative to the substrate, in one plane, on guides (38), two direct flow secondary washing nozzles (34, 35), which can be adjusted by sliding closer or further, lower or higher relative to the substrate, and in the center of the washing unit, between the two pairs of nozzles, symmetrically to the axial line of the rope, two substrate shaving plates 40 and 41 are mounted opposite each other, having V-shaped notches, one of which can be adjusted by sliding closer or further relative to the rope. 9. Apparatus for separating seaweed from cultivation rope according to claims 78, characterized in that the cutting (5) and washing (6) units are placed in a closed chamber (7) with front ("A") and rear (B) gates for passing the substrate and a partition (29) for separating the cutting and washing water flows, while the lower part of the chamber is equipped with two openings with attached gutters (11, 13), one of which is intended for directing algae with water to an algae collection tank (12), and the other for directing algae roots and other contaminants together with water to a waste collection tank (14). 10. Apparatus for separating seaweed from the cultivation rope according to claim 8, characterized in that the working surfaces of the discs (52) of the pulley (51) of the transport unit (8) which are in contact with the rope are of a corrugated shape.