NO20171477A1

NO20171477A1 - Installation for cultivating marine biomass

Info

Publication number: NO20171477A1
Application number: NO20171477A
Authority: NO
Inventors: Ruben Fedøy; Daniel Fedøy
Original assignee: Seaweed As
Priority date: 2015-03-03
Filing date: 2017-09-13
Publication date: 2017-09-13
Also published as: WO2016139250A1

Description

Installation for cultivating marine biomass

Field of the invention

The present invention relates to aquaculture, more particularly to installations for cultivating marine biomass.

Background

The cultivating and harvesting of marine biomass is an industry expected to show significant growth in the future. As used herein, the term "marine biomass" may include, but is not limited to the following: • Seaweed: a macroscopic, multicellular, marine algae that lives near the seabed. The term includes some members of the red, brown and green algae. • Tunicates: commonly called sea squirts, are a group of marine animals that spend most of their lives attached to docks, rocks or the undersides of boats. Tunicates are part of the phylum Urochordata. • Other marine plant or animal species that are attached to a substrate during a significant portion of their growth cycle.

Current solutions for cultivating and harvesting marine biomass have several disadvantages. Known installations are expensive to produce, difficult to maintain, inflexible in their use scenarios, and often present as a visual eyesore in the coastal environment. With known installations, the placement and retrieval of the growth substrates can be a relatively complex operation.

A need exists, therefore, for an installation for the cultivating and harvesting of marine biomass that overcomes these disadvantages, as well as other challenges known to those skilled in the art.

Summary of the invention

The installation according to the present invention comprises a rectangular frame made of rope or other flexible, elongated structures. The frame is equipped with buoys or floats arranged at predetermined locations about its periphery. The frame is anchored to the seabed or shore at a location selected as suitable for the species to be cultivated. The frame may be arranged to float at the surface, or may alternately be arranged to sink at a desired depth below the surface of the water.

Along at least two sides of the frame are arranged curved tension lines. The tension lines are arranged with an essentially catenary shape. A plurality of tension lines run from the tension lines to the sides of the rectangular frame. When placed under tension, the shape of the tension lines will become more parabolic, thus holding the frame under tension in its rectangular shape.

Juveniles of the biomass species being cultivated are attached to substrate lines, which are arranged between the sides of the rectangular frame, and the species allowed to grow. The juveniles may be attached directly to a horizontal substrate line stretched between the sides of the frame if such an arrangement is advantageous for the species, or may for example, be attached to a plurality of hanging substrate lines suspended from a horizontal connector stretched between the sides of the frame if a vertical substrate is advantageous for the species.

Once the desired amount of growth is achieved, the substrate lines may be removed and transported to a suitable location for harvesting of the biomass.

Brief description of the drawings

The present invention shall be described in greater detail with reference to the attached drawings, wherein: Figure 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the installation according to the present invention in place in a coastal environment. Figure 2 is a top view of an embodiment of the installation according to the present invention. Figure 3 is a top view of an embodiment of the installation according to the present invention. Figure 4 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the installation according to the present invention. Figure 5 is a detailed perspective view of an attachment arrangement for the growth lines Figure 6 is a top view of a plurality of installation modules co-joined to form a larger installation. Figure 7 shows an installation with vertically hanging substrate lines Figure 8 shows two rectangular frames in stacked arrangement.

Detailed description

Figure 1 shows an installation 10 according to the present invention in place in a marine environment. The location of the installation will be chosen based upon the needs of the species intended to be cultivated.

As seen in Figures 2 and 3, the installation 10 comprises an inner, rectangular frame 12. Inner frame 12 is constructed in one embodiment of floating rope, for example rope with a diameter of from 10-60mm, more preferably with a diameter of from 20-50mm and yet more preferably around 38mm in diameter. The inner frame 12 comprises upper and lower edge ropes 14 and side ropes 16. A plurality of buoys 18 are attached at intervals around the periphery of frame 12, for example at its corners. Additional buoys may also be placed along the upper and lower edge ropes 14 or along side ropes 16.

In order for the frame to maintain its rectangular shape, the installation further comprises two tension lines 20 håving curved portions 22 arranged at the upper and lower edges of the installation, as shown in Figures 2, 3 and 4. The curved portion 22 of tension lines 20 are arranged in an essentially catenary shape, and are attached to the upper and lower edge ropes by a plurality of connection lines 24. When the tension line is placed under tension, the connection lines will exert a pulling force on the rectangular frame, assisting in maintaining the rectangular shape of the frame. The shape of the curved portion of the tension line when under tension will according to one aspect of the invention will become more parabolic in shape. In one embodiment, the tension line and tension lines are made of weighed rope or line. Alternately, the curved portion of the tension line may be made of floating rope.

As seen in Figure 2, the ends of the curved portion 22 of the tension line is connected to two frame extensions 26. Buoys 18 may be placed at the connection point between the frame extensions and the curved portion. As seen in Figure 4, this arrangement will result in the curved portion of the tension line assuming an essentially planar arrangement with the frame.

The tension line further comprises two anchoring portions 28, extending away from the curved portion. As can be appreciated from

Figure 4, the anchoring portions are used to secure the tension line, and thereby the frame, to the seabed to the shore. The anchoring portion, or indeed the entire tensioning line, can be made of weighted rope.

Arranged at the sides of the frame are additional side anchoring ropes 30 that likewise are used to secure the installation to the seabed or to any other appropriate structure.

In one embodiment, frame 12 is intended to be submerged (for example due to the growth needs of the species, or for aesthetic reasons). In this embodiment, it is desirable for frame 12 to be arranged at a predetermined depth and have neutral buoyancy. This may be accomplished by choosing the dimensions and buoyancy of the floating rope of frame 12 and the dimensions and weight of the weighted tension line (including the downward force from the anchoring portion of the tension lines) so that the combination has a total neutral buoyancy. The dimensions relative buoyancies of the ropes comprising the frame and the tension lines may be chosen such that t.hpffr.t". nn t.hbnnvanrv f min t.hwpi aht. nf t.hbiomass is t.akn into consideration. Connecting ropes extend from the buoys to frame 12, the lengths of which can be adjusted to regulate the depth of the frame. Other means of arranging the frame at a predetermined depth are also possible, such as employing various combinations of weighted and floating ropes, buoys and added weights.

Biomass is cultivated by arranging a plurality of growth lines 32 within frame 12, as seen in Figures 2, 3 and 4. Growth lines 32 may be made of rope, may also be made of bands or any other appropriate elongated substrate. The growth line according to one embodiment are arranged in a zig-zag pattern as seen in Figure 2, although any other arrangement of the line is possible, such as parallel, or in a crossed pattern.

According to one aspect of the invention, an arrangement for attaching the growth lines is illustrated in Figure 5. According to this aspect, the connection lines 24 extend a ways into the interior of the frame 12, and are terminated by a loop 34. A leader 36, preferable made of a lighter, more flexible material, is attached to loop 34. Leader 36 has itself a loop 38, to which is attached a float ring 40, making it easier to locate the end of the leader. A carabineer or similar attachment device is used to connect the growth lines to the leader.

According to one aspect of the invention, juvenile individuals of the biomass species to be cultivated are attached to the growth lines by methods known in the art. Examples of such attachment methods include, but are not limited to, young seaweed plants attached by string to the growth lines, or by the use of specialized adhesives. This can be accomplished on land or a nearby vessel. The growth lines are then deployed and attached to the frame in a Hpsi rpri nat.t.prn . Thp framp mav t.hpn hp al 1 nwsri tr> fl nat nn thp surface, or alternately sunk to a desired depth. After an appropriate growth period, the growth line are disconnected from the frame, and tåken to a harvesting area, where the biomass is removed from the growth lines. In an alternate embodiment illustrated in figure 7, the growth lines may be vertically hanging substrate lines 44 attached to other, support lines that are connected to the frame in a zig-zag or other pattern.

Figure 6 illustrates an embodiment of the installation wherein a plurality of frames are co-joined to form a larger installation, by connecting adjacent frames along the side edges.

In another embodiment illustrated in figure 8, two or more frames my be vertically aligned at different depths to create a stacked arrangement of frames. This can be advantageous to more effectively utilize an available space.

Claims

1. An installation for cultivating marine biomass in a body of water, comprising: a. a rectangular frame made of rope or other flexible, elongated structures, b. a plurality of buoys or floats arranged at predetermined locations about the periphery of the rectangular frame, c. curved tension lines håving an essentially catenary shape arranged along at least two sides of, and essentially planar to, the frame, said tension lines being connected to the sides of the frame by a plurality of connection lines, arranged such that when the tension lines are under tension the connection lines exert a pulling force on the frame, holding the frame in an essentially rectangular shape, d. anchoring lines extending from the tension lines to a seabed or shore, and e. a plurality of growth lines extending between the sides of the rectangular frame, said growth lines adapted to receive the attachment of juvenile individuals of the species to be cultivated.

2. An installation for cultivating marine biomass according to claim 1, wherein the structures of the installation have a combined buoyancy such that the rectangular frame floats on the surface of the water.

3. An installation for cultivating marine biomass according to claim 1, wherein the structures of the installation have a combined buoyancy such that the rectangular frame floats at a predetermined depth below the surface of the water.

4. An installation for cultivating marine biomass according to one of the preceding claims, further comprising anchoring lines extending to the seabed from the sides of the rectangular frame that are perpendicular to the sides connected to the catenary tension lines.

5. An installation for cultivating marine biomass according to one of the preceding claims wherein the connection lines extend past the sides of the rectangular frame in towards the interior of the frame, said connection lines being terminated by a loop connected to a floating device, said loop arranged to be connected to the growth lines.

6. An installation for cultivating marine biomass according to claim 5, wherein the growth lines are connected to the connection lines by a carabiner.

7. An installation for cultivating marine biomass according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the rectangular frame comprises a module, and wherein a plurality of said modules are interconnected to form a multi-module installation.

8. An installation for cultivating marine biomass according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the tension lines, when placed under tension, assume an essentially parabolic shape, arranged to hold the frame in an essentially rectangular shape via tension from the connection lines.

9. An installation for cultivating marine biomass according to one of the preceding claims, wherein ropes or elongated structures of the rectangular frame are buoyant ropes.

10. An installation for cultivating marine biomass according to one of the preceding claims, wherein ropes or elongated structures of the rectangular frame are weighted ropes.

11. An installation for cultivating marine biomass according to one of the preceding claims, further comprising a plurality a vertical substrate lines arranged to hang downward from the growth lines.

12. An installation for cultivating marine biomass according to one of the preceding claims, wherein two or more rectangular frames are arranged in a vertically stacked arrangement submerged under the surface of the water.

13. A method for cultivating marine biomass,characterized inthat the method comprises the steps of: a. Providing an installation according to one of the preceding claims, b. Seeding juvenile individuals of a desired species to the growth lines, c. Connecting the growth lines to the installation, d. Allowing the individuals of the species to grow to harvest size, e. Disconnecting the growth lines from the installation, f. Transporting the growth lines to a harvest facility for harvesting.

14. A method for cultivating marine biomass according to claim 13, wherein the growth lines are connected between sides of the frame.

15. A method for cultivating marine biomass according to claim 13, wherein the growth lines are suspended vertically from lines connected between sides of the frame.